over in her mind. Chores and homework couldn't pull her away from thoughts straying to the

arily, Elena would turn her down, excusing herself and heading home for a night of quietude, but now she di

in town. As they walked in the door, Elena spotted a group of their friends gathered around a table near the back. Among them were

host," Marcus greeted her, still grinning,

, that's all," she lied, trying to sound casual. She wasn't sure how much

ard. "Weird how? You know you

I met someone weird in the woods. And then there were those creepy me

Wait, what kind of message

te she had found at her door. She watched their faces the entire time they were reading. Jenna

ocking back in his chair. "Do you hav

to know all about the guy I saw in the woods. Sa

y. "Did this guy say anything t

ething.off about him," Elena explained, grasping at every detail. "He had thi

n Elena. "Sounds like a mystery worth investigating. But

an learn more about this man

ark hair, an aura of command that clung to him like some invisible mantle. As

here a few months ago. My mom mentioned him once; said he was some kind o

d forward, now interested.

he's connected to these weird messages,

e to that face; on the other, it created many more questions than answers. "I don't kn

be a bluff to scare you off. If he's dangerous, that

tives a person would have in warning her about him; on the other, it creeped her out-seriou

ldn't help but hesitate before picking up another message from that unknown number; her shiv

he felt the tension, and her brain began to process how much was at stake. They all looked into one another's faces,

at the door, his eyes darting restlessly with the same old piercing fineness over the room. Fortunately, his eyes had met hers for only half a se

messages? That Lucas just happened to appear when they were talking about him was more than just a coincidence. Her heart thumpe