Authors: Jennifer Knight
Tags: #Social Issues, #Love & Romance, #Vampires, #College Students, #Juvenile Fiction, #Paranormal, #General, #Romance, #Werewolves, #Dating & Sex, #Fiction, #Occult & Supernatural
Blood Crave 2 (27 page)
I shrieked, giggling madly as I ran across the room to get away from him.
He just stood there. Dripping in grayish goo. Staring at me with an appalled half smile.
I put the rolling desk chair between us, still laughing uncontrollably. I watched him as he straightened and walked slowly toward me, a mischievous glint in his eyes. I backed up, climbing onto the couch, still gripping the chair between us to ward him off.
“Lucas,” I warned. “Don’t you dare.”
“I hope you like banana.”
He shook his head like a wet dog and sprayed absolutely everything—including me—with mushy banana. I screamed. He tackled me. And we spent the rest of the night in bed watching a chick flick and eating store-bought cookies straight from the box.
A
ll too soon, it was the night before the full moon. It was Derek’s first full moon since he’d woken up, and the tension between the three of us was almost blindingly intense.
ll too soon, it was the night before the full moon. It was Derek’s first full moon since he’d woken up, and the tension between the three of us was almost blindingly intense.
Lucas and Derek were supposed to go up to Gould together in a few hours to spend the night in the woods, but with the two of them barely on speaking terms anymore, I’d never been so scared that my boyfriend and my best friend would kill each other.
I was sure I’d be allowed to tag along and play my usual role as referee.
Not so.
“I don’t see what the big deal is,” I said as I stared out the window of Lucas’s room. “I’ve been up there for the full moon before and everything was fine.”
“That was different,” Lucas said. “I was ... well, you know where I was, and you were locked in there with me. No werewolf was gonna go within twenty miles of that room. You were safe. This time, you’re just a hunk of fresh meat.”
“Do you have to say it like that?”
“It’s the truth.” I turned to watch him stuff clothes and toiletries into a duffel bag. He paused when he saw me watching him and said, “I know you have your connection and everything, but what if it doesn’t work? Or what if Rolf usurps you again? I’d just feel better if you weren’t around us. Even Derek won’t be himself.”
“I want to be wherever you are.”
His face softened, and he stepped toward me. “It’s not that I don’t want you to be with me. It’s just not safe. Can you get that?”
I shifted my jaw, looking away as I tried to stave off tears.
“I’m scared,” I admitted. “Promise me you and Derek will be safe up there. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you—either of you.”
Lucas’s mouth tightened infinitesimally, but he said, “I promise.”
I looped my arms around his neck for a hug, but he pulled them away and took a step back.
“Not tonight,” he said. “It’s too close. I don’t wanna chance it.”
I let my arms fall along with my mouth, outraged. Lucas was totally in control of himself when it came to us, and with my power to back him up, there was no reason he couldn’t touch me, even tonight. He was pushing me away for another reason. I tested his vibe and found what I had suspected.
Jealousy.
Over nothing.
L
ucas finished packing and we headed down to the driveway, where Derek already stood with a bag slung over his shoulder. He was covered in a layer of sleet, and his hair was blown straight back from the wind. It was shaping up to be a blizzard.
ucas finished packing and we headed down to the driveway, where Derek already stood with a bag slung over his shoulder. He was covered in a layer of sleet, and his hair was blown straight back from the wind. It was shaping up to be a blizzard.
“You’re late,” Derek called as we approached, shaking his coat free of the snow.
“Sorry,” I said loudly over the wind. I gave him a brief hug and looked him sternly in the eyes, which was difficult given the sleet. “You be safe. And don’t hurt anyone.”
He only smiled halfheartedly and started off toward the parking lot.
Lucas came up beside me and put his hand over mine. I felt it shaking slightly.
“Come back safe,” I said, curling into his warm arms.
I heard him heave a sigh. His voice was buttery-soft in my ear. “I’ll always come back to you.”
He placed a kiss on the top of my head and sauntered off after Derek. His words, while sweet, were probably just a reminder to wear that necklace he’d given me. I took it from my coat pocket with numb fingers and fumbled the clasp around my neck. The swirling snow created a hazy film in the air, like looking through a fogged glass. All I could see of Lucas and Derek were their silhouettes as they dipped into his tiny car. Over the wind, I listened to the engine rev as they drove out of the lot and faded from sight.
Fitful snowflakes wilted on my eyelashes, but I didn’t blink and let them drip down my cheeks.
What if they kill each other out there?
What if I never see either of them again?
In my mind’s eye I could see them fighting, tearing at flesh and keening those high-pitched shrieks into the night. If it happened, the pack would defend Lucas. A deep coldness rang through my bones as I imagined the fury of the pack descending upon a lone white wolf—my Derek. If tempers got out of hand tomorrow night, there was no telling what would be awaiting me when day broke.
Finally, I shook myself, feeling the thin layer of ice that had accumulated over my body crackle and shatter. I had to do something besides this or I’d drive myself crazy. I was about to go up into Lucas’s room to grab my phone and call Katie, when I realized she’d probably be heading up to Gould, too.
Why are all of my friends werewolves or a viran?
Wait, I still had a human friend. The thought of spending the night with Heather watching chick flicks and studying for classes brought a warm, brownies-straight-out-of-the-oven feeling to my heart. We’d spent precious little time together since making amends, but that wasn’t because we weren’t close anymore. Between Heather’s concert schedules for band, and my running around trying to stop a vampire uprising, we just hadn’t found the time to hang out. Sure we talked on the phone a lot, but that didn’t satisfy the craving for a connection—especially a connection to someone human—that I longed for.
Nobody else was outside in this weather, so I was alone in the courtyard. There were lamps to illuminate the area, but the snow smudged out the light and turned everything a murky navy blue. I made it to Heather’s building without turning into an ice sculpture, but I didn’t have a key to get inside. I’d also left my cell phone in Lucas’s dorm room so I couldn’t call her to let me in.
And, I realized a little too late . . . it was full-on nighttime. A very bad time to be loitering in the open, totally unprotected. I was about to go back to Lucas’s room and forget visiting Heather, when suddenly, a vibe hit me hard like a slam to the back of my head.
A feral, crazed vibe that could only mean one thing: a werewolf.
A
changed
werewolf.
changed
werewolf.
19
BLOOD BITCHES
I
froze in the doorway, too frightened to move. It couldn’t be Lucas or Derek; they were long gone by now. And why would they change?
froze in the doorway, too frightened to move. It couldn’t be Lucas or Derek; they were long gone by now. And why would they change?
“Julian?” I whispered. “Katie?”
Then a shadow materialized in the distance. Its hulking midnight form drew closer, eyes glimmering in the phantom light of the moon. I pressed myself against the wall next to the door, unable to even think.
It was the heather-gray wolf. The vibe was so familiar, the unique mix of hunger and malice. I tried to connect to it as I had before, but this time there was something in the way—something impassible. I tried again and again, panicking, but each time something shoved me back out.
Why? Why can’t I connect?
Finally, I’d used up all of my power and all I could do was watch the werewolf come closer and closer, so very slowly, as if reveling in this quiet moment before the kill.
Why? Why can’t I connect?
Finally, I’d used up all of my power and all I could do was watch the werewolf come closer and closer, so very slowly, as if reveling in this quiet moment before the kill.
Then a miracle. Someone opened the door. A boy started to come out, but as soon as the yellow light of the hallway illuminated the stoop on which I stood, I darted for it. I slammed into the boy, forcing him back into the hall. I yanked the door closed behind us, holding on to it with all of my strength.
The werewolf could easily overpower me, break down this flimsy glass door and kill both me and the startled boy beside me. But it didn’t. I squinted out into the whirling snowstorm and found the looming body of the beast gone.
“Are you okay?” the boy asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.
I jumped and released the door handle with a jerk.
“Yes,” I said, panting. “I—ah, I was just ... cold.” I turned toward him, watching his face crumble in concern. “It’s really cold. Out . . . there . . .” My cheeks flushed as I realized how crazy I sounded.
“Okay . . . ,” he said, moving to brush past me.
“Be careful!” I said, jumping after him. He turned to look at me, confused. “Of . . . the cold.”
And werewolves.
And werewolves.
The boy made a she’s-a-psycho face and said, “Okay.” He left, probably wondering whether or not I’d gone off my meds.
I stood in the hall for a moment, trying to gather myself. There was a werewolf stalking me. That much was obvious. But why? And who was it? I didn’t have a feud going with any of the werewolves to my knowledge. Julian had said they were scared of me, but somehow I didn’t think that was cause for murder. Rolf may have wanted me dead if Yvette had broken her promise, but I knew Rolf’s vibe. And that werewolf was
not
Rolf. Rolf was strong and poised, even when changed. This werewolf was unstable.
not
Rolf. Rolf was strong and poised, even when changed. This werewolf was unstable.
Part of me had been convinced that the last encounter was a fluke. A random run-in with a runt or some other family member. But now, it was clear that there was definitely something going on.
I was pretty much stuck in Heather’s building for the night since there was no way I was entering the courtyard again to get back into Lucas’s building. I hoped Heather would let me crash in her room, because those lounge chairs in the common area didn’t look too comfy.
I took the stairs to the fourth floor and went to Heather’s room at the end of the hall. I hoped I’d remembered the room number correctly, since she had only mentioned it once a long time ago. I knocked, and to my relief, Heather answered.
She looked surprised to see me. In fact, she looked a little scared.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hi . . .” She closed the door slightly so I could only see her face.
I grinned. “What, do you have a guy in there, or something?”
A boyfriend was exactly what Heather needed to get over her idiotic Pete obsession.
Please let him be gorgeous and sickeningly nice to her.
Please let him be gorgeous and sickeningly nice to her.
She laughed, but it sounded like the squeaky hinges of a door, or something. I gave her a look. “Are you okay?”
“Sure, yeah.”
“Okay, well, I was wondering if you wanted to do anything tonight? For once, I don’t have homework—” This was usually my excuse when she called to hang out while I was stuck at the werewolf mansion or busy getting my neck gnawed on. “And you don’t look busy, unless there really is someone in there with you.”
Someone shrieked from inside her room and then cackled—straight-up cackled like a witch.
I frowned.
“Someone
is
in there,” I said. But it didn’t sound like a dude.
is
in there,” I said. But it didn’t sound like a dude.
“Yeah,” she said, not meeting my eyes.
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