Chapter 4

VALERIA Mom and I look at each other. All blood and warmth drain from my face and settles at my feet. I’m rooted to my spot, the blue and red lights from outside dancing in my vision. The sheriff knocks again. “Hello? If no one answers, we will be forced to break down the door.” Letting out a sharp breath, Mom turns to me and forces the bag into my hands. “Go upstairs and pack. When they’re gone, meet me in the back yard and we’re leaving. Understand?” Even though there are a million questions running through my mind, I nod and do as she says, climbing the stairs carefully but as quickly as I can. The sheriff slams his fist on the door, and this time, Mom hurries to open it as soon as I get out of view. As I creep up to my room, I listen closely and hear the conversation. “Is Valeria Marcus in here?” the sheriff asks. “No, she went home and went out again just a couple of moments ago,” my mom says in a fairly calm tone. “Why? Why did you bring a brigade in here?” A shrill woman’s voice suddenly rises among the sirens. “Because your monster of a daughter put my son in a coma!” Silence fills the whole living room. I want to come down and explain to who I assume is Jeremy’s mother that his son made me miserable for years, but I just stop myself and focus on packing, hoping the cops won’t search the home. But as soon as I think about that, I hear the sheriff asking, “Mind if we take a look around?” “Do you have a warrant?” Mom asks. I hear some papers shuffling, then more footsteps entering the house. Soon enough, there are footsteps on the stairs. With my ears ringing in fear, I lock the door behind me and push the window open. Then, I take the sheets and the covers, tying them together so I can make my way down safely. I tie the other end of the blanket rope to the wardrobe that is screwed right into the floor, testing its strength before throwing the other end out the window. But just as I'm about to use it and escape, footsteps begin to thump from the other side of the door. I sit on the windowsill, one of my feet dangling in the air. I'm about to start climbing down when suddenly I see some of the deputies waiting for me below the window. A strangled cry escapes my lips. I climb back into the room, but then someone kicks the door open, ramming it off its hinges and causing it to fall on the floor with a loud slam. Waiting for me on the other side is the sheriff. He yanks me from the floor, grabbing my hair and making me whimper in pain. He slaps me, his round face and beady eyes contorted with rage. “I should have known you and your mother are up to no good. You’re coming with me, or I will tell everyone that you were killed in a gunfight.” Pulling me harder, he places the cold tip of his pistol right under my chin. I get up with shaky legs, tears streaming down my face. He whistles and all his men stand at attention as soon as we go down the stairs. When my mom sees me, her eyes go wide with fear. I can almost hear her thoughts, saying that I should have just gone without her. The sheriff yanks my arms behind my back and secures handcuffs around my wrists. He nods at Jeremy’s mother, who smiles and pulls out a gun of her own, aiming it back and forth between me and my mom. She usually looks like an ordinary suburban yoga mom, but now has a crazed look on her face. “So who’s going to be first?” No. This can’t be happening. I know that Jeremy’s family is powerful in this town, but I didn’t know they were powerful enough to involve the authorities this way. If I had known that they would do this to me and my mom, who had nothing to do with anything, I would never have fought back. I wish I just let him hurt me. I wish I was normal. “Put that down,” Mom tells her calmly. “Valeria is innocent, and she—” “You’re not in the place to bargain,” Jeremy's mom spits out. The sheriff laughs and pushes me down on my knees. “Your daughter almost graduated from being a freak to being a murderer. How would you feel if I kill her?” “Hurt me instead,” I say. “Please don’t hurt my mother.” “Oh, don’t worry,” Jeremy’s mom sneers. “You will be second. With that, she aims the gun at my mom and pulls the trigger. The sound makes my ears ring, my teeth shake. Every thought of escaping slips out of my mind. The only thing I can think of is my mom as the bullet sails right toward her and hits her in her side. Soon enough, a bright red patch starts to appear on her white shirt, spreading and growing as she loses blood. “Mom!” I scream, and Jeremy’s mom points the gun at me. “Stop, please! I didn’t mean to do it. He’s been hurting me, and I fought back—” “You monster,” she whispers, then pulls the trigger again. The bang rings in the air. I see the bullet shooting out of the muzzle, sailing straight toward me at a speed I can’t comprehend. I prepare for the pain, for everything to end…. But then someone puts their arms around my waist from behind and pulls me out of danger, almost as if it's all happening in slow motion. I land on the floor in a daze, seeing the bullet penetrate the wall instead. I look around for the one who pulled me away, and to my utter surprise, I see him. The man from the forest. I blink a couple of times, making sure I’m not imagining things. But it really is him. His arms are still around me. His scent is still filling the air. “How. . . .” I trail off in shock. “What are you doing here?” The man only smirks at me. “Do you really think I would leave my mate behind?”