Unraveled

tutor to meet.

“Oh, yeah.” He shook his head, rattling the sense of uneasiness working through him. “Let’s get this over with.”

ONCE AGAIN, TUCKER found himself huddled in the underground crypt, dust in his nose, darkness a vise around him and a damp chill stroking him with bony fingers. He was shaking this time. Not because he was weak— he was physically stronger now than he’d been last time—but because he could feel the menace pouring through the air. Thick, like blood. Acrid, like burning rubber.

What was in store for him? Nothing good, that was for sure. And why? He’d done everything he’d been told. He’d followed Aden. He’d kept watch. Yeah, he’d veered off course a few times, following Mary Ann instead, making sure she got to where she wanted to go without any problems, but he’d always gone back to Aden. Always.

“I am not pleased with you, boy.”

The smooth voice came from just a few feet away from him, though he couldn’t see the speaker, and jolted him far worse than if Vlad had yelled. “I—I’m sorry. I’m trying. Please, don’t punish me.” He couldn’t make himself stand and run, no matter how much he wanted to. God, did he want to. But he also wanted to please this man, this deposed king, the need a part of him, as much as his lungs or his heart, and right now Vlad wanted him to stay put.

“Punish you? Perhaps. You aren’t trying hard enough.”

“You’re not doing anything, either,” he muttered before he could stop himself. Then he cringed, expecting a violent retaliation.

“I am healing, you fool. My people cannot see me like this.”

“Of course, of course.”

“I have questions, and you will get me answers. How is the human, Aden, leading my people? Why are they following him? How is he still alive?” Each question was more clipped than the last.

“I don’t… I have no—” But he did. From everything Tucker had witnessed, only one answer made sense. “Tell me!”

Vlad had yelled the words, and Tucker had just realized he’d been wrong. Nothing was worse than hearing this vampire shout his disapproval. The deep, rolling waves of his fury were tongues of fire, licking, feasting. Tucker gulped. Just as part of him wanted to run, part of him wanted to hold his next words inside.

That part of him lost to self-preservation. “The wolves protect him.”

“The wolves.” Silence followed. Thick, heavy silence. Gut-wrenching, sweat-inducing silence, but finally, blessedly, Vlad spoke again. “Continue observing him. I have much to consider.”

Not an order to kill, and yet, Tucker experienced a sickening wave of dread. That final order was coming. Of that, he had no doubt.

DINNER SUCKED.

Oh, the food was good—Meg Reeves was an excellent cook—and Aden loved him some pot roast and potatoes. And this room, the “formal” dining room, was wicked cool. Aden never felt more like part of a family than when he was here. Something about the long, square table that Dan had crafted himself, the wallpaper with cherries and wheelbarrows, of all things, and the cabinet brimming with Meg’s favorite china. This was what a home should look like.

But the new “tutor”…he shuddered. Or perhaps shivered. The word “hot” didn’t do her justice. However, the word “fairy” did. Thomas had been right. His family had come looking for him. The new tutor was none other than Ms. Brendal, his sister.

Aden had immediately realized how precarious the situation was, but he hadn’t been able to bail. That would have looked too suspicious. So here he sat. And ate. And pretended to be as normal as the others.

All the boys were around him. Shannon and Ryder, who sat across from each other, refusing to look at each other, were too quiet. Seth was leaned back in his chair, one arm resting on the back slat, his gaze telegraphing come hither. RJ, Terry and Brian were openmouthed and dumbstruck. Dan sat at the head of the table and beautiful Meg at the foot. They, too, seemed to be under the fairy’s spell, raptly listening to her every word as if she were the savior of the world.

Even the souls were listening to her, waxing poetic about her face and body. Sadly, he wanted to join them.

Ms. Brendal sat across from Aden, and yeah, she was beautiful. Probably the most physically perfect being he’d ever seen. She had big, sparkling brown eyes that were somehow familiar to him, but her long, curling blond hair was not. He didn’t think. Her skin was so golden and luminous she could have swallowed the sun. And she smelled like jasmine and honeysuckle.

He loved jasmine and honeysuckle, more than anything. He loved Brendal, too.

His hands curled into fists. He had to stop thinking like that, but didn’t know how. Even though he knew what she was, he was more drawn to her with every second that passed…had the urge to protect her…hell, even to lay his head on her feet just to be near her. Caress her, kiss her…worship her. And that was dangerous (not to mention embarrassing). For Victoria, as well as himself. This woman, this lovely fairy, was his enemy. She would want to murder him the moment she learned what had happened to Thomas.

A fact that Thomas delighted in pointing out, over and over again. The ghost stood behind her, desperately trying to gain her attention, screaming at the top of his ghostly lungs, kicking at the table, the chairs, tugging at Ms. Brendal’s hair, and when that didn’t work, shouting threats at Aden. “My sister will avenge me. This I swear.”

Behind that delightful scene was Victoria. She’d come to the ranch a bit ago to wait in Aden’s bedroom until this dinner ended, wanting to talk to him, about what he didn’t know. But then she’d spied Brendal, and it had been game on—even though—or maybe because—fairies hated vampires and preferred to kill them on sight, and Aden had the dubious honor of being king of the vampires. Victoria now paced outside the house, just in front of the window across from Aden. Only he could see her, she blended so well into the night, but that didn’t help his sense of doom.

“I hope everyone is ready for dessert,” Meg said, standing. She was a petite woman, with delicate features and hair that couldn’t decide if it wanted to be brown or blond.

“I’m always ready for one of your desserts,” Dan told her with a warm smile. They loved each other, and Aden’s chest constricted every time he saw them together.

“I’ll just be a moment.” Smiling, too, Meg skipped off to the kitchen.

“You keep peering just over my shoulder, Aden.” Even Brendal’s voice was beautiful, soft, like a song. “Why?” She turned to look, and Victoria swiftly moved out of sight.

Close, too close. He forced his gaze to fall to the tabletop. He was sure everyone was now staring at him, and he hoped like hell he wouldn’t blush. He blushed. Fine. Better they stared at him than the window. He hadn’t realized he’d been so obvious. “Is looking over your shoulder a crime?”

A pause. Had his bluntness startled her? “I much prefer my students to look me directly in the eyes.”

She did, did she? “I’m not your student.”

“You could be,” she said, leaning forward and reaching for his hand.

He snapped both into his lap just before contact. “I’m happy at Crossroads High.”

“And you’ve been attending for over a month?”

“Yes.”

“So you never spent time with Mr. Thomas?”

Thomas knelt beside her, beseeching. “I’m right here. See me. Please, see me.” He sounded close to tears, and Aden had to clear his throat to dislodge the lump growing there.

“Aden,” Dan said. “Answer Ms. Brendal, please.”

Had he just been sitting here in silence? What had she asked? Oh, yeah. “Correct.” He prayed he wasn’t a neon sign of guilt. “I didn’t spend much time with Mr. Thomas.” I only used up half an hour to kill him.

Necessary, Elijah told him, and he blinked. Usually the souls didn’t hear his thoughts. Or had Elijah just guessed? No, he realized a moment later. The topic had given him away.

That, and we’re certified bad asses, Caleb said. I swear, God might have created the world in six days, but we could have done it in five!