Chapter Eighteen

Monday morning brought a new challenge when I saw Lucas and Beckett walking the halls of my school.

Beckett waved wildly at me while Lucas settled for a smirk. Beckett bounded over to me, his limitless energy not stifled one bit from being in a strange place. At least someone in the pack was happy to see me.

They were part of Connor’s pack. Where he went, they followed.

Werewolves were loyal, I’d give them that.

The bell rang. I was relieved when they turned and walked in the opposite direction of my class. At least I didn’t have to deal with Lucas first thing in the morning.

Several heads turned as they went, Beckett flashing his dazzling smile that seemed to stun several of my classmates. I hurried to class.

After class, the twins walked with me. I wasn’t looking where I was going and bumped into someone.

“Sorry,” I said and looked up. It was Christian.

His eyes were red-rimmed, and he was shaking.

“Are you okay?”

“Mind your own business, feeder,” he answered with a glare and then marched off without a word.

“What’s his problem?” Thorn asked.

“I’ll go talk to him,” I said.

I wasn’t sure he’d listen to me, but I tried anyway, wondering if I could help. “Christian, wait up.”

He ignored me and bolted away. I stared after him. I couldn’t force him to talk to me, though.

The rest of the morning included a pop quiz and an assignment that I’d managed to forget at home.

At lunch, I was feeling frazzled, sitting alone in the cafeteria. Skyler was at a doctor’s appointment with Gertie. The “food poisoning” was almost certainly a little brother or little sister for Skyler.

“Meditation can help with that,” Connor told me. I’d been lost in thought and hadn’t heard him approach. He took a seat next to me.

“To help with Vaughn’s bad moods?” I asked.

Amusement crossed Connor’s face. “I meant yours.”

I punched him lightly on the shoulder. He rubbed it. “Meditation for sure.”

I stuck out my tongue.

“I’m glad to be back,” Connor said.

“If you ever hurt my best friend again, you won’t be.”

“I won’t,” he said. He hesitated. “At least, I will do my best.”

“Do better than that,” I replied. He nodded, and then I added, “I’m glad you’re back, too.”

We ate in silence for a few minutes, but then I asked, keeping my voice low so we wouldn’t be overheard. “What if the murderer is human?”

“Unlikely that a human could overpower a werewolf,” he pointed out.

“Have there been any murders in any other part of the country?”

“Just here,” Connor replied.

“And why do you think that is?”

“My uncle thinks it’s because the paranormal leaders in Southern California are…” he hesitated. “Inexperienced.”

I winced. “The inexperienced leaders being you and me?”

“Yep.” He took a huge bite of his sandwich.

“What do you think?” I asked.

“I think it’s personal.”

I paused, my drink halfway to my mouth. Personal? Does he mean him or me?

“How’s it going with Skyler?”

“She’s changed,” he admitted glumly. “She doesn’t trust me.”

“Do you blame her?”

He shook his head and returned his attention to his meal. I got the impression there was still something else he wanted to tell me.

“Spit it out, Connor,” I said.

“Have you found any useful clues?” he asked in a low voice.

“Not yet.” I studied his face. “Travis said he didn’t kill her.”

“And you believe a sucker?” he asked. “Vampires lie all the time. Especially that one.”

I glared at him. I couldn’t believe it, but I was defending Travis. “Don’t call him that.”

“Vampires and werewolves are enemies,” he said. He crossed his arms, and the muscles in his arms tensed.

“Are we enemies?” I asked.

“Not yet,” he replied. There was a warning in his voice.

I clenched my jaw and willed my fangs not to appear. I managed to control my inclination to respond to his unspoken challenge.

Vaughn, Beckett, and Lucas slid into the seats next to us, their trays piled high.

“We still on for yoga tomorrow?” Beckett asked Vaughn.

“Yoga?” I asked. Beckett was constantly in motion. I had a hard time picturing him staying still long enough to hold a yoga pose.

“It helps with the grr,” he said.

I quirked an eyebrow at him.

“It helps us control the wolf,” he said. “Meditation, too.”

“You can control when you go full werewolf?” I asked.

He nodded. “Most werewolves can, after they learn coping tools.” He hesitated like he was getting ready to tell me a secret—and maybe he was. “It’s hardest to control during a full moon.”

Then the bell rang, and Connor stood. “You should find the murderer, Tansy,” he said. “Because you won’t like what happens if we find them first.”

No pressure or anything.

I hurried to my next class and was halfway through Calc before I realized that I’d forgotten to drink my tonic at lunch. My interaction with Vaughn’s pack had been mostly positive, but there had been a hint of menace in Connor’s last statement that worried me, so much so that I’d forgotten my lifesaving tonic. And it wasn’t just my life that it could be saving.

I raised my hand for a bathroom pass and managed to grab my backpack without the teacher stopping me, then rushed to the bathroom to gulp it down. I put reminders on my phone before I went back to class.

When school finally ended, I waited for Vaughn in the gym, since he was supposed to be giving me a ride home after his workout. I caught a couple of stares, probably because I was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses indoors. Rose and Thorn kept me company while I sat there. The weight room was just off the gym, and through the open doorway, I saw Lucas, Connor, and Beckett lifting weights with Vaughn.

My attention was focused on my boyfriend. His shirt was off, and I watched a drop of sweat as it slowly descended from his neck to his glistening chest. I had to look away and fan myself. “It’s hot in here, isn’t it?”

“Something’s hot, all right,” Thorn said. “Hot and bothered.” She snickered as she gestured toward her sister.

Rose was checking out Lucas. She couldn’t stop staring. She bit her lip when Lucas caught her and gave her a head-to-toe examination before returning his attention to his friends.

“You and Lucas, huh?” I asked her. “He’s got that hot werewolf bod going for him, but he’s kind of an asshole.”

“No, what?” Rose said. She was blushing, and I decided not to tease her.

“Vaughn’s running late again,” I said. I wasn’t sure why I was dumping my problems all over them, but I was.

“Would you like us to take you home?” Rose offered. “It’s no problem.” Suddenly, she seemed eager to leave.

“He’ll be out any minute,” I said with more confidence than I actually felt. Vaughn had always been someone I could count on, no matter what.

I fished out my phone to see if he’d sent me a text. He hadn’t.

“Why don’t we get some of the vamp stuff out of the way while we wait?” I suggested. Rose had been acting as an assistant and had been helping me with Jure’s ill-gotten wealth. Thorn had no interest in anything money or organization, but she was ready and willing whenever there was a fight.

Thorn picked up an abandoned basketball and started dribbling it. They were so different.

“Do people ever have a hard time telling you apart?” I asked them.

Thorn smirked at me. “Only at first. She’s the suck-up and I’m the smart-ass.”

I glanced at Rose, wondering if she ever got tired of Thorn poking at her. “I’m not a suck-up,” she finally said quietly.

“You certainly jump when Dad snaps his fingers,” Thorn replied.

“Unlike you, I choose my battles,” Rose said.

“Priss,” Thorn hissed.

“Psycho,” Rose replied. I guess she did get sick of her sister sometimes.

As fascinating as this display was, I needed to change the subject before they came to blows.

“What happens if a vampire doesn’t obey my laws?”

“You kill them,” Thorn said.

“I can’t do that,” I replied.

“You can do anything you want,” she said. “It’s good to be queen.”

I frowned. It was most decidedly not good to be queen right now, not when I had to figure out who was tearing out the hearts of werewolves.

“What do most vampire rulers do?” I asked.

“It isn’t a long process,” Rose said. “If they do something you find abhorrent, you tell them to leave your realm and never return, upon pain of death.”

“Most rulers don’t even bother banning someone,” Thorn said. “If they get pissed off, they just kill them right off. Or shove them into the sun.”

“And the PAC doesn’t stop that sort of behavior?” I asked.

“Not usually,” Thorn said, and suddenly she couldn’t look me in the eye.

“What?” I asked. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“The PAC,” she said. “They can’t figure you out.”

“Why is that?”

“You don’t want the money, you don’t want the power,” she said. “It’s hard for them to understand.”

“You mean it’s hard for them to understand why I’m not an abusive asshole like the last one?”

“Exactly.”

“Why do you work for them?” I asked.

“It’s not exactly voluntary,” she hedged.

Okay… “What are they holding over you?” I asked.

“There are…” Rose hesitated. “Repercussions if we refuse to do as they ask.”

I hated the idea that either of them would be asked to do something against their will. “You know I’ll help you any way I can,” I said.

Her frown smoothed out. “I know.”

“You guys don’t have to hang out,” I said. “Vaughn should be done soon.”

Thorn studied me for a second. “I’ll be at your house tonight at seven to train.”

“For what?”

“Just in case,” she said. Her ominous tone wasn’t my imagination.

“Just in case what?” I asked, but I’d caught sight of my boyfriend hurrying toward us. Obviously, they’d seen him, too, because they were already striding off.

“Sorry I’m late,” Vaughn said.

I tried to think of the best way to approach his unusual unreliability as Vaughn and I walked to his car.

“What’s wrong?” Vaughn asked. He opened the passenger door for me, and I slid in.

“Nothing,” I said, but I knew it wasn’t true. My completely reliable boyfriend was acting pretty unreliable.

He gave me a searching look before he changed the subject.

“Want to study for the Bio test?” Vaughn asked. “We can hang out at your house if you want.”

My grades had been tanking. I wasn’t the kind of student who could read the material once and ace the test. It took hours of studying my butt off for a B.

“I can study for a few hours,” I said. I’d completely forgotten about the test. “But Thorn is coming over later.”

He lifted an inquiring brow. “What for?” He pulled out of the nearly deserted school parking lot.

“Training,” I said grimly.

“I thought you were already a badass,” he said.

“Apparently, Thorn disagrees,” I said.

“Any sign of the demonic feline lately?” he asked.

I sighed. “I can take care of myself. Stop worrying.” Vaughn had gotten a little more protective lately. I liked that he was concerned, but I didn’t want him to freak out, either. He was still learning how to handle the whole werewolf thing.

“Someone sent a hellcat after you,” he said.

“To scare me,” I said.

“Or worse,” he said. This summer, Vaughn had given me his blood to help me heal. He could have been the one to die. My stomach churned at the thought of losing him, and I resolved to be more understanding. I’d give him time to work through whatever was bothering him.

Once we were in my room, I dug through my backpack and realized I hadn’t brought my textbook home. “What is wrong with me?”

“Don’t worry—I made flash cards.” He handed me a stack, and I started going through them.

“You are a lifesaver,” I said. “There’s no way I would have passed without you.”

“There’s a lot going on right now,” he said.

Something in his voice made me look up and study him instead. I didn’t want to tell him that I wasn’t sure the academic effort was even worth it. Could I go to college? I’d have to live at home and take night classes, which wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but I’d been looking forward to the whole college experience. I couldn’t imagine explaining my sun allergies to my new roomie or why I needed to drink my tonic or I’d probably want to bite her.

By the time Thorn arrived, I was fairly confident I would at least pass my bio test.

I gave Vaughn a quick kiss. “Thanks for being my study buddy,” I said.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Go kick some ass,” he said.

“More like I’m going to get my ass kicked,” I admitted. I had a feeling Thorn wasn’t about to go easy on me.

“Where do you want to do this?” I asked her.

“Outside,” she said.

I thought she would teach me some fancy fighting technique, like maybe sword-fighting or Krav Maga, but instead, she sucker-punched me as I followed her into the backyard.

While I was still doubled over and sucking wind, she tried to hit me again, but I blocked her. It didn’t deter her for long. She rained blow after blow down on me. I dodged most of them but took a few hard hits.

“What’s wrong with you?” I huffed out.

“What’s wrong with you?” she countered. “Do you think you can keep your crown with those weak-ass moves?”

“Where did you learn to trash talk?” I asked. “From a kindergartner?”

“From your best friend,” she replied. “The one you were too weak to protect.” Ouch, she was going for it. She knew my friends were my weak spot.

“You want me to kick your ass? Fine, I can make that happen.” Seeing red, I struck wildly, but Thorn danced just out of reach.

“You’re not only weak, you’re slow,” she crowed.

“If I’m so weak and slow, then how did I manage to get the best of Jure Grando?” I panted.

“Luck,” she said. “And perhaps a tiny bit of skill.”

I brightened. That was a compliment coming from her. “Thanks.”

“A tiny bit,” she repeated. “But you are undisciplined. You use your heart, not your head. Vampires will try to kill you to take your throne. Is that what you want?” She tripped me, and I went down hard.

Oof!

I just laid there, facedown in the grass.

“Get up,” she commanded. I stayed still, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw her move closer. “My queen?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

Just a little bit closer. She bent down to check my pulse. I grabbed her by the hand and threw her to the ground, then jumped on top of her. “Who’s weak now?”

She smelled like prey. My fangs descended, and I was a breath away from taking a bite when Granny shouted, “Wash up, girls. It’s time for dinner.”

Dang, I’d almost bitten my bodyguard. I jumped up and moved away from her slowly, my hands clenched into fists as I fought for control.

“Very good!” Thorn said.

“Please go inside, Thorn.”

“Your Majesty?”

“Now,” I said. My voice was gravelly. I didn’t want to give an order, tried to make sure I wasn’t compelling her, but I wasn’t sure I could manage right now. I needed her to leave or I was going to lose control and drink her blood until it was all gone. Until she was gone. I’d be stuck as a vampire forever.

She didn’t say another word, just went through the slider into the house. I stared after her.

I turned on the garden hose and splashed cold water on my face until my fangs retracted and I didn’t feel like killing something was the best idea ever.

Thorn and I had started to become friends. Had I ruined it by almost going full vamp on her?

When I finally regained control, I went back inside. Thorn was at a barstool, snacking on a dinner roll while she scrolled through something on her phone. She didn’t look up when I entered the kitchen.

I cleared my throat, but she still didn’t look at me. I’d really screwed up.

“I’m sorry, Thorn,” I said. I’d nearly tried to eat her. The least I could do was apologize.

“No apology necessary, Queen Tansy,” she said stiffly.

“I’d really like it if you dropped the queen bit,” I said. “Please.”

Thorn was tough, but nobody liked it when someone tried to kill them. I knew I was forgiven, though, when she finally looked at me. “I’ll try to remember. You are getting better at fighting,” she added.

I smiled at the compliment.

“You couldn’t get much worse,” she added, and my smile disappeared.