CHAPTER 1

My body ached, pleading, screaming, then recoiling in shame and panic from thoughts that shouldn’t have a place in my mind. I was afraid of not being able to control the longing for raw flesh—the need to savor warm blood. Though I tried to control it, my willpower grew weaker each day.

I should’ve died six weeks ago. Instead, I was home in suburban Los Fresnos, Texas, trying to ignore the beating of the pulse in Claire’s neck. Claire—my poor, clueless mother—dawdled by my bedroom door, unaware that if I gave into the demands of the beast inside me, I could wipeout the town’s entire population. And right now, with the hunger raging in me, a feast of five thousands humans would be a dream come true. My mouth watered.

Stop it! I reprimanded myself, then flinched at the gruesome thought.

“Are you getting out of bed today?” Claire asked.

I turned my body away from her and faced the window.

“This isn’t healthy, Isis.” She opened the curtains, sunlight blinding me for a second, and then put a hand on her hip and looked down at me. “Why won’t you talk to me?”

I didn’t answer.

“Look, honey, I get it, okay? I know you think it’s the end of the world, but there are other boys out there.” She waited for my answer. “Isis, are you listening to me?”

I closed my eyes and pulled a blanket over my head.

“Fine. Stay there—hidden from the world. But I have news for you. The world isn’t waiting for you to be ready to face it again. Life goes on. You better start figuring out what you’re going to do with the rest of yours.”

I already knew what I had to do, but I didn’t know how to do it—how to save mankind, how to tame the monster inside me. The thought of me being a heroine was laughable and ridiculous. I didn’t know how to fight. It was a miracle I was still breathing.

“She’s awake,” I heard Claire say. “See if you can get her to shower, would you?”

“I’ll try. No guarantees,” I heard Andy’s voice. She yanked the blankets off me. “You heard your mom. Get up.”

“She may be stuck to the bed by now. How long has it been since you touched a drop of water, Isis?” Claire shook her head at me. “Seriously, shower. Make an effort at life, if not for yourself, for me, your worried-sick mother.” She waited for my reaction, but I stared past her. “What will it take to get one word out of you?” I shrugged. She glanced at Andy. “See what I mean? I sent her off to Greece a nice girl, and she came back a little monster.”

I chuckled at the accuracy in her statement.

“What are you laughing at?” She frowned at me as her cell phone rang. She fished the phone out of her pocket and looked at the screen. “Crap. It’s the office. I’m late.” She gave me a pointed stare. “If you’re not showered by the time I get back, I’m going to hose you off in the backyard. And I’m not kidding this time.”

Claire walked out of the bedroom, and Andy closed the door behind her. I was relieved she was gone. Not because I wanted Claire to leave, but because I didn’t have to fight the monster in me from harming her. I loved Claire, and I wished I could go back to being as I was before when I didn’t have to hold my breath every time she was near. And today, with Andy visiting, the scent of two people, of that much human flesh confined in one room, was tough to resist.

“It’s not your mom’s fault your boyfriend broke up with you, you know?” Andy said. She was right, but I didn’t feel like talking about it. When I didn’t respond, she changed the subject. “I’m surprised your new B.F.F. isn’t here. Did she move in, yet, or…?”

“Why don’t you like Galilea?”

“I never said I didn’t like her. Not that it matters if I do. She’s your friend, not mine.” She sat on the bed. “I’m amazed at how fast your hair is growing back. It’s past your chin. I still can’t believe you shaved it off. Is your mom still mad about it?”

“Yeah.”

I’d lied to everyone about what happened to my hair. I couldn’t exactly tell them I’d shed my skin like a snake.

“You should get out of bed, stinky.” Andy pulled my arm. “C’mon. My parents are driving me up to Baylor tomorrow, and I want to spend today with you.”

I sat up and rested my back against the headboard. “That’s tomorrow? Already?”

“Yup. What about you? Have you submitted college applications for the spring semester?” I shook my head, and Andy cocked her brow. “Are you planning to?”

I couldn’t look at her in the eye when I answered, “Eventually.”

“You’re lying,” she said. “But… Whatever. So can we go out somewhere—and have a little fun? We could have breakfast at the new coffee shop over by—”

“Can’t we just hang out here? I don’t feel great.” That wasn’t a lie. My head throbbed and the nausea worsening. I didn’t know when the mutation sickness—that’s what Dr. Gunn called it—would go away. “We could watch a movie.”

“On second thought, maybe I should just go.” Andy rose from the bed.

“You’re abandoning me because I don’t want to go out?”

“No. I’m leaving because you look like you’re about to throw up.” Andy wrinkled her nose. “Maybe you should see a doctor.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe I should.” I couldn’t recall how long it’d been since I’d been in contact with Dr. Gunn and his doctor wife, Eileen.

“Besides, if you’re contagious, I don’t want to catch it.”

“I wish it was just a virus.” I snorted, and she gave me a weird look. Before she could question me, I asked, “Are you packed and ready to go be a college kid?”

“I think so.” She stopped to think for a moment. “No, yeah, I am. But I still have some things to do before I leave, including saying good-bye to Bill. He doesn’t leave for Austin until next week.”

“That’s great,” I said. “I’m happy for both of you.”

All my friends were leaving to become doctors, engineers, teachers… I was becoming something too—a monster. Quite the accomplishment, Isis. I mentally punched myself on the arm. Way to go, me.

“Hey, if you feel better later, call me. I’ll come over. Otherwise, I’ll see you in three months?”

“Okay. I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too.” Andy reached over and hugged me. “Love you, bestie.”

“Love you, too.” I pulled away from her embrace when I felt the intense starvation scrambling, trying to find freedom—trying to make me take a taste of my best friend.

“Hurry up and get better.” She paused. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but it’s time to get over him, Isis.” She squeezed my hand. “Look at what you’re doing to your mom. To yourself. I’m not trying to be mean, but girl, you look awful. I hate seeing you like this. But more than that, I hate leaving you like this. Promise me you’ll get better.”

“I’m trying,” I said.

“Good. It’s a start.” She hugged me one more time. “Don’t bother getting up. I’ll let myself out.”

Andy paused at the door and gave me a sad smile. She turned the knob and walked out.

“I thought she’d never leave.” Galilea appeared out of thin air. She closed the bedroom door. “Do you know how hard it is for me to cry without hiccupping? That was, like, brutal bestie emotions all over the place.” She plopped down on the bed next to me. “Oh, I got your… thing.” She dropped a paper bag on my lap. “And you know what? I’m really bummed. I can’t believe Andy doesn’t like me. I mean, what’s not to like? I’m irresistible. Name one person who doesn’t like me.”

“I can name six.”

“Rude.”

“You need to stop listening in on my conversations.”

Galilea took the paper bag and pushed it against my chest. “That’ll happen when you stop keeping secrets from me.”

“You’re worse than my mom.” I slid off the bed, paper sack and cell phone in hand, and headed to the bathroom.

My knees were weak. My stomach churned. I dumped the contents of the sack on the vanity. I studied it, afraid to even touch it. After a few minutes, I picked it up and followed the instructions printed on the package. I waited, leaning against the wall. Breathing in slow, deep breaths, I looked at the time on my phone. I took a step toward the vanity. Hesitated. Took another two steps. I forced myself to look down at the counter. There was a tiny pink cross where I didn’t want it to be. I sucked in a ragged breath.

No. No. No! This can’t be happening! I slid down to the floor, my back against the wall. This wasn’t supposed to happen!

I hugged my knees close to my chest, the nausea and headache forgotten from the mortification, dread, fear, and shock that were suffocating me. I pressed my hand over my mouth, attempting to hold in my cries.

After a while, Galilea knocked on the door. “You alive in there?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you crying?” she asked. My voice must’ve given it away. I didn’t answer her. “Isis, let me in.”

I stood up and wiped my tears with my T-shirt. I unlocked the door, and the doorknob twisted open. Galilea studied me for a moment. She turned her attention to the vanity and walked into the bathroom. She gaped down at the pink cross on the stick.

“Shit.” She tapped the vanity counter with her fingers. “I can’t believe you kept this to yourself for so long. Haven’t you ever heard of condoms?”

“I was on the pill. Do you think I would be so irresponsible?”

I sat on the toilet, holding my head between my hands. I felt like I was about to burst.

“Actually, yes. And if you suspected this much, you should’ve said something.” Galilea rubbed her forehead. “What are you going to do?”

I wiped a tear away and shrugged.

“David has a right to know,” she told me. “I can call—”

“No. Don’t you dare call him.” I frowned at her.

“That’s his child growing inside you. You can’t keep it from him.”

“Yes I can, and I intend to. He’ll feel obligated to take me back because of this. I don’t want that.”

“But, Isis, he’s your husband.”

I scoffed. “By your deity laws, not by mine.”

“Well, your human laws are messed up.” She paced the bathroom. “So when exactly did you,” she shook her hand, motioning to my stomach, “make that?”

“The night before I left with Eros.”

“Your transformation wasn’t complete. I don’t even think it’s complete now.” She widened her eyes. “Are you aware you and David broke the law?”

“Do you really think I give a shit about any of your laws right now?” I snapped.

Galilea flinched, and I heard her mumble something about hormones under her breath. “Well,” she cleared her throat, “in any case, I think the only law you need to be worried about is Claire. She’s going to be mega pissed.”

“More than that. Disappointed.”

“Do you think,” Galilea narrowed her eyes, “the baby will be half like you?”

“Half Creatura?” I asked, and she nodded. “I hope not.”