[UNEDITED]

It took me a lot of courage to convince myself that I would not cause a havoc if I went out. Dylan wanted me to trust them, and I did. Yeah, I did doubt his words a couple of times, but as I recalled his face when he had to kill Daphne and the sadness in his voice when he recalled his father's death, I was certain that he was not lying. They could never have any hidden agenda behind rescuing me. If they wanted, they could have locked me up and traded for whatever they wanted. Instead they made sure that I was well-fed, and even given proper medical treatment. How did I miss all this out? How could I still label them as savages, murderers and kidnappers?

I thought about it for a long time, and then slowly got up from my bed and tiptoed along the corridor. There was darkness everywhere, and I stumbled a few times.

Once I came out, I saw a few people huddling together around a fire. I found Nicole's small figure among then, and then suddenly she screamed and ran. I saw Dylan playfully chase her, and it brought a smile to my face.

Things seemed perfectly normal here. I wondered why there was a gunshot earlier.

Suddenly Nicole was in front of me with a soft whoosh, and I jumped up.

"What the fuck!" she screamed, "How the hell are you out of your room?"

Dylan appeared from folds of the darkness, "It's okay, Nicole."

"You let her out?" she shrieked, and poked him hard on the chest. Dylan swatted her hand away playfully.

If it had been any other day, I would have snapped at Nicole. But knowing what she was and having witnessed what Dylan was capable of, I did not want to risk it. I did not want Nicole to freeze me to death or grill me alive.

"What happened?" Daniel's rough voice floated toward us. He held a fire torch above his head, and the hollows of his face appeared eerie in the dark.

He looked at me, and grunted loudly.

"I am not really interested in playing wrestling with her now. I am in a bit of a good mood," he seemed earnestly pissed.

Nicole grabbed my arm really hard, and I gasped.

"Hey, play nice!" Dylan grabbed Nicole's arm, and she ignored him.

"What am I missing?" a tall, slender but muscular figure popped in from the darkness. This boy too, had black hair, but his eyes were a soft shade of brown that blazed in the torch-fire.

"Ah-ha!" he clapped his hands, "So, this is Dylan's new toy?"

I blushed and was irritated at the same time. Toy? Maybe they truly needed a brief about what had actually happened at the lake.

Dylan appeared frustrated, and he brushed his hair with his fingers, "It's not what you all think, Riley!"

So, this was Riley, their cousin.

Nicole's grip tightened on my arm, and it hurt like hell. When Dylan had mentioned about having strength, he was not kidding around.

"I don't even want to think!" Riley pressed his head with his head, "I'm not that gross!"

"Riley!" Nicole protested.

"I feel sorry for you," he threw at Nicole.

"Make way!" someone said from behind Daniel. As he moved, I saw an elderly woman carrying a basket full of packed foods. She was as tall as I was, and her hair was completely gray. Although she looked very old, the circumstances seemed to have made her stronger, turn her into a fighter. She was the oldest of all of them, and from past mentions, I presumed she was Dylan's grandmother, Beth.

She was wearing black pants and a shirt with running shoes, which meant she was obviously returning from an excursion.

"What is this, Daniel?" she demanded as she scrutinized me. Whether she disapproved my extra-short shorts or me in general, I could not tell.

"That would be me," Dylan pushed forward.

"Why did you bring her in? Who is she?" she put the basket at her feet and put her hands on her hips. She looked a little like my mom. I smiled in the darkness.

"Wilkins heir," Daniel helpfully supplied before Dylan could say anything.

The woman gasped, "Is she really? Why would you bring her here? Have you all lost your minds? You have invited the devil inside our house!"

"She was locked up till...a minute ago!" Nicole looked at Dylan with unpolluted disdain.

"Locked?" the old woman looked at their faces.

Riley scratched his head, "Hey, I heard they had sex in the woods!" he pointed at Dylan and me.

"Wow, thanks Riles!" Dylan clapped his hands.

"What?" I muttered under my breath and my whole body, every inch of skin that was showing, turned a bright red.

Nicole's hands tightened further onto my arm. I was wondering why the skin was still holding.

"I am gone for fifteen days and this is what happens here!" the old woman shouted at all of them.

"There's a lot more you need to know, Nan!" Daniel placed a hand on her arm, and his voice sounded quite sad, "Come, we need to talk."

The old woman looked helplessly around, picked up the basket and walked inside. Daniel followed her. Nicole jerked my hand, and then Dylan stopped her.

"Go from here," he told her flatly. She looked like a wounded tigress, but then stalked away.

Riley gave a short laugh, and he winked at Dylan, making me even redder. Then he walked in the opposite direction, stalking towards the fire where aunt Mel was standing with a man, probably uncle Sam, her husband.

"Yeah...this is my family," Dylan looked at the fire.

"You have a lovely family," albeit crazy, but I did not add that.

"Come on," he pulled me inside the house.

"Are you going to lock me again?" I asked, apprehension grasping my nerves again.

"I guess I have to," Dylan shrugged.

I sighed and followed his lead. If he had said earlier that he would let me go, he had earnestly meant it.

Was it okay to trust an enemy? Maybe it was, maybe not, but my heart was too preoccupied with something else to even hold this argument inside me.

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