Ritual
Page 14
“Why?”
“Just give it.”
Sienna handed it to him. Jason took it and the receipt for the chalice and walked as close to the burning car as he could. He stared into the blaze for a moment, then tossed the two pieces of paper in. They were devoured instantly.
He considered adding the ticket stubs from the psychic fair to the fire, but decided not to. If you thought about it a certain way, his going to the psychic fair had saved Sienna’s life—not because of Madame Rosa and her “varning” of “great danger,” but because if Jason hadn’t had those ticket stubs from the fair in his wallet, Tamburo wouldn’t have made that comment about a crystal ball, and Jason wouldn’t have realized that Tamburo was the killer in time to stop him killing again.
That was not something Jason even wanted to think about. Instead, he decided to keep the stubs right, where they were. He felt he could use a good-luck charm. He believed in those, sort of.
“You think you can walk?” he asked Sienna when he returned to her. “Because I’m pretty sure I can’t carry you back up to the road.”
Sienna nodded. “Maybe I should carry you,” she said as Jason helped her to her feet. “I definitely think I should drive home. You look a little shaky.”
“Me? You were unconscious about ten minutes ago,” Jason replied as they slowly started to climb. “There’s no way I’m letting you drive the Bug.”
“But you know I’m superhuman,” Sienna countered, with a grin. “I’m mostly healed up already.”
“Yeah, but I’m a guy,” Jason argued. Unfortunately, at that moment he stumbled and had to grab on to Sienna’s arm to keep from falling on his butt.
She laughed. “Yeah, you’re a guy—a lifesaving hero, but also a normal guy, which is why I should drive,” she told him as they reached the road.
“How does that make any sense? I don’t know what you keep doing to your Spider, but how many times has it broken down since I’ve—”
Jason broke off abruptly, distracted by a car pulling over to the side of the road behind his VW. The headlights were bright and they were shining right in his eyes.
“You two need a ride?” a familiar voice asked, and Brad stepped into view. His eyes widened with shock when he saw Sienna. “Is that blood? What happened? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” Sienna told him. “Jason gave me a little … transfusion.”
“What happened?” Brad repeated.
“The crossbow killer is down there—dead,” Jason said. “Sienna was going to be his next victim.”
Brad sank down on the hood of his car. They all stared at one another silently for a moment. “Tell me,” Brad said simply.
Sienna and Jason sat down next to him and answered as many of his questions as they could.
Finally Jason asked a question of his own. “What are you doing out here, anyway?”
Brad grinned. “I had this speech to make to you. More like an apology, I guess. I tried to talk to you at the ball, but you blew me off, so I decided to follow you. I didn’t think I’d be able to have a good time until I’d said what I had to say. I got lost a few times—you were kind of hard to keep track of—but here I am.” Brad looked from Jason to Sienna, and then down to the burning Eldorado. “Now it seems like it’s maybe not the time for that conversation.”
“You don’t have anything to apologize to me for,” Jason told him. Well, he kind of did, but Jason was willing to let it slide. It wasn’t like Brad had tried to kill him or anything.
“Yeah, I do,” Brad answered. “Sienna broke up with me because, for a long time, we’ve been more friends than anything else. We weren’t in love like we used to be.” He looked down at the ground for a moment, then over at Sienna. “It was true, but I didn’t want to hear it. I thought—and I thought everyone else would think—she was dumping me because she’d found somebody she liked better. Basically, you,” he told Jason.
“Brad, I really meant it when I said it was about us, about how things were with us,” Sienna said softly.
“I know, but it took a while for that to sink in,” Brad replied. “And while it was sinking in, I was a jackass.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m sorry, Freeman. You have to accept my apology or the whole swim team will be on my back. Curt’s missing his girlfriend. I don’t think I can keep him at DeVere the whole semester.”
Jason grinned and shook Brad’s hand. “Accepted. And thanks.”
Brad opened the back door. “You two get in. I’ll be the chauffeur.”
Jason slid into the car. Sienna gave Brad a quick hug and then slid in beside Jason.
“So, Freeman,” Brad said cheerfully as he pulled out onto the road. “You look like crap.”
Jason laughed, then groaned. Even laughing hurt. “Yeah, well, you guys aren’t the easiest people to hang out with,” he said. “What with the extra strength and the high pain threshold and all.”
“And don’t forget our extreme good looks,” Brad joked.
“Luckily for me, I’m naturally gifted in that department,” Jason retorted.
“Yeah, that bruised-and-battered look is really working for you,” Sienna teased.
She was right about the bruised and battered. Every muscle in Jason’s body ached. He was going to have to get new stitches. And he’d probably need to take iron supplements or something for his blood loss. But Jason felt great. His friendship with Brad was back on track, he’d saved Sienna’s life, and the crossbow killer could no longer hurt anyone. But what made Jason happiest of all right now was the feeling of Sienna sitting right beside him—and the promise of all the possibilities that lay between them….
“Wonderful Trashy.”
—ELLEgirl
Seven Sins.
Seven Books.
Seven Teens …
… all determined to get what they want, when they want it. No matter the cost, or the drama.
LUST
ENVY
PRIDE
WRATH
SLOTH
GLUTTONY
GREED
SEVEN DEADLY SINS
BY ROBIN WASSERMAN
Commit the sixth sin in this juicy series!
From Simon Pulse
Published by Simon & Schuster
Give three cheers for a brand-new series with a ton of spirit!
By Kelly McClymer, author of Getting to Third Date
FROM SIMON PULSE • PUBLISHED BY SIMON & SCHUSTER