Prologue

Three years earlier

He gave me a grin as I sprinted through the woods. He was hot on my heels, and I wanted to get away. I was running so fast, almost certain that he wouldn't catch me. I felt the wind lift my auburn hair as I ran, and it raised my pale yellow sundress. I was barefoot, and all I could see through my hazel eyes were the beautiful trees, with their leaves slowing growing back as spring drew closer.

It was pretty warm for an autumn day. The sun's rays touched various areas of the moss covered ground, and the rest was covered by the shadows of the trees.

I glanced behind me, to see if he was still following me. He wasn't. I stopped, and looked around. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. Had he given up, or was he waiting to attack, waiting for his prey to be left cowering somewhere?

My second guess was right.

He leaped from the top of the tree next to me, and landed delicately on the balls of his feet. Before I could say another word, he leaned forward, wrapped both arms around my waist, and brought me into his chest. I started to protest and tried to get out of his tight grip, but he stopped my struggles when I breathed in his beautiful scent.

I could hear him laugh his musical laugh, and felt it rumble through his chest.

"That's not fair, Tomas!" I yelled into his chest. "You promised that I would win this time!"

He laughed again and pulled me out a little of his chest. He placed a finger under my chin, and forced me to look into his eyes.

"I know, Adrianne. But it was just too tempting."

He leaned down and his lips met mine, forcing me to kiss him back. His lips were warm, and sent a fire racing right through me. I could feel myself melt, and I lifted my arms and wrapped them around his neck.

I felt his arms slide down to my thighs, and in a second, he had had my legs draped around his torso, and was walking over to the spot where we met every day. He sat me down on the rotting tree trunk, and sat down right next to me.

I loved Tomas so much, even though he was...different.

Tomas was not like the average human being. He could read minds, absolutely anyone's. He could tell me what I was thinking right now, but he hated doing that. He liked me having my own privacy, and tried very hard not to read my thoughts, but sometimes it was just too difficult to not. He had to put up a "wall" to block thoughts getting to his head, and he wasn't very good at it. He received major headaches from it, and was constantly away from school. But he didn't need to go to school. He already had all the knowledge he needed.

Tomas traced his fingers down my face, and to my neck. He lifted something out of his pocket, and told me to turn around. When I did, he placed the gold chain around my neck, and fastened it together. The necklace was beautiful. There was a gold, oval locket, with little flowers that were jewelled with tiny little diamonds. It was gorgeous.

I gasped, and turned around and looked into his eyes.

"It was my mother's. She gave it to me before she died. She told me that one day I would find the most amazing, precious girl in the whole wide world, and when I did, that was when the necklace would come in handy. I found that perfect girl," Tomas explained.

"It's gorgeous," I whispered. Tears were welling up in my eyes, and I tried very hard to not make them spill over my cheeks.

"Just like you."

Tomas leaned in, and gave me a light kiss on my lips. He pulled back and grinned. "Happy thirteenth birthday, Adrianne."