Salt & Venom (Blood, Bloom, & Water Book 2)

by Amy McNulty

  Right. I wandered over to the door in the dining room that led out to the backyard. Autumn was out there near the edge of the woods, her hair in a fancy French braid Mom had styled for her this morning, her green dress at odds with the way she hunkered down in the grass surrounded by her pony and dinosaur toys. Laguna stood nearby, staring down at my sister, whose mouth was moving a mile a minute as she kept holding one toy after another up to Laguna, shaking it as if to tell her the entire made-up history of each plaything. Laguna seemed fascinated, but she also didn’t seem to have the instinct to know how to play with little kids. She clenched her fists at her side as she kept staring down at Autumn, nodding once in a while, and then taking another look around at the few guests mingling outside. One man shivered as a short blast of cold air ruffled the leaves decorating the arch. He pulled his suitcoat tighter, but the pale, vampire woman Noelle had greeted as “Yvonne” didn’t so much as flinch in the face of the chill.

  “Hey,” said a familiar voice in an unfamiliar manner behind me.

  Lyric stood there in the hallway, clutching her purse, awkwardly wiggling her fingers. She looked a little dressed up in her tight capris, flowery blouse, and white denim jacket, but Lyric always looked nice.

  My body tensed before my eyelids blinked rapidly and I fully understood who was standing in front of me. “Hey!” I gave her a quick hug, my head coming up to her shoulders. “I thought you had a track thing.”

  She embraced me back, patting me. “I finished this morning. Took a quick shower, changed…” She stepped back, frowning. “Unless you didn’t want me to come?”

  “No, no—of course I do!”

  Calder’s eyes narrowed at me over Lyric’s shoulder. I gave him a slight shrug, as if to say it didn’t really matter, did it? We weren’t going to break out into a fight during the ceremony.

  I locked eyes with Lyric. “I’m always glad to see you.”

  “Right,” said Lyric. She cleared her throat. “It’s just… I’m sorry. About kind of giving you the cold shoulder since you said you were transferring.”

  “Kind of?” I asked.

  She chuckled. “Okay. Full-on cold shouldering. But it’s not like I totally ignored your texts, right?” She slid her arm through mine and guided me back to the kitchen. “Can I get some grub? I’m starving.”

  Calder and I shared a nod as he walked around the house and I went with my friend to the buffet. Dante was picking at the hummus with a carrot stick and he and Lyric exchanged hellos while I kept looking around the place, taking note of where the vampires and merfolk were in my head.

  “Didn’t you transfer or something?” he asked.

  Snapping back to attention, I realized he was talking to me. “Ah. Yeah. Central.”

  “Weird time to be transferring to a school practically down the block,” he said.

  Shrugging, I took another chip. “It’s in my mom’s district.”

  “That’s right. This is your dad’s thing, huh?” Dante loosened the knot of his tie and then grabbed a celery stick. “Your dad married Ember’s mom.”

  “Yeah.” I studied his face to see if he had any particular reaction when mentioning my as-yet missing step-sister, but he was fully focused on getting as much hummus on the veggie as possible.

  “Isn’t Journey coming to this?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder for any sign of her—or of Devam. I supposed if they’d stopped dating, Paisley would have probably told me. She’d kept me pretty up-to-date on the inconsequential details of the life I’d left behind.

  Dante shrugged. “I guess. She had that Model U.N. thing.” His sparkling white teeth shone as he sent me a grin. “I’m just here because Auntie invited me and I thought I’d come for the food.”

  “Oh, sure,” said Lyric, nudging his arm. “And seeing little nerdy Ember all dolled up isn’t another one of your reasons for coming?”

  I did a double-take. “You have a thing for Ember?”

  “Shut it,” said Dante, but he was laughing as he nudged Lyric back. “I kept waiting for her to get a clue. I’m over that. She’d got that zombie pale boyfriend now anyway.”

  Hmm.

  “I’m surprised Journey never set you up,” said Lyric, grabbing a carrot stick and only slightly dipping it in the hummus.

  “She tried—sort of.” Dante cleared his throat. “At some dances and stuff. But anyway, I told her to lay off.” He shrugged. “Then we all just grew apart.”

  How did Lyric know this anyway? How close was she to Dante Johnson? They talked a few times, sure, but…

  “Oh! Hello! I remember you from Homecoming.” Noelle swept into the room, her face perpetually lit up. “Did you ever try that salsa?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” said Lyric, putting on her “friends’ parents” face. “It’s amazing. Thank you.”

  Knowing Lyric, that was probably all for show.

  “Thanks for coming, dear.” Noelle reached the fridge and pulled out one of the juice boxes Autumn liked. “Ivy, have you seen your sister?”

  “She’s out back,” I said, grabbing another chip.

  But Noelle was pulling a phone out of her pocket. “I sent Ember to the store this morning for another vegetable tray.”

  Both Dante and Lyric looked at each other with a veggie stick halfway to their mouths, as if they were afraid they’d be accused of eating Noelle out of house and home. Then they chuckled.

  Noelle’s head popped up from her screen. “Ah! Okay. There they are.”

  The moment ground to a halt. Turning around, I looked past Calder, who’d meandered into the family room, to see Ember and Dean headed down the sidewalk, arm in arm, perfectly ready for the costume party that Noelle’s vampire guests were all suited up for.

  Dean had on his sunglasses, a suit, and a fedora all in burgundy, and Ember wore a similar deep red color in a vintage long dress with long sleeves, her hair half down in front of her face. Though the skirt wasn’t skintight, it was close, a slit that ran partway up her thigh allowing her a little better movement.

  Still, she didn’t seem ready for a fight.

  On the arm not entwined with Ember’s, Dean carried a large paper grocery bag with a handle.

  Noelle brushed past, juice box still in hand, to greet them at the door.

  Llyr wandered closer, sharing a curt nod with Calder, who looked pointedly at me.

  Clenching my fists at my side, I almost flinched when I heard Dante whisper, “Daaaaaang.”

  Ember did look like a million bucks.

  But if things went my way, her glamor was going to wear off fast.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  These folding chairs weren’t helping. I was plenty nervous, which could account for the fact that I kept fidgeting, but a plush armchair might have gone a long way right now.

  Autumn was on my right, clutching one stuffed My Little Pony. But Ember was on my left, an empty chair beside her, and on the other side of that, Journey’s parents and Dante. Behind us were my friends and Dean, with Lyric fortunately serving as an unintentional buffer between vampire and merfolk.

  Ember’s hands clutched the knee of her dress, and at first I thought it might have been to keep that slit up one leg from sliding. But from the way her knee bounced as her back went unnaturally stiff, it seemed like she was a wreck like me.

  “Easton,” said Noelle, her hands clutched in each of Dad’s between them. “Before I met you, I didn’t believe in romance or second chances. Now I couldn’t imagine ever doubting again.”

  The gathered people let out an elicited aww as more than one person blew their nose. It was at least ten minutes into the ceremony, but it felt like much longer. My head was pounding, and the fluttery sensation in my stomach was threatening to make me sick. What kind of daughter did that make me? That I was wishing for my dad’s wedding ceremony to be over with already?

  “Noelle,” said Dad. “I’d been determined to focus on being a dad before you walked into my life. You showed me that I could do both—make being a
dad my priority and welcome a new love into my arms.” He choked up, bringing one of Noelle’s hands higher up, almost as if he were going to use it to wipe his face. “As a family, the five of us are going to have so many happy days ahead. Thank you, thank you.” He kissed the top of her knuckles.

  A flurry of whispers down the row got my attention. Ember turned to look, too. Dante was showing his phone to Journey’s dad, who tried to bat it away, but he was adamant.

  At the same time, a phone buzzed incessantly behind us. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Lyric, her eyes glistening with moisture, look puzzled as she pulled her phone out of her little clutch purse.

  “Well, about that…” said Noelle, snapping me back to attention. “We’re not going to be a family of five anymore.”

  That got Ember’s attention, too, even if there were still hushed voices coming from beside us.

  Dad’s head jerked back as his mouth fell open.

  “I’m pregnant!” said Noelle.

  So much happened then, my brain didn’t even compute. The small gathered crowd exploded, most rising to their feet to clap and jump excitedly. Dad swept Noelle into his arms, kissing her face over and over—I hadn’t even known they’d been trying for a baby, assuming this was sort of planned. They’d spend practically their whole lives being parents at this rate, considering Ember and I were on our way out the door. Autumn was squealing and kicking her legs out next to me, clutching my knee. “I hope we get a brother this time!” she said. “I’ll share all my toys.”

  Patting Autumn’s arm, my gaze fell on Ember, who was looking right at me. I nodded stiffly. Her head bobbed back. We’d share blood someday.

  But it was Journey’s mom’s gasp that rose above all the noise, followed shortly by one from Lyric.

  They weren’t joyous sounds.

  “And with that,” said the woman acting as a sort of ceremonial head, “I welcome you all to celebrate Noelle and Easton’s good news. Congrats to the happy family!”

  Journey’s mom flew right up to Noelle’s side, her face drained of color. She whispered to her, and the glowing smile dropped off Noelle’s lips. Dad took a few seconds more, but he, too, stopped smiling.

  What had happened?

  “Raelynn might be hurt,” said Lyric loudly from behind me.

  I whipped around.

  She was shaking uncontrollably, her fingers flying across her screen. “She texted me that their bus crashed on the way back and she felt sick and—” She went quiet, her lips thin.

  “I have to go,” said Lyric, sliding past Llyr, Laguna, and Calder.

  Calder’s eyes met mine, but I couldn’t read the message there. It was almost like he was saying it was time, time to get Ember alone and… But there was another crisis going on here.

  “Lyric, wait!” I jumped up, just as Ember did before joining Noelle and Journey’s mom. Her mom bent slightly to whisper something in her ear, and I figured Journey’s absence had been explained by her involvement in the same bus crash as Raelynn.

  The murmurs throughout the crowd of people died down as Dad stepped away from Noelle and Ember to address the crowd. “There’s been a bus accident just off the Interstate,” he explained. He rubbed Noelle’s shoulders, his lips trembling. “Noelle’s best friend’s daughter was on it…” He embraced both Noelle and Ember at once as Journey’s dad and Dante joined them, her dad clasping his hands and closing his eyes in prayer as he started walking back and forth.

  Lyric was already in the house and I had to shove past people in my way to go after her. “Lyric! You can’t just go to a crash site.”

  Someone grabbed my wrist. Calder. “Let her go.”

  “She’s my friend!” I said, yanking my wrist out of his grasp. “And she needs friends right now.” She was probably already out the front door by now. I needed to go.

  “You have something more important to do,” said Calder as we both made our way through the dining room.

  A shiver ran up my spine. More important than being there for a friend? I looked out the front door and saw Lyric climbing into her car down the road. She must have run. I had seconds to get out there and flag her down. Seconds.

  But I hesitated. The plan. Putting an end to all this.

  “Her girlfriend isn’t the target,” said Calder. “She’s probably fine.”

  Wait, what?

  My heart thundered, nearly exploding out of my chest, as something like a scream caught in my throat. Lyric left and it took eons for my brain to catch up, to turn around to face Calder and ask what he meant.

  But somehow, I knew what he meant.

  “You caused this accident?” I said in a hushed whisper.

  Before he could reply, the dining room burst to life with activity as Noelle strode in, followed by Journey’s family. “Get the hospital on the phone,” she said, all business, and I realized the dark-eyed Yvonne trailed behind her, her phone in hand. “And then try the police department.” She whipped around and took both of Journey’s mom’s hands in hers. “We’ll find her. She’ll be okay.”

  That was the cue that let the dam loose. Mrs. Slowe started bawling, her shaking limbs causing her to slip down, and Dante and Mr. Slowe swept in to support her. They guided her past us, as if we were invisible.

  “Auntie, Journey texted me,” he said. “She said she was fine—”

  “And then she stopped texting back,” snapped Mrs. Slowe. Her tight features softened as she laid a palm on Dante’s cheek. “I’m sorry, baby, it’s just—”

  “We know, dear,” said Mr. Slowe. They continued guiding her to the family room and lowered her onto the couch as Noelle kept rattling off instructions to Yvonne, who nodded and brought her phone to her ear.

  “Calder—” I started.

  But I jumped as Dad slipped in behind me and put a hand on my shoulder. “Is your friend in the accident too?” he asked glumly.

  Even though part of me wanted nothing more than to lose myself in my daddy’s arms, I needed to get away from him—keep him away from vampires and merfolk right now. “Yeah, I think…” I said. “Raelynn. Lyric’s girlfriend?”

  Dad’s head bobbed absentmindedly, but his focus was on Noelle.

  “Go help her,” I said. I glanced around. Most of the crowd was still outside, whispering amongst themselves, even though the cool breeze was blowing on the foliage on the arch and on the ground around it. “I’ll go check on Autumn,” I said, taking hold of Calder’s hand and dragging him into the kitchen. Dad didn’t even notice I didn’t go outside to check on her.

  I opened the basement door, flicking on the light and sending a wary Artemis scurrying down the steps, dragging Calder down with me. “Talk,” I said, crossing my arms at the bottom of the steps.

  “We don’t have time,” he said, practically bouncing on his feet as he looked back up the stairs. “This is the distraction.”

  “What distraction?” I flung my hands in the air. “Nobody told me about a distraction.”

  “We said when everyone was distracted, we tell Ember she needs to come with us or you’re going to use the orb yourself.”

  “Yeah, when, like, people were talking amongst themselves over hors d’oeuvres and stuff.” My stomach soured. They’d purposely kept me out of the loop. I stared at Calder, wanting to grab him by the face and shake him, but I settled for clenching my fists, focusing on the cool snap of ice forming on the fingertips of one hand.

  “You lied to me,” I managed to grit out.

  “Look, it was my mom’s idea,” he said, his Adam’s apple bouncing. He looked back up the stairs over his shoulder. “And we need to act now—”

  “What did you mean before when you mentioned ‘the target’? What exactly happened out there?”

  “You were the one who suggested involving Ember’s dad—”

  I shook my head rapidly. “What? I didn’t mean to kidnap him, per se! Was he your target? But how—was he even there?”

  “Not him,” he said. He cleared his throat. “I just
mean, I thought you were okay with taking hostages if need be.”

  “What?” I paced back and forth, my hand growing icier and icier. “What are you even—?” I stopped and glared at him. “Someone crashed into the Model U.N. bus and took Journey Slowe captive?”

  Like the telltale heart, Calder’s phone buzzed from his pocket. Before he could so much as blink, I reached over and pulled it out of there, not even caring about the brief moment of intimacy the move brought between us.

  It was from Bay.

  Target secure, but we had problems. That crazy bloodbag and some bloodsucker cronies were tailing the bus and got out to try to stop us. We just barely got the girl out. They took another girl with them for some reason. Don’t know who.

  The phone slipped from my fingers and clattered to the ground, eliciting a hiss from the small space between a tower of boxes.

  Calder scrambled to pick up his phone. The screen was cracked when he brought it up, but it appeared to still work. He didn’t say anything as he read the message.

  “Your plan was to take Journey hostage,” I said, as slowly as I could. “And the vampires took another girl? Who?”

  Calder’s shoulders shifted upward slightly. “I don’t know. Vampires are so foul, they probably thought we’d drop Journey to save any old person they’d subject to injecting venom through their veins—”

  “Raelynn,” I said, gasping. “They knew I’d care about her more than anyone else on that bus, thanks to Lyric…” I let out a growl. “We have to go save her.”

  “No!” Calder’s head snapped up. “Absolutely not.”

  A shadow flitted across the basement stairs from up above as I bounced on my heels. Llyr and Laguna slipped quietly down, lingering halfway up.

  “You knew, too!” I said, pointing at them. My hand was bright blue now, my fingers shaking, aching to unleash an icy spell.

  Llyr glanced away guiltily while Laguna picked at a loose paint chip on the wall.