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“
Look at me!” my mother commanded.

At that instant, I looked into her eyes and let my shield fall. I showed not only her but each of them every single second that I’d endured – the mock fight with Draven, myself fleeing from the house – the bridge collapsing – my fight for breath under the water – the words I said to that image.

I looked past my mom at Draven; I could see rage in his eyes as he relived it with me. Aden pushed him out of the room – I’m sure to calm him down. Madison followed them; I knew she was prepared to follow them wherever they chose to go. I pulled myself up – I needed to talk to Draven to calm him down.

“
I’ll find the first aid kit,” Kara said, rushing out of the room.

Nana turned and started to go through Draven’s dresser at the end of the bed – I was sure she was looking for something for me change into.

My mother looked to her side at the thin air. “Do I need to take her to the doctor – how bad is it?!” she demanded.

At that moment, the image of my father appeared. He reached his hand for my shoulder, then looked over me carefully and shook his head no. I swear, I could see pride beaming from him. My mother tried to smile, but she was too worried for me. She pulled me to the other side of the room where Draven’s bathroom was.

“
Take these off so I can see the scrapes,” she said as she closed the door.

I slowly began to take my clothes off, feeling the soreness all over me. Once I pulled my shirt off, I could see the scrapes on my side; they were covered in mud from the creek. I slid my boots off, then my jeans.

“
Rinse off so I can treat these,” she said as she turned the water on in the shower.

I didn’t argue; the smell of the creek in my hair was near nauseating. I let the warm water run over me and take away the evidence of the murky water. As I let my hands rush across my side, I could feel small pieces of glass. I pulled them from my skin, squinting in pain as I watched the water wash away the blood.

I heard the door open and shut a few times; I was sure it was Kara and Nana bringing in the first aid kit and clothes for me. I lingered under the warm water, blocking out their voices as they whispered about me. My mind replayed all that I’d faced; I didn’t find a relief in my emotions like I should – all I found was dread. I knew that this wasn’t over….we didn’t just fight Britain…that was Bianca…that was the devil.

My mother reached in the shower, turned off the water, and handed me a towel. I didn’t look at her; I kept my eyes down as I took the towel and dried off behind the curtain, then wrapped it around me.

I pushed the curtain back to find concerned stares coming from Nana, Kara, and my mom.

Nana reached for a pair of shorts on the counter and held them open for me to slide into. I pulled them up and folded them down to make them small enough for me. Kara handed me a white T-shirt of Draven’s. As pulled it over my head, I took in the addicting aroma he always seemed to have. I held it above my ribs so my bleeding side wouldn’t stain it. My mom gently gripped my arm and urged me to sit on the side of the tub.

Both she and Nana started to treat the scrapes on my side as Kara brushed my hair out. I just stared forward, lost in a vacant thought.

“
Stand up for me,” my mother said quietly.

I did as she requested, and she kneeled at my side so she could see my wounds. She then reached for the first aid kit and pulled a pair of tweezers.

“
I can do this…just leave us alone,” my mom said, looking at Kara and Nana.

Nana put her hand on my mother’s shoulder, then smiled faintly at me as she turned to leave.

“
Let me help, mom,” Kara pleaded.

“
We’re fine,” my mother said as she removed another piece of glass from my side.

Kara leaned into me and kissed the side of my brow before she followed Nana. I looked in Draven’s room as she left, wanting to see him, but he wasn’t there.

Once my mother was sure all of the glass was gone, she rubbed medicine across the scrapes, then closed the wounds with bandages.

“
Good as new,” I mumbled as she stood and started to clean up the mess we’d made.

“
No…almost, though,” she said, looking over her shoulder at me.

I thought maybe she was mad at me for not telling Draven…for facing this on my own. I stepped forward and leaned against the counter.

“
I didn’t have a chance, mom…not after we talked – it just happened so fast.”

She stepped closer to me, and her eyes danced all over my face. “You have to promise me – that you’ll never make a deal with the devil.”

“
I didn’t,” I said in a confused tone.

“
Charlie, I can see clearly – you told him the only way you would come was if he’d spare the others.”

I furrowed my eyebrows as I tried to remember what she was talking about. I moved my head from side to side. “I told him I wouldn’t come to him for silence – that saving them would be my only reason.”

“
Right,” my mother said firmly. “You should have never told them your price.”

“
It’s not a price – it’s my way of knowing that no matter what, we can stop this.”

“
You’re not a sacrifice – you’re my daughter, and I taught you to be strong. We don’t give up in this family.”

I looked down and regretted the words I’d said and wondered how I’d pay for them in the distant future.

“
I want you to run – run like hell.”

I looked up at her like she was insane. “You taught me to be strong – not to run.”

“
Don’t use my words against me,” she said as her eyes filled with sympathy. “I know you have a way out – that you have a way to flee this world, and I want you to take it.”

“
I’m not leaving you – your heart has been broken too many times.”

“
I’m not alone, Charlie…I never have been…your father has always been at my side. I refuse to lose you – refuse to watch this destroy you.”

“
Mom…one of the best lessons you’ve taught me is not to be selfish…I watched you give your life to me and Kara. It would be selfish for me to carry this demon to another’s doorstep – we’re not running.”

I watched as she fought back tears and let out a jagged breath. “OK, then…then stay in this world…stay at the side of the only one who can truly see you.”

“
I will,” I whispered.

She reached her arms around me and pulled me to her. We swayed back and forth in the silence for a moment or two, then she slowly let me go.

She let out a deep breath, then opened the door. Draven was sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. Madison was on one side of him, and Aden was on the other. He looked up as my mom walked past him. My eyes stared into his as I walked closer.

Draven stood and reached his arms out for me. Madison and Aden stood as well. I could feel the nervous anticipation in the air as I walked closer to Draven. Once in his arms, he pulled me to him, carefully avoiding my side.

“
I think – I think we should go,” Aden said, looking at Madison.

“
You don’t have to go…” I said, leaning back and looking at them both. “I’m sorry you had to go through that with me – I tried to do it on my own,” I said quietly.

They both shook their heads at once. “I told you we’re stronger together,” Aden said, leaning to kiss my forehead before he turned to leave the room.

Madison’s eyes searched all over me. “I wish I could have gotten there faster – been strong enough to fight through the shadows.”

I let go of Draven and reached my arms out for her. She fought back tears and tried to smile as she stepped closer to me. “Your timing is always perfect…and you were so strong…I saw you help them…I could see the light.”

“
You’re the light,” she whispered, hugging me back. She looked down, then reached to grip Draven’s arm as she passed him to leave. Once she closed the bedroom door, I looked up at Draven to find him staring at me.

I reached up and pulled his lips to mine. As I felt the warmth of his kiss, I felt a passion in my soul – I felt the aches in my body begin to fade as an urgency to hold him tighter came over me. He was careful not to touch my side as his hands gripped my waist and pulled me against him. As I raised my arms, I felt my bandage come loose, and I feared I was bleeding. I pulled away slowly and reached for my side.

“
Let me see,” he said as he raised my shirt. “Lay down; I’ll get another one,” he said, gently encouraging me to lie across the bed. I didn’t argue; I was still weak. I laid on my side and waited for him.

My bag was across his dresser, and everything inside of it was lying out so it could dry. I glanced at the phone as I furrowed my eyebrows and tried to remember if that was mine or Britain’s. Then I remembered throwing Britain’s at the image of Draven.

I felt Draven’s warm hand pull the side of my shirt up. “The moment that image told you I was leaving you.... should have been the moment you realized it was the devil toying with you,” he said quietly as he replaced the bandage on my side.

I looked down at him and reached my hand to cradle his face. “Are you seeing me now?”

He leaned down and gently kissed my side, sending a warm sensation through every part of me before he answered. “I see tonight…I’m still blind to what led us here.”

I reached for his arm and pulled him to me. He crawled to my side and leaned over me. I found myself captivated by the beauty in his green eyes. “I’ll show you everything,” I whispered as I let my fingers run through the dark locks of his hair. I took in a deep breath and remembered it all – the image I saw in the library - what she said…my fears…the first time I saw them…the silent game I seemed to play with them. I hesitated as I remembered the night they all came over… the night I lost my memory.

“
Show me,” he demanded quietly.

I held his stare and let it all flow - every single second of that night. I watched as rage filled his eyes and he slowly sat up.

“
Please don’t be mad at me…I thought they were gonna hurt you,” I whispered.

He looked back at me, and I could see his heart breaking. “Do you not think I love you enough?”

Tears came to the corners of my eyes as I pulled myself up. “I know that you do…and I knew I couldn’t let them take you – I couldn’t watch you hold someone else.”

“
If you know how much I love you – then you know that it wouldn’t matter how seductive anyone was – no one can take your place.”

“
I’m sure that woman I saw in library said the same thing…I’m sure that he said something close to what you’re saying now to her – this is a demon…there’s no way for you to know you wouldn’t have been tempted.”

“
That hurts, Charlie…I feel like you think our love has a price.”

“
No,” I said, reaching for him. “I’d rather die than live one breath without you.”

“
Because of them, we lived several years without each other….do you have any idea how hard it was to look at you and know that I wasn’t even a memory?”

“
You were always in my heart…,” I promised as I tried to get him to look at me. He wouldn’t; he just stared across the room.

“
You’ve never been able to see that you’re the one that’s gifted – that you’re the one that the dead obey…tell me that after all of this, you finally see that – that you know that it’s not me that’s the target – that I’m not the one they need to stop…it’s you.”

“
I see that,” I whispered. “But it’s not just me – it’s all of us.”

He looked into my eyes. “No more secrets…promise me that…I can’t lose you.”

“
I promise,” I said as tears glassed over my eyes.

He leaned forward and gently kissed my lips. I felt my heart race and my skin blush with anticipation as his arms gently wrapped around me. As he laid me down, I squinted in pain; I was prepared to ignore it just so I could feel his touch, but he wasn’t prepared to watch me try. He slowly pulled away and stared into my eyes.

He smiled slightly. “I guess the best thing about all of this…was falling deeper in love with you. I feel like it taught me to never take you for granted – it showed me that what we have between us is divine – sacred, and it can never be divided…at least not for long.”

I smiled as I gazed into his emerald green eyes. “I love you,” I whispered.

A blushing smile beamed across his face.

“
What?” I asked, blushing at his response.

“
You haven’t told me that since you lost your memory…I missed hearing it.”

My eyes searched across his captivating image. He was right – I had told everyone but him that I loved him; I felt so guilty for that.

“
Tell me you at least felt it,” I asked as sorrow filled my eyes.

He gently reached his hand to caress my face. “I felt it the moment you saw me in that restaurant – I felt you wanting me to come over to the table and say something to you.”

“
Why didn’t you?” I asked, thinking this could have been so much easier if I knew from the beginning.

“
Not driving to that ER – not watching you walk the line at your graduation was the hardest thing I’ve ever done…but I had to let you come back. I was terrified that if I showed up and demanded that you remember me, our life together would stay lost in your memories…I had to wait for you to find your way…but I was always there….right there, listening for you to ask me to be with you – for you to let me in.”