I spotted Jayden's family standing next to Jazmine's and hurried to get dressed, then ran downstairs, where my mother looked like she had seen a ghost. Being as she was a vampire, I was used to her being pale, but this was ridiculous. Her eyes were frantically staring into the street.

  "What's going on? Mom?"

  The TV was on, and I realized the images displayed were from our street. A helicopter was circling outside. My heart dropped, and I felt scared.

  "What's going on?"

  "It's happened again."

  The voice was my brother's. He came up behind me.

  "What happened again?"

  He didn't answer but went outside and crossed the street. I saw him join Jazmine, then decided to follow him.

  I rushed outside toward the others and could hear my mother right behind me, clicking on her high heels. She had grabbed her fur coat and, with her sunglasses and the hat, she looked like someone going to a party. Or maybe a Hollywood star. My eyes locked with Jayden's. He too seemed flustered and scared.

  "What's going on?" I asked him.

  He cleared his throat. "It was…the wolf…again."

  I gaped. "The wolf?"

  He nodded. "They found her this morning. Mrs. Sharpe. Or her ex-husband did. He stopped by to pick up a box of things on his way to work. She was in the garage, or what they say was left of her."

  "A wolf, huh?" my mother said and gave Jayden's mother a look over her sunglasses. "Inside her house? Inside?"

  Claire sighed. "Her garage."

  "Still. I thought wolves stayed far away from residential areas, wasn't that what you said the last time?"

  "I…I don't under…"

  Claire stopped talking. I could tell Jayden was terrified. I kept staring at his family as they stood there. Did they know this wolf? Was it one of them?

  "I must say, it is getting awfully close to home, don't you think, Claire?" my mother said. "A little too close for my taste."

  "Camille, now is not the time for…" Jazmine's mother, Briana, began. But she stopped when she spotted Mr. Aran approaching them. I could literally feel my mother's hands start to shake. As usual, he had one of his tarantulas crawling on his neck.

  "Good morning, neighbors…or maybe we should just leave it at morning today, huh?" he said. "Awful tragedy, huh?"

  His tarantula started to act up and make hissing noises and he grabbed it with his hands. My mom stepped back, away from the animal. Mr. Aran looked at her, observing.

  "Finn doesn’t like it either, I guess. Never have seen him act quite this way before. This forceful of a reaction. It is quite strange. Quite strange indeed. Tsk, tsk. Wolves walking into people's houses, huh? Sure is odd behavior for a wild animal. Why, you'd almost think it went in there with the intention to kill a human, wouldn't you? Almost like it planned it. Sure is strange, I will say. Strange indeed."

  They all ignored the weird bald man and stared at the scene where the police officers tried to get the many spectators to move back so the forensics team could get to work. Amy came walking up to us. She had been in the crowd by the house and had a terrified look on her face as her eyes met mine.

  "They say Mrs. Sharpe was ripped open. By claws," she said and looked down at her phone. She showed me an article from the local TV station, News13.

  "They say they'll reopen the hunt for the wolves. Everyone with a firearm will be roaming the neighborhood tonight. Every freakin’ idiot with a gun."

  I knew her worry was that it might have been Melanie, unable to control herself. That was what I feared too. If it was her, there was no more we could do to protect her.

  She was on her own.

  Chapter Forty

  Jazmine felt dizzy. She had felt it all morning, ever since she had put her feet on the carpet of her bedroom floor. She was so tired. As she stood with the rest of the neighborhood outside looking at Mrs. Sharpe's house and all the police activity, she could hardly stand still because she felt the ground spinning around her. While that odd guy from number three spoke, she had to close her eyes to keep from fainting. Now she grabbed her mother's hand in hers and leaned on her shoulder. Her mother caressed her cheek.

  "You okay, honey?" she asked.

  Jazmine wanted to nod but never got that far. She lifted her head from her mother's shoulder, then opened her eyes. The houses around her spun very fast and so did the ground as it came closer and closer to her face. In the distance, she could hear her mother yelling her name.

  "Jazmine!"

  Jazmine could see feet, shoes in all different colors and sizes approaching her eyes, and she felt hands on her body as the ground was pulled away from her face. She saw her mother's face look into hers, her eyes really close to hers, and what sounded like very far away, she could hear her call out her name, but it sounded so muffled it was odd. Above her head, a flock of birds had circled all morning. Now, they were screaming loudly and, for some reason, it was all that Jazmine heard.

  Next thing she knew, strange unknown faces were looking into hers, wearing orange and white suits, but they too seemed to be spinning. She felt something around her arm and understood that they were taking her blood pressure, when the spinning slowly stopped, and the sounds returned. Her mother now only had one face and one set of very worried eyes.

  Jazmine sat up. Her friends were standing around her, along with so many staring faces it felt embarrassing.

  "Are you okay, honey? Jazmine?" her mother asked.

  Jazmine took in a deep breath. "I think so. I just suddenly…felt so dizzy."

  "Her blood pressure is a little low, but she seems fine otherwise," a paramedic, the one who had shone a flashlight into her eyes, said. "She might just have forgotten to breathe properly, or maybe she stood up too long. It's normal for growing kids."

  "Thank you," Jazmine's mother said to the paramedic as he left. Her mother helped her get to her feet and put her arm around her shoulder, then helped her walk back toward the house.

  Inside, they put her down on the couch in the living room. Both her parents sat in front of her, hands folded in their laps, terrified looks in their eyes.

  "Are you okay?" her mother asked again.

  Jazmine nodded, holding her head. It had started to hurt. "I think so. I’ve just been a little dizzy all morning."

  "Maybe we should take her to see Dr. George?" her dad asked.

  Her mother kept looking at her, then at her nails and her eyes.

  "I’m not sure it's necessary. You heard the paramedic. She probably just needs to rest for a little while. Here. Lie down, baby. I'll get you some water."

  Chapter Forty-One

  What a morning. It was quite eventful for our little neighborhood. First, the killing of Mrs. Sharpe—which still had me terrified, by the way—and then Jazzy fainted in the middle of the street. As my mom dragged me back toward our house and I had managed to mouth a goodbye to Jayden, I felt worried about her.

  It was Saturday, so I didn't have to do any schoolwork and could stay in my room for most of the day. I watched a few of my favorite shows on Netflix but got bored with them fast and ended up watching the news instead. It was all about what had happened on our small street and how the wolves had been terrorizing our neighborhood and the town. They went through the killing of Natalie Jamieson and then the attack on the group of teenagers having a bonfire that ended up with Blake Fisher being killed. And then they showed pictures of Melanie, from back when she was attacked. She was lying in her hospital bed, and I heard her once again tell them how she had kicked the wolf. It made me chuckle. It was so like Melanie to speak like that and to kick that wolf's butt. Over the time we had kept her hidden, I had grown to like her.

  Could she really have killed Mrs. Sharpe?

  If she got lost or maybe was hiding in her garage when she turned, and then had one of her blackouts, then yes. It was probable. It could very well be her. But I didn't like it. Melanie was no killer, not even in her wolf shape. I didn't believe she was. But how could I be certain?

  I looked out the window and glanced at Jayden's house. He was in a house filled with wolves. Was he safe? I thought about what he had told me and how he was engaged to some girl he had never met and was expected to marry her. That was even worse than what my mom had put me through. At least she hadn't already promised me off to someone else.

  I returned to my computer screen when my phone vibrated. I looked at the screen. It was Duncan. I picked it up.

  "Hi there, Sprinkles."

  "Sprinkles?"

  "Yeah…you know because you're so colorful. You put sprinkles on my dull and boring life."

  It was a little tacky but also sweet. It made me chuckle. "What can I do for you?"

  "That was slightly formal and cold, don't you think?"

  "Sorry. Been a busy morning."

  "I heard. A wolf, huh? Can't say I’m surprised. I’ve never trusted those creatures."

  "Really? And why is that?" I asked, looking at Jayden's house again, wondering what he was up to today. He was probably going running as usual on Saturdays.

  "They're just…you know, animals. Savages."

  And their bite can kill you, I thought, but of course didn't say it out loud. Which makes you mortal enemies.

  "I see."

  "So, what do you say?"

  "To what?" I asked.

  "To having lunch with me today?"

  "Is this a second date? I’m asking for my mother."

  He laughed. "If it will make your mom happy, then yes, let's call it that. I just want to see you again. I enjoyed your company the other night."

  I exhaled. I had enjoyed his too, but I didn't want to tell him.

  "Pick me up at noon," I said and hung up.

  I stared at the phone and smiled. I couldn't wait to get out of the house and eat real food again. Maybe if I played my cards right, I could stay away all afternoon too. Tonight was game night, so I couldn't stay away from that, but at least I would get a little time away from this nut house.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Jayden was terrified. This morning's events had him feeling sick to his stomach, and when his mom asked him if he was ready for their usual run, he turned her down. He simply didn't want to. He refused to continue life as usual when people were being killed on his own street. He hated how people had started reacting to this like it was just another one. It was like they were getting used to it. Used to people being killed now and then. And he especially hated the way his own parents seemed to brush this off like it was nothing, like it was almost normal, even. Why weren't they appalled? Why weren't they disgusted by this? He had heard them talking about it in the kitchen after they got back and to him, it seemed like they weren't that shocked. Why weren't they shocked?

  Jayden grabbed his book from his backpack and opened it. He started to read. He was supposed to read it for school and thought maybe it would be able to distract him a little. But it didn't. His glance kept returning to the window and to Robyn's house. He remembered the hurt he had seen in her eyes when he had told her about the engagement and the future his parents had prepared for him. It was obvious that she was worried about it. He couldn't blame her. He would be too if she told him she was engaged to that Duncan-fellow. It would completely break him. It was tough enough to know that she had to spend time with him to please her mother.

  Maybe we should just elope? Get out of here?

  It wasn't the first time he had the thought, but where would they go? They had no education, no money, and no skills. No, they had to wait till they were done with school. As soon as he turned eighteen, he would tell his parents that he wasn't going to do it, any of it, and then if they didn't take it well, he would leave.

  The book didn't really grab him, so Jayden went downstairs to get a cup of coffee. His mother was out running on her own and, as he passed Logan's room, the door was left ajar, and he approached it and peeked inside. He spotted Logan sitting on his bed, staring into thin air, fiddling with something between his fingers. Jayden pushed the door open. Logan looked up at him with a grin.

  "What are you doing?" Jayden asked.

  Logan shrugged, still fiddling with the thing between his fingers, rolling it back and forth. Jayden got a decent look at what it was.

  A silver necklace with a small heart in it.

  His brother got up and put the necklace into a drawer, then grabbed his sports bag.

  "I was on my way to the gym," he said and walked past Jayden, knocking his buff shoulder into his so forcefully it hurt Jayden.

  "Beat it, Stumpy," he said. "Get out of my room."

  Jayden hurried back to his room, where he opened his laptop and found the local news. On the front page, they had a picture of Mrs. Sharpe. He used to have her for art class at the elementary school. And he particularity remembered the necklace she wore around her neck that she often fiddled with between her fingers when talking to her students.

  In the picture, he could see it closely and especially the small silver heart dangling from it.

  Oh, dear God.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Much to my surprise, Duncan didn't take me to some fancy place this time either. No smart café with coffee names I couldn't pronounce. He picked me up in his limo—and my mom sent me off, her eyes gleaming with pride—then drove us up in the mountains where he had arranged for a picnic. We ate looking out on the mountainside. It was a little cold, but very, very beautiful. Duncan lent me his long coat and didn't seem to be cold himself at all. He was wearing sunglasses and a hat to shield him from the sun.

  He had packed a picnic basket and, to my great surprise, there was a chicken sandwich in mine. For so long, I had yearned for a chicken sandwich, so badly I almost kissed him in happiness.

  "Thank you," I said to him, taking a huge bite. "You have no idea how happy this food makes me."

  "I have a feeling," he said. "You kind of hinted how you loved meat the last time we ate together."

  I paused, a little embarrassed. "Oh, that."

  "No. No," he said. "Don't be ashamed. I liked it. It was endearing."

  "Really?" I asked, not sure if he was just trying to be nice.

  "Yes, really. You have no idea how boring the girls I usually date are. They hardly ever eat. I told you. You're the sprinkles on my life."

  "What flavor?" I asked.

  "What's that?"

  "The ice cream. You say I am the sprinkles on your life, then your life must be the ice cream but what flavor?"

  "I don't really eat ice cream." He laughed, then looked pensive. "You sure are something, aren't you?"

  "So I’ve been told," I said and took another bite.

  We sat for a little while, staring at the mountains. I kept thinking about Melanie and wondering if she was here somewhere. Did she even know what had happened? Would she even know if she had killed someone? She had told us she often had blackouts when she was a wolf. Had she killed Mrs. Sharpe during one of those?

  I felt terrible for her. Especially for the fact that she had to run away, that we couldn't keep her in that shelter at Amy's house. If it was Melanie who had killed Mrs. Sharpe, then I guessed we were just as much to blame as she was. Us and Amy's parents, right? It wasn't a good feeling.

  "Strawberry," Duncan finally said.

  I looked at him. "Because of the color?"

  "What?"

  I shook my head. At least he hadn't answered vanilla. "I'm more of a cookies and cream type."

  He chuckled. "I figured."

  "Really? Why?"

  He was about to answer when my phone buzzed in my pocket and I looked at it. It was a Snapchat from Jayden and I opened it immediately. It showed a picture of a necklace inside a drawer and the caption read. FOUND THIS IN LOGAN'S ROOM. MUST MEET. USUAL PLACE?

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Jazmine received the Snapchat while she was lying on the couch with her computer. She had been there all day, hoping the rest would make her feel better. Her mother had been all over her, serving her food and drinks, and constantly asking her if she was all right. She had realized she enjoyed the attention for once and having her mother care for her. It had been a while since her mother had spent any time with her.

  Now, she was looking at her as Jazmine read the caption and realized she had to meet the others by the lake. Her mother was holding a coffee mug between her hands while staring at her daughter, her long fingernails tapping on the side of it, where it said FEELING WICKED.

  She slurped her coffee, then spoke. "Say…you wouldn't happen to have been to the attic recently?"

  Jazmine looked up and her eyes met her mother's. Then she shook her head. "N-no. Why would I?"

  Her mother bit her lip. "Oh, no reason. I just…"

  "You what?"

  "Was just wondering, is all. I don't want you to go up there, all right?" she said.

  "I won't. I don't even know what’s up there."

  "Okay. Good," she said. "It's just that…well, if you did go up there and happened to read certain words out loud, then that might be…what I mean is, you get tired. It can almost wear you out…reading those words. Using them to… When you're not used to it, that is."

  Jazmine stared at her mother, blinking. What was she trying to tell her?

  "And I don't want you to talk to that man in number three down the street, you hear me?"

  "Mr. Aran? Why not?" Jazmine asked.

  "Just promise me you'll stay away from him and his house. Don't get too close to him. If he approaches you, turn around and run back home. This is important, Jazzie. That guy is bad news. I don't trust him. And don't you ever let those spiders come close to you."

  "But…why not?"

  "'Cause I say so, that's why."

  Jazmine looked at the window where a bird was pecking at the glass. Behind it in the grass, a family of deer had camped for the day. She was getting used to having them around but still wondered why they were following her. She wanted badly to ask her mother about it but how could she? What if she got mad at her for sneaking into the attic and reading the book and using that fire spell?