The woman smiled. "Hello, Rylie. Miss me?"
"Hell no," Rylie answered harshly. "How the hell did you get in here?"
"The door, silly," Cassandra replied pleasantly. "You know, you should really get a lock."
"And you should know better than to go barging into people's houses," Leila snapped. "Oh, wait. You were never one for manners. Sorry, forgot."
"Leila, you were always the snappy one." Her bright gaze returned to the young Danvers. "Rylie seemed to have trouble finding her voice… and Power. Especially around Devon."
Rylie stepped forward, but Leila grabbed her arm, holding her back. "Ry, don't. She's just trying to get to you."
"Rylie, I'm just stating the facts." Cassandra's smile widened. "You're the one who let him… you know."
"Your facts are a little off, considering I didn't let him do anything," Rylie said, her teeth clenched.
"Well he somehow managed to get inside you. If you didn't let him, then I guess he was just stronger." She bit her bottom lip and glanced around at the others. "I can see why you returned here. The guys look incredible."
Leila's grip on her arm tightened, and even Tyler placed his hand around her other arm. If she kept talking, the bitch was going to get Rylie's foot up her ass. Or better yet….
"You know, I wouldn't be talking about what Devon did with me if I were you."
"And why is that?"
"Because it's just a constant reminder of how, for one whole day, you weren't good enough for him."
Cassandra's face reddened and her gaze narrowed.
"For one day, I was the object of his lust. He moaned my name over and over, thrusting inside me again and again. I was the one running through his thoughts. The one who made him come with such intensity, it shook his entire body. When he looked at me, he saw me. Not you."
Leila released her arm, silently telling Rylie that she had seen what was going to happen, and that Rylie would need both hands.
"Let go," Leila instructed quietly, and Tyler's hand fell away.
"Shut up," Cassandra hissed.
"I'm just stating the facts, Cassie," Rylie smiled, throwing the woman's words back at her. She stepped forward, away from the group. "How does it feel to know that your 'boyfriend' was with another girl? The same girl he's been obsessed with finding for a while." She shrugged. "What does that tell you?"
"I said shut up."
"But Cassie. You were so eager to talk about me and Devon a few minutes ago. We can go up to my bedroom for some girl talk. Compare notes. Discuss our experiences with him."
Cassandra jumped forward, tackling Rylie to the ground.
"You little bitch!" she screeched.
Rylie blocked a punch aimed for her face, struggling to push the woman off her. The floor beneath them vanished, and they were yanked into darkness.
Caleb jumped forward, as did Reid.
"Where'd they go?" Caleb asked, looking around the room frantically.
"Caleb, chill," Leila ordered, her gaze distant.
"Chill? That psycho woman just disappeared with Rylie!" Caleb shouted.
"This is something that has to happen," Leila said, watching the fight play within her mind. "This is something Rylie has to do."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Reid asked.
Her vision returned to normal and she glared at the boys. "I'm talking about how Rylie needs to face her past in order to live long enough to see the future."
"Cut the cryptic crap, Leila," Caleb growled.
"It's not cryptic crap," Leila snapped. "At least not to me and Rylie."
"Oh, that's right. We don't understand because we don't what you two have been through," Caleb snarled. "Who's fault is that?"
"You're right. It's our fault." From Caleb's expression, Leila could tell he had expected her to argue with him. "Or better yet, Rylie's fault. She's the one who kept secrets. But she did that to keep you guys safe. To keep Devon from finding and killing you."
Her vision snapped to the fight and she held up her and, halting any response Caleb was about to make.
* * * * *
Rylie hit the ground, and she pushed herself into a roll and jumped to her feet. Cassandra stood before her, her face pinched in anger. The redhead opened her hand and a dagger appeared.
Rylie smiled. "Are you going to kill me, Cassie?"
"I'm going to wipe that smile from your face," Cassandra snarled.
"But Cassie, what would Devon think of that? I'm pretty sure he wants me alive."
"He wanted to alive so he could kill you himself. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to be the one to spill your blood." The woman lunged forward.
Rylie let the Power flow out and wrap around the redhead. With a thought, the woman was thrown sideways. She screeched and sprang to her feet, glaring at the girl before her. The young Danvers grinned, pleased that she'd managed to pull the woman's attention away from her family.
"Come on, Cassie, let's see what you got," Rylie said, bracing for another attack as the redhead prepared to spring.
"Cassandra, don't get ahead of yourself."
Rylie's body chilled and her eyes shot to the man a few feet away. He wasn't supposed to be able to use his powers so soon after being hit by the spell. Fear coiled in her stomach, and her Power inched back inside her. Devon smiled and opened his hand, closing it when Cassandra's weapon appeared in it. He tucked the dagger into his back pocket as his gaze went to the redhead.
"Cass, is there a reason you were trying to kill this girl?" Devon asked calmly.
The woman glared at him for a moment. "She needed to learn how to keep her mouth shut."
Devon held out his hand. "Come here, baby." When Cassandra's hand slipped into his grasp, he looked down into her eyes. "Don't let her words get to you. She's just trying to piss you off and make you do something stupid." His gaze went to Rylie. "Well, this was a nice little meeting. But we have to go and finish some plans." He flashed her a devilish smile. "See you soon, birthday girl." A gust of wind swept around them and they vanished.
Rylie stared at the place the two had just been, her mind reeling over Devon's last comment. After a minute, she turned and headed back to the house, mentally repeating the long ago plan her and Leila had created as a last resort. It was time. She opened the door and was bombarded by voices.
"What happened?"
"Are you okay?"
"Where'd you go?"
"Why'd you disappear?"
"You had sex with Devon?"
"Why didn't you tell us?!"
"Shut up!" Rylie yelled, holding up her hands. The questions stopped and everyone stared at her. Her eyes connected with her friend, and from the look in the forest green eyes, she knew Leila had seen what had happened and heard Devon's comment. "We need to talk."
"You're right, we do," Caleb said, folding his arms.
"Not us. Me and Leila," Rylie said through clenched teeth. Rylie pushed past the group and up the stairs, knowing Leila would follow. She walked into her room and turned just as Leila was closing the door. "We're going to have to adjust the plan since we're here, but we can make it work."
"Rylie, slow down and breath. Things have changed. If we take some time we should be able to come up with another plan," Leila said gently.
"We're out of time," Rylie stated. "There's no way we can come up with another plan before my birthday."
"Maybe—"
"Leila, there is no maybe." Rylie cast her gaze out the window. "Your vision is going to come true."
"Ry, no. We'll change it."
"Every time to try to foresee past my eighteenth birthday, you see nothing. You've seen what happens on my birthday again and again. That means it's going to happen." Rylie's eyes stung and she blinked back moisture.
"Your family can help us. We'll change it," Leila insisted.
Rylie turned to look at her friend. "Look into the future and tell me what you see."
Leila's gaze grew distant, and she stood perfectly still for a few minutes. Rylie watched, and as the time ticked by, something inside her became surer. Her friend blinked and drew in a shaky breath, and a tear slipped down her cheek. More tears pressed into Rylie's eyes, but she blinked them back.
"Rylie," Leila began, her voice raw with unshed tears.
Rylie gave her friend a small smile. "It's okay. I had a feeling it wouldn't change." Inhaling deeply, she called her Power, and a dagger appeared on her bed. Picking it up, she passed it to the blonde. "If we're going to make this sketchy plan work, we need practice."
"Exactly. Sketchy. It's dangerous," Leila said. "We came up with this plan after Devon raped you. We were young, stupid and scared. Back then, you were willing to die."
"How do you know I'm not willing to die now?" Rylie asked.
"Do you want to leave Reid?"
Rylie closed her eyes. No, she didn't want to leave him. She wanted to stay with him, feel his powerful presence, feel his arms around her. Holding her. Comforting her. Memories of the blonde Son rushed through her mind, how she'd always had a soft spot for him, and something inside her became clear. A tear slipped out, leaving a wet trail on her skin. "I want him, and everyone, safe."
"I want them safe, too. But I don't want to lose you either. You're my sister, Ry."
"And you're my sister, Leila. I love you. And when you love people, you'll do anything to protect them."
"How do I protect the people I love if they're going to run into evil's waiting arms?" Leila asked sharply.
Rylie smiled sadly. "Think of it as me paving a safe road for you and Tyler."
Leila looked away. "Don't make me choose between you and an incredible boy."
"I'm not. I'm making the choice for you," Rylie said, holding out the knife. "But if you want me to have any chance of surviving, you have to help. I need the practice."
Leila glared at the wall for another minute before grabbing the dagger.
"And Leila. Promise me that if the vision comes true, you'll do everything you can to help my family." Rylie waited for her friend's eyes to meet her own. "I won't be able to go through with this if there's no hope that they'll get away."
Leila nodded as more tears slid down her cheeks. "I promise."
"And tell Reid I love him." She waited until Leila nodded again, and then opened her arms. "We're going to have to do this every day. Each day, I'll wait a little longer before using." Inhaling, she closed her eyes. "Do it."
Pain exploded through her body as the dagger sliced into her stomach and she gasped. Blood spilled down her front as the new wound pulsed angrily, hot and cold waves engulfing her body. She called her Power and felt it rush to the opening in her belly.