Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter - By Nikki Jefford Page 0,52

no matter where he goes."

"Have you been a lot of places together?"

"Before moving to Alaska we were roommates in New York."

I whistled. "Wow, New York to Alaska. I guess you really needed a change in scenery."

"Call of the wild," Fane said and laughed. "It was my dream to come out to the far north. One day, I told Joss I was moving and that he could join me or stay behind."

"Wow, you guys must be really...close."

I wasn't sure how to respond to that. Wasn't it kind of weird for two teenage guys to move across the country together?

"Joss lost his family, too. We've been rooming together for a long time."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Fane squeezed my hand.

"Anyway, he wanted to check it out first, but I said I was moving - sight unseen. The decision was a bit tougher for Joss. You see, he loved New York's arts and culture, but hated the people. The idea of vast stretches of uninhibited land appealed to him...the lack of artistry and architecture was more difficult to swallow."

"We've got totems and igloos," I said, smiling.

Fane grinned back. "Joss is more of a Venus de Milo and Basilica di San Marco kind of guy."

"We have ice sculptures downtown."

Fane laughed. "You're tenacious. I thought you were sick of this state."

"It's still my home...and I still think it's beautiful. It's just..."

"Dark and cold?"

I nodded, but somehow I didn't mind so much anymore.

"I was about to come out looking for you," Mom said when I walked through the front door.

"Mom, I'm only forty minutes late."

"I was worried. You never answer your phone anymore."

"That's not true."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. Fane gave me a ride home." I kicked my boots off and shrugged out of my jacket. "My car phobia is cured. Isn't that great?"

You'd think my mom would look happier.

"Anyway, I'm home and I'm going to get started on homework," I said.

I headed upstairs without waiting for a response. I hadn't even had a chance to get through my English assignment when she came by to check on me later.

Her steps reached my back and stopped.

"What?" I asked when she didn't say anything. I turned in my chair to face her.

"You have a friend downstairs to see you."

It had to be Fane. Why else would my mom's face look so pinched? I skipped ahead of her down the stairs, but found Noel waiting in the entryway.

"Hey," I said.

"Hi."

Her hood was pulled back, her arms were pressed at her sides, legs together, face bent down.

"Want to come up to my room?" I asked.

"Sure."

"This is Noel," I said to my mom as we passed her on the stairs.

"Hello," Mom said.

"Hi, Mrs. Sky." Noel looked at the floor when she spoke.

Once I had Noel in my room I shut the door. "Sorry I haven't been hanging for a while," I said. "I was suspended and then...well..." I shrugged and flashed her a dopey grin.

Noel looked around my room. She was probably realizing we didn't have much in common. I was just a normal high school girl. Well, not exactly normal, but it would appear that way.

I expected her to be annoyed with me, to accuse me of not really being one of them. What I wasn't expecting was for her sudden change in expression.

"Why didn't you tell me you were macking on a vampire?"

I felt the color drain from my face. "What?"

"Fane Donado." Noel arched a brow.

"What about him?"

Noel huffed in disgust. "What do you think, Aurora?"

Fane was nothing like Patrick, or Ivo, or the rabid lunatic.

He was just a high school boy...with dead parents, sharp back molars, and an immunity to cigarette smoke.

Normal.

All of a sudden my breathing went haywire. A succession of heavy gasps rasped up my throat as I fought for air. Oxygen wasn't going to my brain. I pulled at my neck.

Noel's leaned forward. "Aurora?"

"No." I clawed at my scarf. "It's not true. You're lying!" I shouted. "I don't believe you!"

Noel glanced at my door the louder I got. She walked over, contemplated me calmly, then slapped me across the face.

My cheek stung like a bitch. For such a petite stick of kindling, Noel packed a mean punch.

I put a hand on my cheek. "What the fuck, Noel!"

"Sorry. I was losing you. Are you telling me you didn't know Fane is a vampire?"

I did feel rather stupid now that she asked. Fane. I mean, come on, how thick was I? Conversations raced through my mind, all his odd little quirks, like the way he preferred the cold and dark and had