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

"TRU!" I heard Zander's worried voice and blinked open my eyes. He knelt in the dirt, cradling me in his arms. "Tru," he said with relief. "You're okay.""No," I croaked, feeling like I'd never be all right again. I felt my chin wobble and tightened my lips to steady it. Zander's face blurred as tears welled up in my eyes. "I remember how Mom died," I said, burying my face in his chest.After Mom's fatal accident, I'd awoken in a hospital with no memory of what had happened. The doctor told us that temporary amnesia was common after a traumatic event. But when the memory loss had continued for almost a year, he'd changed his tune, saying that it might be permanent. "Perhaps it's for the best," he'd said, trying to cushion the blow. I'd lost my temper and yelled at him. I'd behaved horribly, but Dad had simply hugged me, holding me through the sobbing until I'd quieted and we'd gone home. We hadn't talked about it again, even though I'd thought about it all the time, trying everythi

"THIS IS YOUR LAST chance, Tru," warned Peter. His eyes were wide as he took in the approaching wolf. Several rattlesnakes hissed and hovered over Ruthie, ready to strike. He pressed his lips together, staring at his pets as if communicating with them. Suddenly, they darted toward Isaac. He growled and snapped at them, catching one in his mouth and cutting it in half. The others retreated as he padded toward Ruthie. Peter had made a drastic miscalculation, forgetting that very little could penetrate the skin of a usemi. I saw the moment it dawned on him, and he backed away, moving into another swirl of reptiles while redirecting several more rattlesnakes Ruthie's way. Phoebe took in the crumpled form with initial confusion as lizards and snakes slithered over it almost obliterating the color of the bright orange dress. She gasped with horror when she realized who it was. "Ruthie?" Phoebe rushed toward her, trying to head off the incoming rattlesnakes. She grabbed and tossed them

ZANDER'S FATHER PAUSED AT the edge of the street, taking in the scene before him. He ran a hand over his wavy brown hair, taming the flyaway strands caused by the helicopter wind before clasping both of his hands in front of him. With his jeans and teal-colored V-neck sweater, he looked more like some laid-back office manager rather than the leader of the supernatural world that I knew him to be. He even had a name befitting a megalomaniac like himself. Kasadu, or something ridiculous like that. I would have expected a power suit or military uniform, not a walking Gap advertisement. A line from Macbeth flitted through my mind. "Something wicked this way comes." Every fiber of my being urged me to run, but all I could do was stare with some kind of sick fascination.I wasn't the only one gawking at him. Phoebe and Wynona looked on with varying shades of despair in their faces. That was no surprise since he represented a different nightmare for each of us. The Efotis had literally been

GERARD SIGHED, AS IF Zander's outburst hurt his feelings. But I could tell he was acting. It was obvious to me, however, Zander cringed as if regretting his words. "Let me handle this, Cynthia," Gerard said. "I'd like to talk to them privately." She shook her head with a very stubborn Zander-like expression on her face. He pressed the back of his hand along her neck, saying, "Don't you worry. He'll come around. Return to your protectors while I chat with these two youngsters." I watched as a blank look crossed her face before she sniffled and nodded, gazing up into Gerard's face almost worshipfully before walking toward the huddle of soldiers. "Did you see that?" I asked Zander, sending the question along our mental path. He must have noticed. It had to have been Gerard's mind control in action.Yes, Zander replied, and I could feel the anger in his mind.Gerard motioned for the two closest soldiers to move away, giving him more privacy. As soon as his wife stepped into her wal