The Gathering (Darkness Rising 1)

Another rough night. My roller coaster of a day all jumbled together in dreams and nightmares. Rafe kissing me. Rafe kissing Hayley. Rafe laughing. Marv snarling. The climb. The run. The body.

The body should have taken center stage. It didn't. Instead, it was the run that played through every scene, like a thread tying it all together. Running with Kenjii, laughing, my hair flying. Then running with Rafe, grinning, my heart pounding. Then running from Rafe, giddy, my pulse racing. Then running with a cougar, seeing it out of the corner of my eye, keeping pace, and feeling, not fear but something incredible, like all the other runs rolled together, exhilaration and excitement and a weird kind of peace.

When I was running with Rafe, we found ourselves at the cache and I could see Mina Lee, her eyes wide, face streaked with blood, and I could smell that blood, and it didn't smell bad. It smelled--

I jerked awake. Sweat rolled off me. My bed was soaked with it, my camisole pasted to my chest. I went to the balcony door and threw it open. Cool night air washed over me, but it wasn't enough. My chest ached and before I knew it, I was on the balcony, leaning over the railing as far as I dared and breathing. Just breathing.

"Mrrr-upp?"

I jumped at the sound, as familiar as it was. I glanced over to see Fitz stretching on the railing.

"How did you get up here?" I said.

A baleful look, like he was offended that I'd ask.

"I'm not carrying you down," I said. "You're here until morning."

He lay down on the wooden rail, as if in answer. I patted him, then headed back inside. As I climbed into bed, I could see him, sitting now, a gargoyle watch cat. Yellow eyes peering into the night. I smiled, pulled up the sweat-damp covers, and fell back to sleep.

I woke up in a weird mood. A good mood, which was the weird part, all things considered.

After I finished feeding the animals, Mom offered me another "get out of school free card." I refused it. I needed to talk to Daniel about Mina's and Serena's deaths, and school was the best place for that.

I was getting my lunch ready. Mom had gone into the studio, leaving Dad on "watch our child for signs of an imminent breakdown" duty, sitting at the table, sipping his coffee.

"You really like that boy," he said. "Rafael."

"Sure. I like him."

A pause, as if that wasn't the answer he wanted.

"I thought you didn't date boys from school."

I shrugged. "There's always a first time."

More silence. I glanced over to see him studying me.

I sighed and turned to him, peanut-butter-covered knife in hand. "If you've heard something about him, just spit it out."

He sipped his coffee, debating, then said, "They say he's something of a Romeo."

"Romeo?" I sputtered a laugh. "Seriously?"

"You know what I mean, Maya. He likes girls."

"Which, all things considered, is good."

He gave me a look, and I sighed. "Okay. You mean he's a player. I'd point out that doesn't make him a Romeo--which would imply he sets his sights on one and sticks to her, 'til an early death do them part. But I get it. And you're right. He likes girls."

"That doesn't bother you?"

I shrugged. "If he had a reputation for sleeping around, I'd steer clear. He doesn't. He likes to catch and release. I get that, which is why I'm being careful not to expect too much."

He took another slow sip of his coffee, which meant more was coming. I licked the peanut butter off the knife as I waited for it.

"No one in town really knows this boy, Maya. He showed up with his sister, and moved into a cabin that doesn't even have electricity. People have been concerned about them, but he's made it very clear that he doesn't want anyone's help. It bothers some people, the way they just appeared."

My eyes rounded. "You're right. Do you remember the night they arrived? That big flying saucer hovering over the park?"