Thirteen Isn't Just a Lucky Number

Disclaimer: Nope, I own nothing. As per usual. Really, I swear, I own nothing.

Author's Note: I am so sorry I have not updated in the longest time. I just found the trilogy again at my college bookstore and I swear to God I had a spaz attack because I was so excited. I brought the first two books and I am now presently 60 pages into the first one again, so my passion for the series just flared up again and I got hit with a bolt of inspiration to continue writing this story again. Alright, enough of my blathering – here is the long-overdue update. Thanks to all who read and reviewed (Cute-Circ, tukatarina, Grand Puba of All The Smurfs, SoloMoon, Shaenie Cullen, Amivera, and daredevil-d).

Ch. 4:

Hello, Midnighter. I've been waiting for you.

Those words made Dess's blood shoot ice-cold in her veins. Her heart rate increased and her forehead suddenly became damp with sweat. Oh no…

Hello, Midnighter. I've been waiting for you.

Dess whirled away from those hideously black words on the pavement, focusing only on one thing – getting the hell away from the dump and from those two sentences seared into the sidewalk. She threw herself onto the bike, grabbed her haul (quite an awkward maneuver since she was already on the bike), and pedaled like mad. She was so busy escaping – why she used the word 'escaping' she didn't know – that she didn't notice two mysteriously sad, sinister eyes following her retreating back….

Dess literally flew into her house, slamming the door and locking it as fast she could. Utterly exhausted, she sank to the floor in her room, breathing hard. What happened? Who is he? Why did he do that? Why didn't he kill me? How did he do that? Dess's mind was a tornado of questions. "Okay, Dess, you need to pull yourself together and name these items. We all need them so we can fight the darklings." And doing this will get your mind off of what happened. And off that boy…

"Allegorically Extraordinary Hybridization." Okay, that's perfect for one of the hubcaps. "Illustrations." For that Campbell Soup can.

"Monochromatic."

"Arachnophobia."

Crap. This isn't working. I can't get my mind off of him. Dess sat back against the wall and let her mind wander back to her encounter with the Mysterious Stranger, which she had now dubbed him. Now what am I going to do? Little did she know those sad eyes were watching her again, both now donning a cunning glimmer.

Hello, Midnighter.

Dess froze. It was like she both heard, felt, and saw the words at the same time. They were like a whisper licking her ears seductively, passing through her brain and trying to take her under their spell. They felt like a silk ribbon caressing her body as they slithered like a black river of ink down her arm and leg. They were spindly black letters twisted into cursive shapes, appearing on the floor in front of her. At this point, Dess couldn't breathe. She felt like she was drowning.

I've been waiting for you. Another whisper, another shiver.

I've been watching you. Dess could not even come up with a snarky comment about how creepy that was.

You're the one I need. And I will stop at nothing to have you. Terror rocketed through her nerves. Her alarm bells in her brain started ringing. Adrenaline pumped through her body. Never had she felt so helpless.

Beware, my polymath. I will come for you. And when I do, you will submit to me. Dess felt the words almost squeezing her brain, like they were trying to make her obey and succumb to their conjurer.

I will always be there, watching you. You are never alone. Farewell, Desdemona. The black letters retreated from the floor, back up Dess's body, and away. If letters could laugh, Dess swore she heard a low, sly laughter.

After about thirty seconds, she jumped up, grabbed her haul, and ran out the door, searching desperately for the Mysterious Stranger. I must find him. I need to find out why he wants me. She saw nothing. Hold on, that black coat. She whipped around only to see a hint of that black coat swishing behind a pine. "Wait –"

But the coat had disappeared. Still, Dess ran to the tree. She checked – nothing. She turned back and saw the coat again, this time disappearing behind a tall oak. "Wait, please!" She ran to the oak, looping her arm around the trunk so she would turn faster. Unfortunately, that torque made her run smack into a very hard chest. A chest, once she got a quick look at, that was covered in a black coat.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, going looking for him. Arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly. Arms that weren't going to let her go. Crap. You're really bright, Dess. Really. You should go for a prize.

The Mysterious Stranger let out a low chuckle. Dess heard the vibrations from within his chest. She didn't like how sultry it sounded.

"Hello, my dear." Dess shuddered. He laughed again. His laughter sounds…so beautiful.

"Don't call me dear, you little creep." He just laughed at her again, causing Dess to tremble slightly. "Who are you? Why are you here? And most of all, why do you want me?"

"Slow down, my precious little polymath. You will find out in due time. Until then, just know I'll be watching you." The arms holding her tightly suddenly evaporated and Dess looked up, startled.

"Wait, I don't even know your name!" She just barely caught the swish of his black coat before he disappeared.

She needed to think, to calm down, to breathe. I'll just go to behind the school with my haul, finish naming everything, and fill everyone in on what happened. That's it. Just relax, Dess. He'll get out of your thoughts soon enough. She got her bike and haul and began to pedal.

She heard his low, maddeningly beautiful laughter all the way to the high school.

PS- How did you all like it? Reviews welcome.