The Next Generation

  Arianna smiled as she finally looked over and acknowledged him. “No, not even a little.”

  Julian’s mouth twisted into a frown. “I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean for…that to happen between us…”

  Arianna returned her attention to her salad. “I heard you the first time, Julian. And I’m sorry you’re still stuck on someone who doesn’t want you, but I’ve decided I’m not going to make the same mistake. You don’t want to be with me, then fine, your loss.” She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes. “But that doesn’t mean we’re going to be ‘buddies’ again, like nothing happened. I’m not going to be your sounding board every time she hurts you, not after you’ve hurt me. I’m here for Nika. She’s my friend.”

  She shoved her fork into her mouth while Julian gaped at her. Trey looked confused. Leaning over, he asked Julian, “What the hell did you do to her, man?”

  I gave Arianna a prideful smile at clearly and concisely speaking her mind. Hopefully Julian thought twice in the future about getting carried away in the moment, and hurting someone in the process—even if he was being influenced by my soaring feelings and mood-enhancing substances. A part of me wanted to explain my portion of the evening to Arianna, but I couldn’t. She wouldn’t understand.

  When silence resumed around the table, I read my message from Hunter. ‘Great! See you after school.’ My heart sped up as I pictured his dark, piercing eyes and confident smile. Yeah, maybe I could tell him. Maybe I could start our relationship off by being completely honest with him. I wanted that, more than anything. Especially now, since I was lying so much to so many people—Hunter, my friends, Mom and Dad. Julian was the only one I wasn’t lying to. If it weren’t for him, I think I’d go insane with all the lies I wrapped around me.

  Julian and Arianna kept up their tense peace for the rest of the day, meaning Arianna continued to ignore his very existence. It bothered Julian, filled him with longing and regret, like he hadn’t realized how much her friendship had meant until it was gone.

  He was watching Arianna talk to Trey on the football field when I met up with him after school. “If you start to like her now after you’ve misled her and hurt her…I might have to stake you,” I playfully told him, trying to lighten his pensive mood.

  He gave me a small, unamused smile when he looked over at me. “I don’t like her like that. But I did like being friends with her.” Sighing, he looked back to Arianna laughing in a shaft of sunlight. “I already miss her, and it’s only been one afternoon.”

  “Well, you can’t play with people’s emotions forever, Julian, and you knew she liked you. You knew you had to be careful, and you weren’t.”

  Knowing that Julian had been too worked up to eat at lunch, I reached into my bag and handed him an apple. Grabbing it, Julian looked down and nodded. That was when fate decided to shove love in Julian’s face. Russell and Raquel walked by hand-in-hand. Sensing her, hearing her, or maybe even smelling her, Julian’s eyes shot up. Russell noticed, and he shot Julian a victorious glare. Hate welled in my brother and his left hand squeezed around my apple, bruising it, while his right hand curled into a fist. I put a calming palm on his shoulder, just in case he decided to fight for Raquel’s heart right then and there. Raquel glanced over at Julian, gave him a small, apologetic grimace, then quickly averted her eyes. Remembering that Julian and Raquel had…done stuff…Friday night, I squeezed his shoulder in sympathy.

  The patchy cloud cover overhead thinned and bright sunlight fell on my brother. I took that as a positive omen, that maybe eventually good fortune would swing his way, but my brother hung his head, utterly defeated by the women in his life. I wasn’t sure what to say to him, so I said nothing, and watched Russell escort—or shove, depending on how you viewed it—Raquel to his car.

  That was when I noticed a set of eyes watching Julian and me, and I did a double take. Hunter was leaning against a dingy green truck across the street from the school. He had his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the door. When he noticed that I was watching him, he lifted his fingers in a wave; they were bare, no jewelry at all. The smile that accompanied that small gesture sent my heart into overdrive. Julian lifted his head at hearing it.

  “What?” he muttered.

  Delight and nerves surged through me, and I knew my grin was huge. “Hunter’s here.”

  Julian’s eyes followed my gaze. He wasn’t nearly as delighted as I was. “Great, another person who probably hates my guts. Or would anyway, if he knew I routinely drank cow’s blood.”

  Frowning, I looked back at my morose brother. “Stop being such a pessimist. Besides, we don’t know how he feels about us. That’s one of the things I want to find out.” I smiled again, hopeful. “He could be really receptive to the idea.”

  Julian’s eyes, paler in the sunlight, narrowed at me in disapproval. “This is a horrible plan, Nick. The worst one you’ve ever had, I’d say. We shouldn’t take any chances with this. We should call Grandma.”

  Sighing, I let my gaze drift back to Hunter; he was still intently watching my brother and me. “I’ll be fine, Julie. Don’t worry about me. Just…have fun with Dad.”

  Julian smirked at me before he turned and walked away. Whatever Dad had planned for Julian tonight, odds were good it wasn’t going to be fun. Shaking his head, Julian took a bite of his apple and trotted off to the football field to wait for Starla with Arianna and Trey. I thought Arianna would stick to her normal routine and hang out with Julian until Starla showed up, even if she did refuse to look at him, but when she noticed that I wasn’t heading her way with him, she immediately said goodbye to Trey and turned to walk home. Julian paused and raised his hands in the air, incredulity stinging him. I sort of agreed with him, I sort of agreed with her. Being stuck between the two made me reconsider my earlier desire to have my brother date my best friend. I’d constantly be the monkey in the middle.

  Turning my attention back to Hunter, I noticed him studiously watching my brother. I had no idea what he was thinking, but a soft smile was on his face and he seemed to be chuckling to himself. Knowing I needed to get away from here before Starla showed up—she’d tell Dad for sure if she saw who my “friend” really was—I darted across the street.

  All smiles, Hunter straightened at my approach. I wanted to give him a hug, but didn’t dare do it with so many eyes about, so I clung to the strap of my backpack to resist the urge. With a swagger that made my eyes wander to his backside, Hunter walked with me to the other side of the vehicle. He even opened the door for me; I’d only ever seen my dad do that. “Your chariot,” he murmured, bowing a little.

  Laughing, I hopped inside. Even though the truck was dingy on the outside, it gleamed on the inside. The scent of vinyl cleaner hit my nose, and I wondered if Hunter had spiffed it up this morning, just for me. “Thank you, sir,” I teased as he closed the door.

  As Hunter walked around, I shifted my gaze to Julian on the football field. He was watching me and my sharp vision caught him rolling his eyes. He’d heard that comment, and he thought Hunter was being cheesy. I thought he was sweet, and I cocked an eyebrow in defiance. Julian wisely turned away.

  When Hunter slipped into the truck, his smell overpowered the car cleaner…and he smelled so much better. I wanted to snuggle into his side in the wide bench seat, but I had to be careful still, since Starla’s eyes were even sharper than mine, and I didn’t know when she was going to show up. Turning the ignition, Hunter told me, “So, I get you all afternoon and all night?” He crooked a grin. “What will I do with you?”

  I bit my lip and thought of a couple of things we could try… But then I remembered what I needed to find out tonight, and the difficult choices I was tossing around. I either told Hunter the truth about Julian and me, and hoped he was fine with it, or I firmly convinced him that vampires were fairy tales and he was crazy for believing in them. Or, worst-case scenario, I called Halina and had her wipe Hunter. I still wasn’t sure what path to take. A lot depended on Hunte
r’s views, and that was what I wanted to suss out tonight. But when I studied Hunter’s expression as he drove us away from school, I began to wonder if any of it was even necessary. He didn’t seem worried or suspicious at all now. Maybe I should just let the whole thing slide.

  No, I couldn’t. Not with my family’s safety on the line. This was bigger than just the two of us.

  Wondering if I should broach the subject now, I cleared my throat and played with the zipper on my jacket. Hunter glanced at me as he drove back to our neighborhood. “You okay? You seem nervous.” He fully looked at me. “I was just teasing about what we could do. I’m okay with…whatever you’re okay with, Nika.”

  I felt my cheeks flush with heat as I considered his words. We’d kissed, several times, but it had all been innocent. Passionate, but innocent. Tucking my hair behind my ears, I told him, “No, I’m not nervous, I just…” He’d turned back to the road, and I paused my thought to examine the sculpture of his face. So handsome, but there was an edge there too. Something slightly dangerous. Or maybe I was just imagining it.

  Clearing my throat, I shifted my focus and said, “When I saw you Friday night, you seemed freaked out by my brother for a second. Why?”

  Hunter looked uncomfortable as he scratched his stubble and flicked quick glances at me. It was odd to see apprehension on him, since he usually oozed confidence. “Uh, no…I wasn’t freaked out, I just…” He pursed his lips as he thought of what to say. Studying him, I wished I could read his emotions like I could read Julian’s. It would be nice to know what he was feeling…and if he still suspected anything.

  His expression switched to a laugh, and he shook his head. “I thought something for a second, but I was way off. It was stupid, and I don’t know why it even crossed my mind…” He bit his lip as his sentence trailed off.

  Curious if he would tell me, I asked, “What do you mean? What did you think?”

  Pulling onto a side street, Hunter deflected my question. “Doesn’t matter. I was wrong. And I’ll admit I was wrong.” He grinned like he was handing me a victory I hadn’t asked for.

  Distracted by his smile, I let the conversation drop. There was no easy way to ask him if he believed in vampires anyway. It wasn’t something I could spout at him without sounding a little crazy, and if I’d misinterpreted his shock Friday night, I didn’t want him to think I was completely unhinged. And it was entirely possible that I had misjudged his reaction. It was plausible that he’d just been surprised to see my brother high. Maybe he’d had a problem with drugs in his past, and seeing Julian like that had brought back some old feelings. I didn’t know Hunter well enough to know for sure. All the more reason to spend the evening with him.

  WE PULLED UP to Hunter’s place not too much later, and seeing the modest dwelling made me smile. It was a typical one-story rambler with slightly overgrown hedges and a huge crack in the walkway. The shutters were slightly askew and a little faded. It seemed worn around the edges. One thing, however, was new since the last time I’d driven past the home.

  Smirking, I looked over at Hunter. “Your house is pink.”

  Hunter’s gaze turned toward me as he sighed. “Yeah, the landlord decided it needed a coat. He calls it salmon, but you’re right…it’s pink.”

  There was a cute expression of sullenness on Hunter’s face. Both Hunter and his father were a little on the…macho side. The idea of them retiring for the night in a home that resembled a pale sunset was too much to resist. I started laughing.

  Hunter frowned, then shifted it to a smile. He silenced me with his lips, and I was a little breathless when he pulled away. “Want to come in? My dad’s gone, so we’ve got the place to ourselves for a while.”

  I nodded, excited and nervous at the prospect of being alone with him. Sure, we’d been alone before, but nothing like this, nothing quite so intimate. So far, our alone moments had been in public—meeting up at the library for an hour or so before my dad showed up, going out to a packed theater to watch a movie, or heading to a bustling restaurant to grab a quick bite.

  Having actual dates with Hunter was tricky, since I had to pretend that I was hanging out with Arianna, and that usually meant I had to be dropped off or picked up. There was a lot of deception involved in dating Hunter. I hated that it had to be that way; Hunter did too.

  As I walked through his front door, he turned to me. “If we’re going to be getting any closer, Nika, I really should meet your mom.” Walking around behind me, he started removing my jacket. A shiver went down my shoulders when his fingertips grazed me.

  “You will…” I wasn’t sure how to tell him that it would be so much easier for me if he didn’t ever meet her. Starla would be fine with us dating. Hell, she’d probably encourage me to do whatever I wanted to do with him. But my parents, my actual parents, would want to meet him too. And they wouldn’t be nearly as open to the idea of their daughter with an older man. “Someday,” I sighed. When I’m eighteen.

  Hunter hung my jacket on a coat rack by the front door. He removed his as well, and my eyes lingered on the tight muscles I could see working beneath his thin shirt. “Well, I’d feel better about dating you if we could do it in the open.” He turned back to me, a crooked smile on his lips. “I feel like I’m doing something sinister whenever I hang out with my girlfriend.”

  Euphoria burst through me, and the questions I knew I needed to ask him slipped to the back of my mind as that word he’d said tumbled through my brain—girlfriend. “Really?” I started to giggle, then stopped myself. I didn’t want to act too young around him.

  Walking over to me, Hunter nodded. “Yes, I feel very sneaky around you.”

  A small laugh trickled out as I placed my hands on his chest. “No, I meant the girlfriend part.”

  His grin matched mine, then he lowered his lips to mine. “What else would you be to me, Nika?”

  I found it hard to concentrate while his soft lips were playing over mine. “Um, well…okay…I guess you can meet my mom.”

  I stiffened with surprise after I realized what I’d just said. Pulling back, Hunter smiled. “Now it’s my turn to say it. Really?”

  His dark eyes searched mine as he waited for me to confirm my unthinking pronouncement. I wanted to take it back, but staring into his deep, soul-filled eyes, I couldn’t. Hunter had wanted to be honest from the very beginning. I’d been so worried about him hiding secret knowledge from me, but I was the one who was holding secret knowledge…from my family. And I hated the knot of tension that cropped up whenever I had to lie. I hated having to bite my tongue when I wanted to tell Dad about how great Hunter was. And I hated that I had to hide the smile that wanted to break out on my face whenever I thought about him. I didn’t know how I’d do it, or what they would say, but I knew I needed to come clean. My parents needed to know about Hunter. Especially if there was a small chance that Hunter believed in our kind.

  Meeting his gaze as calmly as I could, I told him, “Yes, really.”

  Hunter’s lean body relaxed in my arms, and he seemed really content with the fact that the secrecy would soon be over. He’d be less content once he finally came face to face with my dad. Or my grandfather’s wife’s brother who was living with us to help our mother, since that was how Dad would be introduced to Hunter.

  “Good,” he murmured, bringing his lips back to mine. “Then we can stop sneaking around, and I can take you out on a proper date.”

  I smirked under his lips. “If my da—” Tension tightened my body as I quickly caught my near slip-up. I couldn’t say dad around Hunter. Feeling my rigidness, Hunter pulled back to look at me. As I’d been taught, I seamlessly smiled and covered my ass. “If my mom doesn’t ground me for life, that is.”

  Hunter frowned as his eyes searched mine. I wasn’t sure if he’d caught the correction, or if he was just unhappy with my statement. Either way, his frown turned around a second later. “I’m sure she’ll be okay with us, once she gets to know me.” He smiled wider. “I’m very like
able.”

  I kissed him in agreement; he was very likeable. To me anyway. My brother was still on the fence about the whole situation. Even more so now, since I’d spilled to him that Hunter was possibly aware of supernatural beings. As I kissed Hunter, I could feel my brother’s nerves. I sent calming vibes in his direction, but it wasn’t helping much. Julian was worried about me, and probably would be until I returned home.

  Squeezing my hand tight, Hunter led me on a tour of his place. The house they rented wasn’t huge, so the tour didn’t take very long. Stopping in the hallway before a thin, dark brown door, Hunter said, “This is my room,” and pushed the door inward.

  Having only ever been inside one boy’s bedroom—my messy brother’s bedroom—I was surprised when I looked around Hunter’s space. I’d been expecting to see chaos similar to Julian’s, or possibly a haphazard attempt to clean a once-trashed room. But Hunter’s room was neat, tidy. I think it would pass a military inspection. Every book on his bookshelf was perfectly lined up. His bed was crisply made with deep blue sheets, the pillows perfectly arranged. A small desk was next to his bed—the only thing on it was a closed laptop. All his dresser drawers were closed, and as I peeked into his closet, the rest of his clothes were hung neatly on hangers. And not a single one of his shirts was slipping off the hanger, slowly descending to the floor.

  The rest of the house had been just as immaculate, and I’d assumed Hunter’s dad had been the reason. Now I thought differently. Turning back to where I was watching him in the doorway, I muttered, “You’re a neat freak.”

  Amused, Hunter walked into the room and grabbed my hand. “I wouldn’t say I’m a freak…but I do like things orderly.”

  I shook my head as I sat on his bed. “You and my brother would not get along well.

  He didn’t have a response to that, just kept his dark eyes glued on mine. It was unnerving to be watched so intently. It made my heart race. Julian’s emotions spiked along with mine, and a flash of irritation went through me. Damn bond. I couldn’t even get nervous about sitting on a bed with my boyfriend without Julian getting concerned about my safety. I was fine. I was safe. Just…nervous.