VIXEN
Noises, as if we were at a construction site, boomed from the house as we glided through the gates. I let go of Terror and climbed off the motorcycle. “What’s going on? What’s Slasher doing to my house now?”
“Keeping my promise.” He startled me, appearing out of nowhere. “Redecorating your room like you wanted.”
I blinked, my mood Russell had distorted lifting. I never thought Slasher would come through. “Thank you.”
He crossed his huge arms over his chest and tilted his head a little down to the side as if he didn’t hear me. “What?”
“I said thank you, Slasher.”
He glanced at the boys. “Did you fuckers hear that or am I so high I’m imagining shit? Did Professor Legend actually say something nice to me?”
“Yes, Prez,” Terror and Mad Dog said in succession.
“Well,” Slasher held my hand and planted a kiss on the back, “you’re most welcome, Princess.” He gave the boys a hard glare and left.
I shook my head, turning to the brothers. “What was that?”
Mad Dog shrugged. “He’s probably high as a kite.”
“Or declaring a claim,” Terror said as a warning. “Now the right to flirt with the forbidden sister is exclusive to the president.”
“Fuck me. That’s his punishment for coming on to you last night,” Mad Dog mumbled at me.
Or my asking for Inferno to drive me instead of Terror.
“My brother is a fucking idiot, and we’ll all probably get stung for it,” Terror said. “Anyway,Iwould like to thank you, Professor, for lying to Dasher and trying to stop him from hurting my brother. You didn’t have to save Mad Dog, even get hurt in the way, but you did.”
So that’s why he’s being nice today.
“No need to thank me. I… I think it’s best if we just pretend yesterday with all its atrocities didn’t happen. We got off on the wrong foot, and things escalated. Maybe we can start over. I can be less…presumptuous, and you can be…nicer?” I glanced from Terror to Mad Dog. “And more appropriate?”
A ghost of a smile danced on Terror’s pouty lips. “I think we can do that.”
“Speak for yourself.” Mad Dog winked at me.
Terror kicked Mad Dog’s foot. “You have a death wish, asshole?”
Mad Dog punched his brother in the guts. “Fuck you. I was kidding.”
I laughed. “You guys are hopeless. Terror, am I allowed to know your first name?”
“Uh…” He let out a groan as he straightened. “The rule is we should never reveal our real names.”
“That rule applies to me?”
“Not really. I mean, you can get it from school if you pull some strings. It’s better to come from me.” He stretched a hand. “Luke.”
I shook his hand, and a bewildering tingle caressed my skin. “Nice to meet you, Luke.”
The rest of the day passed quietly, except for the constant hammering upstairs and the buzzing of Malcolm’s influx of texts. He wanted to apologize. Even though my body wasn’t sore or burning anymore, my soul was. I wasn’t ready to hear him out or accept his apology yet.
Wait, why wasn’t I sore anymore? The painkillers couldn’t have lasted that long.
I put my laptop aside and checked my back in the mirror. The bruises were almost nonexistent. I inspected my arm under the sleeve of my sweatshirt. The redness had faded to a pale pink.
Sitting back on the bed, I lifted the edge of my sweatpants and revealed my calf. Carefully, I rolled off the bandages until my skin flashed white.
