“Ok, Solila, Desiree, you can shift and run faster. Brayden, Kenton, just go and here within 25 min. girls, you can come right here, if you have questions you want me to answer, or you can wait for the guys.” Evie asks, sort of taunting, like we’d be frightened with out the guys.

“Oh, we’ll be here in about 10 minutes or so. Boys, you can take your time. We know how to hold our own, and we aren’t’ afraid to use what we know.” I look her in the eyes and firmly tell her with my eyes that she better not forget that we’re the ones who can throw the balance.

“Ok. I’ll see you then.” Her eyes are impressed, then she looks me in the eye, neither of us backing down, its silent for about a minute.

“Go, or we’ll never get out of here.” And Evie turns around. I know she’s right, and that’s why she turned, but I still feel smug.

I focus on what I want to achieve, the great wolf form. I start to shift, then *pop* wolf change is done. Solila has changed into a leopard. We nod, and bound through the trees.

I’m home in record time. I shift back in the ravine behind my house, and realize that my pants ripped in the process. Whoops. I walk up to the house, and slip in the kitchen door, and run upstairs to my room. I quick pack, and I tell my mom I’m going over to Solila’s house for the night, she can call me there, and I give her Evie’s number.

I’m out the door, and set the pack of clothes down, move a safe distance away, and shift. Very carefully, I grab the pack in my mouth, not biting into it, but gingerly between my teeth. I run back to the clearing, my…paws… hardly touching the ground. I fly by trees, automatically weaving and ducking without thinking.

As I catch the scent of Evie and Solila, I slow a little, but don’t go to a walk. I stop dead, lower my head, and shiver back into my human form. It’s weird, since I’ve always obviously always been human, but somehow the wolf form feels more natural. I feel weak and vulnerable now, not protected by claws and sharp teeth.

“Desiree? Earth to Desiree? Anyone home?” Solila comes up and then a sudden burst of air forces me backward about 5 ft.

“What the hell? What the HELL was that?” I get up as fast as I can and look at Solila’s shocked face. Evie starts laughing.

“I guess air is more powerful than you thought, huh, Desiree?” Evie laughs some more.

Brayden comes up behind me. I feel his presence before he talks or makes a sound. He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, like he never wants to let go. I look up questioning, not moving away, but wanting to know why he suddenly was so afraid to let go.

“Tell you later.” He whispers in my ear, then kisses the top back of my head, lips lingering, again, as if afraid to move away. Evie has the decency to not pay attention, and Solila is acting occupied reorganizing her things, although I know that they were perfect the first time.

Kenton comes a few minutes later, and Evie fetches the car. When she comes back, Brayden is still holding me. He reluctantly lets go, but is still walking impossibly close as we get in the silver Escalade. There are three rows, and three seats per row. That’s a bit different. Brayden and I sit in the back, next to each other. Solila and Kenton are in front of us, and then Evie is driving. She starts the car, and we’re off.

I feel a trill of fear and suspense. I haven’t felt fear firsthand in so long, it shocked me. So different from feeling someone else’s fear. I shiver as a result. Brayden knows I’m not cold, because it is still august, and as a result it is about 87 degrees out. He puts an arm around me and pulls me into his chest as close as the seatbelts allow. I unbuckle. Not like a little car accident or a big car accident could kill any of us. Just take us out of commission for a few days. We buckle up do to force of habit. Brayden unbuckles also.

“Now’s later, so tell me.” I look up at him, into those warm, brown eyes that sometimes look at me like I’m the only person in the world.

“Well, with all this stuff going on, I’m worried about you. You never show any sign of shock, or fear, and when you do, it’s only in your eyes. You won’t say it out loud. You know I’m here for you, ok? You don’t have to be so tough all the time, Desiree. And I miss you. When was the last time we talked, really talked, without being interrupted? I miss that.” He says quietly, moving the hair from my face, which I had let stay there only to have him do that.

“I know, Bray, I do, I know I can talk to you about anything and everything. I’m trying to let it sink in slowly, but it isn’t working. I know if I let myself feel what I’m feeling for once, I’ll lose it, and break down or start a massive fire. I want to talk, I want to spend time with only you.” I whisper back. His eyes soften. Then we hear a loud snore from the seat in front of us. I cover my mouth not to giggle. Brayden is struggling so hard not to laugh it makes it all the more harder for me. Another snore and I lose it, falling into him laughing. He laughs, and so does Evie. Solila and Kenton are out cold, not even twitching at the noise.

I adjust myself against my best friend in the world, who I love more than the world. The last things I remember are his strong arms holding me, Brayden smiling down softly at me, whispering “Good night, sweetheart. I’ll be right here for you if you need me.” And then I fell asleep, the last image in my head being Brayden’s smile.

I see myself in an open clearing, waiting for something, tense, in my wolf form. I feel Solila’s flank next to mine, and a furry body pressing against me on the other side, as well as another dark form next to her, and a another large wolf next to the dark form pressing my other side. Evie. A group of immortals and gifted mortals step through the trees, and form a line on either side. Another group breaks through the trees on the other side. I instinctively growl, and then leap to the throat of someone on the other side, we fight and I rake my claws down their side and they screech and run away. I see blood and destruction all around.

Some one rakes a sharp knife down my back and I howl in pain. I wake up sweaty and panting.

“Desiree, are you ok?” Brayden is partially awake.

“I don’t know.” I say shaky. I feel Brayden straighten up. I am still reeling. Was that a vision? We’ve all had visions, exactly once each. But this? This wasn’t about a test, a failing or passing grade, or when Solila and Kenton were finally going to kiss. This was bad. I see Evie looking at me in the review mirror. Kenton and Solila wake up.

Sarah, should I link us all together so you can show us instead of telling us? Kenton thinks in my head.

Yeah, and don’t forget Evie, this involves her. For real, she was being attacked with us. I think back. He doesn’t hesitate like I was expecting and links us. I shudder again at even thinking about it, and Brayden’s arms tighten around me.

I take a deep breath, and focus on the vision/dream. I shudder again coming out of it. Evie, thank God, had pulled over to the side of the road. They shake themselves out of it, all wide eyed.

“The battle is coming.” Evie whispers, fear flashing through her eyes.