“Lots of studying?” I supplied as I unpacked my bag, gathering all the undone homework that had been waiting for me since Friday. That felt like a lifetime ago.
“Yeah, something like that,” she replied, but there was something in her inflection and in the way her eyes darted around the room that made me doubt she was telling the truth. I didn’t push it, but instead fell into an easy rhythm of studying, chatting, and finally catching Sara-Kate up on my “date” and brunch with Alaric.
To be honest, it wasn’t so hard to come up with lies. I told the truth for the most part, just leaving out the near-death experiences and Bloodwright bits. To sell it, I had to sound sufficiently enthused and enamored over Alaric, or she’d never believe we were actually dating.
“So, what is he really like?” Sara-Kate prodded. “Like, is he nice? A good kisser? Tell me you’ve kissed since that time in the library, which was super rude to hear about from your aunt and not you, by the way.”
I blushed, thinking back to that stolen kiss in the special editions section of the school library. That also felt like a lifetime ago.
“Yeah,” I responded, twirling the pencil in my hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It's just things are happening so fast and it all feels a bit . . .”
“Complicated?” She smirked.
“Yeah,” I replied honestly. “You have no idea.”
She stared, waiting for me to continue.
“What?” I asked dumbly.
Sara-Kate rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Oh my God, tell me about the kiss. Has it happened again since? Give me details, woman! I’m dying over here!”
“Oh, well, it was nice.” I began, looking for the right words to say. “Very unexpected and intense, but in a good way.” My thoughts drifted back to that moment when he pushed me against the bookshelves, his mouth on mine moving in such a way it felt like he wanted to devourme. “It hasn’t happened since, though. Just taking things slow in that area.”
Sara-Kate looked at me expectantly. “Mari, was that your first kiss?”
I felt my cheeks burn. “Not technically.”
“That is so cute!” she gushed, reaching over to take my hand in hers. “But I swear to God, Mari, if that boy hurts you, I will castrate him and hang his dismembered dick on my wall.”
I burst out laughing at the image and felt fairly confident that although Alaric was a Bloodwright, I think Sara-Kate could actually take him on.
“What about you?” I took the opportunity to change subjects. “Any boys I need to keep an eye on?”
She smiled sweetly. “Nope. No boys. But there is this cute girl in my physics class.”
“Tell me everything,” I demanded, losing myself in the ordinary beauty of such trivial teenage conversation. For a precious, sacred hour, I actually felt normal, listening to Sara-Kate and discussing the upcoming Thanksgiving break. I really needed to use that time to catch up on schoolwork, but I had a feeling Alaric would have other plans in mind.
“Did I tell you that Alaric invited me to go up to his mountain cabin for a few days over the Thanksgiving break?” I asked, jotting down more notes for myupcoming English performance final.
“Shut up!” Sara-Kate beamed. “What did your aunt and uncle say?”
I shrugged. “I think as long as I am home for the actual Thanksgiving Day, they are fine with it. We’ll see.”
“Going away with the boyfriend! Ohhhh,” Sara-Kate sang, fighting back yet another yawn. “You are required to give me a minute-by-minute play-by-play. I will be stuck in my grandma’s boring Brooklyn apartment while my mom complains about the cooking she forces herself to do every year, even though she can’t boil water. I must live vicariously through you.”
“Promise me you’ll get some rest while you’re there,” I pushed.
“Yeah, yeah. I promise,” she conceded. “If only these nightmares would give me a break.”
I perked up at that confession. “Want to talk about it?”
“Not much to talk about, honestly.” Sara-Kate visibly shivered as her mind seemed to wander through her memories. “I only remember snippets of things. Usually I’m running from someone, up a stone staircase. Then the next thing I know, this giant, bony, Slender-looking man is towering over me, with giant, sharp teeth and glowing red veins. It lunges at me, and then I wake up.”
Her description left my mouth dry, my own limbs going numb as a picture of the Stonebound took root in my mind.
She continued scribbling notes down as she continued. “I don’t know. I’m also feeling paranoid, which I’m sure isn’t helping.”
“Paranoid how?” I prodded.
