“It is true.” I was insistent, but he just shook his head. “They don’t know where I am. Not yet. I don’t need a body guard.”
I exhaled loudly, crossing my arms.
“That day will come soon enough.”
He nodded slowly. I knew he got it. He knew I wanted to be normal. Or at least, as normal as a Vampire Human Hybrid could be.
“Are you done with your dinner?”
I picked up my fork and shook my head. There was barely any left, but it was so freaking good, I wanted every bite.
“Hmmm… you know, this would be so much better with… wine?”
I gazed at Bernard hopefully. He just shook his head in exasperation, grabbing my salad dish and heading back into the kitchen.
I sighed and drummed my fingers on the table. I was stuck here when they were out there. I had already done my homework for the weekend. I could read yet another dusty old book but that was it. I was out of distractions.
I was pretty much stuck here until they got back.
I sat up straight in my chair, as Bernard brought me an ornate crystal wine glass. I sniffed it. Half blood, half wine.
Yum.
“Nice. Thank you.”
I sipped my drink, following Bernard into the kitchen.
“Have I told you lately how much I adore you?”
He laughed, rolling his sleeves up and dunking them into the soapy water in the sink.
“I can do that.”
“Shoo. I don’t need help.”
“But—”
He didn’t even look at me.
“It helps me relax.”
I realized he needed to be distracted as much as I did. I wandered into the living room and sprawled out on the couch, sipping my wine. I resisted the urge to drain it. I touched my throat, realizing I’d been craving blood.
Like really craving it.
That was weird. I had the thirst for blood, but I’d never gone without it long enough to really need it. Caleb had always provided enough for me to have a glass a day. I’d already had a glass earlier after training.
And yet, lately, there had been a raw, hungry feeling in my throat.
I downed the cup and went into the kitchen.
“Finished already?”
“Can I get a refill?”
He gave me a look. “You are not getting drunk on my watch, Miss Thing.”
“I’m thirsty.”
“There’s juice.”
“No. I mean, I’m thirsty.”
He turned away from the sink to face me. I was feeling tense, almost angry that he was delaying my gratification. His eyes widened with understanding.
“Oh. I see.”
He went to the fridge and pulled out a blood bag. There were three others chilling in there. All the bags were O Negative.
It was the best kind to drink cold. Most of the other blood types were just nasty unless they were fresh. Straight from the source, so to speak.
If it was fresh, it all tasted good.
He filled my glass and handed it back to me.
“Here you go.”
I took the cup and chugged it. I stared at the empty glass, not at all satisfied. Bernard was staring at me with a worried look on his face.
“Is that all there is? Three bags?”
He shook his head.
“You know Caleb keeps backup in the basement freezer.”
“A lot?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Okay. Can I have a little more?”
He poured it and watched me while I drank. I held out my glass again. I wanted more.
“I think that’s enough.”
I got angry. Just like that. Really angry. I felt something rising up in me. I didn’t want to hurt Bernard so I looked over his shoulder, trying to distract myself.
That’s when something happened.
Something weird.
All the soapy water in the sink lifted into the air. Not in thin streams. It lifted up in one giant, wobbly bubble.
“Uh… Sasha…”
My eyes snapped back to Bernard’s as the water came crashing down, spraying the counter and floor. We both got soaked in the process.
“Crap, I’m sorry!”
He grabbed some dish towels and started mopping up the mess. I knelt on the floor to help him.
“It’s okay.”
“I don’t know what happened!”
He kept wiping, not using his crazy fast vamp speed. Just cleaning it up like a normal person. I did the same. I was too shaken to think clearly.
“Has that happened before?”
“No. Definitely not. I’m just starting to work with the elements. Caleb said it’s normal not to have perfect control at first.”
Bernard gave me an alarmed look.
“Elemental control is definitely not normal. It’s a rare gift.”
I blinked at him, still crouched on the floor.
“It is?”
“Yes. Caleb wouldn’t want anyone to know about it. Do you understand?”
I swallowed, the weight of his words sinking in.
“Okay.”
He pulled me to my feet, and wiped a blob of sudsy water off my cheek. His eyes crinkled into a smile.
“When you were a baby, you did it a few times. We thought it might be a fluke. It was usually when you didn’t want to take a bath.”
I laughed, feeling instantly better.
“So, I’m not a freak?”
“No, not a freak. Your untapped abilities are much stronger than we thought though. I think your powers might be—”
He stopped and froze. We both heard it at the same time. The sound of a motorcycle outside.
“Maxim.” Bernard held his finger to his lips and I nodded. “They’ll all be back soon.”
“I’m going to go clean up. Maybe get some rest.”
He raised an eyebrow and nodded.
“Good idea.”
I raced up the stairs to my room, using my speed to make sure I was there before Maxim got inside. It was close. He was a super-fast vamp too, after all. I shut my bedroom door just as I heard the familiar creak of the front door open and close.
I lay down, staring at the ceiling. Everything was a mess. The New Leaders knew I was alive. My powers were acting wonky.
And I might have a boyfriend. A human boyfriend.
Life was very strange sometimes.
As if on cue, my phone beeped. I rolled over onto my stomach and grabbed it off the bedside table. I smiled when I saw that it was Dylan.
When can I see you again?
You mean before prom?
Yes. Lots before prom. Me like you.
Your English is good, for a caveman.
I’m just glad you didn’t say caveboy.
You smell pretty.
I laughed, my worries forgotten. He thought I smelled good? I shook my head.
He had no idea how good he smelled to me.
Thanks.
So can we eat lunch together, cavegirl?
I sort of have a standing date with Kar.
Fine. She can come too.
Okay.
Okay. I’ll see you in school tomorrow. How do you like your brontosaurus meat?
I bit my lip, fighting back a giggle.
Medium rare.
Goodnight cavegirl.
Goodnight caveman.
I was smiling for the rest of the night. Even when Caleb brought me a stack of books to read, along with a list of topics he wanted me to explain to him by the end of the week.
Still, the silly grin was on my face as I drifted off for a few hours.
I definitely had a boyfriend.
Chapter 14
“Hey. Ready for lunch?”
I nodded, grabbing my American History books. Karen walked me to my locker and waited while I put my stuff away. We both grimaced when we saw meatloaf on the menu again.
“We should really start bringing our own lunches.”
She shrugged and I
kicked myself. I didn’t know if her family could afford to pack her lunch. She had a card that she punched instead of paying. So maybe she couldn’t bring anything.
“I could ask Bernard to pack us both something.”
“Bernard?”
Jesus Sasha, use fake names. You never know who is listening.
“He’s… my uncle. He’s an amazing chef.”
“Oh. Cool.”
Karen nodded absentmindedly. Thank goodness she wasn’t the sort to pry. How exactly did one explain being raised by two handsome older gentlemen with European accents and an endless array of abilities?
And fangs. Mustn’t forget the fangs.
Yeah, I wasn’t going to be having any slumber parties at my house anytime soon.
We shuffled down the lunch line. We both got everything but the main course. I stared despondently at my tray. It was basically a stale roll, a side of overcooked veggies and a small slice of carrot cake.
I grabbed a fruit punch and Karen took a small carton of chocolate milk.
I stopped as she headed towards our regular table away from the most crowded part of the caf. Hmm… how to get her to agree to eat with Dylan?
Maybe this hadn’t been the best idea.
“Hey, do you mind if we sit with someone today?”
She cocked an eyebrow at me.
“Who is it?”
I gave her a nervous smile.
“Your cousin?”
She rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Yeah, okay. Are you guys an item now or something?”
“I don’t know. Maybe?”
She just shook her head.
“Maybe I should leave you guys alone.”
“No! I mean, I want to hang with you both. Cool?”
She hesitated. Then she nodded and I let go of the breath I’d been unconsciously holding. It was silly, but I had only just gotten my first friend. I wasn’t ready to lose her.
“Cool.”
“Over here!”
I looked up and smiled. Dylan had made it easy by claiming our regular table. And he’d brought food.
My stomach rumbled as the smell hit me.
Hmmm… so good.
We stared at the table, our trays forgotten in our hands. It was piled high with the familiar white cartons that meant only one thing. Chinese food. He’d brought more than enough for all three of us.
Even Karen looked impressed.
“Oh wow. This is amazing, thank you.”
He grinned at me, smiling.
“Sit. Eat. Chopsticks are optional.”
I smiled and sat down. The chopsticks made me a little nervous. Vampires tended to avoid eating in Chinese restaurants. Those plain little wooden sticks were a little too handy for staking someone in the old ticker.
I cleared my throat and picked up a plastic fork. I closed my eyes and inhaled. I was starving. We each opened up a different carton, offering it around the table before filling our disposable plates.
I took a bite of fried rice and moaned in ecstasy. It was surprisingly good. Not as good as New York City Chinese food but close. And really, New York and LA were the only places to get Chinese food as far as I was concerned. Other than China, of course.
“This is so good. It’s almost as good as Peking Palace in Chinatown.”
“Chinatown? Like NYC Chinatown?”
I took my time chewing, cursing at myself for being so stupid. I’d let my guard down too far again. It was the second time today. Having friends was making me forget who I was and how important it was to keep a low profile.
My body was nearly indestructible. My mind was a steel trap. But apparently, my mouth was altogether too human.
In other words, I didn’t know when to shut up.
“Yeah, we, um, lived there when I was little.”
They both stared at me.
“New York. Wow. So you’re a city girl.”
I shrugged.
“Not really. We moved around a lot.”
“Military brat?”
Dylan was smiling at me encouragingly. He was genuinely interested, not just being nosey. I sighed in relief, nodding almost too quickly.
“Yeah, um, military brat. My uncle is in the military.”
Karen was looking at me suspiciously. Ugh. I was over doing it. I shoved more food in my mouth to cover my nerves.
“What branch?”
“Hmmuh?”
Classy, Sasha. Sophie. Oh man, I was really losing it today.
“What branch of the military?”
“Regular.” I wiped my mouth and grabbed my juice box. “Um. Army.”
They dropped it after that and I nearly sagged in relief. I had almost said Navy, which would have been a dead giveaway that I was lying.
There were army bases everywhere, but we were nowhere near the ocean. And the Navy kind of required freaking boats.
Smooth one, Sash.
“Hey, are you trying out for the cheer squad?”
“Excuse me?”
Dylan was looking at me expectantly. I tilted my head, trying to understand the question. Cheer squad? Did he mean me? A cheerleader?
“Cheerleading auditions are later today. A lot of girls try out.”
Karen exhaled.
“Not me. I’m not coordinated enough.”
I laughed, rolling my eyes.
“I don’t think I’m the type.”
Dylan smiled at me wolfishly.
“Well, I think you’d be great. And you’d look amazing in the uniform.”
Good lord. I knew he meant the cute little skirts they wore. I looked around the room to cover how flustered I was.
Just in time to catch blondie giving me a dirty look. I turned to Dylan, jerking my head towards her.
“Is she on the team?”
“Janelle? Yeah. She wants to be captain. She was on JV for the past few years.”
I turned around and picked up an egg roll. I wasn’t really the competitive type, but it might be fun to crush her and take the top spot. And ridiculously easy, considering I could do backflips and high kicks in my sleep.
I winked at Karen and flashed a big smile at Dylan.
“Why not?”
I took a big bite of the egg roll and chewed. Hmm… crispy and delicious. Karen watched me with a smirk.
“Better watch it if you want to join cheer squad, they do regular weigh-ins.”
“Not an issue.” I popped another big bite into my mouth and ate in quickly. I felt like I could eat a horse. “And that’s twisted.”
“Agree.”
“Maybe if you make captain, you can change that.”
I smiled, my cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk.
“Now that sounds like a brilliant idea.”
Chapter 15
“Okay, watch carefully. Here’s the routine.”
I tapped my foot, already bored. Janelle had been captain of Junior Varsity apparently. She and everyone else thought she was going to be the captain of the Varsity squad too.
They thought wrong.
I’d never felt competitive with a human before. Or anyone really. I was one of a kind, after all. I didn’t have peers.
But there was something about being on the receiving end of her non-stop bitchery that made me want to defeat her.
Not just win.
I wanted to squash her.
Or at least wipe that smug look off her face.
I looked around. A lot of the younger girls were looking nervous. I felt sorry for them. The routine was complex and she told us to end with a trick. There were at least thirty girls here and only a few open spots on each squad.
Janelle flipped her pony tail at me and smiled widely. The look on her face was so sugary sweet I almost gagged. She was like a huge bowl of artificially sweetened ice cream for diabetics.
Not the real thing, and not good.
“Why don’t you start, Sophie?”
I hid my laugh. She’d only showed us the routine once. Whoever went first
was at a severe disadvantage and she knew it. She was deliberately trying to humiliate me and make sure I didn’t make the team.
But she didn’t know that it wasn’t an issue for me. Her sad little routine was child’s play to me. I couldn’t wait to wipe that look off her face,
I smiled and took position on the grass.
“With pleasure.”
She turned on the music and I started the routine. I swished, imitating her exaggerated femininity flawlessly at first. Then I got into it, really moving my body with the beat.
Vampires loved to dance. In fact, the best place to find a stray vamp was in the back room of any nightclub, in any town, USA.
People were cheering me on as I hit every single move without missing a step. Then the music built to a crescendo and I made the split-second decision. I was going to put her in her place once and for all.
I did a roundoff back handspring into a straight leg triple layout. I stayed in place for a split second, resisting the urge to throw my arms up like the gymnasts did on TV. I freaking loved gymnastics.
Plus, being a Vampire, I was really good at it.
I waited for the applause from the squad, slowly turning to look around.
Crickets.
Literally no one moved. No one made a sound. I turned my head and realized the football team had stopped practicing too.
And the track team had stopped running.
Everyone on the field was staring at me.
Whoops. Maybe I overdid things a touch.
Then the cheerleaders went wild, whooping and clapping for me. I exhaled shakily, realizing I’d been absolutely mortified. For a split second there, I’d wanted nothing more than to find a dark place to hide. Hormonal teenage angst was apparently not beneath me, as I’d previously assumed.
I looked up and saw Dylan watching me with a look of pure male appreciation. He smiled at me slowly and I felt my heart start to pound. But the best part was when I sat the look on Miss Priss’s face.
Janelle looked like she’d just swallowed a bug. A big one. Maybe even one that bit.
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