The High School Reunion From Hell - Saranna DeWylde Page 0,12

meet Mina? Her owner is still down in the run getting her settled in. You can meet her. I’m sure she’d love to meet another vamp pup mom, too.”

Vamp. Pup. Mom. I never really expected to hear those words strung together, let alone directed at me, but whatever. I was here for it.

I followed Emily into the huge space that had been allocated for the doggie daycare—a giant indoor field with fake turf, a wading pool, and various pens where dogs could play with others their size. Vlad strained at his harness trying to get to Mina. Mina, for her part, was content to wait for him to make his way over. She sat a little straighter, and looked away from him, but checked back every couple moments as if to make sure he was still trying to rip my arm out of the socket.

Emily started telling me about the new harnesses and leashes they had that could withstand his vampire strength, and I was amazed at how many accommodations they had for dogs like him.

I decided I could definitely let the ranch thing slide.

Maybe this reunion weekend hadn’t been such a bad idea. Not only was I getting back in the game, but my dog had a friend and I had a drop-dead gorgeous dress to flaunt. For the first time since Marc said he was leaving, things were looking—

A woman who had to be Mina’s owner came into view.

She had long blond hair that fell in a cascade over her shoulder. Her nails were sharp, and cherry red. She wore skin-tight jeans, and a pair of those expensive heels with the red soles. A casual white tee knotted at the waist finished off the look. She just looked so effortlessly chic. Not a look I could ever pull off. But that didn’t mean we couldn’t be friends. I removed the leash and was about to call her over to ooh over our pups.

Then she turned and smiled, and my stomach churned.

It wasn’t because her teeth were perfect and white, or that her smile was pageant-perfect. No.

It was because the vamp pup mom who I’d already decided I was going to spend long doggie play dates with was none other than the bane of my existence, Bitchy Brooke Wellington.

What.

The.

Fuck.

“Well, well,” she drawled. “If it isn’t Margie Majors.”

“Mina is your dog?” I said stupidly.

Her cherry red lips curled into a smile. Her fangs descended. “Obviously. Isn’t she sweet?”

Her tone dared me to say otherwise, but I had nothing against the dog. “Yeah, she’s great. Vlad seems to like her.”

They were chasing each other across the run, no signs of aggression from either of them.

“Now, that’s a surprise. What’s a vampire slayer doing with a vampire pit bull?”

It wasn’t a secret, so I didn’t mind sharing the story. Still, my shoulders tightened and my balance shifted as I said, “He was Turned saving my life. What else was I going to do?”

Brooke’s chilly demeanor softened. “Miss Mina tried to save mine. But we were both Turned.”

I didn’t know what to say. Was I supposed to say I was sorry? She didn’t seem to be any worse for wear. Her high school mean girl perfection had bloomed into a woman’s elegance. I couldn’t stop staring at her.

Which I fucking hated.

She was so beautiful. And if she’d been anyone other than Brooke Wellington, and a damn vampire, I might have asked for her number.

No, actually, that’s a fucking lie. Beautiful women terrified me—they always had. Instead of asking for a number, I’d stutter and run away. I can walk into a crypt at midnight and face down a master vampire when his power is at its peak—fight his whole nest without blinking an eye—but a smart, beautiful woman?

Nope. Run away screaming.

I didn’t want to look at her. I didn’t want to like looking at her. She was Bitchy Brooke, and even wrapped in pretty paper, she was still an awful person.

“So, you know, do you want to be friends or something?” She wet her lips. “Our dogs are friends. It would be pretty shitty to deny them their own kind.”

“Uh…” Be friends? With Brooke? I had visions of hanging out with her, going to her house, her coming to mine, getting close to her.

Kissing her.

Pushing her down on the couch and ….

Goddamnit, what was my problem? I drew in a sharp breath and mentally shoved those thoughts away. Maybe I should hook up with someone at this reunion? As much as I loved