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“And?” he said, hoping it came out indifferent.

“And I like when you stare at me,” she said, her voice dropping low.

He resisted the urge to glance around. No one ever took notice of them in this place. It’s one of the reasons he and Wes liked it so much. Cord thought it was … how had she put it? Skeevy. That was it. She never came here.

He jammed his hands into his pockets and faced off with Cambria. She leaned closer so their faces were only inches apart. Her mouth dangled in front of him, inviting his to meet it. He didn’t back down.

“Does it make you nervous?” he whispered, enjoying the game they were playing despite his usual reserve.

“Yes,” she admitted.

That surprised him. He’d been sure she’d say no. This girl never ceased to surprise him. “Then why do you like it?” he asked.

“Because it means you aren’t looking at anyone else.”

His lips curved upward. “I can promise you this, Cambria Hebert: when you’re in the room, I’m not looking anywhere else but at you.”

She opened her mouth, no doubt ready with some flirty, snarky retort, but he didn’t let her get it out. Before she could form a sound, he swooped in and silenced her with a kiss.

Blood Rule

Prologue

During Alex’s coma

Alex

No one understands what I’ve done. I can’t tell them because I can’t find my voice. I attempt to search my mouth, roll my tongue side to side, but it doesn’t move, and no sound escapes the enclosed space of my lips. None of my muscles will work; not my jaw to open my mouth. Not my eyelids. Not even my lashes will quiver.

I can hear someone crying. They must think I’m dead. I feel dead. I feel numb enough to be dead.

Except for the pain in my chest that isn’t caused by anything physical. It’s there because of what I’ve done. I know that none of them will understand.

The crying is louder now. I think it’s her.

Tara.

But I still can’t call out. Can’t make my muscles work. Is she crying because I’m dead? Or because she’s so devastated by what I’ve done? Maybe she’ll be happy I’m dead. Maybe it will be easier.

But if I’m dead, who will tell them the truth? No one will know what I’ve done. And they’ll never forgive me.

Blood Rule

Deleted scene between Wes and Tara

Somewhere in Colorado

Tara

“I keep thinking this is all a bad dream. That I’ll wake up and be home, arguing with Jack about training or stuffing myself with Fee’s cookies so she won’t feel badly about baking so many. I mean, this can’t really be happening, right?” Tears threatened and I blinked, attempting to clear them. Instead of dissipating, they hovered there, sheens of moisture on the edges of spilling.

“We’ll get back there, eventually.”

I could hear the false note of hope in his voice but decided not to point it out just now. I needed to hear the words even if we both knew the reality was a long shot.

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. My mind was blessedly blank as I focused all my concentration into perfecting the clouds and sun I’d drawn with my stick. In my mind’s eye, I pictured the cotton ball wisps of the cloud’s edges as they contrasted starkly again the cobalt blue canvas. It could’ve been the sky’s view from anywhere, but for me, it could only be seen from the gazebo in my backyard.

“Home feels so far away,” I said into the silence. “And not just because of the miles separating us.”