Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter (16 page)

Mom waited in the kitchen, poised with her arms crossed,
back to the counter, angled so the frown on her face was the first thing I saw
when I walked in. I wondered how long she’d held that pose.

She began with a calm voice. “Do you want to tell me about
getting sent to the principal’s office after school?”

I slipped out of my backpack. “You’d think he would have
given me a medal rather than suspend me from school.”

Mom didn’t smile. “Mind telling me why you got into a
fight?”

“
I
didn’t get in a fight. I intervened. I already
went over this with Principal Romero. That kid was about to kill the other one,
and I stopped him.”

“Principal Romero said you beat on him.”

“Well, it put an end to his rampage, didn’t it?” I crossed
the kitchen, opened the freezer, and frowned. “No more fruity pops?”

“Aurora, I’m talking to you.”

“I can snack and listen.” I opened the cupboard and pulled
out a bag of pretzels instead.

“Aurora, I’m extremely disappointed.”

I stopped mid-chew and looked at her. “Well, I’m sorry. I
was recruited to fight. This is who I am now. It’s what they expect from me.”

“Agent Melcher said you could go back to your normal life.”

“Right, Agent Melcher.” I sneered. The pretzel sticks made
me think of small bones snapping under my teeth. I chucked the bag onto the
counter. “I don’t get to make my own decisions anymore.”

My mother’s face dropped. “Maybe they’ll reconsider in a
year.”

“Mom,” I said firmly. “They’ll never let me go.” I grabbed
an apple out of the glass fruit bowl on the counter and headed up the stairs.

“Where are you going now?” Mom asked.

“To get started on homework.” I chuckled at the surprise on
her face. “Much as I despise the idea of attending the UAA next year, I loathe
the thought of repeating senior year at Denali even more.”

And that was the truth. I could only play the recovering
accident victim for so long before my teachers started expecting more
participation on my part.

The upside of suspension was it forced me to stay in
one spot and get my work done. No Mouseketeers. No Skipping. No Fane.

I’d already crammed more studying into one morning than I
did during a whole week at Denali.

I joined my mom at the dining room table the next morning
and spread my books over the far end. A plate of toast and a glass of pulpy
orange juice sat by my side.

“I’m glad you’re making this time count,” Mom said. “Are you
sure I can’t make you breakfast?”

“Mom, I’m fine.”

I’d never really been sure what my mom did while I was at
school. To start the day, it seemed, she read the newspaper with a glass of
diet soda.

An hour later, my mom got up, put her glass in the
dishwasher, and took the paper in the recycle bin. She disappeared upstairs for
a while then returned fully dressed with freshly applied makeup.

 “I’m going to the grocery store. I’ll be right back. Do you
want anything?”

“More fruity pops,” I suggested.

The solitude was nice. For the first time since the
accident, I got work done. The sub sandwiches Mom brought back for lunch were a
welcome break, regardless of the way the bread disintegrated like sponge cake
inside my mouth.

The phone rang as my mom finished putting away the
groceries.

She answered. “Hello? Yes. May I ask who’s calling?”

I stared at my mom. She held the phone against her chest.
“Aurora, there’s a boy on the phone for you. Fane?”

I leapt out of my chair and grabbed the phone. “Hello?”

“Hello, Aurora.”

Even through the phone, his voice was silky.

My mother looked over.

I turned my back and spoke softly. “How did you get my
number?”

“I looked it up.”

I felt lightheaded in a good way. I wasn’t sure if Fane
would talk to me, much less call after the kiss. Scott hadn’t called and he
actually had my phone number.

“How’s school?” I asked.

“All the boys are resting easy knowing Aurora Sky’s not
around to beat them up…for now.”

I laughed. “They better not get too comfortable. The
school’s letting me return on Friday.”

“I can’t wait.”

I gripped the phone around my ear. My heart hammered inside
my chest.

“Do you have a piece of paper and pen?” Fane asked.

“Why?”

“I want to give you my phone number.”

“Why Fane Donado, are you giving me your digits?” I asked in
mock glee.

He chuckled. “Just write it down.”

I grabbed a No. 2 pencil and piece of unopened mail from the
counter, turning the envelope over to the back. “I’m ready.”

Fane recited his cell number.

“Got it.”

“Call me anytime.”

“During class?” I joked.

“Anytime,” Fane repeated.

“All right, see you Friday.”

“Until then, Aurora.”

My hands shook slightly when I hung up the phone.

“Who is Fane?” Mom asked.

I spun around and smiled innocently. “A boy at school.”

“And his name’s Fane?”

“Yeah.”

“How do you two know each other?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Gym class.”

“Aurora, I don’t want to see you fall in with a bad crowd.”

Laughter bubbled up my throat. “And you’re assuming he’s a
delinquent because of his name?”

“Nice boys don’t call themselves
Fane
.”

“Yeah, and nice boys aren’t always nice, either.”

“What do you mean?”

I shook my head. “Nothing, forget it. I’ll be in my room.”

I tried on five different tops Friday morning before settling
on a sweater and skirt that touched my knees.

When I reached school, I avoided C Hall and the risk of
running into the Mouseketeers. I wandered the halls until I heard his voice.

“Welcome back.”

Instant shiver.

I turned and smiled. I focused on Fane’s upper lip, the one
that was slightly smaller. Seeing him grin made me want to kiss him again.

“Aurora Sky,” those lips said. I want to show you
something.”

“What?”

“Come with me.”

We walked side by side down the empty hall and out the doors
into the student parking lot. The cold bit into my bare flesh. Fane led me to a
familiar Pontiac Catalina.

“This is my car.”

I folded my arms over my chest.

Fane planted a boot on the bumper. “This thing’s a tank.”

I looked it over. “It’s certainly ugly enough to be.”

“Very funny, but it could go through a brick wall and still
hold its shape. Last year, this woman in a Dodge Neon ran headfirst into me in
her sedan. Wasn’t her fault, really, she was skidding on ice.”

My eyes widened.

“Don’t worry,” Fane said. “She walked out of it just fine.
But her car…” Fane shook his head. “That thing crumpled like an accordion.” He
moved his hands together to demonstrate.

A smile spread across my face.

“The tank?” Fane gave it a shove with his boot. “Not a
scratch.”

“It sounds very safe,” I said. As Fane grinned I added
quickly, “But I’m still not ready.”

“Just know that I’m here for you when you are and, at the
risk of my reputation, I’m no speed demon.” Fane lowered his voice. “The tank
is more of a coaster. She doesn’t like going over fifty.”

I laughed. “Thanks. I’ll remember that.”

Fane opened the back door. “Go on, have a seat.”

Was he crazy?

“I’m not…”

“We’re not going anywhere. I just thought it might help if
you eased into the whole auto rehabilitation.”

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

“Step one: Get inside the car.”

I smiled and shook my head at his antics, but couldn’t
resist playing along for the moment. I lowered my head and climbed onto the
back bench. The burgundy upholstery was old and torn.

“Where are the seatbelts?”

Fane climbed in after me. “Buried under the seat someplace.”
He shut the door behind him. “How’s this?”

I looked out the side window at the parked cars then out the
front overlooking the west side of the school building. I nodded. “Fine for
now. What’s step two?”