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  “She is unconscious, but the Doctors are hopeful she will recover.”

  Now I was beyond rankled. “What does that mean exactly?” I couldn’t believe they didn’t tell me it was bad.

  “Now Amber,” Ken’s voice was conciliating. “You have to understand I have already said too much. As a civilian, you are not even supposed to know as much as you do right now. But I understand you are friends and if I could tell you more I would.” I could tell he was trying to make me feel better, but it didn’t work. Was it my fault she was attacked? If I had stayed would have things turned out differently? Or would have we both gotten attacked?

  “Amber, there is nothing you could have done,” Viktor said, as though he read my thoughts.

  “Easy for you to say,” I muttered.

  “Now, kids,” Ken said like he was performing an intervention. “It is no one’s fault.”

  Viktor cut him a look that could only be described as condescending. “Yes, I think we understand that Officer Warren.”

  Ken shifted uncomfortably. “Anyway, we are still looking into the other matter.”

  “Yes, my dad mentioned that as well.”

  “What other matter might that be?” I asked.

  “There have been a few incidents lately, which I already warned you about,” he said, giving me a pointed look.

  “Oh, right.” It was my turn to look contrite. Somehow I only just remembered him mentioning something to me the other day. And here I thought he was just being overly protective for a show, for Mom.

  “Where is she?” I asked, thinking I should at least go and visit her, see how she was.

  “She is at the hospital, but I am afraid there are no visitors allowed to see her right now. I am sure you can stop by tomorrow though.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’ll go with you tomorrow,” Viktor piped in.

  “Well…” I trailed off, not sure if I wanted him to go with me.

  “That would work out well, Viktor,” Ken was saying. “That way she will actually get to see her.”

  I frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be able to see her without Viktor?”

  “We do have rules about seeing patients Amber, and you are not family,” he said giving me a look like I was slow on the uptake.

  I gritted my teeth. “Well, neither is Viktor,” I said and then turned to him. “Are you?” I asked. Of course this wouldn’t surprise me cause I just found out he was Vincent’s brother. Eww, they couldn’t be related or Glinda…

  “Amber,” he said, giving me a strange look. “My dad’s donated a ton of money to the hospital so I think I should be able to pull a few strings.”

  “Oh, okay.” I pushed my hair out of my face, feeling stupid for even thinking they were related. “That would be great…thanks.”

  Ken put his little book back in his pocket along with his pencil. “I have to go, but if either of you hear anything, or you Amber,” he gave me a pointed look, “remember anything else, don’t hesitate to call me.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card.

  I took it from his outstretched hand and slid it into my jean pocket. “I will.”

  “Amber,” Mom called walking out of the kitchen.

  “Yeah?”

  “Can you check dinner, I think something is burning.”

  “You think?” I groaned and ran down the hall to save dinner.

  seventeen

  After Ken left, I was feeling unsettled. And even though Viktor was here, I couldn’t help spinning different scenarios through my mind at what could have happened to Glinda after I left. I shoved my hands through my hair, holding it away from my face, starring down at the papers strewn across the table.

  “Amber,” Viktor sighed, drawing my attention.

  “What?” I snipped, not meaning to sound so impatient but my mind was on other things than the stupid paper we had to finish.

  “Listen,” he exhaled. “I know you’re worried about Glinda but there is nothing you could have done.”

  “How do you know?” I asked my voice catching. I felt guilty even though I didn’t do anything wrong…really. You left her, my inner voice taunted. I fell back into the cushions, giving up.

  “I can take you first thing tomorrow if you want,” he said.

  I shook my head. “I can’t miss school, my mom will freak.”

  “Okay,” he said. “We can go after, all right.” His brow lifted.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Okay, thank you,” I said with meaning. Actually, I was glad he was here, if not I would have made myself crazy by now. “Have you talked to Vincent?”

  His brow creased. “Why would I do that?”

  “Um,” I said, frowning too. “Because he was with her,” I said.

  “Yeah, I don’t think he was with her when she was attacked.”

  “I know…” I sat up. “Of course he wasn’t.” I shook my head not sure where that had come from. “I was just wondering where he went, since they were together?” I lifted my shoulders.

  “If you are so worried about him, why don’t you call him?” he asked, sounding none too nice.

  I recoiled from his harsh tone. “I didn’t mean it like that,” I defended, making a face.

  “What did you mean then?”

  “They were together, so what happened to him?” I wondered out loud.

  “Yeah, I don’t know. I haven’t had a chance to talk with him yet.”

  I frowned. “Why?”

  “I’ve been with you all day,” he stated the obvious.

  “Well, duh, I know that.” I didn’t know why I was suddenly so irritated with him, but I was.

  “I think we’re done here.” He stood.

  I immediately felt like a b. This was so not how I wanted today to end. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m just worried and I don’t know, I feel somehow responsible,” I admitted.

  He sat back down and leaned forward. “I understand you are frustrated and worried, but I’m sure there was nothing that you could have done.”

  “But if I was there…”

  “You probably would have been attacked too,” he snapped. “Is that what you wanted?” His eyes flashed.

  “No.” I sighed. “I just feel so bad.” I pulled my legs up into a cross-legged position and wrapped my arms around my stomach.

  “I don’t get it Amber,” he said. “Why do you feel so guilty?”

  “Because I lied, okay!” I slipped, voicing my worst fears.

  His eyes narrowed. “What did you lie about?”

  I covered my face. “I didn’t have a headache.”

  “So.” He looked confused.

  “Don’t you see?” I said. “If I didn’t fake having a headache she would have left with me and this probably wouldn’t have happened.”

  “You don’t know that for certain.”

  “Oh, I have a pretty good idea it wouldn’t have.”

  “How can you say that?” he asked. “It sucks, I get it. But what could have you done to stop it.”

  I scrubbed my face. “I don’t know,” I cried.

  He pulled my hands away. I flinched. His hands were really cold. “Sorry, low blood pressure,” he said and tucked his hands into his pockets.

  “Oh.” I chewed on my lip.

  “Anyway,” he continued. “I get you feel guilty but don’t you see that is all this is…guilt—plain and simple.”

  “Yeah, well guilt is a pretty big emotion and I feel like I am being suffocated with it.”

  “Well you can’t take it back, you know,” he said, his voice coming out soft, velvety.

  I lifted my gaze to his. His eyes seemed to darken. “It’s over and done with now.”

  “Yeah, it’s over and done with now,” I repeated.

  “So you are just going to have to deal.”

  I exhaled. “Yeah, I’m going to have to deal.” I started to feel better. “You’re right,” I said and sat up, uncrossing my legs and picked up a paper. “Let’s get this finished, okay?”
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  He let out a pent up breath and raked his hand through his hair. “Sounds good,” he said and smiled at me. It wasn’t a big smile, it was just a hint of one but it made me feel immensely better.

  An hour later we finally finished. He grabbed up the loose papers and handed them to me. Our fingers touched. Again, I recoiled from the cold. “You need some hand-warmers,” I said, smiling up at him.

  He frowned and pulled his hand back. “Yeah, I guess.”

  I wanted to kick myself. “Sorry.”

  “It’s true, so….” He shrugged.

  I stood up and shoved my hands in my pockets. We were standing really close. He looked down at me with an unreadable expression on his face. His hand lifted and he brushed a piece of my hair over my shoulder. “I guess I should go.”

  My heart did a little flutter. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  His lip curled up and his fingers brushed against my cheek, this time I didn’t flinch. He smiled wider. “That’s the plan.” His gaze flicked down to my lips and suddenly all I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears. I couldn’t move, or take a breath. A flash of heat spread over me and I could see him taking me into his strong arms, lifting me up and kissing me. We fell back onto the couch, my hands in his hair…his cold lips on my skin…

  “Amber…” He snapped his fingers.

  I blinked stupidly, my face heating with embarrassment. “Ah,” I flummoxed, stumbling back into the couch; I grabbed it for support. I felt like my legs were about to buckle.

  Lifting his brow, he gave me a look that sent my heart to thumping all over again. “I better go.” His eyes sparkled in the dim light with amusement.

  “Yeah, sure,” I said, and pushed off the couch. I followed him to the door, fanning myself.

  He tossed on his coat and opened the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Oh—kay,” I said slowly.

  He stepped out onto the porch. “Oh and one more thing, Amber…” he said, turning, his eyes glittering with something just beneath the surface. I wasn’t sure what it was but it made me feel heated all over again.

  “Yeah?” I gripped the doorframe for support, my legs suddenly not feeling steady.

  “Just a F.Y.I., it would be even better than you imagined.” He winked at me, then turned and walked down the stairs, disappearing into the fog.

  eighteen

  Not surprisingly, I had a hard time going to sleep after Viktor left. Frustrated, I tossed off the covers and went to grab a book to read. I had my hand on blank and then I saw Twilight, the book by Stephenie Meyer that Glinda had bought me, and remembered she wanted to discuss it with me after I finished. More out of guilt than actually wanting to read it, I tossed it on my bed and then ran downstairs to grab something to eat.

  Food once again was on the slim side, so I settled on a bowl of dry Captain Crunch cereal and a glass of water. Climbing the stairs, I stopped on the second level and looked down the hall. Mom’s door was ajar and her light crept out into the hall. I decided to forgo our nightly chitchat, headed up the stairs to my room, and shut the door. Setting my munchies down, I climbed under the covers. Once settled, I leaned back against my pillows and ran my hand over the cover. This was one of my favorite moments, cracking open a brand new book and immersing myself into the story. Not like my mom though, she took it to a whole other level.

  “Well let’s see what you have to say…shall we?” Yes, weird, I know… I talk to my books…well actually… I talk to myself about my books. Especially when I am at a good part—I have a tendency to yell at the characters or the author for the inevitable cliffhanger. Hate them. Like really hate them, and yet I will still read them because I kind-of love them too. It gives me something to look forward to. Stupid, I know, but there it is. I actually even started a blog, “Books with a Bite,” you know, just to voice my thoughts about books to someone other than myself. I can’t talk with Mom about books, she really gets upset if I disagree with her about a character or author she likes and I don’t. So needless to say, I just don’t go there.

  Reaching over, I grabbed a handful of dry Captain Crunch and munched on it while I read.

  I made it to the part where Bella arrived in Forks before I grabbed another handful of cereal. Funny, she had the same reaction I did when I first came here. Shellshock—there was so much green, wetness, and fog. I missed the sun. My mind drifted to what Viktor had said to me when he left. It was like he had known I was fantasizing about him, which couldn’t be possible. Still thinking about it made me warm all over.

  I read up to the part where Bella had her awful nightmare with Jacob turning into a wolf. The words started to blur together and my mind kept drifting to Viktor and what he had said when he left. It was like he knew what I was thinking. A flush of heat crept into my cheeks again. “Nah.” I shook my head and buried my face in my hands. “He couldn’t have read my mind…could he?” I forced myself to look at the book, pushing thoughts of Viktor from my mind but every time I looked at a word, Viktor’s beautiful face would appear. Irritated I shut the book, tossed it on my nightstand, and shut off the light. There was a full moon tonight and the illumination filled my room with its eerie hazy glow. A dog howled in the distance and a shiver passed along my spine. Hunkering down deeper under the covers, I shut my eyes and tried to sleep. It was already after midnight and I knew I would be dead tired when five-forty-five rolled around if I didn’t get some shuteye.

  Sleep eluded me though. Instead, I kept replaying the day I had spent with Glinda over in my mind and the dance. How Vincent had seemed so angry at her and then did an about face like he was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde all rolled into one.

  “I am going to kill her,” he had growled and then he danced with her all night and ignored me. Nothing made sense.

  Out of sheer determination, I fell into a fitful sleep.

  I was dreaming, I knew it and yet everything seemed so real.

  Woods surrounded me on either side and up ahead I could see a light shining through the trees. I ran to it, wanting to see the sun but when I reached the clearing, there was none. It was dark and cold. I was no longer in the woods but instead in a parking lot. A red convertible idled and white streams of exhaust billowed out into the air. I took a step forward.

  Lucky appeared at my side. “I don’t think this is a good idea,” he said, his voice dragged weirdly, like an old tape.

  “I have to see.” My voice vibrated strangely in my ears.

  Walking forward, I made my way to the car. The top was up and I could see the outline of shapes inside.

  “Amber!” Lucky’s voice was harder, scary. No—not scary but scared for me.

  “I have to see,” I repeated but my voice once again vibrated strangely in my ears.

  “Suit yourself,” he said, none too nicely. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “You’re being ridiculous,” I said, and yanked open the door. A body fell out of the side. I recognized her immediately. Her long blonde hair dripped down into a puddle on the ground, her eyes staring vacantly and blood poured from a wound in her neck. I stumbled backward.

  A hand shot out and grabbed hold of me. I fought against it, thrashing wildly.

  “Amber,” the deep voice resonated with me. I recognized it. Turning I saw Viktor. Blood dripped down the sides of his mouth. “I need you,” he said, his voice captivating which didn’t match the way his face looked.

  “I can’t,” I said, tripping over my own feet, trying to get away.

  “It’s too late now,” he said, stalking toward me, his eyes glowing in the darkness like an animals.

  Terror tore through me. Lucky stood off to the side, a bystander, watching me. I turned toward him but then his face twisted and his body rippled. An ungodly sound came from his throat as he fell to the ground, shaking. “Lucky!” I yelled.

  “Too late now,” said another voice. I turned and Vincent stood there, a box of Red Hots in his hand. “Dump them out and run,” he said calmly.
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  “What?” I screamed at him.

  “Take them!” He shoved them into my hands as I tried to pass. “Do it, Amber,” his voice was harried, frightened. “Open the box!” he yelled, the sound of his voice was deafening. Fumbling with the box, I ripped it open. Red Hots scattered across the ground. Viktor rushed toward me and then stopped in front of the Red Hots, he stared at the ground—like he was counting? Frozen with fear, I stood there watching.

  “Run before he counts them all…” Vincent hissed in my ears. I turned to run, my feet finally moving. A low growl stopped my escape. I looked to my left and Bear, Lucky’s dog, was beside me, growling, his massive head shaking, his teeth barred.

  I realized he wasn’t growling at me but at Viktor, who was still counting the Red Hots.

  My mind couldn’t seem to process what I was seeing. It was too everything. My body convulsed with fear but I couldn’t get my feet to move.

  “Amber!” Vincent yelled. “You need to move. He bolted past me, grabbing my hand, pulling me back into the darkness. I didn’t want to go there though. I wanted to go home. His hand was hot in mine, scorching me, pulling me back…

  A loud buzzing wrenched me from my nightmare. Gasping for air, I looked around my room. I was still in bed. Something hit the floor with a thud.

  I screamed.

  nineteen

  I stared down at the culprit of my screaming fit.

  “Stupid book.”

  I was going to have to swear off Twilight for a while since my dreams were turning everyone I knew into some kind of creature from Twilight. I glanced over at the remnants of my cereal. It was probably a sugar comma dream. Too much Captain before bed turned my dreams into blood oozing nightmares.

  I glanced over at the clock and the little angry numbers said it was only three thirty in the morning. Reaching over, I shut off my lamp and fell back in bed. I made sure none of my body parts were in the danger zone—(which meant hanging off the bed in anyway) that way nothing could get me. Right. I covered my head and eventually drifted back to sleep.