Gemma, I swear to God, would you please just

Alright,

my mother announced as she whisked down the stairs.

My witch is on board, but you two are going to have to go to her place and pick it up.

Pick up what?

She neared the bottom step, the light of the moon shining through the window and for a second she looked like someone else, like someone I once saw. It was like she d momentarily shifted out of focus, revealing her true identity.

When I blinked, she shifted back.

She was smiling.

The poison that will kill Gemma,

she replied calmly.

Chapter 17

(Gemma)

I wasn t going to play courageous and pretend that I wasn t scared out of my mind. The very idea of dying was enough, but adding poison to the mix had my heart racing a million times faster. But I couldn t let him know. I had to play it cool, because he was freaking out. In fact, ever since his mother had made the announcement about the poison, he seemed a little off, walking silently with his eyebrows knitted together.

His mother gave him an address and sent us on our way. The house she was in had some sort of entrapment on it and she could only leave to collect souls. So it was just the two of us, which didn t seem so bad at the moment.

We walked the snowy streets, underneath the light of the lampposts, snow falling, the silent air kissing our cheeks.

Why do you think it so quiet here?

I asked as we turned a sharp right and headed down a road that sloped to a cluster of dark houses.

I m not sure.

He tucked his hands in his jean pockets.

But I don t like it. It s too quiet.

It is,

I agreed, watchfully peering at the houses settled with darkness. I wondered what was hiding in them. Were they watching us?

It s just so different. I mean, in Afton there were vampire and faeries and witches everywhere. And here it s just dead. Everything in the airport seemed normal.

They might have been in disguise or something & or maybe we weren t looking hard enough.

He trailed off like he was just realized something.

Or maybe &

Then he snatched my hand and rushed us to the side of the street, running like a mad man.

We have to leave. Now.

I stumbled to keep up with him and bumped my knee into a garbage can.

Why? What s wrong?

But he kept sprinting and dove behind a small brick house, hiding us in the shadows.

What s wrong?

I hissed as he extracted his knife.

Gemma take us away from here,

he snapped, pacing left and right.

Now. We need to go.

But I shook my head.

Not until you tell me why you re flipping out. Is this because of the poison? Because I m going to do it you can t stop me.

No, it s because that wasn t my mom,

he bit through his teeth furiously and kicked the wall of the house.

But you

He covered my mouth.

Don t you think it s strange? I mean, it was all so easy. We just walked up and there she was with all the information. And a plan.

I waited for him to remove his hand.

It s strange, but I think you re overreacting.

When the Banshee was coming downstairs,

he explained quickly.

I thought she looked like someone else but I couldn t place who. I just realized who it was. It was the Banshee I met when I got the address for this place.

Okay &

I pressed my back against the house, blending into the shadows the best I could.

But why does that matter? I mean, she looked like your mom, didn t she?

Yeah, but Banshees can change their looks,

he said.

They can transform into someone else.

So you don t think that was your mother?

I asked.

But why would another Banshee do that? It doesn t make sense.

I m not sure.

He lightly touched my arm.

But I think we need to leave until we know for sure. We can t just go back and hope I m not right. That d be stupid.

I wasn t sure if he was being honest, or just trying to stop me from taking the poison.

I think we should

Nearby, a set of garbage cans tumble over, rattling the air. A dog howled at the moon, bright and full, causing a sputtered of dogs to join in. We flinched and Alex whirled, knife swinging, ready to kill anyone who ventured to move in on us.

Well, look at you two. Hiding out, like two frightened little kids.

Laylen s tall, pale silhouette slid out from the shadows and into the light of the porch.

Son of a,

Alex muttered, aiming the knife at Laylen.

A grin crept up on Laylen s face as he showed us his fangs.

I thought you d be happy. I m finally what you always saw me as a killer.

Alex began to speak, but a voice rose above his.

Maybe he always saw you for what you were supposed to be.

Aislin appeared out of nowhere, golden hair sparkling in the moonlight. An eerie grin strained at her lips as she stroked Laylen s shoulder.

What we were both supposed to be.

Their forearms were marked with a triangle outlining a red, Greek-like symbol the Mark of Malefiscus. It stained their hands red and made them grin in a way that shot a shiver down my spine.

Get us out of here,

Alex hissed, but I couldn t seem to take my eyes off them. They were evil now and I knew they would hurt us. And where was Aleesa? She was marked too, the last time I d seen her. Had they lost her?

She s fixated by me,

Laylen said, sweeping his hair back.

She s remembering the bite and how good it felt.

I touch my neck, memories iridescent in my mind.

I think &

Gemma.

Alex put a hand under my chin, and the nick of his skin ripped me out of my daze.

Get us out of here.

This time I shut my eyes and pictured the first place that came to mind. We d escaped there before. Viva Las Vegas. But something was stuck blocking me from going. I opened my eyes and caught Laylen and Aislin swapping knowing smiles.

They have praesidium on them,

I whispered.

There s nothing I can do. Unless we run.

Alex s fighting face elevated to the challenge. He spun and within seconds, his body rammed into Laylen s. They collided to the frost-bitten ground, turning into an enormous snowball rolling around as they threw punches and cracked knuckles at each other. My gaze zipped to Aislin, who was watching me with cruelty in her eyes.

Sucks doesn t it.

She twirled her hair around her finger carelessly as she took lazy steps toward me.

Feeling so vulnerable, yet you can t do anything about it.

I got the feeling that this was much deeper than just the Mark of Malefiscus.

I had to sit there and watch you bat your eyes at him like some kind of lovesick girl.

Her high-heeled boots clicked against the ice.

Watch the way he looked at you until it almost drove me mad.

She was right in front of me, our eyes locked, waiting for the right time to make the first move.

But those days are almost over. Soon you ll be gone dead, rotting in the ground.

She s not herself.

Aislin, you don t have to do this. We re friends.

Friends?

she whispered and then her hands ignited.

Without hesitation, I attack, slamming into her and sending us to the ground. Her hands burnt out when they hit the snow. I landed on top of her, not sure what to do. This was Aislin, mark or no mark, and I didn t want to hurt her. But then she got this look in her eyes, like she would do anything to hurt me. As her hand lifted, I smacked my knuckles hard into her cheek.

Sorry,

I apologized like an idiot.

She laughed, throwing her head at me and flipping us to the side. My head smack the ground, spots of snow stinging my eyes. I reached for her coat pocket, knowing that was where the praesidium had to be. But she bit my hand and I let out a painful cry. More garbage cans toppled over as Alex and Laylen rolled farther away.