“I know what the Dark Ones are capable of, David,” she said, refusing to look away or even blink, despite the little-girl voice inside, a voice from her past self, screaming at her to shut up. “And I know that Victor isn’t going to stop, ever, until Sarah Beth is dead. He’s going to try again. He’s going to come for her.”

“How can you know that?” he said.

“I can feel it. Just like I felt it before they came for me.”

“Before who came for you?” he said, his mouth open and eyes wide. “What are you talking about, Rachel?”

“That night . . . he sent one of them for me,” she said, and now she did turn away again. Guilt, pain, fear, regret, bitterness—a cacophony of emotions enveloped her at once, each vying for attention.

“You mean that night? The night of the bonfire?”

“Yes,” she said, tears suddenly rimming her eyes.

“Rachel, what are you telling me?”

“I’m telling you that I used to be like Sarah Beth. I was never as gifted as she is, but I had visions. I could hear voices . . . people’s thoughts. At the time, I was terrified—felt I might be going crazy. When I finally couldn’t take it anymore, I worked up the courage to tell Pastor Tobias from youth group, but I never got a chance because, you know, it happened.”

“Did Jed know?”

“No,” she said. “I never told anyone. Over time, it faded, and I began to convince myself it had just been my crazy imagination. It couldn’t be real, right? But when it started with Sarah Beth, I knew . . .”

He came to her and held her tight as she collapsed onto him, sobbing. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know,” she said and realized that was the truth. “But I’m telling you now so you’ll understand.”

“Understand what exactly?” he asked gently.

“Why I’ve been bitter. Why I’ve been so angry . . .”

“Because you had to face it alone?”

“Yes,” she said, her tears now usurped by angst. “Where were the Shepherds when I needed them? Why didn’t the Watchers recruit me and explain that I wasn’t losing my mind? Teach me how to use and harness the gift—how to use it for something good? Where was my knight in shining armor to whisk me away before that thing tried to rape me in the basement?”

“I don’t know, baby,” he said, kissing her cheek. “But God was there. And He did send someone to rescue you.”

“Who?”

“Jed,” he whispered softly. “The same knight he sent to rescue our baby girl all these years later. God saved you, Rachel, and He used Jed to do it back then just like He’s using Jed and all the other Shepherds to save people today.”