Chapter 10

The next morning when Skai got to the bus stop she expected to see Eric. To her surprise, Jason was standing there. He looked just as healthy as ever.

"Jase!" she called, running to the corner to meet him. "What are you doing here? I mean I thought you were sick, and doesn't your mum drive you to school?"

"I feel well enough to go to school. Matt still has a fever and mum is staying home to take care of him."

"Oh…do you know what exactly it is you two were sick with?"

"No….Mum says it was just a fever though."

Skai was glad to have him back. Now that he was though she didn't know what to say to him. It felt awkward now. Then, as if things weren't awkward enough, Eric came walking across the road.

"Hello there Skai. Who's this?"

"Hey Eric…er….this is Jason. Jason this is Eric."

"Hey," Jason said, acknowledging Eric with a polite nod. "You're the one that had a strange disease right?" He asked , and Jason nodded. "It's a good thing you're over it. I've heard it can be fatal." There was a strange iciness in his voice as Jason met his eyes.

"Well, my brother is still under its shadow…" Jason said, still not lowering his gaze.

Skai watched the two of them nervously. There was tension between them. Why? Skai felt desperate, like she was missing something. One thing was apparent: they didn't like each other... At all.

"Let us hope he makes as fantastic a recovery as you have," Eric's voice was so icy it gave Skai the chills. "I'm sorry, what's your name again?"

"Jason," he replied. "Damien." He looked at Skai almost like he forgot she was there.

"Ah…yes. I've heard about you….you know how people talk at school."

"Yeah….people talk a lot around James B."

"Most of what I hear comes from her."

Jason grinned. "I can't say I'm surprised. We're like siblings," he said as he threw his arm around Skai, which made her laugh.

"Yep. Sometimes we can even tell what each other is thinking."

"Like right now, for instance. She's thinking that I'm annoying and to get my arm off of her." He hugged Skai tightly, then, noticing Eric's stony gaze, let her go.

Just as he released Skai the bus showed up. The three of them got on. Lily wasn't on so Skai sat in an empty seat. Jason sat beside her.

"Well?" she asked, anxious.

`"He's okay…I guess. But still, please keep your distance from him Skai. Just trust me on this one."

Skai was deeply disappointed. She became angry that he was actually telling her who she could hang out with.

"No," she said. Jason looked thoroughly surprised. "I'm sorry Jase. But I really like him." She shot a look at Eric to make sure he wasn't paying attention. "And I'm not going to avoid him just because you tell me to. Nothing you say can change my mind." At the next stop she moved up to sit beside Eric.

Jason sat in the seat, staring at the place that Skai had occupied a few moments before. Half angry and half dumbfounded at his friend's behavior. Finally he brought himself back. He watched her for a minute. She was talking with him, laughing with him. She flipped her hair behind her back. Her words echoed through his mind. They were like poison. That lying pretty boy. If she knew what he really was, she wouldn't give him the time of day. I smelled dried blood on him all the way at our house. He'd better not even think of biting her. If he does I'll bite him… His teeth sharpened in his mouth in anger. He felt his eyes dilate but he kept control.

Through every class that day he could smell dried blood. No matter where Eric was, Jason could still smell him. If there was anything more sickening than his scent, it was the fact that everyone knew him. Constantly girls were gossiping about him. Some boys high-fived him, others (to Jason's great pleasure) gave him nasty looks behind his back.

Shortly after school he met Eric in the locker room, as the pale boy was tying his sneakers.

"Hey." He sat his bag down and took a seat on the bench beside Eric.

"Skai told me about the fight you two had. Sorry about that," Eric said without looking up.

Jason looked slightly embarrassed. He didn't mean to be mean or anything. He just didn't want anything to happen to Skai.

"Why shouldn't she hang around me? Why should she keep her distance?"

His embarrassment left him as quickly as it had come. Now was the time. He had to tell Eric he knew and hope it didn't end badly.

"Because I know what you are," he said quietly. Eric was turned away, but Jason could tell he was smiling.

"What are you talking about?" he said as he stood, still not facing Jason. Jason could hear the smirk in his voice.

"You know full well what I mean. I've smelled the blood you're covered in all day." Jason's anger was rising. He's teeth sharpened again.

"So what if I am?" Eric turned to face him. "Humans can't smell blood. Can they wolf boy?" There was a mocking look on his face. Matt growled softly. It was true. Human senses were too weak to smell blood.

"What do you want with Skai?"

"Nothing. I just want her. She's beautiful, kind, and she has the most interesting blood type…"Jason froze. He knew. Eric continued. "It doesn't smell human. But she isn't anything other than human. She's the cross blood."

Jason completely froze. He even stopped breathing. How did he find out? He dropped the act.

"That's it. I'm not sure what kind of sick game you're playing. But leave Skai be." The disobedient smirk still carved into Eric's face infuriated Jason. "I'm serious. Leave her be."

"Oh, I won't do anything. You should know as well as I that biting an unwilling human is forbidden."

"You've been lying to her," Jason growled.

"I'm not the only one though, am I? Or have you honestly told her about your little moon-induced problem?"

Jason growled louder.

"Thought not. I'm no more lying to her than you are."

The lights flicked on and off. Even though Jason never took his eyes off of him, in the split moment when all was dark, Eric disappeared.

2 hours later Jason was pacing in the room he shared with his brother. Matt was sitting up in his bed, watching him.

"Are you serious?" Matt asked for the fifteenth time.

"I'm very serious!" Jason said, a note of desperation to his voice as he continued to pace.

"What are you going to do?"

"What can I do? I don't have much choice but to tell her." Matt gasped. "I know, I know. 'Keep her out of danger; don't let her get too involved.' But she doesn't even realize she's in danger! And if we don't tell her she's going to get more than involved.

Matt sat quietly. Jason stopped pacing and sat on his brother's bed, breathing hard. The unspoken question floating between the two of them was: How will she take it?

It didn't matter now. As long as she knew. Jason hoped he was making the right choice. She was already mad at him. If worse came to worse she'd think he was mental. He'd have to worry about that later.