Isolation

ISOLATION (The Witches of Santa Anna, Book Ten) by Lauren Barnholdt & Aaron Gorvine Copyright 2011, Lauren Barnholdt and Aaron Gorvine, all rights reserved This book is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental

Chapter One Campbell After I hang up with Natalia, I sit on the edge of my bed for a second, thinking. My mind‘s racing with all kinds of different thoughts, and none of them are good. Why the hell did she lie to me about going to lunch with Adrianna after the game? I‘m sure when I ask her, she‘ll probably have all kinds of excuses. But they won‘t real y be excuses. They‘ll be lies. Natalia is a liar. But even as I‘m thinking it, I‘m having a hard time believing it. She wouldn‘t lie to me without a good reason. She risked her life for me at Homecoming. I realize I‘ve been sitting here gripping my phone so tight it‘s about to snap in half. So I get up and head down the hall toward my mom‘s room, where I‘m pretty sure she‘s taking a nap (i.e., sleeping it off). My first few knocks go unanswered. ―Mom.‖ Nothing. ―MOM!‖ I yell . Final y there‘s a low groan from the bedroom. ―What?‖ ―I need to talk to you.‖ More groaning, followed by more muttering. ―I‘m sleeping. Can it wait?‖ ―No.‖ ―Fine.‖ Loud sigh. Footsteps. She opens the door wearing a white bathrobe, her eyes so swollen and droopy that it looks like she‘s been in a ten round fight. Which she has. With a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. ―You missed my game again,‖ I tell her, and then instantly regret it. That‘s not what I came to talk about. But I can‘t help it. She hasn‘t been to one al year. ―I‘m sorry, Cam, but it‘s been a tough week.‖ She pushes her hair off her face. ―Did you win?‖ ―Yeah.‖ I fold my arms. ―Look, I have a favor to ask.‖ She blinks at me, confused. Her face looks old and drawn. ―Okay.‖ ―Natalia and her mom invited us to have dinner with them tonight.‖ She cocks her head and blinks some more. ―I‘m sorry, honey. Who—‖ ―The girl I‘m seeing. Natalia.‖ She gives me a puzzled smile. ―That‘s funny, I could have sworn you and Raine were still seeing one another. What happened there?‖ I shake my head. You‘ve got to be kidding me.

―Forget it. I must have been crazy even asking.‖ ―Wait. Campbell .‖ She starts to follow me down the hall . ―Campbell , calm down. Why are you so angry?‖ ―Because we had this conversation already, Mom. I told you that I‘m not seeing Raine anymore. We argued about it. Don‘t you remember?‖ She nods, then shakes her head, like she‘s trying to clear her thoughts. ―I just woke up. Give me a break, I‘m a little foggy.‖ I take a deep breath and try to calm down. She‘s always been this way, so I don‘t know why it still gets to me. But it does. ―Fine. Let me break it down for you. A girl that I real y, real y like has invited us to dinner. So do you want to go or not?‖ ―Of course I want to go,‖ she says, like she can‘t believe it‘s even a question. She reaches out and brushes my bangs out of my eyes, a gesture that‘s meant to be affectionate. I take a step back. ―And you won‘t act crazy. Right?‖ She laughs, like it‘s some big joke. ―I can‘t promise that.‖ ―Seriously, Mom, I want to make a good impression. So no getting loaded at dinner.‖ ―Loaded? Honey, I think I‘m old enough to know how to behave at the dinner table.‖ She smiles. ―Don‘t worry about me. I‘ll be a model citizen.‖ ―Thanks.‖ I start to walk back toward my room, but she cal s after me. ―Someone‘s puling into our driveway. Is that her?‖ I look out the front window and see a beige Ford Focus puling in behind my car. ―That‘s not her,‖ I say. And it‘s not Derek, unless he switched to a new vehicle. And it‘s not Aiden, or Brody, because -Hadley gets out of the car and starts walking up toward the front porch. ―That‘s not your girlfriend?‖ my mom asks, apparently thrown by the idea of an unexpected visitor. She has enough trouble keeping Natalia and Raine straight, I can‘t even imagine what Hadley‘s doing to her. ―No,‖ I say, trying to keep my tone even. ―No, it‘s someone else.‖ ―Well , aren‘t you just Mr. Popular! My son, al -star athlete and girl magnet.‖ ―Please,‖ I say, rolling my eyes. ―Just get ready and let me see what this is about.‖ I run downstairs and out the front door. Hadley smiles and waves at me, like she‘s just stopping by for a friendly visit. She‘s got on dark jeans and a black leather coat, and a pair of sunglasses are perched on her head. ―Hey,‖ she says, ―Sorry to drop by unannounced.‖ ―What‘s going on?‖ I ask, feeling a pit of dread in my stomach. My first instinct is to just get rid of her, and lately I‘ve learned it‘s important to pay attention to my gut. ―Because I‘m kind of busy.‖ She stops in the driveway, keys still in her hand, and shifts her feet. ―Oh. Sorry.‖ ―No worries. I just— I have something I‘ve got to do.‖ ―I need to talk to you about what you saw at my house.‖

I wave it off. ―Already forgotten.‖ Lie. ―Cam—‖ ―Seriously, it‘s fine. My lips are sealed.‖ I mime taking a key to my lips and locking them, hoping she buys it enough to get back in her car and go away. ―I‘m not worried about you telling people.‖ ―Listen, can we talk more in school on Monday? Or even tomorrow? I have to be somewhere and – ― ―Please,‖ she says, cutting me off and taking a step toward me. ―This is real y important.‖ Her voice is pleading. Don‟t do it, I think. She‟s trying to trick you. But if I‘m being honest, I don‘t real y think Hadley‘s evil. I just don‘t want to hear whatever she‘s about to tell me. It‘s only going to make things more complicated, and that‘s the last thing I need right now. ―Fine,‖ I say, final y. ―I‘ll give you like…three minutes. But then I real y have to go.‖ I walk down the steps and meet her near my car. ―Shoot.‖ ―You need to come with me, Cam,‖ she says. She leans back against the car, and pulls her sunglasses down over her eyes. ―Back to my house.‖ ―Why?‖ ―Because,‖ she says simply. ―It‘s important. I wouldn‘t be here if it wasn‘t.‖ ―I told you, I don‘t have time.‖ I think about my mom stumbling around inside and hope she‘s at least getting in the shower. ―And even if I did, why would I want to? What‘s back at your house?‖ ―Something I need to show you. Something about you and Natalia.‖ ―Bull shit.‖ I knew I shouldn‘t have come out here. I turn away from her, and start walking back up the driveway. Derek was right about this chick. She‘s bad news. ―Cam,‖ she cal s, ―You have to come with me. I‘m warning you.‖ I turn around, and she pulls her sunglasses off, which makes me nervous. If she wants to be able to look at me, she‘s probably getting ready to do some kind of spell . Or at least considering it. ―Warning me?‖ I laugh, and take a step back toward my house, hoping she won‘t sense how desperate I am to get out of there. ―Is that a threat?‖ ―Cal it what you want, Cam.‖ She shrugs. ―But I‘m playing nice right now and I real y don‘t have to.‖ The pit of dread in my stomach expands, and then, suddenly, I‘m pissed off. ―Don‘t fucking threaten me, Hadley.‖ ―Don‘t get mad. I‘m trying to help you. Something‘s happening and you need to see it.‖ She sighs, and looks like she‘s about to say something else. There‘s a beat of silence, and then she says, ―It‘s about Raine.‖ I shake my head. ―Oh, no fucking way,‖ I say. ―I‘m not going there.‖ ―Cam, I can make you. Don‘t force me to do that.‖ ―If you can force me, why haven‘t you done it already?‖ I‘m hoping to cal her bluff. But then I remember the flash of light and the body lying on her front lawn. The way she controlled those cops. She‘s not bluffing. Hadley sees that I know she‘s telling the truth. ―Please, Cam. I know this sucks for you. It sucks for me, too. But like I said, I‘m trying to help you.‖

―Sure. Sure you are.‖ I walk back toward the house. ―Cam—‖ ―Can I at least tell my mom I‘m going out for a minute? Or do you want to put a spell on her so she doesn‘t give a shit?‖ She doesn‘t answer, which I decide means yes to my first question. I check the time on my phone as I head inside. I‘ve got a little time – about an hour-before I need to be at Natalia‘s. ―Mom!‖ I cal , but then I hear the shower running. I‘ll probably be home before she‘s even out of the bathroom. It occurs to me that I could simply lock the front door and refuse to go back outside. What‘s Hadley going to do, break into my house and kidnap me? Maybe, I think. In fact, I‘m fairly certain she would if I forced her to. Whatever. Time to bite the bullet and see what she‘s got in store for me. But something tells me if it involves Raine, then it‘s bad news all the way. *** I insist on taking my own car over to her house and Hadley relents, even though she doesn‘t like it. But I want to at least have the possibility of getting out of there, even if she can stop me. While I drive, I try to stay focused and not let my imagination run wild. Part of me wants to cal Natalia and tell her what‘s going on, but I know I can‘t. I have no idea what I‘m going to find at Hadley‘s house, and I don‘t want to put Natalia in any more danger. Besides, I‘m not even sure I can trust Natalia, not after she lied to me. In fact, I‘m not sure I can trust anyone. Not Natalia, not Aiden, definitely not Brody. Hel , at the moment Hadley might be my best bet. We pull up front of her house and I notice that somehow the window‘s already been replaced and there‘s no sign of any broken glass or damage from earlier. Which is fucking weird. But why should anything surprise me anymore? Hadley waits for me halfway up the front walk, looking serious and a little nervous. Her face grows pale as I walk toward her. ―We need to hurry,‖ she says, looking around, then grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the door. ―Come on.‖ She unlocks the front door and we step inside. I‘m immediately taken aback. The place still looks total y unlived in. There‘s boxes everywhere, mostly unopened. No TV, no real furniture, and the walls are still freshly painted. ―What the hell ?‖ I look at Hadley. ―Obviously I‘m not a regular student who just moved here from overseas.‖ She shuts the door behind her and turns the deadbolt. ―Um, fine, but shouldn‘t you at least try to unpack a little? I mean, you don‘t even have-‖ Just then, a series of thumps beneath my feet makes me jump. I look down at the floor. ―What was that?‖ Hadley looks at me. ―You need to stay calm.‖ ―I am calm. Why wouldn‘t I be calm? I‘m only hanging out with a stranger in some

creepy empty witch house with weird noises coming from the basement.‖ It‘s so surreal it‘s almost comical. I bite back the urge to give a maniacal laugh. ―We need to go down there,‖ she says. ―There‘s something you need to see.‖ ―Hel no,‖ I say, shaking my head. ―I don‘t take another step until you tell me what the hell is going on.‖ It‘s an empty threat, and we both know it. ―Cam,‖ she says, ―Your safety depends on it.‖ ―Wouldn‘t I be safer away from whatever it is?‖ She grabs my arm again. ―Come on. Enough staling.‖ I rip myself away from her. ―No. Tell me who you are first. Who you are really?” She rolls her eyes, like she can‘t believe I‘m questioning her. ―I‘m a person, Cam. My name is Hadley. REALLY.‖ ―And you‘re a witch?‖ She tilts her head, like she‘s thinking about it. ―That‘s not how I define myself. And honestly, we‘ve got bigger things to worry about at the moment.‖ Another series of thumps comes from the basement. ―Are you actual y from England?‖ ―Recently? No. But I‘ve lived there in the past.‖ ―So where are you from recently?‖ The sound of something crashing comes from beneath us, and then a noise that sounds like a moan. ―Shit!‖ Hadley says. ―Enough talking, come on!‖ She heads for the door to the basement and I stand where I am. She looks back at me. ―You‘re coming, like it or not. P.S., I‘m through trying to be nice.‖ ―P.S., so am I,‖ I say. But I can tell she means it. So I follow her, muttering under my breath. The minute the door to the basement opens, I‘m filed with a sense of hopelessness and my legs simply don‘t want to move. Hadley starts down the old, creaky, wooden steps. There‘s a bare sixty-watt bulb swinging from the ceiling, throwing meager light at the base of the steps below. I can‘t see most of the room, so I have no idea what‘s down there. But it‘s not anything good. I know that. When Hadley gets to the bottom she glances across the room and frowns, then looks back at me. ―Walk.‖ ―I can‘t.‖ ―You will .‖ She says it in a slow, measured voice. And now my legs are moving, and I‘m carried downstairs as if I‘m on an escalator, almost floating. ―Don‘t put a spell on me, Hadley,‖ I say when I‘m safely off the last step. She shrugs. ―I didn‘t want to, but you‘re so stubborn. Anyway, it was only a small one.‖ She puts her fingers apart about a centimeter to show me just how tiny the spell was. I try to shake it off. It feels like when someone hits me hard on the football field, and for a moment, I‘m kind of stunned. And then my eyes adjust to the dark, musty basement, and I see her. ―Oh, no. Oh, no, oh no oh no.‖

Raine is tied to a chair. And she‘s been beaten. Her eyes are bruised, one nearly swollen shut. Her nose is bleeding and she‘s been gagged with duct tape. Her hair, normal y blond and flowing, is matted and dirty. Her clothes are torn. ―What the hell did you do to her?‖ I say. ―She‘s half-dead.‖ Hadley turns and looks at me. ―This is serious, Cam. We‘re fighting a war here.‖ “Who is?‖ ―Al of us. Including you and Natalia, although you don‘t want to believe it yet.‖ ―Listen, I hate Raine as much as the next person, but this is too much. You‘re going to kill her.‖ ―No, I‘m not. And anyway, I‘m pretty sure she never had anything very nice planned for you and your friends. So why so protective?‖ ―I can‘t be a part of this,‖ I say, shaking my head. ―I‘m out of here.‖ Hadley strides quickly to Raine and rips the tape off her mouth and then pulls a dirty bundle of cloth out, al owing her to fully breathe and talk. Raine looks at me out of her swollen, almost unrecognizable face. ―Cam.‖ ―Are you okay?‖ I ask. I take a step toward the chair, but make sure not to get too close. She might be tied up, but last time I saw Raine, she had my best friend tied to a tree and she was planning on killing him, and then stealing my soul. She tries to smile. Her one good eye glances at Hadley and then back to me. ―Oh, yeah,‖ she says. ―Never felt better. This place is like a fucking yoga retreat.‖ ―How long have you had her down here?‖ I ask Hadley. ―Not long enough,‖ Hadley says. ―Jesus, Hadley.‖ ―A few of her friends suspected something and tried to break in and have a look-see but they didn‘t get very far. Did they?‖ Hadley asks, turning toward Raine. Raine laughs. ―My friends. That‘s funny.‖ ―Look,‖ I say. ―Whatever‘s happening, this isn‘t right. We‘re going to end up in jail.‖ This is even worse than the other night at Homecoming. What Hadley did to Raine‘s face is sickening. ―Hadley, I‘m sorry, but you need to get out of here. And let Raine go. I‘ll call the cops.‖ ―You want him to call the cops, honey?‖ Hadley asks Raine. Raine shakes her head. ―No, Cam,‖ she says, ―The police can‘t help me right now.‖ ―Well , what the hell am I supposed to do then?‖ I ask. ―I don‘t even know why I‘m here.‖ ―She‘s using you,‖ Raine says. ―To get to me.‖ ―What?‖ And then I feel it. A warmth. It‘s been slowly creeping up my body, from my toes, and now it‘s in my stomach. A flood of images comes over me. I remember that night. The night of the dance. The way Raine kissed me. The taste of her lips. The way she smelled. I smile, remembering it all . Feeling the way her body feels. And we‘re kissing again. I feel her hair in my hands as she moves close to me.

―Raine, I love you. I‘ll always love you,‖ I tell her. She‘s the most beautiful woman I‘ve ever seen. ―I love you too, Cam. Help me. Save me.‖ And then I remember where I am. Not at the Homecoming dance. I‘m at Hadley‘s. I open my eyes and I‘m lying on a blanket, on the floor. I‘m confused and disoriented, my heart beating a mile a minute. Looking around, it seems I‘ve been taken to another empty room in the house. But how? Did someone cast another spell on me? Outside the window, the light is failing. I check my pockets and grab my phone, standing up, my legs wobbly. There‘s a text from Natalia. Where r u?? And a phone call from my mother. The door to the room opens and Hadley walks in. ―Oh, good,‖ she says, ―You‘re awake.‖ ―You tricked me,‖ I say, my voice shaking with rage. ―Calm down, Cam,‖ she says, ―This whole freaking out, hyper thing you‘ve got going on is staring to get a little old.‖ ―You‘ve got Raine tied up in your basement and you want me to calm down? I don‘t even know what happened to me down there!‖ This chick is nuts. I start to push by her and out the door, but she grabs my arm. ―Cam,‖ she says, looking at me, her face serious. ―You‘re further under her power than any of us thought.‖ She swallows. ―It‘s… it‘s bad. You need to leave Santa Anna for awhile.‖ ―No. Fuck that. I have a dinner date.‖ I put my phone in my pocket and start walking toward the door. ―And you better get out of my way, because I guarantee in about two seconds you‘ll regret it if you‘re still standing there.‖ ―You wouldn‘t hit a girl,‖ Hadley says, rolling her eyes, like the thought of me being any kind of threat is ridiculous. ―I never said anything about hitting you. But if you keep standing in my way, it won‘t be my fault if you end up getting run over.‖ And I mean it too--I‘m ready to sprint like my life depends on it. I step past her, and this time, she doesn‘t stop me. . ―Cam,‖ she says, as I go. I don‘t respond. ―We can‘t wait forever. You need to get away from here soon—before Raine and the others make you theirs completely. I‘m trying to warn you.‖ ―You and Raine can go play paddy cake down there forever for all I care,‖ I say, as I move into the living room. ―I‘m leaving.‖ My legs are still unsteady and I tumble onto the ground. Shit. I don‘t completely have my balance back. Hadley comes over and looks down at me pityingly. ―Oh, Cam. What are we going to do with you?‖

―Leave me alone.‖ She reaches her hand down and helps me up. Her eyes meet mine, and I look away quickly, afraid she‘s going to put another spell on me. But al she says is, ―After dinner, come back here. I‘ll give you a couple hours, Cam, but that‘s all . And you don‘t want to see what happens if you make me wait.‖

Chapter Two Natalia Cam‘s late. Like, twenty minutes late. And my mom‘s starting to get a little testy. ―I‘m not sure what I should do about the glaze,‖ she says, leaning over the oven and peering at the ham. ―You‘re supposed to put it on twenty minutes before you take the ham out. But since I don‘t know when they‘re getting here, I don‘t know when I should start glazing.‖ I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Her and that damn glaze. Seriously, she‘s kind of obsessed with it. I wonder if she‘d be so worried about food if she knew there were all kinds of creepy things going on, like with spells and mind control and a weird iPad that Brody gave me. The iPad‘s upstairs, buried in my closet. After that creepy woman on the screen told me she was waiting for me, I turned it off and shoved it under a pile of dirty laundry. I‘m not taking it out again until Cam gets here, and we can decide what to do. ―Should I?‖ my mom presses. ―Should you what?‖ I‘m looking out the window toward the driveway, my face practical y pressed up against the glass. I‘m like one of those sad little kids waiting for their absent father. I check my phone for the millionth time, just in case Cam sent me a text and I missed it. ―Should I put the glaze on?‖ ―Yes,‖ I say, ―Put the glaze on.‖ ―I don‘t know,‖ she says, shaking her head. If she wasn‘t going to take my advice, then why did she ask me? I mean, real y. Like I know anything about ham. Like I know anything about cooking. And even if I did, you‘d think she‘d – Cam‘s car! It‘s puling around the corner and down our street. ―Here they come!‖ I practical y scream. ―They‘re here!‖ ―Oh, thank God,‖ my mom says. She yanks the oven door open and starts slapping the glaze all over the ham. I run to the door, and don‘t even wait for Cam and his mom to get out of the car before I‘m outside. ―Hey!‖ I cal brightly from the porch, deciding to pretend the weirdness we had on the phone earlier didn‘t happen. ―Hi,‖ Cam says. He‘s out of the car and circling around to the other side, I guess so he can open the door for his mom. Wow. She real y went all out. She‘s got on a long tangerine-colored dress that flows down to her ankles, and a pair of super high, cream-colored wedge sandals. A matching straw hat is perched on her head. Huh. It seems like Cam‘s mom thinks she‘s going to the Kentucky Derby. Even though we‘re not in Kentucky. And even though it‘s October.

But whatever, she could be wearing trash bags for all I care, as long as she‘s here. ―Hel o,‖ she says, as her and Cam start heading up the sidewalk. ―You must be Raine.‖ Raine? What the hell is she -- ? And then I notice she‘s stumbling a little bit. Not, like, horribly, but she‘s kind of… I don‘t know, it‘s like her feet are going too fast for her body or something. ―No, mom,‖ Cam says, his voice tight. ―I told you, this is Natalia.‖ ―I know that,‖ his mom scoffs. She‘s at the porch now, and she steps up next to me, and takes my hand. ―Hel o, Natalia.‖ ―Hel o, Mrs. El iot,‖ I say. She throws her head back and laughs, like me cal ing her Mrs. Elliott is the funniest thing she‘s ever heard. ―Please,‖ she says, ―Cal me Sheila.‖ ―Okay,‖ I say, ―Nice to meet you, Sheila.‖ And then Sheila grabs me in a hug and pulls me to her chest. ―You are so beautiful!‖ she says. ―Even prettier than I imagined.‖ She pulls back and reaches her hand out, then starts stroking my hair. ―Gorgeous hair!‖ she declares. ―Just like a Pantene model!‖ ―Well , thank you,‖ I say, as she continues the inappropriate touching. ―That‘s very flattering.‖ I meet Cam‘s eye over her shoulder, and give him a look, like ‗what the fuck is this?‘ He shakes his head, like he has no explanation. Of course, it‘s pretty obvious what the deal is. I mean, she smells like she‘s been at a bar al afternoon. ―I brought some treats,‖ Sheila says, thrusting a box into my hands. It‘s a package of chocolate truffles that looks like it‘s been sitting in their pantry for a while. I can tell because there‘s a thin layer of dust on the top and the plastic‘s ripped. ―Wow,‖ I say, ―Looks delicious.‖ We all stand there awkwardly for a moment. ―Well , um, come on in.‖ I hold the door open for them, and Sheila slips past me and into the house. I raise my eyebrows at Cam as he goes in. ―Is she drunk?‖ I whisper. ―A little,‖ he admits. His eyes look tired and his shoulders seem tense. ―Well ,‖ I say, pasting a smile on my face because I don‘t want him to feel bad. It‘s not his fault his mom‘s drunk. ―I‘m sure it will be fine.‖ ―Yeah,‖ he says, sighing as he pushes past me. ―Let‘s go.‖ *** Okay, so my mom and Cam‘s mom? Definitely not going to be best friends. Or, you know, any kind of friends. So far, our guests have only been here for twenty minutes, and it‘s been kind of a debacle. Half of it‘s my mom‘s fault – she‘s not making much of an effort. She looked at the chocolate truffles like they were maggots or something. (She could have at least been polite about it. I mean, what‘s a little dust?) And half of its Sheila‘s fault, because, well , she‘s drunk and crazy. ―Do you want to take your hat off?‖ my mom‘s asking her. ―I mean, now that we‘re going to sit down for dinner and everything.‖ ―Oh, good idea,‖ Sheila says. She takes her hat off and tosses it onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar. Underneath, her hair is a rat‘s nest, al tangled and matted to the side of her

face. It looks like maybe she slept on it wrong. ―Um, Cam,‖ I say. ―Do you want to help me set the table?‖ Cam shrugs. He‘s been standing around, drinking a coke that my mom served him, not real y talking. He follows me into the dining room, though, and watches as I take some plates out of the china cupboard. ―The good china,‖ he says, ―Puling out all the stops, huh?‖ ―My mom likes to use it when we have company over.‖ I open a drawer and pull out the box of silverware. Cam sits down at one of the dining room chairs. Apparently he didn‘t hear the part about helping. I start putting the plates down on the table, one in front of each chair. ―So how was lunch?‖ Cam asks. ―Um, it was fine,‖ I say. I am going to tell him I wasn‘t at lunch with Adrianna, that I was real y with Brody. But now‘s not exactly the right time. I mean, the last thing I need is for us to get into some big fight with our moms right in the next room. Especial y a fight having to do with all the weird shit that‘s been going on. ―Oh, yeah?‖ he says, drumming his fingers against the table. ―Did you have anything good?‖ ―No,‖ I say, figuring it‘s better to keep it simple. If I start telling him about some made up meal, he might start asking more questions. And if he starts asking more questions, I might not have answers. ―Real y? Did Adrianna – ‖ ―Listen,‖ I say, cutting him off. ―We need to – ― But before I can finish, a huge crash comes from the kitchen, followed by the sound of my mom screaming. Cam and I look at each other, and then go running. When we get to the kitchen, Cam‘s mom is on the floor, her dress hiked up around her shoulders, revealing a pair of huge white underwear. She‘s laughing and trying to push her dress down. ―Are you okay?‖ my mom‘s asking. She looks up as Cam rushes over to his mom and kneels down on the floor. ―She was… she just sort of stumbled into the bowl of carrots.‖ She looks at the bowl, which is now on the floor, upside down, with a bunch of carrots scattered around it. Damn. I love carrots. Now I‘m going to be stuck eating the corn. ―I‘m so clumsy!‖ Sheila says, sitting up. She‘s giggling, like she‘s a toddler who‘s just learned to walk, instead of a drunk middle-aged woman who‘s at the house of her son‘s girlfriend and should be on her best behavior. ―Mom,‖ Cam says, ―Come on, get up.‖ He puts his hand out and pulls her off the floor. ―Wow,‖ she says, stumbling a little in her high shoes. ―How embarrassing.‖ She doesn‘t look embarrassed, though. She looks like she‘s having fun.

―Well !‖ I say brightly. ―I think we should probably start eating dinner now, don‘t you?‖ ―I‘m starving!‖ Sheila declares, following Cam happily into the dining room. When she sees the table, she gasps. ―Gorgeous!‖ she says, ―Just gorgeous!‖ She picks up one of the napkins. ―When I was a waitress in high school we used to make swans out of the napkins. It was a real hit with the customers.‖ She starts to fold up one side. ―Hmmm, I‘m not sure if I remember…‖ ―Natalia,‖ my mom says, ―Why don‘t you come and help me bring out the food?‖ I follow her into the kitchen. As soon as we‘re out of earshot, she starts. ―Jesus, Natalia,‖ she says, ―You didn‘t tell me she was a drunk.‖ ―She‘s not a drunk,” I say, not real y sure if she is or not. I mean, just because she‘s drunk right now doesn‘t necessarily mean she‘s a drunk. She could just be one of those people who drinks on the weekends, after a stressful week at work. Although I guess if you think it‘s okay to show up to a dinner three sheets to the wind, it probably does indicate some sort of alcohol problem. My mom opens the oven and pulls out the ham, then sets it down careful y on the counter. She takes off the oven mitts and starts to carve the meat. ―I real y hope her problem isn‘t genetic,‖ my mom says. She gives me a pointed look, like she‘s imagining Cam turning out to be some kind of crazy alcoholic who leaves me home alone with our five children while he‘s out at the bars. I decide to ignore her, and get busy gathering up the bowl of mashed potatoes. When my mom‘s done cutting the ham, she picks up the platter, and we head into the dining room. ―It smells delicious,‖ Sheila says. ―I can‘t even believe you made all this food!‖ She reaches over and picks up some ham, then plops it on her plate without even waiting for me and my mom to sit down. Cam‘s sitting next to her, looking sullen. God, this was a horrible idea. What was I thinking, letting Cam bring his mom over here? ―Hmmm,‖ Sheila says, looking at her ham in distaste. ―What‘s wrong with this glaze? It‘s a little too sweet.‖ *** The rest of the dinner doesn‘t improve. Sheila alternates between making weird, borderline rude comments about the food, and gushing about how good it is. She drops her fork on the floor. She knocks a glass of water all over the table. She gets up to go to the bathroom and almost fall s again. ―Well ,‖ my mom says, when we‘re through eating. ―That was a nice time.‖ She doesn‘t make any mention of dessert. And Sheila either forgot she brought some dusty truffles, or doesn‘t care. Which is good, because if I‘m being completely honest, I would have been a little afraid to eat them. ―Yes, a very good time,‖ I lie. I get up and start to clear the table. To my surprise, Cam gets up, too, picks up his plate and his mom‘s, and follows me to the kitchen. Of course, that means leaving the moms alone, which is pretty dangerous, but whatever. ―That was fun,‖ Cam says, dumping the rest of his dinner into the garbage. He hardly touched his food.

―Yeah, total y fun,‖ I say. ―I had, like, the best time ever. Do you think our moms are going to become BFF?‖ I‘m trying to lighten the mood, but Cam doesn‘t say anything. He just crosses the kitchen and puts the plates he‘s holding into the sink. ―So,‖ I say, ―Um, do you want to do something tonight?‖ I real y want to talk to him about what happened today, going to see Brody, the iPad he gave me. I can‘t do it now, because our moms are right in the next room. ―Why did you lie about going to lunch with Adrianna?‖ Cam asks. He leans back against the counter and crosses his arms over his chest. I swallow hard, and feel my face get hot. Shit, shit, shit. ―Cam – ― I start, but before I can explain, he cuts me off. ―Were you with Brody?‖ His eyes are flashing, like just the mention of Brody‘s name is making him angry. ―Cam, ― I say, taking a step toward him. ―Look, let‘s hang out after this. You could take your mom home and then we‘ll --- ― ―Answer the question,‖ he says. ―Were. You. With. Brody?‖ ―Yes,‖ I say, ―I was with Brody. But it was --― ―Thanks,‖ he says, turning his back on me. ―That‘s all I needed to know.‖ He takes a few steps toward the dining room. ―Mom!‖ he cal s, ―Are you ready? We should get out of here.‖ ―Yes, Cam,‖ she says, bustling into the kitchen. ―Sorry we have to run like this,‖ she says to my mom, who‘s following her, ―Next time we‘ll make sure to stay a little longer.‖ ―Don‘t worry about it,‖ my mom says, looking relieved that they‘re taking off. She was probably trying to figure out a way to get rid of them. But I guess I saved her the trouble. Once Cam found out I was lying, he wanted to get out of here on his own. Cam‘s phone rings, and he pulls it out of his pocket and looks down at the caller ID. I watch his face careful y. It‘s a mixture of fear and annoyance, with a flash of guilt, like he‘s just been caught doing something wrong. I try not to let my eyes flicker down to his phone, but I can‘t help it. I see the number. 555-6123. It‘s not a number I recognize. ―I‘ll meet you in the car,‖ he says to his mom, and then turns on his heel and walks away. I see him answering the cal as he walks out the front door. I swallow around the lump in my throat, wondering if I should go after him. ―Oh no!‖ Sheila cries suddenly, putting her huge straw hat back on her head. ―What about dessert?‖ ―Oh, well , I‘m stuffed,‖ my mom says. She pats her stomach and looks at me with her eyebrows raised. ―Yeah, me too,‖ I say. Who the hell is Cam on the phone with? And why did he leave like that? Was it because he‘s pissed at me for lying? Or was he trying to keep me from seeing who he was talking to? And if he was trying to keep me from seeing, why would he do that? The same reason you didn‟t tell him about Brody, a little voice in my head whispers. ―Well !‖ Sheila says. She reaches over and picks up the truffles from where they‘re sitting on the counter.

―You won‘t mind if I just take these with me now will you?‖ ―No, not at all ,‖ my mom says, starting to sort of push her toward the front door. ―It was so great to final y meet Raine‘s mom,‖ Sheila says. ―Yes, great to meet you too,‖ my mom says. If she‘s wondering who Raine is, she doesn‘t say anything. Probably figures it‘s just the ramblings of a drunk, crazy woman. Which it is. ―Bye, Natalia!‖ Sheila says, getting her mental faculties back enough to remember my name. As soon as the door shuts behind her, my mom gives me a look. ―Well !‖ she says, ―That was interesting.‖ She heads toward the kitchen, probably knowing better than to discuss it right now. I look out the front window as Cam‘s mom makes her way toward Cam‘s truck. He‘s sitting in the driver‘s seat, still on the phone. He ends the cal just as his mom gets in, and then he pulls out of the driveway, that same weird look on his face. And I just stand there, watching him go.

Chapter Three Campbell The conversation with Hadley is pretty short and to the point. She tells me we need to leave town. ―Why?‖ I ask. ―And where are we going?‖ I‘m sitting in my car in front of Natalia‘s house, watching my mom walk unsteadily down the front walkway. ―I‘ll explain more on the way,‖ Hadley says. ―But it‘s for your safety. And Natalia‘s.‖ ―How long will I be gone for? What am I supposed to tell my mom?‖ Not that I care much about what my mom thinks after the way she acted tonight. What a humiliation. Natalia‘s mom probably thinks we‘re a couple of hillbillies. ―I don‘t know, Cam,‖ Hadley says. She sighs, like she can‘t believe she has to take care of everything. ―Get in a fight with her and tell her you‘re going to visit your dad or something. Didn‘t you say he lives in Maine?‖ I hesitate. ―You know I can make you come with me,‖ she says. ―You can‘t keep me under a spell forever.‖ ―I can keep you under my power long enough, if I need to. And there are others, more powerful than me who can help.‖ ―What others?‖ ―People who can give you the answers you‘re looking for. I‘ll take you to meet some of them. Knowledge is power, Cam.‖ This perks my interest, and I want to ask her more. But at that moment, my mom somehow manages to open the car door and fall into the passenger seat. She has a goofy grin on her face, and her hat is titled at a weird angle. ―I‘ve got to go,‖ I tell Hadley.

―Meet me at my house in half an hour,‖ she says. I don‘t bother pretending that I won‘t. I get off the phone and start to pull out of the driveway. The car is quiet for a long moment and my mother just stares out the window, her head swaying like one of those bobble head dolls. ―Cam, Cam, Cam,‖ my mom says out of nowhere. I can barely look at her after the way she acted at dinner. ―Mom, mom, mom,‖ I respond with an obvious sarcasm that she ignores. ―I know you‘re going to hate me for saying this, but…I think I prefer Raine for you.‖ ―Great, Mom.‖ I‘m starting to speed and I force myself to slow down. ―Listen, I know you and Raine have had some sort of falling out. At least, you said you‘re no longer an item. But when I see the two of you together—― ―You‘ve never seen the two of us together.‖ ―In my mind I have. I know Raine and I know you. It‘s so perfect, you‘d have the most adorable, gorgeous, athletic children!‖ I glance over at her. ―You need to give it a rest.‖ ―And Natalia. She‘s a nice girl, Cam, don‘t get me wrong. But a little bit common, no?‖ “Common?” ―Raine comes from high class stock. Her family is wealthy…. cultured. A boy like you would be taking a big step up marrying a girl like Raine.‖ ―What is this, Pride and Prejudice? We‘re not living in the eighteen hundreds. I don‘t need to raise my stock by marrying a blue blood.‖ Mom laughs. ―That‘s where you‘re wrong. Moving up the ladder is always a good thing in life. Always. And frankly, Natalia would be a big step down for you, Cam.‖ I look at her and feel a grimace cross my face. As much as my mom aggravates, frustrates and saddens me—I do love her. But now, for maybe the first time ever, I honestly hate her a little. Even if I‘m angry at Natalia for lying to me, even if we can‘t be together—hearing my mother talk badly about her makes me sick to my stomach. But whatever. It doesn‘t even matter. Things are changing fast and I have bigger problems than what my mom thinks of Natalia. Still , this conversation provides the obvious fight I need to have to give me an excuse to leave. ―How can you honestly sit here and pretend to give me relationship advice after you‘ve done nothing but fail at every relationship you‘ve had?‖ I say. She recoils as if I‘ve hit her. ―Well …life is complicated. I‘m trying to give you the benefit of my experience.‖ I chuckle without humor. ―Oh, that‘s a good one. Your life experience of being completely shitfaced when you‘re not working or sleeping?‖ ―Do not speak to me that way.‖ ―Don‘t try and play the parent card with me when you can barely get through the day without a drink. You screwed your marriage and now you‘re trying to screw with me and my girlfriend.‖ We pull into our driveway and I park the car but leave it running. ―I‘ve made a mistake or two, but that doesn‘t give you the right to belittle and insult me,‖ she says, ―I‘m still your mother.‖ ―Could have fooled me. Doesn‘t a mother actual y attend her son‘s football games when

he‘s captain of the team?‖ I get out of the car before she can answer and walk purposeful y into the house and up to my room, where I pack a bag as quickly as possible with clothes, deodorant, toothbrush. Enough stuff to last for a few days. My mom‘s coming in as I head down the stairs with the bag. ―Where are you going?‖ she asks. ―To dad‘s. I might be there for most of the week.‖ ―You have school!‖ ―I can afford to miss a class or two. I need to get out of here.‖ She looks tired and beaten down. ―I‘m—I‘m sorry if I said unfair and unkind things about Natalia.‖ ―I‘ll cal you when I feel like it,‖ I say, and push past her. She doesn‘t even respond, just stands there in the hall way looking old and broken. I leave without another word. *** We decide to use my car to make the trip to— wherever it is we‘re going. Hadley refuses to be specific. ―Head towards 93,‖ she tells me as we get on the highway. ―Why can‘t you just say where we‘re going?‖ I ask. ―I just want to be cautious,‖ she says, glancing at me and then turning to look out the back window. ―Cautious about what? Is somebody following us?‖ ―No.‖ She thinks about it and shakes her head. ―No, I don‘t think so.‖ ―You don‘t think so?‖ I look at her for a little too long, taking my eyes off the road. I turn back just in time to see the brake lights of the car in front of us come on. We‘re going way too fast to stop in time. ―Shit.‖ I spin the wheel quickly to the right and pump the breaks. There‘s a squeal of tires and my car fishtails for a brief moment. I‘m able to steer us into the breakdown lane just in time and we avoid plowing into the car ahead of us. When we come to a full stop, Hadley lets out a shaky breath. ―You need to stop worrying about me and start paying attention to the road. That was way too close.‖ ―Sorry.‖ I sit there for a moment, waiting for my heart to slow. Then I hit the left turn signal and we begin driving again. But as the car speeds up, there‘s a loud bump-bump-bump noise and then I notice that one side of my car is tilted toward the ground. ―Shit,‖ I say, pulling back over to the side. ―We got a flat.‖ Hadley rolls her eyes. ―Great.‖ ―Relax, I can change it.‖ I get out of the car and walk around to the back, pull out the jack, the tire iron, and the spare -- which is luckily a real tire and not some cheap plastic thing. Hadley gets out and stands next to me as I set up the jack under the car and then begin loosening the lug nuts. Cars are whizzing by us at high speeds and the wind is blowing briskly. ―Can‘t you make a spell to speed things up?‖ I joke, wiping my hands on my jeans. ―Sorry,‖ she says, leaning back against the car. ―I don‘t change tires. Not in my job description.‖ ―Why am I not surprised?‖

Her eyes narrow, like she takes offense to my remark. ―Fine,‖ she says, kneeling down next to me. ―Let me spin the jack.‖ I back away. ―Be my guest.‖ She starts to try and spin the jack. ―Crap!‖ She pulls her hand back. ―I cut myself.‖ She looks down at her hand. There‘s a small trickle of blood coming from her nail. ―I tore half my nail off!‖ ―Wow,‖ I say, ―Some trip this is turning out to be, huh?‖ She glares at me. ―This isn‘t funny, Cam.‖ ―Okay, okay, sorry. Hold on a sec.‖ I go around to the trunk and pull out the first aid kit my mom insists I carry with me. I rummage around until I find a large band-aid and some Neosporin. Hadley‘s sucking her finger like a little kid. ―Give me that,‖ I say, grabbing her hand gently but firmly and squeezing a glob of the Neosporin onto the cut. ―Ouch,‖ she says. ―That hurt?‖ ―No, I‘m fine.‖ I laugh a little. ―It‘s not funny!‖ ―You stick to casting spells and let the man change the tires,‖ I say. ―I could have done it!‖ she says. ―That jack malfunctioned or something.‖ ―Whatever.‖ I apply the band-aid. ―Better?‖ She nods. I give her a little smile and she smiles back. It gives me a weird feeling in my stomach, so I quickly go back to changing in the tire. ―Tell me the truth, Hadley. How old are you real y?‖ ―A little older than I look.‖ I glance up at her. She doesn‘t real y seem older to me. She rolls her eyes. ―I‘m telling the truth.‖ ―And what about Raine? Can you at least explain to me why you kidnapped and tortured her?‖ I say, jacking the car up so that the flat tire is all the way off the pavement. ―It‘s not something I enjoyed, but it had to be done. You don‘t understand what‘s at stake.‖ ―Right, the fate of the world. I forgot.‖ I pull the flat off and lay it to the side, then put the spare and the lug nuts on. ―Natalia actual y believes that garbage and now everything‘s messed up between us,‖ I tell her. ―Do you and Brody work as a team or something?‖ ―It‘s not garbage, Cam. The war is coming. But I can help you and Natalia. That‘s part of my job.‖ I finish tightening the new tire, and reverse the jack. A few seconds later the car is back on the ground and it‘s done. I gather the materials and start putting them away. Hadley follows me to the trunk. ―You and Nat and Raine are at a fork in the road,‖ she says. There are a couple of ways things can go.

You could end up with Raine or—― I laugh at this. ―Me, end up with Raine? Sorry, sweetheart, I don‘t think so.‖ I slam the trunk shut. We both get back inside the car and I start the engine. For a moment, as we pull back onto the highway, we‘re both quiet. Then Hadley starts talking again. ―You‘re already partial y tied to her. Raine. That‘s why she has so much power over you.‖ ―What do you mean, tied to her?‖ I ask. ―Raine believes that you can help her fulfill her destiny. So she put into motion a series of spells that eventual y would end with you and her being bonded eternal y.‖ ―How do you know all of this?‖ ―Like I said, it‘s my job.‖ ―So why didn‘t you just kill Raine when you had the chance? If she‘s so evil?‖ ―I would have, but when I saw how strong the bond is between the two of you, I realized there was a good chance you‘d die too.‖ ―So if Raine dies, so do I?‖ I laugh. ―That‘s impossible.‖ Hadley smiles in sympathy, like it‘s almost better if I don‘t believe the truth. ―So you figure if you take me far away from her, maybe the bond will break down or something?‖ I say. ―Basically y. But we have some ways, some techniques for removing it by force if necessary.‖ ―You can remove the bond with a spell ?‖ She doesn‘t answer at first, as if she‘s thinking careful y about how to answer. ―Sort of. When we get to our destination you‘ll get a lot more answers. I promise.‖ ―You keep saying that.‖ I start to drive faster. ―Let‘s hurry up then, because I‘m sick of waiting for answers.‖

Chapter Four Natalia For an hour and a half, I fight the urge to cal the number I saw Cam dialing. I try to forget it, to push it out of my head. But after I‘m done helping my mom with the dishes, and I‘m up in my room alone, I can‘t take it anymore. I push *67 to block my number from coming up on any caller IDs, and then I dial, my hands shaking. She picks up after the first ring, and I recognize the voice immediately. ―Hel o?‖ It‘s Hadley. I can hear the sound of rushing wind behind her, which means she‘s probably in the car. With Cam? I wonder. I hang up and then try cal ing him. But his phone is off, and it goes right to voicemail. Well . That‘s that, I think, ending the cal without leaving a message. He‘s probably with Hadley. I don‘t know what they‘re doing, or why he didn‘t want to tell me where they were going. But either way, he made it perfectly clear that he doesn‘t want me involved.

Let it go, I tell myself. But what if he‘s in danger? What if he went to Hadley‘s, and she put some kind of crazy spell on him? Isn‘t it up to me to do something? I sit there on my bed, thinking about this, until my mom knocks on my door and tells me she‘s going to bed. When I hear her footsteps heading down the hall toward her room, I go to my closet, and pull the iPad Brody gave me out from where I hid it in my closet. I wait twenty minutes, just to make sure my mom‘s asleep, and then creep downstairs, and grab the car keys off the hook by the door. I‘m going to Hadley‘s. *** On the drive over, I think about cal ing Brody, but then I decide that‘s not a very good idea. One, because I‘m still not completely sure I can trust him, and two, because I don‘t want Cam getting even more pissed off at me. If Cam‘s at Hadley‘s, and I show up with Brody, things are not going to go well . When I get to Hadley‘s house, it‘s dark outside, and there‘s no lights or anything coming from inside. Hadley‘s car is in the driveway, which I guess means she‘s home. I take a deep breath. Now that I‘m here, I‘m not sure exactly what to do. If I ring the doorbell , Hadley will obviously know I‘m here, taking away any element of surprise. I reach up and finger my butterfly necklace, thinking about it. Final y, I circle around the block, and park my car around the corner. It‘s a risk. If I need to get away, I‘m not going to be able to get to my car quickly. But unless I want to tip Hadley off right away to the fact that I‘m here, it‘s the best choice. I walk quickly down the street, then cut through the grass until I‘m in Hadley‘s backyard. There‘s a chance she could see me, of course, but I can‘t worry about that now. If she‘s dangerous, and has some kind of powers, she might even already know I‘m here. The backyard is sparse, with no deck or patio or anything. There‘s a bulkhead door that must leads to the basement, and the grass looks like it hasn‘t been cut in at least a month. The windows on the first floor are pretty close to the ground, and if I stand on my tiptoes, I‘m able to see inside easily. I step up and look through the kitchen window. What I see is surprising. And kind of creepy. There‘s just… nothing. In the corner is an overturned box with what looks like a bowl of soup sitting on it. Someone was obviously using it as a makeshift table. There are cabinets, and a white refrigerator, but that‘s it. No real kitchen table. No pictures on the wall , no paper towel holder, no microwave. It looks like whoever lives here isn‘t planning on staying. And never was. ―Jesus, Hadley,‖ I whisper. ―What the hell are you up to?‖ I circle around the house once, peering through the windows, but al I see is more of the same. Empty rooms. Darkness. No sign of Hadley. Or Cam. I‘m not sure what to do next, and I‘m thinking maybe I should just ring the doorbell and see if anyone answers, when I see it. A butterfly. She flutters past where I‘m standing in the yard, and her wings are so black they blends into the night, making it hard to see them. She flies around in front of me, not fast, but kind of slow and deliberate. I take a step toward her, and as I do, she flies toward the side of the house. I follow, looking around, wondering if this is a trick. But as I move, the butterfly‘s wings start to lighten a little bit, which makes me feel like I‘m supposed to be following her.

When we get to the side of the house, she flutters down to the ground, and just… sort of lands there on a blade of grass. I look around, wondering what she‘s trying to tell me. This is crazy. I‘m standing out here, in front of some creepy empty house, by myself f, in the dark, depending on a butterfly to tell me what to do. I‘d think I was completely losing it, except for the fact that the butterfly‘s wings are now almost total y white. I sigh. And that‘s when I hear it. A thumping sound, coming from inside the basement. I peer through the window. And there she is. Raine. Tied to a chair, her eye swollen, her hair matted. I‘m so shocked that I freeze. She looks up, and her eyes meet mine. *** ―Natalia!‖ she screams, ―Get me out of here!‖ Which is pretty hilarious when you think about it. I mean, the girl basically y tried to kill me and steal my boyfriend‘s soul, and now she‘s acting like I should be rushing to save her or something. I take a step back. Yeah, she‘s tied up, but who knows what kind of crazy ninja shit she‘s going to try? She might be able to teleport herself out of there or something. The butterfly flies up and sit on top of the window ledge, then flutters its wings, which are now pure white. ―What are you doing down there?‖ I ask Raine. I have to yell , because the window is closed. ―What does it look like I‘m doing?‖ she says. ―I‘m tied up! That bitch Hadley tied me up and took off!‖ ―She took off?‖ ―Yeah. With Cam.‖ She looks at me, and even though her face is bruised and swollen, she has that same bitchy girl look, the kind of look that says, „Haha, your boyfriend took off with another girl, what are you going to do about it?‟ I pull out my phone and dial Cam‘s number. Again, it goes right to voicemail. This time I leave a message. ―Hey,‖ I say, ―It‘s me. I know things are weird right now, I know you‘re mad at me, but we real y need to talk. Cal me. Right away, okay?‖ I don‘t want to get too specific, just in case Hadley somehow hears the message. I think about adding something else, something about how I miss him and about how I just want all this stuff to be over so that things can go back to being the way they were before, but I don‘t. ―Hel o!‖ Raine screams. ―Are you going to try and get me out of here or what?‖ I kneel down and look through the window, being careful not to make eye contact with her, just in case she tries any of that mind control bull shit. Raine‘s tied to what looks like an aluminum chair, and now I can see she has bruises all over her face and on her arms. There‘s a length of rope and some wrinkled up duct tape around her neck, like it was in her mouth but she somehow got it out. ―I‘m cal ing the police,‖ I yell to her. ―No!‖ she screams. ―The police can‘t help us, Natalia!‖

But I don‘t real y care what she thinks. She‘s tied to a chair, beaten, and despite how I feel about her, I can‘ t just leave her down there. I turn back to my phone, and push 9…1… ―STOP!‖ Raine screams. ―Stop! Listen, I know where Cam is. I can take you to him.‖ I stop. If she knows where Cam is, if she can help me find him… ―How do I know you‘re telling the truth?‖ I ask, my finger still hovering over the ‗1‘ on my phone. ―How do you know I‘m not?‖ she counters. I don‘t trust her. But if I call the police, and she does know where Cam is, there‘s no way she‘s going to tell them. ―Hadley tied me up,‖ she says, ―And now she has Cam.‖ She gives me a look, like „If she did this to me, what else do you think she‟s capable of?‟ I look at the white butterfly, not sure what to do. She flutters down from the window ledge, and lands on a big rock that‘s pushed up against the house. I pick it up, feeling the weight of it in my hand. The butterfly flutters through the air, landing on my shoulder. I pull my arm back and throw the rock at the basement window as hard as I can. It shatters into a million pieces. I take a second to col ect my thoughts. And then I get down on the ground and go in after her…. Look for The Witches of Santa Anna #11, coming June 2011….. Table of Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three

Chapter Four