J Meyers

“Hold on." Luke didn't move. "You can do that--take me along with you--and you've let us get in trouble for being late to school?""Luke!""I'm just saying.”

“He didn't know why the Shadows wanted the brother and sister, but if he allowed himself to dwell on it too long he knew in his gut that finding them meant their deaths.So he didn't allow himself to think about it.”

“Vampires are evil. Menacing. Scary." She glanced at Luke. "That's what it said online." She waited for Jonas to respond. He didn't. "Aren't they?""Am I?""Hell, yeah. Sometimes.""Are you a total delight all the time?"Luke spoke up. "Hell, no." Sera looked around for something to throw at him. There wasn't anything. "I speak from experience," he said, laughing.”

“You?""Yes.""By yourself?""No, Jonas." Sera turned around and planted her hands on her hips. "I thought I'd call the police and ask them to come along." She mimed holding a phone to her ear. "Hi, my brother and boyfriend have been kidnapped by vampires and taken into the Realm. Can you help me save them?' Oh, but I should probably tell them to beware of the goblins and faeries they may encounter on the way."Jonas's jaw dropped. "You've seen goblins and faeries? Together?”

“She reached out to him and stroked his cheek. His skin was like velvet as he leaned his face into her hand and closed his eyes. He breathed a sigh and her eyes drifted to his lips. Soft, luscious. Her lips ached to take the kiss there. She leaned in towards Jonas, but he opened his eyes and placed two fingers on her lips to stop her.”

“Jonas, stop doing that!""What? Helping you?" He picked up the knife she'd dropped and handed it to her."No, popping out of thin air."Jonas smiled at her then. A huge grin, and shook his head. Then gave one quick nod, turned and was gone.”

“She set her mouth, lifted her chin. "I'm not leaving you here. No matter what.”

“Luke sighed. "Wonder Twin powers then?" he said to her.”

“Wow," Luke said. "I'm amazing!"Sera smiled. "I think amazing is a bit strong, don't you?" She looked at Jonas."A bit," Jonas said, a smile playing on his lips.”

“Let me tell you something," Marc said. "I'm done with you. I've lost everything because of you." He got to his feet and waved his arms around in the air. "I have no family, no friends-""You have us," Sera said in a quiet voice."-no life." Marc looked at Sera and shook his head. "I don't want you. I want my old life back.”

“You're not," Jonas said, "a freak.""Says the psychic and the vampire," Sera said. "Forgive me if I don't take your word for it. You two are not exactly the experts on normal.”

“he'd reached his car, turned to look at her. "Don't look at me like that, Sera. It's not fair." He looked away and took a breath, shaking his head slightly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean...It's just too much for me. You're too much.”

“She wondered briefly if perhaps she could leave her broken heart here in the cemetery and just take the rest of her home.”

“He was different from anyone she'd ever known. And after what had almost happened when they'd crossed into the Realm-well, she wasn't quite sure what to make of him.”

“Jonas was at her side. She didn't know why he'd risked his life for her so many times, but she was forever indebted to him.”

“You are in my heart for what you did, and you always will be," she said. "I just don't know how to thank you. The words don't begin to cover it." Jonas stared at her for a moment, then said, "You just did.”

“I'd never lie to you, though," Raquel said, then laughed. "I'm kidding! Of course I would. I lie to everyone. Honest!”

“And then she knew. No vision had ever terrified him. Never. In seventeen years. It was as if his own life were at stake. But he didn't See his own future. He only saw other's. She suddenly had a terrible feeling that she knew exactly whose future he'd Seen. Her voice was a whisper. "Do I get hurt?" His face contorted, but he didn't say anything. "Oh my god. Do I die?" He closed his eyes. "Oh." The air rushed out of her lungs on that one word. She was going to die. Luke's voice was tight, tortured when he said, "We gotta go." He bent down to pick up Sera's bag again, then headed out the door. Sera looked down at her feet. Their book bags lay there. She should probably pick those up, she thought. Luke was already on the porch, waiting. She reached down and grasped the bags, then woodenly stepped outside. Luke stared at her a moment, searching her face, then reached around her and locked the door. He started down the steps, but her voice stopped him. "Luke?" He turned to look at her. She was going to die. She knew she was going to die. But she couldn't stop herself from asking even though she already knew the answer. "Have you ever had a vision that didn't come true?" she said. "Ever?”