Page 4

CHAPTER

FOUR

Kade was chain-smoking.

He’d already bit both of his thumbnails to the blood, and he didn’t want to make Theo suffer any more when he came back. Especially not after Kade had already screwed up and let Sparky crawl out of the open window to chase after Theo. He’d tried to catch her, but she was a slippery little bastard.

At least he hadn’t been spotted. A cop car had come up the road a few minutes ago, and Kade had ducked low into the backseat. He’d waited for the car to stop and see why the golden boy’s Lexus was abandoned on the side of the road, but the cop kept going. Which was good. Kade really didn’t want to get arrested tonight.

The sun was going down when Theo finally trudged back. Sparky lolloped at his side, butting her head into his hand. He patted her each time she did this, but always a second too late, like he had to remind himself to do it.

“I couldn’t stop her,” Kade blurted as Theo walked up. “I really tried, I just needed to smoke and she ran off.”

Theo shook his head. Kade’s jaw snapped shut, a hundred horrible scenarios running through his head.

“So,” he said as Theo let Sparky into the backseat with Kade. “Is everything okay?”

Theo climbed into the driver’s seat. His eyes were dull.

“No,” he said. “Dad’s dead.”

Kade felt it like a punch. He never met the guy, but Theo worshipped him. Even if he didn’t, losing a parent as a kid could screw you up. Foundations cruelly yanked out from under your feet. Kade knew that intimately.

“Bloody hell,” Kade whispered. “Mate. I’m so sorry.”

Sparky whined, pawing around the headrest to lick Theo’s cheek.

Theo twitched away from her. “Can you take her?”

Kade pulled Sparky into his lap, holding her collar. She whined again, but settled against him.

Theo squeezed the steering wheel. A gentle squeeze, nothing cracking under his grip. He had gotten the covering replaced over the summer, and it was once again shiny plastic. No cracks or fissures from a vampire trying to contain his stress.

“Mom says he went for a walk in the woods,” Theo continued. “She heard him scream. Found him all torn up. Animal attack.”

“Bloody hell,” Kade whispered again. It didn’t seem to have the right emphasis, so he continued: “ Fuck .”

His cigarette was burning close to his fingers. He threw it out the window, the fourth he’d smoked since Theo left him here.

The Lexus was silent. Sparky rubbed her nose into Kade’s neck.

Theo sighed, watching them in the rearview mirror. “Sparky tried to bite a cop.”

“Good girl,” Kade said before he could stop himself.

Theo snorted. He’d never looked so tired before, even when he was starving on the basketball court, even when Kade helped him get home after fighting Hawthorn, all those rips in his torso.

“I’m gonna kill him,” Theo said.

“Theo—”

“Mr. Hawthorn could look human. He could be anyone,” Theo continued, like Kade hadn’t spoken. “I’m gonna find out who he is, and I’m gonna kill him.”

Sparky huffed into Kade’s collarbone. Kade nodded silently, stroking her muzzle.

Theo twisted to look at him properly. “What?”

“Nothing,” Kade said instantly. “Right on board the murder train with you.”

“No, you have a face. What’s the face?”

“Mate,” Kade said softly. “I’m so sorry.”

Theo stiffened. “Don’t. ”

“My mum’s dead,” Kade blurted, as Theo started to turn away. It was enough to make Theo pause, so Kade grimaced and continued: “Car accident. I was ten. I know how—I don’t know how this feels, your dad getting murdered by a monster who has diabolical plans for you. But I know how it feels to lose a parent.”

Theo stared at the window near Kade’s head. Then he turned back, sitting ramrod straight.

“Sorry,” he said. “About your mom.”

“It was ages ago.” Kade wrestled Sparky off his lap, giving her a comforting pat when she whined. “What do you need? Do you need to punch something? You can punch me and heal me after, I’m game. Do you need blood?”

Theo laughed bitterly. “My dad’s dead and you want to get high?”

“No!” Kade held Sparky back as she tried to climb into his lap again, trying to remember anything that Sundance had told him in the days after his mum died. She’d flown over to the UK to bring him back. It was all a blur of motel beds and microwave meals, a finicky funeral tie he forgot how to tie immediately after she taught him.

“I want to help,” Kade tried. “I don’t know what else to give you, man. We can sit here and talk? We can smoke and go look for mushrooms? I can hug you really carefully?”

Theo’s shoulders got even higher. “I’m fine.”

“Mate,” Kade said helplessly. “Come on. We’ve both got full sleeves, I’ll hold my head away so I don’t get burned?—”

“I said I’m fine,” Theo snapped.

Kade swallowed, stung. Theo hadn’t snapped at him like that for months.

“We’ll figure this out,” Kade tried. “You and me, we’re on the case.”

Theo stared out at the road glowing orange in the sunset. Another cop car drove past. Kade ducked, not bothering to make Sparky follow suit.

The cop car passed without incident.

Kade blew out a breath against the leather seats. “Want to come around to mine?”

“No,” Theo replied. “I should get back to my mom.”

“Right. Of course. I’ll get out.”

“I’ll drive you,” Theo said before Kade could reach for the door handle.

“No, seriously, it’s not that long—” Kade stopped. The Lexus was already moving, Theo pulling a too-fast U-turn to point them in the right direction. Kade rested his cheek against the leather seats, wondering what Theo was going to give him in the woods before Theo’s life fell apart for the second time in a year.

Sundance was still on the couch with her cowboy book. She’d switched to lying down, the book aloft in her one good hand.

“It’ll be a pretty late dinner,” she said as he walked in. She dropped the book on her chest with a sigh. “I almost gave in and started—whoa, hey, what’s up?”

Kade gave her a tense smile. He must have looked awful, because she immediately sat up and scrutinized him.

“Why are you standing weird?” she asked, gaze roving over him like she was looking for bandages or bloodstains. “Are you hurt? Are you on something? If you’re on acid again, you’re grounded.”

“That was one time,” Kade complained. He dropped his backpack and slumped onto the couch next to her, lifting her feet into his lap. “Theo’s dad died.”

She stared at him. Once enough time had passed to let her know no, this wasn’t a bit, she sighed. “God. Poor kid. What happened?”

“Animal attack,” Kade said, pulling his knees up to his belly.

Sundance rubbed his arm. Kade made a mental note about how much skin she was showing, then remembered he didn’t need to worry about Sundance burning him. It was becoming a habit. Not a lot of people touched Kade.

“How’s he doing?”

“Pretty numbed out,” Kade said cautiously. Numb was one of many words he would use to describe Theo’s intense stare as he drove Kade back home. Determined was another. Whatever Theo’s grieving process was, it wouldn’t be pretty. Not that Kade could judge. His grieving had involved eighteen kinds of self-destruction, some of which he grew out of, others which stuck around.

Sundance patted his arm. “Glad he’s got you.”

“He doesn’t have me,” Kade replied automatically. “I was just…there.”

“Well,” Sundance said. “I’m glad you were there.”

She’d taken a shine to Theo after seeing him around at the house so often this summer. She didn’t like that Theo kept their friendship a secret, no matter how much Kade assured her it was a mutual agreement. But she couldn’t help but be charmed by Theo and the free mushrooms he brought over.

Sundance lifted her feet out of his lap. “Don’t worry about dinner. I got it.”

“Come on,” Kade said as she eased to her feet, bracing her good hand on the couch to push herself up. “I can bang something out.”

“And I can put a frozen pizza in the oven,” she replied. “Take a load off. You’ve had a hard day.”

Kade rubbed his face. He wanted to tell her to sit back down, he’d go do a veggie stir-fry so they didn’t get scurvy. But all he wanted to do was put on headphones, turn his music up as far as it would go, and try to forget the last hour ever happened. Preferably with the help of some illegally purchased alcohol.

“Give me a yell when it’s ready,” he told her, and headed to his room to find the half-drunk bottle of vodka he’d lost track of last week .

Kade woke the next morning sweaty and hungover, regretting every life decision that had brought him to this point. He groaned, fumbling blindly for his phone. It wasn’t on the nightstand, which meant he had to actually open his eyes.

He did so, grudgingly. A quick scan revealed his phone sitting next to his pillow, the charger almost—but not quite—plugged in.

Kade sighed and plugged it in properly. He had two messages—one from Milly last night, replying to his text about Theo’s dad getting murdered in the woods by an ‘animal.’

Interesting , the text said. We’ll look into it. All my condolences to Theo.

The next text was from the grieving golden boy himself, timestamped ten minutes ago.

Come over right now, it said. I need you.

Kade swore, surging out of bed so fast he immediately fell over yesterday’s jeans, which were lying in a heap next to his bed. He staggered up, grabbing his nightstand for balance and spilling an open bottle of vodka down his arm.

“Jesus,” he cried, throwing the now-empty bottle across the room. He ran to yank open his bedroom door, now clad in boxers, sweat, and at least five standard drinks of wasted vodka. “SUNDANCE, CAN I GET A LIFT TO THEO’S?”

“Gimme five minutes,” Sundance called back from her bedroom, voice thick with the groggy disposition of someone who had just been woken up against their will.

“THANKS,” Kade screamed back, and ran for the shower.

The front door was open. Theo had texted him it would be, but Kade still felt like he was committing a crime as he slunk up to the door and knocked. They had a door knocker in the shape of a lion, shiny and golden. It was well maintained. Kade wondered if they had a guy for that, the same way they had a gardener. No maid, though. Theo had said something about Fairgoods not wanting anybody in their business.

Fair enough. Kade wouldn’t want anybody rooting around his room, either.

He knocked with the gold hoop strung through the lion’s mouth.

“Hello,” he called when no one answered. “It’s, uh. It’s me.”

He was profoundly glad he’d made Sundance leave after he got out. He’d driven them here, but since he was on a learner’s permit, he needed a licensed driver in the car with him. She was driving back and hoping no cops spotted her driving one-handed with her arm in a sling.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. Kade dug it out wildly.

I said it’s open. I’m up the left stairs, first door.

Kade opened the door. No dog came bounding up to greet him. He walked quickly through the house, shooting glances over his shoulder. He’d been here before, once to watch a movie, another time so Theo could show Kade his secret terrarium, which had been so adorable Kade chewed his cheek bloody trying not to coo at him. Theo had snuck him out fast and efficiently, so Kade hadn’t had time to admire the first floor. He had no desire to do it now.

He climbed the left stairs and knocked quietly on the first door he found.

“It’s open,” Theo said, annoyed.

Kade entered an office with two desks at each side of the room. One desk was prim and tidy, holding only a laptop, a plastic fern, a family photo, and a copy of Atlas Shrugged that made Kade grimace. The other had a laptop, a snow globe of New York, moisturizer, a used makeup brush, and a jar full of pens, pencils and pristine erasers.

Theo sat in the middle of the carpet, folders open around him. He was wearing the same clothes from yesterday and he didn’t look up as Kade entered, unlike Sparky, who had her head in Theo’s lap and her tail wagging wildly as she gazed up at Kade.

“Hey,” Kade said uncertainly. He swallowed, taking note of Theo’s rolled-up sleeves: any bare skin was dangerous territory. “You okay, mate?”

“You’re saying mate a lot,” Theo said, turning to another page. “Makes me feel like I’m in a Dickens book.”

“Dickens books don’t say mate ,” Kade said with the confidence of someone who had never read one. “What do you want me to say? Wot wot guv’na, great day innit ?”

Theo didn’t answer, staring down at the folders spread out around him. They looked legal and boring. Kade had no idea why Theo had called him over. Was something up with the will?

“Mom’s at the funeral place,” Theo said, and blinked. “Parlor. Funeral…thing. Anyway, she’s gone all morning. We can still get to school on time.”

Kade laughed. Theo didn’t join in.

“Wait,” Kade said. “What?”

Theo held up a piece of paper. Half of it was legalese, but there were scribbles at the bottom.

“Felicity broke into Cheech’s house over the summer,” he announced.

Kade flopped down hard on the carpet, careful not to touch any of the folders or Theo’s exposed arms.

“I’m guessing she didn’t tell you about this?”

“Nope,” Theo said. “My parents didn’t, either. Gag order. Also her mom sent them some really expensive watches.”

“Okay,” Kade said slowly. Sparky tapped a paw against his ankle. He patted it absentmindedly. “She…okay. Was this a dare or is she, like… involved .”

“Don’t know,” Theo said, sounding not even half as irritated as he should be about finding out his other best friend might be involved in eventually hunting him down. “But whatever it was, it led my dad to this.”

Theo held the paper closer to Kade’s face. Kade stared, not sure what he was looking at. Something about a gag order..

“The notes,” Theo prompted.

Kade looked down at the notes scribbled at the bottom. They were bullet points, written messily but still mostly legible.

How often do they need blood?

Silver = Y/N?

Useful members of community or dangerous? Murders suggest danger.

SUNLIGHT??? If so, impossible to maintain normal lifestyle…Lemmings???

Theo—is he really eating?

Kade let out a half-shocked, half-horrified laugh. “You think he knew about you?”

“I don’t know,” Theo said defensively. Then, lower: “He’d been weird all summer.”

“Do you think the Felicity case somehow led him to find out about…?” Kade waved at Theo noncommittally.

“I don’t know,” Theo repeated. “But look at this.”

He flipped the paper over. In big black letters, drawn in a marker:

FOR MY FAMILY: IF I DIE SUSPICIOUSLY, DON’T LET THEM STEAL MY BODY.

Kade took the paper. The words were dark and rushed, as if written in a hurry .

“What are you gonna do?” Kade asked. “Lurk outside the funeral home until he goes in the ground?”

“No,” Theo said, sounding like he thought that was actually not a bad idea. “We just…need to keep an ear out in case someone breaks in. And we need to check his body before the funeral, obviously.”

“ Obviously ,” Kade mocked.

“Well, it helped with Lemmings!” Theo checked his watch. “I need to get ready for school. I can’t show up in yesterday’s clothes.”

“You’re not going to school ,” Kade said. “What, are you crazy? Your dad just died. When my mum died I didn’t go to school for a month , and only a bit of that was because I was moving to another country.”

He went to shove Theo’s arm, then remembered Theo’s rolled-up sleeves and changed tactics, whacking their knees together. “Don’t go to school, man. I’ll pull a sickie with you. We can watch movies. Go for a nature walk. You can point out the slime molds you were so hyped about last time.”

Theo looked at him. There were no bags under his eyes, not this soon after a feeding. But Kade had never seen him look so tired.

“Don’t do that,” Theo said.

“Do what?”

“Be all…” Theo waved at him, nonsensical. “I don’t know. God . I want to sleep. I want to go to sleep so bad. ”

Kade itched to put a hand on his knee. Bare hand, clothed knee. He could do it.

But then Theo was standing up, placing the folders back into place with a speed no human could match.

“I’m going to shower,” he told Kade. “Wait in my room. And keep her out of here, nobody’s supposed to be in here.”

Kade nodded, leading Sparky out. He paused in the doorway, watching Theo slot the important piece of paper back into his dad’s tray with deep care. He almost asked why Theo wasn’t taking it with them—then he thought better of it. He already knew: Theo didn’t want to disappoint his dad, even when he was dead.