Prologue

PROLOGUE

Trixie

"Who's there?" A man demands.

A flashlight sweeps the barn, and I scoot as far back into the dark corner as I can.

No, no, no. I can't let him see me.

For all I know, the people who live at the farm are Silver Hunters–evil people who want to kill all supernaturals. Evil people who want to kill me.

Evil people who have killed my friends.

Anyone could be a Silver Hunter, and that's the awful truth. No matter where I go, I can't be safe.

Not even at home. Especially not at my school.

"I know someone is in here." His footsteps sound across the cold barn.

My heart races in my chest as fear grips me tightly. I can feel his presence getting closer to me, and I know I have to do something. But what? My mind races as I try to come up with a plan, but I'm frozen in place.

Suddenly, the beam of light lands on me, and I gasp. I'm caught. The man sees me, and I know I'm in trouble.

"Who are you?" he demands, his voice low and dangerous.

I stay silent, hoping that maybe he'll just walk away and leave me be. But he doesn't. Instead, he takes a step closer to me, shining the bright light directly on my face. I squint, trying to shield my eyes from the blinding brightness.

"Answer me," he growls.

"I-I'm just, um, looking for my cat," I stutter, hoping that he'll believe me.

The man studies me a moment longer. “In my barn?”

“Um…” I lick my lips, considering just running for it.

He lowers the flashlight. “Why don’t you come inside, kid? My wife just made some soup. You can eat and get warmed up.”

The thought of getting a meal and escaping the cold for a bit almost makes me whimper with relief. I know I shouldn’t just blindly trust a stranger, but I’m so hungry it feels like my stomach is eating itself.

“Okay.” I stand. “Thank you.”

“I’m Dan. What’s your name?”

“Trixie.” I make my way out of the corner.

"Where do you go to school?" He takes a step towards me.

“Haw…” I bite my lip. Saying I go to Hawthorn gives too much away.

If this man is a Silver Hunter, then he’ll know that Hawthorn is a boarding school for supernaturals. He might even be one of the Silver Hunters who attacked Hawthorn.

Recognition glints in his eyes. “Hawthorn?”

I stay silent, too afraid to speak.

He gets even closer. "Come on inside. We'll take good care of you. Don't you worry?"

I gasp. Oh, no. I was right. He is a Silver Hunter!

Pushing off the floor, I run past him and out the barn door.

I sprint across the fields, my heart thundering in my chest. Behind me, I can hear the man's footsteps pounding the earth. My breath comes in ragged gasps as I run as fast as I possibly can, my feet pounding the ground with each step. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up; my legs feel like they're on fire, and my lungs are burning with the effort of drawing in enough air to keep me going.

I glance behind me and see that the man is getting closer, his footsteps falling heavy and fast. I can feel his breath on my neck, his hand reaching out to grab me. With a sudden burst of energy, I lunge forward and dive into the thick underbrush that lines the path. The man curses behind me as he crashes through the underbrush, his footsteps fading gradually as I put more and more distance between us.

I keep running until I'm sure that he's far behind me, then I stop and catch my breath. I'm panting heavily, sweat pouring down my face, but I'm alive. I look around me, taking in my surroundings. I'm in the middle of a dense forest surrounded by tall trees and thick underbrush. It doesn't seem like anyone has been here for a long time.

The moon is high in the sky, casting a pale glow over the farm. I dart between the shadows, trying to stay hidden. The last thing I need is to run into another Silver Hunter.

The tears come, but I brush them away. I have to be strong.

It's been weeks since I escaped Hawthorn Academy when the Silver Hunters were attacking it. Weeks since, I called my parents and got no answer. Weeks since I hitched a ride to our house thirty miles away from school and found the place wrecked, no sign of them. It was only broken windows and turned-over furniture.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened. The Silver Hunters got my parents.

I wipe away my tears. I need to keep moving, find a safe place to hide for the night. I steel myself and step back into the shadows, my senses on high alert.

I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but for tonight, I need to focus on surviving.

Suddenly, an animal growls. I gasp and freeze.

Spinning around, I search the woods for the source of the growl. I can't see anything, though.

Another growl. Then another.

Then several more.

My heart climbs into my throat. It sounds like a whole pack of wolves are surrounding me.

I whimper, almost wanting to crawl into a ball and give up. I can't, though. I've been running and hiding for weeks, and though I don't know where I'm headed, I sure as hell won't be dying out here.

I slowly back away, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. The growling gets louder and closer, and I can feel the wolves closing in on me. My heart hammers in my chest as I try to come up with a plan. I look around frantically for something – anything – that I can use to defend myself.

That's when I spot it. A thick branch is lying on the ground nearby, just within reach. I dart over to it and pick it up, holding it tightly in my hands. It's not much, but it's better than nothing.

The growling gets louder, and I can hear the wolves closing in on me, though I still don't see them. I plant my feet firmly on the ground, ready to fight for my life.

There's the sound of sticks snapping, and I spin around, my stick raised. But it's a person who steps out of the bushes, not a wolf.

And not any person.

In the moonlight, I can see that it's my classmate, Melvin.

"Oh, my God!" I rush to him, drop the stick, and throw my arms around him.

He flinches at first, startled by my sudden embrace, but then he realizes who I am and hugs me back. "Trixie?" he says, confusion in his voice.

"Yeah, it's me," I say, pulling away to look at him. He looks just as shocked to see me as I am to see him. "There are wolves. We have to get out of here!"

He cocks his head. "I don't hear anything."

Holding my breath, I listen. He's right. The growling has stopped.

I shake my head, still in shock from the adrenaline rushing through my veins. "I swear, I heard them. They were all around me."

Melvin looks around, his eyes scanning the darkness. "Well, we should probably keep moving then, just in case."

I nod, still feeling on edge. We start walking, side by side, deeper into the forest. It's been so long since I've talked to anyone, and the sound of Melvin's voice is a comfort to me. For weeks, I've been stealing food out of dumpsters and trash bins, avoiding everyone because anyone could be a Silver Hunter.

"What are you doing out here?" I ask.

"I could ask you the same thing," he says, still holding onto my shoulders. "I can't believe it's you, Melvin. How did you survive the attack?"

He grimaces. "I barely made it out. I've been hiding in the woods, trying to avoid the Silver Hunters."

"I've been doing the same," I say, and we both look at each other, realizing that we're in the same boat. "For how long? This whole time?"

He hesitates, looking confused. "Actually, I... I don't really know. I can't remember much. The last few days have been so blurry."

"It's been weeks," I tell him. "Not days."

What's wrong with him? Is he in that much shock?

Melvin looks at me with a dazed expression on his face. "Weeks? No, that can't be right. It feels like I've only been out here for a few days."

I furrow my eyebrows, worried. "Are you okay? You don't look so good."

He shakes his head, looking disoriented. "I don't know. I haven't been feeling like myself lately."

I put my arm around him, leading him deeper into the woods. "Let's find a safe place to rest for the night. We can talk more in the morning."

"We need to stick together," he says, and I nod in agreement.

I'm so happy that I start crying. Melvin was one of the first people I met when I arrived at Hawthorn this year. As a new student, I didn't know a single person, and I was terrified of not making friends. I had always known my family were supernaturals, but until starting my first year at Hawthorn, I'd lived a pretty normal life. Even now, my shifter powers still haven't manifested.

I nod, not really knowing what else to say. The two of us fall into a comfortable silence, walking through the forest together. It's almost like old times before the world fell apart.

"I don't know where to go," I say. "Or what to do. There's no one we can trust, and I haven't seen anyone else from school. They're all..." My voice shakes. "They're all probably dead."

Melvin doesn't answer. Instead, he just stares straight ahead. He's probably too upset and doesn't want me to see him emotional.

"There's an empty trailer by the highway," I tell him. "I think we're close to it. We could sleep in there tonight... Melvin?"

Again, he doesn't answer. He's just walking straight ahead as if he doesn't hear me.

A shiver runs through me. Something is wrong.

I reach out and grab Melvin's arm, stopping him in his tracks. "What's going on? Why aren't you answering me?"

He stares at me, his dark eyes not even blinking.

"Melvin?" I step in front of him.

He blinks, and suddenly his eyes turn red.

A slow smile spreads across his face. I go cold all over. This isn't the funny, smart kid I met at school. Something is wrong with him.

As I take a step back, his eyes glow even brighter. He tilts his head back and lets out a guttural growl that sounds nothing like a human.

Without hesitation, I turn and run as fast as I can. I hear Melvin's footsteps pounding on the ground behind me, his growls turning into snarls. I can feel his breath on my neck.

I'm not going to make it.

I push myself to run faster, my heart pounding in my chest. I can feel Melvin's hand graze my shoulder, but I manage to dodge him and keep running.

I see the trailer up ahead and make a run for it. I fumble with the lock, my hands shaking as I try to get it open. Melvin is getting closer, his growls getting louder.

Finally, the door unlocks, and I push it open, slipping inside and slamming it shut behind me.

Melvin slams against the door, his snarls turning into something more demonic. I can hear his claws scratching at the metal.

I back away, my heart pounding in fear. Melvin is no longer himself. He's turned into something else entirely different.

I'm alone, trapped in a trailer with a monster outside, trying to get in. But I won't give up. I won't let them win.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. I have to keep moving, keep fighting. Maybe I can find a way out of here. Maybe there's a weapon I can use against Melvin.

I started searching through the trailer, looking for anything that could help me. A knife, a bat. Anything.

Suddenly, the door flies off its hinges and hits the carpet with a bang. I scream, my legs going weak.

Melvin charges in and grabs my leg. I go down. Hard. Stars spin in my vision and my whole body aches.

"Melvin!" I scream. "Stop!"

But he's already dragging me out the door.

I fight back with all my strength, trying to break free from his grasp. But it's no use. He's too strong.

As he drags me through the forest, I can hear the sound of his growls and snarls echoing all around us. I try to reason with him, hoping that I can reach the real Melvin inside the monster he's become.

"Melvin, please!" I shout. "I know you're in there somewhere. Fight it!"

But he doesn't respond. It's as if he doesn't hear me at all.

He drags me deeper, deeper into the forest, pulling me across the snow. With every foot we pass, I lose my hope.

I've fought so hard for weeks, but none of that matters now. I won't be making it out of these woods alive.

I'm done for.