Chapter 3

The Dodge minivan rolled smoothly down a quiet, tree-lined street in suburban Illinois.

Ava pressed her face against the cold window. She watched the neat lawns and white picket fences pass by. The absolute normalcy of it all made her chest ache with relief.

The van turned into a cul-de-sac and pulled into the driveway of a plain, two-story house with a double garage.

Jerimiah turned the key, killing the engine. He looked over his shoulder and gave Ava a goofy, wide smile.

Ava grabbed her small, worn backpack. She stepped out of the van and followed him up the concrete steps to the porch.

Jerimiah slid his key into the deadbolt. Before he could turn it, the front door was violently yanked open from the inside.

A beautiful woman with wavy blonde hair and a floral apron stood in the doorway. It was Carrie.

Carrie's eyes bypassed Jerimiah and locked instantly onto Ava. The air around her seemed to drop ten degrees. Her pupils dilated.

Carrie grabbed Jerimiah by the collar of his flannel shirt. With terrifying, unnatural strength, she jerked the large man into the hallway. Ava couldn't even process the movement.

The front door slammed shut behind Ava. Carrie shoved Jerimiah against the wall, her voice a lethal, low hiss.

"Are you out of your mind?" Carrie snarled, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper that barely carried over the threshold. "You brought an unvetted variable directly to our front door? We don't run a daycare for strays!"

Carrie's right hand instinctively dropped to the deep pocket of her apron. The distinct, sharp outline of a ceramic tactical knife pressed against the fabric.

Ava stood frozen on the welcome mat. The harsh, unwelcoming tone hit her ears. Her backpack slipped from her fingers, hitting the hardwood floor with a loud thud.

Jerimiah threw both hands in the air, pressing himself flat against the wallpaper. "It's an adoption! It's legal!" he hissed back, frantic.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out the stamped paperwork, holding it out like a shield.

Carrie snatched the papers. Her eyes darted across the ink, scanning the signatures and the state seal with mechanical precision.

The second she verified the document, the suffocating, murderous aura vanishing completely.

Carrie spun around. Her face broke into a massive, glowing, overly enthusiastic smile.

She lunged forward. Before Ava could flinch, Carrie wrapped her arms around her, crushing her in a bone-snapping hug.

Ava's face was smashed against Carrie's chest. She couldn't breathe, but the intense, radiating warmth of the woman's body made her stomach flutter.

Carrie cupped Ava's cheeks, kissing her forehead repeatedly. "My sweet little angel!" she cooed, her voice dripping with sugar.

Ava's cheeks burned hot. "Mom," she whispered awkwardly.

Carrie let out a high-pitched squeal of pure joy.

Before she could hug Ava again, a faint, almost imperceptible sound came from the stairs.

Ava looked up. A boy, maybe ten years old, stood on the landing. He had pale skin and pitch-black, dead eyes. He casually tossed a heavy steel ball bearing in his hand, catching it without looking.

Carrie turned. "Cody, come down here and say hello to your sister," she ordered. Her tone was soft, but it carried an edge of absolute authority.

Cody walked down the stairs. His footsteps made zero sound. He stopped in front of Ava, his eyes scanning her from head to toe like a barcode reader.

"Her bone density is below average," Cody stated, his voice entirely devoid of emotion. "She is a liability."

Ava blinked, her mouth falling open. She assumed it was just a weird, mean-kid insult.

Carrie's hand shot out and slapped the back of Cody's head with a loud smack. "Stop analyzing her," Carrie scolded, grabbing Ava's hand and pulling her toward the living room.