MY FIRST SLEEPOVER

Sitting in Lend's warm kitchen, I couldn't believe what his dad had just said. “You were--You worked there?” IPCA was kind of a lifetime thing.

“Actually, I was APCA. I got out about a decade before IPCA was formalized. Didn't think I'd ever see the day that would happen. None of the countries was willing to work with any of the others on paranormal issues. I never did find out what triggered the change.”

I swung my foot awkwardly against the floor.

“You're looking at her,” Lend said, grinning.

David raised his eyebrows. “Really? Wait, Lend, you haven't finished your story, don't think I'm going to forget.”

Lend sighed. “It's actually more Evie's story than mine, considering all I did was sit in an empty white cell. I didn't tell them anything, so they wouldn't let me go. Then their tagged paranormals started getting hit, and they finally picked up on this thing. Evie had a run-​in with it, and--”

“You saw it?” David asked me.

“We both did,” I said. I tried to shut her image out of my mind, but when I closed my eyes it was like she had burned herself onto my eyelids. “I saw her once right after she killed a hag and Jacques--a werewolf. But I couldn't see her very well.”

“It's a woman? What is it?”

Lend shrugged. “Looked like a totally normal girl to me. But Evie can see through glamours.”

Every time I thought David couldn't look any more surprised he topped it. “You can see through glamours?”

I nodded. “It's a glamourless life.” My favorite joke hurt tonight. Lish always liked that one.

He sat down heavily in another chair. “Wow. The possibilities--I've never heard of anyone being able to--That's amazing. No wonder they were finally able to find common ground to form IPCA. So what is this thing?”

“I don't know. I've never seen anything like her.” My wrist shone up at me. Well, that wasn't quite true. Stupid, stupid Reth. “She's like--like living, liquid flame. She's so bright it hurts my eyes.”

“That's new. What's her glamour?”

Lend gave me an apologetic look, then shimmered as he transformed into Fire Girl. David swore softly, looking from Lend-​as-​fire-​girl to me.

“I can't get her eyes right,” Lend said. Fire Girl's voice coming out of his mouth made me shudder. “Can't get Evie's, either.”

I felt guilty and dirty, even though I hadn't done anything wrong. David gave me a wary look. “And you brought her home?”

Lend shifted back to normal. “Dad, no, don't even start. She saved my life. That thing would have killed me. And Evie didn't just save me, she saved every werewolf there. She doesn't know who or what it is any more than we do.”

David shook his head, bothered. “Well, I guess we know what we're looking for now. Or at least a description. I have no idea what she is.”

I didn't know if he was talking about me or Fire Girl. “I'm not--You have to believe me. I'm not like her, whatever she is. She's horrible, and she killed--she killed my best friend.” My voice cracked. She took Lish away from me, from the world. I didn't ever want to think about her again, and I couldn't stand Lend's dad suspecting I was somehow in league with her.

“She broke into the Center tonight.” Lend put his arm around my shoulders. I appreciated that one little gesture more than I could say. He believed me no matter what. When I looked up, I could tell his dad did, too. His eyes were gentle and kind again. “She must have planned everything, because they had called all their paranormals in and the werewolves were sleeping, so easy targets. We barely got out. I need to talk to Mom about what we saw.”

I was surprised again. I don't know why I'd assumed he didn't have parents. Maybe he was adopted; things like Lend don't just happen. And the timing of his dad leaving APCA would have been right around when Lend was born. I definitely wanted to hear more about this.

“Can't visit her tonight, it's too cold,” Lend's dad answered, which was even more confusing.

“Evie? Are you okay?”

I was shaking. “I'm cold,” I said, trying not to let my teeth chatter. More than that I was overwhelmed and beyond exhausted.

David stood. “I'm going to give you something for your leg; it'll hurt when the numbing wears off. And if it's okay I'll give you painkillers with a sleep aid. Would you like that?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” I wasn't looking forward to trying to fall asleep tonight on my own. I wanted to check out, leave reality.

He went through a cupboard, coming back with a couple of pills and a glass of water. I chugged them; they couldn't kick in fast enough as far as I was concerned.

“Where are we going to put her?” David asked. “The guest rooms are off-​limits tonight.”

“Oh, yeah. She can sleep in my room. I'll take the couch.”

“That's okay, I'm fine on the couch.” I didn't want to be any more intrusive than I already felt.

“Saving Lend's life and breaking him out of the Center earns you a bed, I think,” David said with a smile.

“I'll take you up and get you a sweatshirt so you won't be so cold.”

“Thanks.”

“Come back down when you're done, young man. We've still got some things to talk about.”

Lend held back a sigh and nodded. The phone rang and David answered it. “He's home.” He sounded relieved. “Everything's okay. We've got some new intel, too.”

Wondering if that was Lend's mom, I stood and followed Lend up the stairs. He passed a couple of doors. Both were bolted shut with thick locks--on the outside. Nervous that his door would feature that nifty little security measure as well, I was relieved when he stopped and opened a bolt-​free door.

“Oops,” he said, picking some things up off the floor before I could see them. “Sorry, I've never had a girl in my room.” He smiled sheepishly as he shoved them in a dresser drawer.

I gave him the best smile I could manage. “I've never been in a boy's room, so we're even.” It was great, with sketches and band posters tacked up all over the pale blue walls. I wanted to just stand there, looking at how he defined himself through his room. That way I wouldn't have to think or be alone.

“Oh, here's a sweatshirt.” He pulled a dark green hoodie out of the messy closet. I put it on; it was nice to have my wrist covered up again. Plus, it smelled like Lend. It was a fresh, cool scent, like what you'd expect by a cascade or waterfall. I hugged my arms around myself, trying to get warm again.

The bed was the only thing that didn't quite fit the room. It was a four-​poster, and the headboard and footboard were elaborate, scrolling metal. It didn't go at all with the simple, soft-​looking blue comforter. I put my hand on one of the poles. “Iron.” I smiled in relief. Obviously Lend's dad knew his faerie lore. It made me feel a little bit safer--at least as far as Reth was concerned. Iron couldn't protect me from nightmares, though.

“I'll be downstairs if you need anything, okay?”

I turned and smiled. “Thanks.”

He stood there for a moment, looking awkward, then leaned in and gave me a quick hug. “Thank you,” he said, then left, closing the door behind him.

I held my breath. I didn't want to be alone. I wanted to call out, ask him to come and stay with me until I fell asleep, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'd already spent the entire night bawling in front of him.

I turned off the light, but as soon as it was dark I could see spots that reminded me of Fire Girl. I flipped the lights back on. No dark for me tonight. Climbing into bed, I curled up to get warmer under the covers.

In spite of my best efforts, I couldn't keep my mind from drifting to exactly what I didn't want to remember. Here in this warm house with a family, I was alone. I could never go back to my home at IPCA, never tell Raquel just how much she meant to me. Oh, please, I prayed to the silence, let Raquel be okay.

But my poor, sweet Lish was gone forever. In her place was the terrible beauty of Fire Girl, walking death in the sterile hallways of the Center. In my mind, she was still gliding through the rooms, cheerfully sucking the life out of anything and anyone she found.

I hoped she would never get out.