Chapter Nine

I woke sitting up. I couldn't remember what I had just dreamed, but I new it was bad. It felt like a premonition. Before I knew what was happening, Earl had wrapped his arms around me. For a second I was afraid my dream had corporalised and was attacking.

"Hey." Earl said trying to soothe me.

"You scared me." I said near tears.

"Hey, hey it's okay. I'm here." He looked freaked out.

Before I could tell him anything, Tanner walked in. He looked like he was struggling to breathe. So not good. Tanner wasn't the panic guy. He was the make jokes at every chance possible.

"Hey...girls...mad...coming here.." Tanner said panting. "Can't stop them. Thought that... you would like a warning before... they got here."

"It's okay. They would have found out sooner or later." I said chewing on my nails.

"How did they found out?" Earl asked.

"Well, I was asking Katana to make two plates of breakfast. I had my breakfast before everyone was up. I was playing it off that I was going to eat up here and keep you company. Except that chick is way more clever than her sister." Tanner explained.

"It's no biggie." I lied.

"I think I'm going to go." Earl said getting out of the bed.

"NO!" Tanner and I yelled simultaneously.

"If the girls are mad, then their going to blame me for not telling them sooner. I don't want the psycho chicks on me." Earl said.

"But she needs you man. I failed her, you can save her." Tanner said taking Earl's hands in his. "You must."

"Get off me." Earl said, but he was smiling now. Dorks.

"Tanner, you did not fail me. I want you both in here." I said. "You both act stupid all the time, but when your most needed, your like hurricanes. Nothing stops you."

"Okay. Let us know if you need anything. Say the word, and we'll do it." Earl said.

"And even if you need something without saying, we'll do it." Tanner added.

"Thanks guys. Okay, we can send them in now." I said trying to control my breathing.

The moment Jean walked into the room, I could tell that I was going to have to tell her everything. I just woke up, and she wants to grill me. Typical. Well, at least it would be out of the way. Can I ever get a break?

"How have you been? I've been so worried!" Jean exclaimed. Bullshit is what I was thinking. "Tell me what happened. How long have you been awake? Why are you still allowing him in here?"

"Million question much?" I asked. "I'm fine, thank you. After all that demon stuff, I was exhausted, and I had to do the spells and stuff. I was hardly standing as it was. I wasn't in the mood for the guys usual banter.

"When Earl went outside to apologize, I wasn't doing so hot. After I cooled down a little, we were heading inside, and the next thing I knew I was here. I woke up during dinner last night, but I've been sleeping like a, well little less than normal person." That last comment pissed me off. "And he's here because he's been taking care of me. Simple as that. I can't even walk by myself yet. I'm not going to give up free help. You'd have to be insane to do that.

"Now that that's out of the way, I'm sorry how I treated you guys. As soon as I'm better, I'm making everyone sorry brownies. You guys don't hate me do you?

"Why would we hate you? You didn't do anything to us. You were buried deep inside your head, it wasn't you. It was that ugly ass demon. We still love you. We're family." Ben said. "But you have one ugly boyfriend chained up in a cage in the basement."

"First, break up, second kill him. Check and check." I said.

"No." Earl said. "You can't hurt the idiot. Marrie and Katana can go with you, but not killing. That means no weapons, Katana."

"Damn." Katana said placing a sword and several daggers on a table by the door.

"My head hurts." I said. It sounded kind of random, but it needed to be said. I felt warm liquid flow down from my nose. Pain was every where.

"Towel." Earl said jumping to action the same time Tanner did.

"What?" I asked confused.

"Your nose is bleeding." Earl said.

"Here. You guys go outside. I'll stay here with her." Tanner said as he handed me the wet towel. "Earl, you take them outside and explain what's going on. She needs to rest."

"Sure. I'll be back." He said taking everyone out of the room.

I sat back in the bed with the rag under my nose. The bleeding stopped when everyone left. I think it was the stress. However, laying in bed is really boring, so I turned the TV on. Tanner was in the bathroom getting me a fresh towel when the news came on.

My house, or lack-there-of, was on the screen. Everything was in shambles and burning. Spelled out in the ruck age was a note to me. It said, 'we have them.' Cameron was burnt onto the lawn. They had my family! They took my family because we had Cameron. How did they know he was still alive?

I knew the answer to that. They could feel each other. That's how I could go from one side of the school and go straight to the others. I turned my attention back to the screen. The police had found a note left unmarked by the damage.

"'We want him back. We'll give you all of them for him. If you don't comply by tomorrow night, we'll kill the girl.' We don't know which girl they're talking about or who this Cameron is. We are trying our hardest to get this family back home. We'll be putting them in a temporary home once we've retrieved the,m. That is all I can say at this time..." The Sheriff stated.

"NO!" I screamed and my world went black...again.

I woke five minutes later. No one even noticed I got up. I took a sword that was sitting on the table and walked out the door. "Those Bastards have my family." I said pissed.

Everyone was in awe. Just staring. Have I mentioned I hate staring? It makes me uncomfortable. Right now that didn't matter, they took my baby sister, and threatened her. They just made the worst mistake possible. She meant everything to me, and I will do anything to protect her.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Marrie said with triumph. "They're gonna get it, and get it good."

"Their asses are grass." Katana said smirking.

"Kacie! You're walking!" This is incredible, You could hardly move a moment ago, and look at you now!" Earl exclaimed happily. He picked me up and spun me in a circle. You honestly would think he was smarter than that.

"Easy Earl. Don't want her lapsing, do we?" Ben asked. At least the family wasn't doomed, Ben was smarter than his brother.

"Earl." I said coldly. "Take me to the gym. I have to train."

"Sure." He said. "It'll give us time to talk."

When we were alone he seemed like he didn't know what to say. Right now, I preferred the silence. I needed to think. Of course, that didn't last long. Earl spoke.

"Well? Have you given it any thought about what I said two weeks ago?" Great, he had to ask that now.

"I have." I said shortly.

"What do you say?" He asked hopefully. Why did he have to be so thrilled about this?

"I do. I just don't want to answer it right now." I said. "My sister is in danger."

"Do you need more time to think about it?" He asked disappointed. Why could I live a normal life? Honestly?

"We'll talk about it later, okay." I said

We went into the gym. There were several different things in here. I just wanted to hit something, so I went to the punching bag. Every time I kicked it, or punched it, it moved away from me. I could feel everyone watching me. I turned around suddenly, to them. "I want to see Cameron, now."

At first no one said a word. I was going to see him with or without their help. If it took me all day, I would search this place from top to bottom. I didn't care, I needed answers, and I was going to get them. Finally, Earl spoke. The rest looked afraid of me.

"Are you sure that's smart?"

"Why not? I need answers and he's the only one who can give it to me." I said heading out the gym. Earl gave in and took me to Cameron.

A/N: That's it for now. It may be awhile before I can update for awhile. Will do as soon as I am able.