School was uneventful. It was a day filled with biology, algebra, art, and history; with history being my favorite. Fae and I share a lot of the same classes and for that, I am grateful. The more classes she is in with me, the less I will have to worry about making new friends. Friendship and trust are not my strong points and Fae is someone I trust completely.

I walk out of the school doors and stop on the steps to scan the parking lot for the boy I looked at this morning. There is something about him that irks me. Moshiem’s warning is not to be ignored. Although, I did not tell my father as Moshiem requested. Talking to him wouldn’t do any good. He is too far gone with alcohol to care.

My intuition is screaming at me with alarm. I scan cars, trucks, shrubs, and trees and find nothing. He was probably some new student trying to decide what to do about going in. But why was he looking at me like that?

Fae is already at my truck when I get to the parking space. I do one more look over and scan the bed of the truck before giving up and climbing in. Fae gets in the truck, but she seems nervous.

“How was your day?” she asks to make conversation.

“It was okay. I saw Kyle looking at you.” I say as I turn the truck over and roll out of the school parking lot.

“Oh yeah. I did too. He’s not my type. He seems too nice for me.”

“Fae, there isn’t an evil bone in your body.”

“You don’t know that.” Fae says as her eyes meet mine. She’s close to tears.

“What do you mean?” I ease the truck to a stop so that we can talk.

Before we can get in another word, the sound of glass breaking comes out of nowhere. Pieces of broken window spray in the truck cutting my face and hands. Screaming, I turn to look at what caused the force, only to find the boy from the school parking lot facing me.

He has broken out my window using nothing but his own hands. Blood trickles from him as he tries to reach inside. My hands scramble to unlock my seat belt while I’m trying to remain calm. With every emotion running through me, I struggle to break loose. The boy runs to the other side of the truck and grabs Fae by the hair.

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“Help me! Please!” Fae screams as he tugs her out of the truck. She gets a few kicks in before he hits her, and she falls to the sidewalk.

“Laken run!” Fae screams.

Finally, the seat belt releases, and I run for it. I run a block before he catches up to me. The sound of his boots hitting the sidewalk rings in my ear. He is closing in. Then, he jumps and lands on my back, making both of us fall to the ground. My chin scrapes against the cement pulling at my skin.

“Lay still and I won’t hurt you,” he says huffing, out of breath.

“What do you want with me?” I try to break free of his hold.

“I want nothing from you. This is a job for me. It needs to be completed with as little stress as possible.” He pulls me to my feet and secures me from behind, holding my wrists together.

“Excuse me?” My heart is beating out of my chest. I consider what this boy wants from me. I can only imagine that includes kidnap or killing me.

Like hell he will.

The boy rolls his eyes at me. “Really? You’re going to be difficult? Shut it.”

“And what did you think was going to happen? Did you believe you would tell me to come and it would happen? I’m not a dog.”

His grip only tightens. My hands sting under the pressure. “You are so stubborn,” he grunts.

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

He comes close to me now. With my back against him, he breathes in my ear. “You will come,” he says through clenched teeth. “If not today, then some other time you will. There is someone who wants you. What he wants, he gets. There’s no point in running.”

While he is this close to me, I take advantage. My leg curls back into a kick between his legs. The boy drops like a ton of bricks, holding himself while moaning. Taking this is as my cue, I run out of sight.

I sprint toward the first place I can think of. I blame it part on desperation and the other part instinct. My brain is calling me to Cander. It’s almost pulling me there and so I have no choice. I obey. My legs burn and are becoming weak with the run. Eventually, I walk because that’s all my body will allow me to do and even that is difficult. In between gasping for air, the sounds of the boy’s movement on pavement worry me. He’s right on my heels.

My house is just ahead, so I force myself to go. After making it inside, I shut the door, lock it, and head for the stairs to my room. I don’t get far before the door comes crashing down and the sounds of his boots hit the stairs behind me.

As quick as I can manage, I touch the leaves of the plant that Moshiem has forbidden me to take.

Come on, come on. Finally, the Veranics come to meet me. They swirl and float above me, forming a blue crowd of mist.

They are happy to welcome me in their hold. I escape one danger by gaining another. They enter my eyes, mouth, and nose just as his fingers wrap around my arm. The Veranics take me, making me numb, but before I lose all feeling, I notice they have taken him to.