me behind while he and Alfred attempted to reason with a homicidal vampire who had a penchant for slaughtering young men or turning them into an army of vampire slaves. I had more important things on my mind than Xavier's delicate stomach. Mathias held me for a moment longer and then stepped away from me, turning to face Xavier.
"I leave you in charge of protecting the most precious thing in my life, Xavier. Fail in this task and I will delight in eviscerating you."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I fuck up, you kill me. Get on with it leech." Xavier and Mathias grinned at each other while Kerry and I shook our heads.
"Boys," we said in unison.
Mathias kissed my forehead once more and then slipped into the growing darkness. I knew Alfred was waiting for him in the shadows and despite not trusting Alfred for much, I thought I could depend on him to keep Mathias safe. Alfred may not like me or approve of Mathias' attachment to me, but he loved Mathias and I was counting on Alfred's care to protect the man I loved.
"So what do you gals wanna do tonight?" Xavier asked. "Horror movies, popcorn, and lots of sugar?"
"Sure," I said. "Let's go wild." I watched the growing shadows on our street for a moment, imagining Mathias walking with Alfred even though I knew they were long gone. I wanted so very much to be as strong and fast and invincible as Mathias was so I could help him. I felt weak and fragile and I hated it. Why couldn't I be more than a freak with bad dreams and weird vision. At least the panthers were strong and could battle against evil. I was left waiting while others had to fight for me.
"You'd better come back, Mathias," I whispered to the dark. "You promised."
***
The television flickered, casting shadows around the living room. Mom and Tawnya had given up on the movie festival after the second slasher film Xavier had picked off of Netflix.
"Isn't your grandmother expecting you home tonight, Xavier?" Mom had asked as she and Tawnya yawned and headed for the stairs. She'd been eyeing Xavier for a couple of hours once she realized he hadn't planned to leave after dinner.
"Naw," Xavier said. "I told her it was an all night movie fest with you guys. You don't mind, do you?"
"Nope," Mom said. "Just make sure to lock up the house if you give up and go to sleep. On the couch." Mom looked at me, a meaningful nod and glance at Xavier conveying her intent.
"I'll make sure Kerry and Xavier behave themselves," I said, laughing. Mom probably had far less to worry about when it came to her daughters and their boyfriends than any other parent in Highland Home. Mathias was disgustingly chivalrous and Xavier knew if he took advantage of my sister, Mathias would tear him limb from limb. I knew it kind of pissed Kerry off that my boyfriend was acting like an over-protective father, but she also knew he wasn't doing anything with me that she wasn't doing with Xavier. For now, Kerry was willing to tolerate Mathias' old-fashioned notions of male-female interaction, but I didn't know how long that tolerance would last. When it gave out, I guessed she and Mathias would fight it out. I planned to stay out of it.
Tawnya watched me as though she knew what I'd been thinking. She seemed to like Xavier, though I was pretty sure she knew there was something off about him. I wondered what Xavier's energy tasted like to her. She'd told me once that Mathias' energy tasted like a vampire and that was how she knew. Tawnya watched Xavier, but she didn't have the same aversion to Xavier that she did to Mathias. I think she was more concerned about the normal teenage stuff with Kerry and Xavier than any metaphysical junk.
When the next slasher movie ended and Xavier grabbed the Wii remote to start looking for a new one, I saw that Kerry was sound asleep. She'd curled up against Xavier, who had thrown an arm over her shoulders and wound his fingers into her long hair. She looked peaceful and so very young when she was sleeping. It tore at something
"I leave you in charge of protecting the most precious thing in my life, Xavier. Fail in this task and I will delight in eviscerating you."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I fuck up, you kill me. Get on with it leech." Xavier and Mathias grinned at each other while Kerry and I shook our heads.
"Boys," we said in unison.
Mathias kissed my forehead once more and then slipped into the growing darkness. I knew Alfred was waiting for him in the shadows and despite not trusting Alfred for much, I thought I could depend on him to keep Mathias safe. Alfred may not like me or approve of Mathias' attachment to me, but he loved Mathias and I was counting on Alfred's care to protect the man I loved.
"So what do you gals wanna do tonight?" Xavier asked. "Horror movies, popcorn, and lots of sugar?"
"Sure," I said. "Let's go wild." I watched the growing shadows on our street for a moment, imagining Mathias walking with Alfred even though I knew they were long gone. I wanted so very much to be as strong and fast and invincible as Mathias was so I could help him. I felt weak and fragile and I hated it. Why couldn't I be more than a freak with bad dreams and weird vision. At least the panthers were strong and could battle against evil. I was left waiting while others had to fight for me.
"You'd better come back, Mathias," I whispered to the dark. "You promised."
***
The television flickered, casting shadows around the living room. Mom and Tawnya had given up on the movie festival after the second slasher film Xavier had picked off of Netflix.
"Isn't your grandmother expecting you home tonight, Xavier?" Mom had asked as she and Tawnya yawned and headed for the stairs. She'd been eyeing Xavier for a couple of hours once she realized he hadn't planned to leave after dinner.
"Naw," Xavier said. "I told her it was an all night movie fest with you guys. You don't mind, do you?"
"Nope," Mom said. "Just make sure to lock up the house if you give up and go to sleep. On the couch." Mom looked at me, a meaningful nod and glance at Xavier conveying her intent.
"I'll make sure Kerry and Xavier behave themselves," I said, laughing. Mom probably had far less to worry about when it came to her daughters and their boyfriends than any other parent in Highland Home. Mathias was disgustingly chivalrous and Xavier knew if he took advantage of my sister, Mathias would tear him limb from limb. I knew it kind of pissed Kerry off that my boyfriend was acting like an over-protective father, but she also knew he wasn't doing anything with me that she wasn't doing with Xavier. For now, Kerry was willing to tolerate Mathias' old-fashioned notions of male-female interaction, but I didn't know how long that tolerance would last. When it gave out, I guessed she and Mathias would fight it out. I planned to stay out of it.
Tawnya watched me as though she knew what I'd been thinking. She seemed to like Xavier, though I was pretty sure she knew there was something off about him. I wondered what Xavier's energy tasted like to her. She'd told me once that Mathias' energy tasted like a vampire and that was how she knew. Tawnya watched Xavier, but she didn't have the same aversion to Xavier that she did to Mathias. I think she was more concerned about the normal teenage stuff with Kerry and Xavier than any metaphysical junk.
When the next slasher movie ended and Xavier grabbed the Wii remote to start looking for a new one, I saw that Kerry was sound asleep. She'd curled up against Xavier, who had thrown an arm over her shoulders and wound his fingers into her long hair. She looked peaceful and so very young when she was sleeping. It tore at something
Similar Books
