Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter - By Nikki Jefford Page 0,28

didn't need to check the number on the two-story house with the French windows. Scott's Dodge Ram was parked in the drive. I marched up to the front steps and pounded on the door.

I believed that once a decision was made it should be carried out without hesitation. And shouldn't I feel fortunate to share my first time with my number one crush? But that was part of the problem. That crush belonged to the old Aurora Sky.

An image of Fane appeared in my head. I shoved it back out.

When Scott opened the door, he smiled and asked me inside. He was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt. I pulled my arms out of my jacket as I walked inside. When Scott didn't offer to take my coat, I tossed it onto the nearest chair.

Scott nodded at my neck. "Want to take off your scarf?"

"Not right now."

The living room furniture was all dark wood with burgundy upholstery. I avoided stepping on the brown bear hide pancaked to the floor. The head stuck up off the floorboards facing the TV.

I nodded to the rug. "That's gross."

Scott flashed a toothy smile. "Isn't it great? My dad shot it."

I passed the head of a mountain goat mounted to the wall. "Can we go someplace else?"

"How about my room?"

"Sure."

I followed Scott down the hall, but stopped as he led me past the kitchen.

"Do you have anything to drink?" I asked.

He turned and grinned. "You mean like beer?"

"Do you have anything stronger?"

"I can make a rum and Coke."

"Sure."

Apparently, Scott's mom had a thing for roosters. They were on all the kitchen towels and the set of ceramic jars lined on the counter by the stove. There was a rooster on the switch plate cover, kitchen mat, and clock. The only thing missing was a stuffed rooster head coming out of the wall.

"How about vodka? Got any of that?" I sat on a stool at the counter listening to the clink of bottles as Scott rummaged through his parents' liquor cabinet.

"Yep, lots of vodka." He set the bottle in front of me, reached for two shot glasses, and filled them to the brim.

I lifted my glass. "To the last semester."

Scoot grinned. He threw back his shot glass and emptied it in one gulp.

I did the same then coughed and sputtered. "Ick!"

Scott rocked with laughter.

I grinned, too. "That's awful."

Scott laughed harder. I pushed my glass toward him. "Give me more."

"More?"

"More."

"You're really cool, you know? I always figured you for a goody two-shoes."

I rolled my eyes. "Just pour, already."

The next shot didn't go down any easier. I coughed and waved a hand in front of my face. "Obviously people don't drink it for the taste."

"Usually you mix it with something. We have Kahlua."

"I'll take it straight."

Maybe the third one would do the trick. Wasn't the guy supposed to be the one getting the girl plastered so she'd sleep with him? Women had to do everything these days.

The fifth shot finally hit me. I don't think it was the quantity as much as the timing. I was downing them so fast the alcohol hadn't had a chance to catch up till now. I gripped the counter and grinned.

"So let's see your room."

I felt all warm and tingly inside. It was the only way. Otherwise I'd back out.

I'd passed through the hunting lodge and farm house. I could hardly wait to see Scott's room, but it was like entering the sports zone. The walls were covered in baseball and basketball posters. He'd nailed up blue and white Denali flags and the letters he'd earned playing on the team.

His walls were like a tacky, four-sided collage.

Shorts and balled-up white and gray-edged socks littered the floor. School books were tossed in a corner. A pair of jeans stretched across a chair.

No tidying up for company.

The bed wasn't made. Big surprise.

"What do you wanna do?" Scott asked.

"It," I said before bursting into a fit of giggles. "I want to do it."

I was in hysterics now. Scott was laughing, too.

What a fun guy. He was really fun.

I closed my eyes for a second and felt the world spin circles. The weirdest part was everything stayed in place when I reopened them.

Closed. Spinning.

Opened. Fine.

Scott closed his bedroom door and I doubled over laughing again.

"What?"

I tried to answer and ended up snorting. As soon as I caught my breath I said, "Why did you close your door when nobody's home?"

Scott's cheeks dimpled. His shoulders shook when he laughed, but he wasn't laughing anywhere near as hard