Blood Bond (3 page)

“But if it was an accident—”

“Tara, he’s bat-crazy, which is apparently
rampant on your daddy’s side, God rest his soul, so don’t even
worry about it. He’s best left alone.” The edge in her voice made
it clear she meant it.

“Bat-crazy, got it,” I said. She huffed out
a breath, apparently satisfied. “One more thing. Is it all right if
Cambria comes home with us for the summer?” I gave her the story
about Cambria’s mom being in rehab and how Cambria would be
spending the summer alone otherwise.

“I’ll talk to your momma to be sure, but I
don’t see a problem with it,” she said.

“Thank you.”

“Oh, ‘Army Wives’ is on. I have to go.”

I heard rustling sounds and
then the line went dead.
Army
Wives
? I shoved the phone back into my
bra—glancing around to see where I’d wandered. There was something
familiar about these trees. My mouth went dry as I made the
connection.

This was where I’d fought the hybrids with
Wes. This was where I’d blacked out.

I spun on my heel and hurried back to the
path and the twinkling lights of the courtyard. I couldn’t get away
fast enough; images bombarded me. The way hybrids had poured out of
the trees toward Wes, their eyes yellow and glowing and intent on
killing. The way they seemed to enjoy the violence of the fight.
When they’d taken Wes down my heart stopped. I thought I’d faint or
freeze up from the fear. Instead, I went mad. Something inside me
snapped, and I became more animal than human. It wasn’t a conscious
decision and it wasn’t something I could control.

When it was over, broken bodies—some wolf
and some human—littered the clearing. Wes said I’d killed without
mercy. He also said I smelled like a wolf.

It took us three hours to bury the bodies so
no one would know what I’d done. I’d made Wes swear not to tell
anyone about it and prayed it wouldn’t happen again.

Professor Flaherty met me on the way inside.
Her red hair hung loose down her back, like a floating flame.
“Tara, you look nice. Are you enjoying the party?” she asked.

“Yeah, I just needed some air.”

“I know what you mean. I was just taking a
breather, myself.” I moved to go around her, wanting the solitude
of the ear-splitting noise, the absence of conversation. “Oh, Tara,
before I forget,” she called, “please use the summer to think about
my offer to mentor you next year.” She smiled wryly. “I’m told mine
wasn’t the only offer, so I understand if you turn me down. It’s a
hard decision. Kane usually only extends the opportunity to one
student at a time. It’s quite an honor.”

“Um, I’m thinking about it,” I said.

She nodded. “Like I said, consider it over
the summer. You can let us know in the fall.”

“Thanks, I’ll do that.”

“In case I don’t see you tomorrow, have a
safe trip home. Tell Vera I said the same.”

“I’ll tell her. See you later,
Professor.”

I made my way back to the party. Cambria met
me at the door. She smiled and leaned in closer than necessary.
“Where’ve you been? You’re missing all the drama.” Her breath
reeked of alcohol and her eyes were lit—a little too lit.

“Have you been drinking?”

“Professor Kane caught Levi spiking the
punch and they got into it. The DJ cut the music so all you heard
was the yelling. It was hilarious.”

“How does that explain the alcohol on your
breath?”

“I might’ve charmed the kitchen lady into
letting me have a cup of the punch before they poured it out.”

“A cup?”

“It was a really big cup?”

“Cambria!” I hissed, glancing around.

“Relax. No one saw me. They were all too
busy watching Kane ream out Levi. Demi was pissed. You should’ve
seen her face.”

“I’m quite content not having seen her face.
In fact, if I never see it again, I’ll die happy.”

Demi became the new Queen Bitch after
dethroning Victoria a couple of months ago. She’d also had her hand
in helping Miles with his attempt to take over the world using
hybrid Werewolves. Demi was not my favorite person. She made
Victoria look like a walk in the park.

“Can’t disagree.” Cambria glared at
something behind me. Demi, judging by the intensity of her
expression. I didn’t bother to turn. “Ugh. I still can’t believe I
liked Phillipe, or Miles, or whatever. Leave it to me to pick the
psychos.”

“It’s not your fault. He used you.”

“It’s still gross. I feel weird about
it.”

I didn’t answer. Whenever Cambria brought up
the fact that she’d been briefly fooled by Miles, who’d posed as a
security guard for the school to gain her trust, I bit my tongue.
It wasn’t her fault. He’d lied. Still, Miles had been creepy before
I’d known who and what he really was. How had she missed that?

She took a deep breath and let it out. I had
the impression she was expelling the conversation with it. “Well,
I’m off.” She bumped me as she passed, wobbling slightly.

“Where are you going?”

“Christian Norton.” Her eyes glazed over and
she wore a dreamy smile.

“Who is Christian Norton?”

“He’s a senior. Long legs. Tight jeans.
Mmmm.”

“You’re half drunk.”

“So?”

“So I am not letting you run off with some
guy you barely know. What if something happens?”

“Um, that’s the idea, genius.” Her pupils
dilated and I blinked, wondering if I’d imagined it. At the same
time, a feeling of serenity washed over me. I had the urge to stop
arguing, to let her go.

I shook my head and the feeling cleared. I
put a hand on my hip. “Are you compelling me?” I demanded.

“No! … Not anymore.”

“Cambria.”

“Sorry. It gets a little out of control when
I drink.”

“Point proven. You’re not meeting Christian
like this. We’re going to bed.”

She pouted. “You’re no fun tonight. Did
something happen with Alex?”

I sighed. “Absolutely nothing happened with
Alex, nor will it. Let’s go.” I took her hand and led her out.

Chapter Three

The next morning, Cambria’s eyes were dull
and glassy.

“Did you drink enough to get a hangover?” I
asked.

“For a normal person? No. For me? Yes.” She
scowled as she pulled her boots on and ran a brush through her
hair. Her white streaks were already fading to gray as a result of
the cheap dye she’d used. Her complexion almost matched.

“You look sick, Cam.”

“Thanks. You look gorgeous too.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I know, I know,” she said, waving her hand
and scanning the room distractedly. She tugged her school-issued
gown from a pile of laundry and pulled it over her head. “Alcohol
and compulsion don’t mix. It’s my own fault. Let’s go before they
come looking. I’m not trying to start next year off with
detention.”

We made it there just as the doors began to
close. Professor Hugo glared at us and waved us to a seat without a
word. When our names were called, we were given a certificate of
completion. It wasn’t the same as a diploma and seemed completely
pointless to me, except it gave us a reason to cross a stage in
front of a clapping crowd.

Headmaster Whitfield beamed like a
fluorescent bulb, as if each student crossing the stage was a
testament to his ability to lead and mold. When my turn came, I
shook his hand, doing my best to ignore the glower he aimed at
me.

We returned to our seats
and the lights dimmed. A video began on the screens mounted to
either side of the stage. It was a slideshow of pictures, yearbook
style. I squeezed my hands together and prayed I wouldn’t be in
any. I’d rather be left out than featured during one of Victoria’s
or Demi’s attempts at public humiliation.
Please, God, no dog food pictures.

One of the last slides showed a picture of
the courtyard. Kids scurrying to class or stopping to socialize
filled the screen. I recognized the couple in the left corner just
as Cambria poked me in the ribs.

“Is that—?” I began in a whisper.

“Logan and Victoria sucking face. Yes.”
Cambria made a gagging noise.

I heard a few snickers as the slide changed
to another picture. When it ended, the lights came on and
Headmaster Whitfield returned to the podium to tell us to have a
safe summer.

The junior class surged into the aisles like
a tsunami. I waited in my seat for the throng to exit and looked
again for my family in the sea of faces. I spotted Grandma shoving
her way upstream and waved.

Her sweatshirt, a throwback
from some cross-stitch-meets-iron-on situation sitting atop her
elastic-waist jeans made her look like the typical
grandma-next-door. A cookie-baking, church-organ-playing, senior
citizen—but looks could be, and in Grandma’s case,
definitely
were
,
deceiving. She was one of the best Hunters I’d ever seen. Like an
old lady version of Chuck Norris. I loved her.

“Hey, baby,” she said, reaching over the
chair backs from the aisle ahead of me and pressing a kiss against
my cheek.

“Where’s Mom?” I asked.

“Oh, she stayed behind. Flower emergency,”
Grandma said. “You both looked gorgeous up there.”

“We did, didn’t we?” Cambria slid her gown
over her head and threw it over a chair.

“How long until we leave?” I asked.

“Soon,” Grandma said. “I need to find Vera
and load her bags and then we’ll get on the road. Why don’t you two
meet me in the parking lot out front of Griffin Hall in an hour or
so?”

“Sounds good. I need an aspirin,” Cambria
said.

Grandma headed off in the direction of
Headmaster Whitfield. He was still hovering near the stage talking
to Professor Kane. They looked up as she approached. Headmaster
Whitfield smiled wide enough to split his lip. Kane’s eyes
flickered from her to me and held for a moment, a slight frown on
his face. The way his mouth tipped downward elongated the scar on
his cheek. I shuddered.

“You okay?” Cambria asked.

“Um, yeah,” I mumbled. Kane turned his
attention back to Grandma and the heavy feeling passed.

“Hey, you.” Cambria snagged Logan’s arm as
he walked by with Victoria close behind. “Tara and I are leaving in
an hour, so if we don’t see you before then …” Cambria trailed off.
Her version of goodbye.

Logan pulled his hat out of his back pocket
where I’d seen him hide it before the ceremony, and yanked it
securely onto his head, facing backward. Strands of sandy hair
peeked out the front and sides. It looked funny with the black robe
he still wore over his jeans and sneakers.

“Goodbye to you, too, Cam. I’ll miss you.”
He let go of Victoria’s hand long enough to hug Cambria. Victoria
made a heaving sound.

“I might find it in me to miss you,” Cambria
told him.

He grinned and hugged me. “It’s not going to
be the same this summer without you two stirring things up,” he
said.

“Oh, we’ll still be doing that. I’m bunking
with Tara this summer,” Cambria said.

Logan’s brow shot up. “Huh. Well, try not to
get arrested.”

Cambria snorted. “Like that would ever
happen. I’d just charm—” She stopped short and stared at Victoria,
eyes wide.

“Please.” Victoria waved her hand. “Like I
don’t know you did that to me.”

“Logan,” Cambria hissed, sending him an
accusatory glare.

“I didn’t say anything. She knew.”

“Wait, does that mean the truce is over?” I
asked. Suddenly, the idea of leaving my packed bags in my room
didn’t seem very safe.

“You mean the truce you managed to trick out
of me under duress?” Victoria folded her arms.

Cambria shook her head. “Uh-uh. New deal.
It’s called the Logan truce, and you have no choice, even without
being charmed.”

“What the hell is the Logan truce?” Victoria
demanded.

“Look, you want to date Logan, God knows
why.” Logan shot her a look, which she ignored. “But he was our
friend first and will continue to be. Hence, the Logan truce.”

“That’s the dumbest logic ever. Besides, I
won’t even see you until fall. We can negotiate the details
then.”

“You’re not going to see Logan until fall,
either,” I said, but one look at Victoria’s smug smile and Logan’s
guilty one told me I was wrong. “Or maybe you are.”

“Victoria’s coming home with me for a
while,” Logan said. “Her parents are still missing so she doesn’t
really have anywhere to go.”

At the mention of her parents, the evil
twist left Victoria’s expression. In its place was sadness and
fear, and suddenly she was just a girl with no family. Guilt
stabbed at me. I hadn’t told her what I knew. Her parents weren’t
missing like she thought. CHAS had them locked in a cell so they
could be studied after being turned into hybrid Werewolves. I
didn’t feel any loyalty to CHAS or the powers that be, but Alex was
different. And I’d promised him.

“You have family,” Cambria said. “In Vermont
or something. I’ve heard you talk about them.”

“Her family won’t talk to her until her
parents are found. There are rumors of them being turned,”
explained Logan. I stared at the ground.

“Well … that sucks.”

I looked up, shocked at Cambria’s empathetic
response. She wasn’t looking at any of us. Instead, she stared
blankly at some plaque on the far wall depicting a wig-wearing
headmaster from the seventeenth century.

Logan cleared his throat, and Victoria
tugged on his hand. “Well, we’re going to meet up with my parents,
get our stuff together. I’ll talk to you guys soon,” he said.

“Call us, okay?” I gave him a one-armed hug,
steering clear of the hand he’d attached to Victoria.

“You okay?” I asked Cambria when they were
gone.

“Hmm? Yeah, why?” We wandered toward the
door, a task made easier by the near-empty hall.