Ruin - By N.M. Martinez Page 0,27

tell it to you."

I think back on all the conversations Brandon and I have had. I had assumed that he wasn't asking about my past because he knew it had to be painful for me, and maybe in a way it is that. Maybe that's exactly why they don't talk about pasts, especially the pasts of others.

Brandon turns then and comes back to join us, but he doesn't smile. It's like some innate sense of his picks up on the change in the air. I want to ask him about everything they've said, but not when we're sitting in front of everyone. He seems to pick up on it though as his eyes meet mine and his hand falls on my shoulder.

"You okay?"

He speaks quietly to me, and I'm ready to say something when I catch the movement of someone walking towards us.

It's nothing more than a shadow, a tall and thin shadow. When he's close enough I catch the glint of his green eyes. At the sight of me, he smiles, and my mind boggles. Already disturbed by what I've possibly learned tonight, I'm even more disturbed by the attention of this man who walks through the cold dark in a tee shirt that doesn't fully cover the dark tattoos on the tanned skin of his arms.

Brandon notices that I'm looking just past him and he turns, a hand still on me. He gives a nod in acknowledgment. "Hey Alex."

Though he's very tall, his face is smooth but for the beginning wisps of a moustache under his nose. I get the feeling that he's not much older than I am.

Maria groans. "Oh Alex. Don't you have dinner to catch?"

"I already ate." He grins at her. I have a feeling that there's something of a joke in there, but I don't quite get it.

Brandon puts his weight on his foot closest to me. "This is my sister, Paula." His words are even, still I think I catch a hint of stress at the "my sister" part which surprises me. "Paula, meet Alex."

Up close, his eyes are bright. They absorb the light and shine brightly as smiles. He looks at me differently than the others do. The others have looked at me more as a curiosity than a person. It's only now that Alex's eyes fall on me that I realize that. He takes in all the details in a way that doesn't feel dirty or obscene. Still it is strange to be the center of such scrutiny so I look away.

A bit of air passes between the teeth of the man who had been standing off from the group talking with Brandon. It catches my attention, and I look up only to see him eyeing Brandon before nodding his head towards another shadow stalking towards us. The light barely illuminates him, but with each step he becomes clearer, and I recognize him just as Brandon tenses beside me.

It's Gray Eyes.

"I'll be right back." Brandon doesn't look at me as he steps away, taking large steps to meet Gray Eyes. The quiet man who brought it to Brandon's attention joins him, leaving me alone with Angel, Mitchell, and Maria again, this time with Alex added to the group. I glance at the rest of them, their eyes also on Brandon as he walks away, though they don't seem nearly as concerned as I feel. This man who I've decided needs to be avoided, a true danger of the sort I've been warned about my entire life, keeps on appearing at the edges of my new life. It's not enough to just avoid him.

I turn to Maria first. She's the closest to my age and so I hope that she'd be the one who'd honestly tell me. "Who is that?"

But she's not. Angel crosses his arms again, his friendly smile from earlier gone. "That's the second in command."

Mitchell glances up at Angel and I can almost see him gulp. "He's supposed to be the leader. That's why he's usually with Mr. Smith."

That might explain why he's always around. Is it possible that Henri is sending him to keep an eye on me?

Brandon still talks to Gray Eyes. The light reaches to his back but leaves their faces in shadows. They don't speak with much movement so it's difficult to tell what is exactly going on. But Gray Eyes attacked someone earlier, so if he's wanting to talk to Brandon, it can't be a good sign.

"Is Brandon in trouble?"

The others share looks amongst