The stadium was beginning to fill up with people. A collective sense of excitement could be felt throughout the bleachers. On one side, several of the school's alumni – former football players themselves – were men being men, screaming and hollering, rooting for their team. The cheerleaders were doing what they did best and pulling off a brand new and rather impressive routine. On the bleachers above us, more than a dozen or so conversations were being exchanged – one of which was Lyle and Amelia's as they gushed over how wonderful it was that Ben was once again back in the game.Ben was the only reason I was there. I never was a fan of the game and didn't really take the time to understand it. For the most part, I only understood what was going on during games because of the very helpful information the scoreboard provided.While others around me were getting impatient for the game to start, I was looking forward to it ending – hopefully with B

What the hell am I doing here?The Black Heights was the last place I would expect to find myself. I hated the mountain caves and its complex network of dark tunnels. They brought about too many memories of more desperate times.Still, despite the adverse reaction I had to the caves, I found myself inside them, following a guard, who guided me through well-lit stone corridors leading to the cell where Claudia was being held prisoner. The Cells had changed drastically since the last time I visited. Much had been done to develop the caves. Flat, concrete flooring, electricity, doors… those were just some of the modifications that made the place feel more like the interior of an actual building instead of what it used to be – dark, dank caves, void of life and light.The guard stopped in front of a gate – or at least what looked like one – light white-blue rays formed the bars keeping Claudia prisoner."What are those?" I asked, poin

A cool breeze carried strands of my hair in the air as I took a stroll along the concrete sidewalks of the suburban neighborhood we lived in. I took in the familiar sight of row upon row of the identical-looking villas that completed the subdivision. I mused over how all the homes looked exactly the same on the outside, but were most likely radically different on the inside.Sometimes, that's the way it is with people. You think you can tell what they are based on the patterns that you see, but when you take a look inside, they're nothing like you expect them to be.That's how it was with Vivienne. Of course, I never really understood her. She was always cold and aloof toward me while I was back at The Shade. It wasn't that she disliked me. She just seemed indifferent, like I wasn't deserving of her time, nor was I deserving of Derek's.Then she allowed me a peek inside her mind by sharing with me certain select memories from her past, and I knew that I would ne

The first thing I noticed upon swinging the door open was the symbol of a hawk on Derek's back – right below his right shoulder. It was one of Vivienne's memories proving accurate and for a split-second, I stood mesmerized.It wasn't until he turned toward me that I realized what he was doing … what he was about to do … The sight of the blood on the neck of the unconscious young woman he had on his bed made my head faint with shock.My cheeks drained of blood as I leaned against the doorpost for support, my knees weakening beneath me. "Derek, how could you…" My voice trailed off when I saw the way he was looking at me – as if I were a ghost, a ghost that he loathed.A deep, heart-wrenching growl came from his lips and within seconds, he had me against his bedroom wall, his hips supporting my weight, his left hand gripping my right arm and keeping it pressed against the wall, while his right hand held my neck."How did you get back here?" he hissed, anger poisoning every word.It was a

Walking through the woods, along the familiar gravel pathway that led from the Sanctuary to the Vale, I found myself bothered by the things Vivienne told me – about how Derek was veering towards his dark side. I witnessed that first hand with the scene I walked in on upon my arrival. The conversation I had with Corrine further heightened my anxiety over Derek when she confirmed the things that he'd been up to during my absence – how he seemed to be gearing everyone up for war, the census, the ban from all further abductions and what that could imply… I didn't know what to make of all the things I'd been told and I felt unsure about what I was supposed to be doing at The Shade. What impact did Vivienne think I could have here? My eyes were beginning to moisten with tears as I looked up at Derek. I needed to talk about what happened. I wanted to understand him again, because the time I spent away from The Shade felt like a giant rift between us. "Where do you w