Wanted (8 page)

“Hey, Ashlinn.”

My attention was diverted to Jonah Strang, who was walking toward us with a couple of friends. He smiled and waved. Jonah was cute, blond hair, brown eyes, vamp. “Hey Jonah,” I replied as we walked by. Odd. Jonah had never really talked to me before.

“Ash. What’s up?” Brady Fry, another vamp, waved at me from his locker to get my attention. I faltered a little. A knot of apprehension formed in the middle of my chest.

“Brady.” I nodded, trying to be polite.

Then things got downright weird. Tre Davis walked up to us. “Hey Ash, you busy tonight?”

He was one of Conor’s friends, one of the chosen few who sat at his lunch table. A wave of realization washed over me as Matt and Conor both stepped closer to me.

I halted and stared at Tre’s ice-blue eyes and noticed his great body. I managed a small smile, though that knot grew bigger, making it suddenly hard to breathe.

“Um…” My brain struggled to process what was happening.

Suddenly Cora appeared, pushing her way past Conor. She took my arm in hers. “Sorry, Tre. She’s got a study date with me tonight.”

He smiled, showing dazzling white teeth. “No problem. Can I call you or something, Ash?” I was still speechless; I had never been good with boys. Did they all just want to bite me? Freaky.

Cora pulled me down the hallway, away from the boys. “If you can get her number,” she threw over her shoulder with a wink. She hustled me to class, rushing past all the would-be suitors. I was still trying to find my breath.

“I thought those two were supposed to be protecting you,” she said with a huff. “A lot of good they were.”

 “Thanks.” I breathed, finally. “That was just…strange.”

She looked me over, eyes narrowed in concern. “Is this how it’s going to be all week?”

My eyebrows shot up. “I don’t know. Conor said not everyone would find me as appealing as he did. I didn’t think…”

I stared down at my desk. How would I survive all week with all those vamp boys vying for my attention? Last week I’d been virtually invisible. I was starting to think anonymity wasn’t all that bad.

Maybe I should just let Matt do it. Bite me, get it over with, and go back to normal life. All those guys would leave me alone, and Conor could go back to his life. He wouldn’t have to pretend to date me anymore. My stomach betrayed me, letting me know in no uncertain terms how I really felt about the possibility of losing Conor. I put a hand on my stomach in a vain attempt to calm the rising panic. If I picked Matt, would Conor stop talking to me, stop hanging out with us? Would it go back exactly to the way it was before? Where I was obsessed with Conor from afar and he acted like I didn’t exist?

I put my head down on my arms as class started. I really didn’t want to be in this situation. I didn’t want this choice, I didn’t want this attention. I didn’t want any of this.

* * * *

I tried my best throughout the morning to pay attention in class. After all, I still needed to graduate after I became a familiar. Everywhere I went, though, guys talked to me. Guys I’d never even noticed before. All vamps. I hadn’t realized our school had so many vamps.

Cora couldn’t be everywhere at once. So I was often left without protection. When they came up to me in the hall, I did my best to keep walking. In class, I just smiled politely and told them thanks, but no thanks. Most of them got the message and backed off right away. Others were more persistent.

I found Cora at our lockers before lunch. She put an arm around me and squeezed before letting me go. “How you doing?”

I opened my locker and shrugged. “Okay.” I dumped my books and shut the door, looking around for Matt. “It’s so strange, though. Is this what’s it like to be hot and popular? Because I think I’ll pass.”

I gave her a grimace as Tre walked by and waved. Halfheartedly, I waved back.

“Where’s Matt?” I asked her.

She shrugged. “Let’s go. We can find a table in the corner or something.”

Matt finally showed up after we’d gotten our food.

“Where have you been?” I pointed my fork at him.

He set his tray down across from me and pulled out a chair. “Spreading the rumor you and Conor are dating.”

I choked a little on my milk. “What? Why?” I gasped between coughs. Cora pounded me helpfully on the back.

He cracked open his soda, unfazed. “To discourage some of the throng of dudes who are suddenly lusting after you.”

“Is it working?” Dare I hope?

He shrugged, taking a drink. “Not sure, yet.”

“Ashlinn. How was your morning?” Tre Davis sat down next to Matt.

I swallowed nervously and threw Matt a look. “Hey, Tre. It was fine.” I tried to be polite.

Matt froze mid-bite and leveled a stare at Tre, who smiled. “Hey, Finley. What’s up?”

Matt swallowed. “Tre.”

The chair next to me screeched against the floor and Conor sat, leaning in to kiss my cheek. “Hey, babe,” he greeted me.

He breathed in my ear, “Just go with it.”

My smile was shaky. Straightening, he took my left hand in his and squeezed. My stomach fluttered at his touch. I glanced around the table. Tre studied us. Steven arrived and sat next to Cora, the two of them whispering quietly. Matt stared at his food.

Tre cleared his throat. “Conor, man, I heard you and Ash were dating. When did you guys get together?”

“Saturday night. At my party.” Conor seemed to have no problem with Tre suddenly eating with us, or showing interest in me. “Our first real date was last night. Pizza.”

He smiled at me, sharing the memory of our talk and dinner. My nervousness melted away under his gaze. Matt had now switched to studying us. He looked like he wanted to say something, but remained quiet.

Tre nodded as he ate. “Cool. So you moved on from Victoria pretty fast.”

Conor raised a shoulder, eyes narrowing at his friend. “Vic and I are really just good friends. We were more together because our parents expected it. You know that, Tre, my man.”

Tre paused a moment before turning his icy eyes on me. “So, I’m having a party Friday night. You want to come?”

Conor stiffened. “Oh, I don’t…”

“Matt and Conor have to be there anyway. You might as well come, too. Unless you want to blow off the party with me and hang somewhere else?” Tre grinned.

“Um…” I started, not knowing how Matt and Conor wanted me to answer.

“Ashlinn will be at the party,” Conor told Tre. “With me.” I looked at him, eyes wide with surprise. News to me.

“’Scool. Maybe another time.” Tre chugged his milk and stood. He picked up his tray and threw me a lady-killer smile. “See you later.”

I turned to Matt. “What the hell is going on?”

Matt glanced at Conor. “Apparently, your popularity is spreading.” Matt’s mouth pulled into a tight line.

“Tre’s parents are on the Council,” Conor put in. “They probably told him. It’s just like him to do something like this.”

“You mean pretend to be interested in me?” I retorted raising my eyebrows at him. “You know, because I’m powerful.”

He reared back a little. “Ash, I’m not…”

I held up a hand. “I know. I know. You’re for real. I have to trust you. And apparently, now we’re supposed to pretend we’re dating.”

Matt gave Conor an “I told you so” look.

Conor flushed a little and stammered, “We thought…”

“We who?” I demanded “You and Matt? You thought it would be good to pretend we were dating to keep all the other guys away? So I can’t consider anyone else? What if I like Tre?”

Matt leaned forward. “Ash. We said Conor because if you and I were dating, there’d be no reason why Conor was suddenly hanging out with us. And you don’t like Tre. You never have, he’s not your type.” His voice was so reasonable.
Damn it.

Cora and Steven continued eating, silently taking everything in. Her presence beside me was comforting, though.

“It was my idea to give you a boyfriend.” Matt shrugged, eating his lunch. “I figured all the attention would wig you out a little bit. Having a boyfriend may make some of them back off. And would you really want someone besides your best friend or the dude you’ve been obsessing over for months to bite you?”

“Matthew!” Cora admonished. My face flamed at Matt’s candidness.

“What?” He looked at her, eyes wide and innocent. “The dude likes her. It’s no big now.” He pointed his fork at Conor and me.

“Months?” Conor murmured next to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him grin.

“Shut it,” I cut off his ego boost. His grin stayed. I turned my focus on Matt. “So you didn’t think to run any of this by me first?”

He shrugged again. Damn his cool collectedness. “I didn’t see you all morning. Word was spreading. We had to do something fast. Dudes were saying some seriously inappropriate things. Me or Conor, or both, were going to be fighting.”

“Fighting?” I raised my eyebrows.

“Yeah. You know, to defend your honor and shit,” Steven piped in with a smile.

I rolled my eyes. “My saviors. Thank you so much.” I hoped my sarcasm was evident.

Matt wasn’t affected. “I just told a couple people you guys got together at Conor’s party. I didn’t know you guys had an actual date last night.”

“It wasn’t really a date,” I put in, not looking for Conor’s reaction. “We just talked.”

He looked me in the eye, almost sad. “And had pizza.”

“I missed dinner,” I put in lamely.

Matt looked away, clenching his jaw. His actions were evidence of why I couldn’t be Matt’s familiar. Our bond as familiar would be so much closer than it was now. I’d never be able to have a romantic relationship without hurting him.

I changed the subject. “And apparently, I’m going to a party Friday night?”

He cleared his throat. “Ah, yeah. It’s a Council event. They’ve…uh…requested your presence.”

I nodded, a bubble of anger formed in the pit of my stomach, churning outward. “Is this how it’s going to be all the time when I’m a familiar?” I looked between Matt and Conor, glaring. “Will you guys make all my decisions for me?” I turned to Cora with a sigh. “I’m starting to think the running away option is sounding good.”

Her eyes widened in alarm and focused over my shoulder at Conor. He grabbed my hand, forcing me to turn my attention to him.

“Ash, you can’t think of leaving. Really.” His eyes bore into me, almost imploring.

Matt had the same look, mouth drawn into a tight line, eyebrows so furrowed, his eyes almost disappeared beneath the ridge of his brow. “Ash, you’ll get hurt. Don’t run. We’ll…” He looked to Conor, who still had my hand, and then back to me, eyes pleading. “We’ll do better, okay? Talk to you first about everything. Just…don’t run.” He looked back at Conor, who was nodding gravely. Jeez, what was with the funeral faces?

I sighed, the bubble of anger dissipating slowly. “I’m not going anywhere, Matt. I just…” I shook my head, taking my hand back from Conor. “I didn’t want any of this. I don’t want all these random guys hitting on me. And I don’t want you two making decisions for me. I can…I can pretend to date Conor this week, fine, until I decide…whatever. But my life is my own, my decisions are mine to make.”

Conor nodded in agreement. “Okay. Promise we’ll talk to you about any major decisions.”

“Told you she’d get mad.” Matt pointed a finger at Conor.

Conor arched an eyebrow. “Yes. You know her better than I do, something I hope to reconcile soon.” He turned to me, eyes warm.

I blushed, butterflies taking off in my stomach. He was freaking gorgeous and I was pretend dating him. “Do people actually believe we’re dating?” I asked, incredulity apparent in my voice.

Conor’s brows drew together. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t they?”

My hands fluttered. “You know. I mean, Friday night you were dating Victoria and today you’re suddenly with me. Not very logical.”

Matt made a sound. “It is if he bit you Saturday and decided he liked you. And please don’t get me started on comparing you and Victoria because you would so lose that argument.”

I chose to ignore Matt’s innuendo about my appeal. I swallowed a nervous giggle, cheeks warming. Matt was telling me I was attractive. Did not want to go there. “So people think you bit me?” I shifted my attention to Conor, who picked at his food.

Conor looked up and cleared his throat. “Ah. Yeah. Sorry.”

I nodded, face still flaming. “It’s okay, I guess. Whatever keeps those random guys away. That was just…weird.”

I would just have to make it through this week, pretending to be dating Conor, getting to know him, and deciding who I wanted to spend the next couple hundred years getting protected by: Matt or Conor.

After we finished, Matt and Steven left us at my locker. “I’ll see you next hour, Ash.” Steven gave Cora a kiss before jogging to catch up with Matt.

Conor leaned on the locker next to mine while I dug out books. Cora busied herself in her locker, not paying any attention to us. I shut my door and made to walk away with Cora. Conor leaned in like he was going to kiss me.

Panicking, I drew back slightly. “You don’t have to kiss me. We can pretend to date at school without kissing.”

I didn’t want him kissing me because he was just trying to convince everyone we were together, or because it was obligatory for him.

He grinned wickedly and leaned all the way in, putting his lips softly on mine. I exhaled. Goddess, this boy felt like mine. Our bodies touched only at the lips, yet it felt like he was wrapped around me, enveloping me, inside me, touching my soul. He pulled back, finally, eyes twinkling.

“But I want to,” he said softly.

I focused on breathing and swatted at him playfully. “Don’t think I’m picking you just because you can kiss.”

He gave me that crooked grin and started walking backward. “Hey, any benefits for my side I’m taking advantage of.” He winked and turned. I watched him walk away without breathing.

Cora laid a hand on my shoulder. “How about all that for confusing as shit?” I didn’t disagree.

We started toward class, my body humming from the kiss. “Yeah. We’re pretending to date, but he has no problem kissing me. Yet, last night he said he wanted to work on being friends.” We both digested for a moment.