Page 62 of Made of Steel (Made of Steel 1)

"In this dump? No way. Now go before they find you."

I knew it was Mr. Crawford, so why did her words send a chill down my spine? Who else had access to my computer? Just a few other members of the witness protection program. And Kins. And I guess anyone else who had come into our dorm. Patrick. Eli. Maybe a few people from our floor. It was just Mr. Crawford.

I unbolted all the locks on the door and left Liza to her computers. She said people thought she was crazy. And maybe she was. She was intelligent too, though. It was hard not to take her warning seriously. The flickering light in the hall seemed more ominous now. I quickly made my way down the stairs and out onto the city street.

It was virtually deserted. I looked up at the sky. Not a single star was visible tonight. I looked down at my Converses instead. They had given me the strength I needed recently. I was letting go of my obsession with the stars and holding on to something new for once in my life. I needed the vigilante. He helped me forget about my pain. He helped me want to be Sadie Davis.

A clanging noise made me jump. I looked up at a fire escape just in time to see the vigilante leap off of it and land several feet away from me. He was at the entrance of an alleyway, and he was bathed in darkness. The moonlight cast shadows across his masked face and his hood was pulled low over his eyes.

"I told you to go home." The rumble in his voice didn't scare me.

"And I did. I went back to my dorm." I took a step toward him.

He held his ground. "You know that's not what I meant. This city isn't safe for you."

"I don't have a home."

He shook his head. "You can't stay here, Sadie."

"How do you know my name?" A few more steps and we were less than two feet part.

He didn't answer my question.

"You've been following me. Why?"

"You're reckless. You shouldn't walk the streets alone at night."

"Neither should you."

His laugh rumbled low and deep. I wanted to know what it sounded like without whatever mechanism was changing it. I took another step toward him. I thought he might step back, but again he held his ground. I could feel his body heat. I could smell his sweet cologne. He smelled like a million bucks.

"Home. Now, Sadie."

"Do you know who else is following me?" I asked, ignoring him.

"You've brought darkness to this city. Trust no one."

He was talking in riddles. But it was similar to what Liza had said. That somehow I had caused all of this. "And what about you?" It was like my hand had a mind of its own. I reached out and lightly touched the side of his masked face.

A low hiss escaped his lips. It was like my touch pained him. I knew how that felt. I immediately pulled my hand away, but I stayed right in front of him. It was like the whole world was silent when we were together. I was drawn to him. I could tell that he was drawn to me too.

"There's darkness in everyone."

His words made me gulp. "How do you know my name?" I asked again.

"You're the only reason that I'm here, Sadie."

The rumble in his voice made my insides flip over.

"There's darkness in me too," I whispered. I was certainly thinking dark thoughts about him. I wanted his lips on mine. I wanted to feel the hard lines of his muscles. I wanted all of him.

He shifted closer to me so that I could feel his hot breath on my ear. "All I see is light."

It felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. "I want to help you. I want to be a part of this."

"You already are a part of it. You're everything."

I closed my eyes as I relished his breath on my skin. Everything? What did that mean? Everything to him? Everything that was causing problems? I didn't really even care. He was here because of me. That was all that mattered.

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