Bad Blood (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 3) Read online

  I moistened my dry lips. Mom watched me, unblinking.

  Poor woman, she couldn’t get it into her head that I’d never lead a normal life. I decided to be kind and not sabotage her dreams of becoming a grandmother one day. Not yet. That never would have worked anyway, not in my line of work.“Hey, Mom. Mind watching Junior while I’m off killing vampires?” I snorted.

  Mom frowned. “I’m serious, Aurora.”

  I rubbed the edge of my sundress absently between two fingers. “I know, Mom. I was thinking about something else.”

  “Right now I want you to be thinking about this. Your appointment is at ten a.m. Friday.”

  “Fine, I’ll go.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Sure.”

  Mom lifted herself off the couch. “I’ll let you get ready for bed.” She leaned over to kiss my forehead. “I’m happy you’re home.”

  Before she could walk away I said, “Hey, Mom…”

  She stopped and turned.

  “I’d like to go to your next French lesson.”

  Mom tilted her head when she looked at me. “You sounded upset about the French lessons earlier. Why?”

  No need to alarm her. Once I confirmed that Madame Vasser wasn’t actually Giselle Morrel, I’d let my mom and grandma conjugate verbs to their hearts’ content, but right now I considered it my own secret mission.

  “I wasn’t upset,” I said. “I was just thinking that I’m starting advanced French this semester and it might be beneficial to have a tutor. Gran mentioned the woman’s a native speaker. I’d like to check her out.”

  “Oh, of course. We meet every second Wednesday night, except for tonight, of course. Welcoming you home is more important than practicing French.”

  “Aw, you’re just saying that because I’m your daughter.”

  “I’m saying that because I love you.”

  After a six month’s separation, I suppose we were long overdue for a mushy moment. We hugged before Mom left me to get ready for bed.

  Dante said he’d come by the next morning to help me move. Mom would have liked to have me around a couple more nights, but I was way too excited to settle into my new place.

  Dressed in a pair of old jeans, a T-shirt, and a ponytail, I paced around the kitchen while waiting for Dante to show up.

  Grandma looked up occasionally from her newspaper as she sipped coffee. Beside her, Mom drank a green smoothie.

  “I don’t see what the hurry is,” Gran said. “She just got back.”

  “She’s excited,” Mom said. “You remember what it’s like.”

  “No,” Gran said. “No, I don’t. I was a daughter and then a wife. Things were a lot different in my day.”

  Thank god I lived in the twenty-first century.

  “Well, you have your own place now,” Mom said.

  “And it was very lonely until you moved in.”

  I hovered near the front door, letting them have a moment. Where was Dante? I opened the front door just as he walked up. A grin lit up his face.

  “Someone missed me,” he said right before he pulled me into the hall and into his arms, covering my lips with his.

  As soon as he paused for air, I said, “Shall we get going?”

  Dante slid his hand down my back. “Sure. Let’s grab breakfast first.”

  “Breakfast?” I knew my face fell. I didn’t want to sit around at a diner. I wanted to move.

  Dante lifted his chin. “Gotta fuel up first.”

  Couldn’t he have eaten breakfast before he came over? I kept my comment to myself. I didn’t want to sound ungrateful after Dante volunteered to spend his day lifting and moving my belongings.

  So, we went out for breakfast first.

  Since the place was already furnished, all we had to do was move my boxes in. Originally, I’d planned to go through my stuff and only bring the things I wanted with me, but since Mom had already packed it all into boxes, I figured it would be easier to move them and go through everything at the new place.

  At this point, I wanted the quickest option.

  Dante and I stuffed the first load into his Jeep and headed towards campus. I sat on the edge of my seat, hands clasped in my lap.

  Dante looked over and chuckled. “Excited?” he asked.

  I nodded. “Yeah, I am. I have my own place. I’m starting college… I wasn’t sure I’d make it, and now look at me.”

  My heart fluttered with anticipation when he pulled into the neighborhood that would be my new home for the next four years. The lawns were fresh cut and spacious. I wasn’t sure what Melcher had found for me. I’d been expecting an apartment, but there wasn’t an apartment number on the address he’d sent.

  “This is great,” Dante said. “You’re only a few minutes away from my place.”

  I nodded, barely listening.

  “There it is!” I said. “That’s the house. The blue one on the right.”

  Dante backed into the driveway. He stuck his chin out at the single car garage after we got out of the Jeep. “You’ll have to wrestle your roommate for the garage.”

  “She can have it.” I still had no desire to drive.

  Speaking of roommates, maybe I should knock on the door and introduce myself before barging in with my things.

  I walked up to the front door and tapped lightly. When there was no answer, I knocked harder and waited.

  “Anyone home?” Dante called from the driveway where he unloaded the first round of boxes.

  “I don’t think so. Should I open the door?”

  Dante joined me, box in hand. “Let’s see your new place.”

  I unlocked the door and held it open for Dante.

  “You first,” he said.

  We entered a foyer connected to a hallway. Dante set the box down at the base of a staircase to the right of the entrance. We followed the first floor hallway, which led directly to a full sized kitchen, dining room, and living room. Beige carpeting covered the living room floor, and the walls looked like they’d recently been painted a clean eggshell white.

  Melcher hadn’t lied about the house being furnished. An oak table with six matching chairs was set up in the dining area beneath a chandelier. The living room had a large flat screen TV, wraparound couch, recliner, lamps, and a rustic coffee table with drawers and space below.

  There were framed pictures of pressed leaves and acrylic tree trunks. A large glass vase had been filled with irises and set on the coffee table. Small potted plants added nice spots of greenery from side tables. An extra shelf below each was stacked with hardback books.

  It was like stepping inside a Pottery Barn catalog. And I got to live here!

  “Wow,” Dante said, craning his neck around the room. “Either Melcher did some major setup or your roommate is an interior designer.”

  “I know. I love it!” I pressed the tips of my fingers together. “I can’t wait to see my bedroom.”

  “Me neither.” Dante wiggled his eyebrows.

  Should have seen that one coming.

  I retreated to the entryway and bounded up the set of stairs leading to the second floor. Four rooms were visible from the landing up top, one of which had the door shut. I stepped into the first room, an office painted pink and outfitted with bookshelves, a futon, and two desks. One was covered in neatly organized supplies and a narrow ceramic vase filled with dry red flowers. The other was empty.

  “Aw,” Dante said, peeking in. “You and your new roommate get to be study buddies.”

  I brushed past him, checking out the bathroom next.

  I stopped at the edge of a fluffy white bath mat staring into a beautiful jetted tub. “Oh my god, a Jacuzzi tub!”

  “Look at that,” Dante said from behind me. “It’s big enough for two.”

  I gave him a playful punch on the shoulder before breezing out. One more room to go. I passed the closed door and walked into the last open room at the far end of the house. With fingers trembling in excitement, I flicked on the light switch.<
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  Compared to the other rooms it looked sparse, but there was a queen size bed on a simple wood frame with a matching nightstand and dresser. The sliding door to a rather large closet showed ample space for my clothes.

  I felt like I needed to pinch myself. As if this wasn’t real.

  Dante barely had time to walk in and check it out before I dashed back into the hall.

  “Let’s start unloading!”

  We were quick to load and unload boxes. Driving across town to the storage unit and back took the most time. When Dante brought up hunger pains and lunch, I told him not a bite until every last box had been moved.

  With some Tetris-style loading, we were able to get everything over in three trips. On the third and final run, we returned to find a silver convertible with its top down in the driveway.

  Guess my roommate was home.

  Dante pulled in behind the convertible. I leaned forward, getting a better look at it.

  “My roommate is obviously from out of state.”

  Dante smirked. “Give it one winter. She’ll be trading the Beverly Hills-Mobile in for a 4-wheel drive.”

  “Or walking to school.”

  That was what I planned on doing. Campus was right across the nearest intersection. This location was fantastic and preferable to living in a dorm. My roommate could drive with the top down wearing a bikini in the dead of winter for all I cared. I loved what she’d done to the place.

  Dante and I brought in the first of the boxes, setting them in the entry.

  “Hello?” I called out.

  When no one answered, I shrugged.

  “Maybe she went jogging,” Dante said. “I’ll bring in the last of it.”

  “Thanks.”

  While Dante returned to the Jeep, I looked around the first floor. A big white purse with brown straps and a dangling crown charm had appeared on the kitchen counter during our absence. But there weren’t any signs of a person downstairs.

  “Hello?” I called up the stairs.

  What happened to the welcome wagon? She had to have seen the boxes stacked by the stairs from the first loads Dante and I brought in.

  I grabbed a box and headed up. Once I reached the landing, I set it down and looked around.

  “Hello? I’m Aurora, your new roommate.”

  I heard movement from the second bedroom. The door was now open, so I walked over and stood in the frame. The walls were painted in a cheerful canary yellow, covered with mixed-media wall art. A slender, petite girl stood at her armoire, her back to me. She had silky auburn hair accented by gold and copper highlights. She wore a jean jacket over a floral skirt… or dress. I couldn’t tell from behind.

  “Hi,” I said.

  I could tell even before she turned around that she’d be pretty.

  I was beginning to wonder if she would turn around. Great, Melcher had stuck me with a sorority snob.

  “Hello!” I repeated.

  The girl gave a start, reached for her head, and pulled out a pair of ear buds.

  That made me start to chuckle with relief until she turned around.

  And there she stood. Noel Harper. She might not have black hair or a hoodie, but it was her all right. The friend who had betrayed me.

  I hadn’t recognized Noel from behind with the new hair and getup. Even up front she looked different with her smooth, glowing skin tone, soft makeup, and layered hair. She looked like she could be valedictorian or prom queen.

  What happened to the corset, tights, arm warmers, and netted skirts she used to wear? Maybe she had a new undercover assignment or maybe—and this was something I did not want to consider—she and Fane were together and love had made her blossom like a god damn flower.

  This had to be a mistake.

  “Aurora…” she said hesitantly. “You made it.”

  Her voice hadn’t changed.

  I narrowed my eyes. “Disappointed Marcus didn’t succeed in killing me?”

  Assuming Melcher told her about Marcus. He was bound to. The palace was Noel’s territory.

  Noel reached behind her back and set her iPod on top of the armoire without breaking eye contact.

  “I was shocked when I heard Marcus was responsible for killing Mike… and that he tried to kill you. Aurora, I’m so sorry. I feel responsible for putting you in that situation.”

  “Youare responsible for putting me in that situation.”

  Noel’s lips formed a pout right before she rushed in to plead her case. There wasn’t nearly enough pleading in her voice—more of a matter-of-fact explanation.

  A set of bangle bracelets jangled on Noel’s wrist when she moved her arm.

  “I want you to know that was a onetime thing and hardly that. I don’t like Fane that way. Never have. He’s a nice guy, but I liked Gavin and when I went to the palace that night, I overheard him taunting Fane, giving him a hard time for getting dumped by you and Valerie, so I stepped in.”

  Great, so now I was the bad guy and Noel the champion with a heart of gold.

  “All I wanted to do was make it appear like Fane and I were going off together so Gavin would let up and leave him alone.” Noel took a breath that sounded more like a sigh. “For appearance’s sake we went upstairs to the October room. I never meant for anything to happen, but I started thinking about Gavin and I felt so hurt and angry. I don’t know. I guess I was hoping he’d be jealous if Fane bit me.”

  In other words, it was worth it to stab me in the back to try and make another vampire jealous. It was only slightly less terrible than hooking up.

  I jammed my hand on my hip.

  “You could have gone up with any other vampire, but you chose Fane.”

  Noel frowned. “I told you, I was helping him.”

  “So I saw,” I said. “Your neck was a big help to him.”

  Noel had the audacity to look pissed by what I’d said. Her lips curled back. Oh, it was on. I’d waited six long months to have it out with the little bitch.

  Before Noel could launch anything back, the front door opened with a bang, closing with slightly less force. The stairs creaked and echoed into the hallway.

  “Oh, Aurora, where are you?”

  In my agitation at discovering the identity of my new roommate, I’d nearly forgotten about Dante.

  “Is it time to break in your new bed?”

  Noel craned her head toward the door.

  I followed her gaze to Dante when he appeared behind me. He smiled when he saw me, glanced over my shoulder and saw Noel, did a double-take, and smiled wider.

  “Harper, is that you?” Dante pushed past me. “Look at you!” Dante walked up to Noel and picked her up. “Long time no see, Minnie Mouse!”

  Noel laughed when Dante squeezed her against his chest before putting her down.

  That’s right. I’d nearly forgotten that Melcher had paired them up twice. Not only that, but Dante told me he’d bitten Noel on their last mission in Fairbanks as part of a ruse they’d concocted that he was Noel’s vampire boyfriend. Dante had told me it had been Noel’s idea. Of course it had. She had a thing for biting. It hadn’t bothered me at the time, but that was before I’d walked in on her and Fane.

  I ground my teeth together as Noel and Dante made pleasantries.

  “Dang, looking good, girl,” Dante said, giving Noel the once over. “You undercover?”

  No, I’m just a vampire-stealing strumpet wannabe, I thought to myself bitterly.

  Noel flipped her hair over one shoulder. It had grown back since I last saw her. “I’m trying a new look for senior year. Do you like it?”

  “I love it. That’s right. Graduation year. Soon you’ll be joining Aurora and me at the U of A.” He looked around Noel’s bedroom. “You’ve already got a place near campus. Head start. Nice.”

  I folded my arms across my chest. “Isn’t this a bit far from West High?”

  “It’s not too out of the way,” Noel said. “Besides, I like living near campus.” She smiled deviously. “College boys ar
e yummy.”

  Did Noel get a complete personality makeover in addition to her looks?

  The saucy grin she shared with Dante brought out the rage in my heart.

  “You know what? That’s fine, Noel. Play your little games. Just stay out of my sight.”

  I pivoted and stormed out of her room, backtracking toward the kitchen. I needed my purse, my phone, and Melcher on the line pronto because there was no way in hell I’d room with Noel. Great flippin’ way to start my first semester of college.Thank you very much, Melcher!

  Dante followed me outside, looking utterly baffled.

  “What’s up with you and Harper?”

  Sure, like I could explain that one. If Fane weren’t a vampire, I could try. Dante was pretty open-minded, but when it came to vampires, there were no gray areas. We were vampire hunters. We killed blood suckers. End of story.

  I waved his question off. “We had a fight before I left. It’s not worth repeating.”

  Dante leaned in. “It must have been some fight to hold a grudge for six months.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Dante looked from me to the house. “What do you want to do? You’re going to have to make up sooner or later. You live together now. Maybe this is the perfect opportunity to work out your differences.”

  “Not right now,” I said. Not ever. “I’m not in the mood. Can we go to your place?”

  Dante nodded. “Of course. My roommate’s home, though. Don’t want him starting in on the noise complaints again.” Dante winked.

  He’d picked the wrong time to joke around.

  My voice turned to stone. “You know what? Take me home.”

  Dante’s face dropped in confusion. He looked past my shoulder.

  “To my grandma’s condo,” I specified. I stormed past him and got inside the Jeep, slamming the door behind me.

  Dante hurried around the car to the driver’s seat.

  “What did I do?” he asked as soon as he’d sat down beside me.

  His mopey expression reminded me of a wounded puppy.

  I turned in my seat. “You’ve been with a lot of women. I get it. You don’t have to throw it in my face every chance you get.”