His chuckle relieved me. “He’s intense.”
“He called me your girlfriend.” I paused, hoping to gauge his response. When he didn’t comment, I said. “We’re just friends, you know.” My voice sounded weak, even to my ears. I didn’t want to be his girlfriend, but I didn’t want him mad at me, either.
“Yeah. Whatever.”
After a few blocks of silence, I said, “I invited him to pictures before homecoming.”
He glared at me. “Why’d you do that?”
“Umm… because I thought I should.” He was focused on the road again, but he didn’t answer me. “He said your mom wanted pictures,” I explained. “I thought it would be easier if they came to the lake, instead of us going to there.”
He nodded, and then sat silent for a while. The thump of the music in the car was the only noise. Finally, he spoke. “My dad doesn’t like him.”
I didn’t respond.
“He thinks Ray’s trouble.”
“Why?”
He laughed. “Because he is.”
Huh?
“Ray doesn’t have much respect for cops, you know?” He glanced my way, and then stared at the road. “I got the pot from him.”
“Oh.” Why would he tell me this?
We drove again in silence before he said, “I never told anyone that.”
Our eyes met for an instant. “I won’t tell.”
He smiled, and then turned into Drew’s driveway. “Good news is that Ray’s giving us the booze for Trent’s party on Saturday.”
Great. Another lie I’d have to keep from Aunt Barb.
Chapter 99
Ben's Story
A few hours spent TP’ing was more than enough.
The old Hamilton read eight minutes past two o’clock when I last glanced at it.
“Just a few rolls left. Might as well finish them,” Drew said, tossing one to me and another to Lucas. It was the last house of the night, down from Trent’s.
Emma and Claire helped with a house nearby, some soccer player they knew, but once the trees were satisfactorily covered, they decided to go home. “We’re cold,” Claire told me when I raised an eyebrow. The October air was chilly, so I couldn’t blame them. Claire volunteered to take Emma home since it was obvious Lucas had no intention of leaving.
I unrolled a tail of the tissue and tossed the roll up at the maple tree beside the house. It was on the edge of the cul-de-sac, adjacent to the farm titled in Henry Nichols name. The farm that was quiet and almost vacant since old man Kensington disappeared, and I had my encounter with the hybrids.
The roll unraveled, leaving a trail of white streamer in the upper branches before falling back down, landing on a limb fifteen feet above ground.
Lucas was around the corner, at the front of the house, while Drew was busy decorating bushes like it was Christmas and the toilet paper was tree garland. Neither would see if I suddenly jumped up to the branch and loosened the roll from its ledge. Of course, I could leave it up in the trees, but a good stretch would loosen my stiff legs. Not to mention, extraordinary athletic abilities were one of the things I enjoyed most about being an immortal.
As I leaped in the air, the unforgettable, sweet scent of a hybrid caressed my nostrils, immediately followed by the bitter apple aftertaste. I hesitated, lingering longer in the air than I should have.
“Shit, man! How high can you jump?” Lucas yelled when I descended.
Damn it! I should have left the paper in the tree.
“You’ve got some vertical.” Lucas chuckled. I’d have to eliminate his memory. I hated this guy as it was. Now, he was making me do more work, too.
When I landed back on the ground, I was suddenly in the spotlight of an exterior light that turned on unexpectedly. Lights aimed on the front and sides of the house brightened our work and exposed the three of us.
Drew yelled to run and Lucas scattered, me in tow. We weaved between the mature trees and jumped over small, fallen branches and twigs until reaching the perimeter of the property. Drew hurdled the fence that separated the private residence from the adjacent farm.
Lucas swore as he stumbled over the barbed wire fence, landing in the post-harvest soil. When it was my turn, I could smell the blood on the barbs and dipped my forefinger in it. A tiny drop was all I needed to know his blood type was rare. What was alarming was that the red and white blood cell counts were not in proportion for a healthy human. I was ten yards from the fence when I realized some of his oddly shaped cells were affixed to a component I hadn’t encountered before.
In order to test it further, I’d need another sample.
“Parker, come on!” Drew yelled as I sprinted back to the fence.
“I dropped my phone,” I answered and bent down to the ground. With one hand on the barb, I gathered a second droplet and notified my handler.
On it, Jorgenson answered, and I turned back to the guys.
Chapter 100
Emma's Story
I touched up my lip gloss and glanced in the full-length mirror, waiting for Lucas.
The image staring back at me was better than I ever looked before. Then again, with Aunt Barb, the little touches were everything.
She woke me up that morning earlier than normal.
Two hours later and after a mani-pedi, I was seated in a swivel chair at the salon. A trendy-looking, twenty-something-year-old stylist swept my hair into a cascade of curls. An older woman attended to my makeup. She said it would complement my bright blue eyes. She was right.
I loved the look staring back at me.
When the doorbell rang, I was lost in thought of past dances. Chester flew off the bed, dragging my comforter with him. His bark echoed, as I followed him down the stairs to greet Lucas and Neal.
“You look… great!” Lucas said. His wide grin made me feel pretty.
“So do you,” I said. Even though I didn’t like Lucas in that way, he was attractive all dressed up. “You matched my dress.” I smiled, noticing his black shirt and fuchsia-striped tie.
Aunt Barb insisted I pin the boutonniere on Lucas’ shirt, even though I was nervous I’d stick him. Lucas stood patiently as I tried, only for the pink rose to flip over on itself. She snapped photo after photo of what drew laughter out of everyone but me. I was suddenly overwhelmed with embarrassment, my hands shaking as I tried a second time and stuck him.
Lucas cringed, and then recovered.
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
When Aunt Barb suggested I place my hand under his shirt as a guide, it worked. Though I was completely uncomfortable touching his bare chest with my fingers.
A few photos later, with a corsage on my wrist, we were on our way to the Inn.
Lucas and I drove separate from my aunt and Neal. Once alone, he asked if I reconsidered staying at Trent’s overnight. He didn’t seem happy that I planned to stay at Claire’s house, like I told him the first time he asked. Instead, he changed the subject and offered up some girlie drink Ray gave him.
“It tastes like fruit punch,” Lucas explained. “I guess it’s really good. He thought you girls would like it better than the whiskey he gave me.”
“Okay. I’ll try it later. Claire’s brother is designated driver, I guess.”
He didn’t answer, and I wondered what he was thinking.
We were the first to arrive at the Inn, which wasn’t surprising to me. Aunt Barb directed staff the minute she walked in the door, confirming locations and times for our dinner and hors d’oeuvres for the parents.
I was used to it, but Lucas seemed uncomfortable. He put his hands in his pockets, took them out, and then put them back in again. Pacing the length of the room, he occasionally stopped to look out the window. The room was used for business meetings and weddings and had a private balcony overlooking the lake. Neatly trimmed mature trees offered shade and still gave incredible views, especially at sunset.
I wondered if Lucas was nervous about Ray and his mom coming.
Photography gear was set up in the corner of the room. A middle-aged man and a young woman set up equipment. He adjusted the height of a tripod, while she angled umbrella lights toward a white backdrop already in place.
“I’d like the entire group lined up on the balcony, shot from below. Then another pose at the water’s edge,” Aunt Barb told them.
Neal and I chuckled about my aunt’s obsession with perfection.
“I think she’s got OCD,” I said.
“It is her job to make events memorable, Emma,” Neal reminded me.
I nodded. I liked Neal. He was calm, while my aunt seemed so high energy.
“The garden would be nice for smaller groups or couples’ photos, too,” my aunt said to the middle-aged man. She pointed out locations across the property.
“She’s over the top,” I whispered to Neal, who grinned, tight lipped.
A few minutes later, Claire and Drew arrived, followed by Justin and Hannah, which seemed to please Lucas. Kids and parents filed in one after another, and I found myself losing track of who was there and who wasn’t. Claire and I posed for photos with our dates and friends, snapping more than we’d ever need.
As Claire and I sipped on non-alcoholic spritzers, I noticed Lucas greeting a blonde-haired woman near the bar. I didn’t realize it was his mom until I saw Ray nearby. Part of me couldn’t get over him giving Lucas the pot. What kind of stepdad was he?
“Wish me luck,” I whispered to Claire, and then joined Lucas.
Ray winked at me, as he shook my hand. “Good to see you again,” he said.
Char gave me a hug. Even though her eyes were bright and clear and she looked much better than the first time we met, she was boney under the black, boxy dress that hung from her shoulders.
“Lucas. You gave her the corsage already!” Char said, irritated.
“Um, yeah, Mom. I gave it to her when I picked her up.” He never called her Mom, and I wondered if Ray had a talk with him about it.
“It’s alright, Char,” Ray answered in a calming tone.
“No. No, it’s not,” Char objected. “I wanted pictures of the pinning.” She reached up to touch Lucas’ pink rose, but Ray held her shaking hand down.
“My aunt took pictures. I can get you copies.” I interjected, and then regretted it.
“It’s not the same. I didn’t see you pin it on!” she shrieked.
“Mom, please,” Lucas began and took a deep breath. I couldn’t get over her insistence.
“Don’t please me, Lucas Victor Crandon.” She glared at him.
“Charlene, keep your voice down. We don’t need to draw attention,” Ray said. Then, turning to me, he added, “Emma, I’m sorry about this. She gets like this… once in a while.”
An old, gray-haired man in a pinstriped navy suit approached Ray and whispered in his ear, while Char mumbled to Lucas.
“Mom, stop already. I knew this was a bad idea,” Lucas said, more to me than to her.
Ray nodded at the man and then addressed Char. His voice was low and firm, but I couldn’t make out the words. The gray-haired man walked through the crowd of kids and parents, exiting through a set of double doors, just as Ben walked in, looking incredibly attractive. They must have bumped into one another, because as soon as Ben saw him, he stopped and turned around.
“Emma? Emma, what do you think?” Lucas asked. His eyes were wide.
“Sorry. What?”
“I suggested you and Lucas pose. You know. Pretend you’re pinning on the flower-thing. Make Char happy, would ya?” Ray’s snarky tone made me uncomfortable.
“Oh, yeah. Sure. Okay.” I was caught daydreaming and clearly scolded. Ray wasn’t the person I wanted on my bad side.
“Outside. Hurry up. Let’s go,” he said with a sense of urgency.
Even for him, it was awkward, but I followed Ray anyway.
Chapter 101
Ben's Story
Stephanie barely stopped talking since I picked her up.
It was nervous chatter that continued aloud and in her head. The mere minutes she was outwardly quiet, she chewed on her lower lip. It was then that her random thoughts were the most entertaining and the most annoying, especially when they included me. I can’t wait for everyone to see us. We look great as a couple. And the best of all, I hope he kisses me in front of Lucas.
Fat chance I’d do that.
Thinking of ways to get even with Molly for not warning me was a great pastime while in the midst of Stephanie’s company. At least daydreaming about other things would prevent me from hearing Stephanie’s irritating voice and her juvenile thoughts.
By the time we got to the Inn for pictures, I was mentally exhausted. I did everything a good date was supposed to do. I met her parents, gave her a corsage, posed for pictures, and opened the car door, but I avoided holding her hand. I didn’t need to download any more information.
As we walked in the door, I smelled a hybrid. Stephanie was irritated with my inattentiveness, but I didn’t care. It wasn’t like all eyes were on us, or anyone would announce our arrival, like they did in the Cinderella-type of movies she envisioned in her head.
I offered to get us drinks and went to the parking lot instead. I followed a man resembling a younger version of George Kensington, the farmer that went missing. I was sure it was him and guessed Victor converted him to a hybrid.
The parking lot was full. Aside from the usual customers, thirty-plus kids and their parents descended upon the Inn for the photo op. The hybrid’s scent led me to the far corner to the last row near the woods, where a lone Audi sat idling with two passengers.
Even though I was sure the man I saw was Kensington, I needed confirmation to appease the paperwork generals. Before I reached the car, the scent vanished, leaving me questioning if I was losing my mind.
Backup’s on the way, Jorgenson confirmed. The Prestons, Molly’s undercover parents, were heading over as part of the homecoming festivities, anyway. Even though tracking hybrids wasn’t their forte, having someone was better than no one when dealing with Victor.
The driver rolled down his window when I reached him. “Can I help you, young man?” The man was the same age as Kensington, with similar gray hair, but he wasn’t the same man. His wife stared at me with bright wide eyes that disclosed her fear. Both were human. Their hearts raced as a result of my approach.
“Sorry. I thought you were someone else,” I answered solemnly. “Have a good evening.”
The man nodded and rolled up the window, as his wife asked what I said. She suffered from undiagnosed Alzheimer’s. He’d have a long road ahead of him, I thought, as I called off the backup and headed into the Inn.
Stephanie gave me a stern look when we met at the bar.
“Sorry. Bathroom break. Did you want the punch? Otherwise, I heard they’ve got some spritzer,” I said, trying to be attentive.
“Yeah, sure. Spritzer.” She smiled. Even though she didn’t say it aloud, when Stephanie searched the room, her thoughts screamed, Where’s Lucas?
I didn’t mind, actually. She wasn’t my first choice for a date, either. As a gentleman, I went through the motions, getting her a drink, posing for pictures, and mingling with her friends. She wasn’t nearly as compromising when I suggested we get a photo with Drew and Claire. Instead, she rolled her eyes and pointed out someone else she knew.
Molly, what’s your ETA? I asked.
She’s already on your nerves?
I took a deep breath.
Okay, okay. I sense your irritation. We’re three minutes out, she answered. Oh, by the way, nice job stalking the elderly couple. You actually fell for a bait and switch? I heard her chuckle in my head as I sipped on a 7UP and Stephanie talked about where she got her dress.
“You look really nice,” I told her. After all, it was expected.
Benjamin. Behave! She’s actually a nice girl, Molly scolded.
By the time Molly arrived, the photographer called everyone for a group photo
. Stephanie grabbed my hand and led me out to the balcony. I was a pawn in her game of chess. She directed which way to face, and what side she wanted to be on. The photographer ordered people to smile and clicked away.
A gentle breeze blew by, carrying the familiar scent I grew to hate. Bait and switch again, I thought, when the smell quickly disappeared. I would have left to check the area, but as the photographer moved everyone to the stairs, I saw Emma and lost all interest in hybrids.
If my heart were able to stop beating, it would have.
Brunette curls framed Emma’s ivory cheeks that pinkened when I said hello. Her eyes glanced away and then back at me. Time stood still. My mouth was suddenly dry and my palms sweaty. I was sixteen again, like the first time she spoke to me at the island on Lake Bell. Emma was more beautiful than Elizabeth was on our wedding day.
My mind wandered back to that day when I stood at the altar of Holy Name Church. Elizabeth walked toward me, a smile plastered on her face. Her white satin dress clung to her curves. When her father raised her veil and her blue eyes met mine, they sparkled. We recited our vows, and I promised to love her forever.
It was why I was here.
Stephanie nudged me, and I snapped back to reality. “Let’s move by Molly,” she said.
Instead, I floated a different idea to the photographer. Suddenly, he had another lineup in mind and I found myself settling in beside Emma. It took all of my self-control not to tell her who I really was. I envisioned sweeping her up in my arms and kissing her until she remembered, but I didn’t.
Like a dog marking its territory, Lucas wedged himself between us. It was obvious he caught our glances. Emma tensed when his hand touched her. I really needed to do something about him.
It aggravated me that Emma let him back into her life after the incident in Evanston. Then again, I understood the need for her to keep peace and maintain whatever family she had left, despite how unconventional a family that was.
The thought stirred further irritation that Jorgenson couldn’t diagnose the component in Lucas’ blood sample.
It mutated, Jorgenson told me the day before.
What do you mean?
I mean, the sample didn’t contain any abnormal components like you indicated.
What? It was there, I answered.
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