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Chapter 10
Drew's car squealed into the school parking lot and he threw open the door, slamming it behind him. A group of students walking up to the school jumped at the sound. They looked over to see who it was and then just shrugged as if they weren't surprised.
So this is how you see me! Drew thought, wanting to pound his fist into the side of his car. He resisted only because he couldn't stand the thought of making a dent in the gorgeous sports car. This is how you all see me!
He moved toward the front door quickly. He couldn't allow himself to stop or he might take his anger out on the next hapless individual who gawked at him. He couldn't remember being so furious in his life. He knew he should just forget about Clara, the conniving little…He couldn't finish that sentence, even in his mind. A part of him couldn't stand to speak of her that way, no matter how angry he was with her.
And how angry he was with Bracken. A great long string of expletives coursed through his brain at the thought of Bracken. He didn't get the same consideration. He knew what his brother was up to, he'd even looked back to flaunt the moment he kissed Clara.
Drew took a deep breath and pushed through the double door. He could calm down. He would make himself calm down. He kept his arms at his sides, clenching them when he felt another flare of anger coursing through him. Slowly, the fight began to leave him. He sighed and leaned against the wall of lockers, squeezing his eyes tightly shut.
He had just known that his past would come back to bite him in the rear. And now it had. Clara had felt what was between them. He knew she had. It had been amazing…electrifying. But now she was pushing away the feelings like they had never existed. She was pushing him away—and choosing his brother. If it had been any other guy it wouldn't have hurt so much. But Bracken and he had been fighting for things their whole life and Bracken always won. But it hadn't meant so much then as it did now. This was so infinitely more important.
Before, he had just shrugged all Bracken's accomplishments off. What did he care if Bracken was head of every team in school? What did he care if Bracken made all the best grades, made friends with everyone, was loved by everyone? He didn't. He'd turned to a wild lifestyle to prove that he didn't care about all of that.
And now Clara was rejecting him for his wild life. That had to be it. Unless she liked Bracken better too: just like everybody else. Drew swallowed bitterly and pushed the thought away. But there had been something special between them—even he didn't understand what it was. All he knew was that if she had felt it too, then she couldn't like Bracken better. He knew this because she had suddenly become the most important thing in the world to him.
And it ached to know she would never be his.
I'm not a bad guy, he thought. I'm not this evil person they all make me out to be. I'm not that person!
Drew took a deep breath again and clenched his fists, waiting for the anger to slowly dissipate. It finally left him, and what followed was sheer determination. He would prove it to her. He would prove that he wasn't that guy anymore. He could be nice. He could.
"Hey man," a voice drawled over to his left. "You look like you've been through a hurricane. Not getting into trouble already. It's only eight o'clock."
Drew opened his eyes and cocked his head in his friend's direction. He snorted at Reed. "Just sour."
Reed had a slinking look about his and a lynx eyed gaze. Just now, with the overhead lights shining down, Drew caught the eyeshine coming from Reed's eyes. His body, though thin, was wiry and strong and naturally tensed like any vampire. Reed was the only other person in Drew's gang of friends that was a Night Person. The rest were a bunching of big and fumbling humans who could barely add two and two. Drew knew he was more than exaggerating, but he couldn't help but feel some lingering disdain for humans in general.
Reed snorted. "Aren't you always?"
"Take that back," Drew's growl was only half-joking. His shoulders tensed slightly.
Reed lifted his hands in a warning gesture. "Don't push me, man," he said, his eyes flashing. "You're my bud, but if you pull a trick on me like you did on Jordan, I'll throw you into those lockers right now."
"Jordan's an idiot," Drew replied and leaned into the locker wearily. He felt his aggressions slowly being released. "He deserved it."
Reed snorted. "No doubt. He's one of them. But don't knock your gang. If you want them to work for you, show them a little leniency once and a while. Let him flip up a few skirts. Why did you stop him anyway? You trying to go for that girl?"
Drew shook his head and bristled when Reed's tone rose in such a way at the word girl. It was more than just an appreciative tone. It was an "I want some of that" tone. He felt a sudden flash of protective anger for Clara. He knew what Reed liked to do with his girls. His excuse always was "they're only humans after all."
"Nah," Drew said, choosing his words carefully. He continued in thought speak because they were in a crowded hallway. But now that you mention it. She looks like she has some sweet blood…I only hurt Jordan because he was ruining the silence. I needed to think.
Reed nodded appreciatively. "If I didn't have my own girl wrapped around me all the time I'd go for her myself."
Drew knew that the only reason she was wrapped around him half the time was because he used his powers on her. Reed was an excellent telepath, and even more excellent at influencing humans that they wanted something that they didn't.
"So," Reed said suddenly, changing the topic. "Did you think about my offer? Huh? It could be great!"
Drew shrugged almost indifferently. "I don't know, man…" he let his sentence trail off.
"What do you mean you don't know? Come on! It would be the life!" Reed argued. "Club hopping, good pay, surrounded by beautiful women, and some excellent vacations to the enclaves."
Reed had been badgering him about this since the start of the week. He wanted Drew to join up with the slave trade group importing humans to the islands. Reed's uncle was into that sort of thing. He made an excellent living off of it, and he'd offered Reed and Drew jobs as soon as they got out of High School. Only a week ago, Drew would have been enthusiastic about the prospect. Not only was it all the things that Reed had mentioned, but it was wild and on the edge. Just the sort of thing he would have wanted to do to prove that he wasn't just into small-time crimes.
But suddenly things were different. All because of one human girl who obviously didn't give a dang about him. But after what he'd felt—after that moment—humans had become real within his mind. They weren't just vermin. They were people. He may have felt some disdain toward their entire race, but he couldn't just write them off as cattle anymore. And something about sending them off into slavery for a perpetual food supply—well, it sent queasy ripples through his stomach. He didn't know if he could condone it.
But he couldn't tell Reed this. He couldn't let Reed know he was going soft. Then his friend would get the same ideas in his head as his brother. And that could be dangerous. It was already bad enough that Bracken knew that he cared for Clara.
He knew in some twisted sort of way that Bracken was trying to help him, but it didn't make him feel any better. He only hated his brother all the more for it.
"I don't know that I can," Drew replied. "My dad's been on my back lately. You know, the whole 'you'll play a part in the traditional family occupation or else' kind of thing."
Reed was looking at him insistently. "Come on," he said. "I know your father can be pushy and all, but that wouldn't take up all your time. You could still hop clubs with me at night. Drew, we need you. The girls follow you like a moth to a flame! Business would boom!"
Drew shook his head. "And if I'm ever found doing anything even slightly shifty? My father would kill me. You don't understand Reed. You weren't there. He really put his foot down. He wants to look like he's being a good Night World governor. He won't tolerate me hurting his reputation by getting into trouble."
Reed shook his head, looking disappointed. "You're a wuss," he snapped. "Don't tell me you're actually scared of him! I know you. What's gotten into you lately? The old Drew would have told him where to go."
Drew folded his arms across his chest and fixed his friend with a stare. He knew he was probably losing his friendship then, but surprisingly enough, he didn't care. He was shedding his old skin—and everything else that went with it. He was done being Drew the bad boy. He'd had enough of it.
"Well, maybe I'm not that person anymore," Drew said with a deadly strain in his tone. "Maybe I have better things to do."
Reed's lynx eyes flared with the comment. "Forget you."
Reed shoved by him, slamming Drew's shoulder with his own as he began to stalk off. The movement was so unexpected that Drew stumbled back a step. He caught himself with lightening reflexes and turned on Reed, gripping the front of his shirt.
He acted on instinct, doing what the old Drew would have done. His fist connected with the other boy's nose and he went sprawling, landing on a girl who was carrying a pile of library books. Blood spurted.
People were yelling and hopping out of the way. They'd attracted quite a crowd in only a manner of seconds.
Reed was on his feet in a second, his nose already head. "We're over," he declared with a dark look. "You're not my friend."
Drew shrugged, too angry to care. "Fine by me," he retorted.
Reed swore at him and turned and stalked away.
Drew turned to look at the girl sprawled across the floor. She slowly began to get to her feet. He felt a small ounce of pity. In the past he would have left her there and ignored his conscience.
She kneeled to begin picking up her books.
He knelt down beside to her to help her gather up her stuff, but a guy got in his face. "Hey," he said. "You stay away from my girlfriend, you hear? You've already hurt her enough."
Drew gave him a dark look. "I was just trying to help."
The boy snorted. "You? Help? There's no such thing."
Alright. Drew was definitely mad now. There was only so much abuse he could take in one day. He stood to face the human boy who thought he was so tough. He folded his arms across his chest. "Don't mess with me," he stated with emphasis.
"Just stay away from my girl," the guy replied, refusing to look away from Drew's piercing gaze.
Drew took the front of the boy's collared shirt and lifted him into the air until the toes of his shoes lifted off the floor and shoved him against the wall of lockers. The crowd oohed.
"You picked the perfect day to mess with me," Drew said, his voice deadly calm.
The boy flailed, pounding on Drew's steel grip uselessly and letting out a string of expletives. Drew was seriously considering making an example out of him when someone tapped him on the shoulder.
Now what? He let the boy drop to the ground and turned. When he saw who it was, his heart started to thump hard—and he wouldn't have been surprised if blood started rushing into his cheeks.
He felt a mix of anger and shame. He was trying to start this day out better than most, and he'd only made a mess of it.