Page 16

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

Theo ran through the woods toward the Fletcher house.

He would have liked to take a break, like Kade said. Curl up on the couch and watch some crappy TV, Sparky between them to make sure their skin didn’t accidentally brush.

But Felicity had pulled him aside at the wake in the twenty seconds her mom let her out of her sight to tell Theo that the Fletchers were dangerous, and they were planning something.

Which meant it was time for Theo to have a chat with Aaron’s parents. He hadn’t told Kade where he was going. He would’ve insisted on coming along, and Theo didn’t want to put Kade anywhere near danger. He was safer at home with Sparky.

Theo brushed the twigs off his clothes and knocked .

Footsteps reached the front hall. It was Aaron. Theo could recognize his footsteps even before he got super hearing.

The door opened. Aaron was still wearing his funeral suit, the top button undone. His hair was limp, barely any gel left in it. When Theo had left the wake—his mom watching disapprovingly from the corner—Aaron had been telling one of the caterers the proper way to make devilled eggs, rubbing his hands through his hair in a way Theo hadn’t seen since they were in grade school.

“Oh,” Aaron said, gloved hands flexing at his sides. “Hey again. Guess the gang’s all here.”

“What?”

“Felicity’s here,” Aaron explained. “Her mom, too. Our parents went off for some weird whisper-conference in the living room. They told us to go catch up. Like I wanna catch up with the girl who broke my heart, like, four days ago, who I’ve just been forced to be around all morning.”

Theo nodded until he figured out something to say. It took a while.

“How are you doing with that?”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Better than you’ve been doing. However shitty my week’s been, yours is worse. It’s fine, I’ll get her back.”

He bit his lip. Theo hadn’t seen him do that since grade school, either .

“Hey,” Theo said. He cocked his head, listening to see if anyone was walking by. No one was, because his house—much like Theo’s and Felicity’s, and every house this close to the cliffs—had so much land around it that it took a full minute to get to a real street. The only people who ‘walked by’ were people who meant to be there, or people who were going for a stroll through the woods.

Theo lowered his voice anyway. “When you dated Kade?—”

Aaron scoffed. “We didn’t date .”

Theo ignored it. “Was it before you dated Liss? Or during?”

“Before,” Aaron said instantly. He paused. “Mostly. I was a dumb kid, okay?”

“Sure, two whole years ago!” Theo forced himself to lower his voice. The numbness was retreating, replaced by that big, satisfying anger he’d felt when he was charging Felicity at the funeral. Hot and clean and purposeful .

Theo shook his head in disgust. “You are such an asshole.”

Aaron shrugged. “Okay. That’s my thing . That’s always been my thing, it’s been our thing, before you started getting all…”

He stopped, raising gloved hands to his hair again. He winced as he pulled his injured hand through the limp, gel-less strands.

Theo frowned. There was something peeking out from the bandages. Dark and thin, like someone had drawn on his wrist in strange black ink. Then Aaron put his hands into his pockets and Theo lost sight of it.

“Never mind,” Aaron said. “Shouldn’t have said that. Especially not today. I’m…sorry.”

Theo rolled his shoulder uncomfortably. “What happened to apologizing is for the weak , like your dad always says?”

Aaron rolled his eyes again. He looked embarrassed. “Yeah, well. Liss keeps talking about, like…rotten fruit and legacies and shit.”

Theo glanced down at Aaron’s hand, glove and bandage and strange sickly black lines all hidden in his pocket. The faint stench of decay.

“Rotten fruit?’

“Yeah. Apple never falls far from the tree, whatever.”

Theo frowned. “Your parents aren’t a rotten tree.”

“Neither are yours!” Aaron laughed, the sound short and brittle. “I don’t know what she’s talking about. Anyway, she’s still in the kitchen. Won’t shut up about gingerbread houses for some reason.”

Aaron stepped back to let Theo through. Theo followed, thinking about every ugly glimpse he’d gotten of the Fletchers—the yelling and the threats and the innocent comments that couldn’t have been that innocent at all, the way they made Aaron flush with shame. The house suddenly felt sinister and full of secrets. Felicity’s hidden necklace; Theo’s parents watching him across the room as Theo lied to the nurses how he got hypothermia in spring. Was every family so full of secrets?

Theo stopped. “Where are the others?”

He knew, of course. He could smell them from here, if he breathed deep and focused hard: rich cologne and even richer perfume, none of it played down for the occasion.

Aaron looked over his shoulder, already heading for the kitchen. “Did you seriously come here to see my parents?”

Theo shrugged.

Aaron stared at him in disbelief. He curled his lip like he was going to make a snide comment, then forcibly straightened it.

“Still in the living room,” he said slowly. “Am I allowed to come, or is this another private chat?”

Theo clapped him on the shoulder. “Go keep Felicity company.”

Aaron flinched. Barely, but visibly. He wet his lips, and Theo could see another comment begging to claw up his throat about how weird all this was, what was so important they couldn’t they tell him, he didn’t want to go and keep his ex-girlfriend company.

Then Aaron nodded and headed wordlessly for the kitchen.

Theo strode down the hall, too focused to care whether Aaron was watching him. His feet moved automatically through the rooms he’d spent so much time in since he was a boy, but the home was suddenly harsh and unfamiliar.

There was no water on the living room table, which was strange. The first thing the Fletchers did for guests was put out a pitcher of ice water with the slim, fancy glasses they used for company.

Mrs. Fletcher sat on the nicer couch, her posture uncharacteristically terrible as she leaned over to whisper to Beverly Sloan. Beverly was an uncomfortable distance away on the opposite couch, sitting perfectly straight instead of leaning in to hear Mrs. Fletcher. Mr. Fletcher was nowhere to be seen.

“…better early than late,” Mrs. Fletcher finished.

Beverly caught sight of Theo at the door. Her hand curled into a fist against her dress. It looked like a signal.

Mrs. Fletcher jerked up. She spotted Theo and stood, giving him a hasty smile. “Theo! We didn’t expect to see you again so soon. How are you doing?”

Beverly said nothing. She just stared at him from the couch, her dark brows creasing together. Theo wondered if she wore that sun pendant underneath her sleek dress.

“You should have let me know you were coming,” Mrs. Fletcher continued, twisting her hands together in front of her. “We would’ve made something for you.”

Beverly gave her a steely look. Theo had always found her intimidating, even when he was a kid. Felicity was fun to offset her sharpness. Beverly was all blade, nothing to soften her edges. Carol said she used to have a sense of humor. She used to drink coffee with Carol when Felicity came over for playdates. Then her husband died, and there was no more coffee and no laughter.

“We all know I couldn’t eat it,” Theo said. “Unless somebody’s offering up their wrist.”

The room went silent. A grandfather clock ticked in the center of the back wall, positioned perfectly between the two women on opposite couches.

“Where’s Mr. Fletcher?” Theo asked.

“He’s picking up antibiotics from the drugstore,” Mrs. Fletcher said, too fast. Her smile turned desperate. She waved towards the couch. “Why don’t you take a seat?”

Theo didn’t move. “Why haven’t you told Aaron?”

“I…” Mrs. Fletcher stared down at the stack of unused coasters sitting in a stained-glass jar on the table. “I don’t…”

Beverly sighed tightly and crossed her legs. “I’m going to stop you right there, Theo. We can’t talk about it.”

Theo gritted his blunt teeth. “We’re on the same side . We all don’t want me letting Cyth out of their cage. We all want to find my sire and take revenge for my dad’s—for my dad. He was your friend, I know you want that. ”

He looked at Mrs. Fletcher for the last part. Calling Beverly Sloan and Victor Fairgood friends was a stretch. But whatever they were, they had all known each other for the better part of twenty years. That had to count for something.

Theo had to stop his hands from shaking as he continued, “My dad knew who my sire was. Who was it?”

Mrs. Fletcher gave him an anxious smile. “We really don’t?—”

Beverly cut her off. “Felicity’s been listening at doorways again, hasn’t she?”

Theo didn’t answer. He could smell Felicity’s floral perfume coming closer.

“And that’s not all she’s been doing,” Beverly continued. The hint of a smile crossed her severe face. “That girl’s loyalties have always been…skewed.”

A singsong voice came down the hall. “I heard my name! Is someone badmouthing me? Say it to my face, cowards.”

Felicity pushed the door open, hair swinging, holding a champagne glass full of something that smelled significantly stronger than champagne.

She placed her chin on Theo’s shoulder. “Hello, sad boy. How’re you feeling?”

“Great,” Theo said dryly. “Thanks.”

She winked at him, then turned to the women perched on the couches. “Are we spilling everything? It’s about time. Tell him about the small car, ball of tar, tall bar thing. Sidenote: you need to enunciate when you talk, Mom.”

“Felicity,” Beverly said, voice low. “This is not the time.”

“Then when is the time, Mom?” Felicity grinned, cheeks red with anger. “This is bullshit . Theo’s been going through hell, and we’ve been—what? Plotting against him?”

“We’ve been—” Beverly’s jaw snapped shut. She looked pointedly up at Mrs. Fletcher, who had been in the middle of reaching for her knee. Everyone stared at Mrs. Fletcher’s outstretched hand, frozen over Beverly’s dark dress like a warning.

Beverly gave Mrs. Fletcher a stern look. “I’m sorry. What did you think I was about to say?”

Mrs. Fletcher yanked her hand back. “Nothing!”

“Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“No!” Mrs. Fletcher laughed nervously, fiddling with the top button of her blouse. “Of course not. I…you’ve just…expressed frustration…about…”

She trailed off. She seemed to be putting a lot of thought into the wording, like it was any use speaking in code in front of Felicity and Theo now.

Felicity groaned. “Mom! Cut the shit! Theo told me everything.”

“Everything,” Beverly deadpanned. “Why don’t you enlighten us?”

“I would love to,” Felicity announced, and started listing on her fingers. “The stories about the founding of the town are real. You’ve been training me to kill vampires since I was a toddler. Theo’s a vampire, but not the kind we kill, and his sire wants Theo to get his vampire wife out of her burning coffin and Theo’s dad somehow found out who someone was, and?—”

She gasped, turning to Theo so fast her hair smacked him in the shoulder. “Oh my god, did he find out who your sire was? That’s why he killed your dad?”

Theo nodded stiffly.

“Oh shit,” Felicity said, dazed. She let out a peal of horrified laughter, took another slug of not-champagne and whirled back on her mother. “Guys! That’s his dad , how could you not tell him that?”

“Felicity.” Beverly sighed.

The door flew open. Everyone fell silent as Aaron came in, hair flopping over his eyes.

“Okay,” Aaron said flatly. Everyone but Beverly avoided his gaze. “Not suspicious at all. Do you want me to leave, so you can continue your totally normal conversation—” He paused, looking around the room. “Where’s Dad?”

“He’s picking up your antibiotics,” Mrs. Sloan said hastily.

Aaron’s gloved hand curled into a careful fist. “No, he isn’t. He got those yesterday.”

Mrs. Fletcher smiled at her son with increasing intensity, a muscle flexing in her jaw.

“No,” she said, strained. “You’re mistaken.”

Aaron scoffed. “I think I know what pills I took this morning, Mom . Sorry for not going along with whatever you’re trying to talk these guys into, Mom . Maybe I’d cooperate if I was actually in on the lie, Mom .”

The living room was silent. Mrs. Fletcher kept staring at her son like if she just did it hard enough, she could get him to take it back.

“What?” Aaron snapped. “Seriously, just tell me! Did you guys kill someone last year and now everybody’s sworn to secrecy? Is Felicity in on it?”

His voice kept rising, but Theo wasn’t looking at him anymore. He was too busy watching Beverly. While Mrs. Fletcher was still smiling in panic at her son, Beverly stared pointedly at Theo. Like she wanted to say something important, but couldn’t.

He frowned at her. What ?

She shook her head. Her stare intensified, her dark eyes drilling into him.

Aaron’s cry reached a crescendo. “What the HELL is going on in this house?”

“ Aaron ,” Mrs. Fletcher yelled. “That’s enough .”

Aaron’s shoulders rose. He wasn’t used to his mom yelling at him. His dad was the loud one in the family.

“Yeowch,” Felicity muttered, clicking her teeth against the edge of her glass.

Mrs. Fletcher patted her blouse down.

“So sorry about that,” she said with another placating smile that reminded Theo of his own mom, always putting appearances first. “Theo. I’m very sorry for your loss. But I’m afraid we really can’t say anything.”

Beverly asked, “How’s your car crash friend doing?”

Mrs. Fletcher’s head snapped around to look at her. She gave Beverly a small, rigid headshake.

“I hope he’s alright,” Beverly continued, ignoring her. “I saw him vomit all over the grass. Lucky he missed your shoes.”

“He’s fine,” Theo said warily.

Beverly hummed. “Is he?”

A cold chill washed over Theo. He thought of Kade lazing on his couch, Sparky on his lap. Laughing at something on the TV. Not paying attention to who might be sneaking in the back door.

Theo marched forward and took Mrs. Fletcher’s arms. “Where’s your husband?”

“I…” she stammered. “I…he’s out.”

“Where?” Theo demanded.

“He wouldn’t say,” Mrs. Fletcher whispered.

“Uh,” Aaron said uncertainly. “Theo, what the hell is happening? Let go of my mom. Mom?”

Felicity shushed him. Her hand darted toward her pocket, and for the first time Theo noticed a heavy weight inside the material, pulling it down. On the other couch, Beverly made another fisted hand signal at Mrs. Fletcher, the same one as before: stop .

Theo shook Mrs. Fletcher. “Is he going to Kade’s house? ”

Mrs. Fletcher shook her head. “We didn’t…nobody, not in generations…”

She bit her tongue hard. She didn’t have to say it. The panic in her eyes was confirmation enough.

“Theo,” Aaron said. “What are you doing, man?”

“Ask your mom,” Theo snapped.

Then he ran.