The room was silent. Rylie refused to look up, and tears pressed into her eyes. She knew it. They hated her, just like when they were younger. The minutes dragged on, and still no one said anything.
"Your… your Power?" Tyler asked, breaking the silence.
Rylie nodded, keeping her head bent.
"What Power?" Caleb asked. His voice was unreadable and hid whatever emotion he was feeling.
"When I turned thirteen, I received the Power," Rylie answered quietly.
"What do you mean you received Power? The Power goes to the oldest son, not the women."
"Not anymore," Rylie shot back, still refusing to lift her head.
"Will you look at us?" This time anger leaked into her brother's voice.
Taking a deep breath, Rylie lifted her head and opened her eyes, but couldn't meet her brother's piercing gaze. Instead her eyes flicked from Pogue, who looked shocked, to Tyler, who was watching Caleb carefully, and to Reid, who had no emotion showing on his face. Finally, her eyes met her older brother's. Caleb's expression was a combination of surprise and anger.
"I can't believe you never said anything," Caleb said. "To me, mom, or dad."
Rylie's eyes narrowed. "I did tell dad. I went to him the morning after my thirteenth birthday. He wasn't much help."
"You didn't go see him."
"How the hell do you know what I did and didn't do?" Rylie asked angrily.
"Because you never brought it up," Caleb answered.
"I never brought it up because I knew you'd be pissed! I knew you'd hate me even more than you already did! No matter how hard you try, you'll always be like dad!" Rylie yelled.
"I'm not like our father!" Caleb's fists clenched and his face reddened a little.
"Bullshit!" Rylie shouted. "Dad hated me for having Power, and now so do you! You even admitted that the thought of me having Power pissed you off!"
"Oh, come on. Dad didn't hate you. How could he? He barely saw you! You always refused to visit him!"
"I didn't want to see him because I knew he couldn't stand to see me! And I knew that because I overheard him and mom talking about how I was a disappointment! I wasn't even meant to happen! To be born! It was a fluke that their last night of sex resulted in me! I was a mistake!"
Caleb's jaw was slack, as were the other three boys' jaws. But she didn't care. She had kept this bottled up inside for years. The memory of that day raced through her mind. Her mother had pleaded with her father to understand, to open his heart and let his only daughter in. But her father was a selfish man, and didn't want to hear it.
Tears flowed down her face, but she didn't care. "Getting the Power was painful. I went to dad to ask for help in coping with it, and he said that I wasn't supposed to have it. That I had stolen the Power from the family, from you! He said I wasn't his daughter anymore and to leave! So I did! I went to Ireland, hoping to get away from the problems my stupid Power was causing! But, no. It couldn't be that simple. I went from one problem to the next!"
The Sons just stared at her, all four slack-jaw.
Rylie inhaled shakily and tried to blink away the tears, but they continued to come. Turning, she bolted for the door. Air. She needed fresh air. To pull herself back together. She grabbed the door handle and yanked, but it didn't open. She yanked again, but nothing happened. Spinning around, she glared at Caleb. "Let. Me. Out."
"Rylie," he said softly.
"NOW!"
Caleb's eyes flashed and the door swung open. Rylie ran out into the darkness, letting the new round of tears fall. She stumbled and landed on the ground, curling into a ball, she let the sobs rock her body until they began to subside.
"Aw. What's the matter, baby?"
Rylie's breath caught in her chest. She sprang to her feet and turned to face the newcomer.
The moon illuminated the man before her. His light hair was gelled into spikes, and his black T-shirt clung to his body, revealing his toned muscles.
"Devon." Her throat constricted slightly and her body went cold.
* * * * *
Leila gasped as her vision snapped from the living room to a new scene. The moon shone down on the two familiar figures, and she watched the scene play inside her mind. Her breathing faltered. "No," she croaked.
"What?"
Her vision faded and then she was back in the living room of the Danvers' home, the Sons of Ipswich watching her carefully.
"What's wrong?" the shorter brunette, Tyler, asked.
"Devon's here. With Rylie." Leila turned and raced to the door and out into the yard. About twenty yards away, she saw Devon standing with Rylie, and she pushed herself faster, not wanting her vision to come true.
* * * * *
"Rylie, baby. How've you been?" Devon asked.
"Get away from me," Rylie snapped, stepping back. Fear coiled within her.
Devon smiled. "Rylie, we haven't seen each other for a couple months. Don't you want to catch up?"
"What I want is for you to go to hell," Rylie answered.
His smile grew and he stepped toward her. "Come on, Rylie. Don't be like that."
She opened herself to the Power, but nothing happened. She tried again, and felt her fear increase when it failed again.
Devon laughed and reached for her.
"Get the hell away from her!"
Relief flooded through her at the sound of Leila's voice.
Devon turned, still smiling. "Leila. How nice to see you."
"Wish I could say the same," Leila growled, slowing her pace.
"Now, now, Leila. Is that any way to speak to an old friend?" Devon asked.
"You're not a friend," Leila answered.
"Ouch." Devon covered his heart with his hand. "That hurts, Leila."
Four figures emerged from the darkness and ran to stand behind Leila.
"Brought reinforcements, did you?" Devon asked. He vanished in a small gust of wind. Leila stepped back, scanning the night. Rylie moved forward and was suddenly yanked back by her hair. An arm wrapped around her waist, pinning her own arms between her body and her attacker. A knife's blade pressed against her throat. Panicking, she tried to call her Power again, but fear held it back.
"Try anything and I'll slice her throat," Devon said, his hot breath caressing her cheek.
"Let her go," Pogue ordered, but Rylie could see the uncertainty in his eyes.
"No, I don't think I will. I kind of like this position," Devon replied, and Rylie could hear the smile in his voice. "Rylie, is there anything you'd like to say?"
"Fuck you," Rylie spat.
"We already did that. But if you want to do it again, I won't argue." He pulled her closer, and she felt his hardness press into her lower back.
Reflex made her jump forward, but the blade cut into her skin, forcing her back again. Her eyes locked with Leila's, and she gave her friend a small nod.
In unison, the girls opened their mouths and began reciting together. "In the darkness, evil grows. Shadow's spread to steal the souls. I call on the light in my time of need. Banish this evil and set me free."
"No!" Devon cried.
Rylie recited it again with Leila, and she felt her attacker's grip slacken a bit.
"No!" Devon yelled again.
The knife left her throat as his body shifted, and suddenly pain exploded in Rylie's stomach. She cried out as her body fell forward and out of Devon's grasp, but as soon as she landed on the ground and turned and continued to repeat the spell. Devon's form turned misty.
"I'll be back!" His voice was like a ghost. "You can't run from me!"
He vanished in a puff of smoke.
Rylie gasped, yanked the dagger from her body, and covered the hole in her stomach. Blood gushed from the wound, which pulsated with hot and angry pain.
Leila dropped to her knees beside her friend. "Shit, shit, shit!" She looked up at the four boys. "Do something!"
"No," Leila coughed. She opened herself, and finally felt the Power flow through her. The hot sensation rushed to her stomach, and she felt the bloody opening stitch itself back together, along with the little damage under the skin. Inhaling shakily, she stood on wobbly legs.
"Rylie, you should have let them do that," Leila scolded, getting to her feet as well.
Rylie glared at her brother for a moment. "I'm used to healing myself." She shoved past Reid and Tyler and began making her way on shaky legs back to the house. "Leila, help me pack."
"Pack? Why?" Reid asked.
"Because Devon will be back, and it's better to lead him away from the families," Rylie answered. She could hear the others following her.
"I'm glad you're concerned for our safety, but—"
"I'm not worried about your safety," Rylie said, cutting her brother off. "I'm worried about what could happen if Devon got all of your Powers."
"You said you have Power. Why didn't you use when he attacked you?" Caleb asked.
"I can't use when he's near me," Rylie answered, increasing her pace.
"Why?"
"None of your damn business. I'll be out of here by tomorrow, and you can get on with your wonderful lives." Once inside, she headed up the stairs.
Someone grabbed her arm.
"Caleb, let go!" Turning, she met the most beautiful pair of cobalt blue eyes, and her breath caught.
"Don't go," Reid said, his hand still wrapped around her upper arm.
"I have to."
"You can't just come in, dump this kind of information, and leave," Caleb said, stepping toward his sister.
"Well if you guys weren't so nosey, I wouldn't have had to tell you anything, and you would have remained blissfully ignorant."
"Will you cut the sarcastic comments?" Pogue asked.
Rylie rolled her eyes and tugged her arm away from the blonde Son.
"You're not leaving," Caleb said sternly.
"Oh yes I am," Rylie snapped.
"Is this your answer for everything? Running away?"
"It's worked pretty good so far," Rylie answered.
"We have to talk about your Power."
"No we don't."
"Dammit, Rylie! I'm your brother, talk to me!"
"Now you want to be my brother? Why? Because you feel sorry for me because of what I've told you and what you just saw happen? I don't need your sympathy. I've gotten along just fine without it."
"Rylie, listen to him. For once, let your family help you," Leila pleaded. "They can help us."
Letting out a defeated sigh, Rylie said, "Fine." Turning, she headed up the stairs. "Leila, there's a guest room next to mine that you can sleep in. See you in the morning."
Closing her bedroom door, Rylie looked around her room. How had she let this happen? How could she have let this happen? She had let the stress break her, and endanger her family in the process. She flopped down on her bed and used the pillow to muffle her scream.
Someone knocked on her door.
Groaning, she turned over onto her back. "Come in." She really didn't feel like dealing with Caleb and his bullshit anymore tonight, and was positive that it was him on the other side of the door.
Reid stepped into her room, closing the door behind him.