by Annika James
His face relaxed into a grin and he gave my hand a squeeze before letting go to start the car. “Great. Can I take you to dinner? You must be starving by now.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Dinner? Like dinner out?”
He laughed with me. “Yeah, dinner. You know, pizza, talk, get to know each other.”
“Yeah, sure. I just have to call my mom.”
She picked up on the second ring. “Ashlinn? You missed dinner.”
I closed my eyes in resignation. My mom wasn’t much for pretense. “I know. I’m sorry. Um, actually, Conor wants to take me to dinner. Is that all right?”
Her hesitation was obvious, followed by a heavy sigh. “Fine. Ashlinn, be home before ten.”
The glowing numbers on the dashboard clock said 7:45 “I will, way before. Promise.”
“Be careful,” she said before hanging up.
We went to a little pizzeria. We talked. Conor was just a normal guy, like Matt, although full of major hotness. Once I was caught up in eating, I had no problem making conversation with him. He didn’t seem to want to run out on dinner, so he must have liked hanging out with me as well.
On the walk back to his car after dinner, he looked down at me, lips pursed, eyebrows dipping low.
“School’s going to be a little different for you now,” he commented.
My nose scrunched in confusion. “Why? Because I smell good to vamps?”
His lips twisted in amusement. “Somewhat, yes. Every time you use your power, you get stronger. And since you used it last night, you’ll show up on some vamps’ radar more now.”
“Great. So am I going to be accosted by guys all day like you did last night?” I mused.
“Are you going to get past that soon? I can only apologize so many times.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” I laughed. “I just have to give you a hard time.”
“To answer your question, no, I doubt they will try to bite you in the hallways.” He looked at the moon, a bright, curved slash in the night sky, as he opened the car door for me. “I honestly don’t know if you are as appealing to everyone as you are to me. Sorry.”
I waited until he was in and had started the car before replying. “No need to apologize. Pretty sure there are a lot worse guys who could be lusting after me than you,” I teased him.
He shook his head. “Not exactly lusting.” He glanced at me sideways. “Okay, well, maybe a little,” he admitted with a crooked grin.
I tried not to smile too big, my stomach fluttered. I had meant lusting after my power. I wondered briefly how he meant it. When he pulled into my driveway, he looked at me again, his clear green eyes shining in the dark of the car.
“Thank you.” His voice was low, seductive. “For tonight.” A nervous tension suddenly hung between us, filling the small space. I felt like I should kiss him goodnight, like it was what was supposed to happen. However, we weren’t dating, we were barely friends. I saw his fists clench and unclench on the steering wheel.
“Thank you for being so honest.” My voice was just above a whisper.
“Anytime.” I opened the car door and made to get out. “Ashlinn.”
I froze, waiting.
He hesitated, staring out the windshield, before turning to me, resigned. “See you tomorrow.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding. “See you tomorrow, Conor.” I got out and shut the door, feeling strangely unfulfilled.
Chapter Seven
I had never been so aware of everyone around me as I was Monday morning at school. Vampires, witches, and humans used to all look the same to me. But that morning, I noticed each and every vamp on my way to my locker. Our school had a small witch population. I idly wondered, not for the first time, why I wasn’t friends with more witches. It sure would have saved me some drama. Fate had brought me Matt and Cora, and I wouldn’t trade my friends for anything. I found Matt waiting for me near my locker. As I approached, he avoided my eyes. I spun my lock. “This is what you meant when you said you had to obey?” I glanced at him.
He leaned on the locker next to me, staring across the hall like there was some great mystery on the wall he had to figure out. “I knew you wouldn’t agree to becoming a familiar. But I had to tell you. It has to be done,” he said as though telling me someone close to me had died. He turned to me, eyes boring into mine.
“I can do it, Ash,” he said then with quiet, steely conviction. “We’re best friends anyway. It’s not like we can’t stand each other. And friends last longer than boyfriends anyway.” He held a hand out. “What if… What if Conor decides someday he doesn’t want to be with you anymore? Then you’re stuck in a bond with someone who wants out, but you can’t really get out without you dying.”
It wasn’t like I hadn’t thought about that fun little scenario already. Once a familiar stopped sharing blood, the whole live-longer benefit wore off. I shrugged off my doubt. “I suppose the promise of my power will be enough to keep him around. Since that’s why he’s interested in the first place. It should only get stronger, right?”
I looked down the hallway, away from his too serious gaze. I was afraid of the implications of his stare and where this conversation was going. I so did not want to go there. Not with Matt. Not today. Not ever.
Matt blew out a short breath. “It’s not just your power, Ash. He told you. You are…” He stopped, face reddening. My stomach sank. Oh, shit. His eyes softened while mine widened. I did. Not. Want. To. Do. This.
He cleared his throat and looked away. “He really does like you, is all,” he finished in a rough voice. His fingers came up to my cheek in a featherlight touch, accompanied by a smile I’d never seen from him. “It’s not your power that makes you special, Ash.”
My heart raced and stomach clenched. Oh, Matt. His hand fell to his side and he gave me his, “I was just joking. No big deal,” smile. A line had been crossed, though, and it was a big deal. I did not want to lose what I had with Matt because I rejected him as a protector.
“I know you’ve had a thing for him for a long time,” he said softly, “I know. And now…now he likes you back.”
I took a breath. “Matt. You are my best friend.” I looked him in the eye, willing him to see all the love I did have for him, all the platonic love. “I love you. I don’t want to lose you. You make me feel…safe. Maybe that makes me selfish or whatever, but I already consider you my protector. I don’t want to lose that because I hurt you.”
I needed Matt in my life, I really did. Just not in the way he apparently wanted me to need him.
He smiled again, a little sadly. “I know. I’ll be here…for whatever you need, okay? I promise.”
I nodded and tried to smile through the pain of hurting him. “Thank you.”
“And if Conor hurts you, I’ll stake him myself.” He grinned wickedly.
I swatted his arm and laughed, tension broken. “You’d only piss him off.”
“Well, yeah, it wouldn’t really hurt him, but it would make me feel better.”
I rolled my eyes and shut my locker. “He’s your friend. You guys should be getting along.”
I didn’t know where Cora was, so we started to class without her. Matt shrugged, all Joe Cool. “Yeah. Just so you know, if he hurts you…you know…”
I did. Matt would defend me against anyone, even Conor.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem, Matty. At least, I hope not.”
“You hope not what?” Conor appeared at my side, making me jump.
“Um… I hope you don’t hurt me,” I responded, taking in his green eyes, tight polo shirt, and jeans. His gaze flicked to Matt before settling on me.
“I don’t plan on it.”
“See, Matt?” I chucked him on the shoulder. “It’s all good for now.”
His gaze remained locked on Conor over my head as we walked through the hall.
“For now,” he repeated, dryly.
I sighed. Would things ever go back to normal now? Where
was the fun, joking Matt I loved?
“Hey, Ashlinn.”
My attention was diverted to Jonah Strang, who was walking toward us with a couple of friends. He smiled and waved. Jonah was cute, blond hair, brown eyes, vamp. “Hey Jonah,” I replied as we walked by. Odd. Jonah had never really talked to me before.
“Ash. What’s up?” Brady Fry, another vamp, waved at me from his locker to get my attention. I faltered a little. A knot of apprehension formed in the middle of my chest.
“Brady.” I nodded, trying to be polite.
Then things got downright weird. Tre Davis walked up to us. “Hey Ash, you busy tonight?”
He was one of Conor’s friends, one of the chosen few who sat at his lunch table. A wave of realization washed over me as Matt and Conor both stepped closer to me.
I halted and stared at Tre’s ice-blue eyes and noticed his great body. I managed a small smile, though that knot grew bigger, making it suddenly hard to breathe.
“Um…” My brain struggled to process what was happening.
Suddenly Cora appeared, pushing her way past Conor. She took my arm in hers. “Sorry, Tre. She’s got a study date with me tonight.”
He smiled, showing dazzling white teeth. “No problem. Can I call you or something, Ash?” I was still speechless; I had never been good with boys. Did they all just want to bite me? Freaky.
Cora pulled me down the hallway, away from the boys. “If you can get her number,” she threw over her shoulder with a wink. She hustled me to class, rushing past all the would-be suitors. I was still trying to find my breath.
“I thought those two were supposed to be protecting you,” she said with a huff. “A lot of good they were.”
“Thanks.” I breathed, finally. “That was just…strange.”
She looked me over, eyes narrowed in concern. “Is this how it’s going to be all week?”
My eyebrows shot up. “I don’t know. Conor said not everyone would find me as appealing as he did. I didn’t think…”
I stared down at my desk. How would I survive all week with all those vamp boys vying for my attention? Last week I’d been virtually invisible. I was starting to think anonymity wasn’t all that bad.
Maybe I should just let Matt do it. Bite me, get it over with, and go back to normal life. All those guys would leave me alone, and Conor could go back to his life. He wouldn’t have to pretend to date me anymore. My stomach betrayed me, letting me know in no uncertain terms how I really felt about the possibility of losing Conor. I put a hand on my stomach in a vain attempt to calm the rising panic. If I picked Matt, would Conor stop talking to me, stop hanging out with us? Would it go back exactly to the way it was before? Where I was obsessed with Conor from afar and he acted like I didn’t exist?
I put my head down on my arms as class started. I really didn’t want to be in this situation. I didn’t want this choice, I didn’t want this attention. I didn’t want any of this.
* * * *
I tried my best throughout the morning to pay attention in class. After all, I still needed to graduate after I became a familiar. Everywhere I went, though, guys talked to me. Guys I’d never even noticed before. All vamps. I hadn’t realized our school had so many vamps.
Cora couldn’t be everywhere at once. So I was often left without protection. When they came up to me in the hall, I did my best to keep walking. In class, I just smiled politely and told them thanks, but no thanks. Most of them got the message and backed off right away. Others were more persistent.
I found Cora at our lockers before lunch. She put an arm around me and squeezed before letting me go. “How you doing?”
I opened my locker and shrugged. “Okay.” I dumped my books and shut the door, looking around for Matt. “It’s so strange, though. Is this what’s it like to be hot and popular? Because I think I’ll pass.”
I gave her a grimace as Tre walked by and waved. Halfheartedly, I waved back.
“Where’s Matt?” I asked her.
She shrugged. “Let’s go. We can find a table in the corner or something.”
Matt finally showed up after we’d gotten our food.
“Where have you been?” I pointed my fork at him.
He set his tray down across from me and pulled out a chair. “Spreading the rumor you and Conor are dating.”
I choked a little on my milk. “What? Why?” I gasped between coughs. Cora pounded me helpfully on the back.
He cracked open his soda, unfazed. “To discourage some of the throng of dudes who are suddenly lusting after you.”
“Is it working?” Dare I hope?
He shrugged, taking a drink. “Not sure, yet.”
“Ashlinn. How was your morning?” Tre Davis sat down next to Matt.
I swallowed nervously and threw Matt a look. “Hey, Tre. It was fine.” I tried to be polite.
Matt froze mid-bite and leveled a stare at Tre, who smiled. “Hey, Finley. What’s up?”
Matt swallowed. “Tre.”
The chair next to me screeched against the floor and Conor sat, leaning in to kiss my cheek. “Hey, babe,” he greeted me.
He breathed in my ear, “Just go with it.”
My smile was shaky. Straightening, he took my left hand in his and squeezed. My stomach fluttered at his touch. I glanced around the table. Tre studied us. Steven arrived and sat next to Cora, the two of them whispering quietly. Matt stared at his food.
Tre cleared his throat. “Conor, man, I heard you and Ash were dating. When did you guys get together?”
“Saturday night. At my party.” Conor seemed to have no problem with Tre suddenly eating with us, or showing interest in me. “Our first real date was last night. Pizza.”
He smiled at me, sharing the memory of our talk and dinner. My nervousness melted away under his gaze. Matt had now switched to studying us. He looked like he wanted to say something, but remained quiet.
Tre nodded as he ate. “Cool. So you moved on from Victoria pretty fast.”
Conor raised a shoulder, eyes narrowing at his friend. “Vic and I are really just good friends. We were more together because our parents expected it. You know that, Tre, my man.”
Tre paused a moment before turning his icy eyes on me. “So, I’m having a party Friday night. You want to come?”
Conor stiffened. “Oh, I don’t…”
“Matt and Conor have to be there anyway. You might as well come, too. Unless you want to blow off the party with me and hang somewhere else?” Tre grinned.
“Um…” I started, not knowing how Matt and Conor wanted me to answer.
“Ashlinn will be at the party,” Conor told Tre. “With me.” I looked at him, eyes wide with surprise. News to me.
“’Scool. Maybe another time.” Tre chugged his milk and stood. He picked up his tray and threw me a lady-killer smile. “See you later.”
I turned to Matt. “What the hell is going on?”
Matt glanced at Conor. “Apparently, your popularity is spreading.” Matt’s mouth pulled into a tight line.
“Tre’s parents are on the Council,” Conor put in. “They probably told him. It’s just like him to do something like this.”
“You mean pretend to be interested in me?” I retorted raising my eyebrows at him. “You know, because I’m powerful.”
He reared back a little. “Ash, I’m not…”
I held up a hand. “I know. I know. You’re for real. I have to trust you. And apparently, now we’re supposed to pretend we’re dating.”
Matt gave Conor an “I told you so” look.
Conor flushed a little and stammered, “We thought…”
“We who?” I demanded “You and Matt? You thought it would be good to pretend we were dating to keep all the other guys away? So I can’t consider anyone else? What if I like Tre?”
Matt leaned forward. “Ash. We said Conor because if you and I were dating, there’d be no reason why Conor was suddenly hanging out with us. And you don’t like Tre. You never have, he’s not
your type.” His voice was so reasonable. Damn it.
Cora and Steven continued eating, silently taking everything in. Her presence beside me was comforting, though.
“It was my idea to give you a boyfriend.” Matt shrugged, eating his lunch. “I figured all the attention would wig you out a little bit. Having a boyfriend may make some of them back off. And would you really want someone besides your best friend or the dude you’ve been obsessing over for months to bite you?”
“Matthew!” Cora admonished. My face flamed at Matt’s candidness.
“What?” He looked at her, eyes wide and innocent. “The dude likes her. It’s no big now.” He pointed his fork at Conor and me.
“Months?” Conor murmured next to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him grin.
“Shut it,” I cut off his ego boost. His grin stayed. I turned my focus on Matt. “So you didn’t think to run any of this by me first?”
He shrugged again. Damn his cool collectedness. “I didn’t see you all morning. Word was spreading. We had to do something fast. Dudes were saying some seriously inappropriate things. Me or Conor, or both, were going to be fighting.”
“Fighting?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Yeah. You know, to defend your honor and shit,” Steven piped in with a smile.
I rolled my eyes. “My saviors. Thank you so much.” I hoped my sarcasm was evident.
Matt wasn’t affected. “I just told a couple people you guys got together at Conor’s party. I didn’t know you guys had an actual date last night.”
“It wasn’t really a date,” I put in, not looking for Conor’s reaction. “We just talked.”
He looked me in the eye, almost sad. “And had pizza.”
“I missed dinner,” I put in lamely.
Matt looked away, clenching his jaw. His actions were evidence of why I couldn’t be Matt’s familiar. Our bond as familiar would be so much closer than it was now. I’d never be able to have a romantic relationship without hurting him.
I changed the subject. “And apparently, I’m going to a party Friday night?”
He cleared his throat. “Ah, yeah. It’s a Council event. They’ve…uh…requested your presence.”