Alix (The Coven's Grove Chronicles #1) by Virginia Hunter

another loud screech.
    Alix didn’t remember her car being so noisy the last time she had done her errands. “I guess it’s time for some grease on those hinges huh?”
    Troy and Sam glanced at each other awkwardly for a moment, but said nothing. Troy held up the keys. “Room 147.”
    “Sounds good to me,” Sam replied a little too quickly.
    Alix raised her brows at the pair, but was too stressed and hungry to comment on their sudden squirreliness. “Let’s get something to eat.”
    “That sounds even better,” Troy said, as he put the car into gear.
    They did the drive through at a fast food, Mexican restaurant. Family-sized order of tacos and burritos. Alix would be the first to admit that cheap take out lacked in many ways, taste and style to name a few, but after not eating for almost twenty-four hours. Those were the best damned tacos and burritos she’d ever had.
    The sun had finally gone down by the time they got back to the motel. It wasn’t a high class place for certain, but it was clean on the outside at least. Troy pulled the car around back. The headlights shined on the dull, black numbers, 147.
    “This is us,” Troy said, as he cut the engine. He and Sam shared another odd look before getting out of the car. Troy went directly to the door, and went inside.
    Sam pulled the seat forward so Alix could get out. “So, we’re good friends right?”
    Alix scooted to the passenger side of the car with a burrito in one hand, and a drink in the other. She stopped at hearing Sam’s ridiculous question. “What the hell are you talking about?”
    Sam nibbled on her lower lip. “Well, I’m not sure how to say this...” She paused in indecision.
    “What the hell Sam?” Alix was starting to get concerned. Then a thought came to her that sent a wave of hurt, and no small bit of jealousy through her heart. What if Sam and Troy had...
    “Ah crap, just get out of the car.” Sam backed away.
    Suddenly, Alix didn’t feel like getting out of the car. She didn’t feel very hungry any more either. In fact, she didn’t feel much of anything, as her emotions went numb. Man, I just can’t catch a break, she thought.
    “Hey, you okay?” Sam asked, after Alix hadn’t moved.
    Alix looked up at her friend. She was cute, even after all of the bad shit they had just been through. Alix could see how something might have happened between her and Troy. It was more than just good looks though. Sam was funny, and fun to be around too. That’s why she and Alix were such good friends. That’s part of what made this so painful. Alix shook her head. “Yeah, I don’t know.”
    Sam looked down at the pavement to avoid eye contact. After a moment she took a deep breath and said, “I just want to say I’m sorry, we couldn’t avoid it. It really was a matter of life or death.”
    Alix frowned. “Okay, that’s kind of lame. ‘Life or death,’ really?”
    “But it was!” Sam looked up at Alix. “You don’t understand. You were—”
    “Unconscious, yeah I got that part,” Alix interrupted. A bit of feeling came rushing back through the depressive haze. Unfortunately, that emotion was anger. Alix really didn’t want to be so upset. Hell she barely even knew Troy. But whatever had passed between them that night at the tattoo parlor had changed her, and she wanted the chance to find out if it could be something real. She crawled out of the car, and stepped up to Sam. “You knew how I felt about him, dammit! How could you?!”
    This time it was Sam’s turn to frown. “He? Aren’t car’s usually ‘Shes’?”
    “Car?” Alix blinked, perplexed. “She? What the hell are you talking about?”
    Sam gently put her hand to Alix’s cheek, and turned her face so that she was looking at the Volkswagen Bug. The beautiful little car Alix had cherished for the past year could not have been the vehicle sitting before her now. It had taken almost two years to save up for the tiny, purple vision she had seen so many times