Kody sat in her room, summoning her master. She knew he had arrived when a heavy aura choked her. "Nekoda."
"Did you know about the books?" She bit her nails nervously.
"Who do you think told the demon about him?"
Kody stopped her nail biting. He had set this up. Of course he had. Not only would it test Nick and Adarian, but her as well. He wanted to make sure she was still loyal.
"I've learned many things about you, Nekoda." Then he was gone.
Kody threw herself on her bed and screamed. She didn't care if the others heard her and thought she was crazy. She didn't care about anything, but finishing these stupid books.
When she was finally calm enough, she returned to the living room. She felt Adarian's eyes on her. A dark gaze that she was all too familiar with. Don't let yourself get sucked in again. Don't do it.
She scanned the room to find Nick and Acheron entering the living from the backyard. Kody's heart clenched when she saw how tightly Nick was holding onto Ash's hand. Ncik also had a giant smile plastered on his face.
What the hell happened?
Acheron noted that everyone was staring at them, but he didn't care. He was, to put it simply, happy. Nobody could ruin that for him.
Bubba and Mark stopped whatever nerd argument they were having to stare. Cherise's jaw dropped. Mennie somehow stopped her crying. Kyrian smirked, he had called it. Caleb could only gawk. Adarian, however, grimaced, "Fags."
Before Nick or Acheron could say anything Ambrose jumped in, "Shut your damn mouth."
Ambrose could feel it, his control was slipping. If he were to unleash his powers, it would trigger Adarian and Nick to follow suit. Ambrose couldn't do that to Nick. The kid finally looked happy. Simmer down.
Another awkward silence filled the room and this time nobody could do anything about it without starting some fight.
Adarian glared at Ambrose. He had a feeling that Ambrose was the reason he couldn't get out of this hellhole. He wondered what Ambrose really was.
Nick nodded to Ambrose, thanking him for being able to understand what Nick was going through. Nick was certain Ambrose wasn't gay or even bi! And that made Nick more confused.
Caleb couldn't hold it back anymore, he had to ask Nick. Bro! What happened? Explain now!
Look, I'll explain later, but for now I'm happy. Caleb could live with that.. For now.
Nick knew he had to explain a lot of things to a lot of different people. He was not looking forward to that, but if Ash was holding his hand the whole time, Nick didn't see how he couldn't do it.
"I'll read," Caleb volunteered, before Ambrose had the chance to ask.
"Wait! Before you start," Rosa said, suddenly appearing from the kitchen. "Lunch will be ready in an hour."
"For real!?" Nick asked, happily. Ash chuckled at the boy's actions fondly.
"Yes, mijo," Rosa smiled and returned to the kitchen.
"So, Chapter 4 everyone," Caleb began.
"Welcome home, Nicky!"
Caleb said in an overly happy voice. He figured everyone needed a little pick-me-up. He didn't care if he was usually the moody and grumpy one, this book was seriously fucking people up.
Nick opened his eyes to find himself in their crappy living room with Aunt Menyara standing in front of him, holding an actual store-bought chocolate cake with the same happy words written on it that she'd just uttered. He was stunned by the small crowd around her who shouted her words at him.
"An actual one," Ash mumbled, running his thumb up and down Nick's hand.
Nick couldn't hide the smile from his face. Finally. These past couple days, reading this book, he hadn't felt good, but now he feels great. Who knew that 3 chapters could change your life forever.
Wow.
Petite like his mother, Menyara had smooth chocolate-brown skin that glowed in the flickering candlelight. Her sisterlocks were held back from her beautiful face by a wide yellow scarf she'd tied around her head that trailed down her back, just past her hair. The yellow was mirrored in her peasant blouse that was tucked into a bright orange skirt that fell all the way to her ankles.
Skinny silver bangles lined both of her arms and they jingled as she angled the cake for him to see her beautiful handwriting. "It's your favorite, cher. We're so glad you're home."
Mennie smiled sadly, she glanced at Nick only to find that he wasn't looking at her. His gaze was cast on the hand that was clutching his lovingly. All she wanted was for him to be happy, she never wanted him to be hurt.
Nick blushed as his gaze went from her to the rest of the dancers who worked with his mom who'd come over for his party. Even John and Greg, two of the bouncers from the club, were here.
They were clapping and smiling at him, making him extremely uncomfortable with the attention as they congratulated him on being a hero.
Kyrian wondered why he hadn't been invited to that little party. Then he realized he wasn't trusted like he is now. He was part of a family, he realized.
Funny, he felt more like a fraud.
Nick frowned, he couldn't wait to get past all this nonsense.
"Not to be rude or anything, but this is kinda boring because Mark and I weren't invited," Bubba said, crossing his arms.
Cherise rolled her eyes. "Bubba, you know exactly why you two weren't invited. You'd try and convince everyone of zombies and vampires. We all know that's not true."
Everyone in that room froze. It was hard to believe she was the only one who hadn't seen the supernatural world. Adarian wished he could show her his true form and see if it excited her like he had imagined so many times.
Menyara put the cake down on the counter for him. "C'mon, cher, and blow out the candles before they ruin your beautiful cake."
"Why were there candles?" Kody asked quietly. She wasn't going to talk this chapter, but curiosity got the best of her.
Nick blushed lightly. "Well.. I never really got a birthday cake back then so whenever we could we'd just celebrate that way."
Kody felt bad for asking after hearing that. Her heart hurt for him. Nick was... he was too easy to love.
He always loved the lilt of Menyara's Creole accent whenever she spoke. A voodoo priest-ess and midwife, Aunt Mennie, as he called her, was also his godmother and his mother's best friend.
She'd been the one who'd brought him into this world and who'd taken his mom in after her parents had tossed her out. When he'd been too young to go to the club with his mom, Mennie had been the one who kept him. For that alone, he'd do anything in the world for her.
Nick looked over at his Aunt Mennie and gave her a small smile, which she returned. She was family, she had been with Nick since forever. He knew she hadn't meant to hurt him anyway. He hated the fact that he had to explain so many things to everyone.
"Thanks, everyone," he muttered as he went to the cake and blew out the candles.
His mom stood behind him with her hand on his uninjured shoulder. "We're all so proud of you, baby."
"That's right." Greg, a huge bear of a man with long brown hair and pockmarked skin, stepped forward to hand him a box. "We took up a collection for you at the club. Hope you like it."
"I just don't understand, Nick. You meet the biggest people on the planet," Caleb said, eyeing Ash and Kyrian.
"I don't know. I'm pretty tall myself, but the world likes to prove just how small I really am," Nick smiled and shrugged. He felt it was the world's way of showing him to never be intimidated, but he wasn't about to tell Caleb that.
Their kindness touched him. It felt more like a birthday than a return home from the hospital.
"Explains the candles on the cake," Kyrian said, with a close mouth smile.
Ripping the box open, he found a Street Fighter video game and a T-shirt that said: nick gautier. superhero of the day.
Ash eyed Nick. "Do you still have that shirt?"
Nick blushed and glared at him. "And if I did?"
Ash smirked, this kid. "It's adorable."
Caleb and Kyrian gagged.
Kody stared at the odd.. couple?
Cherise and Mennie's mouths were hanging open.
Adarian crinkled his nose.
Mark and Bubba... didn't really seem to care. "What a line." Bubba stated and Mark agreed.
Nick didn't have the heart to tell them that he didn't have a gaming system here. Any more than he could tell them that he hadn't been a hero. He'd only been trying to make something right that he'd let go terribly wrong.
"You could've sold the game," Mark suggested.
"That's rude. It was a gift," Nick frowned at Mark.
"Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate it."
Tiffany stepped around Greg and pulled an envelope out of the box. "You forgot this."
Nick handed the box to his mom before he took the envelope, but since his left arm was still in a sling, he couldn't open it.
"The struggle is real," Nick stated, causing Caleb to crack a smile.
"Here, child." Menyara took it and opened it for him.
He gaped as he saw five twenty-dollar bills in her hand. "What's that for?"
Tiffany smiled. "Your college fund. We know it's not much, but it'll cover most of the days of work you missed while you were in the hospital."
He looked at his mom, who was smiling in gratitude. But he didn't feel grateful. He felt weird about it, especially knowing how hard all of them worked for it. "I can't take this."
"You can't seem to accept anything! Just take it and shut your mouth, Kid! It's not that complicated!" Adarian was done with this kid's kindness and thoughtfulness. It was unnatural for someone like him to be.. lovely.
Nick growled and was about to stand up, but Ash's hand tugged him down. One look at Ash's sunglass-covered eyes and he knew he shouldn't be fighting. He needed to stay calm or who knows what will happen..
Ambrose looked at Adarian with his demon in his eyes. Adarian knew when something was more powerful than him and that was exactly what Ambrose was. Ambrose was too powerful and Adarian needed to get away before he became any weaker.
John snorted. "Take it. Don't make me have to whip your butt and put you back in the hospital, snotwad."
"Classic. Snotwad, always a good one," Caleb gave a small smile.
"Just be grateful for it and don't ever spend it on drugs or cheap women 'cause I know what I'd have done with it at your age and we're all raising you to be better than that."
"Is being a security guard at a strip club a sort of statement for his renewed life? A sort of test to himself," everyone just stared at Kyrian as if he was crazy. "Well, excuse me for being the smart one around here."
Nick didn't know what to say. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it."
Then someone turned up the music to play Aerosmith's "Walk This Way and the party started even though it was hard to move in their small condo. Then again, the dancers were used to being up on the thin catwalk in the club so they did what they did best and made his face so red with their dance moves that he was sure it glowed neon.
"You do blush on awful lot, Nicky," Cherise said lovingly.
"What? No! I'm a man," Nick said strongly.
Caleb snorted and shook his head. "Stop lying."
Nick pouted and looked to Ash to defend him."Running to someone else to solve your problems isn't very manly," was all Ash said.
Nick took the money to his jar they kept under the kitchen sink and dropped the twenties inside while his mom and Menyara cut the cake and handed out slices to everyone.
"You okay, child?"
He nodded as Menyara handed him his cake and a plastic fork. "Just tired."
There was something in her gaze that made him wonder if she could read his mind. It was eerie.
"Your mom told me that you'll be working for a man named Kyrian Hunter. Is that so?"
Kyrian smiled proudly.
"Wait, how did you know Mennie?" Nick asked suddenly and that smile fell from Kyrian's face.
"Everyone around here like us knows each other, Nick," Nick knew what Kyrian meant by that. He was vague for the sake of Nick's mom.
"Yeah. I gotta pay him back for the hospital bills."
"Then I want you to watch yourself, Nicholas. This man, he's.." When she didn't finish the sentence, he finished for her.
"Evil?"
Kyrian scoffed. "Evil?"
"You're right, evil isn't the word. You're much too pleasant," Ash smiled, a mischievous glint that you could see through his glasses lit up his eyes.
She laughed and brushed her hand through his hair. "No, not evil. But working for him will change you, I think. Hopefully for the better. I just wanted to say that you should be very careful with what you learn from others and who you let into your life."
Ambrose grunted to that. He really should've listened more, maybe it was his demon side that prevented him from doing that.
Her emotionless tone gave him pause. Mennie knew things, lots of things, before they happened. Her clairvoyance was unrivaled. "Is that your wicked psychic powers talking again?"
"Maybe it's my wicked overprotective ways." She kissed him on the brow. "You be a good boy for me, Nicholas. Always."
"Yeah, good boy," Ash nudged Nick, who tried very hard not to blush because his manhood was on the line.
"Yeah, okay." He wasn't intending to be a bad one, since the last time he'd done that hadn't gone well for him. As it was, his shoulder was on fire and he had months of painful therapy ahead to get his arm to work right again.
Nick realized he never had to do that because of Ambrose, thank fucking god. That would've been the biggest pain in the ass ever.
Believe me, I'm done with this. Next time he saw Alan and group, they were the ones who were going to be limping. ' Cause I'm gonna put my foot so far up their butts they're going to burp shoe leather.
Cherise scrunched up her nose, "That can't be pleasant."
Nick laughed at his mom, she wasn't a fan of violence.
Adarian stared at Cherise, maybe a bit too openly.
Or in the case of Nick's cheap shoes, man-made material, whatever that was.
He frowned as she stepped away to join his mother and Tiffany. There was something cold in the air that made his neck tingle.
Nick stared at Ambrose who also looked confused. If it hadn't been Ambrose had it been the author of this book? Was the author of this book in here now? Trying to make a spin off of the characters actually reading the story? How ridiculous.
Dismissing it, he ate his cake then joined the others, who kept playing old seventies songs. Gah, could we please move the music forward to the correct decade? What is it with old people and their music? Well, at least it wasn't disco.
"Old people!" Cherise said, glaring at her son.
"I meant them, Ma! You're young, body and heart," Nick flashed her his charming smile.
Kody had to repeatedly remind herself that that smile didn't work on her, but she knew that wasn't true.
The party didn't last too long, since his mom was afraid of making him too tired. One by one they left until it was just him, his mom, and Mennie.
At his mom's urging, Nick headed to his bed while they cleaned up. He was on the verge of falling asleep when his mom disturbed him.
"You ready to go back to school tomorrow?"
"Never," Nick whispered creepily.
Ash raised his eyebrows at him. "Stop being weird."
Nick stared at him with a hurt expression on his face.
"That face doesn't work on anyone, Nick," Caleb jumped in.
"Yeah, stop trying to look cute," Mark added.
"I just came here to have a good time and now I'm honestly feeling attacked," Nick stated.
Hardly. He'd really like a few more decades before he had to go back and face the mutant idiots. ...
But he didn't tell her that. Man up, Nick, and take it. "I guess so."
"What is your obsession with being a man?" Kyrian asked.
"The man is suppose to take care of the household and that's what I did. I had to be the man of the house because I didn't have a father to do it," Nick said the last part through gritted teeth.
Adarian thought about killing the kid then and there, but he decided it was much more fun watching the kid suffer.
"Okay, but if you don't feel like it, let me know. You're still healing and I don't want you to do anything to stress yourself."
Yeah, but he was already so far behind he wasn't sure if there was a shovel big enough to dig his way out of his back work. Any more days and he'd have to repeat a year.
Kill me first.
"I bet Kody would like to," Caleb snorted out.
Kody stiffed. She would not play this game with him or anybody. Stay calm.
She brushed the hair back from his forehead before she tested his brow for a fever.
"A fever?" Ash asked.
"When someone is healing they usually overheat because their bodies are working so hard," Cherise explained in a motherly tone.
"Mr. Hunter said that he'd have a car waiting to pick you up after school and take you to his house. He promised me that it was just an introduction for you and that he wouldn't make you do anything too hard. You okay with that?"
He reverted to his standard answer. "I guess so."
"You only talk when you want to and when you want to it's non-stop," Caleb exaggerated.
"It's not non-stop," Nick glared at him. "You're on my shit list." Caleb smiled at that.
She rolled her eyes. "All right then. I'll let you get your rest. You let me know if you need anything. Oh, and I had to put those flowers your friends Bubba and Mark sent to you in the hospital out on the front porch. They didn't really fit in the house. Leave it to them to overdo it."
That was one way of saying it. Bubba had practically sent him a tree, with one little note.
"That's how we do it," Bubba smiled, fist-bumping Mark.
Hospitals wig me out unless I'm the one being tended. Sorry we're not there, kid. Get well soon. Remember next time ... Double tap.Bubba and Mark.
Nick watched as she left and then closed his "door." Rubbing his sore eye, he ignored her talking with Menyara until he heard his name mentioned.
"You think this mess will stunt his growth, Mennie?"
"His growth?" Kyrian pointed at Nick. "He's a pretty good sized kid."
"Well, thank you," Nick winked at Kyrian.
Ash scowled at this. This just wouldn't do.
Menyara laughed. "No, chere. Your boy's going to be a fine, tall man one day. I promise you."
"I don't know. My dad was awfully short. Barely five foot four. I know Nick's taller than that now, but I'm scared to death he's going to stop growing and be a munchkin like me."
"That's 'cause you're Cajuns, child. You're supposed to be short. Be weird if you weren't. But Adarian's a tall, handsome man and his boy's going to be just like him in looks. Trust me."
Adarian was actually surprised someone was saying something nice about him. Even if it was just his physical appearance.
Those words made Nick's blood run cold.
"I hate that expression," Caleb frowned.
"Why don't you stop being weird?" Nick rolled his eyes at Caleb, adjusting his hand on Ash's hand.
Adarian Malachai was his father and he was a monster. The mere mention of his name conjured up an image of a giant, hulking beast of a man in prison threads, covered in heavy tattoos. Nick had never seen the man when he hadn't been snarling at everyone around him and shoving people who got near him—including Nick's mom.
Adarian frowned at that. He never met to push around Cherise. It was just.. in his blood he supposed.
Angry, bitter, and rude, his father was a rare piece of work and he was glad his mother hadn't married him and given Nick his last name. Even though his Gautier grandparents didn't want anything to do with them, he still preferred having their name to Adarian's.
Malachai. Heck, he didn't even like the way it sounded. Bleh.
Every supernatural creature held back a laugh at that. What a terrible fate that kid had. Stuck forever with that name even if it wasn't really his.
Nick raised his voice to speak so that they'd hear him. "I'd rather be short, fat, and ugly than take after that man."
"You're getting there," Caleb laughed as Nick threw his shoe at him and missed, but stopped when Cherise's sandal hit him in the face. Then it was Nick's turn to burst into laughter.
His mother sighed. "That man is your father and you're supposed to be asleep, young man. Not listening in on our private conversation."
Nick scowled. He still hated the fact that she use to defend that man, saying he was his "father." He was no father of his and never would be.
What did she expect when all that separated them was a thin blue blanket? "And you're not supposed to be talking about me where I can hear it. You always told me that was rude."
They laughed.
"Silly child. We are superior than you because we're older," Nick mocked.
"Go to sleep, Nick."
Go to sleep, Nick, he mouthed, mocking an order that was easier said than done. Especially since his pain meds had worn off and his shoulder was throbbing like fire again. But he didn't want to take any more. That stuff made him too groggy and ill feeling. He'd rather hurt than be a zombie.
"Ahh foreshadowing," Mark sighed.
Besides, if he acted like a zombie, Bubba might mistake him for a hallucination and shoot him.
"You lucky I know what zombies are like now, boy," Bubba nodded.
Rule One: boy: shoot first then ask questions.
Rule Two: Double tap just for good measure. Better safe than sorry.
"I live and breath those rules now. Thanks guys," Caleb nodded his head.
"That's what we do," Mark laughed.
Nick smiled at Bubba's laws until he looked up at their stained ceiling and wondered just how miserable tomorrow would be at school.
Blinking back the agony, he pulled Nekoda's Nintendo out of his front pocket. He didn't know why, but just touching it made him feel better. Like he had someone in the world watching out for him.
"And she was fucking watching," Nick grumbled lightly.
Ash patted his hand in comfort.
Caleb continued to glare at Kody because she was the source of his best friend's hurt.
How stupid was that?
"Pretty," Caleb stated.
"Shit list!" Nick shouted.
He turned it on and kept the sound off. His mom had no idea he had this. She'd probably flip out if she did and he couldn't really play it with only one hand anyway. Still, he liked the thought of having it. It made him feel special. Like he was connected to someone not related to him.
Like a girl might actually like him as something more than just a friend.
Kody felt tears threatening to spill. She never meant to fall for Nick and now that she had, it was hard hearing his thoughts about her. He was so loving and kind, now he hated her.
Nick honestly couldn't believe how stupid he was. This went on for years too.
He wanted the courage to ask her to go and just have a beignet with him after school. But so far he hadn't been able to do much more than thank her for checking on him while he'd been in the hospital—which she'd done every time she had a shift. He'd looked forward to each and every one of those visits like a starving beggar getting his one meal a day.
"Fuck love," Nick stated, throwing his head against the back of the couch.
"Amen to that," Kyrian stated.
It was hard, man, to get up the courage to ask her something so personal. He didn't want to be rejected and he knew better than to reach for the stars—which was what she was. A bright, perfect star who made him laugh whenever she came near.
"God, this is sickeningly cute," Caleb scrunched his nose.
"I think it's just sick," Adarian stated, and was surprised when his offspring grunted in agreement.
And he was a loser.
"At least you're honest," Caleb laughed.
"Alright, that's it. We're throwing down," Nick stood up, cracking his fingers and neck.
Caleb rolled his eyes, not believing a word Nick said, but was pleasantly surprised when Nick whipped the book out of his hands and grabbed Caleb. Now, it was on like donkey kong.
It was a grappling war. Nick and Caleb almost submitting the other, but somehow they would get away. Everyone else stared in amusement, Mark and Bubba had bet against each other on who would win.
Finally, they both collapsed to the floor, all strength gone.
"I'll get you later," Nick waved his hand, crawling back to his seat next to Ash.
Caleb only nodded in agreement, grabbing the book and catching his breath, he continued.
Don't put yourself out there unless you want to get shot down. He'd been taken down enough by his classmates; he wasn't about to give Kody the chance to kick his teeth in.
"Too late," Nick sang.
Kody closed her eyes and focused on breathing.
At this point, he was lucky she'd even talked to him in the hospital. No doubt tomorrow she'd be just like all the other cool, rich kids and pretend he was invisible.
Please, Nick thought.
Rolling his eyes at his own stupidity for even considering the thought of asking her out, he shut down the Nintendo and put it back in his pocket. Tomorrow he'd have to face the demon principal and the cretins of his school. To do that, he needed rest.
And maybe a flamethrower or two.
Caleb laughed. "Me."
"How is that 'me'?" Cherise asked.
Nick and Caleb laughed at her, she just didn't understand young people lingo.
"When he says 'me' he means that's what he thinks too. He feels the same," Nick explained with a large smile.
"Oh.. why couldn't he just say that?" Cherise questioned.
"It's easier to say 'me'," Nick shrugged.
"You kids need to speak like proper people," Cherise scowled.
"Yeah, Caleb," Nick laughed and Caleb glared.
Nick was finishing up the leftover cake he'd eaten for breakfast when a knock at the door startled him. Since his mom and all of her friends except Menyara worked until dawn, he wasn't used to early morning visitors.
"Or visitors in general," Nick said.
"Besides the police, of course," Cherise added.
His mom went to open the door. In this neighborhood, he expected it to be cops wanting to know about something that'd happened while they slept.
What was there shocked him to the core of his being.
Caleb clenched just a tad, but chuckled to himself when he read the next sentence.
It was Brynna Addams-
"Oh my god! Run and hide! It's Brynna!" Mark said, sarcastically.
"Shut up! She's rich and we were poor. It was weird having her there," Nick defended himself.
"Of course it was," Ash said, rolling his eyes.
-dressed in a pretty blue dress and cream sweater. With her dark hair held back from her face by a thin lacy headband, she looked like an absolute angel. One that didn't belong in the run-down crap hole that was their house.
"See, Mark, if you don't interrupt your questions are answered!"
"See, Mark, if you don't interrupt your questions are answered," Mark mimicked Nick in a high pitched voice.
"Why is everyone trying to get on my shit list today?"
"Hi, Mrs. Gautier. I'm Brynna—the friend of Nick's from school who's been leaving his assignments at the hospital desk. Since it's his first day back and all, my brother and I wanted to give him a ride ... if that's okay with you?"
"All the ladies loved Nick," Ash mumbled.
"What can I say? It's something you're born with," Nick winked at Ash, who rolled his eyes.
What a cocky bastard.
His mother opened and closed her mouth as if she was as stunned by their offer as he was. Turning around, she met his startled gaze. "You know a Brynna?"
"I didn't even know Nick had friends at the time," Cherise said honestly.
"Mom!" Nick whined. Everyone laughed at his misery, like always.
"Well, Nicky, can you blame me? You seemed to hate everyone," Cherise shrugged.
"Oh god," Nick sighed.
Heat exploded across his face, partly because he was embarrassed by their shabby house when he was sure Brynna had never seen anything so run-down in her life and partly because his mother had a weird look on her face that he didn't quite understand while she stood barely dressed in an open doorway. "Um, yeah."
"Okay, first, the weird look on your face. What was that about? And why are you answering the door barely dressed?" Bubba questioned.
Cherise blushed lightly. "Well, I thought it was a policeman and I assumed he would respect a woman. And I thought Brynna had a crush on Nick, which I was right about. I thought Nick liked her back because he was so embarrassed.
Adarian hardly listened to her, he was too busy imagining her barely dressed.
"You want them to take you to school?"
"I guess so." His stock answer anytime he was unsure of something.
"That is your stock answer," Kyrian stated.
"I guess so," Nick shrugged.
"You just did it," Caleb said, wide eyed.
He picked his backpack up from the floor but before he could shrug it over his uninjured shoulder, Brynna took it from him.
"Let me carry it. You're still healing."
"Hell nah," Bubba said. "Don't tell me your punk ass let her carry your bag."
"Punk ass?" Nick questioned.
Nick tightened his grip as he pulled it back. "No, thanks. I'm not having a girl carry my stuff. Wouldn't be right." And it would make him look like a mega wimp.
"Mhm, that's right boy," Bubba squinted his eyes at Nick.
"Why do you guys enjoy bagging on me?" Nick said, sadly.
"It's too easy, little one," Ash said, patting his hand lightly.
"Little one? Excuse me? Not all of us can be 9 feet 7 inches," Nick rolled his eyes, pretending to flip his hair at Ash.
"You're probably the biggest diva I've ever met," Ash laughed.
He could tell Brynna wanted to argue, but with a nod, she stepped back and let go of his patched and shoddy secondhand bag.
His mom moved forward to turn down the collar of the oh so lovely blue Hawaiian shirt he wore—at least this one wasn't so foul it glowed in the dark. "You have a good day, baby."
Yeah ... She should have just burped him while she was at it. Anything to shoot down his manhood.
"It's a hobby," Cherise shrugged.
"Ok! This bagging on Nick fest must end now!" Nick shouted.
When everyone was quiet, he smiled in triumph. He did it. His smile faded when Mark "subtly" coughed "Baby."
Without a word, he gave her a quick hug since his dignity had already been shattered, then followed Brynna outside to where her brother waited for them in a new black Lexus SUV.
He let out a low whistle of appreciation. It was an obscenely nice ride. "You know, a car like that in this neighborhood —people gonna think you're both drug dealers."
Caleb smirked at that. Drug dealers amused him because they were so cocky and careless, yet they seemed so shocked when they got caught. Criminals these days just didn't have as much brains as they use to.
Brynna laughed as she opened the door to the front seat and stepped back. Nick ignored her invitation to sit up front and opened the back door.
"Talk about rude," Kyrian frowned.
"You guys interrupt before the explanation! I'm a good person!" Nick pouted.
"You don't want to be in the front seat?"
He climbed into the backseat and shut the door before he answered. "No offense, I don't know your brother and I don't want anyone thinking anything funny about us. I'm not even sure why you guys are here. How did you know where I live?"
"Two bros sitting in a parked car, five feet apart because they're not gay," Caleb sang.
"Oh, yes because I see two men sitting in a car together and automatically assume they're together," Ash said, sarcastically.
"We've ridden in the same car before, haven't we?" Nick whispered to Acheron, causing him to tense they slightest.
Everyone stared at the odd couple wondering what words had been exchanged. Kody tried to ignore how adorable they were, but she failed and it made her heart hurt.
Brynna buckled herself in, next to her brother. "Kyrian told us. He's the one who had me drop your homework off while you were in the hospital so you wouldn't fall too far behind."
He froze. "Do what?"
"Stalker much?" Nick looked at Kyrian.
"Just wanted to make sure you weren't a complete mess," Kyrian smiled.
"I'm not a mess! Shut up!" Nick said, frustrated. Someone would die today.
"Kyrian Hunter?" she said. "Your new boss? He's an old family friend of ours and you'll see us around at his place from time to time. He asked if we could take you to school and watch out for you, so here we are. This is my brother Tad, by the way. Tad, say hi to Nick."
"Hi." Tad pulled away from the curb.
"Friendly," Caleb grumbled.
"Do you not like Tad?" Nick asked, curiously.
"Let's just say we don't agree on certain things," Caleb eyed Nick carefully, who took the hint to back off of the subject.
Nick finished buckling his seat belt as he glanced back and forth between Brynna, who was turned around in her seat to look at him, and her brother, who ignored them while he navigated morning traffic. Dang, Tad favored her a great deal. He was just taller and hairier.
"Hairier! Ha! Good one," Mark laughed.
"You have a horrible sense of humor," Bubba frowned, eyeing Mark carefully.
Mark pouted at this.
Brynna's eyes sparkled with warmth but for all that, she wasn't anywhere near as spectacular to him as Kody was. Brynna was pretty. Kody was sizzling.
Caleb gagged, which made Kody frown. She couldn't handle this abuse.
"You're really going to like working for Kyrian. He's a great guy."
"If you say so."
"Surprised you didn't say 'I guess so.' Shrug," Ash mimicked Nick perfectly, which made everyone laugh.
"I'm not like that," Nick frowned.
"Shh. Yes you are," Caleb said.
She smiled. "So how's your shoulder feeling? You excited to be going back to school? Is your physical therapy really hard? Did you get all the assignments done that I left for you? The math was really hard, but if you need a tutor, we can arrange one for you until you catch up."
Nick felt assaulted by her barrage of rapidly fired questions and comments. She didn't even give him a chance to respond until the very end. "You always this chatty in the morning?"
Tad burst out laughing.
"Ew, Tad," Caleb scrunched his nose.
"You probably have a crush on him," Nick stared.
"What?!" Caleb asked, a slight blush on his face.
"Aw! I can hook you guys up," Nick winked.
"I'll kill you," Caleb growled.
Brynna slapped her brother on the arm, her face red. "Stop that."
Tad grinned. "Nice to know I'm not the only one your perky morning attitude annoys. I told you it was too much for a man to bear."
"Ha! Man!" Mark laughed, this time everyone laughed along.
Nick could've strangled Mark, but decided a sneak attack was more fun.
Nick felt his own cheeks heat again. He hadn't meant to offend her. "I'm not annoyed by you, Brynna." He actually liked her a lot. "I'm just not used to people like you talking to me with this much interest. It's kind of creeping me out. Feel like I've stepped into an alternate reality or something. You keep this up and I'm going to start looking for Raccoon City vans or something."
"Nerd!" Mark said.
Nick gave him a 'wtf' face. "I played it with you."
Mark stopped laughing and thought about it for a minute, sending Bubba into a fit of laughter.
Brynna frowned. "Raccoon what?"
Tad snorted. "It's from the game Resident Evil, doof." He looked at Nick through the rearview mirror. "You have to forgive her, Nick. She doesn't play much. Just gabs on the phone with all her vacuous, self-absorbed friends."
She slid an offended glare to her brother.
"Tsk tsk," Cherise said, looking at Mennie, who nodded her head in agreement.
"What?" Nick asked.
"You can't seem to talk to girls can you, Nicholas?" Cherise said.
"No, that's why I talk to boys," As soon as the words left his mouth he regretted it. Damn it.
Ash stiffened up with laughter. This whole 'coming out' thing would be easier than he thought.
Nick mentally kicked himself. Why did I say that to her? I'm such an idiot. Here he sat in the nicest car he'd ever seen, riding to school with one of the prettiest girls in his class—one who was really decent—and he'd offended her.
I'm never going to have a girlfriend. I'm too stupid for one.
"That's why you have me," Ash whispered in Nick's ear, who widened his eyes at the sensation of Ash's breath brushing his skin.
And if that wasn't bad enough, Tad pulled up to a nice house and honked.
Three seconds later, the front door opened and Casey Woods came running out in her full black and gold cheerleader outfit that hugged every curve on her body... and for a fourteen-year-old girl, she had a lot of curves—unlike the rest of their female classmates. Her long wavy dark hair was pulled back from her face with a black and gold bow.
Ambrose smiled at the memory of Casey as a girlfriend. She was fun, nice, and of course hot. It was a time when he was actually happy in life. He cherished those memories the most.
A bright smile curled her lips as she ran to them.
Oh, crap...
"Yes! Humiliation!" Caleb laughed. These books really were the best.
She was Brynna's best friend and, up until he'd met Kody, the one girl at school he'd sell his soul to have as his girlfriend. Unfortunately, Casey didn't know he even existed.
Nick sighed. He would have to deal with her when he went back to school tomorrow. She had been obsessing over him ever since he broke up with Kody and it was kind of annoying. If she wasn't so hot, he probably would have turned her down already. Now, as he squeezed Ash's hand, he knew he had to end her obsessing soon.
Something brought brutally home as she opened the door to the car and paused with a frown on her beautiful face.
Brynna didn't miss a beat. "Morning, Case. You know Nick?
Casey turned her head to look at him from the corner of her eyes as if trying to remember him. "Should I?"
Everyone laughed at Nick, who pouted. "She definitely knows me now," Nick sighed.
"What?" Ash said.
"Didn't you know? She's Nick's little fangirl," Kody hissed.
"No.. He never brought it up," Ash said carefully eyeing Nick.
Nick gulped. Shit.
Yeah, why should you know me? We only have four classes together... and he sat directly in front of her in two of them.
I might as well be invisible.
"Midas whale," Nick laughed.
Nick caught the sight of Tad rolling his eyes in the rear view mirror. "We're going to be late, Case. Get in or step back into your yard and close the door."
Tad's hostile tone caught him off guard. What magic pill did Tad take to be immune to her looks?
"The same one I take, but only real men can have one," Caleb smirked.
Nick flipped him off because he couldn't think of anything witty to say back.
Glaring at him, Casey shrugged her Prada backpack off and tossed it into the SUV before she climbed in and sat next to Nick.
Why didn't I sit up front with Tad? Why, Lord, why?
"That's what I said," Kyrian stated.
"Yes, you're very smart," Ash's voice dripped with sarcasm.
Casey scowled at Brynna. "So is he like a new student or something? Does he speak English?"
Caleb burst out laughing at that. "Does he speak English! You were invisible before me."
"No! Everyone knew who I was. I was the delinquent. The bad boy," Nick pretended to flip up the collar of his shirt.
"Ha!" Ash barked out. "The only thing bad about you was your fashion choice."
Brynna slid a puzzled stare to Nick. "Nick's been going to school with us for the last three years."
"Oh ... well, I'm in all advanced classes."
"Case is the best," Caleb smirked.
"Why don't you date her then?" Nick snapped.
"Not my type," Caleb only had one type, but she wasn't with him anymore.
Nick bit back a snort at her snotty comment. What am I? Special ed?
Then again, at the moment, he felt like this was the short bus to hell and that he had a reserved seat on it.
Brynna opened her mouth to say something else, but Nick held his hand up to stop her from correcting Casey's mistaken conclusions about him before Casey made him feel any more worthless. "So, Tad, how 'bout them Saints?"
Bubba snorted. "The Saints have really gone down hill."
"Sh! Don't jinx it!" Nick shouted, covering his ears.
Tad laughed at his switch in topic. "You know, Gautier, you might actually grow on me."
"Yeah, that's me. Kudzu Gautier."
"You did not say that," Caleb snorted.
"Oh, but I did," Nick said.
"You're not cool," Mark shook his head.
Casey didn't get it, but Brynna did. Obviously the tenacious vine must have invaded Brynna's yard and taken it over. "What's kudzu?" Casey asked.
Tad ignored her.
"You should try that, Nick," Ash said suddenly, causing Nick to cringe.
"What the-"
Nick looked out the window to see a boatload of police cars at the school as they slowed down. There were two ambulances and even a fire truck. "What's going on?"
"He just got there too, you know?" Caleb pointed out.
"Stop defending your boyfriend," Nick said.
"Unlike you! I'm not gay!" Caleb spat out.
Nick stared at Caleb. He did not just do that.
"Too many fags in the room," Adarian mumbled.
"Shut your fucking mouth for once in your life!" Nick snapped.
They were all having a good time, but of course that had to end.
"Nick, Adarian. Stop. We're family," Cherise said firmly.
The two men grumbled, but backed down.
Ambrose saw this going south very, very soon.
Tad shook his head. "Not sure ..."
Casey's face lit up. "Does this mean no school? Oh thank God, I didn't finish my social studies homework."
"This bitch," Mark whispered. Women.
The police wouldn't let them park in the school lot. Instead, they waved them down the street and away from the crowd. Tad went over to Royal and parked outside of Fifi Ma-honey's. "I've got to know what's going on."
Typical, Caleb thought.
Nick concurred. Leaving his backpack in the SUV, he walked over to the school with Tad and the girls.
Many of the students were milling around in groups while reporters asked a few of them questions. Brynna and Casey broke off to join their friends.
Nick followed Tad-
"Cos' he has no friends," Ash smiled.
"I had friends!" Nick stated.
-as he headed over to Ms. Pantall, who was standing with three other teachers.
"Hey, Ms. P," Tad called, "what's going on?"
She let out a slow breath before she answered. "You won't believe this ... Brian Murrey tried to eat Scott Morgan."
"That's what happened!" Cherise said shocked.
"Nick didn't tell you?" Kyrian said, looking at Nick.
Nick shrugged. "It never came up."
Nick's eyes widened at the unexpected explanation. Had he heard that right?
Tad gaped. "What?"
She nodded as she gestured toward the school's entrance. "They were in the cafeteria before the bell, acting completely normal, when all of a sudden Brian attacked him for no reason. He started chewing on his arm and tearing at his skin like a rabid dog with a steak. I've never seen anything like it in my life. It was so gross."
"Oh my word!" Cherise said, grabbing her chest.
"Cher, calm down. The boy is okay, it was a long time ago," Mennie said comfortingly.
Tad passed a wide-eyed stare to Nick. "Is Scott all right?"
In perfect timing to the question, Scott came out of the school on a stretcher with two EMTs watching over him.
Nick drifted away from them so that he could listen in on a few other conversations, including that of a female reporter who was talking on her cell phone. There had to be more to this story than what Pantall was saying to Tad.
"I'm telling you, Bob, something's going on. What with the attacks last night and now this... How many cities have six cannibal attacks in twelve hours?"
"Cannibals!" Cherise gasped.
"Ma," Nick said. "Everything is cool now. No more cannibals." Just a bunch of Were people.
Well, it was the Big Easy where they had a slack attitude over most things. But even the stoutest New Orleanian usually drew the line at eating human flesh.
Most days, anyway.
"We should move," Caleb scrunched up his nose.
"What about Mardi Gras?" Nick asked quietly.
"Well.." Caleb smiled.
Then again, Halloween was just around the corner. If not for the cops, he might think it a prank.
"They're questioning the kid now. He seems out of it. Like his brains are rattled or something. But you should have seen the vic's arm. He tore it down to the bone and his classmates said he ate all the flesh like he was starving for it. You think it could be something voodoo related?"
"Of course," Cherise exhaled. People and all this mystical crap.
Yeah, anytime something freaky happened, blame the Goth or the voudoun communities—'cause normal people could never be insane. Maybe he should remind the reporter that the infamous serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer hadn't been a voodoo worshiper either and Brian, until this, had been a normal jock like the rest of the team. A little dumber than most, but he was a poster child for normality.
Caleb snorted. "A little dumber than most."
"Well, it wasn't a lie," Kody added.
"Brian was a little slow," Nick agreed.
Until he tried to eat Scott...
Nick moved away from her, closer to the ambulance where they were loading Scott. There was a white bandage over his arm that was red as more blood seeped through it.
Scott was sobbing. "All I did was reach for his milk. He could have just said no. He didn't have to eat my arm... God, I'll never be able to throw a ball again. I'm gonna lose my scholarship, I know it. We'll never make the state championship now. Terry can't throw for squat. Man, the season's over. Why? Why did he do this?"
"Scott still makes me sad," Caleb stated.
"You still talk to Scott?" Nick questioned.
"He use to come to football practice once and a while, but he stopped because he got a job at LSU as a quarterback coach. He's doing pretty good, but he could've gone to the NFL," Caleb explained.
"Man," Kody and Nick breathed.
That seemed to be the question...
"Hey, kid! Get back behind the barricade."
Nick nodded to the officer before he obeyed.
"Hey, Nick!" Frank McDaniel ran up to him. "Hear what happened? Brian ate Scott. How cool is that? Man, I wish I'd seen it. That's what I get for being late to school. I miss all the good stuff that happens."
"God, I hate Frank," Caleb said.
"Frank was alright. He was my friend," Nick empathized the word 'friend' and stared at his mom, who only chuckled.
Jason laughed in agreement. "I just hope whatever got into him isn't catching. I don't want no one coming up and trying to gnaw on my flesh or me going after someone else. Sheez. My mom's a vegan. She grounded me for six months last summer when I ate a cheeseburger at McDonald's. Can you imagine how long she'd ground me for eating a person?"
"You had loser friends," Ash laughed.
"Well, I was a loser." Nick said. "I was sick of the system. I didn't want to hear it. It wasn't a secret that I was just a reject."
"Why does that sound so familiar?" Caleb mumbled.
Nick hoped Caleb didn't know about Nick's secret obsession with that 'Reject' song by that stupid band 500 Years of Winter. Those Australians that sang the underwear song.
"Oh! Oh! Nicholas! That's 5 Seconds of Summer!" Caleb laughed.
"How would you know?" Nick squinted his eyes at him.
"All the girls talk about them," Caleb shrugged.
"Oh yeah... Well... IT STARTED ON WEEKEND IN MAY," Nick suddenly shouted.
Caleb really hadn't meant to, but the song was so damn catchy. "I WAS LOOKING FOR ATTENTION NEEDED INTERVENTION!"
"HA!" Nick pointed at Caleb.
"Can we stop this madness?" Kyrian said.
"Please," Ash added.
"Oh! Nick, you listen to this all the time," Cherise smiled.
"Sh, mother," Nick said calmly.
Frank cast a hungry look over to the group where Brynna and Casey were standing. "Oh man, if it is catching, I hope Casey Woods gets it and comes for me. If you gotta die, no better way to go than to get eaten by the head cheerleader."
Jason high-fived him. "Yeah, all right. Sign me up for that too. I definitely want to be her chew toy."
"Men," Cherise rolled her eyes.
Adarian knew he was that kind of person, but you could hardly blame him with women like Cherise in the world.
Nick ignored his friends as he caught sight of his lab partner Madaug St. James, who seemed to be muttering to himself as he stood off to the side of the ambulance. An almost stereotypical nerd, Madaug had a black gamer T-shirt on underneath his blue button-down that had been left open. His dishwater blond hair was cropped short and he had large blue eyes that were always covered with thin-rimmed glasses.
"Where has that nerd been?" Caleb said.
"I don't know some nerd convention outta town," Nick shrugged.
Even though Nick knew the name was pronounced "Man-dug," he, like most of the people in his class, usually pronounced it "Mad Dog." But that always irritated Madaug and right now he looked agitated enough.
"Hey, dude. You all right?"
Madaug froze at his question. "Uh, yeah. It's terrible, isn't it?"
"Especially gruesome."
Madaug nodded. "I can't believe it. I just can't believe it."
"This bitch," Mark said.
"Seriously, can't believe the nerve on kids these days," Bubba shook his head.
Chersie and Mennie shot them a confused look.
Neither could Nick. "Well, I guess the bright side is you don't have to worry about Scott or Brian picking on you today in gym class, right?" Last time Nick had been in school, Brian had worn Madaug's gym shorts and then forced Madaug into them after he'd sweated all over them.
Gross and nasty.
Madaug didn't respond to his question as he continued to fret.
"Nerds, nowadays," Kody sighed, casting a secret glance at Bubba and Mark.
Out of the crowd, one loud voice suddenly drowned the others out. "I'm telling you people, it's a zombie attack. Z to the O to the M to the B to the I, E. Zombie. Open your eyes, people, before it's too late and he eats someone else. Any of you could be next on the Zombie Apocalypse Menu. Heed my words and stock up on ammo! I got a new shipment coming in today!"
"Oh, no," Cherise shook her head, placing her hand on her forehead.
"I wonder who that could be," Nick said sarcastically, as Bubba beamed.
Nick knew that voice. He just wasn't used to hearing it this early in the day.
Big Bubba Burdette, the owner of the Triple B store. Wow, and Bubba hadn't burst into flames by getting up this early in the morning. Who knew? He'd have sworn the man was half vampire.
"You know nothing," Bubba said mysteriously.
Standing well over six feet tall, Bubba was an interesting mix of redneck and Goth. Case in point, he had on a Dawn of the Dead T-shirt with a red flannel shirt pulled on over it. His baggy jeans were complemented by a nice pair of black Doc Martens that were decorated with red skulls. With short black hair and a goatee, Bubba was terrifying to behold. But the minute he opened his mouth and that thick Southern drawl came out, he looked less like a threat and more like a giant fluffy panda bear.
"Excuse me!" Bubba said.
"Oh, no you didn't," Mark said.
"It's just a description!" Nick said, shrugging.
At least so long as you didn't interrupt his watching Oprah in the afternoon. Bubba said anyone dumb enough to do that deserved to have his entrails spilled.
And that thick drawl made most people underestimate a man whose IQ was off the charts.
"See, look. Compliments," Nick said. "Bask in them."
In fact, Bubba had graduated at the top of his class from MIT with degrees in both computer science and robotics. Now, he owned the Triple B—a gun and computer store where you could hire Bubba to hack anything in the world, legal or otherwise, and if that didn't work, he'd shoot it for you just to put it out of your misery.
The reporters left Bubba as they tried to interview more students.
"Now, the story is good," Bubba stated.
"But, I'm not in it yet," Mark said.
"Who cares! It's my time to shine," Bubba said dramatically.
Bubba spat a bit of his chewing tobacco onto the pavement. "That's right, troglodytes,-"
"Troglodytes?" Kody asked,quietly.
"A hermit," Bubba shrugged.
"It's his favorite word to confuse people with," Mark said.
"-ignore the only one who knows what's going on. The only one who knows how to save your putrid, insignificant lives. Go back to your media-induced comas where you believe all the crap spieled by greedy politicians who control you with ill-conceived lies and consumer-driven distractions."
"That's deep man," Caleb said.
"I know how the world turns. Take notes kids," Bubba said, cracking his knuckles.
"Aren't those consumer-driven distractions what keep you in business, Bubba?" Nick asked as he approached him.
"Must you open your mouth all the time," Adarian growled.
"I guess it runs in the family," Nick glared at him.
Bubba narrowed his dark brown eyes on Nick with disgust. "Don't sass me, Nick. I'm not a morning person and I might take my ill mood out on you."
"Please do," Caleb said.
"Yeah, I know. So what are you doing up at this hour, anyway?"
"Haven't slept. Got a call from Fingerman at oh dawn thirty telling me there were zombies on the loose and that he needed reinforcement. So I grabbed my gun and we went hunting in the bayou." Normal people might find this conversation odd, but then all conversations with Bubba were odd, and zombie hunting was just another service he offered at his store.
"Mark get eaten?"
"Were you praying for it?" Mark said offended.
"I mean I could live without the duck pee stench," Nick said, honestly.
"Nah, the little wuss fell asleep on the way back to the store. He's cuddled up in the front seat like an infant girl, sucking his thumb and holding his jacket tucked under him like a pillow. Don't know what I'm going to do with him."
"Love him forever," Mark said.
Bubba shot him a disgusted look.
Nick opened his mouth to make another comment when he realized that conversations had stopped. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Turning his head, he saw Brian being led out of the school in handcuffs.
Except for the blood marring his Letterman's jacket, he looked normal. Completely. Totally.
"Ew, Brian," Caleb said.
"Or Brain," Kyrian shrugged.
"Oh my god... Mind blown!" Nick stated, eyes wide with wonder. Ash chuckled at his childishness.
Normal. Yeah, his skin was a little pale and his eyes sunken like he hadn't slept well. But other than that...
No one could tell he'd tried to eat his best friend.
"You said that there was blood on his Letterman jacket, so I think that would give it away," Kyrian shrugged.
"You are way too into this," Ash shook his head.
Brian slowed as he neared the captain of the team. Their gazes locked in such a way that it seemed like they were communicating without speaking.
The cops shoved him forward.
Brian kept his gaze on the captain until he was forced into the police car.
"Who was the captain anyway?" Caleb asked.
"Why are you looking at me? I wasn't on the team." Nick stated.
Nick looked at Bubba. "Is it just me or was that weird?"
Bubba gave him a droll stare. "Is there any part of this day that hasn't been weird, boy?"
"Boy, not man," Mark stated.
"Shut up, you're barely a man," Bubba stated.
Nick laughed at the hurt look on Mark's face.
Good point.
"So what do you think caused this?" Nick asked.
Bubba scratched his head. "That I'm trying to figure out. Normal zombie attacks—"
"'Normal,'" Caleb said, using quotes.
That made Nick wonder what would qualify as an abnormal attack.
"You and me have always been like this," Caleb said, pointing between himself and Nick with both hands rapidly.
"—are done by dead people brought back from their graves. They're under the control of their masters and attack humans to get a taste of blood. But this ... the kid wasn't dead yet. Makes no sense to me."
"Maybe someone spiked his Wheaties?"
"Wheaties are gross," Kody scrunched up her nose.
"I prefer Honey Bunches of Oats," Caleb shrugged.
"Lucky charms," Nick said.
"Me too," Ambrose smiled. Nick laughed.
Bubba shook his head. "Well, there is some chemicals what can give a human zombie-like symptoms. But none of them make a person eat another one. Maybe it's some bio-terrorism test being run by the government. Don't be drinking no tap water or seafood until I do some testing."
Nick grinned. "I don't normally drink my seafood, Bubba, but—"
"Ha, oh I get it," Caleb smiled.
"Good job!" Nick said sarcastically.
"Don't get smart with me, Gautier. I still got loaded weapons from last night."
Nick opened his mouth to speak, but a hysterical scream silenced him.
"Finally! He didn't speak!" Mark said.
"Oh my God! The coach just ate Mr. Peters! Someone help! Help!"
The police went running into the school as the secretary came dashing out, screaming in terror and tearing at her hair.
Nick froze as those words about Peters seeped into his brain. On the one hand he was horrified the man had been eaten. On the other...
He was strangely happy. The sanctimonious pig kind of deserved it.
"Woohoo!" Caleb and Nick cheered.
Nick, that's so wrong. He heard his mom's voice in his head. Yeah, maybe it was, but he still couldn't help thinking it was some kind of divine payback.
"Amen to that," Cherise said.
The police forced the crowd back as the media rushed the school, trying to get photos and footage.
Suddenly, the vice principal was outside with a bullhorn. "School is canceled for the day. Students go home. We'll be calling later in the day with information. Please ... disperse and leave. Any student found on campus will be suspended. Now go home and don't come back here today."
"Lucky you," Kyrian shook his head.
"Suuure," Nick said.
"And hopefully tomorrow too," one of the students shouted.
Bubba spat more tobacco out. "It's good to be you today, huh?"
"Yeah, as long as I don't get eaten by my football team... Can I come hang in your store and do some research on this?"
"Research, sure," Kody said.
Bubba nodded. "Sure, but you've got to open it for me and watch it while I catch some Z's."
That sounded fair to Nick. "Let me get my backpack and I'll head straight over." He left Bubba to find Tad, who was standing in a large group of seniors.
Intent on their discussion, none of them saw him.
"Oh no," Caleb said.
Nick nodded his head to continue. His mom would have to find out sooner or later. Might as well be now.
"I'm telling you, we need to notify the council and the Dark-Hunters. This has Daimon written all over it."
"Daimon?" Cherise questioned quietly.
"It's a type of demon, Ms. Guaiter," Kyrian explained.
Cherise shook her head. She was stuck in a house full of loonies because of her son.
"Not in daylight, it don't. Daimons can't attack until the sun goes down and you know that. They'd be toast if they stepped one foot outside right now."
"But there were more attacks last night and this is spreading. My money still says it's Daimon related. They're doing something. Mark my words."
One of the seniors rolled his eyes. "A Daimon can't convert a human. That's the first lesson we're all taught."
"Then what do you think it is? It has to be related to them. There's nothing else it could be."
Tad narrowed his eyes on his friend Alex Peltier, who'd been silent the whole time. "Can a Were-Hunter bite turn humans into were-beasts?"
Cherise listened closely. It was actually pretty interesting what they were saying, though she didn't believe in that voodoo nonsense.
"What's a Were-Hunter?" Nick asked before he could stop himself.
"Nick, Nick," Bubba shook his head.
They faced him and clammed up immediately.
Russell Jordan, who'd been doing the most talking, curled his lip as if Nick disgusted him. "What are you doing here, Trailer Park?"
"Trailer Park," Cherise said with a scowl, but Nick waved it off.
Tad cleared his throat. "He's working for Kyrian now. Be nice, Russ, or Kyrian won't be happy." He faced Nick. "What can I do for you?"
"See I do you good, kid," Kyrian smiled.
"I wanted to get my backpack out of your truck."
"I'll be right back," Tad said to his friends before he led Nick away from them.
Nick scowled as he followed after Tad. "So what's a Were-Hunter?"
"It's a ... a gamer's term. Somebody who hunts animals."
"Smooth," Caleb rolled his eyes.
That didn't make any sense and it was a term he'd never heard before. "If it's just a game, why did you ask if they could turn a human?"
Tad didn't answer. Instead, he led Nick to his SUV, pulled out his backpack, and then left him there to watch while Tad went back to his friends.
Thanks for all the non-answers. Tad was going to make a great parent one day.
"That's rude," Cherise said.
"When do you ever tell me the truth the first time I ask?" Nick said, looking at her dead in the eyes.
She didn't answer him and his point was proven.
But in the meantime, "Something weird is going on here."
Something half the people in his school seemed to know about. And if it was the last thing he did, he was going to find out what this secret was.
Even if it killed him.
"You have a death wish," Kyrian said.
Nick shrugged. "I guess so."
Most of all, he was going to find out some way to protect himself, 'cause he had no intention of losing what little brain matter he had.
"True that," Caleb laughed, Nick glared at him.
New Orleans was definitely getting weird and Nick wasn't about to be added to anyone's menu.
Except maybe Nekoda, who was strangely missing from the crowd...
"Bleh," Nick and Caleb shuddered.
And Ash nodded in agreement.
Had something grabbed her last night and added her to its menu?
"I wish.." Nick sighed.
"Well, the end. Lunch?" Caleb said, hurrying to the kitchen to see what Rosa whipped up.
Nick took a deep breath before getting up with Ash. Now was the time they told everyone. Nick wasn't sure how he going to do it, but all you really needed was 5 seconds of bravery, right? At least that's what Tris from Divergent said.
Ash looked at Nick, "Don't worry. I'm here too."
Nick smiled softly at him, "I know."
Ash embraced Nick, who buried his face in Ash's shoulder.
The couple unaware of that Kody was watching with tears streaming down her face. This just put the final nail in the coffin for Kody. Nick didn't want her anymore and he probably never would. She could come to terms with it, but that didn't mean it would stop hurting.