Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter - By Nikki Jefford Page 0,65

night's sleep." I looked back at Tommy, who was sprawled out over the entire back bench snoozing. "Not a problem for Tommy, anyway."

Dante chuckled. "Good night, Sky."

"'Night."

As soon as I stepped out of the Jeep, Dante pulled away and barreled down the road. This was one girl he didn't have to worry about seeing to the door...though he could have waited to make sure I reached it. The air felt balmy compared to Fairbanks, but an instant shiver ran down my spine. I glanced at the forest at the top of the hill.

I didn't see anyone, but I felt like I was being watched. Not that I'd see Fane if he were lurking among the trees. It was pitch-black, and he could blend into the night in his dark attire.

I stared straight into the black void for several beats to show I wasn't scared despite my hammering heart. I turned and forced myself to walk - not run - to the front door. Once inside, I turned the bolt behind me and shut off the front porch light. It was dark inside the house.

I made my way around the house, checking all the doors and windows to make sure they were locked without turning on any lights as I made the rounds. My eyes adjusted to the dark, and I could see the stairs outlined in the gloom. I peeked inside my mother's room and heard her snoring lightly.

I continued to my own room. In the dark, I closed my curtains and spent the rest of the evening sitting on my bed, knife beside me. It could be Fane out there. It could be Renard. Then again, it could be nothing.

I slept through most of Sunday and stayed up all the next night. Monday morning, I told my mom I must have caught a cold in Fairbanks and needed to stay home. She left me alone for the most part to rest in my room. Honestly, I didn't know if I could get sick. The vampire blood in me probably made me immune, but I couldn't go to school. I couldn't face Fane.
Chapter 23 Transfer

The sudden ringing on my nightstand jolted me awake at two forty-five in the afternoon.

I sat straight up in bed, heart running amuck. I hesitated, but grabbed my cell phone. My breathing returned to normal when I saw it wasn't Fane calling.

I held the phone to my ear. "Hey Whitney."

"What the heck is going on?" Whitney demanded. "Suddenly Noel transfers to West and Valerie's back together with Fane...has the world gone mad?"

"Fane's with Valerie again?" I know I broke up with him, but how could he go back to the vamp tramp so quickly? I thought Fane liked me. I had even believed he loved me. Fool. Love was a joke.

Whitney sounded confused. "Did you guys break up or something?"

I swung my legs out of bed and stood. "When you say together, did you just see them together or were they..."

"Making out." Whitney didn't say it with nearly enough disgust.

"I'll call you later," I said abruptly and snapped my phone shut.

When I slammed it down, I aimed for the bed so it wouldn't break. I threw open my closet doors and began rummaging around for something to wear, selecting a pair of dressy jeans and black V-neck. I grabbed my phone and dialed Noel.

"Hi, Noel. How was your first day at West?"

"Sucked." She laughed a second later. "Sorry, bad word choice."

"Want to grab a coffee? Or herbal tea, if you prefer."

That got another laugh out of Noel. "Yeah, I really do. I'll pick you up."

"I'll be here."

Stranded. At least I had no shortage of new friends with cars.

I brushed out my hair and worked it into a long braid before going downstairs.

I found Mom in the kitchen.

"Noel's picking me up," I said.

Startled, she looked up from the page of a magazine she was reading slouched over the kitchen counter with a soda at her side.

"What about your cold?"

"I feel better now."

"I don't think you should be going out when you haven't been feeling well."

"Mom, this is really important."

"What's so important that it can't wait until you're better?"

"Noel just transferred to West, and I'm going to transfer tomorrow. I want to ask her some questions."

Mom straightened in her chair. "Transfer!"

Maybe I should've had this talk with my mom yesterday, but I was asleep all day.

"But...but...it's your last semester," she said. "Why do you have to transfer?"

"Fane, Mom. I can't go to the same school as him. I