“Excuse me?”
“Now Sheriff, that was unnecessary,” Rick said.
“My apologies. I’m just saying, darlin’, the ‘I was framed’ defense is a little overused.”
“Whatever. Just tell me what you want so I can go home and pout alone.”
He chuckled at that, and his apple pie cheeks reddened a little more. I relaxed a bit. At least when he smiled, I didn’t feel like he was about to arrest me.
“When Officer Littleton questioned you, you told him that Noah got rough with you. Is that correct?”
My face turned hot in an instant. Why did I have to re-answer these questions? It was bad enough I had to tell the story in front of Mom, but now I had to talk about my almost sex life in front of my stepfather? Just. Shoot. Me. Now.
“Would you like me to leave?” Rick asked. “I don’t want to make this any more difficult than it already is for you.”
I nodded sheepishly.
“Sheriff, don’t bully her. She’s had a rough day.” Rick squeezed my arm and hesitated, like he didn’t want to leave. He gave me a forced smile, attempting to reassure me, then left me alone with the hungry wolf.
“Don’t worry, AJ. I’ve heard everything in this business. Now just tell me, as best you can, what happened.”
I relayed the sordid details, all the way down to Noah forcing me to grab his crotch.
“And you reported that you bit his tongue when he forced himself on you. Correct?”
“Yes. Couldn’t you have just confirmed this with a text message or an email? My story isn’t gonna change no matter who asks me.”
“Your friends came along right after you bit Noah. Then you and the girls left together, right?”
“Right.”
“Okay, so Ryan stayed back with Noah. What happened next?”
“Wait. No. Ryan left with us, too.”
Sheriff Christopher raised his eyebrows and stared at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Sounds like your story’s changing, darlin’.”
“No. It sounds like you’re trying to trick me. We all left together. Just like I told Cody.” Was it too late to get Rick to come back? Suddenly I felt like I needed a dad, any dad.
As he was making another notation in his lie detector book, my phone rang. It was Mom.
“I just called the house and Aunt Doreen said she hasn’t seen you yet,” Mom said before I could even say hello.
“That’s because I’m still at Pot and Kettle getting the third degree from the sheriff.”
“Put him on the phone.”
I held the phone out to Sheriff Christopher and said, “Um, Mom wants to talk to you.”
He took my pink RAZR. “Hello?”
Silence.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Yes, ma’am. I understand. You have a good day, Dr. Fraser.”
He handed me the phone, closed his notebook, and said, “Thanks, AJ. We’ll talk again soon.”
I put the phone back to my ear. “Mom, whatever you said to him to make him go away, I totally love you for it.”
“Don’t thank me just yet, Ariel Jane. Now, get home and don’t move until I get there. And trust me, you don’t want to test me on this. Are we clear?”
Clear as fucking glass.
My phone started ringing the moment school was out. Word of my suspension traveled fast, it seems. I was none too happy to hear from my soccer coach that I was suspended from practice and the first game of the season. If you asked me, I was being punished twice for the same crime.
A crime I didn’t commit, thank-you-very-much.
When Bridget and Malia called, I told them to get their butts to my house ASAP so we could work out some sort of plan.
What we were planning exactly was still a mystery. But we were gonna plan something, come hell or high water.
I went downstairs to gather sustenance from the kitchen and ran smack into Ryan.
“AJ, I’m so sorry.”
“Whatever.”
“Seriously. I tried to go talk to Mrs. Blanchard this afternoon, but she wouldn’t let me. I know you didn’t cheat.”
“I’m learning the truth doesn’t really matter anymore. Thanks for trying, though. And even though it sucks that I can’t run for office, thanks for the posters. They were awesome. I’m sorry I couldn’t help take them down.”
Ryan shrugged out of his backpack, then walked over to me and wrapped me up in a hug. I melted into him. The tears I’d been fighting all day finally broke free, streaming down my cheeks. “They’re all down now, don’t worry.”
He pushed my hair out of my face and kissed my cheek. My heart stopped for a second and time crackled to a halt as we stared at each other. The air was so thick, it was almost tangible as he leaned in and touched his lips to mine, never breaking our stare. I realized I didn’t want to stop him, even though I knew the repercussions would be messy. I was just so tired of pretending.
Pretending I didn’t still care for Ryan.
Pretending that my family wasn’t being threatened by a dichampyr.
Pretending I was strong enough to handle everything all by myself.
And, most of all, pretending I wasn’t scared to death of all of the above.
Nothing mattered at that moment but Ryan’s mouth on mine. I pushed away my doubts about his involvement with Noah and my need to protect him no matter the cost. I ignored the finger of fear that touched my spine, warning me that Noah was out there watching. I disregarded the bells in the back of my head that screamed this was a bad idea, and I tried to forget the burning birthmark on my neck and just let it happen. I opened my mouth and Ryan deepened the kiss. My heart hitched to speed-racing, and chills washed over me as I lost myself to him completely.
“Kinky,” Rayden said, slamming the kitchen door behind him. “Pa! Ryan’s kissin’ his sister again!” he yelled, turning on a thick country accent that was more exaggerated than Jessica Simpson’s version of Daisy Duke.
“Very funny, dickweed,” Ryan retorted, but I saw him look over Rayden’s shoulder to make sure his dad wasn’t around.
Thankfully, Rick wasn’t there.
Unfortunately, Lindsey was.
That girl was beginning to piss me off.
She stood there, with her eyes large and appropriately shocked and her mouth hanging open like a wide mouth bass.
“Seriously, Ryan?” she asked before she turned and stormed off.
“I’m sorry,” he said to me as he went after her.
I grabbed him by the arm. “You’re really gonna go after her? After that kiss?”
“AJ, I’m so sorry. I have to.”
“You’re sorry. On that point, we both agree.”
Thank God Malia and Bridget walked through the door, otherwise I would’ve slapped the skin off Ryan’s face.
“Uh-oh. Looks like we just missed the fireworks. I didn’t know it was the Fourth of July, did you, Malia?” Bridget said, trying, and failing, to lighten my mood.
Malia just shot Bridge a look and ran over to my side. “Ignore the court jester, honey. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just need to get out of here,” I said.
“Do you think that’s such a good idea? Didn’t you tell me when I called that your mom threatened dismemberment if you left the house?” Bridget asked.
“Pretty much,” I said, trying to laugh. “But I don’t care. I can’t be here right now.”
“Let’s go, then,” Malia said, pushing me out the door.
As we were piling into Malia’s black SUV, Ana, Ainsley, and Oz were dropped off by this week’s carpool mom.
“Is it true?” the twins asked in unison. “Did you really cheat and get suspended?”
Oz didn’t say anything. He just stared at Malia.
When she glared back at him and said, “Boo!” he ran off.
“I didn’t cheat, but I did get suspended. Listen, Mom told me not to leave, but I have to get outt
a here. Do me a favor and cover for me? Please? When Mom comes looking for me, pretend I’m in bed asleep? Can y’all do that?”
They both ran over and hugged me big. “Sure,” they said.
“Oh, and one more thing. When Ryan gets back, be sure that my stereo is blasting with something angsty. And if it slams his current choice of a girlfriend, you’ll get bonus points.”
They both giggled and wandered into the house singing, “Don’t ya wish your girlfriend was hot like me; Don’t ya wish your girlfriend was a freak like me; Don’t ya?”
Freak. That was the truth of it all right there. Lindsey was a lot of things, but there was no way in hell she was a freak like me.
Chapter 16
“Where to?” Malia asked as she spit gravel with the tires and pulled out of my driveway.
“I haven’t thought that far ahead. Anywhere is better than here,” I said, glancing out the window. He was there. I couldn’t see him, but he was there.
“AJ, I think this is a bad idea. I don’t mean to be a prude here, but your mom is gonna be pissed off and you’ll be screwed,” Bridget said.
She was right, but honestly, I didn’t care. “I know, Bridge. Hopefully, the twins will be able to cover for me and if Momma finds out, well, I’ll just deal with it when it happens. Does anyone have any aspirin? My birthmark hurts so much right now, it feels like it’s growing.”
Malia looked at me a little funny and handed me her purse. “Help yourself.”
We drove through town for about an hour, stopping at the local Sonic rip-off for chili-cheese dogs and vanilla malts.
“Hey, I just realized the time,” Bridget said. “I’ve got to get to Grady’s house. We’re studying tonight.”
“You seem to ‘study’ a lot these days.” I laughed.
“Ha-ha. I’ll have you know we really do study. It’s just, sometimes I’m sitting on his lap at the same time.”
I shot her a look.
“Fully clothed. We haven’t gone there yet. And I don’t plan to for a while. I really like him,” she said with a goofy little smile. “Malia, can you take me back to school so I can pick up my car?”
Malia’s phone rang, so she just nodded as she answered the call. “Hello?”
We could hear someone talking frantically on the other end, but we couldn’t make out the conversation.
“That’s so cool! We’ll be right there!”
She closed her phone and started the car. “AJ, that was Mr. Charles! He said he tried to call you but he just got your voice mail. The bookstore lady found two more scrolls and he thinks he’s discovered something in them.”
“Awesome. Where is he?” I asked, digging my phone out of my purse. “Hm. He must’ve dialed the wrong number. I don’t have any missed calls. How did he get your number?”
She looked at me. “He’s the class sponsor. Why wouldn’t he have my number? Anyway, he’s at school. So we’ll take Bridget to her car so she can have her face time with Grady and I’ll go with you to Mr. Charles’s room.”
Bridget’s face took on a severe expression. “AJ, I know I sound like a broken record here, but—” she managed to say before Malia interrupted her.
“But are you sure this is a good idea? Wah, wah, wah! When did you become such a damn goody-goody?” she asked.
“I’m not a goody-goody. But she’s suspended! If she gets caught on campus for any reason, her suspension could be doubled, or worse, she could be expelled! That’s a bigger freakin’ deal than just not listening to her mom, Malia. Jesus. When did you become such a bitch?”
“Okay, you two. That’s enough. Bridget, I’ll be with Mr. Charles, who I’m sure will come to my defense if I need him to. Besides, this is for my thesis, so it’s important. And hell, I’m already in this much trouble, what’s a little more? Now, do you wanna come with us? I’d really like you to be there.”
I did want her there. This was important to me, and even though I couldn’t tell her why it was so important, I needed my best friend with me.
Bridget sighed. “I want to, I really do. But we have a quiz tomorrow, and I know you think we’re not studying, but we are. Mom has already told me I don’t get to go to Spain with the Spanish Club if I don’t make straight A’s. So I have to study. Will you fill me in tomorrow? Every detail?”
Disappointment sizzled in my belly. “Of course.”
She leaned over the backseat and hugged me, then whispered in my ear, “Be careful. I really think this is a bad idea.”
I nodded and squeezed her neck once more.
“Who put a bug in her butt?” Malia asked as she drove around to the far end of campus.
“She’s just worried because I haven’t been myself this week,” I replied. Have I ever really been myself?
“No shit. It’s kinda hard to be yourself when you’re being questioned for murder.”
“Stop being so dramatic. I’m not a suspect. They just suspect I’m covering for Ryan. Which I totally am, even though I don’t know why. He might be an asshole, but there is no way he hurt Noah like that.”
“Are you one hundred percent sure about that?” she asked, parking her car right next to Mr. Charles’s.
Despite the fact that he had motive, had the time, and had bruised and bloodied knuckles, I was surprisingly sure he had not hurt Noah. “One thousand percent sure.”
It was strange, this lack of doubt. I couldn’t explain it other than to say that I knew he was innocent like I know I’m a vampire. It’s just inside me. And I had to fight for him, even if Ryan couldn’t fight for me.
Mr. Charles met us at the door wearing a big dimpled smile. I don’t know how he hadn’t managed to find himself a wife. He must be high maintenance or gay.
No way was he gay. No way.
“Hey, ladies. C’mon in.”
The heavy door slammed shut behind us, chasing the echoes of our footsteps with its hollow clang.
We walked past Mr. Charles’s classroom, into a lounge area. “The lighting is better in here,” he said.
“So Jill found some additional scrolls?” I asked.
“Yes. She called me last night saying she’d found another secret compartment in the chest and two more scrolls. It’s all very exciting, isn’t it?” Mr. Charles said.
The three scrolls were spread out across one long table. Malia and I sat down and Mr. Charles pulled out a laser pointer. “Okay, Malia reported that the writing beneath the seal seemed to just appear when you guys touched it. Does it look the same now?” he asked.
“Yeah. It looks like it did after we touched it,” I answered. “Jill said it roughly translated to ‘the lost has been found.’”
“Yes. That’s pretty much what it says. And y’all didn’t touch the other scrolls?” he asked.
“No. We didn’t even know there were other scrolls. Besides, I was kinda freaked out, so even if there had been others, I wouldn’t have touched them.”
Malia shot Mr. Charles a look and nodded. “It was weird. AJ seemed to zombie-out on me.”
“You had a physical reaction to it?”
“I guess I did. It just seemed to hum when I touched it. I know that sounds weird and I know you probably don’t believe me, but that’s what it felt like.”
“But I do believe you, AJ. I’ve come across similar phenomena in my research. If there’s one thing my studies of the occult have taught me, it’s to never underestimate the power of magic. The modern world has lost its connection to old-world magic. But you can’t lose touch with genetics. AJ, didn’t you say that your grandmother used to tell you stories about the Serpentines? Is that why you’re so interested in vampires?”
“Um, yeah,” I said, twisting my hair around my finger. That had totally been a lie. But I suppose if I had known my dad’s mom, she probably would’ve told me stories about my evil ancestors.
He smiled and, I swear to God, I saw his eyes twinkle. “I want to do a little experiment. Do you trust me?”
Right now, Mr. Charles was abo
ut the only person I could trust. Mrs. Blanchard had gone to the dark side with Crabby Crandall. Ryan was off chasing Lindsey’s skirt. Bridget was choosing Grady over me. The cops were hot on my trail, and even my mom didn’t believe a word I uttered. “I guess I do.”
“Okay, I want you to touch the seal of the second scroll.”
“I dunno, Mr. Charles. I’m telling you, it was really freaky. I don’t wanna feel that again.”
“I know it must’ve been scary. But I’m here and I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
“You should’ve gone into sales,” I said. I smiled, but a current of nerves seized my lungs, making it hard to breathe.
Malia’s phone rang. “It’s my grandmother,” she said, looking at the caller ID. “I’ll be back in just a second.”
Mr. Charles wrapped a strong arm around my shoulders. “Do you want to wait for her?”
I sighed. “No. Let’s just do this while I have my nerve up. I’ll give her the play-by-play when she gets back.”
Mr. Charles led me closer to the second scroll and stood with me as I looked over the parchment. The air around me tingled with electricity, kind of like it did when I was with Ryan. My birthmark didn’t burn this time, though it did ache with an intensity that made my knees buckle. Mr. Charles steadied me, and I tried to pull away as the magnetic force of the scroll began to tug me forward.
“Don’t be frightened,” he whispered.
I wasn’t frightened. A sense of calm washed over me like a warm bath. I closed my eyes and held my hand to the seal. Shocking heat seared my skin, and though I sensed the burn, it didn’t hurt at all.
And this time the voices spoke to me.
This is the call to power. Let us bring you to life.
The fire cooled beneath my hand, but did not burn out.
Feel the darkness; feed in light; with your blood, reclaim the rite.
The chant purred through me and I gave myself to it. I fell into the other world again, and this time I was in a room full of jewels. I was sitting on a throne; people were bowing before me. There was a man, a beautiful man, with eyes like sapphires and a smile so perfect, he didn’t seem real. But he was real, and he sat on a throne next to me. We were holding hands, and he was smiling. When I looked into his eyes, I knew he was promising me the world.
Bite Me! Page 11