Fading Amber by Jaime Reed

also named Larry, was an active part of the buying experience. At the moment, he circled around me, sniffing my legs while wearing an elf hat and bells around his collar.
    To my left was a closed office door where my dad stood on the other side, filling out paperwork and doing what he did best. Negotiate.
    He picked me up after school and brought me here to get my new ride since the old one bit the dust Thanksgiving night. My Nissan Juke had been turned into scrap metal, thanks to Tobias’s violent display of love and jealous rage. Dangerous and gorgeous as he might be, the hotness level drastically declined after that stunt.
    Though I was furious about losing the car I spent years saving for, being a pedestrian for three days taught me to count my blessings. I didn’t care what kind of car I got as long as I escaped the ill fate of parental and public transportation.
    I was sure Dad didn’t buy the whole “freak storm” excuse about the car, but at least the insurance covered enough to get a replacement. Being a corporate lawyer, he could smell BS from a hundred yards, and the odor was coming off thick from my direction. It didn’t seem fair that Mom knew my dirty secret, yet Dad was left to question my eye color change and strange behavior. He was set in his ways with deep beliefs, and I couldn’t bear to have him look at me with fear or contempt. I was his first born, his Baby Girl, and I wanted to stay that way a little while longer.
    Before little Larry decided to mark his territory on my leg, I took a walk outside to do some wishful thinking. I drifted from car to car, stroking each glossy veneer and wincing at the price stickers on the windows. Tearing my eyes away from a Mustang that I could never have, I spotted a black Jeep at the end of the row similar to Caleb’s. It was fascinating to see what his Jeep looked like in its initial state, free of mud splatter and a huge dent on the right side. Cake Boy really knew how to wear down a car, and as of late, he was spending more money on repairs than the original purchase.
    Staring at the front grill of the Jeep reminded me of his accident. It seemed odd that he would have a reaction to my blackout while behind the wheel. My previous trips into the abyss hadn’t seemed to affect Tobias’s ability to drive, so what made Caleb so different? Why couldn’t he remember how he got the dent in his Jeep?
    â€œOkay, baby girl. You ready to check out your new car?” Dad asked behind me.
    I turned around and smiled up at the tall man in the tailored suit with a proud strut of victory. Mr. Keith Watkins, esquire, had apparently worked his magic, ensuring I was leaving out of here on four wheels with cash to spare. Big Larry himself fell in step with Dad, looking just as greasy as advertised. His gut fell over his belt and the buttons on his white shirt held on for dear life. His sagging jowls and droopy brown eyes seemed to support the myth that people look like their pets.
    â€œWe got you a great deal on an O-five, little lady. It’s a bit old, but the mileage is impeccable.” Big Larry smiled down at me, showing a row of straight, tobacco stained teeth. “Your daddy is a tough nut to crack, but I’m willing to make a few concessions for such a pretty customer.” He winked.
    What a flirt. Whether it was his sales tactic or Lilith’s influence, I didn’t care. Hell, if I played my cards right, I could roll out of here in that Mustang I had my eye on, but I didn’t want to push my luck. The power I had over men wasn’t a toy.
    Big Larry led the way as we moved to the side of the building to where a green Maxima waited for me. It wasn’t my Juke, but it was in my favorite color, which earned a ton of cool points in my book.
    I wrapped my arms around Dad’s waist and squeezed as hard as I could. “Thanks for doing this, Daddy.”
    â€œNo problem, although it appears you go through