by Myers, J. L.
Kendrick curled his arm around me, pulling me against his chest. “It’s okay,” he said, stroking the length of my hair down my back. “I’m here now, and I’m not leaving anytime soon. I promise.”
~
As I took up position at my easel beside Vanessa, she peered up through narrowed eyes. “So, you and Ty…”
She didn’t appear at all thrilled at the idea. Not that I had expected any different. Before the party she had made it abundantly clear that she didn’t approve of us getting to know each other in any way. Although besides her cryptic warning, I didn’t understand why. Did she know what Ty was? A growing coldness invaded my stomach. Or what I was? Not wanting to meet her icy eyes, I glanced away. Other students stole glances around their own easels at me, but I tried to ignore them. They were babbling over the details of the party, and the jaw-dropping fight they had all witnessed. “Yeah, and?”
“Oh nothing,” she said, flinging her hair over her shoulders. As she did, a glint of gold caught my sight. The broad beams of sunlight that streamed through the glass-paneled fernery had caught on something.
My eyes darted to Vanessa and the supple exposed flesh of her neck. Apart from the gold hoop earrings dangling from her small ears, there was nothing. I’m imagining things.
“Though aren’t you at all curious of where Ty keeps disappearing to?” Vanessa’s goading expression said more than her words. She knew exactly where Ty was, and why. And I didn’t.
Fed up with her self-righteous attitude, I crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t suppose you’re in the mood to enlighten me?”
Vanessa smiled a not-so-friendly but devious smile. “Hunting…”
I frowned, thinking of the hunting boots Ty and Troy always wore and their erratic and increasing scars. Did werewolves survive by hunting prey, on the flesh or blood of wild animals? The thought was somehow settling, to think that Ty could be more like me than I had ever imagined. But what if I’m wrong? Since learning the truth just two days ago, I hadn’t had the opportunity to discover anything about werewolves. Ty being absent again didn’t help, and neither did Kendrick’s arrival. But I wanted—no, needed—to know who Ty was, how he lived, and what made him so unique. And, I thought to myself, why he wanted me.
“Hunting?” I questioned.
With a sweeping gesture, Vanessa waved me off. “Yes. But if you want to know what Ty’s hunting, you’ll have to ask him yourself.” She turned back to her canvas and resumed painting.
For the remainder of class I stared at my artwork. It was developing much slower than the other students in the class. My continued distraction with Ty was the usual culprit for keeping my mind wandering and unfocused.
When the shrill clanging of the bell sounded, I leaped from my easel and shot through the door and across the courtyard of puddled paths and oak-accompanied gazebos. Once inside the main building, I stopped short in front of my locker. I swung the door open and knocked my elbow. Dammit! I snatched my iPhone from the shelf, speed-dialing Ty’s number. With students hurrying past, the action reminded me of the last time I had called him from this exact location. This time, again, my question for him would be related to his absence.
“Amelia,” Ty’s surprised voice echoed through the speaker. His breath sounded fast and ragged. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I guess. It’s just…” I closed my eyes and hung my head inside my locker. “What are you hunting?”
“Who told you to ask that?” His incensed tone struck me, sending a jolt through my body. “It was Vanessa, wasn’t it?”
“It doesn’t matter who told me.” Right now outing Vanessa wasn’t my concern. Figuring Ty out was. “I’m not angry,” I added. “I just need an answer.” When Ty remained silent I continued in a hushed voice. “It’s wild animals, isn’t it? You hunt them to feed? Kind of like,” I lowered my voice further, “like vampires hunt animals for blood?”
Ty sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to react that way. Vanessa’s tactlessness seriously grates on my nerves.” He paused, taking a deep breath in before blowing it out. “And you’re right. We do hunt wild game. Now,” Ty said, tone lifting. “Who’s Kendrick, and should I be worried?”
Damn Vanessa!
During lunch she had made a quick appearance, catching sight of Kendrick and demanding an introduction. Then Marika had arrived glued to Dorian’s side. Troy hadn’t been there, which I gathered was due to the secret wolf expedition. Vanessa though, after only a few minutes, had politely excused herself. At the time I’d assumed the sight of Dorian and Marika together had offended her. Now I knew better. Her sudden departure had been an excuse to run and tell Ty about Kendrick.
I fought the impulse to bash my fist through the locker door beside mine. That would only direct attention my way. Instead, I took a deep breath. Then I explained who Kendrick was and why he was here. I expressed my concern with telling Kendrick who Ty was. Ty agreed. There was no need to create drama. After that, we quickly covered the charity auction Mom was hosting.
“I can drop past Saturday morning and help with the setting up,” Ty offered.
“I’d like that,” I replied. “But just remember—.”
“Your mom and Kendrick don’t know I’m a werewolf,” he interrupted. “And we’re going to keep it that way.”
~
All hope of holding down my lunch on Thursday faded as I entered the cafeteria. Past the tables of animated teens, laughing, chatting and eating, I could see the scene at our table. Marika sat in Dorian’s lap, thrusting her bust against his chest while twirling her curly, black hair flirtatiously around one finger. This disgusting, physical display had been escalating all week. At least Troy had been absent with Ty. I couldn’t begin to imagine the bloodshed that would have resulted when he glimpsed his ex-girlfriend pressed against another guy. But soon enough I wouldn’t have to.
Unsurprisingly, Marika was dressed in a skin-tight, lime-colored boob tube sporting what looked like traces dog hair from the animal shelter. The shortest denim skirt I had ever seen covered her round butt. Knee-high, black-leather lace-up boots topped it all off. Any trace of chlorine lingering on Dorian from his morning swim practice was overwhelmed by the dousing of vanilla perfume coating Marika’s entire body. Any jealousy I’d had because of her confident dressing had dissolved since her recognition of Ty at Troy’s party. Now all I felt was unrelenting irritation at her and Dorian’s flaunted physical interactions.
As I took my seat between Kendrick and Vanessa, I tucked my iPod into my jeans. I’d just been listening to a new band Kendrick had suggested, Kutless. Dorian turned to whisper something into Marika’s ear.
“You are so bad,” Marika giggled. “But I have an even naughtier idea.” She stroked his chest suggestively. Then at a level that all enhanced beings such as Kendrick and I could detect, she whispered the vomit-inducing details into his ear. They began making out in plain sight, hands groping and the sound of wet lips smacking.
With a groan, I pushed my lunch tray away, and forced back the sensation to gag. “Great, they’ve kicked it up a notch,” I moaned. Kendrick chuckled beside me, unaffected by the scene before us. My elbow shot out, collecting his ribs. “It’s not funny.”
“It’s disgusting,” Vanessa spat from my other side. She crossed her arms over her chest. For once it seemed we were in agreement on something. Though I knew it wouldn’t last.
Dorian and Marika finally ceased kissing, needing to come up for air. Thank God.
“I can’t wait for the charity auction,” Marika announced, shifting her warm-brown eyes onto me.
Dorian invited her! I glared at Marika as irritation scratched under my skin. “Oh, I didn’t know you were coming.” Dorian had grown accustomed to my not-so-latent dislike of Marika. He’d even stopped telling me off when I was being insolent.
Marika raised her lip in a half-snarl. “Your brother invited me, and I just couldn’t say no.”
“Hey since we’re all friends,” Dorian
piped up, forcing my angry glare from Marika. “I reckon we could talk Mom into letting everyone sleep over after the auction.”
“Are you insane?” I spat. Spend more time watching his sexcapades? I twitched in my seat suddenly feeling as though I were sitting on a sharp bed of spikes. “I don’t think…”
“Oooo, sleep over,” Marika cut in. “I’m in. My ’rents let me do whatever I want.”
I jumped up, kicking back my chair harder than I had meant to. It skidded across the blue-checkered tiles, thudding against the glass wall behind me. The abrupt movement caused Vanessa to jump in her seat. Now a sea of widened eyes from surrounding students was bearing down on me. Too irritated to care, I ignored them. “Dorian, a word…”
Feeling my gums tingle, I stormed from our table and through the glass doors outside. The courtyard was a quaint clearing of paved squares and aluminum picnic benches. It was surrounded on three sides by a splash of green from bordering fernery. I stomped up onto the bench seat, dropping with an intentional thud onto the table top.
“Don’t do this,” I hissed through extended fangs. In this moment I was so pissed that I couldn’t control my predatory reactions. “Don’t force me to endure this shit. I won’t be responsible for my actions when she pushes me past breaking.”
Dorian scooted beside me with a sigh. “Why do you hate her so much?”
His lack of defensiveness to my insults and hostility caught me off guard. Trying to remember how irate I was, I tensed my fingers, nails scraping indents along the aluminum with a hair-raising screech. “I just have a terrible feeling about her. She’s not good for you.”
Dorian reclined on his arms, cocking his head to face me. “And if I warned you against Ty, would you listen?”
My jaw dropped, fangs retracting. For a split second I thought of Ty. The only thing that had joined us all week since the party was that one short phone call. I’d tried to call him since, but he hadn’t answered. Just as fast, my thoughts shifted to the party. Dorian had barely reacted to finding out what Ty and Troy were. “But you accepted him. You never said…”
“Of course I didn’t.” Dorian straightened to rest a palm across my knee. “You are your own person, Amelia. I may not agree with your choices, but they are yours to make.” When I remained frozen and silent, guilt tugging at my heart, he continued. “Look, I don’t expect you to like her. Just give me the same respect I show you. Allow me to make my own choices in life, without ridicule.”
I’m a hypocrite. I drew in a long breath then blew it back out through tightened lips. I couldn’t expect Dorian to fold to my opinions. And I couldn’t protect his heart from being broken any more than I could my own. “Fine, but could you at least tone it down on the PDAs?”
“For you?” Dorian’s smile was full of mischief. “I’ll try.”
I pulled up from the bench and we walked back inside.
“All good,” Dorian stated, resuming his spot beside Marika. “We’ll clear it with the ’rents tonight.”
Kendrick’s questioning gaze narrowed at me. With a shrug of defeat, I retrieved my toppled chair and slumped into it. I may have lost this round, but I’d argue like hell when we got home.
~
“You found it!” Mom was exclaiming into the phone as Dorian and I passed through the frosted-glass door to her office.
She sat behind a flurry of what would have been mess on anyone else’s desk, but not hers. The glass-top was neatly stacked with catalogs and post-it tabbed order forms. There were so many piles of swatches we could have been in a showroom. Her golden hair hung wavy around her shoulders, released from its usual French knot. There was a maroon blazer draped over the back of her white-leather chair. Being daylight outside, thick blackout drapes—an inoffensive shade of cream—covered the tall, arched window. The only light in the room was the yellow glow from a bright desk lamp.
“Wonderful. I will come by personally to pick it up.” Mom held up a hand, motioning for us to wait. “Yes, one hour. I will see you then.”
“That sounded important,” I mused as she hung up the phone.
Mom waved off my curiosity with a dismissive hand. “Oh, just another item for the auction,” she said, before eying us with speculation. “So what can I do for you both?”
Dorian dropped into the seat across from Mom and clasped his hands in front of him. “We’d like to have our friends stay over after the auction. In return we’ll offer free labor on Sunday to help tidy up.”
“Ahem,” I cleared my throat intentionally.
“Okay. Okay,” Dorian said, eyes flashing over his shoulder to me. “I’ll offer free labor.”
Mom reached across the desk to pick up a gold-framed photo. “You’ve both grown up so quickly,” she said gazing distantly at our family portrait.
It was an old photograph, faded by time. Mom was lounging back on her armchair and cradling two infants. She was smiling, her face a proud motherly beam. Her blond locks were short, a halo around her head that mirrored mine. Dorian’s almost-black mop was a stark contrast.
Mom’s focus returned and she looked up pointedly. “Okay, but this is how it’s going to work. You will all sleep in the rec room, door open. And don’t think I won’t be listening. No funny business.”
My jaw dropped for the second time today. “You can’t be serious. Sleeping in the same room as…humans?” I faltered over the word, knowing that if Ty stayed here there wouldn’t be just humans.
Mom replaced the photo frame beside the lamp. Then she crossed her arms over her chest, wrinkling her white, silk blouse. I groaned. I knew that move all too well. Her mind was already made up. “Having friends over is part of having a normal life. I know you want that, Amelia. Besides, if anything goes astray, I’ll be here to…” She froze, lips snapping shut.
“Be here to what?” I questioned. Then realized what she had been about to say. Utter surprise contorted my expression and painted my words black. “Clean up our mess?”
Mom averted her eyes and began flicking through swatches. “No. Of course not. I shouldn’t have said that. I have complete faith in both of you.” Her eyes rose to look from me to Dorian. “I wouldn’t allow this otherwise. And I know I don’t need to worry about you,” she said glancing behind us.
My head twisted. Kendrick was loitering in the doorway, casually leaning against the frame. With his sneaky vampire stealth, I hadn’t even heard him.
“Of course, Ms. Lamont.” He tipped his head formally, seeming so much older and wiser than seventeen. “I’ll keep an eye on everything, too.”
My eyes formed an incredulous glare. Traitor! But Kendrick ignored the piercing gaze.
“That would be much appreciated, Kendrick.” Mom smiled and clapped her hands together. “Now, I have much to finalize for the auction before heading to the Council tonight.”
“Hint taken.” Dorian shot to his feet and bounded around the desk to hug Mom. “Thanks, Mom.” He looked at me with an expression that said, “Let’s go before she changes her mind.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me from the office with Kendrick tailing behind.
~
When we arrived at school the next morning, the parking lot was a haze of frosty air. Graying clouds littered everything in sight with a mist of fine rain. Dorian skipped across the car park, having caught sight of Marika emerging from her red Jeep. He took her into his arms, planting a wet kiss against her pouty lips.
I groaned. “Great, another day of this…”
“It doesn’t have to be,” Kendrick voiced beside me. In the rain his golden-brown hair was darkening to a rich caramel. “Let’s skip.”
Skipping school wasn’t something I usually did. But the alternative was another lunch watching Dorian and Marika practically doing it. “What’d you have in mind?”
“I’m sick of dead blood.” Around the parking lot students were scurrying to get out of the rain. Kendrick watched them as though they were herding cattle. “But your mom was quite clear on the conditions pertaining t
o my visit. No human victims.”
My stomach dropped, churning with predatory instinct and seething disgust all at the same time. “You feed on humans? You kill them?”
At the cabin he had been the one to introduce us to packaged ‘dead blood’, as he had called it. Back then I’d never questioned it. As far as I knew, Kendrick only drank packaged blood and the fresh blood of wild animals.
Kendrick draped an arm around my stiffened shoulders. “No, not kill them, just…feed. We erase their memories with compulsion. They have no recollection.”
A flash of memory scorched across my brain, of Kendrick raking tense fingers down Joel’s chest in the alley.
“You were attacked by a rabid dog,” Kendrick had said. “We saved your life.”
Kendrick had altered Joel’s memory in that moment by compelling him, which I sucked at. No amount of practice had help at the cabin. Apparently both being a turned vamp and Caius’s ancient remedy to prolong our vampire traits had affected more than my need for blood and vampire agility. So far there hadn’t been a single success, bar my unplanned compulsion on the bouncer outside Pulse.
I wanted to question him for probably the hundredth time on my lack of ability. But my mind was elsewhere. The memory of what I’d done to Joel, and my uncontrollable lust for Ty’s blood stole my thoughts. “But, how can you stop? How can you make yourself pull back before it’s too late?”
“With practice,” Kendrick said simply, as though that explained everything. When I frowned, his arm dropped from my shoulder. He pointed past the school’s square, brick buildings and cropped fields. “Come on. I’ll show you,” he said, tilting his head to flash his fangs, “on something less appetizing than humans.”
We walked from the parking lot with purpose. “Got your music?” Kendrick asked.
I pulled my iPod from my jeans and smiled. “Never leave home without it. What are you in the mood for?”
