The first time I saw him, he was standing in the rain with blood on his shirt.Not his blood.At least, that was what I told myself.It was nearly midnight when I heard the knock.Three slow knocks.Knock.Knock.Knock.I froze in my bedroom.Nobody visited our house that late. Especially not after what had happened to my father.Another knock came.I crept downstairs, careful not to make a sound. My mother's bedroom door was shut. She was asleep.Or at least I hoped she was.I reached the front door and looked through the curtain.A boy stood outside.Tall. Dark hair dripping with rain. Black shirt clinging to his body. One hand pressed against his side.And blood.So much blood.I should have called the police.Instead, I opened the door.His eyes lifted to mine.For a second, neither of us spoke.Then his lips parted."Daniella."My heart stopped.I had never seen him before.Yet he knew my name."How do you know me?"He stepped closer."Because I've been looking for you."Before I could answer, headlights appeared at the end of the street.His expression changed instantly.Fear.Real fear."Lock the door," he whispered."What?""Whatever happens, don't open it."Then he disappeared into the darkness behind our house.I stood there, staring after him.Three seconds later, a black SUV stopped outside my house.My blood turned cold.Someone stepped out.Then another.A voice came through the rain."Find the girl."I slammed the door shut.And suddenly, I understood.The boy hadn't come to my house because he was hurt.He had come because someone was hunting me.---I didn't sleep that night.At 6:13 a.m., I found something underneath my window.A silver necklace.It had a tiny pendant shaped like a crescent moon.I picked it up.The moment my fingers touched it, a voice whispered behind me."You're wearing it."I screamed.The boy from the night before stood in my room.My bedroom door was still locked.I grabbed the nearest object I could find.A lamp."Who are you?"He smiled faintly."Adrian.""How did you get inside?""Your window."I glanced at the window.It was locked.My eyes narrowed."That's impossible.""There's a lot about me that's impossible."He stepped closer.I stepped backward."Stay away from me."His smile disappeared."I would if I could."Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist."Why are people looking for me?"He didn't answer."Adrian."His jaw tightened."Because your father left something behind.""My father?"He nodded."Something powerful enough to get people killed."I swallowed."My father died six years ago.""I know.""Then how do you know him?"Silence.Adrian looked away.And that was when I noticed the scar across his neck.Three thin lines.The same three lines I had seen in an old photograph of my father.My heart pounded."You knew him."Adrian looked directly into my eyes."I didn't just know him."He stepped closer."Your father saved my life."I couldn't breathe."And now," he continued quietly, "I'm going to save yours."---For the next three days, Adrian followed me everywhere.School.Home.The grocery store.Even the stupid little café where I bought chocolate milk after classes.He was annoying.Arrogant.Mysterious.And ridiculously attractive.I hated that last part."You've been staring at me for thirty seconds," he said one afternoon."I was wondering if you're capable of shutting up."He grinned."Probably not."I rolled my eyes.He leaned closer."You're blushing.""I'm angry.""Your cheeks disagree."I pushed him away.He laughed.And for a moment, everything felt normal.Until a gunshot shattered the café window.People screamed.Adrian grabbed me and pulled me to the floor.Glass exploded above us.His body covered mine.I could hear his heartbeat.Fast.Furious."Don't move," he whispered.I stared into his eyes."Adrian..."His fingers tightened around mine."I'm here."Another shot.He pulled me up and dragged me through the kitchen.We ran.We didn't stop until we reached an abandoned alley behind the building.I was shaking.He was breathing heavily.Then I noticed something.Blood.Again."You're hurt."He looked down.A bullet had grazed his shoulder."I'm fine.""You could've died!""So could you.""I didn't ask you to protect me!"His expression hardened."I know.""Then why do you keep doing it?"He stared at me.For several seconds, he said nothing.Then he whispered,"Because I can't watch you die twice."My blood froze."Twice?"Adrian's face changed.He had said too much."What does that mean?"He stepped backward."Daniella...""Tell me.""You weren't supposed to remember.""Remember what?"Before he could answer, a car screeched around the corner.Adrian grabbed my hand."Run."--That night, I discovered the truth.Or I thought at least I did