Dex's POV

THE ROOM REMAINED EERILY SILENT. Nobody dared to move. I knew from the face Mae was making she didn't know this girl. When I looked at her closer I noticed she had strangely similar facial features as Red. Same, cheekbones, eyelashes, and noses. If they looked to much more similar I'd think they were sisters! Ha, but that can't be. 

The girl, who wasn't really a girl, she looked about sixteen or so, smiled. She was a decent looking girl, to say that much, but to old for me. I mean she was like what? About two or three years older? I mean in life that doesn't matter, but in high school it does.

"When exactly will you be done with us?" Mae asked, thankfully breaking the icy silence. 

"Well, I'm not sure Mae. It depends on if you will cooperate." She said. Mae looked shocked that this girl knew her name. Get used to it. I thought. A strangely large amount of people I had never spoken to before knew my name. Most had tried to kill me, I figured this one was no different. 

"Ahh, yes I know your name. I know yours too Dexter." The girl said. She looked at me awaiting a similar reaction to Mae's but I kept a straight face. First few times was shocking, after that it just got dull. 

"Okay you know our names. Big deal!" I said, rather fiercely, then more calmly I asked " So what is your name?"  

"My name? Why it's June. Thanks for asking dear Dexter. I guess your sister could learn some respect from you." She said, extending a hand. I took it and shook. "You could learn a few things from her too. Like never to trust a cat." 

With that she grabbed something from behind her and with inhumanly fast movements, cut me near the palm of my hand. I wasn't sure what it was at first but I soon did. This was not a good thing, not one bit. I felt a urge to shift, become my inner cat. She had poisoned the blade with what Charlotte had called Moon Shade. She told me never to touch it, for it would have the same effects as the full moon. 

For some reason I was focussed on the screen that showed my vital signs. My heart rate was much faster than it should have been, and the screen now glowed red. I think that meant my DNA was changing.

"What did you do to him?" I heard Mae cry. She as not making this easy was she? Now what was the cure for Moon Shade? Oh yes. Nothing. The best I could do was try to block out the call of the moon for the next hours or two.

"He'll be fine Mae." Kayla said. "Just a little cranky. Now come on." I saw her grab Mae by the wrist, and drag her out the door, June following. I tried to get myself to calm down. Not to shift, who knew when Mae would be back, or even if she would be back. 

Only it was too late. I was too worried about Mae, too angry at Kayla for possibly hurting my sister, to furious at myself for being tricked. 'Strong emotions cause change.' I remember Charlotte's words clearly. Right now I was feeling more than one strong emotion, and they were amplified by the Moon Shade. 

I felt myself become covered with fur and down on four paws. I felt the power as it flowed through my body, oh the power. I knew my eyes had become golden and I was in full cat mode. Then the strong emotions were back. I tried once more to fight them, but soon they took control. I couldn't control the cat any longer. Now I knew what Mae meant when she said all monsters were evil. 

*  *  *

Mae's POV

I had to leave Dex in a room, alone. He was still in there now, most likely dying of some poison they gave him. Why didn't Dex get what we were dealing with? Monsters. I mean they could seem friendly, with their human shells, but underneath they were vicious, blood thirsty monsters.

I was led through the steel catacombs of the place I was at. I guessed it was underground because nothing this large could be within a hundred miles of Cloudcroft. I didn't pay much attention to the building outline. I mean I was so focused on Dex.  Eventually I was led into a small room where it looked like you would have a questioning, for a crime or something. It only had a small table and two chairs. The walls were padded and looked soundproof. Soundproof was not a good thing, it meant nobody could hear you scream, not like anyone would care in this place. Anyone but, Dex, that is.

June took a seat and I sat in the second chair across from her. Kayla left without a word. I didn't know what was going on. So I just sat there with my poker face on, waiting for her to make the first move. She smiled calmly, and smoothed her blue dress. 

"Now I know what you might be thinking-" June started.

"You have no idea what I'm thinking. You know why? I can shield my thoughts from your mind tricks. You got that? No cat can ever get into my mind." I said, fiercely. June looked at me, a little surprised at what I had said. Then she went to a face I'd never expect her to show, a smile. Then she laughed. Long, and hard. She was gasping for breath by the time she finished. Finally she tried to pull herself together, while I was thoroughly offended. 

"I'm sorry, Mae. Forgive my outburst." She started. Her smile then turned to a more serious face, "But even a idiot could tell what you're thinking."

"Really? What am I thinking?"

"Your thinking about your hate for me, for not taking you seriously. You're thinking about your brother, wondering if he is even alive or not. You're thinking about how to get out of here, your retched prison. You, dear Mae, are a open book." She said, then remained silent for a little bit. I was a bit shocked. It was like she had read my thoughts, only that was impossible. Maybe I really was just a open book. 

"So you know what I'm thinking, big deal!" I said, doing my best to cover up that I was shocked. 

"A bigger deal than you realize. Now be a good girl and hold still."  June said. I had the immediate reaction to move, flinch do anything, but before I could June blew a strange powder into my face. I felt it's effects immediately. 

"So Mae. Tell me why you were chosen to be in the Order, instead of your brother?" June asked, patently. My mind immediately went flashing back to that day. A day I swore, that I would never tell anyone about. 

.  .  .

The smell of blueberry pie, filled my nostrils. My mother's famous recipe. She was in the kitchen, pulling the pie out of the oven. I looked at Dex excitedly as we raised to the kitchen. It was a game we'd played for a long time now. Who ever got to the kitchen first would get the first choice in pie. 

When we got there, my mother looked at us happily. We were her pride and joy. Today I was lucky enough to beat Dex. 

"You cheated." He said, giving me a playful shove.

"Sure I did." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I had only just learned what it was called, and I was very eager to try it out.

My mother wasn't paying any attention to us though. When I finally did glance over I saw her face full of horror or fear. Or both.  I was unsure of what to do at first but she shook the face off. She grabbed my arm and pulled me to the back of the house, leaving a confused Dex behind us.

When we got to her and Dad's room she set me down on the bed. I could hardly remember the words she said, but I knew they were important.

"Fred, I've decided who I want to take my place in the Order." She said, in a tone so cold I hardly recognized her voice. 

"Mary are you sure? You said you couldn't decide until they were older, and and we both know that deep down you wanted them to both become Members of the Order, or not have to choose at all." My Dad said.

"Yes I know. It's just that I've had a vision. One of Dexter. I fear that if he becomes in the Order then he would destroy the organization, from the inside out."

.  .  .

The memory ended. I hung my head in grief. I knew that only a week later my mother had died in a car crash, then only a month after she died I started my training. I wanted to wait longer, honor her memory or something but my Dad said it couldn't wait. It was best to remember her by taking my place in the Order. 

June nodded, like she saw my memory or something, but that wasn't possible. Unless she had with the powder stuff... Oh crap, I bet that was in the stuff she used. I knew the effects would only last a hour or so but I was a member of the Order. I needed it gone.

"Well it was nice talking to you, Mae. Now it's time to see if your Mom's vision comes true!" With that she left me alone in the room. Well not completely alone. My thoughts were still there, haunting me as usual. 

-=+=-

AN: 

Hello guys. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I guess we went into Mae's secret history a little bit. Also I want to say that there is going to be just one more chapter until I start editing, and I end the first part. So make sure you came back to read it! 

Girl in picture is June.