He released my arm with a curse like I shocked him. He and his group eyed me with wide, scared eyes and something else, anger.

"She's your significant! Impossible!"

"Not mine. She belongs to Caleb. Now back off."

"She's human. She's what...fifteen?"

"Seventeen," I b.u.t.ted in annoyed.

"Impossible," he repeated but this time he growled it and I stepped back, Kyle pulling me behind him.

"Don't freak out. You'll call Caleb and all h.e.l.l will break loose. Breathe," he told me quietly and waited for me to take a deep breath, then turned back to Marcus. "Back off. You know now that Caleb's imprinted, it'll only be a matter of time until he get's his ascension. You're not stupid enough to mess with his girl, are you?"

"Marcus, let's go," one of the guys said behind him. "Enough already."

"For now, human," Marcus spat and eyed me evilly before they moved on.

One guy hissed at me. Hissed. I shook my head.

"What was that?"

"Bad news. c.r.a.p, why tonight? They are a rival clan. They haven't been imprinting for a while either. This will definitely stir up the pot now that they know about you."

"Why is everyone so hard pressed to date? I don't get it. So you don't find your soul mate. There are tons of single people of there. It's not like you can't live that way."

"No. You don't get it. Wait." He looked around and pushed our theater door open, taking us to the very back to sit down. "See, if we don't imprint with anyone, we don't ascend. If we don't ascend we don't get our abilities. It's not just about being single. This is our whole life, our heritage, being an Ace, protecting our family, having the power to do that. But without finding our mate, we can't do that and it's crippling our clans, making us vulnerable."

The full weight of what he'd been trying to tell me hit me like a ton of bricks. That's what Caleb meant when he said I was special. This was a big deal. No one had imprinted in years. Caleb was the first one of his kind in a long time and they were gonna make a fuss about this, good or bad, and I was stuck in it with no way out, but wasn't sure I wanted out.

The screen blinked with an advertis.e.m.e.nt for concessions then went straight into a movie preview. I settled back in my seat and tried not to think about Caleb. Whenever I did I felt a zing in my chest, an ache but a pleasure as well. It was all very confusing and frustrating. While I sat and pretended to watch the movie, my mind was somewhere else. On a blue eyed, brown haired boy. And though it made me feel anxious, his heart beat coming to me in waves and pulses the harder I thought, and I fought to stay in my seat, I did it anyway. I thought about this boy.

A boy that apparently now belonged to me.

Four.

I woke the next morning and felt terrible, like I had the flu or something. I rolled over in my bed and clutched my queasy stomach, feeling a pounding in my head and chest. The pound coincided with my heartbeat.

I sat up and saw stars. That had never happened before. At first I was alarmed. Maybe it was something worse than the flu. I stood and went to the mirror. I looked haggard.

Kyle had brought me home right after the movie last night. It wasn't that late when I got home but dad was no where to be seen. As usual. I went straight to bed, feeling more exhausted than I had in long time.

And now, I could see my face was dark with fatigue. My eyes were dull and shaded. What in the world? I lifted my arm to push my hair back to check the little gash on my forehead and froze. There was a black handprint burned into my skin, black and grayish like it was charred, right by my elbow on my right arm. What the- Then I remembered. My arm burned hot when that Marcus guy grabbed me yesterday. And now, I had a strange black grip burned into my skin. What was going on here?

I heard the phone ring but didn't answer it. It was probably Chad, looking for answers, though he had no right to any claim over me anymore. So I went to take a shower instead.

That was one of the best showers I'd ever had. I still felt bad but better, the hot water did wonders for my skin color. My face seemed back to normal and my eyes were brighter. But, I still needed some serious makeup. Then I remembered. Caleb. He said he was coming to get me today.

I scrambled to my room and pulled some clothes out. I actually thought about what I was putting on. I had jitters. I was freaking out. I slipped on my blue chiffon peasant blouse over my black cami and some jeans with some silver hoop earrings then I went to fix my hair and slick on some make-up.

All the while, I felt a bubble of anxiety and nerves. What had happened last night? I couldn't believe I saved some guys life. I couldn't believe I was bound to him in some, twisted soul mate thing. I couldn't believe Kyle had a crush on me. I couldn't believe I was so crazy about some guy I barely knew. I couldn't believe they weren't human.

I started to have a mini-panic attack, swallowing down the lump in my throat. Then it began to escalate to full blown.

What if Caleb didn't come today? Why did I need him to so badly? What was going to happen to me? Would I just marry some freak guy and live in their cultish community forever? Could I run away before he got here? Did I really want to? No, I didn't and if he asked me to marry him right now I'm not sure I could say no. What was going to happen to me now?

My breathing was crazy out of control and I grabbed the sink to hold myself up. I felt all wrong and my muscles twisted in my body as I kept Caleb in my thoughts. I was just about to really worry, maybe call somebody, though I didn't know who, when I felt arms around me. Turning me and pulling me to them.

"I'm sorry." He pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me and whispering in my ear as his hand ran up and down my arm. "I got here as fast as I could."

Caleb.

I sighed in relief as I felt a release of all the tension, the queasiness, the aching muscles, the painful breaths, everything, as I settled my arms around his waist. I felt brand new, like he was a drug and I'd just gotten a hit.

I pulled back to look at him slightly and was wowed. He was even better looking in the daylight. I blinked up at him and he looked back down at me. I could see into his mind as if it was made of gla.s.s. He had felt me begin to panic he was already half way here. He ran. He knew I'd be upset when reality crashed down on me this morning. He was feeling withdrawals for me too and pestered Kyle for over an hour before he got out of bed to give him my address, though once the panic attack hit he didn't need it. He could find me anywhere. He also loved my freckles and thought I looked gorgeous in blue.

I smiled and bit into my bottom lip at his thoughts.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi," he said smiling widely, his arms still around my back. "Are you ok now?" He reached up and brushed my hair back from my forehead. "How's the head?"

"It's fine. It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Did you sleep ok?"

"Yeah, I slept great, actually." We both seemed to realize the awkwardness of it all and stepped back to give a little s.p.a.ce. "And I was fine, I mean I felt a little weird, like I had the flu," he nodded to confirm, "but it wasn't until I started to think about things- um, you, that I freaked."

"I know. It happens, especially the first few days after an imprinting."

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"Doesn't matter I'm here now. And I have no intentions of going very far."

"Good," was all I could say.

He seemed to like my answer.

"Did you have fun with Kyle last night? I didn't have a chance to talk to him much. I waited up for him last night but he went straight to bed. I'm sure he would have told me if something had happened."

"Yeah, we had an ok time, mostly."

"Why mostly?" he said suddenly concerned. "What-"

He saw my arm and his eyes went wide. I'd forgotten, the angry black burned hand print. His face twisted in anger.

"What happened? I can't believe Kyle didn't tell me about this. Who did this to you?"

"Some guy called Marcus," I rubbed it like it could come off.

He pushed my fingers away gently to run his thumb across it, almost reverently.

"Marcus touched you?" he said softly and I knew not to mistake the softness for anything but fighting for control.

"He grabbed me when we tried to walk away. But as soon as he knew that I- you- we..."

"That we imprinted."

"Yes. He left. I didn't see this until this morning."

"It's what happens to warn them that you don't belong to them."

"I know, I felt it but, why didn't it do that when Kyle touched me?"

"Kyle touched you?" he said with a slight edge.

"He held my hand a couple times," I explained truthfully. "Mostly to make me keep up with him but, it never did that with him."

"It only happens if the person's actions aren't of pure intention. Your body can sense it when someone means you harm."

"So, that Marcus guy wanted to hurt me?" I said breathlessly at the prospect.

"Don't worry about that just yet." His big hand came up to my cheek, making me want to shudder. "One thing at a time. I'll explain it all to you but, right now, I need to get you over to Kyle's. The family is all there, waiting for us."

"Eh," I cringed. "I don't like crowds."

"You'll like this crowd. There were so happy last night when I told them what happened. They can't wait to meet you."

"Caleb," I said and he sighed, closing his eyes like he was in ecstasy at the sound of his name from my mouth. "I have no idea what's going on. I mean, what does all this mean? Why am I meeting your family after only knowing you for one day?"

"Well," he looked slightly unsure. "I, uh...you're my significant. I mean, I would never force you to do anything but, this means something to us, to my family. You are so important and the sooner you learn all about what's going on, the sooner you can make a decision if you want anything to do with it or not."

"I thought I didn't have a choice."

"Kyle and his big mouth," he muttered. "There are so many things you don't know. So many things that I need to tell you and explain. But if after you hear everything today you want nothing to do with any of it, or with me, I won't stop you from leaving if that's what you're asking."

"Ok. I'm ready to go." I nodded. "I need to tell my dad where I'm going."

"Alright. Should I go wait outside since I burst into your house without knocking," he said with a c.o.c.ky grin. "I'm sure your pops would love that."

"It's fine," I said laughing slightly. "He won't know whether anyone's been up here or not."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah come on."

"I guess it's only fair if you're meeting my family that I meet yours too, right?"

"I don't think the word 'family' const.i.tutes as one person."

"Sure it does." He stopped in the hall at a family picture of us four in front of the Christmas tree from two years ago. Bish had his arm around me and I was poking his stomach, making him laugh. "Is that your brother?" I nodded. "Wow. You really look like your mom."

"Yeah, everyone has always said that."

"What happened to her?"

"She left," I said, shrugging before heading downstairs.

"I'm sorry. That sucks."

"Yeah," I agreed and then called to dad before we went into the den. Just in case he was in his underwear: "Dad?"

I heard him grunt and felt a grip on my hand tighten. I didn't realize we were holding hands. Caleb smiled at me and I tried to think of how in the world to explain him to my father.

"What, Maggie?"

"Uh, dad, I'll be leaving for a while. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. I just wanted to let you know."

"Fine, as long as you don't miss work."

"I'm off today, dad."

"Fine."

"Dad. This is my...friend, Caleb."