I dragged myself out of bed and padded barefoot downstairs for breakfast. My mom had already left for work, and had left me a half-pot of coffee, bless her soul. The cold tiles of my cheerful kitchen were a shock in my partially-awake state. I grabbed a blue ceramic mug from one of the maple colored cabinets and filled it to the top, foregoing cream. I stayed standing in my sunny yellow kitchen for a few minutes enjoying my coffee and looking out the kitchen window to the lush vegetation. This had become my Winter Break morning ritual.
As I watched, Brian came trotting out of the front door of his house, wearing light gray sweats with his short curly brown hair still frizzy from sleep. He paused and glanced in the direction of my house. I gasped and sidestepped out of view of the window, sloshing scalding coffee on my hand. I stood silently cursing, waiting for Brian to move on.
Brian had been one of my best friends, that is, until I’d accidentally burned him with my newfound demon powers. I had passed out shortly after. While I was unconscious, Lucy and Allison had filled Brian in on everything: demons, werewolves, and the whole kit and caboodle. Brian had not taken it well. He hadn’t spoken to me since.
A knot formed in my throat at the memory. I took a deep steadying breath, telling myself that I was done crying over the ordeal. I stole a quick glance out the window to see Brian trotting down the road on his morning run. I grabbed a paper towel to blot the cooling coffee off my hand and the floor. As I dried off my hand, I realized that the coffee hadn’t left a burn. In fact, my hand wasn’t even the slightest bit red. Another Demon power? I guess it would make sense. I could burn other people without getting burnt myself. Maybe I couldn’t get burned period. Had I actually gained a power that didn’t have any drawbacks? I smiled and headed upstairs to take a shower with a little extra spring in my step. Maybe I’d make my water extra hot, just because I could.
My bathroom hadn’t changed much in the last year: purple rug and towels, marble-tiled shower, pedestal sink beneath a large circular mirror. I turned on the shower and waited for it to heat up, then stripped off my pajamas and stepped in. The hot water eased tension in my shoulders that I hadn’t even realized was there. I started washing my hair with my new lemongrass scented shampoo, while going over a mental checklist of the things I needed to do today.
I needed to go Christmas shopping. I had managed to save up eighty dollars of my allowance money for that purpose, since I don’t have a job. Hopefully Jason wouldn’t mind giving me a ride for said Christmas shopping, since I don’t have a car. I had also promised my mom that I would put together a bookshelf she had gotten at IKEA. My mom is horrible at directions, so such tasks usually fall to me. After all that was done, I was supposed to go to Lucy’s house to bake cookies with her family. We did it every year.
Once squeaky clean, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped my fluffy purple towel around me. I used a blow-dryer on my hair, which was an addition to my routine that I had grudgingly accepted after much insistence from Allison. And no, I did not do it to impress Jason. I wanted to look good for me, damn it.
I got dressed in a burgundy sweater and faded jeans, then pulled on my faded gray sneakers. I got back downstairs just in time to hear a knock at my front door. I trotted up and unlocked to door to find Jason waiting outside, dressed in a charcoal fleece sweatshirt (Oregonians are big on fleece) and jeans. He held a stack of envelopes and a few catalogues in his hand. “Got your mail,” he said, handing the pile to me.
I turned to go back into my living room with the mail gripped against my chest, leaving the door open for Jason to follow me in. I walked into the dining room, spilling the mail onto my rectangular, pale wood dining table. I started shuffling through the pile, looking for anything that might be addressed to me as Jason came into the room behind me. He pulled out a chair done in the same pale wood as the table with a bright yellow seat cushion that matched the placemats. He sat quietly watching me, as he often does. It used to make me uncomfortable, but I’ve gotten used to it.
I lifted a white business envelope that was addressed to Alexondra Meyers from the pile. I cringed at my un-shortened name as I examined the envelope skeptically (I don’t usually get any mail). There was no return address. I glanced up at Jason and shrugged, then started carefully tearing it open. I pulled out a folded white piece of computer paper that felt like it had a thick stack of paper inside. I unfolded it and a stack of one hundred dollar bills went tumbling to the table, held together by a thin strip of paper.
Shocked, I grabbed the money and held it up to Jason. He cocked his head. “Is there a note?”
As a matter of fact, there was. There was another piece of computer paper folded up inside the first one to accompany the bills. I slowly unfolded it, my fingertips feeling numb with shock.
“To Miss Alexondra Meyers,
Enclosed is your payment for aiding in the situation with our rogue wolf a few months back. Your vampire told us of your request to forgo monetary compensation, yet I feel I must go against your confusing wishes. I do not enjoy owing favors, and like it or not, without payment, that is exactly what I would owe you. I hope to work with you and your strange lot of friends in the future.
Sincerely,
Abel”
My jaw dropped. “It’s from Abel,” I stuttered.
Jason’s midnight blue eyes widened in surprise. “I told him that you did not desire payment.”
I nodded. “He says he doesn’t want to owe me a favor.”
Jason smiled wistfully at that. “Wolves can be strange with such things.”
Some explanation. Abel was the alpha of the pack that Dan had run away from. Jason had originally been hired to track Dan until he entered an area with a local wolf pack, so that they could kill Dan because he had killed a human, breaking an unbending werewolf law. After things had gone bad, and Dan was reduced to a smoldering pile of ash, Abel and his wolves had come to clean up the mess.
I picked up the bills from where I had placed them on the counter. I started counting, placing each bill back on the table as I went. As the pile on the table grew larger, so did my utter disbelief. I placed the last bill on the pile and stood staring at it, unable to breathe, let alone speak.
“How much?” Jason questioned.
I didn’t answer.
“Xoe? How much?”
I snapped out of my fog. “T-ten thousand dollars.”
Jason simply nodded. “That is around what I would expect.”
I peered at Jason, stunned. “Who on earth sends ten thousand dollars cash in the mail?”
Jason answered matter-of-factly. “Bounty hunters deal only in cash. I assume he would have delivered it in person if he could. He is a very busy man.”
I collapsed into one of the dining room chairs. “What am I supposed to do with it?”
Jason cocked his head again, not understanding my question.
I clarified, “What am I supposed to do with ten thousand dollars cash? I can’t very well open a bank account for it. I’m only sixteen. I can’t open a bank account by myself period.”
Jason nodded, taking in my dilemma. “If you would like, I will deposit whatever portion of it you desire into the savings portion of my account. I will order you a card so that you can withdraw it as you choose.”
I nodded. “Well, at least I’ll be able to do all of my Christmas shopping now.”
Jason smiled. “Have you eaten breakfast? We can stop somewhere after we go to the bank if you would like.”
I nodded and stood. Jason vacated his seat and waited for me to gather up my ridiculous amount of money before we headed for the front door. A thought dawned on me as we were sliding into Jason’s fancy charcoal grey car. “If I got ten thousand just for doing the final deed, how much did you get?”
Jason smiled and put the car in drive. “Bounty hunting is a very lucrative business.”
Chapter Three
When we got to the bank, I waited in the car, while Jason went inside to deposit my money. I’d kept one th
ousand of it out, figuring I’d spend it on Christmas presents. Plus I’d heard somewhere that if you deposit ten thousand dollars or more in a bank account the bank had to declare it to the IRS. That was as much as I knew about that subject, and Jason probably knew more than I did, but better safe than sorry. I think more than anything I was trying to avoid thinking about how guilty I felt about the money; it seemed all too much like blood-money. Dan totally had it coming, but I still felt like an assassin. Maybe buying big presents for my loved ones would take some of the weight off my conscience. Maybe.
Jason walked back out of the bank towards the car. A ray of sunshine peeked through the cloudy sky to reflect off his sunglasses. And no, my vampire doesn’t sparkle. Jason slid back into the driver’s seat and put his seatbelt on. “Your card should arrive in the mail within a few days, and you can set your pin number by phone. If you want any of your money before that, just let me know.”
I smiled. “Can do. Where do you want to get breakfast?”
“IHOP?” he asked grinning.
Jason had developed a major penchant for IHOP. Until he met me, he had never even eaten there. And yes, I know what you’re thinking. But isn’t he a vampire? Yes, he is, but despite the legends, he eats people food, is awake during the day, and is rather fond of garlic.
I sighed loudly in mock exasperation. “Oooookay.”
Jason put his hand on my leg with a grin and whipped out of the parking spot, driving like a maniac all the way to IHOP. Once we arrived, we were seated almost right away. After we slid into a corner booth by a window, we both ordered coffee and blintzes.
“So,” I began while the waiter filled our cups. “How much did Abel give you?”
Jason looked down. I’d say he was embarrassed if I didn’t know any better. “Five thousand,” he answered.
I started to laugh, but held it in . . . mostly. “Why on earth did you get less than me?” I asked.
He grimaced. “Abel wasn’t terribly pleased with the job I did.”
My grin widened. “Really?”
Jason sighed loudly, seeing that I wasn’t going to let it go. “My job was to keep an eye on Dan, and make sure he didn’t cause any mischief, until such a time when a pack could take him into custody.”
I cringed at his mention of Dan’s “mischief.” Yeah, mischief was one thing to call it. Some other useful words might have been havoc, destruction, mayhem . . . get the idea?
I said thanks as the waiter set our blintzes on the table, strawberry for me, blueberry for Jason, then turned back to our conversation. “So, can you handle being with a girl who makes more money than you?” I mocked.
He smiled wickedly. “Of course I can, as long as you realize one thing.”
“And what’s that?” I prompted.
He smugly took a bite of his blintz and swallowed with a satisfied grin. “That the breadwinner in the relationship has to pay for breakfast.”
I pouted. “You know what?”
“What?” he asked before shoving more blintz into his mouth.
“Wearing the pants totally sucks.”
He patted my hand in sympathy. “You’ll get used to it.”
I frowned. “Doubtful, very doubtful.”
After a few minutes of eating in silence, I knew it was time for me to convince Jason of our next stop. “So…” I began with a flirtatious smile on my lips.
Jason ducked his head and smiled, knowing all too well what the smile meant. “Where are we going next?” he asked, feigning frustration.
“I gotta do my Christmas shopping,” I stated sweetly.
“Can I just drop you off?” he asked hopefully.
I gasped and held my hands to my chest. “You would abandon little ol’ me to fend for myself?”
He took his last swig of coffee then thumped the empty mug onto the table and smiled at me. “Not in a million years.”
I laughed as we got up to leave, pleased that I’d gotten my way. And he paid for the food, so apparently the money thing hadn’t hurt his pride too bad.
The shortest way to the mall passes right by Shelby’s cemetery. Though the cemetery gives me the major creeps, pride would not allow me to suggest a different route. The cemetery has always creeped me out, but my phobia had become even worse since the Dan incident. The entire reason Dan had even decided to pass through Shelby was its large, old cemetery. I had always passed off the feeling I got in cemeteries as superstition, but Dan had informed me otherwise.
Cemeteries are full of magic; the older and larger the cemetery, the better. On the rare occasions I’d had to visit the cemetery, I’d felt like the spirits of the dead were pushing down on me, making the air thick in a very ominous sort of way. Apparently it was all of the loose, unused magic that made me feel like I was suffocating. Dan had used that magic to call demons.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as we drove by the cemetery. I felt Jason’s hand give my leg a light squeeze. He must have sensed my discomfort. “Are you well?” he asked.
I nodded my head, but kept my eyes closed.
Jason let the subject drop. Smart man.
I opened my eyes when I was sure that we were past all the graves. It only took a minute more for us to reach Shelby’s small mall. Jason turned into the parking lot and parked near one of the larger department stores. I waited in the car while he walked around to get my door for me. Yeah, I know, a little outdated, and I would have much rather just opened the door myself, but it made Jason happy to do it, so I waited in the car like a proper young lady. Who says I can’t compromise?
I was slightly taken aback by the crowds of people and the blaring fluorescent lighting as we entered the mall. Nondescript Christmas music hummed in the background of the din of shopper’s voices. It was almost as bad as the cemetery . . . almost.
Jason looked down at me. “Would you like to shop alone, or shall I stay with you?”
“Alone. I plan on getting all of my gift shopping done today, and that includes a gift for you.” I gave Jason’s hand a final squeeze as I prepared to brave the crowds on my own.
As our hands parted, he walked backwards for a moment, smiling at me, before turning around to walk in the direction of the food court. I gave myself a shake when I realized that I was ogling him as he walked away. C’mon Xoe, focus on the task at hand.
After the first few stores, I was nearly done with my shopping, which was a great relief. I’d purchased a new purse for Allison (Allison wasn’t big on my fashion sense, but I figured the big price on the tag would make up for it), an expensive, high-tech toothbrush for Lucy (it might seem like a lame gift, but Lucy was strangely obsessive about oral hygiene, and I knew she’d like it), and I splurged on a necklace for my mom that had a delicate bird pendant.
I headed over to the sports store to get something soccer related for Max. As soon as I entered the colorful store, I noticed a Dallas Cowboys football jersey hanging on the wall, and felt a small twinge of sadness. They were Brian’s favorite team, and this would be the first year that Brian and I wouldn’t be exchanging Christmas gifts. That sadness quickly turned to anger. It wasn’t my damn fault that we wouldn’t be exchanging gifts. He was the one that stopped talking to me.
I quickly turned my anger into quiet determination (didn’t want to blow anything up). An idea came to me. Brian might be able to keep me from talking to him, but I’d be damned if he’d keep me from buying him a Christmas present. I’d just leave it by his door sometime when he wasn’t home. I could be a good friend and spite him all at the same time.
With my spirits somewhat restored, I went to the counter to get a sales guy to get the jersey down for me. The sales guy was short and blond, so not my type, but he seemed to think otherwise. He wasted an overly friendly smile on me as he tried to maintain eye contact with me. I am not a casual flirter by any means. Not only do I suck at it, it makes me horribly uncomfortable.
I pointed to the jersey I wanted and grunted something unintelligible about not being able to rea
ch it.
Taking my discomfort for nervousness, the sales guy smiled even wider. “I wouldn’t expect you to be able to reach it. It’s only a good ten feet out of your reach.”
He’d meant the comment to be cute, but I scowled at him in return. An awkward silence ensued until he finally went to get my jersey. While he was busy I picked out a Manchester United jersey for Max. The sales guy returned, obviously not trying to flirt anymore. He silently rung me up and handed me my purchases. If I were Allison, I would have flirted back and procured a discount. But I wasn’t Allison, and I didn’t need no stinkin’ discounts.
I took my bag and turned on my heel to leave. I checked my receipt before putting it in the bag and noticed that blondie had written his phone number on it. I had to give him points for persistence.
I turned my thoughts to more pressing matters. The only person left for me to buy for was Jason, and I had no idea what to get him. I left the sports store and started walking down the mall hallway, mind preoccupied with trying to come up with something Jason would like.
As my mind was shuffling through gift options, someone walked up behind me and grabbed my wrist. I turned, thinking it was Jason, and looked into bright green eyes the exact color of my own. I dropped my shopping bags in surprise, causing a group of mall patrons to split up and give me a wide berth. I looked up from my fallen bags to take in the rest of the stranger that still had a hold of my wrist. He was tall, probably about 6’3”, and had straight blond hair, artfully swept back off of his face to almost reach his shoulders. He was dressed in a pale green, expensive looking sweater that looked bland in comparison to his eyes along with charcoal gray slacks.
My mouth went dry, he looked . . . like me. From his narrow nose, to his somewhat full lips that looked almost out of place on his angular face, he was the male version of me.
He smiled, still holding my wrist. “It’s very good to see you Alexondra.”
I didn’t return the smile. “Unfortunately I can’t say the same.”
Accidental Ashes: or that time I found out I was a demon, and all my friends were vampires and werewolves (Xoe Meyers Young Adult Fantasy/Horror Series) Page 2