SUDDENLY, SOMEONE RIPPED OPEN the back door. Ruthie's voice cut through the haze of shocking news that Mrs. Efoti had just delivered. "Hey, guys!" I looked toward the kitchen to see her skipping toward us. "Mr. Efoti is kicking us out," she said indifferently. "Time to skedaddle. Enough of this serious crap. I need to start primping for tomorrow." It sounded like she was ordering us to leave, but her eyes sought out mine with a question. I blinked, still processing what I'd heard. Ruthie's eyebrows drew together as she looked from me to Zander with concern."Yeah, we can go now," I agreed, rising from the couch before she could question me. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, but didn't pursue her curiosity.The twins ambled in behind Ruthie, Isaac dwarfing his sister. Phoebe seemed surprised to see her mother alone with us. "Where's Caroline and Uncle Iosefa?""Aunt Caroline," corrected her mother. Phoebe rolled her eyes. "I mean Aunt Caroline.""She wasn't fe
I STARED AT MY reflection in the mirror. Ruthie had given me an "up-do" with intricate braids and curls that weighed down my head, making me feel unbalanced as I teetered on my heels. Sparkly bronze flowers were tucked in here and there, matching the design on the bodice. It bedazzled the eye with twinkling stones and shadowy aqua and bronze lines that branched upward from my waist and over the capped sleeves. A wide aqua band of fabric made my waist look smaller, and the skirt flared out into an A-line, falling in waves to the floor and billowing around my feet. It was hands-down the most beautiful thing I'd ever worn, and like I had my own fairy godmother.I blinked rapidly, fighting back tears of gratitude for my dad who had forked out the money for the dress, the shoes, and the jewelry. Mrs. Robles had done the legwork to track down the dresses and matching accessories. Ruthie couldn't say enough about how awesome her mom was, a welcome change from her normal ranting about her. Sh
RUTHIE HAD HEADED DOWN without me and I could hear her parents oohing and aahing over her. I descended the stairs, carefully placing each foot in front of the other. Grasping the railing with one hand, I concentrated so hard on walking that I forgot to be nervous. Halfway down I glanced up. Zander stood at the bottom, slack-jawed. I looked him over from head to toe and almost missed the next step. His auburn hair was slicked back, the sides flat. He wore a slim, slate grey tuxedo with a matching vest and bow tie. His hands held a clear corsage box. Suddenly, bright lights flashed between us and I blinked. Ruthie's parents were going all paparazzi."Mom! Dad! Seriously!" whined Ruthie.The spell broken, I noticed Maverick standing next to Zander. He was trying not to gape at his date, and as I watched his customary control cracking a bit, I almost laughed out loud. He wore a black tuxedo with a silver tie that complemented the sparkly bodice of Ruthie's dress. Ruthie had bought it f
THE SCHOOL LOOKED LIKE a medieval fantasyland. Metal knight statues that seemed to watch our every move framed the front doors. Couples snapped pictures next to them before going inside where the music blared with the promise of a good time. It was almost like Ruthie had written the script. Arm in arm, the four of us practically floated through the doorway and into the auditorium. We gasped with delight when we saw that it was decorated with hundreds of sparkling stars hanging from strings of lights on a lowered ceiling. A castle backdrop hung from the stage and flickering sconces in varying shapes and sizes stuck out from the walls like glowing gargoyles. Students melted out of our way, staring and whispering as we glided across the floor. For the first time in my life, I didn't care. I knew I looked like a million bucks, I was here with the guy I loved, and my best friend was by my side inhaling the silent adulation like a movie star. Zander and Maverick led us out to the dance floor
I TURNED TO ISAAC and Phoebe. They were doing their twin talk again. I recognized it more easily now that Zander and I could communicate the same way. I scanned the dance floor for Ruthie and Maverick as I waited patiently. Minutes went by."Where's Ruthie?" asked Phoebe, suddenly noticing her absence."I don't know," I replied. "The last time I saw her, she and Maverick were still on the dance floor.""Wynona and Luke are sitting over there," said Isaac, pointing to a table on the left side of the gym where they were laughing at some of the dancers. "Maybe they've seen them."When we approached, they stood up, their expressions alert as they assessed our moods. "What happened?" asked Luke. "Peter's here," said Isaac with a snarl. Luke cursed."But Zander went to talk with him," I quickly added. "Peter was dancing with Phoebe. He must have erased some of her memories because she doesn't remember why she shouldn't have been dancing with him."Isaac had Phoebe by the arm, but she
"RUTHIE IS A FORCE of nature, Tru," said Phoebe. "There was no way to avoid involving that girl."The weight room's overhead lights flickered with foreboding. We glanced around, wondering what was going on, but then they stopped.Regret etched lines into Maverick's face. "I'm sorry, guys," he said, hanging his head. "I let my guard down, and now ..." His thoughts were easy to deduce. He was assuming the blame. He had allowed himself a little fun - at a high school dance no less - and therefore, Ruthie had been abducted. But it wasn't his fault. No matter what Phoebe said, I knew the fault was all mine."It's okay, man," said Zander. "We'll get her back. But first, can you tell us what happened?" Maverick nodded, deep lines forming between his eyes. "I walked Ruthie to the restroom and went to the men's room. Two guys jumped me inside. I didn't even get to take a swing." He took a deep breath and ran both hands over his pale face. "Before the lights went out, they said somethin
IT ONLY TOOK A few minutes for us to come up with a rough strategy, although it had us going in different directions. That suited my own plan perfectly, though. The second we stepped outside Isaac caught Ruthie's scent and wanted to try tracking her. Phoebe went with him. Luke and Wynona were going to stay at the dance in case Peter was still close by. They said that they'd join us as soon as Peter told me the meeting place. Everyone was trying so hard to help Ruthie. It made me feel more guilty for not telling them I already knew the location, but I pushed the feeling away. I caught Wynona watching me, her eyes clouded with confusion. I tried to calm my racing heart, knowing she could read auras. When we got to my house, Maverick parked my mom's car next to his truck. "Wait here for Peter's text," ordered Maverick. "Call me when you get it and then we'll both head to the location he sends." He was heading to the rec center to pick up reinforcements and "equipment," which I interpr
"WHAT THE HELL, PETER?" yelled Zander, his chest puffing with adrenaline.Peter slowly raised his hands, as if he were trying to calm a frightened animal. "I'm simply here for a trade," he said, speaking as if his request was perfectly reasonable. "You and Tru for Ruthie. Easy stuff." When Zander shook his head, he tried again. "Zander, you've got to understand where I'm coming from." His face pleaded for understanding. "Father is making me do this. It's the only way I can see my mate. Yeah, I met my aramusatu, just like you guys." His eyes darted from Zander to me. "You know how that messes with you." So, he did know about us. The news of him and Shanna was no surprise, but I had to admit that a small part of me was hoping I was wrong. Now that he'd confirmed it, my heart sagged with a sense of hopelessness. How would I ever free my sister when she was tied forever to Peter? Maybe he wasn't as bad as we thought. Maybe he was just a pawn like Dante had been. Maybe Gerard really wa