“Oh, heck, no,” Rachel whispers next to me. She balls both hands into fists, completely ignores Blondie’s outstretched hand. The blonde’s smile wavers but she hides it by stretching her lips even wider. Her teeth are even and white. No visible fangs.
What am I doing? Quit getting distracted.
I put my hand on Rachel’s shoulder. And squeeze. “We’re all—er, both getting used to the idea of Rach not being at home.”
Blondie nods, her face a mask of compassion. It can’t be real. “I know it’s a change, but it doesn’t have to be bad. I’d like to help you get adjusted.”
I can feel Rachel thinking yeah, right but she remains silent. For so long that it becomes uncomfortable. I press my thumb into her shoulder.
Rachel mutters, “Nice to meet you,” and it’s obvious she thinks it is anything but.
“And who’s this?” Karla asks, gesturing at Chloe.
Panic engulfs me. Does Blondie know Chloe’s our sister? I can’t remember what all happened in the hospital. We’ve managed to convince the social worker that she’s a cousin, but if she finds out otherwise there’s a good chance Chloe will be taken away from me.
The bloodsucker can ruin it all.
Chloe looks up at me. Rachel remains sullenly silent. It’s up to me, apparently.
“Um, this is Chloe. She’s my cousin, mine and Rachel’s. We’ve been babysitting her for a few days.”
I glance at Blondie. Her green eyes are narrowed—they seem to see right through me. Is she going to contradict the lie? Her intense gaze flicks to Chloe then down to the sidewalk.
Karla introduces herself to Chloe. Nobody else realizes that it’s a lie.
Why didn’t Blondie say something? Is she planning on using the information later? Does she just not care about mediocre human worries? And what game is she playing, a “mentor” at this school?
“Well, Rachel, why don’t I show you up to your room? You’ll be on the fourth floor just down the hall from me. Maggie’s on that floor too.” Karla reaches for the suitcase in my hand and I don’t have a choice but to let her drag it away.
Rach gives Chloe a hug around her shoulders and nods at me. Her lips are pinched, like she’s trying to hold back from saying something, but then she’s gone, following Karla and the social worker inside.
I’m left on the steps with Chloe and Blondie. With no one else around, the urge to kill the vampire comes back full force.
It would be so easy to whip out my knife and slice her apart. In the sunlight she can’t even change to protect herself.
Then of course there would be a dead body on the front steps of this school, and at least two adults that knew I was the last person with her. And if she’s dead, it’s not like I can explain that she’s a vampire who probably intends to drink their blood.
“Is your arm feeling better, Chloe?” asks the bloodsucker. She leans down to Chloe’s level but doesn’t try to reach toward my sister, so I let her keep her arms. For now.
Chloe nods, but remains silent. She doesn’t duck behind me like I expect.
“I see you got a pretty pink cast. Pink’s my favorite color. My whole room is pink, in fact. What’s your favorite?”
“Green,” Chloe whispers.
“What shade? There’s dark like forest green or light like mint or you’ve even got lime…”
She pulls a smile from Chloe. Blondie gets a smile and I’ve been trying for one all morning.
“Grass,” says Chloe in her normal voice.
“Really?” Blondie wrinkles her nose, but then she shrugs. “I guess it takes all kinds. Grass, hmm.”
She leans her head over to the side, this time considering me. “Rachel will be okay. This is a great facility.”
Yeah, not so sure about that if they let bloodsuckers in.
“And I’ll be here to help her out,” she goes on, not noticing my eye roll. “Hey, I know!” She focuses her attention back on Chloe. “What’s your… um… cousin’s favorite snack food? Maybe I can get some as a ‘welcome’ present for her.”
“Protein bars,” Chloe says swiftly.
Blondie’s brows go up. “Protein bars?”
I rush to answer before Chloe can spill anything else that might give us away. “Yeah, she’s got a thing about working out. She loves it.”
She looks skeptical but seems to accept my answer. “Okay, then. Well, I’m going to catch up to them…” She half-turns away, then stops. “Oh, yeah. Phone privileges are pretty much nil when you first come to E.W., so it might be awhile before Rach gets her cell phone back.”
I frown, not sure where she’s going with this. Rach isn’t going to like that rule; I just hope she doesn’t get herself in more trouble.
“Anyway, if you have an emergency or just really need to talk to her, you can call me and I’ll get her.”
She holds out a partial piece of notebook paper with something scribbled on it. Her number, apparently. I hesitate, but Chloe reaches out and takes it. “Thanks.”
Blondie smiles, and it lights up her whole face. “Once Rachel gets settled in, you can call Karla to set up some visits.”
Blondie gives a little wave and walks back up to the building. My hand automatically moves toward the knife at my hip. My aim is perfect, and with her back to me she would never stop the blade. But the urge I felt earlier has faded some…
She goes inside before I make up my mind. I know Rachel is armed, but if they search her, she’ll be without a weapon. We’ve got to get her out of here fast.
“Don’t worry so much, Shane,” Chloe’s words break through my internal arguments. She pats my hand with her uninjured one. “Rach’s smart. And I don’t think Maggie will hurt her.”
Who is this calm little person and where did the grim, tearful Chloe from earlier this morning go? We walk together back down the sidewalk to the truck.
“How do you know?”
She shrugs. “Just a feeling.”
“Chloe, she’s a vampire. She’s hardwired to kill. If she’s finds out Rachel is a Chaser…”
I leave the thought hanging because I can’t bear to say it. I have to believe that Rachel can handle herself for a few days until we figure a way out of this mess. I make a mental note to call Karla later and quickly set up a visit. I need inside that school. I carefully avoid thinking about the scrap of paper Chloe just tucked into her jeans pocket.
9 - Maggie
“So that was awkward,” Hannah comments, keeping her eyes on the textbook in her lap.
I plop down on my bed, rubbing both hands over my face. After just escorting Rachel Campton to her new dorm room, I feel overwhelmed. That girl is hostile. Why?
I struggle to focus on Hannah’s question. She must have snuck downstairs and watched the front-lawn greetings. “I thought you said you weren’t going to be nosy. Were you watching the whole thing?”
“And you believed me? Mags, really? You know me better than that. I might have snuck down to the lobby atrium to read.” She holds up her book, British Literature.
“Don’t you know that by heart already? Anyway, I thought I handled myself pretty well.”
Considering the complete one-eighty that Shane pulled on me. I was prepared for him to be rude, and I even had a few snappy comebacks ready to use. But then he smiled, and I go mushy?
“Yeah, no, I was talking about him. It’s like he didn’t quite know what to do with you, what to say.”
I shrug and reach over for the binder on my bedside table, flip it open. Hannah keeps me organized, and today it appears I’m leading a group counseling session at lunch and have a one-on-one session with a sophomore girl after classes. Maybe I’ll invite Rachel.
“So what’d you give him, there at the end?”
I tell myself I’m not going to blush, but heat radiates up my cheeks anyway. I pretend to study the page in front of me. “Phone number.”
“Your phone number?”
“Yeah, I thought the little girl might want it, in case she ne
eds to talk to Rachel.”
“Mm hmm.” She stays silent, but not for long. “I can’t believe it! Maggie Wells, the chick who despises boys in a romantic way has finally met someone she’s interested in.”
Interested seems like a really tame word for the calisthenics my heart did upon seeing Shane up close and personal on the lawn. When he smiled… I felt like I was back in the hospital taking down the drug-man, I had that much adrenaline running through me.
But I keep getting stuck on the whole immortal-versus-human thing. I can’t see a way for us to work long-term. Even if he was interested.
I ignore Hannah’s jibe, instead grabbing my bookbag and stuffing my homework assignments for today in it. Classes start in fifteen, and I can loiter in the halls until then if it will get me out of Hannah’s teasing scrutiny.
“So how was Rachel? I couldn’t quite read her lips but what I saw looked unfriendly.”
Good question. Her file says she’s violent, but she was pretty polite with the hospital staff, tolerant with the lady from social services. It just seems to be me she has a problem with.
“She’s a little uncomfortable with me, but who isn’t?”
“She seemed a little more unsociable than the usual bear.”
I shrug. “She’s separated from her family. Give her a break.”
“So how come the little sister gets to stay again?”
I don’t want to get into this. I’m almost sure that Chloe is Shane’s younger sister, and if so then he lied to the social worker. His heart was beating double-time right about then—one of the perks of being vamp is my extra-sensory hearing so I could tell.
I try to sound off-hand when I tell Hannah, “I think they lied about Chloe being a cousin.”
“What? It was so obvious that she’s his sister with those eyes and Rachel’s nose.”
“It’s not my business.”
“Maggie, your life’s work is keeping kids out of bad situations. How is it not your business? If he’s unfit to take care of that little girl—”
“Chloe.”
“…take care of Chloe, you can’t just ignore it because he’s cute.”
“We don’t know the whole situation, Hannah. I have no real reason to think that he can’t take care of her.”
Hannah eyes me suspiciously, but she says nothing. It’s ridiculous that I feel defensive of him; there’s no reason I should be, especially with how rudely he treated me at the hospital. But his gentle interaction with Chloe, both in the ER and just now has me all discombobulated.
“Hannah, I’m not out of line. If I thought Chloe was in danger, I would’ve said something. Something’s definitely weird with Rachel, but I don’t think this is a domestic abuse case.”
“And you’re sure you’re not biased because you’re attracted to him?”
I nod, hoping it’s the truth. This has never been a problem for me before.
Hannah sighs. “All right, I believe you. And I want to go on record that I am happy for you. You deserve a little hottie in your life.”
“Hannah!”
She laughs, pulling me into the hall, crowded with kids going to class.
You do, she whispers in my head. You probably can’t remember what it felt like to be in love—can you even remember his name?
Charles Middleton. The name she’s referring to clicks to the front of my mind instantaneously. My betrothed. The man who died because of my family—because of me.
That thought crushes the spark of hopeful happiness that I’ve been nurturing since the meeting on the front steps. What am I thinking, entertaining thoughts of dating—dating!—a human.
I think you should go for it.
Hannah leaves me that parting shot and then heads for her French class while I duck into the Spanish room. She doesn’t realize how hard her teasing words from before hit me.
I wrestle with the situation all morning, but finally decide I should stay close to Rachel and Shane in order to check on Chloe. At least that’s what I tell myself.
It’s lunch before I remember the tip Chloe gave me this morning. I turn to Hannah, who is munching on a carrot stick.
“Hey, do you think Mr. Yu—” who owns the convenience store a block away “sells protein bars?”
“Eew. What do you want a protein bar for? Is this a new diet thing? I thought you were on an O negative kick.”
“It’s not for me. Apparently, I’m not above a little bribery to get into Rachel’s good graces.”
Hannah just shakes her head.
~o~
At dinnertime, I head down to Rachel’s room, planning to walk with her to the caf. I’ve given her the day to get settled; now I’m ready to “mentor” her.
Her door is open, and low voices come from inside. She’s got a room to herself—she’s already making friends? Funny, Rachel doesn’t seem like the social type.
If she really is making friends, I don’t want to interrupt. I stop while I’m still down the hall and use my ears. It can’t hurt to find out who she’s chosen, maybe head her off if it’s one of our few bad eggs.
“Does anything weird ever happen here?” Rachel asks.
“You’ll have to be a little more specific.”
My teeth grind together. Lily? Of all the girls in this school Rachel could befriend it has to be Lily?
“In case you haven’t noticed, this is a school full of recovering drug addicts, abuse victims, and orphans. Weird things happen all the time.”
I consider interrupting their conversation but I’m a little curious where Rachel’s going with this.
“I don’t mean ‘weird’ in that sense. I’m talking about abnormal things. Missing people? Kids with funky hickeys?”
Lily laughs, but it breaks off in the middle like she’s realized Rachel isn’t joking. “Umm, no. Sorry. Why do you ask?”
There’s a long pause.
“My mentor… you know, Maggie? There’s something about her… she just seems off somehow. Have you noticed?”
My pulse suddenly thunders in my ears. If Lily’s going to say something about my outburst the other day, this is a perfect opening for her.
“You mean like how she constantly breaks the rules around here but never gets more than a slap on the wrist for it? She’s such a fraud, but everyone in charge acts like she’s God’s gift or something.”
Umm… if Lily knew why I got special treatment she probably wouldn’t be so judgmental. But at least she’s not mentioning my fangs.
“Does Maggie make you uncomfortable?”
What? How does Rachel know about that?
Lily snorts. “Only with how she follows people around and tattles on them.”
Why is Lily covering for me? If you can call her disdainful comments ‘covering for me’.
“Oh, and she’ll be missing for days at a time, and if you ask about her all the adults conveniently have no idea what you’re talking about. She comes and goes as she pleases, ignores curfew. And I know for a fact that Director Phillips has caught her in the act of sneaking back in. The next day I thought she’d be in trouble, but she wasn’t. Everything with Maggie is no big deal.”
I had no idea Lily is so observant. I’ve attended school here for three years and didn’t think anyone noticed my special activities. Hannah and I have perfected the makeup and clothes we need to look like we’re anywhere from fifteen to twenty-one, but if Lily’s asking questions, and now Rachel, what’s to stop someone else from noticing?
“Where do you think she’s sneaking off to?” Rachel asks.
“No idea.”
“Do you think she’s doing something bad?”
What is with the twenty questions? I need to break this up now, so I clear my throat and move into Rachel’s doorway.
“Ladies, its dinner time. You heading down to the caf? I’ll go with you.”
Two sets of eyes glare at me with a hatred I don’t understand. What did I do to make them feel this way about me?
I set my jaw, unwilling
to show them any emotion. As much as I dislike Lily and don’t even know Rachel, it doesn’t feel good to know they could feel such horrible things about me.
Neither one makes a move to get up from their sprawl on the twin beds; neither one speaks.
“Five minutes, and Karla will make rounds.” I leave, but not before both girls roll their eyes.
I’m halfway to the caf on level one, holding onto my temper by a thread when my cell rings. I don’t recognize the number, but I answer anyway. It could be Chloe.
The line opens and there’s a loud bang in the background, and a high pitched squeal.
“Hello?”
Nothing. Did they hang up?
Finally a croaky female voice speaks, “I-is this Maggie? W-we met at the hospital a few days ago. You tried to help me?”
The girl with the kid. “Samantha?”
Another slam comes, followed by another cry.
“I need help.” She sniffles.
I change direction, now running back toward my room. I need the special backpack at the bottom of my closet, the one I keep for situations like this.
“What’s your address? I’ll come right now.”
10 - Shane
“I’m in the back hallway. Pretty sure this door leads to a set of stairs,” Rachel whispers the words but I’ve got my cell on speakerphone so they’re loud enough to echo in the cab of my truck. It’s gotten muggy outside tonight, and the windows are rolled up. Don’t have to worry about any pedestrians hearing our conversation that way either.
“How sure?” Chloe asks from where she’s got her chin propped on the back of the bench seat. She’s the “lookout”, watching behind us. I’ve got my eyes glued to Rachel’s new school, just up the block.
It’s been hours since Rach walked into that school and I’m still buzzing with adrenaline, confusion… attraction. And still mad at myself. How could I let my sister walk right into a vampire’s territory on her own?
I tap my thumbs against the steering wheel, trying to fidget away my impatience. I hate not being in control of this situation. Plus the sun’s setting, so the familiar anxiety-slash-adrenaline is spiking in my blood.
“Where’d you get this phone, anyway?” I probably shouldn’t ask, but I’m curious. Did Rachel lift it off one of her classmates?
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