The next couple of days went by quietly. Even though Jared and the Archaic hadn't been able to find the Hue, things had quieted down into some sort of normalcy. I was still careful, just like Jared had asked me to be. I didn't go out after school. I hadn't seen much of Jared. I only saw him in class and in the cafeteria with his friends. I kept myself occupied so that I wouldn't spend all my time thinking about him. It was annoying how much he monopolized my thoughts.

Felicity still threw me dirty looks whenever she could. I shrugged them off. There was nothing going on between Jared and me, and she had no reason to be jealous.

Andrew was great. He still came and sat with us at lunch, and sometimes his friends would join us too, including David. Who still, much to Stacy's disappointment, hadn't made a move to ask Stacy out. Andrew treated me just like his other friends. He laughed, smiled and was his usual easygoing self. I'd made a really good friend in him.

Everything was starting to settle down into a nice, boring routine, completely drama-free. Finally, I started to relax.

Friday morning I was walking toward my locker to get my books for my first two classes. Someone bumped into me hard on the shoulder as they walked past me in the hallway. I looked back to see the person and only saw a tall guy dressed in jeans and a maroon hoodie. I couldn't see his face, because the hoodie was covering it. Brushing it off, I continued to my locker.

The rest of the day flew by just as quickly. I was so glad it was Friday, the start of the weekend. I actually had a skip in my step as I walked to the bus stop. I was looking forward to relaxing at home and getting stuck into the puzzle I'd been putting off.

I got off the bus down the road and started to walk the short distance to my house. I glanced over my shoulder and saw another person walking behind me. Immediately, I recognized the boy in the maroon hoodie from school who had bumped into me earlier. His features were still hidden by the hood, though, and I couldn't make out his face.

A cold chill slithered down my spine. This wasn't good... something just didn't feel right. I turned around and started to walk a little faster. Casting a quick glance over my shoulder, I noticed that the stranger sped up to keep pace with me.

Fear gripped me. I knew I was in trouble. I made it to the front of my house when he grabbed me from behind and spun me around. I was about to scream, but the noise died in my throat when I took in the boy's features.

At first I thought I was hallucinating. He looked like Jared—not just similar, but almost exactly like Jared. Instead of raven-black hair, though, this boy had sun-streaked blond hair. Cold, deep blue eyes stared back at me instead of warm green ones. He would almost be an exact replica of Jared but for the different coloring in his sharp features.

He smiled, but it never reached his eyes. It was a cold, cruel smile. That was the moment I realized what he was: he was a Hue, a psychopath. That was what Jared had called them. Limited emotions, no conscience, no guilt. I was scared. I'd never been so scared in my life. I knew this boy in front of me could kill me with a smile on his face and feel no remorse.

"Please," I managed to whisper. I didn't try to struggle or get away. There wasn't any point. If he wanted to hurt me he would. No one was going to be able to help me. I was defenseless against a powerful Hue.

His smile widened as the depths of his eyes held me. I was transfixed and I couldn't look away. The irises in his eyes lightened to silver as pain exploded through my body from his hands, which held my arms in a vice-like grip. My legs buckled and he released me as I slumped to the ground. It was agony. I was so consumed with the pain that seared through my body that I could barely make a sound. The last memory I had before I fell into the darkness was of now-black, empty eyes and a smile above me while I writhed in agony.

**********

My head was pounding and it hurt to breathe, so I tried to take shallow breaths. I tried to lift my hand to touch my head but couldn't move. I groaned.

"No!" an angry voice exclaimed. It sounded familiar, but the fuzziness in my head made it hard to recognize.

I tried to open my eyes but couldn't. My throat felt raw and I struggled to swallow. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. Every muscle in my body was aching with pain. I whimpered.

"Ava!" I must have been hallucinating, because it sounded like Jared.

I felt a hand touch my face. The slight touch made the memories of my attack flood back. Fear gripped me, but I couldn't move. My body wouldn't obey.

"No more," I begged softly.

"I've got you," I heard Jared whisper to me. His voice was hoarse with emotion. It was definitely Jared, giving me a sudden feeling of safety. I tried to talk to him, but my body wouldn't respond. The pain was too much. I couldn't hold on anymore. I let go and the darkness descended, giving me relief.

***

I slowly woke up to a dull pounding in my head. I was still in pain. I opened my eyes and looked around. My vision was blurry, so I closed my eyes again quickly, taking another deep breath before l let them flutter open. My eyes began to focus. Moonlight was streaming through the open windows. I was alone in a bedroom, which I recognized instantly as Jared's. I was lying on his bed with a checkered blue blanket covering me.

I pushed the blanket down. Everything hurt. I glanced down to see that I was in my bra and panties. Where were my clothes? With a great amount of effort, I tried to sit up. The pain was so bad that I bit down on my lip to stifle a scream. I swung my legs to the side of the bed and then I tried to stand up, but the pain was too much. I collapsed back onto the bed with a soft whimper as the movement jolted my body and a new wave of agony flowed through me. I lay back down and closed my eyes, trying to breathe through it.

I heard the door open and I heard footsteps. I opened my eyes, but my vision blurred again.

"You need to take it easy," Jared advised softly as he lifted me and laid me down in the middle of the bed. He gently pulled the blanket over me.

"It hurts too much," I whispered as another wave of pain hit. I bit down on my lip to keep from screaming out.

"Shh," he soothed. I felt him pull the blanket down and I felt his hands on my forehead and my stomach. Warmth from his hands flowed from his fingers into my body. The pain dulled as the warmth flowed through my body, gently lulling me back to sleep.

The next time I opened my eyes, Jared was still there, sitting in a chair next to the bed. He leaned forward as my eyes shifted to meet his. This time the pain wasn't as bad, but I still felt like I had gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer.

"I feel awful," I moaned as I stared at him. He looked as awful as I felt. He looked like he hadn't slept. There were dark bags under his eyes, and he looked as if he'd been to hell and back. With concerned eyes, he took my hand into his and held it gently.

"What's the time?" I asked.

"Late," he replied.

I thought of Anne; she would come home and wouldn't know where I was. She would be worried.

"Anne!" I panicked and tried to move. He stood up and gently pushed me back down. "Don't worry. She thinks you're sleeping over at a friend's."

I gave him a questioning look. "I'll explain later," was the only response I got.

He sat back down and took my hand into his. His touch was gentle.

"Do you remember what happened?" he questioned quietly while gently rubbing my hand with his.

"Yes." I didn't want to remember, but I did. I tried to keep my emotions in check, but I couldn't stifle the sob that escaped. Tears began to stream down my face as I struggled to calm myself down. Was it shock or the realization that I nearly died that flooded through me? Either way, I couldn't hold it together anymore.

The bed dipped and I felt Jared gather me up in his arms and place me on his lap. His chin rested on the top of my head as he gently rocked me back and forth while I cried. The warmth of his arms around me as he held me close comforted me. My hands held his shirt as I let the tears flow.

Someone I'd never met had tried to hurt me. Had the intention been to just inflict pain, or had it been his intention to kill?