Yeah.
No.
“As generous as your offer is,” I said, exhaling through my nose, “this is about more than me.”
The Whitaker line would die out with me. There was no changing that. I had agreed to give up my family name and become a Pritchard, but our family home could be preserved with a big enough cash infusion to counter decades’ worth of neglect. That was something. Maybe if we had two daughters, one could be the Pritchard heir and the other the Whitaker heir. That would be…more than I could dare to dream.
“Your father would have to sober up before he noticed or cared where the money originated.”
Fingers curling into balls in my lap, I kept my anger leashed. “I would notice, and I would care.”
Cass partnering with me on jobs already felt like charity. I couldn’t move in, take her money, and still look at myself in the mirror. With Boaz, it was different. I was bartering my family’s reputation in exchange for his family’s money. It was a balanced trade. Plus, I had made the deal. It was done.
The Society wasn’t a big believer in take-backsies.
“I whored for a living all my human life,” she said coldly. “Do you think less of me for it?”
“You secured your own power and independence in a time when women had neither. I admire you for choosing the road less traveled and—”
“Oh, my road was traveled plenty.”
“Goddess.” I banged my head against the back of my seat. “You know what I mean.”
“You’re a silly romantic.” She curled her lip. “You want to love, and be loved, and have…” she made gagging noises, “…babies.”
Babies were part of the bargain. Did I want kids? It really didn’t matter at this point. I would do my duty.
Eager to get the spotlight off me, I dragged her attention back to our job. “So…about Twyla.”
“Spoilsport.”
“Sex fiend.”
“Aww.” She stroked the length of my thigh with her fingertips. “Thank you.”
“Ahem.” I knocked her hand away. “Twyla?”
“Most children fostered by vampires run away with other humans rather than other vampires. They get curious about their parents, their species, the whole mortal experience. They hit puberty, develop urges, and decide to experiment with the living.”
“I’m aware.”
“So where would a human girl with no life experience go to get some?”
“Get some as in life experience or get some as in sex?”
“Either?” She shrugged. “Both?”
“Depends on if she’s got a boyfriend picked out, or if she’s still shopping.”
“I can’t believe I have to point this out to you.” She indicated lights in the distance. “It’s a Friday night.”
“That doesn’t narrow the scope even a little.”
Slanting her eyes toward me, she frowned. “How long have you been out of high school again?”
“Oh.” I got it in a flash. “A football game.”
“It’s a rather obvious choice, but teenagers are nothing if not predictable. As we have no other leads, I thought we might start there.”
“You pay more attention to humans than you let on.”
“I’m a predator, Addie. I must know my prey in order to be a successful hunter.”
A shiver coasted down my spine, a reminder that Cass was dangerous. She might be my best friend, but she also had urges. Most of the ones involving me were X-rated, according to her, but vampires had impulse control issues that often made them lethal lovers. Yet another reason not to take her up on her offer.
“In my defense, I’ve never been to one.”
“A football game?”
“Yes.”
“Hadley,” she said, understanding warming her voice. “You gave up so much of your life for her.”
“She was worth it.” A lump formed in my throat. “I would do it all over again.”
“I know you would.” Cass shook her head, her ponytail swinging. “Your heart is the thing I admire most about you.” She pursed her lips. “Most people who survive what you have turn cold or indifferent, they wall themselves off from the world that hurt them, but you’re still soft and warm with an ooey-gooey center.”
“Why did that sound like you were comparing me to a cinnamon roll?”
“I haven’t the foggiest.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
What did one do with cinnamon rolls? One bit into them.
The stadium appeared through the trees, and Cass turned into the drive leading up to the high school as if she had done it a thousand times, which raised questions to which I didn’t want answers.
Nope, nope, nope.
I didn’t want to know.
A trio of parents worked the incoming traffic lane, collecting their five-dollar parking donations and waving cars through to the lot. With a bright smile, Cass paid her money then continued on to locate a strategic spot in the event our hunt proved fruitful, and we needed to make a quick escape with our quarry.
A roar of sound swept over me when I exited the car, and I gawked at the sheer number of spectators.
“Here.” Cass threw me a knee-length black jacket then pulled on a matching one. “Put that on.”
The parents would have heart attacks if we paraded around in leather catsuits in front of impressionable young men. Plus, it would be creepy as heck to be ogled by kids. This getup wasn’t any less conspicuous, in its way, but it got the job done. I would take Stranger Danger over Get in the Van any day.
“Who are all these people?” I examined the packed stands. “Band parents, cheer parents, and athlete parents?”
“Locals content to relive their glory days, faculty, security.” Cass shrugged. “A little of everything.”
“Are the games always this slammed?”
“You paid no attention whatsoever in school, did you?” She chuckled. “Hornets versus Lions.”
High school meant showing up, collecting my straight As, then going home to help with my sister.
Friends and boys and football, the entire teenage experience, wasn’t as important to me as Hadley. I had all the time in the world to live, and even then, I had known she didn’t.
“Ah, yes. The Lions.” I did vaguely remember that much. “The school’s archrivals.”
“Well, at least you received that much of an education.” Shaking her head, she sighed. “I texted you the photos of
