Skylar glanced at Mason, but he didn't look her way. Anxiety was building up and she wanted to run-run away from there and run away from Mason and his brothers. The sound of the clinking glasses brought her back to the present. She realized everyone was waiting for her to toast with them. "Oh sorry. I don't drink wine."
Kayla kicked her under the table, making Skylar jerk back.
"Oh here," Skylar said, glaring at Kayla and lifting her glass to toast. Then everyone took a sip. Skylar pretended she did and placed the glass back on the table.
"Where is Remus?" Everett asked. "I hope he's not creating any problems."
"You know Remus. He's always up to no good," Amanda stated.
"I know, but he's not answering his cell phone. That's not like him."
Skylar's muscles tensed as she listened to their conversation. Her eyes were glued to her plate and her appetite vanished.
"Can we talk about something else?" Mason murmured. "I don't think our guests really care."
"Yes, you're right. Where are my manners?" Everett gave a quick grin, but he narrowed his eyes at Mason.
"Anyway," Nick said, breaking the silence, "I'm taking Kayla for a walk after dinner before it gets too dark. Would anyone else like to join us?"
"I would love to walk," Kayla exclaimed.
Skylar didn't want to be the third wheel. Since Mason didn't ask her, she didn't respond.
After dinner, the guys got up to clear the table. Itching to get up and help, Skylar was only asked to sit back down. She was not used to having someone else clean up after her. After the dishes were put away, Kayla and Nick went out the back door with flashlights in their hands. Though Skylar was uncomfortable without Kayla, she tried her best to fit in as they gathered in the living room.
The sun was starting to set but it was still light out. Everett poured his fifth glass of wine and sat on the sofa, looking like he was miles away. They sat there as the sun disappeared and the stars came out. Darkness engulfed them and having no curtains or blinds gave Skylar an eerie feeling. She tried not to look out the window. She could imagine something popping out just like in the scary movies, so she focused her eyes on the TV instead.
"Let's watch a movie," Amanda said, flipping through the channels. "There's nothing to watch on a Friday night."
"Forget the movie. Aren't you worried about Remus?" Everett looked frustrated. His eyes pierced through Mason's and then to Skylar's. "Where the hell is he? He said he had something important to tell me. He wouldn't disappear like that."
Skylar sank into her seat. She already felt small against Everett's physique, but his tone and the way he looked at her made her feel tinier. Though she knew Everett had no idea what had happened, feelings of guilt took over and her pulse shot up.
"Maybe he doesn't want to be found," Mason blurted.
Everett grabbed Mason's shirt angrily, lifting him from the sofa. "What are you not telling me?" he yelled.
"Stop it!" Amanda bellowed. "Let him go. What the hell is wrong with you?"
Mason pushed Everett off him, straightened his shirt, and focused on Skylar.
"He knows something. I can tell," Everett grumbled.
"We have company. Can we please behave?" Amanda mumbled. "This is so embarrassing."
"She knows something too, doesn't she?" Everett accused, pacing to Skylar.
Mason pulled Skylar off the sofa and protectively hid her behind his back. "Don't you dare touch her. She has nothing to do with Remus."
"Our blood binds us. I can't sense him anymore. Either he went somewhere far away or something is wrong. You should be able to feel that too, or do you not care?" Everett sneered.
"Mason?" Amanda called softly. "What's going on?"
Skylar couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want their brotherly bond to break because of her. Without thinking, she blurted out, "It was an accident. He tried to . . . he hit me . . . and-" Skylar didn't know what she was saying anymore. She was confused and couldn't explain any further when Everett and Amanda looked at her accusingly.
"Stop!" Mason raised his hands. "You all know what Remus is like. He knew I was dating Skylar. He tried to take advantage of her. We had a fight and he took off."
Everett let out an irritated sigh and stormed away.
"You have some explaining to do, Mason. I'll go calm the big guy." Amanda chased after Everett.
Skylar couldn't believe what she'd heard. Mason said they were dating, but he had a funny way of showing it, unless he really didn't mean it.
"Are you okay?" Mason asked tenderly.
"Yes," Skylar answered, but she wasn't.
"I had to lie about the dating part to throw them off."
"Yeah, of course. I understand," she replied, feeling disappointed.
"We'll be leaving in the morning. I need answers and staying here won't help. I didn't know Everett would tag along. Like I said before, I'm not very close to my brothers, but I think I can trust Nick. But even then I'm not sure. Let me take you to your room. I'm feeling really tired." Mason led the way.
After Skylar tucked herself into bed, she lay there thinking about all that had happened. What was supposed to have been the best summer of her life was turning out to be the worst summer ever. She had a crush on a guy who had turned out to be a demigod, meaning half human and half god. This concept was difficult to grasp. His half brother had tried to rape her and somehow had died in Mason's room. And here she was alone and mystified, and she couldn't even tell Kayla.
Kayla had been gone for two hours. Though Skylar knew she was fine, she had wanted to stay up and wait for her, but slowly her eyelids closed against her will.
Skylar was groggy when she woke up. Her eyes were still closed. She didn't want to open them, sensing that it was still late at night, but something was out of place. Startled by the sound of someone rifling through her duffle bag, she lay motionless. Too scared to move, she listened for any clue as to who it might be.
Desperately, she wanted to turn her body and face the intruder, but she was immobilized by her terror. When it became deadly silent, she knew the intruder had stopped digging through her bag. Every nerve in her frightened body was on alert and her heart hammered faster with the sound of creaking steps approaching the bed. When her bed sank from the weight of the person, Skylar turned swiftly and sat upright, afraid of what the intruder might do to her.
"Amanda?" Relieved that it was someone she knew, her pulse steadied somewhat. Though she didn't know her that well, she figured she could trust her. "What are you doing in my room?"
"Skylar, come with me," she demanded, dropping Skylar's shoes in front of her. "It's crucial. We need to straighten this out once and for all."
"Straighten what out? It's the middle of the night. What time is it?" Rubbing her eyes, she looked down at her shoes, debating whether to put them on.
"I don't have time to explain. Just hurry."
From Amanda's urgent voice Skylar got up, slipped into her shoes, and huffed an irritated sigh. Wearing nothing but cotton shorts and a tank top, she put on a light sweater and left the house with Amanda. Though she wasn't cold, following Amanda to the woods gave her the shivers. "Where are we going? And why were you digging through my bag?"
Amanda didn't answer. She was too busy trudging along a crooked path, holding a mega flashlight-a spotlight-leading the way, heading farther away from the cabin. The fresh scents of the evergreens awakened Skylar, but the eerie darkness took away all the beauty. As the dirt shuffled underneath Skylar's feet, the sound of a broken twig made her jump. When Amanda noted Skylar lagging behind, she gripped her wrist and forced her to keep up.
"Amanda, please. Where are we going in the middle of the night? I'm getting cold." She wasn't really cold, but being out in the dark caused her to tremble as her imagination got the best of her. She could envision wild animals roaming about, and who knew what else could happen in the complete darkness, in the middle of the woods, without any protection?
Amanda finally stopped. "We're here. I'm sorry, but we have to know."
From out of the darkness Everett appeared. Stunned to see him, Skylar scurried back and bumped into a tree. As if she could disappear into it, she pressed her back against it as her eyes locked onto Everett who was coming toward her.
"What's going on? Where's Mason?"
Everett towered over Skylar, looking down on her with conviction. "Tell me the truth and I'll spare your life. Are you one of the keepers of death?"
"What?" Skylar asked, befuddled. She recalled Remus asking her the same question. "I'm nothing. I don't understand. Why did you bring me out here to ask me this question?"