Unknown.

9- I'm sorry.

"Oh God oh God oh God oh God oh God..." A familiar women's voice makes me rise from my sleep. "I've never seen so much red blood!"

"Can you believe that Caroline knocked Eve out?!?" Another voice replies to the first, this one sounding younger. "I mean... The way Caroline kicked Eve's head was horrible. I've never seen anybody so mad."

I feel a hand touch my head, a prickle of queasiness submerging into my mind. I focus on my body and notice that there is no way I can be on the family's lawn because I don't feel the sun beating down on me nor the breeze flowing through my hair. I'm not in the family's car either... I'm laying on my back.

I try to open my eyes but they stay sewn shut, the feeling sending a surge of pain through my head, part of the pain stabbing into my eyes like knives. I cry out and try to reach up to somehow dull the pain but my arms catch on something and before I realize it's someone's hand it's too late... My hands are slammed back down on whatever surface I am sprawled across.

   I moan, my words coming out into a blurred sentence that is in no way interpretable. I hear a sigh, and then two hands are in my hair, fingers gently rubbing it and reducing the pain.

"Eve, you're going to have to stay as still as possible, okay? We have to spread some Daze on your head so that you heal." Monnet's recognizable voice registers, my memory gathering that she was the one to wake me from my slumber. "Caroline whacked your head pretty bad."

I do as she asks, and slowly, the pair of hands that had held my hands down release them, letting them lie still against the soft surface. Not seconds later one of the hands slip into mine and I don't move my hand away, listening as Jade's voice coos into the air.

"I know this is probably weird holding hands with me, Eve, but I noticed you don't seem to be able to talk or open your eyes... I think you got a major concussion..." She clears her throat, her smooth voice taking a moment to slip back into the air again. "And, sorry to tell you this, but, you have two black eyes from where she poked you and huge cuts on your arms from her two creatures that grabbed you when you tried to run."

Suddenly I become aware of the pain in my arm and feel the features in my face transform into a grimace. Every stinkin' body part seems to either be hurting or sore.

"Anyways, I wanted to communicate through touch. Squeeze my hand once if you understand everything I'm saying." Jade finishes.

I squeeze her hand gently one time and she squeezes my fingers right back, joy filling the air as her excited voice speaks, "Oh thank the Lord..."

I smile at her response and then realize that the headaches in my head are slowly depleting and the loud thudding in my ears has calmed.

"Okay, now that I know you can hear me," Jade starts, her hand sliding out from mine. "I want you to know a few things."

"We are all safe, thankfully, and if you want to know where we are, we are at a friend's house. Don't freak out, this friend won't turn on us and kidnap you..." A laugh rolls off Jade's tongue. "This friend is like family."

When there is no more pain surging through my head, I nearly open my eyes until I feel a cold substance on them, fingers smothering my eyes in it.

   "Don't panic, my mom is putting Daze on your eyes for you." Jade informs me, and then continues on talking. "My father knows a man who might be able to give us a clue as to what you might be, so once you are healed and have gotten some rest Wolfe is going to take you to him."

  The coolness on my eyes relaxes me and almost calms me into a sleep again but the heart that thuds deep in my chest races against my will.

   "I figure it would sort-of be nice for you and Wolfe to go together alone... Maybe he won't act like he hates you as much since you helped him out with healing me." She says, making my heart quicken at her words.