Page 7

The twins always made for good company when I planned on doing something crazy. They usually never complained or asked questions either. Guess today wasn't my lucky day. Go figure.

"This is a whole new level of crazy," Abel told his brother with a happy little grin on his face. "We have the best girlfriend ever."

I rolled my eyes and handed my pepper twin a shovel that matched his brother's. His black hair looked almost dark blue in the sunshine and his green eyes practically glowed in his pale face.

"Relax, boys," I said as I rolled my eyes. "It's not like we're going to be burying bodies or anything like that."

"Bummer," Abel muttered under his breath, making my lips twitch in amusement. "This is a lot less exciting now."

I shrugged, not caring if he enjoyed himself or not. I hadn't invited either of them along with me. They'd attached themselves to me like a suckerfish to glass and these boys were going nowhere. If he didn't like where things were going, then perhaps he should really think more before jumping in with both feet.

"Boo hoo," Addison mocked his brother. He didn't seem to have a problem with his shovel, he was simply curious. "You're acting like a baby."

Oh lord. Not this crap again. If they started fighting with each other, I would need to take those shovels away from them before they started dueling and someone got seriously hurt.

"Boys," I started, hoping to shut it down before things went south. Sometimes they listened to reason, but distracting them was always a better idea. "How about we get down to business before someone sees us standing out here in the backyard with shovels and they come out to drag me back inside so they can lock me up in my room?"

They both held their shovels up and grinned at me.

"By getting down to business," Abel wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, "do you mean we're gonna get naked out here on the grass and finally do the deed?"

I ignored this, but there was no hiding the blush that likely burned brightly on my cheeks.

"We really only need the one shovel," I told them. "One of you needs to put one back. If you want, we can alternate at each place so that way you both get to dig holes."

"Why exactly are we digging holes?" Addison asked curiously. "You never did tell us what we're doing."

Because at first I didn't think it was any of their business. I still didn't.

I shrugged in answer and started to walk away from them, around the house and into the backyard. And I stopped short with my mouth dropping open.

The entire backyard looked to be under construction. A giant hole had been dug not far from the back porch. A mound of dirt was piled up on both sides of the hole. I stepped up to the edge of it and stared down into the dirt. It was deeper on one side, the side farthest away from the house. The side closest to the house was shallower, maybe four feet deep at most.

"Speaking of burying bodies," I joked. Or so I hoped I was joking, you never knew with this crew. "How many dead people do you think would fill up this hole? And where in the heck did it come from?"

Maybe Quinton had decided on how he wanted to deal with the Council, assuming he'd been told like I had instructed, and he'd taken a page out of Rain's book. Fuck, there were dead bodies in the basement already, so why not the backyard as well?

I kicked at the pile of dirt and small chunks sprayed down into the hole.

"Quinton decided that since you're here now, we need a pool. Only the best for you, pretty girl."

Say what? For once since waking up this morning, the looks on their faces were dead serious.

I didn't need a pool. I didn't even know how to swim. I had gone to the beach a handful of times in my early teens, but I'd never gone into the water past my knees. There'd also been a public pool you could pay to use not far from the last apartment I'd shared with Vivian. Sometimes I stood on the outside of the fence with my fingers gripping the wire and I'd watch everyone else as they had a good time, acting carefree like they didn't have a problem in the world. I couldn't even afford to get in if I'd wanted to and I didn't own a bathing suit.

Maybe I did now though. Who knew what in the hell was actually hanging up in my closet these days.

The beach had been better because I'd actually been able to get my feet wet and the sand between my toes had felt amazing. I never went out past my knees, not just because I couldn't swim, but because I had an insane fear of sharks. People who were attacked by a shark and then later went on to whine about how they couldn't believe they'd gotten attacked in the first place were complete and total assholes.

"I can't swim," I said distractedly while wondering if I'd still have a fear of sharks in a pool as well. If it got deep enough, probably. Irrational, I knew, but that was how fear worked sometimes.

This pool idea had to go. Pronto. If it stayed they'd force me to get in there and no way in hell was that going to happen.

"What?" they both asked in unison. "Who doesn't know how to swim?"

Obviously me, because I'd just said so, that was who.

Considering their parents died in a plane crash where not everyone died in the initial crash, but plenty of people either drowned or were eaten by sharks, I didn't think this conversation was one we should be discussing.