Victory at Prescott High (The Havoc Boys #5) - C.M. Stunich Page 0,17

we’re having a moment; I’d appreciate it more under different circumstances. “According to them, James organized this on his own. Trinity looked like she might shit herself when I told her that her brother—or is it fuckbuddy?—was dead.” Vic steps forward and snags another cigarette. Chain-smoking, like he always does when he’s nervous.

“James Barrasso, dead on arrival,” Oscar purrs out, and then he looks back at me like he’s having trouble catching his breath, too. Then, and I swear to god this wasn’t planned, I feel a warm trickle against my thigh and glance down to see a bit of red in the darkness, sneaking out from beneath Callum’s shorts that I borrowed. I have a habit of doing that, borrowing my men’s clothes.

Doesn’t it feel nice, to cover yourself in their scent? It’s primal, I guess, and I can be a primal bitch.

“What great timing,” I choke out as Oscar closes his eyes and releases me. “And yes, James Barrasso is dead; Maxwell is never going to let this go, not even if it was his crew’s fault to begin with.”

The blood hits the floor in a bright red splotch, visible even inside the darkened kitchen. Twilight cuts through the sliding glass door, its silver brilliance enough to cut through the frigid cold of a January evening.

“You can wash up,” Oscar tells me, opening his eyes to stare at me. “I promise that I won’t fuck you and leave this time.” He just keeps looking at me, and I turn away, ignoring Vic’s lingering stare as I head into the upstairs bathroom with a curse.

Of course I’d get my period today, of all days. As irregular as usual, as unpredictable. Is this a sign of how my powers work, huh? Like, they’re tied to the moon and blood and the irresistible power of being female?

I slam my hands on the countertop and stare at myself in the mirror for a moment.

Take control, Bernadette. Period blood is a sign of magic.

I stare at myself, at eyes the color of an evergreen forest, stuck forever in a shade of emerald. My skin is pale, like the flesh of a ghost who’s never met the sun. My cheeks are too pink, my stomach twisted up with cramps. Fuck, that hurts. I feel like … well, like I was kicked in the belly. And I was. Just a few hours ago.

With a groan, I flick the water on and splash my already clean face, trying to wash away the violent feeling of panic. “The last I saw of him, he was outside the school, chasing someone.” Chasing who? Why? Where?

If he’s anywhere near the school, Sara and her squadron of feds will ferret him out.

But I doubt it.

Because if Callum were alive and well, he’d have contacted us by now. That means that, wherever he is, he needs our help.

I clean myself up, put a disposable cup in—the kind you can keep in while you fuck—and then head back into the hallway. I pause at the sound of the front door and find myself poised at the top of the steps, waiting. Breathless. Come on, come on.

“Honey, I’m home,” Hael says, stepping inside and kicking the door closed behind him. He leans his shoulder against the coat closet door and swipes a hand down his face as I take the stairs two at a time and find myself breathing hard in front of him.

My fingers itch to touch him, but I wait, taking in his tousled red hair, oversized hoodie, and loose sweats. He, too, has changed from the clothes he wore to school this morning.

Hael smiles down at me, but it’s a tired smile for sure. We could all use some fucking sleep. Shit, we deserve to count sheep, smoke a little pot, and crash hard. But that isn’t happening until every member of our family is safe and accounted for.

“Good timing on those explosives,” I whisper, and Hael’s smile gets a little prettier, a little more real.

“We keep minor explosives in all our crew’s cars, didn’t you know? Have them park here and there—just in case.” He leans down and cups the side of my face, very gently rubbing the side of his stubbled cheek up against the smooth surface of my own. “You’re very welcome by the way.”

Hael holds the sweet chastity of that moment in a proverbial hand until I close my eyes and exhale sharply, releasing some of that frenetic energy inside of me. Only then does he