Winter"There's nothing happening." I set my end of the sled in the snow and inspect the old farmhouse.In the sled, Damon lets out a low moan. He's been in his wolf form the entire trip to Hawthorn, which included two hitched rides in the back of people's trucks.Thank God those drivers seemed to buy our story that he was our German Shepard, injured after a run-in with a car.Alec crouches and studies the farmhouse. "I'm not picking up on anyone inside, but that could be because of a protective spell. One cast to make it seem like there's no one there."I suck in a breath. This is the safe house Damon received a text about. Let's just hope it's still technically safe and not overrun with Silver Hunters."I'll check it out." I take a step forward. Predictably, Alec stops me with a hand to my shoulder."It's too dangerous." He frowns.I try not to smile. The trip back to Hawthorn was hard and uncomfortable, especially seeing Damon in pain. And losing the Golden Coin makes me
Tyr"Back so soon?" John Grace doesn't even bother to look at me as I stride into the room in my high-rise apartment that houses his cell.I smirk. He's always so cocky, so sure of himself, even though he's been my captive for weeks now."I have some happy news I would like to share with you," I say.He stiffens, and I can nearly read his thoughts. He's worried that this is about his daughter."I did run into Winter," I say, "if that's what you're wondering. She's alive, though. For now."He glares daggers at me and I laugh. For the first time in years, I feel like I'm walking on air."Look what I found." I pull the Golden Coin from my pocket and hold it up for him to see. His eyes widen in shock."Where did you get that?" he breathes."Off your daughter," I say, drawing the words out, enjoying how much the news is tormenting him. "And there's more, too. I figured out how to activate the coin."His eyes narrow. "No one alive knows how to activate it.""But you were hopin
Winter"Alec," I try to say, but the word only comes out as a gasp. I reach my hand toward him, but he's so far away.I can't get there fast enough. I'm about to lose him.He reaches for the Golden Coin, his gaze locked on mine. It doesn't have to be this way! Why is he doing this?Finally, I gather some breath. "Alec!"I'm too late, though. He touches the coin, and a moment later he's gone.I collapse, falling to my knees on the hard platform, the wail that flies from my throat thunderous.He's gone.Forever."Winter!" Someone shakes my shoulder.I go to swat them away, but they only shake harder. Suddenly, my eyes snap open.I'm in the ocean!Wait. No. I'm in the small motorboat that Alec and I searched Nova Scotia's islands with. And Damon is here, the boat bobbing in the water, the motor off.He stops shaking my shoulder and sits back. "You were dreaming."I sit up, the blanket falling off my chest. "I was? When did I fall asleep?""Maybe an hour ago." He looks l
AlecDarkness engulfs me, but it's not the type of darkness that accompanies the absence of light. It's a different kind, a darkness that envelops me in a pool of sensation. I float in it, suspended in an abyss.My eyes close and I feel a rush of vertigo. I'm spinning, spinning faster and faster.Finally, a burst of light overwhelms me, and I land on a soft surface. I open my eyes and take in my surroundings. I'm in a room with stone walls. The ceiling is high, and there are torches hanging from it. The flickering flames cast eerie shadows across the room, and on the other side of the room is a wooden door.I get up, my muscles aching from the fall, and survey my environment. Besides the torches, there is nothing in the room. No furniture, no windows. Nothing that suggests this place is anything but a prison.I try to remember how I got here, but it's hard to think straight. All I remember is a small, golden coin. I reached out for it, and then... I ended up here.My footste
Winter"Look!" Damon points. "Is that land?"I lean forward, squinting through the mist.We’ve been in this small boat for hours, with no water and no food. I’m so thirsty that it feels like there’s a thin coat of sawdust in my mouth.I don’t want to get my hopes up, but I really, really hope it’s land.The distinct shape of trees emerges, and I sigh in relief. “It’s land.”Still, I hold my breath. We aren't sure we're headed in the right direction. This could be another island and not the mainland.Then again, anything is better than endless water and getting lost at sea. Even if it is an uninhabited island, maybe a fishing boat or something will come by and spot us. And maybe there’s a water source somewhere.The mist gets thinner, and the shore comes into better view. There's a dock with small boats, and buildings peek out through the trees.My chest tightens. "I know this island. Alec and I came here."It's the one that we went to the farmer's market on, after I accid
Heather"So? What's the plan?" I cross my arms and stare Professor Stills down.We've been at this new safe house for almost twelve hours, students packed into a small cottage with our one teacher. It's ridiculous that we haven't made a move yet.Especially since we just saw the Silver Hunters take Winter's Aunt Nora. Are we seriously going to sit around waiting for them to do who-knows-what next?My teacher blinks at me. "The plan is to stay put. Stay quiet. Stay out of trouble."I drop my arms. "Are you kidding me?""Why would I do that?" He returns to his phone and makes another call.Again, no one picks up.He spent the night calling numbers and having no one answer. Each time he doesn't get a response, his frown deepens.I can’t believe this. Nora and Professor Stills and those other teachers risked their lives to save me and these other students when the Silver Hunters were tracking us down. And then Nora put herself on the line so that the rest of us could escape th
WinterThe wind slices through my clothes as I navigate the little motorboat over the water, but I almost don't care. The cold means nothing compared to every other hard thing I've been through.Damon sleeps on the other end of the boat, curled up under the blanket. He offered to guide the boat back to the mainland, but I insisted, already knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.Lifting my face to the sky, I watch the stars. I'm still shaking from the run-in with the Silver Hunters.I've felt anger before, but nothing like that. It was as if I were a volcano ready to explode.I didn't like it. It scared me.Sighing, I look back over the water. What would Alec say if he were still here?Probably that I'm stronger than I know. That I can control myself.Funny. He was always worried about not being able to control his vampire side, worried that he would lose his hold and drink blood from someone he didn't want to--like me.And in the end, that thing he was worried about
WinterClimbing off the boat, I tether the rope to the dock. Damon climbs out behind me, and we take in the town. It's early morning, gray and with a light mist."Come on." I hurry down the pier. We need to find a place to hide. Who knows how many Silver Hunters are still in this area.Damon hustles to keep up. "I still can't believe this. I mean, it's amazing. Alec is alive.""Something like alive." I touch his necklace hanging around my throat. "Remember, my dad said he's not alive, and he's not dead."Damon is quiet, his brow knitting in that way that suggests he's deep in thought."What?" I ask.He stops at the street and turns to face me. "Your dad said that you can use the coin to save Alec.""Yeah." I sigh in frustration. "Problem is, I have no clue how to do that.""Can I see it for a second?"I hesitate, but then realize how silly that is. I can trust Damon. He put himself on the line for me and Alec in that pocket dimension, and even though he also went in there