THE GPS TOOK US to a small condominium community tucked into a tree-lined neighborhood at the south end of San Jose. We parked along the sidewalk and filed out of Luke's SUV. I cringed when I thought about how we might appear to strangers. Eight teenagers wandering around looking like they were up to no good; that's what they'd see. And although Luke's leg had healed, his pants were bloody and torn. He caught me staring."Uh, I should probably change," he said, opening up the back of his Suburban.A moment later he returned, wearing a pair of black sweats and tennis shoes. He looked ready to hit the gym. "So, what's the doctor's house number?" asked Zander."B-13," I said with a wry smile.Ruthie heaved an exasperated sigh. Wynona scowled, scooting a little closer to Luke. "That's not foreboding or anything," Luke drawled."My, aren't we superstitious," said Phoebe, giving the southerners a patronizing smirk. I shrugged. "Someone has to live in number 13.""Yeah," muttered Ru

"WELL," DR. FRANKLER SAID when no one spoke up. "Perhaps you'll tell me after I've shared a little more about myself."Ruthie sent me a nervous glance. I reminded myself that I trusted the woman in front of me. I didn't understand why yet, but I did. I sent Ruthie a calm smile.Dr. Frankler sat in the last empty chair, next to the fireplace, her legs crossed. Again, I was struck by how much younger she seemed and looked her over again, trying to discover what had changed. I could have sworn that her hair had streaks of gray, but now it was a full, chestnut brown. Some strands had escaped her quick bun and they hung down her neck in spirals. She was also missing her black-framed glasses, but she seemed to see us clearly without squinting. Her open gaze moved perceptively from one person to the next, finally zeroing in on Wynona."Wynona," she said, her voice smooth as butter. When she continued, I noticed a slight push to her voice. "What brings you and Luke all the way across the co

THE JOKES DIDN'T STOP there, and when Maverick and the doctor returned from the kitchen, we were still laughing. The expressions on their faces had us sputtering to a stop, though. There was a long, pregnant pause and then someone tittered, triggering the rest of us. Even Zander grinned."Did we miss something?" asked Maverick, carrying a pitcher and a stack of cups. Once again, he sounded like a schoolteacher. Wynona and Ruthie continued to sputter. Maverick might think we were young and immature, but it had been nice to take a mental break from the life-changing events of today.While Dr. Frankler and Maverick had thrown together a small feast in the kitchen, the candy jokes had evolved into trick-or-treating memories. Halloween was just around the corner and stores were already decked out with ghoulish decorations, costumes, and endless stacks of candy. Ruthie wanted to throw a party and have Isaac scare everyone in his wolf form. That had led to the twins telling us about the tim

"ZANDER," SHE SAID. "THIS must be painful for you to hear.""I-I know," he said haltingly. "I know my father has done some ..." He trailed off. "For the record, I'm not like him.""Yes, I can tell," she said thoughtfully, giving him a gentle smile. "Still, it's a bit much to take in, isn't it?"Even though we'd formed a team, the others were looking at Zander like he was an outsider, like they hadn't totally believed his assurances. Zander seemed miserable and it tore at my heart. After the way Luke and Isaac had treated him earlier, I felt obligated to stand up for him. I jumped in before thinking about how it might sound. "He only recently found out about his father, I mean about him kidnapping idimmu, and ..." I trailed off lamely, realizing that naming Gerard's crimes out loud wasn't helping. How could I say that Zander's father had tortured and experimented on Caroline and the Efotis? It was too horrible. The doctor sighed, "I understand, Tru. Give it time. Zander must come

DR. FRANKLER GAVE MAVERICK a secretive smile before looking away. She didn't say anything, but she might as well have. I'd been so caught up in the doctor's story, I'd almost forgotten that it wasn't a story at all. She was teaching us the real history of supernaturals - the origin of supernaturals. And they came from a place called Nimbiru, which didn't sound like anywhere I'd ever studied. Maverick had suggested that we were missing the big picture, and he had a good point. Where the heck was this place? Maverick's eyes suddenly widened with shock. "It can't be," he gasped. I turned to the doctor for an explanation, but she simply stared back at us expectantly."What?" said Luke with a sardonic lift of an eyebrow. "We have to guess?"Ruthie bobbed in her seat. "I think it sounds like a magical place," she offered. "Like in Bedknobs and Broomsticks." She smiled gleefully at the thought. Luke snorted but she ignored him."Is it some place in Africa?" asked Wynona.The doctor