“Gemma, you’re grounded,” Harper reminded her. “Even if you wanted to see them, you can’t. But you don’t want to see them.”

“Stop telling her what she wants,” Penn said with just a trace of venom in her voice. “You have no idea what she wants.”

“Right now I don’t care what she wants. Get out of my house.”

“Harper, stop,” Gemma said and descended the stairs. “I need to talk to them.”

“No!” Harper shouted, looking totally appalled by the idea. “You are not talking to them.”

“I need to,” Gemma insisted. She swallowed hard and looked again at Penn and Lexi.

They had done something to her. As certain as she was standing there, she knew that they were responsible for whatever was happening to her. That meant they knew how to fix it, or at least how to deal with it. Gemma had to talk with them to find out.

Harper tried to shut the door, but Penn’s arm shot out in a flash and pushed the door back open. Penn smiled at Harper, the menacing smile that revealed too many teeth.

“I’m sorry,” Gemma said earnestly. “But I have to go.” She slid through the gap that Penn had made for her and stepped outside.

“Gemma!” Harper yelled. “You can’t go! I forbid you!”

“Forbid me all you want, but I’m going,” Gemma said, and Lexi wrapped her arm around her in some kind of camaraderie.

Penn stood between Harper and Gemma, and Gemma could see from her sister’s expression that she was considering whether or not to tangle with Penn. Harper turned to Gemma then, and Gemma gave her a pleading look. Harper’s gaze went from fierce to torn.

“Gemma,” Harper said again, more helplessly this time. “Please come inside.”

“I’m sorry.” Gemma shook her head and backed up with Lexi toward a car that idled in front of their house. “I’ll be home later.” She waited a beat before adding, “Don’t worry.”

“We’ll take good care of Gemma,” Penn assured Harper, still with her too-wide smile.

“Gemma!” Harper called out as Gemma slid into the backseat with Lexi, and Penn shut the door behind her.

Thea was sitting in the driver’s seat, like she was waiting in the getaway car for a bank robbery, and Penn joined her in front a few seconds later.

Gemma stared out the window as they pulled away, watching her sister standing on the front step. She looked up at Alex’s house next door, his bedroom window glowing yellow under the darkening sky.

She pulled her gaze away, and her eyes met Penn’s in the rearview mirror.

“What are you?” Gemma asked.

“Not yet.” Penn smiled. “Wait until we get to the bay. Then we’ll show you exactly what we are.”

*   *   *