Page 6 of Bane of Hate and Silver (Primordial Inheritance #1)

Jules just smiled and waited for Monica to take a breath.

Monica had a familiar comfort about her.

They possessed the ease of interaction that naturally developed out of a deep and honest friendship.

Jules had had a few human friends over the years, but Monica Martin was different.

She knew what Jules and her coven were. To Jules’s surprise, she’d guessed about a year after they’d become friends.

Jules couldn’t understand Monica’s acceptance of vampirism and everything that came with it.

She was relieved that she showed no signs of wanting to be turned into one.

Monica’s life plan required that she keep her heart beating.

“How’d Mr. Prentiss take it?”

Jules simply made a face at her.

“That bad, huh?” Monica asked. Gabriel had been Monica’s English teacher sophomore year. She knew him personally now, through Jules, but couldn’t seem to stop calling him ‘Mr. Prentiss’. Even after she’d graduated high school.

“He, umm, got into a fistfight with the Alpha,” Jules said.

Monica looked at Jules, shock on her face.

Before Monica could ask, Jules said, “don’t worry. I took care of it.”

“Wow. I mean, I’m glad it wasn’t worse, I guess,” Monica replied. “With what happened to Eileen, I’d have guessed he would’ve bitten one of them, right then and there.”

Just then, Monica’s phone beeped. She pulled it from her pocket to check the text. A happy smile appeared on her face as she returned it. Jules thought it was likely from Tai. “Oh, I have to get back,” Monica said standing.

“See you after work,” Jules said, standing too.

“Jules, I almost forgot,” Monica stopped and spun toward her again. “You know how Saturday is Tai and my two-year anniversary, right?”

Monica had mentioned it on more than a few occasions, so yes, Jules knew. She nodded.

“Well, Tai kind of forgot. He made plans with a friend.”

“Anyone I know?” Jules asked.

“Probably not, he works at the restaurant. Anyway, Tai was wondering what you were doing on Saturday night.”

“Monica. No,” Jules said, taken aback. She knew what Monica was asking. She also knew that it was a very bad idea. “Can’t Tai just change his plans to another night?” Jules didn’t like the idea of any form of romantic connection with a human. Not even a blind date. Not even once.

“I asked that, and he suggested that you should come with us instead.”

“Monica, you know I don’t get involved with humans.” Jules looked at her friend seriously.

“You don’t get involved with anyone.”

Jules made a face.

“Of course I know why you avoid involvement with humans. But Tai doesn’t. I couldn’t exactly say ‘yeah, she can’t. She might drain him before dessert’, could I?”

Jules chose not to respond to that one.

“Come on, Jules. You’re my best friend. Please don’t make me lie to Tai any more than I already am,” Monica begged, sticking out her lower lip.

Jules contemplated this. She would only have Monica for as long as one lifetime allowed. So, she offered up a long, aggravated sigh and relented. She could handle one night of small talk with a human boy.

“Thanks. You’re the best!” Monica grinned widely. “It’ll be fun.”

“It had better not be,” Jules retorted as she left the small coffee shop.

Kyle parked the Jeep in front of the two-story apartment building, grabbed two of his three bags, and headed toward the shabby structure. Some of Hayley’s younger siblings were out front. They were all piling into the family vehicle, heading across town for school.

“Hayley inside?” he asked Landon, who was climbing into the driver’s seat.

“Not that I know of,” he replied, without making eye contact with Kyle.

Kyle shrugged and hauled both his bags inside the building.

“Seriously dude.” Adam stopped Kyle just outside his parents’ doorway.

Kyle couldn’t resist. He dropped both bags with a loud thud and punched Adam square on the jaw.

“What the hell was that for!” Adam shouted.

Kyle ignored him, picked up his bags again, and walked up the stairs toward his new home. The apartment door was standing open.

“Honey, I’m home,” Kyle called as he walked into the new living room. It was furnished with hand-me-downs and thrift shop finds. He’d spent the last week acquiring the furnishings as a surprise for Hayley. It was already feeling more like home than the Den ever had.

“Yes, you are,” Hayley said, walking from the bedroom.

Kyle dropped both bags on the floor and opened his arms for her.

She ran at him. Long legs wrapped around his waist as he lifted her off her feet and kissed her.

Hayley Reynolds- Cooper was average height, shapely, strong, opinionated, and adventurous.

Everything he’d ever wanted in a spouse.

Yes, she was young, in her early twenties, but being raised with so many siblings had caused her to mature quickly.

“Just adorable.”

Still holding Hayley off the ground, Kyle turned toward the person who’d commented on their couple-cuteness.

Hayley’s little sister, Amy, continued, “I’m done organizing the bathroom.”

A horn honked outside.

“I think your ride is leaving,” Kyle told her.

Amy swore and ran out the door and down the stairs.

“Alone at last,” Kyle commented, looking down at Hayley and pecking her on the lips. “Are you ready to start our life together Mrs. Reynolds-Cooper?”

“Yes,” she said as he put her back on her feet. “As soon as you put all that crap where it belongs. As in, not on the living room floor.” She pointed at the bags he’d dropped.

Kyle rolled his eyes.

“Is there more?” she asked, tapping him on the chest.

“Yeah, downstairs in Luca’s Jeep.”

“I’ll get it. You unpack.” Smiling, Hayley pulled the keys from his back pocket, smacked his backside, and walked from the room to bring up his last bag. Kyle watched her go. He was finally home.

Jules reached Aboit High and pulled in to a parking spot marked for staff.

The sun had risen fully during the short drive.

She put on her dark sunglasses and grabbed her large black umbrella from under the passenger seat of her car.

Cracking the door open she stuck the umbrella out of the top, like someone desperately trying not to get rained on.

Quickly, she jogged toward the building, trying to slip inside without being spotted.

Once through the glass double doors, she stowed both in her tote bag.

The guards against the sun did their job well.

Between the umbrella, sunglasses, long jacket, and tall boots, she had barely begun to sizzle.

Her knees were a little worse for wear, but her quick healing had her back in perfect shape in just a few seconds.

Jules walked down the darkened hall, greeting her co-workers as she went. When she reached Gabriel’s classroom, she pushed the door open without knocking.

Ever the safety-first type, he’d of course arrived early and had all of the blinds tightly closed. He sat hunched over his desk, blonde hair falling in his eyes.

“Lunch today, my office?” she asked.

“If I get these papers graded, sure,” he replied, sifting through the tall stack in front of him.

“Do you want me to grade some for you?”

“No!”

“Just thought I’d ask,” she teased, letting the door close behind her and heading to her own work area.

Reaching the far side of the quiet building she walked through the darkened library to her small office in the back corner.

After pulling her hair back in a tight bun and reaching into her bag for her prescription-less glasses, her transformation was complete.

This, along with a cardigan, pleated skirt, and a change into kitten heels, was all part of the act.

Like Clark Kent, she was a master at hiding what she truly was.

Although, instead of concealing superpowers from another planet, she was pretending that she hadn’t died at seventeen, and didn’t have the natural desire to drink the student’s blood.