by Blake, Kasi
She nodded. “Why risk getting too close? It will be hard enough to say goodbye to you without falling in love first.”
“You are right about that.” He placed a lingering kiss on her forehead while holding onto her arms. His hands squeezed her soft flesh gently. “Good luck, Danielle Foster.”
“Why does it sound like you’re saying goodbye?”
He took a deep breath. “Because I am. We should go back to how things were before Bandit died. I’ll wave when I see you, but we shouldn’t talk anymore. Let’s go back to just being neighbors.”
Dani nodded even though she was obviously upset over the suggestion.
They held hands for a moment and said a last goodbye.
He moved in the direction of home. Their hands stayed clasped until he took one step too many. His fingers glided over her fingers. Her hand slipped away, and he continued to walk.
He built a mental cage around the memory so he could keep it forever. Tonight would be remembered as the night he let the girl of his dreams go. It was bound to happen. Girls like Dani Foster did not wind up with guys like him.
Mourning the loss of her, he went inside.
♫
Six days later, Scarlet returned to school. He had told her the big news in a text a few days earlier. Yes, he was a vampire. No, he hadn’t changed into a monster. Her return messages had been brief and lacking emotion. She didn’t want to talk about it until they could speak in person. So he’d waited for nearly a week to have an awkward conversation with his best friend.
Scarlet parked her father’s car, and Trick was standing there beside it when she climbed out.
Wearing faded jeans and three shirts layered over each other in various shades of blue, she still had a few bruises. Her wild curls were secured in a loose ponytail that fell more to one side than the other. Even without make-up she was a pretty girl. Why hadn’t he noticed it before?
Maybe being in the friend zone for five and a half years had dulled his senses.
He took a long look at her now and admitted to himself that she was sort of beautiful. Her hair even looked different to him; golden spirals created a lovely halo effect, and her eyes were bluer than the Caribbean ocean. The freckles that dusted her nose and part of her cheeks even appealed to him now.
Since things with Dani hadn’t worked out, maybe he should give his best friend a chance.
Then Scarlet opened her mouth and ruined everything.
“Are you going to tell the ballerina what you did for her?”
And that was why hooking up with Scarlet was a bad idea. They were too much alike. Neither of them was good with feelings, and they thought sarcastic jabs equaled meaningful conversation.
“I already told her,” he said.
Scarlet smirked. “Did she scream and run in the other direction.”
“Not exactly.”
Scarlet gaped at him. “Don’t tell me she was turned on by the fangs. Are you two together now? Are you kidding me? Dani Foster is dating a vampire?”
“Keep your voice down.” He glanced around to make sure no one had overheard before moving closer to her. “Dani and I are just friends. She made that clear as glass, and I don’t see anything changing.”
Scarlet growled deep in her throat. “What is wrong with that brainless skank? You gave your life for her. You became the thing you hate most because of her, and she’s still playing hard to get?”
He shook his head and denied it with vehemence. “I let Summer turn me so I wouldn’t die. The faerie blood in my veins was powerful enough to kill me on its own. Then I had the Shadow Faerie to deal with. Even with powers I almost lost the battle. I did what I had to, to survive.”
Hunt. Kill. Survive.
“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.” She slid her hands into her jean pockets. “We both know you did it for her. You love her.”
The last was said in a slightly accusing tone.
They leaned back against her father’s car. She folded her arms, and he pushed on the molar near the back of his mouth. Since turning vampire all of his old injuries had been instantly repaired. The molar was solidly connected to him again. His scars were gone, leaving his flesh as smooth and perfect as on the day he was born.
Cowboy was right; being a vampire had its perks.
Scarlet asked, “What is dying like?”
Without warning another flashback hit him...
♫
The stories were true, the ones that claimed a person saw their life flash before their eyes as they died. A blood splattered wall was the first image from his past that his traitorous mind conjured. The night his mother had been killed by werewolves; the night he had received the hard-to-explain scar that Summer noticed upon meeting him.
Next, he saw his father teaching the eight-year-old him how to shoot a gun. There had been pride in Ian Carver’s eyes that day.
Then he was forced to relive the last time he’d seen his father, standing in the gypsy’s foyer as she chanted in the background.
There were other memories too, more than he could count. He remembered being dumped on Sean and Laura by the gypsy’s friend; he remembered telling Laura to go away when she tried to tuck him in at night; he remembered all the rude things he’d said to them over the years and the pain they tried to hide; and he remembered the sliver of wicked joy it had brought him.
Shame and regret filled him now.
Too bad his real father was dead. He had a lot to answer for, but he never would. Even if he’d meant to return for his son, the damage was done. How could Trick be expected to love anyone when he’d grown up without it?
“Did he ever love me?” Trick asked in a faltering voice.
Matt raced to the bed. “What? Did you say something?”
“My father, did he ever love me?”
“I don’t... are you delirious? Can you hear me? Do you know who I am?”
Trick sighed. “You are my annoying, nerdy, pain in the butt brother.”
Matt smiled at that. “For a while there I thought you were going to die for real.”
“Me too.”
Trick struggled to sit up, and Matt helped him after plumping the pillows behind him. He was relieved to see they were alone in the room. No sign of vampires... except for the one in the mirror over the dresser where he caught his own reflection.
Laughter bubbled up his throat but turned into a cough when it reached his mouth. Spasms shook him. His days of referring to Cowboy and Summer as the vampires was at an end. He was one of them now.
Or was he?
He poked fingers beneath his upper lip. Nothing. Maybe it hadn’t worked. Part of him would be grateful if it hadn’t, but then Dani would be as good as dead—if she wasn’t already.
Thoughts returned to his father.
“He promised he was coming back, but he didn’t. I’ll never know if that’s because he died or if it was part of the plan. Did he love me? He didn’t write or call, didn’t leave a note with your mom and dad. I have no idea if my father loved me. He said he did, but how do I know he was telling the truth?”
Matt sat next to him on the bed. “What is your best memory of him?”
“When I couldn’t sleep, he would sing this old Irish song to me. He had a good voice for a hunter. The song always knocked me right out.”
“There you go.” Matt patted his arm. “He loved you. If he hadn’t, you wouldn’t be this broken up. Kids pick up on stuff. You would have known he didn’t care, and you would have been glad to be adopted.”
“I’m glad to be adopted now and really glad to be your brother.”
Matt frowned and moved his hand to Trick’s forehead. “You must be delirious. The Trick I know wouldn’t admit to having feelings if someone shoved bamboo slivers beneath his fingernails.”
“Shut up.”
They both stared at each other while trying to look upset. Neither of them could hold the sober expression for long. It was a toss up as to which of them cracked a smile first. T
hen they were laughing.
They were still laughing when Summer and Cowboy entered the room.
“Feeling fangy yet?” Cowboy asked.
Trick glared at them. “Shut up, you sadistic jerk. You didn’t tell me it would hurt like hell.”
“We still need a fourth,” Cowboy said to Summer as he perched on the dresser’s edge. “He’s technically our third now.”
She turned a dazzling smile on Matt. “How about you? Want to join us?”
The color drained from Matt’s face, and he jumped off the bed. He didn’t stop backing away until he ran out of floor and hit the wall. The terrified look on his face would have been comical if the situation wasn’t so dire.
Matt squawked, “What?”
“Relax,” Summer said with a wink. “I was only kidding. Well, sort of kidding. A lot worse things could happen to a person than being immortal.”
Cowboy agreed. “That’s right. Vampires rule.”
He flashed Trick a backward peace sign that seemed to hold significance for the vampires. They both nodded and grinned like a couple idiots.
Trick shoved the covers aside and stood. Dizzy, he wobbled for a second. Both Matt and Cowboy grabbed onto him as he steadied himself. He was starting to get anxious over the plan. If he didn’t regain his strength soon, he couldn’t possibly beat the Shadow Faerie.
“We have to save Dani,” he said. “When am I going to feel better?”
Cowboy and Summer exchanged a look.
“What?” Trick asked. “Spill it. What aren’t you telling me?”
“If you want to get strong,” Cowboy said, “you need to feed.”
He swallowed convulsively.
Matt shook his head. “You are not going to get him to drink—”
Trick grabbed Summer. His fangs slid through his gums in a quick but painful process. Unwilling to bite another dude, he bit her instead. His fangs slid into her throat like a fork sinking into room temperature butter. He was just returning the favor. She had fed on his blood. It was only fair.
Matt raced from the room, probably to puke.
Blood gushed into Trick’s mouth. He gagged but didn’t stop. He forced himself to feed for Dani’s sake. The Shadow Faerie had to die, and turning vampire was the only way to make it happen. He couldn’t back down now. He’d already passed the point of no return.
♫
Back in the present, Trick removed a small box from his jacket pocket. “Got something for you,” he said. “Got it in Vegas. I know it’s a little late for your birthday, but I want you to know I didn’t forget.”
Scarlet’s eyes widened. “I didn’t think you even knew when my birthday was.”
He admitted, “I don’t know the exact day, but I do know it was this month.”
She opened the box to find a key, and her face scrunched up. “Thank you, but I already have some of these. I keep them on a thing I like to call a key chain.”
“Yeah, but none of your keys open the front door on a really big, really nice mansion.”
“You bought me a house?”
“No. This key opens the place where my new friends are staying. They decided to buy it when I told them I’m not leaving Reno until after graduation. Anyway, I asked them if you could use a room. I just had a feeling that maybe sometimes you’d like to get away from home. They promised me you can stay over whenever you want, no questions asked. They won’t bother you. They won’t bite you either. I made them swear to that one.”
For a long drawn out moment Scarlet stared at him.
Then she was in his arms.
She jumped on him, wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed until he thought his bones might snap. She squealed. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have no idea how much I need this.”
“You have to promise you won’t stake them.”
She rolled her eyes. “I won’t stake them... unless they try to bite me. Thank you so much.”
He shrugged. “We all need a place we can go when we... need a place.”
She squinted at him. “How can they afford it?”
“They told me most vampires are rich. Think about it. They live forever, kind of, and they have plenty of time to make money. Some steal it. Some con the money out of other people.”
Cowboy had laid claim to money belonging to Trick’s family, most notably the Dark Wizard. Cowboy had explained that Trick’s grandfather signed the money over to Jack. In return Jack had given it to a man named William. When William died, the money went unclaimed for a while. Somehow Cowboy had managed to get most of it transferred to an offshore account under an alias that only Cowboy had access to.
Trick had suggested they buy the mansion. After they agreed, he had asked for a key so Scarlet could bunk there when she wanted. At least she would have her own bedroom. They couldn’t say no because technically the money belonged to him. Cowboy had even offered to put his name on the bank account, but Trick thought that would be a mistake. Maybe later.
“You can’t tell anyone,” Trick said to Scarlet. “Not even your parents.”
She nodded. “I won’t say a word.”
He gestured to the wooden stake hidden beneath her jacket. “Makes it harder for you to use that on me, doesn’t it?”
“I won’t stake you... unless you start killing. If that happens, I won’t have a choice.”
“I’m not killing anybody. I haven’t fed on anyone, and I don’t feel the need. Maybe the vampire thing works differently on me cause of the faerie blood I was born with.”
“Hope so. I’d hate to have to stake you.”
They started across the parking lot, side by side.
Dani jumped out of her car and hurried to meet them. She wore a huge smile as if she had good news to share. As soon as she reached them, she slid her hand into the crook of Trick’s arm.
“I’m glad you’re okay, Scarlet,” Dani said.
Scarlet mumbled a thank you and looked away as if embarrassed.
Dani pulled Trick to the side for a private conversation. “Glad I caught you. I’ve been thinking about us non-stop, and I was being ridiculous. All my reasons for not getting involved with you are valid, but you saved my life. No one has ever done anything like that for me. How can I say no to a date? We should go out.”
Trick experienced elation and misgivings at the same time. On one hand, he would love to date Dani. He’d thought about it often enough over the years. On the other hand, she was right that it would only lead to heartache for one or both of them. Then there was Scarlet to consider. He had just told her Dani didn’t want to be with him.
He looked her way and saw the pain in her eyes before she headed for the school doors.
“Well?” Dani asked. Her hands went to his waist, and her body pressed against him in a way that banished all coherent thought. “What do you think? Do you want to give One-Date-Foster a chance?”
If he didn’t, he would go through life wondering if it would have worked. “If you’re willing to give Two-Timing-Trick a chance.”
“I prefer Drop-Dead-Donovan.”
He chuckled. “Call me whatever you want.”
They went inside together, an arm around each other’s waist.
“Is there anything I should know about you before we go out?” she asked. “There isn’t a book on dating a vampire, is there?”
He kept up his part of the conversation, but his mind remained on Scarlet. He remembered in detail the scene he’d watched through her eyes, how she felt about him, and the pain it caused her to know he wanted to be with another girl.
He watched her at her locker, and he made a vow. Maybe they couldn’t be a couple, but he would be the best friend she’d ever had. From now until the day he died, he would be a real friend to her. Somehow he would make it up to her, all the times he’d let her down in the past.
After all, he had nothing but time.
Chapter twenty-eight
Summer
Summer avoided Matt until she couldn’t stand
the silence any longer. He obviously wasn’t planning to drop in for a visit. If she wanted to talk, she needed to go to him. With that in mind she went to the bookstore. She hoped visiting him at work wouldn’t be a mistake. The last real conversation they’d had was about her jealousy of his brother and Dani. He had yelled at her to get out of his house. That night she had thought they were finished. But later, when she’d teleported him to the mansion to see Trick, he hadn’t behaved as though he hated her. He hadn’t given her dirty looks, hadn’t said anything snotty. That gave her hope.
And she was pretty sure he had been jealous over her biting his brother.
She took a deep breath before entering the small, musty shop. The bell rang above the door, and Matt stuck his head out from where he was standing on the other side of an overflowing shelf. She waved and forced a smile. “Hey, you.”
“Have you come to say goodbye?” he asked. Putting whatever he was doing on hold, he maneuvered around stacks of books to get to her. “Trick told me you’d probably leave town now that the Shadow Faerie is dead.”
“Would it bother you if I left?”
“Would it bother you if we couldn’t see each other again?”
“You’re not my type,” she blurted. Then she rushed into an explanation upon seeing the disappointment on his face. “You used to be my type, the perfect guy for me when I was a normal girl. As a vampire I’ve been hanging around with wild guys for so long I forgot what it’s really like to feel something.”
He smiled and blinked at her. “You were into nerds?”
“I wouldn’t say that.” She rocked back on her heels, trying to look more confident than she felt. “I like nice guys, boys who open the door for me and tell me I’m pretty and insist on buying my dinner. What I’m trying to say is, I’d like to get to know you if you would like to get to know me.”
“Can I buy you dinner... tonight?”
“That would be lovely.”
Her excitement only lasted half a second before reality smacked her in the face.
“What’s wrong?” Matt asked.
“Sooner or later we’ll have to go our separate ways. I mean, I’m a vampire and you’re—”
