by Wendi Wilson
“I don’t know. They were overly attentive, making sure I was okay after their big revelation. After the fourth time my mom stroked my hair and asked if I was okay, I snapped.”
The corner of Jett’s mouth lifted. “I can empathize with her,” he said. “I’ve been the target of that hair trigger temper of yours, myself.”
I slapped him on the shoulder and he laughed. I looked back at Wyatt and Beckett, who were both smiling, too. I couldn’t suppress my own grin and just like that, the tension was broken. As we pulled into the school parking lot, I realized I couldn’t go all day wondering what had them so tense and talking about it during school hours would be nearly impossible. I took a deep breath and let out the words on my exhale.
“Why are y’all so uptight this morning? Are you regretting…everything from last night?”
“No!” three voices exclaimed in unison as Jett pulled into a spot and shifted the truck into park.
“We were worried that you’d change your mind,” Wyatt said.
“When we picked you up, you didn’t show any signs of affection and it seemed like you had changed it,” Beckett added.
“I didn’t sleep at all last night,” Jett said, pulling my attention to him, “thinking about all the ways you might tell us you’d decided against it today.”
I took Jett’s hand in one of mine and stretched my arm over the seat to Wyatt and Beckett, who sandwiched it in between theirs. I swallowed thickly and cleared the emotion from my throat.
“I guess we have to learn as we go with this relationship. None of us know…wait. You haven’t done this before, have you?”
Three sets of widened eyes and three heads shaking vigorously answered my question.
Relief flooded me. “Good. None of us know, really, how this is going to work and we have to figure out what works best for us. I was scared, too, that you’d all realize this is crazy and I’m not worth the trouble.”
“This might be crazy, but you’re totally worth it,” Wyatt said with a grin.
“Agreed,” Jett added.
“We’re all in this together,” Beckett said.
“Okay,” I said, extricating my hands, “we’d better get to class. After skipping yesterday, I don’t want to be late.”
Wyatt jumped from the truck and opened my door, helping me hop down. We walked around to find Jett and Beckett waiting by the tailgate. They formed a semicircle in front of me stared at my face expectantly.
“What?”
“We’re following your lead, Savanna,” Jett said. “If you want our new relationship status kept a secret, then you should tell us now before we go in.”
“I don’t know,” I said, studying the rock by my right shoe.
“Hey,” Beckett said, touching my cheek. When I met his eyes, he continued, “It’s okay. We’re okay with whatever you want. We just want you to be happy and comfortable.”
“Can we just act…normal? Like we’re close friends?”
“Really close friends,” Wyatt said, waggling his eyebrows.
I laughed and the tension eased out of me. “Just for now,” I said. “Give me some time to get used to this. I’ve never had one boyfriend, much less three.”
A sharp intake of breath behind me had me spinning around in a panic. There stood Fiona Butler, the expression on her face a mix of equal parts shock, disbelief, and jealousy. I saw her cherry red convertible parked across from us. She must have been walking by while I was talking.
“All three?” she mumbled before turning and making a beeline for the building.
“I’m on it,” Beckett called out as he ran to catch her.
“Don’t worry,” Wyatt said. “Beckett will persuade her to forget what she heard.”
“Okay.”
I said it, but I didn’t feel okay. I felt terrible. Terrible for asking these three amazing boys to keep their feelings for me a secret and keeping mine a secret as well. Terrible for them feeling the need to use persuasion to protect me. Terrible for Fiona, the victim of that persuasion. I didn’t like them taking someone’s free will. Even hers. I needed to be more careful.
I watched as Fiona left Beckett and headed into school. He turned, giving us a thumbs-up signal as we headed toward him. The first bell rang as we reached the door. We needed to hustle, or we were going to be late. I muttered something about seeing them in class and jogged to my locker.
By the time I got to Chemistry, the boys were already there, seated in the same desks as the last time we were there together. I took the empty seat and returned each of their smiles. I could see it in their faces and they made me believe it. We were going to make this work.
I looked up to see Fiona staring at me, her eyes shooting daggers. “Are you sure she doesn’t remember?” I asked Beckett, leaning forward so only he would hear.
He lifted his head from his book to look at Fiona before turning in his seat toward me. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
I watched Fiona while he spoke, seeing her eyebrows drop further and her frown deepen as he leaned in close. I tried to resist. Really, I did. But it was too easy to cock an eyebrow and smirk at her before turning the full force of my smile on Beckett.
“Savanna,” Jett whispered.
I turned to him, still smiling. He sucked in a quick breath before relaxing back into the classic “Jett” arrogant slouch. I lifted a brow at him and cocked my head, silently asking him why he said my name. He leaned across the aisle toward me.
“You shouldn’t antagonize her if you don’t want us to have to persuade her.”
Feeling guilty, the smile slipped from my face and I sat up straight. My eyes stared, unseeing, on whatever Mr. Gillespie was writing on the board. Jett was right. I didn’t want them to have to persuade her, again, so I needed to ignore her like I’d done for the last decade. Whatever pleasure I got from one-upping her was not worth the guilt I’d feel later. I needed to remember that.
Beckett let his arm dangle at his side for a moment before slowly stretching it backwards. He rubbed his fingertips up my calf and back down again before pulling away, a show of comfort in the wake of Jett’s reprimand. It instantly made me feel better.
Wyatt tapped his desktop, getting my attention. He smiled before mouthing the words, “I thought it was funny.”
I returned his smile and mouthed, “Thanks.” He nodded and jerked his head toward Jett, who sat in front of him.
I reluctantly turned my gaze toward Jett. He had a soft smile on his face in place of the usual arrogant smirk. He winked at me before returning his attention to our teacher. I felt better, knowing he wasn’t upset with me for torturing Fiona. I should have known he wouldn’t be mad. Psychological warfare was kind of his thing. He was just looking out for me.
Turning my own attention to Mr. Gillespie’s lecture, my cheeks started to hurt. I couldn’t stop smiling. Having three boyfriends was going to be anything but boring.
Chapter Eighteen
“Do you want to go for pizza tonight?”
Wyatt spoke the words as he dropped his lunch tray on the table and took the seat next to me. I looked at him for a moment before glancing across the table to Jett and Beckett, who were already seated there. Beckett looked up from his current read, a horror novel from the looks of the cover, and Jett was staring at Wyatt.
Wyatt’s fingers touched my arm, bringing my attention back to him. “Just you and me,” he said. “It’s my turn to take our girl out.”
My face heated up at the words “our girl.” I wasn’t embarrassed, really, but the possessiveness and plurality did things to my nervous system—things simple words had never done before. I looked back over at the other two. Neither looked the slightest upset or jealous, and I released the breath I’d been holding.
I smiled at Wyatt. “I don’t think my parents would agree to me going out on a Tuesday night, but how about after school? I can text them and say we’re studying.”
“Perfect,” Wyatt said, talking around a big bite of hamburger.
Beckett tapped Jett on the shoulder, moving his hands in a “give it to me” motion. Jett reached into his backpack and pulled out his flask, passing it to Beckett. He slouched down and took a swig behind his book before recapping it and passing it back. My eyes followed the movements as my stomach flip flopped and my mouth started to water. I licked my lips as a purring noise vibrated in the back of my throat. Three identically questioning stares swiveled toward me. I was mortified.
“Do you want some, Savanna?” Jett asked, waggling the flask in my direction.
My eyes widened and darted around the cafeteria, scanning the tables near us to see if anyone heard his question. No one was paying any attention to us, but still, I narrowed my eyes at Jett in silent reprimand. I had to keep my mouth glued shut, or I’d start yelling and really draw attention to us.
Wyatt’s palm on my thigh distracted me from killing Jett with my death stare. As I turned my head, I saw Beckett from the corner of my eye lift his hand and swat Jett on the back of the head. My frown turned upside down as my eyes settled on Wyatt’s gorgeous face. He leaned in close to whisper in my ear.
“It’s all right, Savanna. Don’t forget, you’re one of us. A different kind, sure, but still an Alt.”
He straightened back up and took another bite of his burger. I watched him for a moment, digesting his words. He was right. I was thinking like a norm. It wasn’t gross or even taboo for me to crave blood. I was just like them.
Well, maybe not just like them, but close enough.
I looked across the table. Beckett had an encouraging look on his face and Jett had one eyebrow arched in challenge. I steeled my spine and stretched my hand toward him under the table.
“Give it to me.”
Cool, smooth metal met my fingertips before I could change my mind. My eyes jumped nervously from table to table but didn’t meet anyone else’s. Beckett slid his book across the table to me with a nod. I opened it and held it in front of my face with one hand while the other twisted the cap of the flask until it popped off. I silently thanked the heavens it was attached to the flask by a small chain. Otherwise, it would have went flying.
I made sure I was completely blocked from prying eyes before lifting the mouth of the flask to my lips. The scent hit me first, causing my heartbeat to accelerate and saliva to pool in my mouth. I swallowed and sucked in a deep breath, tilting it sideways and pouring a small amount into my mouth. Just like before, the flavors exploded across my taste buds. I barely repressed a moan of pleasure as I tilted it up again and drank some more.
I was so caught up in the bliss of it that I might have emptied the entire flask if Wyatt hadn’t said my name. The sound broke me out of my trance and a blush burned its way up my neck and face as I hid the flask under the table and dropped Beckett’s book. My fingers were shaking as I tried, and failed, to recap it several times. Wyatt’s warm hand reached over and squeezed mine before taking it from me and screwing the cap on. He passed it back to Jett, who slipped it back into his backpack.
“Savanna,” Beckett said, trying to gain my attention, but my eyes were glued to my lap and refused to budge. “Look at me. Please,” he added, his tone pleading.
Keeping my head down, I looked up at him with hooded eyes. I could feel some of the heat leaching from my face, but I was still mortified by my loss of control. Even right then, in that moment of pure humiliation, some part of my brain was still focused on Jett’s bag, working out a plan to get more. Beckett cleared his throat and leaned forward, probably sensing he didn’t have my full attention.
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he said, keeping his voice low. “What you’re feeling is perfectly normal.”
“It is?” I asked. He finally had my full attention.
Jett leaned forward and Wyatt scooted in closer. They were closing ranks around me, again, and it did things to my insides. My heartrate picked up speed again, and I hoped none of them would notice the pulse beating in my neck. I’d had enough embarrassment for one lunch period.
“Bloodlust,” Jett said, keeping his voice low enough that none of the students in our vicinity could hear his words, “happens when an Alt deprives him or herself for too long. We need to refuel and our instincts take over. It’s happened to the best of us. Even me.”
He said the last two words with disgust, like he loathed to admit that he, Jett Patton, had ever lost control of any situation. My lips twitched, but the smile never formed. I felt confused, but my embarrassment was gone. These boys had a way of putting me at ease. Wyatt with his easy humor. Beckett with his kind words and empathetic expressions. Jett with his cool logic.
“But, until yesterday, I’d gone my whole life without it and never felt anything like,” I lowered my voice to a bare whisper, “bloodlust.”
“You’ve never had it before,” Wyatt says. “At least, not that we know of. Who knows what our uncle did or gave to you when you were young?” He shook his head as if to brush off the negative thoughts and get back to the topic at hand. “Anyway, maybe your need for it laid dormant inside you all these years and, when you got the taste and feel of it, your body flipped a switch.”
Our table fell silent while I sorted out what he was saying. “You make it sound like an addiction,” I said, still lost in thought.
“It kind of is,” Jett responded, “but it’s a necessary one. We need it to survive.”
I met his gaze. “I don’t need it to survive,” I said, stating the obvious.
“You didn’t,” he corrected, his eyes probing mine.
“You think I’m going to have to start drinking it permanently?” I couldn’t keep the words from sounding incredulous.
“We don’t know that, Savanna,” Beckett cut in, pulling my attention to him.
“We don’t know that you won’t, either,” Wyatt added.
“We don’t know anything,” I said harshly, throwing up my arms and drawing a few curious stares our way.
When the kids around us returned to their own conversations, Jett reached across the table and took my hand in his. He gave it a reassuring squeeze before pulling back. Wyatt rubbed circles on my back and Beckett spoke in quiet tones.
“We might not know anything, but we know someone who definitely does.”
“Uncle Earl,” Jett said.
Beckett nodded and looked at Wyatt. “While you take Savanna to pizza, Jett and I will go home and take a look around.”
“Uncle Earl said he’d be working late tonight,” Jett added. “Maybe we can get into his office. There have to be files there. Maybe even Savanna’s.”
They all nodded in unison, like it was a done deal. I didn’t like it and I couldn’t let them think they had complete control over the decisions. We were all equals, and they needed reminding of that. I straightened up and looked down my nose at Jett.
“I’m coming, too,” I said.
“Absolutely not,” he said.
“Hey, what about our date?” Wyatt whined.
“Sorry, Wyatt,” I said, “but this is my life. I need to be an active participant in it.”
“And you will be,” Jett said, “but this could be dangerous. We don’t really know what kind of man Uncle Earl is.”
“I don’t care,” I stated, not really thinking about what he was saying. All I cared about was winning.
“What if he comes home and catches us?” Beckett asked, his eyes pleading with me to back down.
Before I could speak, Wyatt jumped back into the argument, his voice serious. “Savanna, listen to them. We don’t really know what kind of man our uncle is. We just met him a couple of weeks ago, and he spends most of his time in his office or out of the house completely. He is obviously still interested in you because he still lives here, and we’re pretty sure he only brought us here as part of his experiment. If he comes home and catches you in the house…I don’t even want to think about what he could do. Especially with no one besides us knowing you’re there.”
“Just let us do this,” Jet
t says, his voice softer than before. “You can’t ask us to knowingly put you in danger.”
I wanted to argue, to tell him there was no indication that Earl Patton was actually dangerous. I wanted to demand to be included and promise to be careful. But the earnest look on his face gave me pause. He was honestly concerned for me and my safety.
“Okay,” I muttered, tamping down my natural urges to debate and win.
“Good, it’s settled, then,” Wyatt said, rubbing his hands together. “They can go poking through creepy, dusty rooms and we’ll go have an awesome time, enjoying each other’s company.” He winked suggestively, and I laughed.
The atmosphere at our table relaxed and Jett and Beckett straightened into their normal postures. I pulled out my phone and texted my mother, letting her know I’d be home a couple of hours late because I’d be studying with Wyatt at the local pizza joint. I felt comfortable telling her the truth about who I’d be with because Wyatt was the one she knew I was dating.
The thought put a dent in my excitement. Eventually, I was going to have to tell her and Dad the truth about my relationship with the boys. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.
I’ll just wait a while, until I know for sure this is going to work, I thought.
I knew it was a cop out, but I convinced myself I was being pragmatic, not a coward. I looked at Wyatt, who shot me his signature grin, and thoughts of my parents flew from my head. I grinned back, suddenly looking forward to some alone time with him. My thoughts must have been written all over my face because his grin turned downright sensual.
I laughed nervously and looked away, turning my attention to Jett and Beckett’s conversation. I hoped they didn’t notice the blush heating my face for the millionth time since I met them.
These boys… I thought, shaking my head. My boys.
It felt right, thinking of them as mine. I knew, deep down in my gut, they felt the same. I could see the possession in their eyes, and not in a negative, ownership type of way. It was more like a subtle mix of responsibility, desire, and adoration. They were mine and I was theirs. It couldn’t be simpler, nor more complicated. It was beautiful and crazy and exciting. It was terrifying. Intimidating. A million emotions igniting my nerve endings with constant electricity.