The Secret Keeper

I nodded numbly, still trying to take everything in.

Faye? And Evan? Creatures?Nothing really fit together in my mind, but at the same time, it all made sense.

Faye showed up right when everything to do with Secret Keeping had risen to its peak. Evan had been absent for a month, after I’d nearly drowned. Well, okay, I was still confused about that. But it was unexplained, and I didn’t really think it had to do with going to Florida like he’d said.

“Well?” she asked impatiently.

“I…” No words came to my mouth.

Evan rolled his eyes. “I told you the whole evil-villain rant wouldn’t work on her. Too stupid.”

Despite the situation, anger flared up inside me. I did not like being called stupid. I leapt up from the ground and charged at Evan without a second thought.

But I didn’t get far, because the second I was off the ground, something was strapped around my wrists and ankles and I went crashing to the ground. I winced. How did that get there?

“Hm. I never expected that from you, Eve, that’s for sure.”

I growled, all my fear of these two completely gone.

“Holy hell. She just growled at me!” Evan stated, a shocked look passing over his features. I can’t believe I ever fell for that guy.

Faye rolled her midnight eyes. “Nice work, Sherlock.”

“Can someone please just tell me what the fuck is going on here?” I screeched.

Suddenly, the chanting of my name ceased altogether. After a second of silence, footsteps took its place, gradually coming closer. My eyes widened again.

“Oh, the Creatures don’t like loud noises, Eve,” Faye said, her voice full of amusement. I was probably bringing on my own death, why would she be smiling?

I still found the will to roll my eyes. “Yeah, I caught on to that.”

Faye smiled, and I froze. Her front two teeth were extended longer than the rest, giving her the appearance of… well, fangs. My eyes widened.

She glanced down, and smiled wider. “You like?”

I still couldn’t say anything. All I could think was why didn’t I know about that sooner? My Nightmares usually featured Evan, but not his fangs, which I could now see he had, too. How could I miss that?

“V-v-vampire.”

Faye looked at me in confusion for a moment, probably wondering what the hell I was babbling about. Then, she flung her head back and laughed - a high, pealing laugh. “You think we’re vampires? Ha!” She shook her head. I felt my face heat up. “You have no idea, Eve. Where do you think the vampire legends come from, hm?”

I just stared at her. What had Ivy said about the Creatures again? They had been around for centuries… They had caused the plague. If they had fangs, and cold, pale skin, and were supernatural… Well, people made them vampires. Did that mean…?

“You.”

She smiled evilly. “Of course. People often make the mistake of thinking we are vampires, and therefore get themselves Turned into our minions. A brilliant idea, no?”

I shook my head vigorously. “Uh-uh. It’s a horrible idea! But why do you need them in the first place?”

She looked at me like I was stupid. I was. “I would think you, of all people, would know what we’re after.”

“It starts with “The” and ends with “Secret”,” Evan said, rolling his eyes. “Ring any bells?”

Just then, the Creatures burst into the clearing. They wobbled in from all sides, gradually getting closer. As I looked at them, I recognized many of the kids from school, and even a few adults. My heart nearly stopped dead in my chest. This is what the Change had done to them?

I could see a few of the Creatures were surrounding something, about the size of a person. Then, I heard the distinct voice of said person ring out into the night. I felt a pang in my chest upon recognizing the voice.

Bo.

He was always there, like he’d said. Like everyone had said. And I had never seen that. I’d been too preoccupied with other guys, and friends, and (more recently) Secret Keeping to see what was going in right in front of me. Every time I’d done something with another guy, every time I said something wrong… I was breaking his heart. I finally understood what Ivy was talking about, back in the kitchen.

“Goddamnit,” I muttered under my breath. I hoped Faye and Evan hadn’t heard it. If they had, they didn’t seem to acknowledge it.

“Let go of me!” Thump. “Ow! What the hell?!” Yeah, that was definitely Bo. I almost smiled a little at the thought of him being here, but then it was quickly replaced with worry so great that I couldn’t really move.

It was fucking dangerous for him to be here. Faye and Evan had obviously planned on endangering my life tonight, and something told me that they would have to remorse over killing Bo, too. I didn’t want that to happen. I wanted to say that was because if he died, there wouldn’t be any Keepers. But at the time, I couldn’t have cared less about that. I only cared that Bo, at least, made it out alive.

I looked over to where the noise had come from. Sure enough, there was Bo, rubbing his arm and cussing out some of the Creatures that had dropped him.

I glared back at Faye and Evan. I even had the nerve to stand up – even with bound hands and feet – and snarl, “You can do what you want with me. Fine. But let. Bo. Go.”

Bo looked at me like I was insane, but I knew I had to do this. I knew exactly what was going to happen if I didn’t get him out of here.

Faye and Evan exchanged glances, and promptly started laughing their heads off.

I narrowed my eyes at them “I’m serious! Let him go, and you can do whatever you want with me.”

Faye finally found the decency to stop laughing after hearing my tone of voice. “That’s a tempting offer, Eve. It really is. But, you see, you and Bo are sort of a package deal. Therefore, we can’t let just one of you go, now can we?”

My glare only intensified. How could someone who had been nothing but nice to me over the past month turn so cruel in such a short amount of time?

Faye’s smirk only deepened. “Evan, Make sure they don’t try anything. I have a surprisefor Eve.”

And then she was gone, and all I could do was sit and wait for her to come back. Because I knew what Evan was capable of, and I really, really didn’t want it to happen.