The pungent zing of an oncoming storm builds outside the car as clouds roll in covering the last of the twilight sky imparting a claustrophobic tension, one I don't need right now. Breathing past the painful lump in my throat, I run shaky palms down the sweater-dress I chose to wear tonight and scan the trees we pass for the piercing sapphire eyes that haunt my nightmares.

Mom reaches over, stroking my hair. "Nervous, sweetie?"

"A little." Not sure if I'm trying to fool my mother or myself. I wipe the sweat beading on my forehead as we pull into the parking lot at Louie's. My heart pounds in time with my bouncing knee as I stare up at the sky. Bax I can handle. But the demon wolf.

I suck in a deep breath and clench my fists when lightning flashes above.

No way will Raijin allow his assassin beast to attack in public. I'll be fine.

Mom turns off the car and places a hand on my forearm. "Just remember, if he tries anything you don't want him to, punch him. I don't care who his father is."

I chuckle, covering her hand with my own, squeezing lightly. "In a hot second."

Mom reaches in the back and pulls out Dad's SLR, the one that only gets aired at big family occasions. "Mind if I get a couple of pictures. It's your first date."

She isn't planning to photograph my date, is she? I can just imagine it. A picture of me arriving at the burger joint. Another of Bax pulling out my chair. And a final one of his face after he spills his dark secrets.

I tilt my head, chin raised. "I'm going on a date—not getting married."

"I know. But you're growing up so fast. Soon you'll be in college, and then who knows? Plus you look so beautiful."

Can't argue with her. The navy-blue fabric of my dress perfectly complements my dark hair and fawn complexion. And since Mom was driving me, I chose tall brown boots with small flat heels to complete my outfit. "Just a couple of pictures."

Throwing on a black cardigan to help keep the winter chill at bay, I step out of the car and pose as the quick clicking of a camera shutter cuts through the air. I love my parents and am so lucky for everything they've given me. I step towards my mother and kiss her on the cheek, then adjust my hair and pose once more.

After a few more clicks, Mom lowers the camera. She leans over and gives me a hug. "Go and have fun—but not too much fun."

I laugh, the sweet smell of jasmine emanating from her peach cardigan calming my nerves. "Obviously. I'll call you when we're done eating, okay?"

She waits until I walk into the diner before driving away. As the door to the fifties-themed burger joint whines open, a white hostess with red hair, a poodle skirt swishing over Mary Jane shoes hops up to me. "Hi! May I help you?"

I smile at her, cracking my knuckles. "I'm waiting for my date."

"You see him?"

I look around but Bax isn't in any of the booths. "No. Guess I'm early."

"Go ahead and grab a seat while you wait."

I settle into a booth close to the door, fidgeting with my bangle bracelets as I check my phone. No message. No missed call. The knot in my stomach tightens and I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. After fifteen minutes I open the text app. Guess Mom needs to come and get me early.

The bell on the door jingles and I look up. Bax strides in from the cold and looks around the diner before he spots me and makes his way to the booth. He slides into the seat across from me, white flecks of snow scattered on his golden-brown hair. "Had to drive my brother to my aunt's house. They're heading out to Minneapolis and his car supposedly broke down earlier this evening."

Pressing the button on the side of my phone, I lock it and place it down on the table. "Things happen."

Bax removes his coat and sucks his teeth. "With Sam, things happen all the time—like every time I'm on my way out to a game. Party. Date. I swear he pulls this shit on purpose." Bax flips open the menu, his eyes roving over the food choices. "He's such a fucking loser, it's embarrassing."

The air in the diner grows thick like soup, making it hard to breath. I rip at the edges of my napkin. Never in a million years would I berate Eiko in the manner Bax just did. "He's your brother. Why would you say something like that?"

Bax rolls his eyes. "He got held back once already and the way his grades are now, it'll happen again."

I lean against the puffy vinyl backrest of the booth seat, crossing my arms. I'm not going to idly sit here and let Bax tear his brother. Sam is my friend. He's always looking out for me—whether I want him to or not. "Besides eating, aren't we here to go over the specifics of me tutoring you? Your brother obviously isn't the only one who needs some academic assistance."

Bax closes his menu and places his elbows on the table, leaning in closer to me. "I struggle. Deciphering text is hard for me. Sam's just lazy. Do you know he was on high honor roll until the end of his sophomore year? Junior year starts and he tanks his grades over some girl he hung out with a couple of times over the summer. Plus, our dad wants us to go into the police force like him, but Sam wants to run off and do graphic design."

My mouth drops open, my arms falling to my sides. "You're mad Sam doesn't want to be a police officer?"

Bax turns in his seat and puts his hand in the air, index finger pointed, to signal the server. We order two burgers and chocolate malt shakes. When the waitress leaves, Bax resumes our conversation. "Sam doesn't want to study graphic design. He pulled the career out of his ass because he wants to go against my dad. Our entire family is full of cops. It's in our blood."

"You can't force someone to be something they don't want to be." Running my index finger over my lips, I exhale allowing both tension and carbon dioxide to leave my body. "You know I am considering looking into the digital arts field myself."

Bax's gaze evades mine as he sits back, fingers tapping against the table. "You're talented, Amaya. The detail in your drawings. The shading. Even your lines. You'll make an awesome illustrator."

Okay, time to move on from talking about Sam. He's not the reason I'm here, but if the conversation continues the way it's going, I might end up throwing my drink at Bax. My goal is to find out more about Tori. What I need now is a nonthreatening question. "What's your dad like?"

Bax rolls his eyes. "I'm sure Sam's led you to believe he's a monster. My brother is so melodramatic. My dad's stern and there are times he never around. Though when he is, he's buried in work at home. Like now, thanks to those attacks. Imagine trying to find out what attacked and killed people, dealing with the parents of dead children who want answers all day while you're at home and supposed to be resting."

Perfect. Time to dig a little bit into the attacks. "Are the police getting any closer to finding the beast who killed Aimee?"

Bax shakes his head. "They've been searching the state park and setting traps with no results. Whatever it is probably high-tailed it out of here. Her parents aren't satisfied though. They want concrete answers. They think Dad can perform miracles, like finding witnesses to a death no one saw."

Seamless segue. "You mean like Tori Milton's father?"

His jaw clenches, eyes unblinking. The fingers on his right hand curl into a fist. "You met him?"

Too fast, need to ease into it more. Leaning backward, I shake my head. "I read some news articles after her memorial. I wanted to know more since I'm new here. Sounds like he was really upset."

Our food comes and Bax bites into his burger like a ravenous wild animal. His eyes remain unblinking as he chews and he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand after he swallows. "The guy is a complete nutcase. Just grasping at straws."

I take a bite of my own burger, allowing some time to pass. Mmm, not bad. A little overcooked for my liking, but I can't exactly eat raw meat in front of Bax.

Bax slouches in the seat, raises the glass of ice water to his lips and gulps down half the cold liquid.

I swallow the last of the burger and straighten my spine. It's now or never. "So, there's no reason he would think you're responsible for Tori's death?"

He chokes and cough, water dripping from his mouth, and puts the glass down with a hard thunk. "None. The girl was deluded. Just because I paid some attention to her at a party, she thought we were dating or something."

"Why would she think that?"

"Who knows? She was drunk. She went crying to everyone about it later, like anyone would actually believe I'd be interested in a dumb slut like her."

I gasp, mouth hanging open and half chewed fries fall to my plate. Did he just say that? About a dead person? Gods, I should slap him.

Bax narrows his eyes. "Why are you upset? You never knew her."

My palms slap against the table. "Because she's dead."

"The girl was crazy. Just like her dad. And the way she carried on at school, all emo and stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if she jumped in front of the truck."

I grab a fry, jam it into the ketchup, and shove it into my mouth. The more Bax talks, the angrier I get. Not sure if bringing up Blaire's sexual assault claim is the best idea. I push the plate with my half-eaten burger away, trying to squelch the fury tornado swirling inside me.

Bax reaches across the table and rests his hand on mine. "I'm sorry, Amaya. I didn't mean to upset you talking about Sam and Tori. Listen, my dad's on shift. Do you want to come over and watch a movie? I'd like for the night to end on a better note."

He's gotta be crazy. My foot taps ferociously against the floor. "I'm just going to call my mom."

His lips press into a tight line. "Let me drive you home. It's going to start pouring any second and I don't want you waiting for your mom in the rain."

Lightning illuminates the darkness outside and my stomach knots. Mom isn't comfortable driving at night, especially on slick roads. With the low temperatures the rain is sure to freeze quickly. But I can't deal with Bax a second longer.

"Come on Amaya. It's the least I can do."

I take in a deep breath and count to ten. So far the only thing I've learned about Bax tonight is that he's an unsympathetic asshole. He hasn't let any secrets slip nor have I discovered any clues linking him to the hell beast. Maybe allowing him to drive me home isn't such a bad idea. We'd be alone, away from prying eyes, and I could use my powers. "Alright."

Bax picks up the receipt the waitress left at the corner of the table and places two twenty dollar bills on top of the paper before helping me out of the booth. He rests his hand on the small of my back and leads me toward as the exit. "By the way, you look really nice tonight."

"Thanks." My thumb grazes over the screen of the cell phone in my hands. I should call my mother and let her know I'm getting a ride. But her possible disapproval isn't an option. Not when I have an opportunity to manipulate Bax. So, I slip the phone into my bag and walk across the parking lot.

Bax opens the passenger side door of his silver pick-up and I hop up onto the seat. The truck vibrates when he starts the engine. He revs it and pulls out of the parking space, veering off down a side road. No streetlamps, no cars—not even house lights. Just a long stretch of nothing as far as the eye could see and gathering darkness on the horizon. Storm clouds sit heavy above us, grumbling threats and spreading across the late evening sky with unsettling speed. My stomach shifts the darker it gets.

My fingers lace around the door handle, tendrils of fear snake around my chest like I'm a deer stuck up against a mountain wall with no escape. "Is this some kind of shortcut?"

Bax pulls over, twists the key in the ignition, and the truck sputters to a dead stop, dousing us in darkness.

"Um..." I swallow past the dry lump in my throat. "Bax, where are we?"

Bax slides toward me, moving his head closer to mine. He drapes one strong arm around my shoulder. "Somewhere with more privacy."

Che!

Before I can summon my powers to put me in control of the situation, his lips barrel into mine, fingers lacing into my hair and pulling my head into him. Air rushes out of my lungs, every muscle in my body rigid and I snap my head forward into the center of his face.

Bax yanks his head back, hand grasping his nose, blood running over his lips and through the creases between his fingers. "You crazy bitch!"

Fury, terror, and embarrassment war for dominance within me. "I agreed to a ride home. Not driving into the middle of nowhere." My hand fumbles around and finds the door handle. I pull it and the door flings open.

Bax grabs my arm. "Where are you going?"

My palm connects with his cheek and his head whips to the side from the force of the blow. A raised red welt forms on his skin, which is surprisingly satisfying. He's lucky. If my claws came out he would've been scarred for life. I jump out of the truck. Cold wind howls around me, hail stinging my cheeks.

"Enjoy the walk home, psycho!" Bax's face is a distorted parody of his usual good looks, blood flowing from his nose to his chin. He slams the car door and peels off down the road, spitting gravel in his wake.

I pull out my phone, angrily jabbing at the screen. I hate him, hate him, hate him! The phone rings and rings, finally going to voicemail. "Mom, please come get me. Please. It's urgent. Please, call me back!"

Lightning flashes, too close, and scream rips from my throat. Choking on a sob, I press the back of my hand against my mouth and crouch down to curl into a tight ball, uncaring of the cold slush biting at my toes through the leather of my boots.

Part of me understands making myself smaller won't do any good. I can't hide from the memories. Maybe if I squeeze my arms tightly enough I can trick myself into thinking it's kaasan cradling me close instead of this bitter, empty, chill.

It doesn't work.

And part of me knows I didn't really expect it to.