The sword seemed to vibrate in her hand, as if reminding her that escaping tonight wasn't that simple.

Tonight she would use the weapon, only this time it wouldn't be practice. It would for be real.

* * *

At first she thought everyone in the house was asleep. She moved her way through a big kitchen, then she came into a large living room with a big rock fireplace. This room seemed to be the center of the house. A door led off from both sides. She spotted a light at the end of one hallway. She heard voices. Moving with baby steps down the hall, she listened to see if she could hear her mom.

One voice was clear: John. A second voice spoke and chills ran down her spine. She swallowed the taste of fear down her throat: Mario.

No female voices entered the conversation. Debating what to do, she decided to search for her mom. At this time of night, her mom would be asleep. She turned down the other hall, where it looked like bedrooms would be.

The first room appeared to be a guest room. With hopes her mom might be sleeping there, she opened the door. The room stood eerily silent and empty.

She saw a room at the end of the hall and figured it was the master bedroom. Right then, she somehow knew that's where her mom slept.

She'd been sleeping with John.

Sleeping with the enemy.

But Kylie was here to fix that. She held tight to her sword as she quietly turned the knob.

In the bed was a familiar shape. A nightlight cast a glow onto her mom. Kylie recalled all the nights as a kid that she'd walked into her mom's bedroom with nightmares, or a stuffy nose. Not once had her mom gotten angry. She might not have been the biggest on offering affection, but she had always been there. The anger Kylie felt over the whole Brighten situation suddenly seemed irrelevant.

Moving in, she got to the side of the bed. "Mom?" she whispered.

Her mom didn't budge, and for one second Kylie panicked, then she saw her side shift with an intake of air.

Looking at the dresser, she saw a wineglass. The nightlight shined on the glass and showed tiny flecks of something filming the bottom. Picking it up, she held it to the spray of light, and sure enough, it appeared something other than wine had been in her mom's drink-like crushed pills. John had drugged her mom?

Putting the glass down, feeling another surge of protectiveness moving through her veins, she gripped the sword and leaned down. "Mom," Kylie said.

Her mom stirred a bit, but barely.

Reaching for her shoulder, she gave her a slight shake. "Mom, I need you to wake up."

Her mom's eyes popped open. "Kylie? What are you...?" She looked around as if she couldn't concentrate. Was it because she was she still asleep or the drugs? "Where's..."

"John?" Kylie finished for her mom.

Taking a deep breath, Kylie realized she hadn't taken the time to figure out exactly what she was going to tell her mom. With no time to come up with something clever, she knew it would have to be the truth.Was it time to spill everything? Could her mom handle the truth? Or maybe just part of it?

"John?" her mom called out.

Kylie pushed two fingers over her lips, praying she hadn't been loud enough for him to hear. "No, you can't..."

"My God, what is that?" Her mom lurched back, looking at the sword, which was now gleaming, it was so bright. Her mom made a face. "This is a dream, right?"

"Mom." Kylie tried to speak calmly. "John is not what you think. He's not a good guy and we need to leave."

Her mom looked away from the sword back to Kylie. "You need to stop thinking that. I know it hurts that your dad and I-"

"Mom, I really need you to be quiet and just do what I say, okay?"

Her mom's brow wrinkled and Kylie felt certain she was partially drugged. "How did you get in here?" Her mom gave her head a little shake as if trying to wake herself up. Then she glanced at the sword again. "It has to be a dream."

"Come on." Kylie pulled her mom up.

Her mom rose to her feet, but then fell back to the bed. Kylie pulled her up again and this time noticed she wore a sexy nightgown. But she didn't have time to worry about that. She had to get her out of here.

She took her hand and started walking her to the door. Right before they got there, it swung open.

John stood staring at Kylie. Then, as if out of an evil dream, Mario appeared beside him.

Kylie pushed her mom behind her and held out her sword. "Get out of our way."

Mario's answer was a devilish smile that spoke of evilness. "I told you that you would come to me."

"Who are you?" her mom asked, and tried to move in front of Kylie.

Kylie caught her mom by the arm and held her back.

"And look what you brought." Mario motioned to her sword. "A toy for us to play with."

Chapter Forty-two

Kylie wasn't sure what to do next. But she went with the first thing she thought of. Tightening her hold on her mom, she willed herself and her mom invisible. Her mom screamed, obviously from not being able to see herself or Kylie.

Unable to give in to her mom's panic, Kylie didn't hesitate and bolted for the door, dodging the two men. Unfortunately, her mom was yanked from Kylie's hands. Swinging around, Kylie couldn't see her, but she heard her mom gasping for air and she knew Mario had gone invisible and now had her.

"Let her go!" Kylie seethed, and willed herself visible.

Mario appeared seconds later with her mom. His hand gripped her mother's throat so tight her face looked blue.