by Eden Ashley
He and Kali shared a volatile, on-again, off-again relationship. When he pushed her buttons, she retaliated by taking a steel bat to his. But for some reason the guy had stuck. Kali figured him to be some kind of glutton for punishment.
Cal walked over to their table. His gorgeous blue eyes were stormy. Kali focused on her lunch as he neared. He took the seat beside her, slamming his lunch tray down before he sat. Kali didn’t flinch or look up. If he wanted her attention, acting like a Neanderthal wasn’t going to win it.
“I just heard the craziest thing…” he trailed off, no doubt noticing the painstaking detail with which she was eating a stale slice of cheese pizza. “Babe, will you look at me?” When Kali did, he continued, “Stacy broke up with Trevor.”
She took another bite of lukewarm pizza. “How is that news?”
“Those two have been going out since grade school. She’s crazy about him.”
“Oh. Maybe it was time for a change then,” she said flippantly.
Cal worked his jaw. He was pretty sexy when he was angry. “The word is that Trevor was caught red-handed, spit-swapping with another girl beneath the bleachers. A girl who looked a lot like you. Can you explain that to me?”
Kali wasn’t a slut. And she didn’t necessarily enjoy stepping out on her boyfriend. But she couldn’t draw energy from Cal again. She couldn’t revisit that darkness…
So realistically, it was either kiss other boys or experience the agonizing pain of starvation that came with not feeding. But Kali couldn’t possibly tell him that. She shrugged, feigning indifference. “What’s there to explain?”
Cal pounded his fist on the table, causing several students nearby to jump. His temper was nothing to kid around with. Once he had slammed a teammate’s face into a locker because the guy made the mistake of making a joke about Cal’s family life. Nearly two years ago, at the age of sixteen, Cal emancipated himself from an abusive home. The same tenacity that ensured his survival often collided with Kali’s bull-headedness. “Tell me why my girlfriend is letting some other guy feel her up again.”
She hesitated, her eyes studying Cal. He was leaving soon anyway. Rip the bandage off. Kali took a deep breath. “Maybe you should go find your girlfriend and ask her.”
He didn’t even blink. “Maybe you should grow up and decide what you want.”
The remark instantly pissed her off. Kali hated it when Cal talked down to her like she was child. He knew that but did it constantly anyway. Stabbing her fork into the pizza, Kali narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know what I want. But I do know what I don’t want—you or this crap right now.”
“You don’t mean that.”
Kali stood up, banging her chair back. The whole cafeteria went silent. With a dark glare, she turned away from Cal and started to leave the room. He caught her arm. The cold look in his eye stopped her from jerking away.
Pulling Kali outside, Cal closed the door behind them. Then he put his face directly into hers. “I’ll get over this. You know it. But this slutty trash you keep slinging around school isn’t making you any friends.”
Cal was right on so many levels. And it was selfish to keep him around, to keep hurting him just for the sake of feeling like a normal girl who had a normal boyfriend. End it now. She moved her face even closer to his, showing no sign of backing down. “You’re going to college in a few months. This will mean nothing to you when a twenty-one year old sorority Barbie is sitting on your knee helping you chug a beer.”
“Is that what this is about? Jeez, Kal. Just because I’m going away to school doesn’t mean it has to be over between us.”
“Callan, we barely make this relationship work as it is. How on earth do you expect us to make it long distance? We’ll be over next summer, so why wait until then? It’s not honest.”
“That’s ridiculous. You cheated on me because you think we’re going to break up five months from now?”
“I didn’t cheat on you.”
Throwing both hands up, his eyes flew wide with bewilderment. “What would you call it then, a casual exchange of DNA?”
She explained it as simply as she could. “He had something I needed.”
“Why, Kali? Why can’t I be what you need?”
She bit back the first reply. Something about you is too dark, and feeding from you makes me want to hurt people. The next one wasn’t good either. Your spark can’t satisfy me, Cal. The last time I took from you, I slapped my science teacher and almost got expelled. At a loss for a response, Kali said nothing.
Her silence had always driven him nuts. Looking as if he were at his wits end, Cal did what he usually did whenever they had a fight. He walked away.
Chapter 2
Kali missed the bus that afternoon. If she had gotten to the stop three seconds earlier or run the last fifty feet a little bit faster, she would not have had to walk home. At least the subdivision she lived in was only a few miles from school. And there was a shortcut; taking it was almost as fast as riding the bus. Wooded trails started in the schoolyard, meandered through Ridge Community Park, and finally dumped right into a cemetery that practically resided in the backyard of Kali’s subdivision. Good thing it wasn’t a creepy one.
Kali looked up. No rain had been forecast, but the clouds had darkened enough to threaten it. She quickened her pace. Cutting through Hall’s Cemetery, she passed wrought iron gates that framed an especially beautiful scene of autumn. Dozens of maple and tulip trees lined the graveyard. Transformed near death, the foliage had ripened into a pretty assortment of red and golden hues. Hundreds of fallen leaves littered the ground. And when a light drizzle began to fall, they became slippery beneath Kali’s feet.
The gate was less than a hundred yards behind when the shadow darted across her peripheral. She turned her head quickly to the right. Nothing was there except trees and old headstones. Not one to be spooked easily, Kali continued on without changing her steady stride. Seconds later, there was more movement ahead. Someone or something was in the cemetery, moving incredibly fast. She was sure of it. Hearing a noise behind her, Kali stopped walking. She looked around but saw nothing. Starting forward again, Kali froze.
An abnormally large wolf blocked the path. Clumps of matted, brown fur covered most of its body, but in some spots, patches of bare skin were exposed. It was locked in place, silent, head lowered. Its menacing red eyes glared at Kali. She was too scared to move. Almost afraid to breathe.
The animal’s lips peeled back to reveal several rows of darkly colored teeth that oozed with black saliva. Seeing those fangs helped shake Kali from her trance. Backing away slowly at first, she broke into an all-out run. She left the path, darting between mausoleums and stepping on graves, hoping the dead wouldn’t mind her intrusion. Kali was running as fast as she could. But the wolf was gaining. She could feel its hot breath on her neck.
Over the thudding of her heart, came the sound of another pursuer crashing through the surrounding woods. At first, the blur ran parallel to the chase. Then it leapt and collided soundly with the maddened wolf. Vicious snarls and yelps resonated through the air. Kali didn’t look back again until she reached the edge of the graveyard. A smaller animal was holding its own against the much larger wolf.
Choosing not to stick around to be victory dinner for the winner, Kali hit her fastest stride and did not slow down. She ran into the subdivision and down her driveway. Dashing onto the front porch, she fumbled with the lock. The key always stuck at the most inopportune times. She swore. Today had to be one of those times. Stumbling into the safety of her house, she slammed the door shut and fell against it.
“Calm down,” she chided herself. “It wasn’t a wolf. They were both dogs. Stray dogs. Some moron let his stupid mutts off their leashes.”
Kali took a deep breath and then another. South Carolina hadn’t been a habitat for wild wolves since the 1960s. But if enormous wolves with sinister, red eyes had existed south of the Mason-Dixie line, Kali was pretty certain the animals wouldn’t have
been hanging out in graveyards.
She probably should’ve been more upset about the bizarre encounter, but Kali sucked the life out of teenage boys on a weekly basis. Her lifestyle was a far cry from ordinary. It would take more than a mangy dog on steroids to scare her.
Firmly shaking the incident from her shoulders, she grabbed at her bag to readjust the load. What she got was a fistful of air. The book bag was gone, most likely dropped while running. But she wasn’t going back there anytime soon. Fear aside, Kali wasn’t stupid. The woods were going to be off limits for a few days. That would give the wild dog enough time to move on. Homework just wouldn’t get done over the weekend. Kali shrugged and wandered into the living room.
It was a complete wreck. Her parents worked demanding full-time jobs, and neither was much of a housekeeper. Her sister, Rosalyn, was an absolute slob. And Kali…well, Kali kind of liked the mess. The layers of their lives piled and scattered about reminded her of being at a dig site, unearthing some lost civilization. When any cleaning took place, it was a barter done for a greater good.
And true to form, Kali was only cleaning because a cool new horror movie was opening at the theater in town, and she needed wheels. Rozzy was older, so her needs took priority on a weekend. The only way for Kali to get dibs on the car was to clean house from top to bottom and then beat her sister to the punch in taking credit for it. She usually didn’t have to share the car, but Rozzy was taking a semester off from college. It was actually the third semester her sister had taken off from school, making everyone wonder if she was ever going back. A bit of a free spirit, Rozzy had commitment issues with almost everything. And though she and Kali had known each other since they were eleven and eight years old respectively, the two had never been close.
After a solid hour at work in the living room, Kali was done and moved on to the laundry. Of the three loads to be washed, most of the clothing belonged to Rozzy. An overwhelming stench radiated from Moses’ litter box in the corner. Kali cast a disgusted glance to where it sat, dangerously close to spilling over. The old urine clogged her nose and mouth, making her feel as if she literally tasted a cat’s butt. She wasn’t going to empty the box though. No matter how much she suffered, cleaning up after Rozzy’s stray was not on the “to do” list. It was not her responsibility. Kali didn’t even like cats.
She grabbed a basket of clean laundry and took a deep breath, savoring the artificial scent of fresh spring flowers. As she headed to the living room to start folding, her foot sank into cold and soggy carpet. Reflexively, Kali jerked her foot up. The movement wasn’t quick enough. Muttering a few colorful expressions, Kali took several hops away from what she thought to be spilled detergent. Balanced precariously on one leg, she tossed the basket aside and hunched over to inspect the damage. A dark yellow stain with seeping edges saturated the entire bottom of her sock. Her foot was almost to her face when the awful smell hit her.
“Rosalyn!” She screamed at the top of her lungs to be heard over the rap song playing from upstairs. “Moses pissed in the floor…again!”
The music muted and was followed by the sound of footsteps running down the stairs. Kali peeled the sock off with two fingers and held it so that when Rozzy rounded the corner, she almost put her face in it. Her sister turned away and wrinkled her nose.
“Yuck. Kali, that’s disgusting.”
“No,” she said and thrust a finger at the grey tabby in Rozzy’s hands. “That is disgusting. She peed on the floor and I stepped in it. I want to chop my foot off.”
Rozzy turned her body protectively, shielding Moses from another angry jab of Kali’s extended finger. Then she patted the cat’s head reassuringly. “She peed on the floor because her box is practically running over. Moses doesn’t want to step in it any more than you do. Do you, girl?” Rozzy rubbed the cat’s head soothingly. Kali gave it a death stare.
“If you knew her box was flooded with cat turds, then why didn’t you clean it?!”
“Kali, really, it’s not that big of a deal. You’re already doing the laundry. Toss that sock in and I’ll get the litter box cleaned up.”
Feeling her temper flare, Kali took a deep, calming breath. Then she flung the sock at her sister. “How about you throw it away for me? I’m going to go wash my foot with bleach.” She turned and marched up the stairs, stopping at the top of the landing. “Don’t forget the carpet or I’m telling Lisa!”
Kali changed her mind about the bleach, but took a hot shower. She winced as she held her foot beneath scalding water, not satisfied until the appendage was a steaming prune. Her mind wandered to Cal, but she yanked it away. Five hours post breakup was no time to get weak. She would go to the movies alone, as planned.
Out of the shower, she decided to go ahead and get changed for later. As she dressed, someone knocked softly at the room door. Rozzy poked her head through without waiting for a reply. Her face was contrite. It was about as close to an actual apology that Rozzy would ever get. Not that it mattered. Moses would continue in her evil little schemes until the cat’s miserable little life came to a tragic end.
“I finished downstairs, but I’ll have to wait until tonight when Mom and Dad come home to get litter. Moses is all out.”
Not thinking anything her sister had said required a response, Kali said nothing.
But the door didn’t close. And Rozzy continued to hover. “Did something happen earlier? Your reaction downstairs was a little over the top—especially for you.”
Kali glanced up from choosing a suitable nail polish and shrugged. “I got chased by a couple of stupid dogs.”
“That’s random. Were you hanging out in the cemetery again?”
“I wasn’t hanging out. I was taking a shortcut.” She settled on Midnight Ride. Nothing was simply called black anymore.
“Whatever.” Rozzy waved her hand in the air like she was anxious to change the subject. A few moments passed when she didn’t say anything. Then she snapped her fingers loudly as if suddenly remembering something. Her demeanor abruptly brightened. “I think it’s about time I baked another disaster cake.”
Rozzy walked over and flopped onto the bed, grinning perkily. “Come on, it’s your favorite. Don’t you want to taste the warm, gooey caramel and fudge blended deliciously together in a sweet mixture that melts in your mouth?” Licking her lips, she moaned. “It’s as good as sex. Don’t you want some?”
Kali bit her tongue, trying to remain uninterested. Rozzy’s charm probably stemmed from an ulterior motive. But Kali wouldn’t find out the motive until later. “Will I have to clean up the kitchen afterwards?” she asked dryly.
Rozzy raised her hand and solemnly swore, “I will clean the dishes afterward, scout’s honor.”
A smile tugged at Kali’s lips. “One: you were never a girl scout. And two: that is your left hand.”
Rozzy giggled and slid off the bed. “Okay then, I’ll give you my word.” She practically skipped out of the room.
Kali stood up and went to the mirror. Brushing her hair back into her signature low ponytail, she put on mascara and lip gloss. Then she stopped. Pressing her hand against the cold glass in what was her custom, she whispered, “Who are you?”
The mirror was silent. In the last nine years, she had never gotten an answer.
Pulling a soft grey, wrap-around sweater over a tank top, she smoothed her hair one more time before trotting downstairs. Rozzy was leaning over the countertop eating a bowl of cereal. She lifted her head when the third step creaked. “I heard them pull in a while ago. They’re outside feeling each other up or something.”
Making a face, Kali went to the window. “Yeah, they are.”
The Metts were both in their early fifties. In a way, Kali thought it was cute how much they were still attracted to each other. Rozzy had been conceived early on with no trouble, so it came as a shock to them when their OB announced that Lisa would not be able to have more children. Defiant or hopeful, the two kept trying. When dark-haired little Kali had sho
wn up in need of help, they’d chosen to adopt. Or so the story went.
Kali left the window. “That’s going to spoil your dinner,” she said, looking at Rozzy. Her sister replied with an indifferent shrug. Kali noticed that Rozzy had also changed. She wore a pair of these-make-my-butt-look-great jeans and a blue sweater that perfectly complemented her mocha complexion. The attire was a bit overdressed for dinner with the ‘rents.
Greg and Lisa pushed through the front door. “Hey, girls,” they called in unison.
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, Greg. Hey, Lisa.”
“The house looks great,” Greg immediately acknowledged, and set his briefcase by the door. Lisa set her laptop on the counter.
They were an attractive couple, but Lisa was the true star in the looks department. Dark hair full of thick curls had barely begun to grey. Through diet and regular exercise, she had managed to keep her figure in the svelte shape of a woman twenty years her junior. Rozzy got her looks mostly from her mother, but she religiously straightened her naturally curly locks each morning with a flat iron.
“Thanks,” Kali quickly said to establish credit. “I got home a little earlier so I could have everything nice and tidy before you guys got here. I know how hard you work for all this stuff.”
“That was very sweet of you, dear.” Lisa walked over and planted a kiss on each of Kali’s cheeks.
“Now if only we could get you to bring home straight A’s instead of B’s,” Greg chimed in. “B’s won’t get you into law school.”
“I’m not going to law school.”
Greg sighed. “I imagine the standards to be a professor in archaeology are somewhat rigid too. You need a PhD to dig in the dirt.”
Remembering she needed to ask them for the car, Kali held her tongue and nodded. Greg opened his mouth to say more, but Lisa came to the rescue...sort of. She patted her husband’s face. “Kali has another year before she has to decide. And then it will simply be between the D.A. and the defense.” She ended the statement with a proud smile.
