SITTING ON THE EFOTIS' couch in an uncomfortable silence as everyone looked at one another awkwardly reminded me too much of the last time I was here. Sure, we'd discovered Isaac was a siren. But so what? This house was full of supernatural oddities. Why was everyone acting like he was a freak now? At least Iosefa had put on some clothes. He sat across the room near the hearth of the fireplace with Caroline tucked under his arm. She hadn't protested when Zander pulled me down next to him on the couch, tucking my hand in his, but she still stared at him warily, like he was going to pull out a gun and start shooting.Phoebe sat near Isaac, leaning against his arm, somehow bolstering him. It was as if she was recharging him, like a battery. I thought about my comparison and realized that's exactly what was happening. Somehow, she was giving him strength. The dark circles under Isaac's eyes were starting to fade, his skin gaining more color. In contrast, Phoebe had grown pale and limp.

I'D NEVER BEEN SO uncomfortable in my life. Caroline grilled us for at least thirty minutes and she gave Ruthie a run for her money when it came to squeezing out information. My hands had begun to sweat within minutes and I soon pulled them from Zander's grasp to fold them into my stomach, wishing I were anywhere but here. He tried to tell me in my mind that it was going to be okay, but Caroline somehow guessed that we were talking and demanded we desist our mental communication. What the heck?! How did she know? Then she laid out a new set of dating rules for us that had me grinding my teeth. My only comforting thought was that she had no way to enforce any of them. I just sat there silently, wanting this to be over as soon as possible. Suffice it to say, she was no longer worried about Zander dragging me off to Eden and the Nasaru. Now she was worried we'd sneak off and have sex every chance we got. She said that although the aramusatu attraction was difficult to resist, we had to

ZANDER NARROWED HIS EYES. I didn't trust her either. The twins' mother might appear small and harmless, but she was cranky and mean. And now she was popping out of thin air like a ghost. From the smile on her face, she'd enjoyed our reaction, too. "That's a good question," said Zander, choosing not to comment on her sudden appearance. "It's something I'm trying to find out."She nodded, curiosity dancing in her eyes. "I'm surprised your mother didn't look at your marks."I frowned at her, thinking that she'd probably been hoping to sneak a peek at them herself. "That's really nobody's business but our own." "You're right, of course," she said, smiling slyly. "But you're wrong about them being a 'supernatural hickey.'" She smirked at me, reminding me that she'd overheard my conversation with Ruthie in the driveway. I felt my face heat up."Supernatural hickey, huh?" Zander said in my mind."That was all Ruthie," I replied, and he chuckled."Whatever you have on your shoulder bl

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

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