The Gathering

by Kelley Armstrong

  "You sensed someone?"

  He made a face. "Now that really sounds nuts."

  "Hey, if you're okay with me imagining myself as a pine marten, I'm okay with you sensing unseen assailants."

  He laughed. "Mina Lee was right. The isolation is driving us crazy. We just hadn't realized it yet."

  "Not the isolation. The mad science experiments. They've spiked the water with hallucinogens." I headed back to the sidewalk. "Your instincts are usually pretty good, though. Maybe Mina is lurking around here and you caught a glimpse of her. Let's wander a bit, see if we spot anyone."

  TWENTY

  WE ROAMED THE DOCKS and side streets for a while, but Daniel didn't pick up any more hints of danger. Had there ever been a threat? I don't know. Daniel's always been protective, but it's gotten worse in the last year. Since Serena's death.

  Maybe this was his way of dealing with the guilt. He couldn't save her, so now he was on hyperalert with me, and being outside Salmon Creek only made him more anxious.

  Finally, we headed to Pirate Chips on Commercial. It's a tiny place--seven counter seats and barely room to turn around. The best spot to sit is on the bench out front, near the wooden pirate. It's usually filled with teens, but today, maybe because it was Sunday, we had it to ourselves.

  I got pierogies and poutine. Daniel ordered his usual: fish and a deep fried Aero bar with ice cream. I didn't comment on the bar. I used to ... until he pointed out that it was no worse than my poutine--fries with gravy and cheese curds.

  "You wanted to talk to me," I said when we were halfway through our meal. "Or have you decided you'd rather not incur my wrath?"

  He grinned. "Sorry, Maya, but your wrath isn't all that frightening." He leaned back on the bench and let out a sigh. "You are going to be mad at me, though." He spooned off a chunk of his bar before continuing. "When Corey said the reporter asked about Serena, it reminded me of stuff that happened right before she died."

  I stopped in midbite, stomach clenching.

  "Serena was going to talk to you about it, but she didn't get a chance. After she died, I was afraid it would seem like she'd confided in me and not you, and you didn't need that."

  "What about?"

  "She'd been feeling off," he said. "Not sick. Just ... off. Run-down no matter how much sleep she got. You were prepping for that Labor Day track meet, and Brendan had just sprained his ankle, sidelining him. You were under a lot of pressure to cover for him, and she didn't want you worrying about her. She had that singing competition coming up, so she was stressed and she figured that was the problem. She only told me because we were supposed to go to Nanaimo to catch a movie and she had to beg off. Her mom and dad were making her go to the clinic."

  He set his spoon down in the bowl. "They gave her meds, but they were too strong. She went from feeling tired to being hyper and restless. Her mom called the clinic, and they told her Serena should stop taking them and come back in on Monday morning. Only by Monday ..."

  "She'd drowned," I murmured. "When did her mom call about it?"

  "Saturday, when Serena was getting ready to go meet you at the lake."

  "So she'd probably already taken them for the day. You think that had something to do with her death."

  "Not at first. Sure she was hyper, like she'd had a couple of energy drinks, but if I didn't know about the meds, I'd have chalked it up to a good mood. I wouldn't have suggested she skip swimming. It was only later that I started to wonder. What's always bugged me most is how it happened to her. How does a champion swimmer drown in a lake she's swum in all her life? The obvious answer is a cramp, of course. But Serena never got them."

  "You think the medication did something."

  "I think it's possible. They said it was new."

  Around here, "new" meant it was a drug they were researching at the lab. They only use those with us if the drugs are at the very end of the testing regime. They're convinced it's safe, and they're giving it to us because it's the best around, not because we're guinea pigs. But that won't fly in court.

  Daniel continued, "If a side effect caused her death, they'd be ruined."

  "So they hush it up. They jump at the chance to let Serena's parents relocate. Now this woman is in town, a reporter or a spy, cozying up to the kids and asking about Serena."

  "We need to talk to her."

  Mina Lee was renting a cottage outside town. That wasn't unusual. There were no motels, no inns, no bed-and-breakfasts. All part of Salmon Creek's attitude toward tourists in general, which was kind of like their attitude toward wildlife within the town limits. Treat them with civility and respect, but don't give them any excuse to stick around.

  The Braun place was the nearest rental property. We knew exactly where it was. Knew how to get in, too--there was a key in the shed. The cottage was Salmon Creek's version of Make-out Point, and was a whole lot more comfortable than the backseat of a car. Not that I'd know. Bringing a summer guy to a place with beds sent a message I was nowhere near ready to send. For town kids, though, while I'm sure some of them had sex there, most just used it as a place to get some privacy. Not exactly fair to the owners, but kids made sure they left it the way they found it, so the Brauns never caught on.

  When we'd driven up, there was a rental car in the drive, which suggested Mina Lee was there. We knocked, but no one answered. We peered through the windows. All the lights were off and there was no sign of her. We walked over and shouted by the path leading into the woods. No answer. Either she was out for an evening hike or she'd walked into town, hoping it'd be easier to sneak around without her car.

  I mentioned the key to Daniel, but he didn't like the idea of snooping through her stuff, and I had to agree that, no matter how badly I wanted answers, that crossed a line. We'd just have to keep phoning her. We could see that her stuff was still inside, so at least she hadn't left yet.

  Daniel and I tended my animals, then did homework at my place until nine. I didn't stay up long after that. I was exhausted, and fell into a nightmare-free sleep. I'd solved the mystery of the old woman. I hadn't seen a cougar all day. I was taking steps to find out what happened to Serena. And as for Rafe, well, I was pretty sure that door was closed, so apparently my subconscious wasn't going to worry about it. I slept and I slept well.

  Slept a little too well, actually. I woke to a text from Daniel asking if he could pick me up early and we'd swing by the Braun place, talk to Mina before school. By the time I got his message, it was already too late, especially since I didn't want to ask Dad to feed the animals again.

  I called Daniel. He said that was fine--after he sent the text he realized an early morning visit might not be the best way to get on Mina's good side. We'd go later.

  I got to school with no expectation that Rafe would speak to me. No expectation that he'd pay any attention to me at all. Yet as often as I told myself it was over, I hoped it wasn't. As often as I told myself I was happy if it was over, I wasn't.

  So when Daniel and I walked from the parking lot and saw Rafe there, I was sure that meant something. And apparently, it did. It meant he knew everyone thought he'd dosed me at the party and he was there to meet his accusers head-on.

  We were both disappointed. Rafe made no attempt to speak to me. No one made any attempt to confront him about Saturday night. Daniel had gotten the word out yesterday that as far as we were concerned, Rafe hadn't done it.

  If Rafe had totally snubbed me, then I'd know he was still mad, which meant he felt something. But he acted like he would have a week ago. It was as if that connection between us never happened, which made it clear that it had just happened for me. The only thing that hurt worse was the humiliation of knowing I'd fallen for him, just like every other girl, and ended up like them, mooning over him.

  I wanted to curl up in a hole. I didn't. I had to face the problem, which meant I had to face Rafe.

  Despite what Daniel had said, there were still rumblings. Corey and Brendan shot Rafe a few glances that suggested he'd
better not be caught alone with them in the locker room. Trouble was brewing. To prove that I didn't think Rafe had dosed me, I needed to suck it up and be seen talking to him.

  Easier said than done. He wasn't avoiding me, but when I tried to find him on our ten-minute break between morning classes, he was nowhere to be seen. The same couldn't be said for Hayley. When I turned into an empty hall, she cornered me.

  "I didn't appreciate that stunt you pulled at the party," she said. "Walking in on me and Corey so Rafe could see us together."

  "It was a mistake."

  "The door was closed--"

  "And I didn't hear anyone inside. An honest mistake. More honest than, say, spiking someone's drink, hoping she'll get caught with another guy. Only she gets caught with the guy, which kind of ruined the whole thing."

  Hayley stared at me, then said, "You think I'm the one who dosed your drink? Hoping what? That you'd let Brendan finally get a shot at you? You'd discover you have the hots for Daniel? Please. I don't think anyone put anything in your drink. I think you faked it."

  "Faked it?"

  "Sure. You get all slutty with Rafe. You freak out. You cry date rape drug."

  "Excuse me?" said a voice behind us. We turned to see Sam bearing down on Hayley. "Did you just say what I think you said? You'd better be damned sure of your facts before you accuse any girl of that. What if someone slips you a roofie? Worse yet, rapes you while you're dosed? Would you want anyone even suggesting you faked it?"

  I expected Hayley to tell Sam to go to hell. She didn't. She actually flushed, gaze dropping as she muttered, "I didn't mean it like that."

  "I bet you'd never have said it if it wasn't Maya. What's your problem with her, anyway? Some kind of cliched popular girls rivalry? Cheerleader versus valedictorian? News flash, Hayley--rivalries only work if both sides realize they're rivals."

  Hayley walked away.

  "See," Sam said, "that's why I don't want to be popular."

  I laughed, and we headed to class.

  I decided to track Rafe down after lunch, when everyone had gone outside to play basketball. I excused myself from the game and went in search of him, planning to repeat my offer to visit Annie. I suspected he wouldn't take me up on it, but I'd make the effort.

  It took me a while to find him. Finally, I rounded the back corner of the school to see him there, hidden in a doorway. He was leaning back, smiling his fake sexy smile--not at me, but at the girl standing in front of him. He leaned toward her, talking, his fingers resting on her arm, enrapt in conversation ... with Hayley Morris.

  TWENTY-ONE

  I BACKED AROUND THE corner so fast I stumbled into one of the little kids. I apologized, then broke into a fast walk and didn't stop until I was in the bathroom. I would say my humiliation was complete at that point. But it wasn't. The end of lunch bell rang, we went back to class, and there were two empty seats in our class--Rafe's and Hayley's--and they stayed empty for the rest of the afternoon.

  I was looking forward to my visit to Mina with Daniel, which I hoped would slap thoughts of Rafe out of my head. Then, in last class, the boxing coach came by and told the guys that he needed to reschedule tomorrow's early morning meeting for four thirty today. So no visit.

  Daniel knew something was bugging me and insisted on driving me to the park gates. He promised to call me later so we could pay Mina a visit that night.

  Kenjii had been waiting at the gate and walked home beside me as usual. Otherwise, the woods were silent and still. I caught a whiff of what could have been smoke. I hoped not.

  Last night Dad had said a small outbreak of fire had been spreading inland. Luckily, that's mostly uninhabited wilderness, and they hoped to have any blazes under control soon. Salmon Creek had once been evacuated for wildfires--before we moved here--but it had just been a precaution. Still, it worried me. Nothing is more devastating to a forest than fire. It was enough to make me wish for our typically rainy fall weather.

  As I approached the house, I heard someone sawing wood. Had Walter--Dad's seasonal assistant--come back to Salmon Creek to help Dad because of the wildfires? Was he working on Fitz's tree house in the meantime? It would be a good ending to a lousy day, but when I didn't see Walter's truck in the lane, I figured Dad was cutting up firewood.

  When I rounded the house to say hi to him, I saw a figure in the yard, using a handsaw on a small stack of boards. Fitz was stretched out in a sunny patch by his feet. I stopped and stared. Stared so long that Kenjii whined and nudged my hand.

  Rafe turned and saw me. He brushed his hair back and smiled, the crooked "real" smile that made my breath catch.

  He waved at the pile of wood. Beside it was the blueprint for Fitz's tree house. "I owe you a birthday present. You mentioned this yesterday. I asked your mom, and she said it would be all right if I gave it a shot. Can't promise anything, but I'm pretty good with a hammer and saw."

  "Oh." A stupid thing to say, but all I could think of.

  The smile fell. "Or if you'd rather I didn't ..."

  "No, that's ... Thanks. It's just ..." It's just that I have no idea where this came from, and what you're doing here, and why you're doing this. I looked at him. "You didn't say a word to me at school today."

  "You didn't say a word to me."

  "I was going to. I wanted to talk to you about visiting Annie, but you were with Hayley."

  "Yeah, I heard the rumor that she'd been the one who dosed you. I figured if I could prove it, that might help. She thought I was mad at you, so I used that, chatting her up, trying to get her to admit she'd done it. Nothing, though."

  "You didn't come back after lunch."

  "Came here to see if I could work on this. Surprise you."

  "Hayley left, too."

  "Yeah, she's, uh, over by McGill Lake waiting for me. Or she was. I said I was cutting out early, heading there for a swim, hinted she was welcome to join me. I was hoping that would get her to spill about the drugs. Not the nicest thing I've ever done, but if she did dose you, she deserves it, and if she didn't, maybe she'll decide I'm a total jerk and back off." He stepped toward me. "I was a jerk yesterday, Maya, and I don't blame you for backing off. But you said you were confused, and so was I."

  "Because of the drug thing."

  "Not just that. I wasn't sure about the party, if you were inviting me because you wanted me there or you just wanted to be nice after meeting Annie. I finally decided to go and I wasn't expecting anything, but then it started out good. Really good. The climb and us talking. And then you went back to your friends, which I totally understood. But I figured maybe it was a hint, too--you'd played good hostess, and your job was done. So I took off for a while. Checked in on Annie. Came back and, bam, everything was good again. We go up to the roof and things are really good, even after I made an ass of myself confessing all that stuff. But then I find out you were drugged, so I don't know if you do like me or it was the dope. I spend the night worrying about it. I talk to you. Everything seems cool again ... only it's not cool and I get the feeling you'd be a whole lot happier if I just went away and stayed away."

  He wasn't wrong. About any of it. Even the last part. But happier wasn't the right word. More like relieved. Whatever was happening between us, it was too much, too fast, and I worried I was going to get hurt. I'd never been hurt before, not like that.

  When I went out with guys, I liked it fun and casual. I had a good time while they were around, and when they left, I was okay with that. But if Rafe said he was leaving, I wouldn't be okay with that and it scared me.

  "So ..." he said when I didn't answer. "I'm here doing something to apologize, because I know that I handled yesterday badly. I pushed too hard, too fast, and stormed off in a temper when you needed me to slow down. It won't happen again. I'd like to turn back the clock to Saturday night, when we were talking, hanging out. I promise not to try to get you back into the woods." He paused. "For at least forty-eight hours."

  I laughed. "So you are on a schedule."

>   "No, I'm impatient. But I will wait."

  "For forty-eight hours. And if there's no make-out session by then, time's up."

  "No. I said I won't try for forty-eight hours. What happens after that is up to you." He met my gaze. "It always will be."

  My cheeks heated. I glanced over at the pile of wood and tools. "You don't have to do that."

  "I want to." He picked up the saw as I crouched to pet Fitz. "Like I said, Mom was a carver. Annie got her creative talent, but I learned the woodworking stuff."

  He placed another plank on the saw boards.

  I straightened. "I should probably say hi to my parents. Can I get you a drink?"

  "Water would be good."

  I picked up my backpack and went in the rear door. My parents were in the kitchen. Mom was chopping vegetables at the sink and Dad was sitting at the table, both facing the window with a clear view of the backyard ... and Rafe.

  We did the usual "how was your day" stuff, but it was awkward, like we were all trying very hard not to be the first to mention the new guy in our yard. Finally, I thanked Mom for letting him take a shot at the plans.

  "He seems to know what he's doing," she said. "And it is a nice gesture. Very sweet."

  She said sweet in a weird way, like it surprised her or like she wasn't sure what to make of it.

  Dad said, "I'd be a lot more impressed if he wasn't skipping school to do it." His tone told me he wouldn't be impressed at all, school or no school.

  Neither seemed particularly thrilled to have him in our backyard. I wondered what they'd heard about him. No, strike that. I didn't need to wonder. If anything negative was being said about "the new boy," they'd heard it. My parents weren't as involved in the town as others, but that only meant they heard gossip the next day rather than within the hour.

  "So ..." Mom said, chopping a pepper from the garden. "I didn't know you were friends with Rafael."

  I shrugged as I added ice to an empty glass. "It's recent."

  She pushed the peppers into a bowl. "That tree house is a big undertaking. More than I'd expect from a new friend."

  "Are you seeing him?" Dad cut in. "Dating?"