Alone.
Where was Jenny? A brief moment of panic gripped her until she realized her sister must’ve already gotten up. The girl never slept in. Breena would sleep until lunchtime if grown-up responsibilities would just do the decent thing and stop getting in the way.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed back the covers and swung her legs over the edge. A chill nipped at her and she grabbed her sweater from the closet doorknob.
Breena walked into the kitchen and found her sister wrestling with a jar. “Hey, short stuff, whatchya doin’?”
“Myles made us biscuits and gravy.”
Her stomach howled indignantly and she had to muffle a groan. If it wouldn’t freak her sister out, Breena would throw herself on the table and start shoving food in her mouth. She probably should keep it together for Jenny’s sake. “Nice.” Breena nodded her approval and stood, hands digging into her hips, watching her sister.
“Yup.” Jenny turned the lid of the jelly but it didn’t budge.
“Give it.” Breena motioned.
Pop!
Breena got a spoon out the drawer by the stove and handed it to her sister.
“I like Myles.” Jenny slathered one of her biscuits in jelly. “Know what I mean, kidney bean?”
Breena delivered her line. “Sure do, bugaboo.”
She giggled. “He likes you, too.”
“Oh really?” A rush of heat spread through Breena like wildfire, taking the edge off the ice in her bones.
“Yeah.” Jenny bit into her jelly biscuit, talking with her mouth full. “Asked.” Chomp. “Lots.” Chomp. “Questions.” Chomp. Chomp.
Breena poured a glass of orange juice then broke apart her biscuit and drenched it in gravy. Coffee wasn’t her thing, unless it was super sugary, but she loved it in red-eye gravy. Probably her favorite way to eat a biscuit. “Like what?” Breena chowed down like she’d never seen food before.
“Like favorite foods and college and stuff.” Jenny shrugged, munching on her third biscuit since Breena had sat down. No telling how many she’d eaten already. Good thing Jenny had a seriously high metabolism. Unlike Breena who, with all the snacking she’d done lately, was starting to feel a tightness in the waistline of her pants.
“He was being nice.”
“Nah, his glow gets all bright and squirrelly when he sees you.”
Breena froze. “What glow?”
“Like your blue one, only red.”
Chapter 5
“My blue one?” Breena tilted her head and arched a brow in Jenny’s direction.
“Yup.”
Breena watched her hand for signs of light as she sneaked another biscuit. No blue. “Do you see it now?”
“Nope.”
“Okay, Jen, when did you see it?”
Jenny puckered her lips, squinted, and her little cheeks turned candy apple red. Breena knew Jenny didn’t like to be called Jen, though it was even worse when Breena used her full name.
“I’m not lying.” Jenny heaved out a breath through her nose.
“I didn’t say you were.”
“Yes, you did.”
“No I didn–” Ugh. Breena was supposed to be the mature one. “I’m not arguing with you, Jenny.”
The pout subsided for the moment. Jenny crossed her legs Indian-style on the dining room chair and twirled her hair around her finger, making a nice nest of knots for Breena to comb out later. “The night... When Stan...”
“That’s when I glowed?”
“Yeah.”
Holy hell.
Breena had seen the blue light too. Hadn’t she? But that was just crazy, right? A person couldn’t shoot light from their hands. And glowing…Well, there were people who could read auras and stuff. Breena had never bought into that mumbo-jumbo, though.
What am I thinking?
Jenny was a seven-year-old girl with an overactive imagination. Of course she’d be talking about stuff like this.
“Hold your horses. Myles glows too?”
Jenny went back to chugging her orange juice. “Yup. Red.”
Geez, everyone was turning out to be something crazy. Even Myles. She did a mental eye roll.
Just when you think things can’t get any more complicated... A preternatural saves you and claims you’re some weird half-and-half thingy. Your little sister tells you she sees people glow. And your wannabe boyfr–just friend–glows.
Breena needed to chew on this information awhile. Even if Jenny was making up the glow thing and the incident on campus had been a hoax, that still didn’t explain her ravenous appetite and unrelenting chill. There had to be a rational explanation, she…she just hadn’t thought of it yet. But she would.
Soon.
She buttoned her sweater and inhaled the rest of her breakfast. Right now, she needed to focus on the most immediate task at hand–getting Jenny away from Evil One and Evil Two.
Once they’d finished breakfast, Jenny helped Breena clean up. They both took showers, Breena combed the knots out of Jenny’s hair then they left for Norma’s.
* * * *
“Get a trash bag from under the sink,” Breena yelled to Jenny from the pantry. “I got the broom.” She grabbed the dustpan.
Cleaning supplies in hand, they stood outside the plain white bedroom for a long time, looking at the mess. Glass and little pieces of snow globe castle littered the floor along with Breena and Stan’s blood. The mattress was cock-eyed. Clothes had fallen off their hangers and lay in a crumpled heap on the closet floor. The blinds crooked sideways in a bent-but-not-broken kind of way.
Breena swept inward from the hallway to clear a path for them to work. Once inside, Jenny held the dustpan. They dumped scoop after scoop into the trash bag. It was crazy how much glass came from one little snow globe. Breena snatched the scrub brush and cleaner from the bathroom and did her best to remove the blood from the floor without gagging. Jenny flipped the last blind right-side up. They straightened the bed and were hanging the clothes in the closet when a car door slammed.
“Shit.” Breena realized too late she’d cussed.
“Breena Cross.” Jenny squinted at her from across the room.
“Sorry, Jenny.”
Hell’s bells. I’m a terrible role model.
Breena grabbed the garbage bag and raced to the back porch, barely making it to the trash can and back before Norma and Real Daughter walked through the front door. Susan flipped her stringy black hair, blinked her insanely long eyelashes and ignored Breena.
“What’re you doin’ here?” Norma didn’t like it when Breena came over unannounced. Well, screw her.
“Visiting Jenny.”
Breena stumbled backward when Norma shoved the suitcase into her arms, just like old times. “Put it in my room,” Norma ordered.
The stench of burnt tobacco hit Breena in the face. For a second, Scumbag’s hands were on her again. As she gripped the suitcase to her chest, she forced that nightmare into the darkness of her mind. Norma must’ve been smoking in the car again.
Breena kept her head down and went up the stairs as fast as possible without actually running. Hopefully, Stan hadn’t told Evil One a bunch of lies about the other night.
Then again, anything could set off a ticking time bomb like Norma.
“Grab Jenny and get yer hind-ends back down here,” Norma hollered. Someday Norma wouldn’t have this control over her, but for now, Breena would jump as high as she needed to in order to protect her sister.
Breena dropped the suitcase in Norma’s room at the top of the stairs then raced over to Jenny’s.
Jenny sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze fixed on the floor.
“We need to go downstairs now.” Breena hated each word she’d just said, but she knew the longer they stayed up here, the angrier Evil One would get.
Jenny shook her head. “I don’t wanna, Bea.”
“I know, sweet girl. But I promise I won’t let them hurt you.” Breena sat next to her sister and wrapped an arm around her
shoulder. “You trust me, right?”
Jenny nodded.
“Good.” Breena stood up and offered her hand. “Now, come on, let’s get this over with.”
“Why can’t I just live with you?” Jenny took her hand.
“Doesn’t work like that, short stuff. But I’ll keep you safe. Okay?”
“’kay.”
A few minutes later, Breena walked into the living room with Jenny.
Norma scooted to the edge of the couch. “About damn time.” Evil One cussing was never a good sign and Breena felt Jenny tense beside her.
Susan sat with her feet propped on the coffee table. She gave Jenny a heated glare as she sipped her Diet Coke. “You’re gonna get it.”
Breena stared Real Daughter down, daring her to make a move. Susan caught Breena’s look then went back to ignoring her.
“Here.” Norma pointed to the spot in front of her. Jenny eased her way around the coffee table. “Sit.”
As Breena’s shoulders rose, she tightened her hands into fists, squeezing so hard her fingernails dug into skin. It had been a while since the last time.
“Stan said ya bit him. He had ta go to the ER.” Norma’s bloodshot eyes fixed on Jenny.
“Animal,” Susan added.
Jenny risked a glance up at her sister and Breena inched closer to her.
“You bitch.” Norma cracked her knuckles.
“She’s a little girl,” Breena snapped, only a step or two away from her.
“And you…” She turned her hateful gaze to Breena. “He said ya came on to him.”
Breena wanted to scream but knew if she did, Jenny would be even more afraid. So she stuck her finger in her mouth and made a gagging sound. Out the corner of her eye she glimpsed Jenny’s small, guarded smile. “I did not.”
“Liar.” Susan always fueled her mother’s fires.
“You lil’ piece a shit.”
“She is not.” Jenny defended Breena.
Wrong move. Any act of strength around Norma would cost you.
“Shut up.” Evil One raised her hand to Jenny.
Breena jumped, tackling Norma to the floor, unsure what she expected to happen, only knowing she couldn’t watch Norma hit Jenny. Not again.
“Get. Off. Me.” Norma’d been blessed with the body of a linebacker, and she’d gotten her arm strength from lifting fifty-pound packages at the UPS plant.
Latching onto Breena’s shoulders, Evil One hoisted her off and pushed her back into the opposite end of the couch. Norma landed one good slap across Breena’s face before she got away. Breena couldn’t go very far though, because Jenny sat frozen to the coffee table.
“Get out.” Norma pointed toward the front door.
Breena motioned to Jenny. “Let’s go to your room.”
“No.” Norma cracked her knuckles, her face red and eyes dark. “Get the hell outta my house. And don’t come back.”
Jenny met her gaze. Breena nodded slowly. Jenny stood and came around the coffee table, but Susan blocked her path. “Mom.”
Norma turned around. “Jennifer Doe, where the hell ya think you’re goin’?”
Jenny froze.
“She’s coming with me.” Breena reached around Susan to grab Jenny’s hand.
Norma crossed her arms. “Over my dead body.”
“You don’t want her here.”
“No, but I want the check.”
Tears clouded Jenny’s eyes. Breena didn’t know what to do.
“Let her come with me. You’ll still get your money. I promise,” Breena pleaded.
“Do I look like a fuckin’ idiot?”
Yes. Next question.
“What about when the social worker woman drops by? Jennifer’s staying here. Now get!” Norma yanked Jenny from Breena’s grasp.
“No!” Breena squinted as hard as she could, hoping maybe the blue glow would burst out of her and knock Norma down dead. Of course, nothing happened. Why would it? “You can’t make me.”
“Wanna bet?”
Breena glared at Norma. She’d take whatever Evil One dished out. She was not leaving Jenny here alone and that was that. When Norma raised her hand, Breena closed her eyes and braced herself for the blow. It never came. When she opened her eyes, Jenny lay sprawled on the floor and Norma was shaking out her fist. The tears Jenny had been holding in now ran down her battered face. Breena’s own tears swelled as she choked back the bitter taste in her mouth.
“Jenny.” Her voice nearly broke.
“Try me.” Norma scowled.
Breena looked at her sister. A dark circle was already forming under Jenny’s right eye. Breena reached out for her, but Norma crouched over Jenny with fist clenched, ready to strike again. Jenny flinched.
Breena had wanted to kill Stan for attacking Jenny, and now she comforted herself with images of a slow death for Norma, with plenty of time for her to rot, wallowing in her own misery. She deserved pain. Breena just wished she could be the one to give it to her.
But this wasn’t the time for plotting revenge. She had to focus on damage control. Breena had to be strong now. She would get Jenny away from all this. Just not tonight.
Stomping down on her anger with well-worn emotional boots, Breena blinked several times to hold back tears. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she faced Jenny. “See ya later, terminator.”
Jenny swallowed her tears and squeaked out, “Nail file.”
Norma looked at them with a dumbfounded stare. She didn’t understand what their special language meant to them, the way it tied them together. She didn’t understand anything. How could she? She was heartless, cruel, scum-of-the-earth.
Breena turned on her heel and walked stiffly to the front door and out, starting at the sharp click of the lock. She counted her steps to the car, trying to hold herself together, but still only just managed to slump into the front seat before collapsing in tears. What had she done? She’d promised Jenny, promised her, that she’d look after her, keep her safe. She’d failed. Miserably. Not only had she not stopped Norma from hitting her, she’d been the reason for the beating. And then she’d just left her with them.
What else could I do?
She pictured the way Jenny’s poor little face had looked as she’d curled on the floor and struggled not to cry.
Screaming, Breena pounded on the steering wheel until her palms ached. She might’ve stayed there all day, unable to make herself leave, but when the curtain twitched in the porch window she forced herself to crank the VW. As she turned around in the driveway she let loose a string of profanity that made her feel guilty the instant the last word left her mouth.
At the end of the driveway she stopped again, at a loss. She couldn’t go back to her crackerjack apartment. No way could she handle being alone right now. Caught between sheer panic and guilt, Breena realized where she’d go.
Myles.
At his duplex a few minutes later, she scanned the parking lot for his black Camaro. It wasn’t in his usual space. She looked again. He had to be here. When the car didn’t magically appear, she laid her head on the steering wheel and fought back tears.
Dammit. Why is nobody ever around when I actually need someone?
Where could he be?
The only other place she’d ever known him to go was work so, with no other ideas, she headed to the pharmacy.
As Breena weaved into the lot, she saw Myles’s car and breathed a sigh of relief that caught in her throat when she spotted a white Honda Accord two cars over.
It couldn’t be…
She parked next to the Camaro and got out. Not paying attention, she raced up onto the sidewalk and slammed into a hard body.
“Shit.” She stumbled backward but someone caught her arm and steadied her. The touch sent a shock wave of familiarity down Breena’s spine. “Watch where you–” His pale-green gaze met hers and her words dried up.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Guess I’m used to stealth mode.” He smiled and released her arm.
“You always this…” Breena searched for the right word before settling on one of his, “…stealthy?”
His laugh was low and dark, which she found pretty damn hot. “For the most part.”
His tight gray t-shirt hugged his chest like a glove hugged a hand. He shifted his weight and a pec actually flexed. Breena couldn’t help letting her gaze wander…down his snug black jeans and back up again to arms that could easily fling a guy three parking spaces. He had done that. For her. If it had been an act, a play to get into her pants, no friend would’ve let him take it that far… Right?
She caught his look. Oh God, she’d been staring. Her mouth was practically watering. The heat forming in her cheeks brought her back to reality. And the way he watched her nearly brought her to her knees. Looking into those pale-green eyes with the golden rim made her weak, left her breathless. He couldn’t be more than eighteen or nineteen but there was a knowing look in his eyes that made her want to find out what, exactly, he knew.
She took a step toward him and the knowing look turned darker, hotter. There was something raw about it. Something ravenous, and so powerful she could barely keep herself from being consumed.
He tilted his head slightly in her direction, and it seemed almost as if he was…listening to her. As if he were trying to puzzle her out by catching the subtle beat and hum of her body.
It finally dawned on her that they’d been standing there a good while in complete silence. She managed to shake herself out of her lust-filled stupor long enough to recover something vaguely resembling her manners. “Ah, about the other night… Thanks.”
“You’re welcome, Breena.”
“Hey, how do you know my name?”
“I do my research.”
“You do realize that makes you sound like a complete stalker.”
“I’ve been called worse.” He smiled, but kept his distance. “What can I do to seem less stalker-like?”
If the guy wanted to hang out, he’d have to ditch the mysterious vibe and play nicely.
She leaned back against her VW, trying her best to act cool, calm, captivating. She didn’t realize she was a couple inches too far from the car and stumbled backward, only just managing to catch herself in time.
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