by C. J. Hart
Ash winks at me and sends me a finger wave. “Hi, gorgeous!”
Creep.
Kat’s there, seated between the hazel-eyed one—Tas—and Ash. He looks as if he doesn’t want to be here and is trying to hide that fact, overcompensating with a scowl.
“Do you know those guys?” El says.
I resist the urge to turn my back on them. “You could say that.”
“They giving you trouble?”
A sigh slips from my throat. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“If you say so.”
Tas waves me over. “Waitress!”
Shit. What do I do? Act normal? Throw a drink in one of their faces? Laugh maniacally so they think I’m the crazy one and they leave me alone? I grab my pad and pencil, walking over. “Yes?”
“We’d like to hear the specials,” Tas says.
“Bite me.”
Ash smiles humorlessly. “I’d like to, sweetheart, very much so. But another time, another place.”
Is that a threat?
My eyes catch the clock. A minute until I have to make that call. “Look, the kitchen’s about to close. The best I can do is throw you some leftover sandwiches.”
“That’s the best you can do?” Ash lifts an eyebrow, a lopsided smile on his lips.
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, that’ll have to do. For now.”
Why don’t you turn around so I can kick you up the a—
“Cass?” Eloise says.
“Yeah?”
“It’s nearly closing time. Can you balance the till?”
I skip over to her. “Uh, I’ve just gotta make a phone call first.”
“Okay. Must be important.”
“It is.” I dare a look over my shoulder at the pack. “Can you get them their sandwiches?”
Kat snags my gaze, and then looks away, ashamed to have to still be around them.
“Fine, but you owe me.” She smiles, and I know she doesn’t mean it.
I pull out my cell and hit redial.
“Cassie?” Seb’s mom says.
“Yes, it’s me,” I say.
“How is he?”
“Seb’s fine. He’s making the best of his life. Eating lots.”
She chuckles. “Hasn’t changed, I see. Where is he living?”
I pause, not knowing if he’d want me to say. “Are you free Saturday afternoon? Could you meet us at the park?”
“Yes, anything.”
A part of me knew she’d go anywhere for her son. But it was comforting to hear her acknowledge it, for me to know she’s not cold-hearted like the rest of his so-called family. “Three pm?”
“Yes, I’ll be there. Ahéhee’—thank you.”
“He misses you a lot.”
“Yes?”
I hear her sniffle.
“I miss him as well,” she says.
El calls me.
“I’m sorry, I’ve got to go,” I say. “Take care.”
“You also.”
I hang up and return to the shop. “Sorry, I’ll balance the till now.”
“First, Joe wants you to get rid of them.” She jerks her chin towards the pack. “He says they’re friends of your boyfriend.”
And, therefore, the responsibility falls on me. Terrific. “Friends is a vast overstatement.”
“Well, get rid of them.”
I drag my feet over to them, folding my arms across my chest. “It’s time to go. We’re closing.”
“Guess we’d better go, boys,” Tas says.
The group stands and reluctantly heads for the door.
“See you ’round,” Ash says, unsmiling and serious—like threatening to come back and beat me to death.
Don’t look scared. Seb is probably already outside, waiting to escort me home.
Kat throws me an apologetic look over his shoulder as he leaves after them, and I get it; he wants to leave them but can’t. He’s the only one on our side who can slip seamlessly into both groups.
As soon as they’re out, I lock the door and flip the sign to closed. I exhale and turn to see Eloise watching me.
“That one with the red eyes, he’s…”
“A sadistic bastard?”
“A little.” She swings her bag onto her shoulder. “I’m meeting Chad downtown. I’ve taken care of everything, so let’s just leave before the boss man catches us giving ourselves a three-minute early mark.” She winks and links an arm in mine.
I tear off my apron, grab my bag, and she pushes open the back door, leading us into the matchbox-sized employee parking lot.
Seb is leaning on the hood of my car. He reads something in my expression—angst?—and pushes off from the vehicle. “Tell me what happened.” There’s no guessing with Seb, it’s as if he already knows.
We get in my car, and I fill him in. He’s silent when I finish, his head tilted back against the headrest, arms folded.
“Say something.” I touch his arm.
“I don’t like it.”
“Neither do I.” But it seems as if I have to put up with it for now.
“I don’t want you to be alone, not for a second.”
The biggest gap in being babysat is after school, when Dad’s at work and I’m home alone. “I guess I can always go to Miley’s and do homework.”
He reaches for my hand. “Or the Adler’s.”
“True.”
He’s silent for another moment, and then closes his eyes. “I spoke to Mom today.”
My eyebrows inch up my forehead. “Oh?” Before or after I did?
“Yeah.”
I trace the lines on his fingers. “I, uh, spoke to her, too.”
His lashes flutter open. “You what?”
“Are you mad?”
“What did you talk about?”
“You. Then I asked her to meet us on Saturday, after Evie’s—y’know.” It feels too difficult to say funeral out loud at the moment. “So, are you mad?”
“No.” He raises my hand to his lips and kisses my fingers.
“I made sure your dad wasn’t there.”
He nods. “If he finds out—if the elders catch a whiff of this—there’ll be hell to pay.”
We’re both risking everything for the ones we love, all because of a stupid set of rules and genetics.
After a minute, I say, “I’d better get home or Dad will be hunting you.”
Seb chuckles. “Not anymore.”
Not wanting to take my chances, I buckle my seatbelt and head for home.
Home is a word that should invoke happiness and security. In me, it doesn’t, not anymore. I no longer feel safe anywhere. Which I surmise is what Ash has been aiming for. Threatening to blow up my school, burn my house down, hanging around the café.
I park behind Dad’s SUV. “Can you stay?”
“You’ll have to take that up with your father. I’ve already used up my one night this week.”
“Hm.”
He tucks me under his arm as we march up the steps. The charred front door has been replaced with a new one. My key won’t work. I tap a knuckle on the wood.
A second later, it opens and Dad says, “Come in! Like the new door?”
It’s identical to our old one, sans the blackened stains. “Yep.” I dump my bag in the hall. “Can Seb stay?”
Dad’s eyes roam over my features, scanning the tension. “Okay. But don’t expect I’ll bend the rules every week.”
Can he tell it’s been a shit day? Am I that much of an open book?
“I don’t, sir.” Seb settles onto the couch, pulling me down next to him.
“I’ll fix us all some dinner. I don’t know about you kids, but I’m starved.” Dad wanders into the kitchen.
I press my lips to Seb’s for a long moment.
Dad’s voice drifts in, teasing. “Break it up.”
I giggle. How did he know?
“I was your age once,” he says.
Seb touches his lips to my forehead, and then nose. I have homework
to do, but I’m too content and tired to move.
So,” Seb says. “What’d ya think of the movie?”
We dart across the traffic-clogged street and into a quieter one.
“Hm, not enough gore in it.” I swing our hands between us.
“Is that so?” He laughs, pressing me against the side panel of his car.
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, how come you look a little green?” Smirking, he raises an eyebrow in question.
I brush my fingers over his cheek. “So do you.”
He hangs his head. “Arms were being ripped off, flying everywhere. Blood spurted from arteries. It was repulsive.” He looks at me through his long lashes. “I’d gladly see any romance movie you want after that.”
Snickering, I pull his face closer to mine. “You would?”
He leans in to kiss me.
I pull back half an inch, teasing. “Right now?”
“You have a curfew of ten o’clock remember?” He lifts his wrist to my level. “And oh, look, it’s nine-fifty.”
“I can call Dad, tell him I’m having such a fun time, and he’ll let me stay out.”
“You think so, huh?”
“Yeah, after the week I’ve had, he’ll—”
“Hey, there they are!” someone says from further down the street.
Six shadows lope towards us.
My spine tingles in alarm. The little voice inside my brain screams, Ambush! Ambush! They’re here to dismember me like the girl on the screen!
Seb squeezes my hand and shoves me behind him, wedging me between the car and his body. I risk a peek around him. The tallest shadow hovers under a streetlight for a moment as they near. The blood-red eyes wink at me. A low growl shakes in Seb’s chest. They’re at the car now, only a few steps away.
Seb’s form vibrates, like a leaf in the wind. He shoves me further away. But my legs are locked and the fear of abandoning him ricochets through me.
His head snaps over his shoulder to glare at me. “Get in the car.” He presses something warm into my palm—the keys.
He can’t be serious. Can I leave him here to die?
A hand snakes around Seb, and Tas seizes a fistful of my shirt. I’m jerked violently to the left.
“Let her go,” Seb snarls, his arms constricting around my waist, straining to keep me in place.
“Or what?” Tas says. “We don’t owe you anything, traitor.”
“She’s not a part of this.”
“She’s every part of this.” A vicious smile.
I wince as Tas’ grip on my forearm reaches bone-crushing strength.
“Let. Her. Go.” Seb shoves him.
Tas stumbles backwards, releasing me. One moment, I’m rubbing my arm as Seb opens the passenger door, hurrying me inside. The next, four of them are on us. Seb shuts the door, trapping me inside his SUV.
They jostle him, tearing at his clothes and skin.
I’ve got to do something. But what?
While they’re occupied, I slide across to the driver’s side and punch the lock button. All the doors snap, locked. Safe. I grab my cell phone and scroll through its phonebook. Who to call?
A fist shatters the window’s tempered glass, snatches my cell, and pitches it into the on-coming traffic. It reaches back in for me. I scuttle back and kick at the arm. It grabs my shoe, yanking me forwards. My scream pierces the night. There’s a keening, a screech, and then a gray muzzle appears. Its canines latch on to the arm, drawing blood, forcing it to release my foot.
I climb over, into the back, trying not to look too closely at any of them.
Seb’s cell. He left it here, but where? Do I risk venturing to check?
A howl scrapes through the broken window. I glance out. Three of them are on him, Wolf-Seb fighting to get up.
Seb, please don’t die. I scramble for his cell. It’s tucked in the console. They’re distracted—I drop it into my pocket, not wanting another battle that I would surely lose this time. I slink back to my seat, check to see if anyone is watching. No. I find Kat’s number and wait.
Two rings. Three, four.
Finally, he picks up. “Yo?”
“It’s Cass. I don’t have time to explain. Get your ass down to Apple Way. Seb’s in trouble.” I hang up and stuff the handset under my leg.
A minute later, Kat charges down the asphalt. He sees Seb, under four of them now, and jumps—shifting midair, landing as a midnight puma.
And I realize that I’ve selfishly put him at risk to save my boyfriend. Stupid.
He tears into one of them as they rip into Seb. I turn away, queasy.
A sickening thought crashes through my mind. Where’s Ash and the other newbie? Watching from somewhere? This twists my stomach. I wish I wasn’t a weakling. Human.
Tap tap tap tap. I freeze, feeling eyes searing into the back of my neck. Tap tap tap tap. I slowly swivel in the direction of the noise. A raven rapping its beak against the rear window. Irises as black as its soul. It cranes its slick, feathery head—eyes curious and scrutinizing me. Tap tap tap. The bird’s features shift—beak to nose, wings to arms, claws to legs, feathers to inky, black hair and light caramel skin. He crouches on the trunk.
The newbie. His eyes seem kind and gentle, akin to Seb’s. Something inside me says I can trust him.
It could be a lie. A trick.
His eyes swerve from me, to the monsters, and then back.
I take a chance, one that could end me if I’m wrong—could mean the difference between saving Seb and getting him killed. Pressing a hand to the laminated glass, I pour everything I have into my words. “Save him.”
There’s a moment of hesitation for both of us. Then he presses his hand to mine. He leaps off the car and tears through them. I notice blood and fur drizzling across the pavement. With Kat and the raven’s aid, Wolf-Seb shakes them off. They scatter, like birds stirred in the bushes. It’s now a ratio of three to five, and all of them are missing chunks of skin.
Raven glances at me, and then leaps into the air, flying into the night.
“Thank you,” I mouth, a beat too late.
A maniacal laugh slices through the air. Ash is watching, somewhere. And I hope he enjoyed the show. Because the next time I meet him, I’ll give him a piece of my mind and kick him where it hurts.
Wolf-Seb pads over, tufts of fur missing, and stares in at me, eyes concerned and darting over me. His muzzle is smeared with blood. I want to reach out and touch him, run my fingers through his fur like I did weeks ago in my front yard, tell him I’m okay, everything will be okay. But I can’t.
He pivots and charges towards the trees. Puma-Kat sprints after him. I imagine him yelling, “Wait up!” as I watch them meld into the forest.
I pray that we make it through; I pray that they’re safe.
The sun stings my eyes, burning my face. I roll over. Then memories of the previous night shatter my sleepy brain.
How did I get home? Did I drive?
Seb’s car! It’s still in the driveway. I slither out of bed and pad over to the window. A slip of yellowing paper is taped to the pane.
He’s okay.
— Kat.
I breathe a sigh of relief. Seb’s alive. I feel my tense muscles relax. He’s alive—I’m alive. I just want to forget last night, but I know it will never leave me. Our perfect date, tainted by disaster. I pinch my eyes shut and try to hold onto the sensation of his hand in mine, lips skimming across mine. I won’t let them be erased. Before I leave the window, I stretch to see the driveway. The car’s gone. Mysterious.
I take one final look at Eve’s eulogy—my words leaving a scorching trail through my heart—and set it on top of my handbag.
In the kitchen, I scrounge for a piece of bread and pop it in the toaster. As I wait, I make some coffee.
“Hey, kid.” Dad shuffles into the kitchen. “You were pretty rattled last night when you got home.” He sits at the table. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”
I be
t he’s wondering whether it’s got something to do with the funeral today. The toast jumps up, making me twitch. “We were, um, ambushed.” I slap on butter. “After the movie.” I decide against adding jam, not sure I can stomach much more.
“Oh. Is Seb all right?”
I hesitate telling him about the raven boy. He saved my boyfriend—does that make him good? “Yeah. I called Kat to help.”
“Must’ve been horrifying.”
You can say that.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I don’t know. It was scary, and one of them hurt my wrist.”
Holding out a hand for my arm, he says, “Let me see.”
I sigh, but do as he asks. “You should learn how to turn Doctor Spencer off. I’m not one of your patients.”
After a quick look at the hand-shaped bruise, he lets go of my arm. “The bruise is already turning green; it should go away soon.”
I tear off a bite of toast with my teeth and chew, wondering if Seb really is okay.
Interrupting my thoughts, Dad says, “Word on the street is, Ash is the new alpha.”
I stifle a giggle as I sit across from him. Since when does Dad say things like Word on the street? “Yep. And there’re two new ones.”
This seizes his interest. “Oh? Can you tell me anything about them?”
I bite my tongue. Shouldn’t have said that. I take a moment to chew another mouthful. “One saved Seb.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “Really?”
“I don’t know anything about the other one.”
He nods, pensive. “Wow. I’ll have to see what I can find out about them.”
I want to say, Don’t hurt the raven boy! However, I don’t know, myself, if we can fully trust him. He is, after all, hanging out with the enemy.
“Have you heard from him?”
I pause midchew. “From who?”
“Seb.”
I shake my head. “But Kat left me a note this morning.”
Dad smiles. “I’d love to meet this ‘Kat’. He sounds like a character, from what you and Seb tell me.”
I nod. “He’s like a playful puppy—or kitten, rather.”
Lizzy turns and hisses at me.
“I don’t think she likes you comparing her to those abominations,” he says.