Bad Blood (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 3) (25 page)

Valerie’s oversized purse gaped open on the kitchen counter. I dug through the cosmetics, past a wallet, hair brush, and…brass knuckles? I pulled the weapon out of the purse and slipped my fingers through the holes, squeezing the brass into a tight fist. I took a quick look at the living room. Valerie’s eyes were glued to the TV. I jabbed my armored fist into the air at an imaginary assailant. It felt pretty badass.

I shook my head, slipping the knuckles off and back inside the purse before resuming the search for the keys.

Seriously, how many tubes of lipstick did one woman require at any given moment? I’d counted at least five so far, unless the same tube kept falling into the hole I’d created in the center of the purse. I started dumping things onto the counter instead. There was a gun at the bottom of the purse, but no keys. Lipstick and lead—apparently no redhead left home without them.

“This is one of my favorite songs,” Valerie squealed. “Aurora, get in here!”

“Not yet.” I don’t think so. I wasn’t her boyfriend. She couldn’t boss me around like Gavin.

I ended up finding the keys in a side pocket. Should have checked there first. Then again, this was probably the only chance I’d ever have to go through Valerie’s purse without losing my head in the process. The keys dangled from a black and florescent-pink keychain that read, “Road Goddess.”

I squeezed the keys in my palm. At the moment, they felt more dangerous than the brass knuckles. I was about to start a car up, on my own, and move it.

“I’ll be right back,” I announced.

“If you scratch my car, you’re dead,” Valerie said.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I said, not masking my annoyance. Her attitude was enough to make me dive back into driving head first just to take her home.

As I walked down the hallway, I thought about how much it sucked that Noel and I were no longer friends. If we were, I’d ask for her help. But nine times out of ten, pride went all the way to the championships or, in my case, out the front door to face Valerie’s red Honda Civic.

My body shivered. I hadn’t grabbed a jacket. I wouldn’t be out for long.

It was dark, but the road was dry. Besides, I had what? Twenty feet to drive? Child’s play.

I unlocked the doors and ducked down to seat myself in front of the steering wheel. At first I just sat there, hands on the wheel, looking over the dashboard at the convertible parked in front of me. I put on my seatbelt and stuck the key in the ignition.

My hands began to sweat.

I started the car, and my heart rate revved with it.

My foot held the brake down so hard my leg began to ache. I took a deep breath and put the car in reverse. I lessened the pressure I had on the brake. The car inched back ever so slightly. I pressed the brake and the car stopped.

I laughed nervously. “See? I’m the one in control. Not the car. Me. I control the car.”

I let up on the brake again and backed up ever so slowly.

Look at me now, Fane, I thought. I was doing this all on my own.

At the end of the driveway, I began turning the wheel. I’d been through the plan in my head. I knew what to do, and it was the easiest thing: back into the street and pull in alongside the curb.

I reminded myself out loud.

“Stop talking and park the car already.”

I looked over my shoulder, watching the road as I pulled out and backed up alongside the curb. Once clear of the driveway, I braked and put the car in park.

I let out a “whoop” before turning off the car.

“I did it!” I looked at the passenger’s seat. “Did you see that? I did it!”

I walked back up the driveway, a considerable bounce in my step.

I no longer need car rehabilitation, thank you very much, Fane.

Not that I planned on getting near a road anytime soon, but Noel might want to keep the keys to her convertible close… just in case. Who was the road goddess now?

I stepped inside and followed the sound of music to the living room, ready to proclaim my daring success, but when I walked in I found Valerie passed out on the couch, the lights from the TV flickering over her body.

Thank you, rum!

I grabbed the throw draped over the armchair and spread it over Valerie. She snored softly as I tucked her in. I worried that turning the TV off might wake her up, so I turned it down instead before retreating down the hall and making my way upstairs.

I stopped in front of Noel’s door, took a deep breath, and tapped softly. I wasn’t sure she’d hear me, but a moment later she called out, “Come in.”

Noel lowered a paperback as I entered her room. She sat, cross-legged, on top of her bed, looking relaxed in a pair of pink and blue cotton shorts and light gray tank top.

“Valerie’s spending the night on the couch,” I said. “FYI.” I backed out of the room.

Noel nodded once. “I understand.”

“I didn’t invite her... to stay the night,” I added.

“Thanks.”

I tilted my head to the side. Why was she thanking me? “For what?”

Noel set her book down and looked me in the eyes. “You didn’t want to force me to see Gavin and Valerie together. You weren’t going to let him come in. Thank you.”

I looked away. “That’s only because he’s a vampire.”

Both reasons were true, but Noel didn’t need to know that. There’d be no kissing and making up between us anytime soon, but maybe, just maybe, we could come to some kind of peace.

“Aurora,” she called before I had a chance to escape.

She looked down, twirling one of the drawstrings from her shorts around her finger.

“Fane really wanted to see you, so I gave him our address. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Before leaving, I tossed my hair back. “Don’t worry about it.”

I was tired of rehashing the past.

My relationships were complicated. Noel, Valerie and I played for the same team, which gave me a sense of loyalty toward my sister hunters even if they were two of the worst back-stabbers on the face of the planet. We had a blood blond, like family, and as with family, I couldn’t choose who I shared blood type with.

That night, I dreamed Dante and I were in bed together. In the dream, I couldn’t see him so much as sense him. I kept expecting him to tug at my pajama pants. Instead he nestled against me, murmuring “toasty” in a feminine voice. I was too tired to make sense of it. I snuggled against him, instead.

Starting class at ten had the added benefit of not requiring an alarm clock to shock me awake. With enough time I could rise naturally.

As my mind booted up, I became aware that I wasn’t alone. Sometime during the night, I’d acquired a red-headed bedmate. She had her back to me, hair spilling over my pillow, tickling my nose.

I sat up. The blanket lifted with me, revealing Valerie beneath the bed sheets wearing only black lace panties and a matching bra. I suppose I should count myself lucky she left those on.

“Valerie, what are you doing in my bed?”

She groaned in response.

I scooted to the edge of the mattress and got out. Valerie groaned again when the covers slid with me.

I grabbed a fresh change of clothes from the dresser and walked out, shutting the door behind me. I showered, dressed, and headed down the stairs determined to enjoy what I could of the morning—alone.

I had just started to read next week’s English assignment when I heard the stairs creak. So much for solitude. Valerie emerged shortly after, stumbling down the hallway, now dressed in her shorts and tank from the night before. She held a hand to her head and groaned.

“Is that toast?” she asked, looking at my plate.

“Yes.”

“Can I have some?”

“Help yourself.” I scooted away from the table.

Valerie stuck a couple pieces of toast in the toaster before dropping into a chair at the head of the table and slumping down.

“Too much rum?” I asked.

“Oh my god, don’t even say that word.” Valerie folded her arms over the table and laid her head down.

I rested my back against the counter.

“What were you doing in my bed?” I asked.

“It got cold down here. You left me with only a thin blanket and no pillows.”

“You looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Luckily I crawled into bed with you and not Noel.” Valerie said. “I don’t sleep with just anyone.”

The toaster clicked off. Valerie dragged her ass off the chair and grabbed each piece, tossing them onto a plate.

She looked in the fridge

“Got any Strawberry jam?”

“Nope, blueberry.”

“Guess I’ll have butter. Tell me you have coffee.”

“We do, but you’ll have to make it yourself.”

Valerie grumbled. “Can’t you?”

“Nope, don’t know how. I’m a tea drinker,” I said, lifting my mug.

Valerie began searching the cabinets until she found Noel’s coffee stash. She didn’t sit down with her toast until she’d brewed a cup.

Between sips she said, “Tonight I’m putting way less rum in our drinks.”

“Tonight I’m spending time with my mom.”

“Your mom?” Valerie asked in disgust.

The time had come to check out her French teacher. I hadn’t planned on sharing my suspicions with anyone. If it turned out to be nothing, I didn’t want to sound paranoid. Then again, on the off chance that something happened to me, it would be good for at least one person to know where I’d gone and why. Could I trust Valerie with my thoughts?

I looked at her. She glared back.

Probably not, but what the hell?

“I’m tagging along to her French lesson.”

“Wow, you two really know how to have fun,” Valerie said as she chewed her toast.

“I want to make sure her teacher isn’t a vampire.”

Valerie stopped chewing only long enough to ask, “Why would her teacher be a vampire?”

“Because the teacher before her was in an accident and the replacement is a young, blonde, French woman.”

“So?”

Did I have to spell it out?

“What if it’s Giselle?” I asked. “What if she followed us here and is keeping tabs on me through my family?”