I slept until six. My sleeping and eating patterns had changed drastically since everything started. I went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and freshened up. I decided to go to a real restaurant to grab a bite to eat. I figured it would be nice to be able to get two meals in for a change and a walk along the beach after I ate would be refreshing.

It had been a while since I had Chinese, so I stuffed myself to the point of bursting and headed back to the beach. The beach was quiet, save for a few seagulls, a jogger here and there, and the sounds of the waves pounding the shoreline.

With sandals in hand, I walked along the water's edge; its flowing water tickled my toes and sent shivers up my spine from its coolness. The air wasn't thick and stagnant. Most of the humidity seemed to have been washed away with the rain. So I took a deep breath of clean fresh air that didn't burn the lungs for a change. I walked about a mile up the beach until I reached the pier. The tops of the waves rolled lazily towards the pier, sending walls of spray against the wooden pillars. The moon's brightness played a game of peek-a-boo through the partly cloudy sky and the wind's soft howl could be heard over the rumbling of the ocean's waves. I leaned up against one of the pillars and closed my eyes to let the cool breeze and song of the ocean melt the tension from my body.

“Beautiful, is it not?” Kyle's deep voice came from behind me.

I stifled a scream, jumped away from the pillar, and flung around. After a moments shock, I glared up at him and my eyes narrowed.

His broad shoulders stood out in the light cotton jacket he wore over what looked like a light-blue shirt. The wind blew against his loose-fitting white dress pants and sent them flapping against his legs. He was a striking figure as he stood there with his legs spread and his arms across his chest. It really was too bad I hated him so.

Kyle stared down at me, his eyes dead and void of any meaning. “Nice to see you again, my little jewel.”

His cold manner didn't phase me. “How the hell did you find me?”

“I have my ways. And have also come to know your love for the ocean.”

I heard something from behind him and peered around his side. Four police officers, Aaron, and Shawn stood around about five feet behind him.

Aaron wore the usual jeans and tight T-shirt that stretched out to the point of tearing over his muscular chest and arms. He stood with legs apart and hands behind his back. Although I couldn't see his eyes, I was sure they were as empty as the expression on his face.

Shawn was also in jeans, but wore a light-colored shirt under his doctor's coat. He stood beside Aaron, waiting for Kyle to give the command.

I looked at Kyle and my brow rose. “If I didn't know better, I'd say you were afraid of me.”

His face gave me no hint of what he might be thinking. “Just cautious. Let's go, Shawn.”

I eyed Shawn, who took a step forward. I backed up a step. “Listen, detective, I don't have time for this shit.”

He stepped forward to close the distance. “Nor do I.”

I took another step back, my feet touching the edge of the ocean's cool water. “I mean it, detective. I've got better things to do than swap blows with you. I think you should take your useless carcass back to that facility. Maybe those scientists of yours can figure out why you're such a screw up.”

His brows furrowed deep in his forehead as his dark eyes stared down into mine. “Shawn, take care of this. Or I will.”

Take care of this? Before I thought he considered me just an animal he could treat in any way he saw fit. Now, I didn't even rate a pulse where he was concerned.

Shawn stepped up to Kyle's side. I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips. “Nice to see you're still in one piece because I really did want a chance to pick up where we left off.” The comment was mainly for Kyle's benefit, but somehow it rang a little true in my heart.

Shawn beamed down at me, the hunger in his eyes gleaming even in the dimly lit night sky. “And I am glad you made it to your destination unharmed.”

Kyle's face formed a deep scowl and his veins started to bulge from his neck. Guess that was the right button to push.

“Shawn!” he growled.

I think Shawn and I both jumped.

Shawn advanced a step in my direction. His face formed a soft frown. “I am sorry, Julie.”

I glared into Kyle's eyes. “You realize I know where it is now. It's just a matter of time before someone will come for me. Although, I'm pretty sure I can manage on my own.”

His lips formed an evil sneer. The moon's soft glow sent a shadow across his face, distorting his features and darkening his eyes. It made him look sinister somehow. Evil. More ominous than any demon I could ever face. It was almost as if the devil himself were looking into my eyes. My stomach tied in a tight knot and a wave of fear flew through my veins.

“We're not going back there just yet. We have business to attend to here first. And even in the short time you were with us, we've developed a more potent way to keep you under control. The testing proved very useful,” he said.

My eyes narrowed and a rush of anger broke through the very core of my body. It took the fear I had felt just moments before and shoved it where it could no longer control my thoughts. I recognized the feeling as it spread through me and fed off it. I latched onto the anger and it surged to the surface. My pulse began to race and my breath caught in my throat.

I stared into his steel-blue eyes and let it speak its words through my lips. “I wouldn't do it if I were you.” My voice was low. Murderous.

Shawn backed up a step. “Geezus.” His voice was a soft whisper.

Kyle's scowl slowly faded. He recognized the signs of my powers beginning to mount. His eyes flew from Shawn, to Aaron. Aaron rushed up to Kyle's other side. The officers stepped up behind the three of them.

I could feel the anger building deep within me. It knew what was about to take place and my skin crawled with its fury. “Don't-come near me,” I said through clenched teeth.

Kyle moved towards me. I threw my sandals at him, turned, and ran out from under the pier-towards the water. I thought if I could make it far enough in the water, I could go under and lose them. It's hard to find someone in the water when it's dark. At least I hoped that was the case.

“Damn you, Julie. Get your ass back here!” Kyle hollered from behind me.

A multitude of splashes sounded out in the water behind me. They were close. Too close. A rush of panic flew through my blood and it sent the adrenaline in my body to the point of bursting. I pushed myself further into the water until it came to my knees and I couldn't run through it any longer. As I prepared to dive, someone tackled me from behind and pushed me head-first into the water. The assault pushed the air out of my lungs and my face hit the water as I took my next breath. The tangy taste of the ocean's liquid filled my throat and lungs. My body reacted to the onslaught and I coughed under the water, which brought in another fresh flow of its salty mass.

Confusion set in when the darkness of the ocean's depths surrounded me and I struggled to find the surface as my instincts took over. Then someone grabbed a fistful of my shirt and yanked me back to the surface. Within a heartbeat of time, I was pulled back against a hard chest. When I took that first breath of air my body so desperately needed, I coughed and hacked up the fluid my lungs and chest demanded to be rid of.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around my waist and I was hauled backwards out of the water. There was no mistaking who it was.

“Damn it,” I said, and coughed. “Let-me-go!” I hacked up some more seawater, spit it out, and then swallowed hard. “You fucking bastard!”

“You have tried my patience,” Kyle said through heavy gasps.

He turned around so we were facing the beach. The police officers, Shawn, and Aaron were standing at the water's edge; the bottom of their pant legs and shoes were soaked again and again as the waves pushed onto the shoreline.

The moment my feet touched enough ground to get my balance, I swung my elbow up and slammed it into his stomach. “Go to hell!” I screamed.

When his grip on me loosened, I broke free, swung around, and started for the edge of the beach. I got about two feet when I was yanked by my braid and flung back around, so I landed face-first in the sand. I lay there for a few heartbeats spitting the dirt out of my mouth.

“Are you quite through with this shit?” Kyle growled from behind me.

“Julie, don't do this to yourself,” Shawn pleaded from somewhere close to my head.

The rage boiled under the surface of my skin, allowing me to snatch it up and feed off it so I could bring it forth. I lifted my head up. Shawn's hand was inches above my face. I ignored his hand and spit out more of the annoying sand that ground between my teeth.

My body shook with the rage that sat just below the surface as I pushed myself slowly from the ground. I turned and glared up at Kyle, who stood just inches away from me. His once neatly pressed suit was soaked and clung to his body like a second skin. His hair lay in a mass of tangled strands around his face and his beard dripped with salt water. His face was a deep scowl. Even in the darkness of the night sky, I could see the deep red of his face and the darkness behind his steel-blue eyes.

“No, I'm not through. Not by a long shot. You piece of shit spawn from hell,” I said through my teeth.

I glared into his eyes and brought the rage up to release it on the man who had tormented and abused me. I didn't care, at that moment, where my soul was going to go from my actions.

Within a breath of time, he grabbed me and yanked me to his chest, smothering my face in the cold dampness of his shirt. “Now!” he bellowed.

I pushed my hands against his body to get away. I needed to see. “Noooo!” I screamed into his chest, then took a quick breath to push the rage back just below the surface.

He swung me around, held one arm around my chest, and slapped his free hand over my mouth to stifle my screams. Unfortunately, for him, I could see-and that was what I wanted. I looked quickly around and I choked back a breath when the rage came back to prickle at my skin.

“Cover her eyes, Aaron. Shawn, do it now!” Kyle's voice vibrated through his chest.

Aaron slapped his hand over my eyes. I whimpered when the hot sting of a needle penetrated my skin. I was held tight, but continued to struggle as I felt the first wave of calmness rush through me with a vengeance. My eyes slowly closed and my mind started to feel foreign, as if it floated outside my skull on invisible wires. The rage was pushed quickly back to the unknown place deep within the core of my soul. Once my body began to relax against Kyle's, the hands were removed from my eyes and mouth and I was lifted up into someone's strong arms.

Even though the thick black blanket began to fold around my mind, I forced my eyes open and stared up into Kyle's scowling face. I sighed heavily. “I hate you.”

Kyle's body stiffened slightly. “I'm truly sorry you feel that way,” he whispered back to me.

My eyes slowly shut and his deep voice echoed off the walls of my head before the pool of starry darkness swallowed me up.