my blue polka-dotted toes. “Next time, it could be one of you. I won’t risk it.”
She gasped almost inaudibly, as if the thought had never occurred to her. Or maybe hearing it out loud startled her.
“You sure you want to go with that much red? A black top might be better.” I turned and rummaged through my closet, then handed her a top. “This would go good with those boots.”
“Thanks.” She took the tank top from the hanger and her lips curved slightly. “You’re okay, Cydney.”
Twenty minutes later, we were loaded in the car and driving to school.
“Aunt Mina, I was wondering if maybe I should keep my door unlocked at night from now on.” I glanced at the rearview mirror to see her watching me.
“Why? I thought you were afraid of harming someone.” Her eyes shifted nervously between the road and my reflection.
“I still am. But last night got me thinking. It was just a small animal this time, but what if it hadn’t been? Locked in my room, I can’t protect you.” In my peripheral vision, my brother and Winnie stared at me. “You refuse to keep a gun in the house and—”
“We can’t have a real watchdog ‘cause they’re afraid of you.” Gavin chuckled.
I slapped the top of his head and he swatted my arm. “If all of you keep your bedroom doors locked, the only one in danger would be the intruder,” I said.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Aunt Mina said, then averted her gaze.
I jerked forward in my seat to get closer and she jolted. Aunt Mina seemed a bit jumpy. Maybe my morphing the night before, just outside the back door, had freaked her out. I poked my head between the two front seats and she sucked in air. It was a tiny gasp, but I heard it.
My breath hitched. A hot poker piercing my heart was an easier concept than my aunt being afraid of me.
But I couldn’t blame her.
Still, it made my heart heavy. For the next few minutes, I stared unseeing out the car window until she pulled to the curb in front of our school.
Beatrice grunted as soon as her mom drove off. “We’ll talk about it later. That’s code for her not wanting to talk about it at all. Same thing I used to hear every time I used to mention getting my own car.” She gave me a sympathetic look, then strutted away to meet up with her friends.
If it was a dead issue for Aunt Mina, did it mean that from now on, I’d be locked in the basement against my will?
Winnie tugged on my arm. “We should go.”
As I let Winnie drag me toward the school, I took comfort in the fact that Aunt Mina wasn’t strong enough to force me into the basement. But it still pained me that she would want to.
****
After school, Aunt Mina waited for us at the curb. She’d already picked up Gavin.
I was last to climb in the car, just as Aunt Mina was announcing a change in plans. We were all going to the mall to shop. Yes, the island had a mall — spectacular enough to tempt even me.
But not today. I just wanted to get home, away from people.
My face scrunched up in mental pain as I backed out of the car. “I’ll walk home.”
“Sweetheart, you need a dress for the ball.” Aunt Mina being so nice made me want to please her. Still, it wasn’t enough to make me go to a public place with so many people.
I shook my head. “Not if I’m staying home.”
She sighed. “Fine. We’ll see you later.”
I closed the door and waved, and the Audi glided away.
Walks, especially long ones, worked out well for me. Jogs were better. The compulsion to shift could be over-powering at times. Every night before bedtime, my natural urges would wear down my willpower and I’d shift, at least for a little while. Burning up all that energy on a walk made me calmer. My room would be much less trashed in the morning if I wore myself out beforehand.
About a block away from the school, I froze and inhaled deeply. Vampire. And it was the same one as last night.
“Show yourself!” I pivoted in a circle, scanning the houses and looking
She gasped almost inaudibly, as if the thought had never occurred to her. Or maybe hearing it out loud startled her.
“You sure you want to go with that much red? A black top might be better.” I turned and rummaged through my closet, then handed her a top. “This would go good with those boots.”
“Thanks.” She took the tank top from the hanger and her lips curved slightly. “You’re okay, Cydney.”
Twenty minutes later, we were loaded in the car and driving to school.
“Aunt Mina, I was wondering if maybe I should keep my door unlocked at night from now on.” I glanced at the rearview mirror to see her watching me.
“Why? I thought you were afraid of harming someone.” Her eyes shifted nervously between the road and my reflection.
“I still am. But last night got me thinking. It was just a small animal this time, but what if it hadn’t been? Locked in my room, I can’t protect you.” In my peripheral vision, my brother and Winnie stared at me. “You refuse to keep a gun in the house and—”
“We can’t have a real watchdog ‘cause they’re afraid of you.” Gavin chuckled.
I slapped the top of his head and he swatted my arm. “If all of you keep your bedroom doors locked, the only one in danger would be the intruder,” I said.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Aunt Mina said, then averted her gaze.
I jerked forward in my seat to get closer and she jolted. Aunt Mina seemed a bit jumpy. Maybe my morphing the night before, just outside the back door, had freaked her out. I poked my head between the two front seats and she sucked in air. It was a tiny gasp, but I heard it.
My breath hitched. A hot poker piercing my heart was an easier concept than my aunt being afraid of me.
But I couldn’t blame her.
Still, it made my heart heavy. For the next few minutes, I stared unseeing out the car window until she pulled to the curb in front of our school.
Beatrice grunted as soon as her mom drove off. “We’ll talk about it later. That’s code for her not wanting to talk about it at all. Same thing I used to hear every time I used to mention getting my own car.” She gave me a sympathetic look, then strutted away to meet up with her friends.
If it was a dead issue for Aunt Mina, did it mean that from now on, I’d be locked in the basement against my will?
Winnie tugged on my arm. “We should go.”
As I let Winnie drag me toward the school, I took comfort in the fact that Aunt Mina wasn’t strong enough to force me into the basement. But it still pained me that she would want to.
****
After school, Aunt Mina waited for us at the curb. She’d already picked up Gavin.
I was last to climb in the car, just as Aunt Mina was announcing a change in plans. We were all going to the mall to shop. Yes, the island had a mall — spectacular enough to tempt even me.
But not today. I just wanted to get home, away from people.
My face scrunched up in mental pain as I backed out of the car. “I’ll walk home.”
“Sweetheart, you need a dress for the ball.” Aunt Mina being so nice made me want to please her. Still, it wasn’t enough to make me go to a public place with so many people.
I shook my head. “Not if I’m staying home.”
She sighed. “Fine. We’ll see you later.”
I closed the door and waved, and the Audi glided away.
Walks, especially long ones, worked out well for me. Jogs were better. The compulsion to shift could be over-powering at times. Every night before bedtime, my natural urges would wear down my willpower and I’d shift, at least for a little while. Burning up all that energy on a walk made me calmer. My room would be much less trashed in the morning if I wore myself out beforehand.
About a block away from the school, I froze and inhaled deeply. Vampire. And it was the same one as last night.
“Show yourself!” I pivoted in a circle, scanning the houses and looking
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