Graduating (Covenant College Book 5) Read online

  “When I heard you were going to work for your dad I pictured you shirtless and cutting down trees in the woods,” I admitted.

  Aric snorted. “That would be more fun.”

  “What happened?”

  “One of the lumberyard workers is fighting with another worker because the dude slept with his wife,” Aric said. “I found them fighting outside today. The one guy threw a punch.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I had no choice. I had to fire him.”

  “Really?”

  “We could be sued,” Aric said. “Trust me. I argued with my dad about it. I agreed with the guy who got cheated on, but there’s nothing I can do. It’s just a mess. I hate being a bureaucrat.”

  “Oh, my poor baby,” I cooed, zealously digging in to the hollow between his shoulder blades with my thumbs.

  “Oh, that feels good,” Aric murmured, leaning his head back.

  “I have to take care of my working man,” I teased.

  “I know you’re messing with me, but I can’t help but wish that we could stay here, just the two … three … of us, for the rest of the week.”

  I rested my chin on the top of Aric’s head. “You might want to rethink that strategy.”

  Aric glanced over at Paris, who was steadfastly ignoring the both of us. “Is something going on?”

  “No,” I said. “We’re just watching a movie.”

  Aric wasn’t convinced. “I don’t suppose I can talk you into going for a walk with me, can I?”

  “You want to go for a walk?” That didn’t sound like fun to me, but I was wondering if he had something he wanted to talk to me about in private.

  “The full moon is in three days,” Aric said. “The nights are still nice. We’re going to lose those for four months in a few weeks. I just want to enjoy it.”

  I cocked my head to the side. He didn’t talk about the wolf part of himself very often. If he wanted to take a walk, if he’d given voice to his needs, I had no choice but to give him what he sought. He deserved it. I brushed a quick kiss against his temple. “Let me get a coat.”

  “SO, DO you want to tell me what’s going on with Paris?”

  Aric and I had left the house ten minutes before, but we hadn’t said a word to each other since. Aric seemed to be basking in the night air, his nose lifted high so he could inhale the life percolating around us. I’d been happy to follow him, our hands joined together, and just enjoy the delight rolling off of him.

  “She’s going to break up with Seth,” I said.

  “Why?”

  “She didn’t say she was going to break up with him,” I cautioned. “She’s just acting weird.”

  “That’s too bad,” Aric said. “I like Seth. He’s easy to talk to, and he doesn’t try to pry too much. Of course, I don’t like the way you drool over him but, in general, he’s a good guy.”

  “I don’t drool over him,” I countered.

  “Oh, don’t lie, you think he’s hot.”

  “I think you’re hotter,” I said.

  Aric pulled me close, sharing a sweet kiss with me before letting me go again. “You better. I’d hate to have to kill Seth.”

  “I’m worried she’s going to try and get back with Mark again,” I admitted.

  Aric paused. “You don’t think she really would, do you?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “This all started when she found Heather and Mark at breakfast together.”

  “Listen, I don’t want to tell Paris her business, but I don’t trust Mark,” Aric said. “I know he told you he’s done with the Academy, but I can’t help but be worried. I’d like to believe that he’s seen the light, but I can’t be sure.”

  “I’d like to be sure, too,” I said. “I can’t make Paris change the way she feels. That’s not fair. She didn’t try to make me change the way I felt about you. In fact, she was the one who spent eight months last year telling me that trying to push you away was wrong.”

  Aric sighed. “See, now I think I should buy her some flowers or something,” he said. “I just think she’s better than Mark.”

  “Well, as hot as he is, I think she’s better than Seth, too.”

  “Don’t call him hot,” Aric said. “It bugs me.”

  “Fine.” I blew out an exaggerated sigh. “He’s adequate. In fact, when he smiles, I swear I see bugs in his teeth.”

  “Better.”

  “I just don’t know what she’s looking for,” I said.

  Aric brought my hand, still clasped in his own, to his lips. “She’s looking for her match, baby. She hasn’t found it yet.”

  “Well, I don’t think it’s Mark,” I said. “I don’t think it’s Seth either.”

  “You can’t fix this for her,” Aric said. “She’s got to fix it for herself.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you really? Because it looks to me like you’re going to try and meddle.”

  “That’s a horrible thing to say,” I said, my outrage completely manufactured.

  “You know I’m right,” he said. “Just … let her be.”

  “Fine.”

  We walked for a few more minutes, Aric reveling in the crisp night air. At a certain point, the sound of far-off footsteps echoed through the dark. Aric pulled me in front of him, stilling as he tipped his head to the side and listened.

  “What is it?”

  “Someone is coming.”

  “Even I can hear that,” I said. “Some wolf.”

  Aric ignored me. “I … .”

  I saw our new visitor’s face before Aric had a chance to finish his sentence.

  I hadn’t see Matilda since the previous semester. She’d lived with Kelsey and me in the dorms before joining a witch sorority that ultimately tried to kill me at the end of our sophomore year. While I thought Matilda was mostly a pawn in that scenario, things would never the same.

  They could never be the same. Still … .

  We’d had an English class together the previous semester, some of our scarred feelings being healed during brief interactions and shared dislike of another classmate, but I hadn’t seen her in months.

  “Zoe?” Matilda pulled up short when she saw us.

  “Hey,” I said. “You scared us.”

  “Sorry. I was just walking home.”

  I glanced at Aric. His jaw was set, his eyes dark. He didn’t trust Matilda – for obvious reasons – but he hadn’t jumped on her and tried to rip her throat out. That was a good sign.

  “Where are you living these days?” I asked.

  “I live over at Kensington Court apartments,” she said. “I was just coming home from the library. My car is in the shop. Otherwise I wouldn’t be out walking. I know it’s not safe.”

  “You’re not living at the sorority house?”

  “I’m not really interested in being in a sorority,” she replied. “I just … I kind of just want to be me.”

  “That’s good.”

  “So, um, how are you?” Matilda was nervous. Part of me felt bad for her.

  “I’m good,” I said. “How are you?”

  “Good.” Matilda glanced around, clearly unsure of how to proceed. “I see you and Aric are back together. I’m glad for you. I couldn’t stand that Caitlyn girl.”

  “Yeah, she was a real bitch,” I agreed. There was no way I was going to tell Matilda what Caitlyn’s fate had been. I mean, really, how do you tell someone you burned someone alive with your hands? That’s just not a normal topic of conversation, even at Covenant College.

  “Well, I should get going,” Matilda said. “I don’t want to be out here any later than I have to be.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “I’m … I’m glad you’re okay.”

  Matilda smiled. It was an alien expression, like it didn’t quite belong on her face. For a second, she reminded me of myself the previous year. “You, too,” she said.

  She started to move down the sidewalk.

  “Wait,” I called out. “Why don’t you let us w
alk you home?”

  Aric balked. “What?”

  “She shouldn’t be out alone.”

  “It’s okay,” Matilda said. “It’s only three blocks.”

  “We’ll walk you.” I tugged on Aric’s hand, forcing him to follow behind me.

  Matilda was unsure, but she fell into step beside me. For lack of something better to talk about, I turned to my former roommate’s favorite topic. “So, are you dating anyone?”

  Hey, you have to start somewhere.

  Eleven

  “As far as bad ideas go, this ranks right up there with the Snuggie.”

  Halloween on a college campus is a big deal. It gives girls a chance to dress in virtual lingerie, draw a black nose on their faces, and put a pair of animal ears on their head and call it a costume. It gives men a chance to pretend that the lingerie doesn’t turn them on, and they’re actually interested in whatever drivel the animal happens to be babbling.

  It’s a total sexfest.

  I would have been happy staying in and ordering pizza. Yes, I’m getting old. Once Tally and Kristy had announced they were going to the annual Alpha Chi party, though, that idea fled.

  When Kate and Heather expressed interest, our fate was sealed.

  I still didn’t like it.

  Of course, we’d tried to talk them out of it – Paris and Kelsey coming up with a bevy of reasons of why it was a horrible idea, including potential herpes outbreaks and ear-infesting bed bugs – but Tally and Kristy couldn’t be dissuaded.

  They wanted to party, and they wanted to party at the Alpha Chi house.

  So, here we were. Seven college girls, one agitated werewolf, and a whole plethora of animosity spread out on one small lawn.

  Aric was gripping my hand so hard I was afraid he would break it. “What’s a Snuggie?”

  “It’s one of those blankets that has arms,” I said, momentarily worrying that I’d pushed him too far.

  “I’ve never seen one.”

  “They’re completely sexless.”

  “Don’t ever buy one.”

  I pulled his hand over so I could cup it with my other, lending him my calm. “Are you going to be okay here?”

  “I’ll be fine.” His tone was breezy, but his face was tense.

  “We can just go.”

  “You’re not going to leave them here,” Aric said. “I know you. Even if we did leave, you’d obsess about it all night until you drove me crazy, and then we’d be right back here. Let’s just … man, I hate this place.”

  Kristy, Tally, Heather, and Kate were already getting beer on the front porch. Since I was certain that Alpha Chi was drugging women so they could rape them freshman year, the rest of us had brought our own small cooler. None of us were overly excited to drink, though.

  “Just stick with me,” I offered. “I’ll protect you.”

  Aric finally relaxed, if only marginally. “You’re cute.”

  “I try.”

  “You succeed.” Aric gave me a quick kiss before turning to Paris and Kelsey. “I need you two to do me a favor.”

  “If you want me to kiss you, I’m going to have to pass,” Kelsey said. “Kevin wouldn’t like it.”

  Aric rolled his eyes. “Just … stay close to us, okay? This situation is ugly. I think the odds of anyone approaching Zoe are slim. They might try to mess with me, though. And, if they can get either of you alone, I don’t want to think what they might do.”

  Kelsey balked. “What?”

  “If you have to go to the bathroom, we’re all going together.”

  Kelsey made a face.

  “I’ll wait outside,” Aric said. “You know what I’m getting at.”

  “I got it,” Kelsey said.

  “Do not drink anything that doesn’t come out of this cooler,” Aric said, tapping the hard plastic for emphasis. “I’m not joking.”

  “We got it,” Paris said.

  “Okay.” Aric sucked in a breath and took in the party. “Let’s … try not to kill anyone.”

  Paris barked out a laugh. “Sometimes I think you’re just about the best person I know.”

  Aric glanced down at her, his smile tight. “We’re not staying here all night,” he warned.

  “I don’t think it will come to that,” I said, pointing when I saw Will and Brittany heading in our direction. “We’re already on their radar. If we’re lucky, they’ll kick us out.”

  “That doesn’t mean they’ll kick our roommates out,” Paris said.

  “Yeah, they’d let them stay just out of spite to mess with us,” Kelsey added.

  “Just … everyone smile,” I ordered. “Don’t let them get to you.”

  “Well, I can’t believe you guys came,” Brittany said, her voice dripping with fake welcome. I couldn’t help but notice she was gripping Will’s hand like he was her salvation, while his hand was lax in her grip, like she was the anchor around his neck.

  “Well, it’s Halloween,” I said. “Our roommates were just dying to see the annual party.”

  Will was quiet, contemplative. His gaze was focused on Aric, who was also still.

  “I’m glad you came,” Brittany said. “This is going to be the best party yet.”

  “Well, any party where they don’t try to kill us is automatically a step up,” Paris said, referring to another Halloween party several years before. At that party, Brittany was almost burnt at the stake. Ah, those were good times.

  Brittany brushed off Paris’ pointed remark. “That whole thing was blown out of proportion.”

  “You were the one who was in danger of dying,” Paris reminded her. While my relationship with Brittany had always been tense, Paris had at least pretended to get along with her for a time. I was surprised by her words.

  “That was all a big hoax,” Brittany said, averting her gaze. “I thought you guys knew that.”

  “I think Tara would disagree,” I said. “Of course, she’s dead, so she can’t really disagree.”

  “Tara dropped out,” Brittany replied. “That was all just … well … it was a play. You fell for it. Don’t you feel silly?”

  Oh, good grief. “What is your deal? I mean, I know you live in La-La Land, but this is just ridiculous.”

  “If you’re going to be ugly, then maybe you should just leave,” Brittany said, her eyes flashing.

  “I’m not trying to be ugly,” I said. “I’m trying to get you to see the truth.”

  “And what truth is that?”

  The gloves were off. “God, Brittany, what is wrong with you? You know who they are. You know what they are. Why are you making excuses for them?”

  “I notice you don’t have a problem with your beloved Aric,” Brittany hissed. “You know what he is. You know the horrible things he’s done.”

  “And what horrible things are those?” I challenged.

  “He was part of the group that tried to kill you last spring,” Brittany said. “He was aligned with evil. And, here you are, back with the man who tried to kill you. You’re so very pathetic.”

  I froze. Will had obviously been filling her head with a pack of lies. “Who told you that nonsense? Let me guess, Will? Well, your boyfriend is a pathological liar.”

  “You’re just upset that I’m dating the alpha now,” Brittany said, her smile smug. “While you’re dating the … outcast.”

  I shifted my gaze to Will. “Wow. You’re a much better liar than I ever gave you credit for.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Will said.

  “Really? Because it seems to me you were the one to make the deal with the Academy?” I saw no reason to lie, or lower my voice. “It seems to me that you were willing to sell out your brothers so you could gain a position of power.”

  “Oh, that’s just crap,” Brittany said. “He’s in a position of power all on his own. He’s the secretary, for crying out loud.”

  “Will made a deal with Professor Blake last year,” I said. “He told Blake that he would give him a powerf
ul amulet – one that could control vampires – and then give him a good time to wipe out the bulk of the pack.”

  Brittany’s eyes narrowed. “Will, tell her that isn’t true.”

  Will didn’t bother responding. He was still focused on Aric. Even though he was a good six inches shorter, Will wasn’t backing down. This was new. He’d been a coward his whole life. Something else was going on here.

  “The problem was, I stole the stone,” I continued, relishing telling Brittany the horrible truth. “No one knew I had it the entire year. Then, when they figured it out, they tried to get me to use it on Rafael. The new problem was, we destroyed the stone before they could use it, so their whole plan went to hell.”

  “That’s a lie,” Brittany challenged. “Will, tell her it’s a lie.”

  Will remained silent.

  “Then, when we turned the tables on them, and they all ran into the night like scared little girls,” I said. “We won, and they lost, and they ran because they didn’t know what else to do.”

  I was purposely baiting Will now. I wanted to see how far his newfound “courage” would go. I didn’t miss that his hand, the one Brittany didn’t have a death grip on, had clenched into a fist.

  “Now the Academy is floundering,” I said. “And Will here, well, he’s decided to try and attach himself to another powerbase.”

  Brittany glanced at Will, her face uncertain. “I don’t understand.”

  “Tell her, Will,” I cajoled. “Or I will.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Will said, his teeth gritted.

  I shook my head, suddenly feeling nothing but pity for him. “You make me sad,” I said. “I still remember those amazing summers we had. Kayaking up and down the river. Partying for days on end. I thought you were so cool. Now? Now I know better. You’re just a pathetic piece of shit.”

  That did it. Will was swinging out with his free hand. I expected it, jerking back so he would miss me. Aric was another story. He caught Will’s hand in mid-air, crushing it with his fist as he gripped it.

  Will whimpered at the force Aric was exerting.