by Kristi Cook
“Ah, I see.” Matthew sighed resignedly. “Of course.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I said, feeling defensive now. “I wasn’t . . . It’s not like . . .” I shook my head, unable to find the words to explain myself. “I wasn’t manipulating him, if that’s what you’re thinking,” I managed at last.
“I’m sure you wouldn’t. At least, not intentionally.”
“Okay, can we drop this? Does it really matter, anyway?”
“I guess not. So . . . we’re going to Atlanta for spring break, huh? I wish you’d given me a little more notice.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t honestly think I’m letting you go alone, do you? Even with Aidan. Who, I might add, doesn’t exactly look like he’s in any condition to travel.”
“He’ll be okay by then. I hope,” I added. “But you can’t be serious. About coming, I mean. What am I supposed to tell my family?”
He shrugged. “Just that it’s a total coincidence that I’m there—that I have family in Atlanta too. I’ll get a hotel room nearby. Aidan can stay with me.” He watched me closely, gauging my reaction. “You weren’t really planning on having Aidan stay at your grandmother’s, were you? What with everything you’ve told me about Lupe?”
He had a point there. I could totally imagine Lupe barring the front door, wielding garlic and a crucifix. “I hadn’t really thought about it, but you’re right. It’s a good idea, the two of you staying together.” At least, I hoped it was.
Matthew glanced down at his watch. “It’s time for dinner. You going?”
“Yeah, I need to get back. Everyone’s going to be wondering what happened to me.” Especially Tyler.
“Okay.” He nodded. “I think I’ll go check on Aidan now, before I head down to the dining hall.”
“Thanks, I’d appreciate that. Tell him I’ll be back after dinner, okay?”
“Sure, no problem.” Just then his cell began to ring, Charlie’s name flashing across the screen until he hit the decline call button.
I couldn’t help but wonder what he was going to tell her about spring break. Not that it was any of my business. Still, I was curious.
“I’ll see you later,” I said, making my way to the door.
When I let myself out, he was staring at his silent cell, an entirely unreadable look on his face.
* * *
I figured the noisy dining hall was as good a place as any to tell them. I kept my voice low as I recounted what had happened—again, sans mention of the intense make-out session.
“So, what are you supposed to do?” Joshua asked. “For now, I mean?”
“Nothing—just wait. Hopefully they won’t need him till after graduation. There are pieces of her plan that have to fall into place first, I guess.” I shrugged. “She really didn’t go into specifics.”
“When can we see him?” Sophie asked.
Cece nodded. “Yeah, is he up for visitors?”
“Let’s all go together, as soon as we’re done eating,” I offered, pushing aside my tray of mostly uneaten lasagna.
Tyler raised one brow. “Even me?”
“Even you. I told him you were helping with the cure. Consider yourself redeemed.”
“Well, thank God for that. Wouldn’t want the boyfriend mad at me.”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “You are such a dork, Tyler.”
I turned and glanced over one shoulder, toward the cluster of tables where Jack and the football team usually ate. “Hey, where’s Kate?”
“No idea,” Sophie answered. “I think she’s off somewhere with Jack. She didn’t come back to the room after sixth period.”
I glanced over at Tyler, watching for a reaction. Nothing.
“I still can’t believe she and Jack are back together,” Cece said, shaking her head. “I mean, after what he did?”
Marissa tossed her long, dark hair over one shoulder. “Well, they have a history together. You know how that goes.”
It was so weird to hear Marissa defending their relationship. Just last year, she could barely contain her disapproval. It was a complete about-face on her part. I wondered if Max had something to do with it, if he’d somehow softened her hard edges. Likely so, I reasoned, watching as they rose together and took their trays to the trash. They moved in perfect sync, like two halves of a whole.
Cece pushed aside her tray. “Well, I’m ready to go see Aidan whenever you guys are.”
Sophie nodded. “Me too.”
“Yeah, let’s bust this joint,” Tyler said, rising.
Everyone was standing, looking eager. I joined them, grinning now. “Let’s go, then.”
Ten minutes later, everyone paused in the infirmary’s antiseptic-smelling hallway while I slipped into Aidan’s tiny room.
“Hey,” he said, his eyes lighting up as he set aside a thick, leather-bound book.
My gaze skimmed over him, my heart soaring at the sight. He was wearing a gray T-shirt and a pair of plaid pajama pants—I had no idea where they’d come from, but he looked comfortable. In fact, he looked healthier already, more vital. Whatever Nurse Campbell had done for him, it was clearly working. Bless that woman.
“Hey,” I said, smiling giddily now. “You’ve got some guests out there”—I tipped my head toward the door—“if you’re up for it.”
His mouth curved into an easy smile. “Sure. Of course.”
With a nod, I reached for the door and threw it open. “Come on in, everyone.”
I leaned back against the wall, watching happily as they streamed in—Sophie and Cece, Marissa and Max, Joshua and Tyler. Sophie reached his bedside first, wrapping her arms around him in a big hug. Cece followed suit, wiping tears from her eyes.
“Hey, man.” Joshua executed a one-armed hug/fist bump combo. “Good to see you.”
“Well, if it isn’t the boyfriend,” Tyler drawled, winking in my direction as he approached the narrow bed.
“Aw, Vi, you brought your little friend,” Aidan shot back with a grin.
Next thing I knew, the two of them were doing that same little half hug, fist bump thing.
“Good to see you in one piece, man,” Tyler said, sounding—was it possible?—a little choked up. “Though just barely. Shit, what’d they do to you?”
I couldn’t stop the shudder that snaked down my spine, remembering those shared sensations.
“This is nothing,” Aidan answered with a shrug. “You should have seen me last night.”
I was suddenly glad I hadn’t.
Joshua pulled up a chair beside the bed and sat, pulling Cece into his lap. “You think you’ll be back in class soon?” he asked. “We’ve got an art history field trip on Friday—MoMA this time. Won’t be the same without you.”
Aidan nodded. “I’ll be there. Hmm, it appears that I’ve missed some interesting developments,” he said, raising one brow quizzically as Joshua absently stroked Cece’s shoulder. “Anything else I should know about?”
There was a knock on the door, and everyone turned to look as Kate stuck her head inside. “Hey! Okay if we come in?”
We?
“I texted her where we were,” Sophie whispered. “Hope that’s okay.”
“Of course,” Aidan called out.
I could only stare in shocked silence as Kate walked in, a sheepish-looking Jack trailing behind her.
Tyler was on his feet in an instant, his face a mask of fury. “You’ve got a lot of nerve coming here, asshole,” he said, stepping directly into Jack’s path.
“It’s okay,” Aidan said sharply. “Violet told me why he did it. He didn’t have a choice.”
Tyler didn’t back down. “You sure? Because I’d really like to kick his sorry ass.”
Aidan closed his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath, looking as if he were suddenly in pain. “Yeah, I’m sure,” he said at last.
I hurried over to his side, perching on the bed beside him. I ran my hand over his forehead, not quite sure what I was feeling for.
“You okay?”
He nodded. “I’m . . . fine. Just tired.”
Cece rose off Joshua’s lap. “Yeah, we should go and let you get some rest. I’m so happy to see you, though. You gave us all such a scare.” Still clutching Josh’s hand, she leaned down and kissed Aidan on the forehead. “Get better, okay?”
“I’ll try my best,” he said with a smile that looked forced. I wasn’t sure what was going on—didn’t understand vampire physiology enough to know exactly how they’d damaged him—but he obviously wasn’t well. At least, not as well as he’d like us to believe.
I remained there by his side, clutching his cold hand in mine while everyone said their good-byes. The feeling that we were family, my Winterhaven friends and me, comforted me. The deeply rooted friendship, the camaraderie there in the room was palpable. I couldn’t help but wonder what was going to happen to us all when we went off to college, scattered about the globe. I couldn’t think about it, not now. Not when we were finally back together again, all of us.
Finally, only Jack and Kate remained in the tiny, cramped space. I kept my gaze down, locked on Aidan’s and my intertwined fingers. I couldn’t look at Jack—didn’t want to remember how he’d betrayed us all.
“I was hoping I could talk to you,” Jack directed at Aidan. “I have . . . I mean, there’s something I’d like to say to you. Alone.”
Aidan shook his head. “It’s not necessary. Trust me. I understand.”
“It is necessary,” Jack argued.
I rose, fiddling with the bedcovers. Clearly, Jack needed to say his piece. “I’ll be just outside, okay?”
“I’ll go with you,” Kate said, then turned toward Aidan, patting his shoulder awkwardly. “It’s really great to see you, Aidan. I’m glad you’re back.”
“Thanks,” he murmured.
With one last glance back in his direction, I followed Kate out, leaving Jack to his apology. Perhaps then we’d all be right again. The Winterhaven Warriors—plus two, if you added in Tyler and Max—back together at last.
I only hoped that this time we wouldn’t be called to a fight.
16 ~ Girl in the Mirror
What about this one?” I stood in front of a colorful painting, tipping my head to one side as I considered it.
Aidan stepped up behind me, laying a hand on my shoulder. “You like this one?”
I nodded. I couldn’t explain it, not exactly, but something about the image—a girl gazing into a mirror—captured my interest. Her weird, disjointed reflection was discordant with her equally odd figure. Still, I got it. I often felt that way myself. “Yeah, I do. What about y’all? And don’t make fun of me,” I added, seeing Joshua’s mouth widen into a grin. For some unknown reason, he loved to tease me about my Southern accent. “Y’all is a very useful word, you know.”
“Amen to that,” Tyler said. “Yeah, this one’s as good as any. Picasso, right?”
“Wow, you have learned something in class,” I teased. “Go figure.”
“Okay, I’m writing it down.” Joshua took out the checklist Dr. Andrulis had given us when we’d gotten off the bus. “What’s the title?”
Tyler stepped up to the card bearing the painting’s information. “Girl Before a Mirror. From 1932.”
“Ah, a fine year,” Aidan said.
Both Joshua and Tyler turned to face him, looking puzzled.
“What? Young men’s fashions were quite enjoyable then,” Aidan deadpanned. “Way better than the 1950s, trust me.”
I just shook my head, amazed as always at the reminder of Aidan’s extraordinarily long youth.
“Dude, you are so freaking weird,” Tyler said.
“Haters gonna hate,” I said under my breath.
“I heard that.” Tyler’s eyes danced mischievously.
Joshua tapped the paper he was holding with his pen. “Okay, so that’s our painting. Now we have to pick our second project. Want to try the sculpture garden? Or check out some photographs?”
“You think they’ve got a naked picture of Violet’s twin at this museum, too?” Tyler asked with a leer.
“Yeah, what was the deal with that?” Joshua asked.
I just stared at him, caught completely off guard. Truthfully, I hadn’t given Isabel a thought in months. I’d been way too terrified about the future to dwell on the past.
“What?” Joshua asked with a shrug. “I figured it was okay to ask now that Tyler knows the truth. I mean, that was Aidan in the photograph, wasn’t it? At the Met?”
Beside me, Aidan reached for my hand. He looked suddenly pale, his eyes hollow.
“Hey, you okay?” I asked, giving his hand a squeeze. When he didn’t reply, I squeezed harder. “Aidan? What’s going on?”
“She didn’t deserve it, what they did to her,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes had a distant, faraway look. “All because of me. And now . . . I’ve put you in danger too.”
“Shh. I’m not . . . It’s fine. C’mon, do you need to get some air?” I was flustered, surprised that he’d gone from his usual self—laughing and making jokes—to this shell of himself in such a short time.
“Yeah, you look like shit,” Tyler said. “Maybe you just need something to eat.” He must have immediately realized his error, because he visibly recoiled as soon as the words were out of his mouth. “Oh yeah. Right. Never mind.”
“Guys, do you mind going on and picking out our second piece? I’m going to take him outside for a few minutes.”
Joshua nodded. “Sure, no problem. Text me when you’re back inside, and we’ll meet up. Take your time, okay?”
I let out a sigh. “Thanks.” Aidan didn’t say a word as I led him outside into the bracing March chill. I found a stone bench, and we sat in silence for several minutes.
“You’ve got to tell me what’s going on, Aidan,” I said at last, unable to bear it for another moment. “Seriously. I’ll just breach your mind if you don’t. You’re starting to scare me.”
When his eyes met mine, they were slightly unfocused. His jaw was clenched, a muscle working furiously. What the hell?
“This is madness,” he said, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t be here. I should never have allowed you to agree—”
“You don’t get to make those decisions for me,” I snapped. “Okay? I need you here. Don’t you get that?”
He was wringing his hands now. “You don’t need me. Isabel certainly didn’t need me. Neither of you deserved the fate to which I’ve sentenced you.”
I reached for his hands, stilling them. “Look, I’m not some helpless little opera dancer, okay? Forget about Isabel—that was a hundred years ago. I’m here now, and I can take care of myself.”
He closed his eyes, looking defeated. “You wouldn’t be in any danger if it weren’t for me.”
I let out an exasperated huff. “I’m a Sâbbat, remember? Which means I’m going to be in danger pretty much my entire life, whether you’re here or not. So what’s your point?”
“And as a Sâbbat, you belong with your Megvéd. Not me. Never me. He can protect you in ways that I cannot.”
“I am with my Megvéd. We’ve been training, you know. We’re prepared to face whatever’s coming our way.”
He shook his head. “You have no idea what you’re going to be up against.”
“And you do?”
“They killed her, Violet.” His voice broke on my name. “And there was nothing I could do, no way I could save her.”
“But that’s not going to happen to me. Okay? You’ve got to believe that.”
I was that girl gazing into the mirror, I realized with a start. When Aidan looked at me, he saw Isabel—or, at least, someone who reminded him of his long-lost love. But the reflection that I saw staring back at me was someone entirely different. Stronger. More powerful.
Would Aidan ever see that girl?
“C’mon, you’ve got to give me some credit here,” I said, taking his hand and laying his palm against my cheek. “Have some
faith in me. In Matthew.”
He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. “I can’t . . . This is ripping me apart. I shouldn’t be here.”
“This is exactly where you should be, Aidan. Here, with me.”
Several seconds passed in silence, Aidan’s ragged breaths beginning to slow.
Finally, he nodded. “You’re right.”
I turned my face into his palm and kissed it. “Thank you,” I murmured. “You know, you probably shouldn’t have come on this trip. You should still be in the infirmary, resting.”
The light was back in his eyes now. “And send you off alone with Joshua and Tyler? Not a chance.”
I leveled a stare at him. “Seriously? In case you didn’t notice, Joshua and Cece have a thing going now.”
“Oh, I noticed.”
“And Tyler . . .” How could I explain Tyler?
“Yes?” he prodded. “Go on.”
“Well, you know how he is. All talk. And you know what? He’s been a good friend to me these past couple of months.”
“I’m sure he has been.”
I shook my head. “Not like that. He needs us, Aidan. I’d really like you to get to know him better. He is working on your cure.”
“Indeed he is. I can’t for the life of me figure out his ulterior motive. I’m certain he has one, though.”
I decided to ignore that. “Are you ready to go back in?” I asked instead. “In case you didn’t notice, I’m freezing my butt off out here.”
He rose, offering me a hand. “God, Violet, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I stood, wrapping my arms around him. “Warm me up?”
“Always,” he said, lowering his lips to mine.
* * *
“I heard Aidan went back to class yesterday,” Matthew said, leaning against his desk. “How’d that go?”
Early for our usual Saturday-morning coaching session, I slumped into the chair across from him. “It was too soon. We took a field trip to MoMA, and I think it was too much for him. I mean, he mostly seems fine. But then someone will say something that just . . . I don’t know . . . affects him weirdly. It’s almost like PTSD or something. He gets this distant look in his eyes, and then he just withdraws. And when I try to drag him back . . .” I trailed off, shaking my head. “He’s suddenly all broody and depressed. You know, like I’m going to die and it’s all his fault. That kind of stuff.”
