The Dark Side of Family (The Dark Side, Book 1)

Held Against Her Will

[Quick Author's Note: Hey, guys! I really hope you enjoy this chapter. If anything seems unclear now, I promise it will soon make sense. Vote, comment, and add to your library if you love The Dark Side of Family. I really appreciate all your support, guys -- it means the world to me! I appreciate all of your responses to my writing - more than you know.

Thanks so much for humoring me with this story.]

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Kylie came to slowly - she was dizzy and the burns on her back left her in anguish. Moaning, she opened her eyes - opened her eyes and saw Blain laying beneath her. Motionless.

"You're awake!" gasped someone behind her.

"Stay away from me!" she screamed. "You killed him! Who the hell are you?"

"Kylie, calm down," Spencer said soothingly.

"Calm down? Like hell I'll calm down!" she screeched at him. Suddenly, she realized he'd said her name. "What. How do you know my name?"

"Kylie...we're connected."

"You're insane! I've never met you before in my life!"

"You're right...you haven't. It's a long, long story, Kylie."

"Give me the short version."

"You're a witch. By birthright, you belong in the same coven I'm in. Since you were born, I've had a sense of you. I knew you finally came into your magic, and when you had your vision about this mongrel," he said, gesturing to Blain, "I saw it, too. I immediately packed to come and save you from his clutches."

"Mongrel?!" she shouted, looking at him in disgust. "I love him!"

Spencer turned pale. "No, you don't. He's a fallen angel. You're a witch. You're mortal enemies, Kylie. He would have killed you."

"If you've been so damned in tune with me since my birth, you'd know that Blain and I have a history! You'd know that I've known him for over a decade! You'd also sure as hell know that he saved my life from my abusive, alcoholic of a father!"

"What?" Spencer asked, stunned. "No, forget about it. It's a miracle you're alive, we need to get you treated and get you back to the coven. I'll explain everything when we're there."

"Hey, let me go!" she yelled at him as he gently pulled her off the floor.

"Hold still," he said, spinning her around to look at her back. Most of the back of her shirt was scorched off, and her skin was burned and buckled. "Jesus," he muttered under his breath. "I don't know why this isn't worse. You should've been killed."

"What?"

"Right now, Kylie. You're alive. Your burns are severe, but not fatal. They should have been. You shouldn't have survived that supernova. What the hell kind of magic did you use to protect yourself from that?"

"I...I don't know," she said.

"Show me. Try to replicate it, if you can."

"Alright..." she said unsteadily, then closed her eyes and focused all her energy - this time on her back instead of on Blain.

"Shit!" Spencer exclaimed, jumping backwards. He watched in awe as Kylie's skin slowly stitched itself back together; watched as the burns methodically receded, returning her skin to it's smooth, alabaster glory.

"What?" she asked, her eyes fluttering open.

"Kylie...you're a healer," he whispered.

"I'm a what?"