Chad Musick

14-year-old Clare is not your typical tomboy. She runs too much, talks too little, carries a gun too often, and holds a grudge forever. But she's also prepared for anything, from fire to flood to demon attack. That is, until her neighbor Esther kisses her. Clare has no ready script for this. But then, at the moment of that first kiss, Esther's mom is found dead, shot in the head. Clare knows that something is wrong. A murder was only the beginning. Esther needs protection, and Clare won't abandon her friend just because things are hard. Maybe one day she'll be forgiven for doing what's needed.