“I thought we knew what was going on,” Kelsey argued. “He killed Scott, and we’re going to kill him.” She didn’t seem bothered by potential murder. I always liked that about her.
“We’re trying to ascertain whether he revived the Academy,” I supplied. “We need to watch him before we kill him.”
“Oh, wow, I didn’t even consider that,” Kelsey said. “Do you think he would really do that?”
“I have no idea,” I answered. “What about you, Paris? You spent the most time with him. Do you think he would start the Academy again?”
“Just because we used to date doesn’t mean I know what goes on in his puny brain,” Paris said.
“Have you ever considered that you have truly tragic taste in men?” I asked.
“I do not!”
“You do, too,” I argued. “Your last boyfriend tried to kill me because he wanted my powers, and your college boyfriend tried to kill me because … well … he’s a jackass. I’m pretty sure that means you have terrible taste in boyfriends.”
“Whatever,” Paris said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“It’s okay,” Kelsey said, patting Paris’ arm. “Not everyone can end up with the perfect man like Zoe did.”
“Did you hear that?” Aric asked, puffing out his chest. “I’m the perfect man.”
“You made me drink half a bottle of mouthwash last night before you would kiss me,” I reminded him.
“You didn’t drink it,” he countered. “You gargled it and spit it out. Plus … well … you know how I feel about puking. If you puke, I inevitably end up puking, too. I can’t help it. I love you so much that I have sympathy for your pain, and it takes odd forms when vomit is involved.”
“Oh, that’s really romantic,” Kelsey said, pressing her hand to the spot over her heart.
“Or gross,” Paris supplied.
“I think it’s romantic,” I said, reaching over so I could grab Aric’s hand. “I think it’s a load of crap, but it’s definitely romantic.”
“You’re lucky I’m already in love with you, Trouble, or I would toss all three of you out of this vehicle right now and leave you on the side of the road,” Aric said. “I don’t need this abuse.”
“I’m going to change my answer and say that Aric throwing up because Zoe throws up is gross instead of romantic,” Kelsey announced. “I’ve thought about it, and vomit is never romantic.”
“And you thought she was funny,” I said, laughing at the face Aric made. It felt good to laugh. It also felt disloyal, and I sobered quickly. “We’re going to miss Scott’s funeral. We should send flowers.”
“I’ve already taken care of that,” Aric said. “I sent a big arrangement and money to help with the funeral costs. I talked to his parents while you were visting Jenna yesterday.”
My heart dropped. I’d forgotten all about Scott’s parents. “How were they?”
“I only talked to his father,” Aric replied. “He was stoic. He thanked me for calling despite the circumstances. He thought we were injured in the blast, too. I couldn’t exactly tell him that my magical girlfriend healed us so we didn’t feel any pain.”
“I didn’t even think about that,” Kelsey said. “How badly were you hurt before Zoe healed you?”
“I dislocated my shoulder and was banged up a little bit,” Aric answered. “She had a big piece of metal jutting from her leg. Thankfully she was in shock when she pulled it out. I don’t think she got the full burst of pain.”
“It hurt,” I said. “That’s what pulled me back to reality. How is Scott’s mother taking it? Is she okay?”
“His father didn’t really want to talk very long,” Aric said. “I could tell he was struggling to hold it together. He said they were dealing and thanked me for the call. I had my father look into their financials. They don’t have a lot of money, so I paid for the entire funeral.”
“We should be there.”
“I’m sure they understand that we have a lot going on,” Aric said. “We can only do what we can do, Zoe. Catching the jerkoff who killed Scott is more important than going to his funeral.”
“I guess,” I said, resting my head against the passenger window. “We should try to visit them once this is all over. I feel like I should offer them … something.”
“We’ll do that,” Aric said. “They live on the west side of the state. I’ll plan a trip once we handle Mark.”
“I honestly can’t wait to see him,” I said. “We’re just going to talk … and talk … and talk. We have so much to catch up on. Then I’m going to rip his head off with my bare hands. That’s how excited I am to see him.”
“Join the club,” Aric said.
“Um, Aric?” Kelsey sounded nervous.
“What?”
“I have to go to the bathroom,” Kelsey said.
“You just went!” The melancholy spell was broken thanks to Kelsey’s tiny bladder.
“I can’t help it,” Kelsey whimpered. “For some reason long drives make me have to go.”
“Well, you’re going to have to hold it,” Aric said. “We’re not making any stops.”
“I hope you don’t mind me ruining your upholstery,” Kelsey shot back. “That’s a lot more likely than me holding it for an hour and a half.”
“I’m so glad you insisted on bringing them,” Aric muttered, shaking his head. “I just … why can’t I have any friends who are dudes?”
“I think it has a little something to do with your attitude,” I said. “Dudes need bathroom breaks, too. No one wants to be friends with a bathroom Nazi.”
“Shut up, Zoe.”
9
Nine
“It feels weird to be back here,” Paris said, clutching her cup of coffee and glancing around the University Center’s bookstore. “I … feel old.”
“You should feel old,” I shot back. “You dated a really old guy and he got his cooties on you, so now you’re infected. It’s a good thing he’s dead, otherwise you’d be getting older by the second.”
“There’s no such thing as old person cooties,” Paris argued. “Kelsey, tell her there’s no such thing as old person cooties.”
“I can’t tell her that because the fact that you had sex with that old dude really freaks me out,” Kelsey said, her gaze bouncing around the bookstore. “Other than the students looking like middle-schoolers, absolutely nothing has changed. I’m not going to lie. I’m a little disappointed.”
I didn’t know what she expected. We’d been gone only five years. “What did you think was going to change?” I asked. “Did you think we would have to unearth the University Center and treat it as an ancient dig site?”
“Don’t be sarcastic,” Kelsey snapped. “Sarcasm is the refuge of the weak, and you don’t need to be weak. I’m not saying I thought everything would be different. It’s just … exactly the same.”
“What are you guys talking about?” Aric asked, popping up beside me and handing me a cup of coffee. “I got you a mocha because I know if it’s not half chocolate and milk you won’t drink it.”
“Oh, see, you are the perfect man,” I teased, leaning my head against his shoulder.
“Paris thinks we’re old,” Kelsey supplied. “Do you feel old?”
“Zoe makes me feel old all the time,” Aric replied, smirking when I shot him a dark look. “I’m surprised I haven’t turned gray yet with how old she makes me feel.”
“You’re no longer the perfect guy,” I said, jerking my head away. “You’ve fallen in my estimation, and you’ll probably never recover.”
“It comes and it goes,” Aric said, narrowing his eyes. “Now that you mention it, though, some of these kids look really young. It does make me feel old.”
“You know these kids are the same age I was when you decided to pick me up in that aisle right over there, right?” I pointed, smiling at the memory.
Aric glanced at me. “Now who’s being romantic and schmaltzy?”
“Fine, don’t bask i
n the love with me,” I said, moving away from everyone. “I want to look around for a little bit. Did you talk to your father? Does he know where we can find Mark?”
“He’s an English professor,” Aric replied. “He’s teaching a class right now. We should have plenty of time to look around and get over there before the class is done. Everyone has forty-five minutes before we go.”
“Yay!” Kelsey was excited. “I’m going to buy a sweatshirt.”
“Why?” Paris asked, shuffling off with Kelsey. “Do you want to be reminded of all the crap we went through here?”
“I’m hoping if I put on a sweatshirt the students won’t think I’m old like you,” Kelsey shot back.
I smirked as I watched them go and then ambled over to the cooler in the aisle where I met Aric. I wasn’t surprised when I felt him move in behind me.
“This is where I invaded your personal space for the first time and you thought I was creepy,” Aric whispered, kissing my cheek. “Do you want to reenact our first meeting so you can be really schmaltzy?”
I made a face as I swiveled. “I didn’t think you were creepy,” I clarified. “I thought you were a player. There’s a difference.”
“Oh, see, I was a player back then,” Aric said. “I took one look at you, though, and I realized my player days were behind me.”
“Even though I had a boyfriend and we didn’t hook up for almost a year and a half?” I couldn’t help but be dubious.
“I knew,” Aric said, brushing my hair from my face. “I knew you were a pain in the ass and that you were going to change my life. I didn’t foresee this, but I wouldn’t change one thing about that meeting.”
“Not even the fact that I had a boyfriend?”
Aric scowled. “You really know how to ruin a moment, don’t you?”
“I love you, Aric. I hope you know that.” I was surprised by the emotion as it washed over me. “I don’t regret one moment of our life together either … not even the bad ones.”
“Oh, geez, come here,” Aric said, pulling me in for a hug. “You still manage to surprise me sometimes. I love you, too.”
“Oh, you guys are so cute!” I turned to find a blond girl – she couldn’t be more than eighteen, and that was being generous – staring at us. “Are you guys here to visit your son or daughter?”
I frowned as Aric’s shoulders shook with silent laughter. “Do we look old enough to have a kid in a college?”
The girl shrugged. “I don’t know. Everyone looks old to me.”
“Whatever,” I muttered, pulling away from Aric and giving the girl a dirty look. “Come on.” I tugged on Aric’s arm. “I don’t want you to trade me in on a younger model.”
“Oh, that can never happen,” Aric said, although I didn’t miss the wink he gave the girl as we moved past her. “I’m addicted to you. I don’t care how old you look.”
“You’re really starting to bug me,” I muttered.
“Let’s buy a few things and get out of here,” Aric suggested, sobering. “I want to make sure we have a good vantage point when Mark leaves the building. I want to see him, but I don’t want him to see us.”
“When do you want him to know we’re here?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Aric answered, walking over to a table and grabbing two sweatshirts. “We need to blend in as much as possible. I think Kelsey was right about wearing sweatshirts. As it stands now, as much as I hate to admit it, we look old compared to the student body.”
“I’m still in my prime.”
Aric snickered. “I’ll give you and your prime a workout when we get back to the apartment tonight,” he said. “I forgot how small that bathtub was. We’re used to being able to stretch out in our tub at home. I think it will be fun to climb on top of each other in there like we used to.”
“I want to drive by our old house, too,” I said.
“Which one?”
“Not the one where we were broken up,” I said, swallowing my laugh when he scowled. He didn’t like being reminded of our year apart, and I couldn’t help poking him about it when the mood struck. I usually got a sentimental gift shortly after. “I want to see the one we lived in my senior year. I loved that house, and I have very fond memories of our time there together.”
“Yes, I especially liked it when you were a murder suspect and Paris was kidnapped,” Aric deadpanned.
“Now who’s ruining the mood?”
“Fine. I promise to stop ruining the mood,” Aric said. “I like it when you’re schmaltzy. I’m going to romance your socks off while we stalk Mark over the next few days.”
“Oh, that could be the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“And don’t you forget it,” Aric said, grabbing the front of my shirt and hauling me to his chest to plant a loud kiss on me. “Grab some sodas for when we’re watching Mark.”
“Are you sure you want to risk Kelsey’s bladder on refreshments?”
“I don’t care if she pees in the bottle,” Aric replied, unperturbed. “We are not taking bathroom breaks on a stakeout. She’d better get used to that now.”
“I HAVE to go to the bathroom,” Kelsey announced less than five minutes into our stakeout.
“I told you,” I said, leaning back against one of the cars in the student parking lot. I had no idea who it belonged to, but if someone called me out I was ready to throw down. I forgot how annoying college kids are. I didn’t like myself when I was that age. One hour on Covenant College campus reminded me of how much I hated people under the age of twenty-five.
“I’ll never argue with your insight again,” Aric said. “You’re the queen of knowledge.”
“You’re in a bad mood,” I said.
“I think it’s because that girl told him he reminded her of her father when we were leaving the University Center,” Paris offered.
“Oh, I thought that was cute,” I said.
“Shut up, Zoe,” Aric snapped. His ego was taking a beating today.
“You don’t look like my father,” I reminded him. “That should make you happy.”
“I have no idea why I fell in love with you,” Aric grumbled, although he didn’t put up a fight when I slipped under his arm and rested my head against his chest.
“I’m not kidding,” Kelsey whined. “I have to go to the bathroom.”
Aric sighed. “It’s like I’m babysitting,” he muttered. “That’s what I feel like. You’re all making me feel old … and that’s on top of the students thinking I look like their father. I hope you’re happy.”
“I’m very happy,” I said, snuggling closer. “I feel … frisky … here. I have no idea whether it’s being at college and remembering how much fun we used to have hanging out, but I feel … frisky.”
“See, now I’m torn,” Aric said. “I love the idea of you feeling frisky. I hate the fact that I’m the one who has to act like everyone’s father because Kelsey can’t control her liquid intake.”
“Now you sound like my father,” Kelsey grumbled. “I’m just waiting for you to start screaming at the students to get off your lawn.”
“The art building is right over there,” Paris said, pointing. “I’ll go with you to the bathroom if you hurry.”
“Thank you,” Kelsey said, rolling her eyes dramatically as she met Aric’s even gaze. “You’re my favorite person on this stakeout.”
“Hurry up,” I said. “If Mark comes out and we have to follow him, I’ll text you so you can catch up.”
“You’d better hurry,” Paris told Kelsey, pushing her in the direction of the art building. “If I miss seeing Mark, I’m going to be mad. I hope he’s going prematurely bald.”
I watched them go, making sure they were out of earshot before turning back to Aric. “I’m sorry this is so hard on you,” I offered. “I thought you would have a better time.”
Aric shifted so he could study my face. “I am having a good time,” he said. “I’m not happy about why we’re here, but I’m happy to be here
with you. I was just messing around with Kelsey.”
I wasn’t convinced. “Are you sure?”
“Zoe, I’m sorry if I’m being grouchy,” Aric said. “I had no idea that coming here would make me consider my mortality. When it’s just us, I feel young and fresh. These kids make me feel old. I don’t like it.”
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. “I think you have a few more years before we have to put you out to pasture.”
“It’s not that,” Aric said. “Things just hit me today. We’re not kids anymore. Intellectually, I think I knew that. You’re so immature that I forget sometimes.”
I scowled. “Thanks.”
“I like that you’re immature,” Aric said. “We’re getting married, though. On the surface things aren’t going to change, but in a month you’ll be my wife. I love that idea, yet it terrifies me all the same. Do you want to know why?”
“It’s because once we’re married people are going to start pressuring us to have kids,” I supplied. “How are we supposed to take care of a kid when we’re still kids?”
“You do understand,” Aric said, his eyebrows shooting up. “I thought it was just me. We’ve spent five years having naked Sundays in the hot tub … and naked Wednesdays in living room … and naked Mondays whenever we don’t feel like working. You can’t have naked days when you have a kid.”
“We don’t have to add kids to the mix,” I reminded him. “In fact … I don’t want to do it right away if we ever do have kids. I hope you understand that.”
“You’re worried that someone could come after us because we’ll have a magical kid, aren’t you?”
“I’m worried that I’m not mature enough to take care of myself,” I clarified. “We’re not emotionally ready for a kid. When you add in the other stuff … it’s overwhelming to think about.”
“If we never have kids, Zoe, I’ll be happy with our life together,” Aric said. “In fact, if we do decide to take the plunge, I think one should be our limit.”
“Really?” His honesty surprised me. “What if we have a girl? You’re a wolf. Don’t you need a boy to carry on your line or some weird wolf crap like that?”
Dark Covenant (Living Covenant Trilogy Book 2) Page 7
