“This is a purebred Chihuahua.”
“It looks like a rat in a sweater.”
“This dog cost me a thousand dollars!”
“Well, you always did have to pay for your friends,” I said. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
Now it was Angelina’s turn to scorch me with a harsh look. “I don’t know why I even bother talking to you,” she said. “You’re a terrible person. You’re crazy. You’re weird. You chase monsters. Quite frankly, I’m surprised one of those monsters hasn’t killed you yet.”
That made two of us. “You might want to keep that tidbit to yourself,” I said. “You heard what my father said. If that gets out … .” I left the threat hanging.
“I have no intention of telling people what I saw,” Angelina said, referring to two instances when wraiths attacked. “Who would believe me if I told them?”
“That’s true,” I mused. “If you spouted that story, most people would think the syphilis finally caught up to you.”
“You take that back, you whore!”
“Bite me, you stank slutbag!”
For some reason, after a week of behaving and acting like a role model for a teenager I was more than willing to get down and dirty with my childhood nemesis. Was it immature? You bet. That didn’t stop me from wanting to do it. Angelina always brings out the worst in me, and it’s fun to be bad sometimes.
Angelina lashed out to hit me but I saw it coming and easily blocked the blow. Out of sheer curiosity, I watched her for a moment to see what she would do. She lifted her other hand in an effort to catch me off guard. It didn’t work because I managed to lean back and avoid it. Without giving it much thought, I used my right hand to yank on her hair, internally crowing with satisfaction when she shrieked.
The yell set off the rat and it jumped at me, small jaws nipping at my boot-covered feet. I was so surprised with the rat attack I took an inadvertent step back and accidentally tripped over the edge of the bench. I sprawled to the ground, my hands resting against the cold earth as I tried to push myself back to my feet. The rat recognized I was vulnerable, though, and jerked free of Angelina to hop on me.
The ugly thing crawled up my chest and bared its teeth. I wasn’t particularly afraid of the dog, but if it broke my skin I worried I would have to get rabies shots. Or … wait … can dogs catch herpes from their owners?
“Angelina, get this thing off of me or I’ll kill it,” I warned.
Angelina ignored me. “Good job, Schatzy! Who’s a good girl?”
Schatzy? What a stupid name. “I’m not kidding,” I hissed. “I will crush this thing like a spider in the bathtub if you’re not careful.”
“Bite her, Schatzy,” Angelina ordered, trying to incite the rat to violence. “Rip her throat out!”
“I’ll rip that terrible weave out if this dog touches me,” I threatened. “I’m not kidding.”
“I don’t wear a weave! This is my natural hair.”
“Yeah, just like that’s your natural chest,” I shot back. “You’re twice as big now as you were in high school. You’re not fooling anybody.”
“I was a late bloomer!”
“And you bloomed at the silicone store, you dirty hag,” I spat. “Everyone knows it.”
Schatzy bared her teeth as she advanced on my chest. Her mouth was only about three inches from my face now, and she clearly meant business.
“Oh, you’d better be careful now, Aisling,” Angelina said. “Schatzy is going to rip your nose off. You’re already ugly, but once Griffin sees you without a nose he’ll run away screaming. You shouldn’t worry, though, I promise to take care of him. I’ll mend his broken heart.”
“I didn’t know you had a magic vagina to go along with your magic boobs,” I said. “How expensive was that surgery?”
“I’m all natural!”
“And I’m a nice person!”
“Get her, Schatzy!”
The dog took another step and forced my hand. I couldn’t let it get any closer. I wasn’t thrilled about hurting it, but I couldn’t let it bite my face. I had a feeling Griffin wouldn’t be happy if I was scarred for life. He probably wouldn’t leave me, but once he found out how I got injured his love would likely lessen.
I grabbed the rat’s wiggling body and shoved it to my left. The animal was fast and it sank its teeth into my hand as I tried to move it away from my face. I yelped at the pain, this time lashing out hard with my other hand and forcing the dog to the ground. It let loose with a pitiful yelp and Angelina screeched as she bent over to collect the mongrel.
“Oh, no! Did that horrible woman hurt my baby?” Angelina cradled the dog as I studied my hand. The dog left an open wound. It wasn’t large, but it did draw blood. “Are you hurt, baby?”
“I’m going to have that thing euthanized,” I said, making a face. “It’s a menace … and so are you.”
I used my good hand to push myself to a standing position and glowered at Angelina as I raised my wounded hand. “Do you see this? I can sue you!”
The reality of the situation appeared to hit Angelina all at once and her face fell. “Please don’t take it out on my dog.”
“Oh, I’m going to take it out on your dog,” I said. “In fact, I’m going to … .”
I didn’t get a chance to finish because the sight of a slight figure hopping out from behind a nearby tree caught my attention. I recognized the blond hair and flashing green eyes a moment before I saw the knife in Serena’s hand. I reacted instinctively, throwing myself in front of Angelina and absorbing the bulk of Serena’s blow. Thankfully, my heavy coat turned the blade away before it could hit skin.
Angelina’s eyes widened when she saw the girl, and she clutched the rat closer to her chest. “Omigod! I’m being mugged. Help! Help!”
“You’re not being mugged,” I gritted out, rubbing my shoulder as I shoved Serena away and glared at her. “You’re being … attacked by the fashion police. They hate your stupid outfit, too.”
Angelina took a step back from Serena, her eyes never leaving the girl’s heaving chest or the weapon gripped in her hand. “What’s going on?”
That was a very good question. “I don’t know,” I replied, focusing on the teenager. “What is going on?”
“I was saving you,” Serena replied. “She was attacking you with her Hellhound.”
I wrinkled my nose. “There’s no such thing as Hellhounds.” I was fairly certain that was true. “That’s a … rat.”
“Chihuahua,” Angelina corrected.
“They’re the same thing,” I shot back. “As for attacking me … that’s just what we do.”
“She let the dog attack you, though,” Serena protested.
“Yes, and several weeks ago I grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the ground so I could choke her,” I said. “She’s not my enemy. Er, well, she is. She’s not that kind of enemy, though.”
When I risked a glance at Angelina, I found she had her phone out and was trying to record me.
“What are you doing, you tampon string?” I barked.
“Just say that part about choking me again,” Angelina instructed. “I want to give the police your confession.”
“Oh, bite me, Stick-Up-Your-Butt Barbie,” I snapped. “I’m not owning up to anything.”
“Wait … so she wasn’t trying to hurt you?” Serena looked confused as she bit her lip. “I don’t understand.”
“You can’t understand because Angelina defies logic,” I said. “She’s a terrible person and she deserves to die. You can’t walk around stabbing people, though. You’re lucky my coat is thick and you didn’t have enough leverage to hurt me.”
“Yes, well, I’m still turning her in,” Angelina said, brushing her hand down the front of her coat. “She could’ve killed me. I can’t let that go. I have too much left to give the world.”
I rolled my neck until it cracked and bit my tongue to keep from shouting out that the only thing she had to give the world was
venereal disease – and we had plenty of that already. I didn’t miss the momentary burst of terror as it flashed over Serena’s face. I knew my father would never allow the police to take Serena, but she clearly wasn’t convinced. I needed to halt this potential disaster before it spiraled out of control.
“Angelina, if you call the police and report Serena, I’ll show them my bite wound and have that mutt put to sleep,” I threatened. “Is that really the way you want to go?”
Angelina cradled the dog against her chest. “You wouldn’t dare. I know you. You’d rather have me put to sleep.”
She wasn’t wrong. Still, I meant business. “Try me.”
Angelina blew out a sigh and squared her shoulders. “Fine. I’ll let it go … but only this time.”
“Great.”
“I won’t forget this, though, Aisling,” she hissed. “I’ll make you pay.”
“Just add it to your revenge list.” I remained silent until Angelina was gone and then turned my fury on Serena. “What were you thinking? You can’t just stab people in the middle of a park.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“How did you even find me?”
“I’ve been following you all day.”
I stilled, surprised. “I … but how?”
“I put a tracker on your car when you were at Grimlock Manor yesterday and have been monitoring you on my phone,” Serena replied simply, her eyes bulging when an elderly woman walking a dog pitched forward on the sidewalk a few feet away. “Wow. What’s her deal?”
“That’s my charge,” I replied. “Don’t you even think about moving! I’m collecting my soul and then you and I are going to have a long talk.”
“Can we do it over coffee?”
“No.”
“Please?”
I wasn’t prone to falling for big eyes and pouty lips, but despite her mistake I couldn’t help but marvel at her bravery. “Fine! But you’re only getting a small coffee before I bring down the thunder.”
“Can I get a doughnut, too?”
“I just … teenagers suck!”
25
Twenty-Five
Serena happily sipped her iced coffee as I led her into Grimlock Manor. Dad met us at the door. I texted him from the coffee shop to let him know Serena was with me – and kind of told him what happened in case he was panicking because she was missing – but I didn’t tell Serena I narced on her.
The look on the girl’s face when she saw my father’s furious countenance was something straight out of a horror movie.
“You are in so much trouble, young lady!”
I hadn’t heard that bellowing voice in weeks. I was quite familiar with it as a child. I kind of missed it. The echoing yell brought back fond memories of making my father’s hair turn gray at the temples. At least, that’s what he told me.
Serena shrank back as Dad planted his hands on his hips. “I … um … .” Her eyes were accusatory when they landed on me. “I can’t believe you told on me.”
I felt guilty about doing it, but she had to learn a hard lesson about running around unattended when monsters were trying to kill her. I’m not great with yelling at people unless it’s for my own personal gain, so I decided that letting my father be the authority figure was the best way to go.
“I didn’t tell on you,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “He guessed.”
Dad made a disgusted face as he grabbed my arm. “Why didn’t you bring her straight home?” he yelled. “What would possess you to take her to the coffee shop as a reward for running around in a dangerous situation?”
How did this become my fault? I jerked my arm away and gave Dad a dark look. “Don’t yell at me!”
The door behind us opened to allow Griffin entrance. His eyes were wide as he glanced between faces. “What did I miss?”
“Nothing important,” I answered.
“Aisling tattled on me and now I’m in trouble,” Serena wailed, tears falling down her cheeks. Unfortunately for her, my father would never fall for those tears. He knew an act when he saw one. Apparently Griffin was another story.
“Why did you tattle on her?” Griffin asked, slipping an arm around the girl’s shaking shoulders. “What would possess you to do that?”
I narrowed my eyes to dangerous slits. “Seriously?”
“Aisling made me think we were friends and then she got me in trouble,” Serena sniffed, snuggling closer to Griffin. “She really hurt my feelings.”
Griffin made a clucking sound as he shook his head. “You don’t like it when your brothers tattle on you,” he said. “Why would you tattle on her?”
I opened my mouth to respond but Griffin didn’t give me the chance.
“What could this girl have possibly done to make you tattle on her?” Griffin challenged. “She’s been nothing but an angel since getting here.”
“Oh, I think I might puke,” I muttered.
“Now you know how I feel when you let him grope you in public,” Dad said, rubbing his forehead. “It’s not fun, is it?”
“I’ve never let him grope me in front of you,” I argued.
“I didn’t say in front of me,” Dad said. “I said in public. That means you have let him grope you in public. You’re grounded.”
“You can’t ground me. I don’t live here.”
“You’re grounded anyway.”
Serena shot me a triumphant look, but I knew better than she that Dad wasn’t about to let her transgression go.
“As for you, young lady, blaming what happened on Aisling isn’t going to change the fact that you’re in big trouble,” Dad said. “Aisling’s biggest mistake was taking you out for coffee when she found you in the park. She should’ve dragged you back here by the nape of your neck.”
“Wait … .” Griffin cast a sidelong look at Serena. “What were you doing in the park?”
Serena opened her mouth and closed it. I could practically see her mind working. She was trying to come up with a reasonable story. There was no way I was going to give her the chance.
“Do you want to tell him, or should I?” I asked, leaning against the stair railing.
“I think you should,” Dad prodded. “Your text was very minimal. All you said was that she was armed with a knife and was in the park because she’d been following you all day. I didn’t even know she was gone. She told me she would be upstairs reading.”
“That’s on you,” I said. “I can’t believe you fell for that.”
“Aisling.” Dad’s voice was a low growl.
“I was sitting in the park waiting for my last charge of the day when I ran into … an old friend,” I offered.
“She didn’t seem like a friend,” Serena pointed out. “You pulled her hair and then her dog attacked you.”
Griffin’s eyebrows flew up. “You pulled someone’s hair? Wait … was it Angelina?”
“When did Angelina get a dog?” Dad asked, making a face. “What moron would think she’s a responsible pet owner? She can barely take care of herself.”
“It’s not a dog,” I said. “It’s a rat. It attacked me and bit my hand.” I held up my wound for inspection. “It’s a vile beast.”
Griffin moved away from Serena, and I didn’t miss the look of disappointment on her face when he stepped closer to me. I stuck my tongue out for good measure. If she was going to use me as a distraction, I could top her game. What? This maturity thing comes and goes … and right now, it’s going, going, gone.
“This doesn’t look terrible, but if it’s a dog bite we should probably clean it out and have a professional look at it,” Griffin said. “Did the dog look like it had rabies?”
“It was wearing a sweater.”
“That wasn’t really an answer.”
“The dog didn’t have rabies,” I said. “Angelina is a slutbag, but knowing her the dog most likely has all of its shots.”
“I agree,” Dad said. “Still, that needs to be cleaned. What happened?”
“Se
rena jumped out of the bushes and she had a knife in her hand,” I said. “I kind of reacted and jumped in front of her to protect Angelina. The good news is that my coat absorbed most of the blow … although my shoulder is sore.”
Griffin grabbed my arm and forced me to face him, the set of his jaw grim. “You jumped in front of her knife? What were you thinking?”
I jerked away from him. “I was thinking that she would’ve gone to jail for murdering Angelina if I didn’t stop her and I didn’t know what else to do. I’m fine, though. Thanks.”
Griffin’s expression softened and he held up his hands to appease me. “I’m sorry. I just … that is not being careful.”
“No, it’s not,” Dad said. “She saved Serena, though, and she’s not bleeding to death on my marble floor. She shouldn’t have done it, but things could’ve gone a whole lot worse.”
“I was trying to protect her,” Serena snapped. “I was doing the right thing. That woman attacked her.”
“That’s what they do,” Dad said. “I’m not saying Aisling is mature, but Angelina is no physical threat to her. Their war goes back more than a decade and it has nothing to do with you. Angelina did not hurt your family.”
“How do you know?” Serena was surprisingly defiant now that her fake tears had dried. “If she hates Aisling that much she might be behind all of this.”
“Angelina isn’t smart enough to be behind all of this,” Dad said. “As for the rest … you need to do what you’re told. We’re trying to keep you safe. That means you owe us at least a modicum of respect. You’re not allowed to sneak out of this house and lie to me.”
“Yeah. That’s something only his children can do,” I said, taking a step back when Dad scorched me with a murderous look. “Or … listen to what Dad says and shut up!”
“Aisling, keep still,” Dad ordered. “This has nothing to do with you. As for you, Serena, you’re in big trouble. In fact … yes … you’re grounded.”
Serena’s mouth opened and closed as incredulity wafted over her. She couldn’t believe the man who had spent the past few days doting on her would dare drop the hammer and punish her. She finally found her voice. “You’re not my father.”
Grim Expectations (Aisling Grimlock Book 5) Page 22
