“To depart from this world, you have to do in death whatever you regret not doing in life,” he said, turning. That, he knew for fact, since that was how he’d lost sweet, motherly Eve.
Thomas crossed his arms over his chest. “My last wish was to kill you.”
“Then I guess we’re stuck with each other because you can’t get your hands on a weapon.” Aden twisted the knob, the water pressure easing, then stopping. He stepped out of the stall and grabbed a towel.
Thomas continued to rant, but Aden easily tuned him out. And not because of any medication.
On the drive home, Dan had told him to continue taking his new pills just to prevent another scare like yesterday’s. He’d even walked Aden to his room and watched as he put a little white tab on his tongue and swallowed. Of course, the moment Dan had left, Aden had spit the pill in the trash. He must be getting better at compartmentalizing each distraction, as he’d done with Shannon in the forest today. Or maybe he was simply too distracted to listen.
What had Dr. Hennessy done to him? He’d started to mention the forced hypnosis to Dan, but had changed his mind when Dan became a supporter of Operation Take Your Pills.
Frowning, Aden patted himself down and wrapped the towel around his waist. He padded through the hall to his bedroom. It was empty. Where was Shannon? He heard muttering from the other rooms, some of it angry, but the doors were shut and he couldn’t tell who was fighting with whom. This late in the evening, the boys usually holed up and chilled with their roommates.
With a sigh, Aden dressed in his customary jeans and a T-shirt.
“You’re going out again?” Thomas gritted out, claiming his attention. The ghost paced from one side of the bedroom to the other. “Where are you going? You can’t leave me here!”
His parents. He’d managed to walk the Forget Them path for days and Elijah’s reminder was like being shoved in front of an oncoming bus.
They’d given him up when he was a toddler, and hadn’t checked on him since. For that, he hated them. Still. He had to talk to them. Sooner rather than later. They might know why he was the way he was. They might have a relative just like him.
More than that, however, he would be better able to search for information about Elijah, Caleb and Julian along the way. Like who they used to be, what their final wish had been. Then he could free them. If they still wanted to go.
Aden had dreaded having this chat, too afraid of the answers.
“Give me a minute,” Aden replied as he tugged on his boots.
“I asked you a question,” Thomas snarled. “Where are you going? Answer me this time!”
“Or what? You’ll try to slap me?” he asked dryly.
Hinges creaked, and then Shannon was strolling into the room. He paused, looking Aden over. “Nice.” Then he blushed, like he’d done earlier. “I—I didn’t m-mean—”
“I know,” Aden said on a laugh. “No worries.”
Thomas the eavesdropper stilled and quieted.
“I’m g-glad I caught you.” Shannon closed the door, shutting them inside, and leaned against the wood, head back, eyes closed. He sighed, the sound weary.
“Something wrong?” Aden asked.
Slowly Shannon’s eyelids opened. His green eyes were bright with apprehension. “I—I need to tell you s- something. You need to k-know, and keeping it i-inside…”
“Yeah, I know.” Secrets ate at you. Proof: Aden was currently riddled with holes. “You can tell me, whatever it is. I won’t judge you. Like I can, you know.” He leaned his hip against the side of the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. He glanced at Thomas, who was still listening, and decided to forge ahead anyway. “I’m Crazy Aden, remember?”
“You aren’t c-crazy.”
“Thanks.”
Shannon pushed out a breath. “W-we’re roommates, and if y-you find out later, y-you’ll be pissed, and t-then you’ll want t-to kill me.”
“Tell me!” Aden didn’t mean to shout, but the thought of Shannon and Victoria together was enough to make him—
“I-I’m g-gay,” Shannon said, and the words were uttered with shame and remorse and all kinds of guilt.
Gay. Aden blinked. That was all? Seriously? “Okay.”
Those green eyes widened. “O-okay?”
“Yeah.”
“But, w-were you not l-listening? I’m queer.”
Aden rolled his eyes. “I don’t know about that. You’re a pain in the ass sometimes, but I wouldn’t say you’re weird.”
“You know w-what I meant,” was the snapped reply.
“So, too soon to joke about?”
That earned him a scowl.
“Shannon. Seriously. You’re gay, not diseased. It’s fine. I’m not worried.”
The scowl vanished, replaced by astonishment. “But we’re s-sharing a room.”
“So? Are you afraid I’ll get handsie?”
A smile twitched at the corner of his friend’s lips, and he seemed to shed ten pounds of tension. “You’re really all r-right with it?”
“Yes, I’m really all right.”
“Thank you.”
“Am I the only one who knows?” Aden asked. “Do you want me to keep quiet?”
“R-Ryder knows.”
Today in the forest, that blush, Ryder’s inability to look at Shannon… Ah. Everything made sense now.
Shannon peered down at his feet, pushed out another breath, then banged his head against the door once, twice. “I t-thought he was, too, but no. He d-doesn’t swing that way.”
He’d clearly been hopeful, though. “Is your being gay the reason your parents kicked you out?” Aden asked.
A nod. “Part of it. T-they had heard about Dan’s ranch and called h-him. I’d started to get into t-trouble, shop-lifting, drinking, t-that sort of thing, and it was e-either come here or hit the s-streets. I came here.”
“Good choice.”
Another smile began to break its way free. “I think so, too.”
A tentative knock sounded at the window, and Thomas hissed in a breath. Shannon straightened and Aden turned. There, beyond the glass, stood a blonde vampire. Victoria’s gum-chewing sister.
Frowning, concerned, Aden stalked to the window and opened it as quickly as he could. Cool evening air blustered inside. “Stephanie?”
