Part 8
Ardon hadn't bothered with high school that day. He just couldn't face the discussions of Astara's bitchy friends. He loved her to death, but hated the company she kept.
She lived and died by their opinions. If her friends didn't approve, then Astara only listened to them. They'd want some explanation for why he was breaking her heart. He had none. Apart from the thought that maybe someone was playing a practical joke on him.
Pairing him with a werewolf - but who would find something so sickening so funny?
He'd spent most of the day in the gym trying to work off some of the stress, but with little success. Around 6pm he gave up and decided to go hunting. Killing something sweet and innocent would make him feel better. He could find something for Astara too.
He hadn't heard from her since last night, providing she was still speaking to him. There was no reason she shouldn't. He'd made it clear that *she* was the one he loved.
"I heard about your puppy."
Ardon gritted his teeth. He'd thought things couldn't suck anymore than they already did. But it looked like he was wrong. As he left the gym, it was just his luck that he'd run into the *last* person he wanted to see. His spoilt older sister Verlaine. She was smirking cruelly. "I'm sure Astara must *love* that one."
He couldn't beat her up in a public place. Not in a gym, at least, where there were probably people strong enough to pull him back. That was one of Verlaine's most annoying habits. She loved to mess with people's minds. She always picked just the right spot to get her needle in. Usually somewhere were her victim couldn't retaliate.
"Rot in hell," he snapped, shoving her out the way.
"Hey, maybe your puppy can get together with Ocean," Verlaine called after him. "That'd be a fun combination. Does Astara even *know* about Ocean?"
Verlaine waved, in an almost friendly manner before tossing her raven hair over her shoulder and heading off for the ladies changing rooms. Ardon stalked out. Damn that rotten fucking bitch. Why the hell did she have to pick *now* to show up? He hadn't known Ocean was still alive?
"Hey, there you are. Where have you been all day?"
He managed a weak smile as Astara wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently.
"You're in a good mood," he commented, hoping his voice didn't sound too strained.
Astara graced him with a dazzling smile. "A very good mood. Regan's called Karma to deal with our - problem."
Ardon tried to remember who Karma was. Then groaned. "Wait a minute, the freak no one's sure is a he, she or it?" His eyes rolled in disgust.
"*He* may be weird, but he gets the job done," Astara pointed out.
Ardon grunted. "Look, something's come up I gotta take care of."
Astara watched him curiously for a minute, then nodded, kissing him again. "Okay, but everyone's going to the Black Hole at nine, don't disappoint me." She kissed his cheek a third time and walked into the gym.
Ardon got in his car. Of Karma was taking care of Cayla, he needed to deal with Ocean and Verlaine. Before Astara found out.
* * *
Ardon hadn't bothered with high school that day. He just couldn't face the discussions of Astara's bitchy friends. He loved her to death, but hated the company she kept.
She lived and died by their opinions. If her friends didn't approve, then Astara only listened to them. They'd want some explanation for why he was breaking her heart. He had none. Apart from the thought that maybe someone was playing a practical joke on him.
Pairing him with a werewolf - but who would find something so sickening so funny?
He'd spent most of the day in the gym trying to work off some of the stress, but with little success. Around 6pm he gave up and decided to go hunting. Killing something sweet and innocent would make him feel better. He could find something for Astara too.
He hadn't heard from her since last night, providing she was still speaking to him. There was no reason she shouldn't. He'd made it clear that *she* was the one he loved.
"I heard about your puppy."
Ardon gritted his teeth. He'd thought things couldn't suck anymore than they already did. But it looked like he was wrong. As he left the gym, it was just his luck that he'd run into the *last* person he wanted to see. His spoilt older sister Verlaine. She was smirking cruelly. "I'm sure Astara must *love* that one."
He couldn't beat her up in a public place. Not in a gym, at least, where there were probably people strong enough to pull him back. That was one of Verlaine's most annoying habits. She loved to mess with people's minds. She always picked just the right spot to get her needle in. Usually somewhere were her victim couldn't retaliate.
"Rot in hell," he snapped, shoving her out the way.
"Hey, maybe your puppy can get together with Ocean," Verlaine called after him. "That'd be a fun combination. Does Astara even *know* about Ocean?"
Verlaine waved, in an almost friendly manner before tossing her raven hair over her shoulder and heading off for the ladies changing rooms. Ardon stalked out. Damn that rotten fucking bitch. Why the hell did she have to pick *now* to show up? He hadn't known Ocean was still alive?
"Hey, there you are. Where have you been all day?"
He managed a weak smile as Astara wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently.
"You're in a good mood," he commented, hoping his voice didn't sound too strained.
Astara graced him with a dazzling smile. "A very good mood. Regan's called Karma to deal with our - problem."
Ardon tried to remember who Karma was. Then groaned. "Wait a minute, the freak no one's sure is a he, she or it?" His eyes rolled in disgust.
"*He* may be weird, but he gets the job done," Astara pointed out.
Ardon grunted. "Look, something's come up I gotta take care of."
Astara watched him curiously for a minute, then nodded, kissing him again. "Okay, but everyone's going to the Black Hole at nine, don't disappoint me." She kissed his cheek a third time and walked into the gym.
Ardon got in his car. Of Karma was taking care of Cayla, he needed to deal with Ocean and Verlaine. Before Astara found out.
* * *