All Chapters of The True Nature Series: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

"OKAY, START TALKING."Dante had kindly untied me long enough to use the bathroom. Inside, I'd found nothing remotely useful as a weapon other than shampoo and soap. I imagined squirting the soap all over the floor and him slipping on it and breaking his neck, which kind of made me feel a little better. But eventually I returned to the room, where he politely held out the chair for me to seat myself before retying one wrist to the back of it. My skin was already turning red."I'm not sure where to start, honestly." He leaned back into the sofa, a thin laptop next to him."What did you mean by who I really am?"He smirked. "I told you at school. You are 'idimmu.'" "Yeah, what's that? I thought you called me a 'dummy.'"He laughed. "No. I-dim-mu. That's what you are. You're not human like you've been pretending to be so far. It's time to embrace your true nature, girl."All the insecurities I'd felt over the years came to the surface. I'd been right all along. "But what's the dif

WITH ONE SHOVE I was weightless for a few seconds before falling through a dark hole and landing so very, very wrong. One ankle folded under me like a napkin, causing me to wrench back, smacking an elbow on the cement floor. The heavy wooden chair landed beside me, breaking apart, but not before smacking me in the hip. My elbow throbbed. It was the mother of all funny bone injuries. I felt sure that my arm was never going to straighten again and that a bone may have penetrated my skin. The pain stole my breath far too long, and then I was gasping and coughing from lack of air and excruciating agony. I tried not to move, because the tiniest shift in my position made the contents of my stomach rise up."Oh, dear," said a sickly sweet voice above me. Light from the room above surrounded me. Looking up, I could see Dante's dark silhouette. "Did you hurt yourself?" he mocked. "Sorry about that. At least it will keep you from trying to escape." He snapped his fingers. "Oh, right! You can he

THANKS TO MY NIGHT vision, I could easily locate the sleeping bag. It smelled like it had been down there for 50 years, but it was warmer than the stone floor. I climbed in as best as I could, the pain and nausea exhausting me by the time I finished. Without meaning to, I closed my eyes and let reality slip away.**Ruthie screamed near the school parking lot."Tru Lee Parker! You better get your butt over here right now!"Phoebe snickered next to her. "Is that seriously her middle name?"Impatiently, Ruthie snapped back, "Why would I make up a name like that? Where is she?" She glanced at her cell phone. "She didn't text me and she isn't answering her phone. I'm supposed to meet Val at Yogurt Heaven in thirty minutes!""So that's why you're so grumpy."Ruthie just glared at her, hands on her hips."Hey, it's not my fault you're late for your 'whatever thing' with Val," said Phoebe. "Isaac has been looking for her for the past hour, too. He's been all over the school and even w

"SHH ... DON'T CRY," CROONED Zander as he leaned closer. "I don't know why I'm crying! I care about you, too, but I was just so confused. Dante said you were playing me. I hated you. And now this?"He tried to pull his arms apart and bit back a cry. "Yeah," he panted. "My shoulder may be broken." He lay still for a moment. "Don't worry. We'll figure this out. But, first, I want to know what he's done to you. Did he touch you ...""No! No, thank God!" Dante hadn't gone there, thank goodness. The thought had crossed my mind that he would, especially when he'd thrown out that "let's get to know each other" comment.Zander let out a long sigh. "I was so worried. I looked everywhere for you.""I don't even know where I am, so how did you find this place?""All I can say is that I just knew, or I guess I just felt where you were and followed you here. I know that sounds really weird, but I can't explain it any other way."Wow. Maybe that was one of his special powers or something. "O

I OPENED MY EYES to my bedroom curtains rustling in the night breeze. Releasing a long sigh of relief, I sent a prayer of gratitude out into the great unknown. Thank goodness it was just a nightmare! Had I woken up Dad? I listened. Silence. A relieved laugh escaped me as I swept back the covers and swung my jean-clad legs over the side of the bed.Jean-clad legs.I jumped from my bed and stared into my mirrored closet doors. My hair was wild and tangled, my T-shirt ripped and bloody. My face had muddy streaks across it. I was filthy. "No!" I groaned, collapsing to the floor."Tru."I yelped and spun around. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."An equally disheveled Zander sprawled on my over-sized beanbag in the corner of my room. He ran his hands through his already spiky hair and stared inquiringly at me. He looked like he'd just woken up."You thought it was a dream, didn't you? I wish it was, except for the good parts," he said. He switched on the lamp next to him. Its so