If You Dare

For some reason, now that I've said it....

I feel weird. Like it's not right.

I close my eyes and drift off against him. My dreams really don't help my whole mindset about how I'm feeling. I dream about Steven

Steven was my boyfriend for three years. I met him a month after eighth grade began, and he moved away at the beginning of eleventh. He was the first person that I had allowed to come into contact with my skin in five years. Every other time, it was forced or accidental.

Within just hours of meeting him, I was somewhat entranced.

He was nothing like Mason.

Steven always followed his instincts, like me, which got us into a lot of trouble.

I had trusted him much more than I had trusted anyone before, aside from my parents.

I told him about my power before our skin touched, because I didn't want him to freak out about me not telling him. It wasn't like it was with Mason to where I was forced to tell him all because our skin touched.

He always tried his best to keep a smile on his face, even if he knew that I could tell he was unhappy. He just wanted keep a smile on, and he always managed to give me one. Mason has a completely different mindset than Steven did. And I miss Steven's so much.

Things were so different when I was with Steven. If either of us got overly dramatic, the other would call us out.

We never had a serious disagreement. It was always something silly.

I told Steven about my power about two months after we started dating. I could tell that he was confused about why I never let him see or touch most of my skin. When I told him, he looked at me for a second and then held his hand out to me and told me to take my glove off and touch it. I listened to his thoughts for two seconds and wanted to hear nothing else. His mind was just like mine. Utter chaos. Something Mason thinks he knows, but he doesn't.

This was all before Aunt Shauna left Uncle Rex, so the two of them had an entire system for anyone who tried to harm me or Steven.

About a year before he left, Steven's house was burnt down in a fire. He wasn't home, but his parents and his brother were. No one survived.

The police said that it was an electrical fire, but we all knew better. We knew that Steven and his family has become targets.

We took him in until his aunt, who lived in Pittsburgh, decided to take him in. He stayed for one more month, and he was there the day Shauna left. Next thing I knew, off he went, out of my life. I think, well, thought that I had moved. But, of course, the dream makes me question everything.

I'm awoken by Mason.

"We're in Newport. Where's are we supposed to go again?" he asks me.

I think for a second and say, "I know where it is. I'll drive. Move to the other seat."

He does as I say.

I don't feel like the same person I was when I fell asleep.

I know we're in 'the bad part of town" as soon as I can smell blood and see nothing but condemned buildings. The sun is at the edge of the horizon.

Now I just need to find the karaoke club.

"Stay in the car," I mutter to Mason, opening the door and climbing out.

The dirt bags all look at me instantly, and I can hear wolf whistles and and look around.

I walk over to a homeless woman, knowing all I would get from most of the men is probably a dirty comment.

"Excuse me, ma'am. I'm looking for the karaoke club," I say, reaching into my pocket for my wallet, since I feel compelled to give her some money.

"It's right around the corner. Four twenty one Black Forest road," she says, her voice rough. Probably a smoker, by the smell of her too.

I hand her a twenty and thank her, walking back to the car.

"Hey, baby, c'mere!"

"You lost, princess?"

"I'd like to get a piece of that ass!"

That's just some of the things those creeps called out as I got back into the car.

Mason looks, to be completely frank, pissed. "People like that disgust me."

I sigh and mutter, "At least they didn't touch me." I start the car, and just like the woman said, it's right around the corner. I park in front and say, "Stay here with Ella. I'll come out and get you soon."

Before he can protest me going in alone, I'm out of the car.

As I push my way through the doors, I know it's not really a karaoke bar anymore.

There are about six poles on a stage, and the lights are down. It's obviously a strip club now. But I'm sure Tepes knew that.

I see the man Tepes told me about and walk over. He looks familiar.

When he comes over to aid me, I say in a flat tone, "The wolf's been put down."

The man's eyes get big and there are tears at his eyes. "Miss cel Rau, it's good to see you again. I'm glad you made it here alive. Tepes was a good man. Is there anyone with you?"

I nod. "A brother and sister. Do I need to bring them in?"

He nods and says, "Bring everything that you brought with you."

Walking out, I can see Ella and Mason inside of the car. And a voice in the back of my head says, You can always leave them there.

I'm suddenly disgusted by my own mind again and walk over, pulling Mason's door open. "Both of you come in and bring everything with you." Thinking rapidly, I kiss Mason's cheek. Hoping it would spark something. It only makes it worse.

They do as I said and walk in with me.

Ella gasps and I can practically hear Mason try to cover her eyes.

The man waves over to me and I follow him, knowing Mason and Ella will be right behind me.

He opens a giant black door and says, "Take everything, as you've been instructed. When you're done, click the blue button on the wall and go through the tunnels." Tunnels? Seriously?

I nod and thank the man, walking in with the two of them behind me.

Not much is in the room, aside from a small, metal box, a medium sized book, and a microwave with some of those instant meal things right next to it.

Mason walks over to the microwave and, as expected, starts making some of those for me and Ella and himself. I look over at the girl. I can see in her face that she's feeling so, unbelievably guilty.

I walk over to her and rest a hand on her cheek, ignoring her thoughts.

"It isn't your fault. The exact same thing would have been awarded in the home I was raised it. Try not to think about it," I say, looking her in the eyes. Hers are almost carbon copies of Mason's.

She nods and walks over to her brother.

I sigh and go over to the metal box. I undo the latch and almost smile when I see what's inside. Fifteen rounds of ammo and a twenty two caliber pistol with a holster belt and there's also a cell phone and flashlight. I instinctively put the holster belt on and load the gun, placing it into the belt. I grab the flashlight and stick it into my pocket. I think back to Tepes's instructions and pick up the phone, opening the book. After pages of things like how to kill an attacker using a shoe lace, I see countless numbers. Chad Sawyer is at the top of the list.

Dialing in the number, I take a deep breath.

"Alexandreina?" asks a deep voice.

"Yes. Is this Chad Sawyer?"

"Yes. What do you need?"

I take a deep breath and say, "Tepes asked me to call you. He passed away, fighting to protect me. He wanted me to tell you that he always loved you."

There's a pained gasp and I can hear the man sobbing. "Thank you for telling me," he says, before hanging up. I can feel repressed emotions starting flow in me and stop them immediately. Crying is not what I need to do right now.

"Alex, come eat," Mason says. I walk over and waste no time in finishing off the small box of food.

"We need to get going," I say, trying to sound like I'm not feeling off.

Mason nods and I can see Ella eying the gun in my belt. Either she wants to use it on someone, or she wants to use it on herself.

I sigh and walk over to the blue button, pushing it irritatedly.

A portion of the wall sinks into the ground and a narrow, dark tunnel sits before us.

"Let's go," I say, turning on the flashlight and taking a step in.