from　her　gleaming　teeth　in　pleasure。　Her　red　hair　was　brilliant　as　fire；　it

blew　chaotically　around　her　wild

face。

Laurent's　words　repeated　in　my　head。　If　you　knew　what　she　had　planned　for　you

I　pressed　my　fist　against　my　mouth　to　keep　from　screaming。

11。　CULT

EACH　TIME　THAT　I　OPENED　MY　EYES　TO　THE　MORNING　light　and　realized　I'd　lived

through

another　night　was　a　surprise　to　me。　After　the　surprise　wore　off；　my　heart

would　start　to　race　and　my

palms　would　sweat；　I　couldn't　really　breathe　again　until　I'd　gotten　up　and

ascertained　that　Charlie　had

survived　as　well。

I　could　tell　he　was　worried—watching　me　jump　at　any　loud　sound；　or　my　face

suddenly　go　white　for　no

reason　that　he　could　see。　From　the　questions　he　asked　now　and　then；　he　seemed

to　blame　the　change　on

Jacob's　continued　absence。

The　terror　that　was　always　foremost　in　my　thoughts　usually　distracted　me　from

the　fact　that　another　week

had　passed；　and　Jacob　still　hadn't　called　me。　But　when　I　was　able　to

concentrate　on　my　normal　life—if

my　life　was　really　ever　normal—this　upset　me。

I　missed　him　horribly。

It　had　been　bad　enough　to　be　alone　before　I　was　scared　silly。　Now；　more　than

ever；　I　yearned　for　his

carefree　laugh　and　his　infectious　grin。　I　needed　the　safe　sanity　of　his

homemade　garage　and　his　warm

hand　around　my　cold　fingers。

I'd　half　expected　him　to　call　on　Monday。　If　there　had　been　some　progress　with

Embry；　wouldn't　he　want

to　report　it？　I　wanted　to　believe　that　it　was　worry　for　his　friend　that　was

occupying　all　his　time；　not　that　he

was　just　giving　up　on　me。

I　called　him　Tu