Part 16
Kestrel had tired of the conversation back at the house. She was sick of hearing about Rowan's slipping sanity, Alana Blackthorn and whatever else she had to do with Rowan and Midian. She'd slipped out of the house when there had been a commotion out front. She didn't think anyone had seen her.
She loved her sisters more than anything, but right now, they were both driving her up the wall.
She wandered around the small town wishing there was something to *do* here. The languid lifestyle of the place had been grating on her a lot lately. She had been more than a little intrigued when Blake had sown up. He was someone *new*, someone exciting.
So Midian had told some pretty horrific things about him. So what? People said the same things about Ash, and he'd out all right, eventually.
But a part of her didn't want a guy that was just *all* *right*. She wanted a guy with *power*, she wanted someone with danger, someone open to pretty much anything.
But since Rowan had spoilt her date with Blake, she hadn't seen him around. The only interesting thing around here, and he'd gone.
Kestrel sighed with annoyance, and sat down on the steps of City Hall, not knowing what to do with herself. Rowan had been talking about waiting another *year* in this dump for Jade to finish high school so they could all go to college together.
She'd go stir crazy if she had to hang around here for another year. Her eyes followed a couple of boys she recognised from the high school coming out of the General Store.
Their necks looked a lot more appetising than she'd recognised. She had to admit, if only to herself, she missed the taste of human blood.
She'd never forgotten that incident with Todd Akers and Vic Kimble when they'd first come to Briar Creek. As annoying as they had been thinking they could get away with hurting them, that moment when they'd fought *back* and taken active human blood had been exiting. She'd almost *enjoyed* it.
Hunting animals only was getting kind of dull. There were just the same ones all the time.
"I've seen corpses more lively."
Kestrel looked up, finding herself smiling as Blake reappeared in a soft-topped silver Mercedes. "Try living here. Makes dead things look positively joyful." Her smile was unpleasant.
"I'm heading into the city." He pushed open the passenger door. "Want to come along?"
Kestrel stood up. She found she couldn't wait to see the looks of disapproval on the faces on her friends.
"I've been looking *everywhere* for you."
Kestrel's smile turned into a scowl as Alana Blackthorn came swooping in out of nowhere, getting in Blake's car. She was exquisitely dressed in a pale green suit and a designer low cut white blouse.
Blake was watching her with a sickening, almost dreamy expression. Kestrel wasn't about to let this bitch spoil her fun. She got in the backseat. "*We're* going to town. Who the hell invited you?"
"Deal with it," Alana said dismissively.
"Haven't you ever heard the expression the more the merrier?!" Blake put the car in gear and drove off.
"Depends on the company," Kestrel answered.
//Play along and we'll give this bastard what he deserves//.
Kestrel was completely caught off guard by Alana's mental voice. //What'd you mean?// It felt startlingly good to be able to use her powers again. Maybe Alana wasn't as bad as she seemed.
//Wait and see//
Then again, maybe she was, Kestrel thought dryly. But she was more than willing to go along for the ride.
* * *
Kestrel had tired of the conversation back at the house. She was sick of hearing about Rowan's slipping sanity, Alana Blackthorn and whatever else she had to do with Rowan and Midian. She'd slipped out of the house when there had been a commotion out front. She didn't think anyone had seen her.
She loved her sisters more than anything, but right now, they were both driving her up the wall.
She wandered around the small town wishing there was something to *do* here. The languid lifestyle of the place had been grating on her a lot lately. She had been more than a little intrigued when Blake had sown up. He was someone *new*, someone exciting.
So Midian had told some pretty horrific things about him. So what? People said the same things about Ash, and he'd out all right, eventually.
But a part of her didn't want a guy that was just *all* *right*. She wanted a guy with *power*, she wanted someone with danger, someone open to pretty much anything.
But since Rowan had spoilt her date with Blake, she hadn't seen him around. The only interesting thing around here, and he'd gone.
Kestrel sighed with annoyance, and sat down on the steps of City Hall, not knowing what to do with herself. Rowan had been talking about waiting another *year* in this dump for Jade to finish high school so they could all go to college together.
She'd go stir crazy if she had to hang around here for another year. Her eyes followed a couple of boys she recognised from the high school coming out of the General Store.
Their necks looked a lot more appetising than she'd recognised. She had to admit, if only to herself, she missed the taste of human blood.
She'd never forgotten that incident with Todd Akers and Vic Kimble when they'd first come to Briar Creek. As annoying as they had been thinking they could get away with hurting them, that moment when they'd fought *back* and taken active human blood had been exiting. She'd almost *enjoyed* it.
Hunting animals only was getting kind of dull. There were just the same ones all the time.
"I've seen corpses more lively."
Kestrel looked up, finding herself smiling as Blake reappeared in a soft-topped silver Mercedes. "Try living here. Makes dead things look positively joyful." Her smile was unpleasant.
"I'm heading into the city." He pushed open the passenger door. "Want to come along?"
Kestrel stood up. She found she couldn't wait to see the looks of disapproval on the faces on her friends.
"I've been looking *everywhere* for you."
Kestrel's smile turned into a scowl as Alana Blackthorn came swooping in out of nowhere, getting in Blake's car. She was exquisitely dressed in a pale green suit and a designer low cut white blouse.
Blake was watching her with a sickening, almost dreamy expression. Kestrel wasn't about to let this bitch spoil her fun. She got in the backseat. "*We're* going to town. Who the hell invited you?"
"Deal with it," Alana said dismissively.
"Haven't you ever heard the expression the more the merrier?!" Blake put the car in gear and drove off.
"Depends on the company," Kestrel answered.
//Play along and we'll give this bastard what he deserves//.
Kestrel was completely caught off guard by Alana's mental voice. //What'd you mean?// It felt startlingly good to be able to use her powers again. Maybe Alana wasn't as bad as she seemed.
//Wait and see//
Then again, maybe she was, Kestrel thought dryly. But she was more than willing to go along for the ride.
* * *