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CHAPTER THREE

I showered. Nothing happened. I dressed. Nothing happened. And when I walked into the bedroom, Kenyon stood up from my desk. My laptop was open and he’d been checking the NCAA scores.

“Purdue lost, didn’t they?” I murmured.

“Against Baylor?” Kenyon asked.

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t catch that score, but Duke lost."

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Kenyon glanced around and asked, “Are you ready to go?”

“What happened back there?” I said instead.

“Uh…” He’d known that it was coming. He’d known and he still didn’t have a story ready for me. I’m not adept at lying, but I would’ve had a better one than that.

“Can we just say…” Kenyon started. “That…I need a day and then I’ll tell you.”

I shrugged, extremely nonchalant about the whole ordeal. What else could I be?

“Don’t hurt my friend, okay?”

“Huh?”

“Sassy. Don’t hurt her.”

“Why would I? She’s weird.”

I picked up my purse and replied, “I’m weird.”

Kenyon didn’t say anything. He couldn’t not not say anything—nevermind.

When we got to the party, it was in full swing and the living room was overcowded and had spilled out to the front porch.

When we rounded the living room and pushed through to the kitchen, Benji was at the counter with Sadie beside him.

I glowered.

He had an arm wrapped around her slim waist and he was whispering in her ear.

The only good thing that happened was Sadie’s jerk when she saw us.

I don’t know what it meant, but she saw us, she saw me, and she jerked away from Benji.

That’s when Benji saw us and his eyes rounded in delight.

“Hey! It’s my girl!”

Kenyon stiffened.

Yeah—that’s right. He’s talking about me.

“Hey, Benji.” I waved jerkily and bobbed my head.

“Hey. Kenyon.” Sadie said forcibly.

Kenyon shrugged in response.

Benji frowned and checked his watch, “Weren’t you guys supposed to be here, like, two hours ago?”

“Two and a half.” Sassy barked behind me.

I whirled.

Kenyon moved to Sadie’s side at that moment.

And Benji straightened abruptly.

I had no idea what was going on, but something had happened or was about to happen or might be happening as I was standing there. Either way—judging from Sassy’s glare—I was in trouble.

“Can I talk to you!” Sassy ordered instead of requested. Her hand reached for my arm, but Kenyon shot back to our side and suggested warmly, “Can I come? I’d like to come.”

It was amazing. The glare instantly melted into sunshine. And the twinkle was back in Sassy’s eyes.

My arse was saved.

With Sassy leading the way, Kenyon followed, and I glanced back once—just to see if Benji had moved in for the kiss or not, but I was surprised because Sadie was staring intently at us.

At me.

I gulped and turned back, instinctually for my life.

Whatever had happened—Sadie Hastings was not happy….

Kenyon glanced back, met my eyes, and then trailed behind me. I watched as he watched his cousin for a moment and then he ripped away his gaze to follow Sassy.

Sassy led us into the den and handed each of us a beer.

I never drank. Sassy knew this, which accounted for her wide eyes when I popped open the can and took my first gulp of beer.

It was rancid, but I took another gulp.

Kenyon watched in amusement as he sipped at his and Sassy yanked him down to sit beside her on the couch.

The rest of the couch was full. The coffee table was littered with beer cans and disgusting items that I didn’t want to decipher so…I found someone’s coat, cleared an opening on the table, and sat on the coat.

When I heard something crunch from my weight, I gave a silent apology—to whoever it counted with—and took my third gulp of beer.

No one told me that my lips would get numb, but I knew enough to know that I was a beer pansy.

Sassy branded Kenyon with her hand and she made sure to lean forward and display her glittering breast to the fullest advantage.

That’s when I opened my mouth and endangered my friendship when I proclaimed, “Since when do you put glitter on your chest?”

Sassy’s eyes threatened to pop out, but Kenyon’s lip quirked in a grin.

“So…” Kenyon started, but Sassy interrupted him when she exclaimed, “Oh my god!”

What? Who?

I looked for where, but I couldn’t see anyone except the for the mass of bodies writhing to the music behind us.

Sassy shot up, grasped my arm, and yanked me behind her. She threw over her shoulder, “We’ll be right back. Promise.”

Kenyon stood up, but she said again, “Really. We’ll be right back.”

Uncertain, Kenyon stayed behind, but he didn’t sit back down.

Sassy didn’t go far. As we rounded the first corner, she dragged me behind her and hissed, “What are you doing? Where were you? Did you hook up with him? You did, didn’t you!”

I blinked.

“I knew it!” She exclaimed. Irate. Her curls frizzled from the anger.

“Hold on!” I cried out.

I found a guy shot and bleeding. I held him as he died. And I watched as he was carried away—and now his little brother had taken me to a party. I was not going to let Sassy think what she thought—no way.

“You’re right.” I surrendered. I wasn’t good at lying and one had been handed to me.

“You bitch!” Sassy hissed.

“She’s lying.”

Sassy choked on her hiss, whirled around, and gasped in shock.

No—it wasn’t Kenyon, but Sadie.

The dark girl stood behind us, but she watched me. Her eyes were knowing when she said, “Kenyon took her to see Luca—his idiot brother. And I bet Luca got into trouble and Kenyon made her swear not to say anything. Am I right?” Sadie’s hands found her slim hips.

She tried for intimidating with an arched eyebrow and she succeeded. I almost felt like clapping.

Sassy sucked in her breath and watched me. Avidly.

I gulped—but no beer this time.

“Well?!” Sassy exclaimed. “Is that true?”

“Um…”

“We got together, now excuse us—but I’d really like to be with my new girl, if you know what I mean.” Kenyon said smoothly. The lie was no longer necessary because Sassy was about to commit murder.

I swear that I saw the knife float in her eyes as the thought flashed across her mind.

Sadie opened her mouth—Kenyon had already dragged me away.

This time it was me who pushed Kenyon around the first corner that came our way.

We were in a bedroom—actually—we were in Sassy’s parent’s bedroom…and they had a bed that was on a platform.

“Um…” I swallowed painfully. “Okay—I’m about…up here.” I raised my hand to my shoulder and added, “And I’m going up to my head. I can’t…what was that for?! Why did you say that?!”

“Because…my cousin was about to say something that I couldn’t let her say. I’m sorry.”

“My best friend thinks we hooked up!”

I didn’t do that. I didn’t even use that terminology.

I didn’t say ‘hook up’, but I just had.

Kenyon barked out a laugh, but quickly tried to smother it.

“This isn’t funny!” I was irate this time. Screw Sassy.

“It kind of is, but…okay—my brother died. Perspective, please.” Kenyon remarked.

I shut up.

“I might’ve lost my brother tonight.”

“I might’ve just lost my best friend.” I said weakly.

Kenyon nodded slowly, stuffed his hands in his front pockets, and slumped on the corner of the bed. “Sorry about that, but…I didn’t want my cousin to know, not yet. And she would’ve.”

“Know?” I slumped right next to him.

“About Luca.”
“Why? What could she do?”

“She could…” Kenyon stopped and sighed dramatically. “Oh screw it. You’re going to have to find out anyway—Sadie could’ve stopped it. That’s what she could’ve done.”

I frowned. “How…nevermind. I don’t want to know, but…” I had just wanted to throw a water balloon. That’s all I wanted and now… “My best friend likes you.”

“I know.”

What? Did, like, all guys just know?

“Sometimes.” Kenyon answered.

He could read thoughts. I wasn’t surprised.

“No. You were talking out loud.”

I was a moron. And not funny.

“Who were those people?” I asked. We weren’t looking at each, but we sat beside each other. It was some weird unspoken agreement between us. We didn’t look at each other, but we talked to each other.

And the door was closed. With people thinking we were doing ‘stuff’ inside.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

I needed to talk to Hatch. He could make sense of things.

“Those people were…how do you feel?”

What was with this kid?

“I’m fine. I’m a little freaked about Sassy, but…I’m fine! Why?”

“Because….most people are panicking by now or vomiting or…you name it and it’s happened. It happens because,” Kenyon looked at me now. “…those weren’t people back there and my brother won’t be alive, but…he’ll still be around and I can still have my brother.” He sighed. “He won’t be in a grave. That’s okay with me.”

I had no words.

There had been a guy and girl. The girl had looked at me, she had been angry when she saw me, but she’d been a woman. I know it.

“Say something…” Kenyon murmured.

I blew out a breath instead.

I almost wished the Coconut Song would magically play again.

“I heard someone laugh.” I found myself saying.

“What?” Kenyon was confused.

“Before…after they took him and the gate closed—a song played on the radio and—”

“I turned the truck off.”

“I know.”

“The keys weren’t—it couldn’t have turned on.”

“It did.” And it had turned off when Kenyon opened the door to crawl back up. I forgot about that. “And it turned off.”

“When?”

“When you got inside, but I heard someone laugh.”

“Oh god.” Kenyon groaned and fell back on the bed. “Oh god no.”

Oh god no what?

I turned to ask, but the door burst open. I tensed, ready for a Sassy attack, but instead we got a Benji Attack.

“What are you doing?”

Kenyon shot up and stood in front of me.

Benji surged forward, but Kenyon restrained him. “Hey man. Come on. We’re busy.”

Benji shoved him to the side and demanded from me, “What do you think you’re doing? My sister is getting drunk.”

A drunk Sassy was not that uncommon. At least—at Benji’s parties.

“I don’t care!”

There I go again—talking when I was thinking. That could be dangerous.

“Stevie!” Benji interrupted harshly. He was furious and I’d never seen a furious Benji. “Don’t just sit there and talk to yourself. My sister is not my sister. What happened? Sadie said something about her cousin and you getting together. This true?” Benji raked a glance over Kenyon.

Kenyon shrugged and gave a lopsided grin, but he watched me.

Benji saw that and flushed red.

It looked adorable under his brown curls and hazel eyes, but he wouldn’t appreciate what I was thinking about.

“Look.” I stood up. “We—I—I can’t explain it, okay?”

And we all knew that I couldn’t lie.

“Are you serious?!” Benji actually growled.

Sadie chose that moment to sashay into the opened doorway. She said one word, “Kenyon.”

And the room changed.

Benji whirled around and the redness left him. Sadie could work magic, but Kenyon tensed. “You mind?” He asked and gestured towards me.

“Right.” Sadie scoffed, hooked a finger in Benji’s pants, and pulled him behind her.

Benji went willingly. That made me have half a mind to actually do what we were just insinuating.

“Maybe we should.” I huffed and crossed my arms.

Kenyon shut the door, lifted an eyebrow, and drawled, “Hmmm?”

“Maybe we should.” I lifted my chin.

“What?”

I gestured to the bed.

Kenyon looked at the bed.

I still had my arms crossed in front of me.

He arched his other eyebrow.

Oh forget it. “Nevermind.” I puffed.

That’s when Kenyon cracked a grin and shook his head, “Let’s live the night first. Are you serious?”

“About that?” I looked at the bed.

“No.” He had to smother his laugh when he continued, “About feeling okay? You do?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because no one’s been in their company and walked away unscathed—not like this.” Kenyon gestured to me. “You look completely fine.”

I was a little peeved about my best friend.

“That’s not normal.” Kenyon murmured.

“I think it is.”

“What?”

“Nevermind.” We were on two different trains of thought. Okay—“Okay—so…you were saying that people aren’t okay after they’ve met those people.”

“First…I can’t believe I’m telling you this—do you know what a vampire is?”

I also knew what a cow was—thanks to our little field trip.

I rolled my eyes.

“I’m being serious.” Kenyon said seriously. “Vampires. That’s what they were, but…there’s more.”

“Like? They’re special mutant vampires that have damaging affects to humans and therefore the humans needs to give them blood so they can walk normally through daylight again?” I said sarcastically.

I guess I was a little more mad than I had realized.

Kenyon watched me a bit more warily now, but shook his head, “No…not quite.”

“Your brother died—you haven’t even told me how that happened—and now you’re telling me about vampires?”

“Oh yeah.” Kenyon had forgotten.

“You could tell me that my mother was a reincarnated cow and it wouldn’t faze me. I don’t…my best friend hates me right now and I can’t tell her—ever—about what happened. Do you know what that feels like?”

“Yeah. I do, actually.” Kenyon said quietly and sat back down on the bed. It dipped underneath his weight. I sat beside him and almost fell into him, but I scrambled a few inches away. Kenyon looked like he hadn’t even noticed.

“I’ve known about them all my life.” Kenyon continued. “And yes—I’ve lied about them my entire life too. Sadie knows too—our whole family does, but we can’t say anything…and I’m sorry for not feeling more sorry for you because I left my dead brother with them. Do you know what that feels like?”

My brother was probably learning how to grow marijuana.

“Kind of.” I said quietly.

“Just…we have to wait the night out. I need to make sure you’re okay or…I have to be there when things start happening. And tomorrow—I’ll take you out there. Luca should be okay by then.” Kenyon patted my hand. He squeezed it once and said, “And I am sorry for your friend, but I wasn’t going to hook up with her—ever. She stalked Gabriel, man. Gabriel’s a loser—who knows what she would’ve done with me.”

Cocky, arrogant, and secretive.

Kenyon was a jaguar and I was a sheep. That’s how I felt.

“For what it’s worth,” I murmured, “I’m really sorry if your dead brother is still dead tomorrow.”

Kenyon squeezed my hand again. “Thank you.”

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Okay--I've gotten feedback that I'm not funny. Here's the thing: I write through my character. That means that everything I type is with their personality (as best as I can) channeled through me. So the humor thing is a part of her personality and it won't be the same story if I change that.

This story is going to have the same feel as Cassidy, but it's not going to be as nearly silly. It's also going to be better thought-out and have an actual climax. And...yes...it's a 'vamp fic', but I hate that it might be labeled that way because it's going to be more. It's a supernatural romance.

And for my avid fans who read most of my stories: I'm going to try and get some SL chapters up, but I work every single day except one and that day's reserved for fun. However...I tend to say that I need a break and voila--six chapters are up. Usually when I say that, I just need a break because I really do work around the clock this year.