Shadow Lake Vampire Society - Wendi Wilson Page 0,5
words, their hungry stares were sounding all my internal alarms.
I began to back up in the direction I came. “Stay away, asshole.”
They ignored me, taking slow steps in my direction.
“You aren’t wet,” the other mused. He was taller with a splattering of pimples across his hairless chest. His name was Travis Brickley. I remembered it because he used to ride my bus in middle school before he set the back seat on fire. A real gem, that one.
I took a few more steps back in an attempt to maintain the space between us. “Leave me alone.”
They stalked forward, matching me step for step.
“You need to get wet,” Travis said. “It’s part of the rules. And we always follow the rules.”
Laughing, they exchanged a glance. Then they turned and opened fire.
As the water soaked my shirt, I froze. Terror rendered my limbs useless. I couldn’t run. I couldn’t scream. The wetness hit my face, sliding down my cheek just as it had in the cabin.
Trapped.
Terrified.
Helpless.
But there was no horrible creature at the door. These were two adolescent boys playing with water guns they bought in a toy store.
Blinking the water out of my eyes, I stared at my assailants.
Then I did something I wouldn’t have had the courage to do a year ago.
I ran forward and kicked Travis Brickley in the balls.
Chapter Three
Despite Coco assuring me I was a total badass, I was a nervous wreck as she drove me to school the next morning. Kicking Travis in the junk felt amazing in the heat of the moment, but I’d lain awake half the night stressing about what he might be planning.
Because I did not doubt he’d do something to pay me back. His revenge was sure to be swift and probably painful.
“Stop freaking out, Pipes. You know I’ve got your back. And I guarantee you more than half the female student body does, too. Those guys are asshats, and I’m sure you weren’t the first girl to nail one of them in the nutsack.”
Laughter bubbled up my throat at Coco’s words and the mental image they created. She pumped a fist in the air, like making me laugh was life goal numero uno. I shook my head, but kept the smile on my face.
“Just don’t try to talk me into going tonight.”
“No worries,” she said, stopping at a red light and checking her eyeliner in the rear view. “The bucket challenge is boring anyway.”
Coco was right. The bucket challenge was boring. Seniors lined up under buckets brimming with freezing cold ice water held onto ropes above their heads. If their arms got tired and dropped too far, the tension on the rope caused the buckets to tip and spill all over the person’s head. It could take hours to finally declare a winner. I had no idea why the student coordinators hadn’t replaced the competition with something more exciting.
“Have you given any more thought to the summer camp thing?” Coco asked, changing the subject.
“You trying to get rid of me?” I shot back, narrowing my eyes playfully.
“Of course not, dork.”
Her lips pressed closed as her face scrunched, and I knew she had more to say. I let her struggle in silence for a full minute before I called her out.
“Just say it, Coco.”
Her shoulders drooped as a sigh rumbled from her lips. She steered the car into the school parking lot, pulling into a spot and killing the engine before she turned in her seat to lock gazes with me.
“Listen, Piper. I love you, and hell no, I don’t want to lose you for a whole summer. But I have to put on my big girl undies and stop being selfish. I think you need this. You need to get out there, meet new people, and try to live a little. I’m here for you, and I will support any decision you make, but that’s my two cents.”
A rock formed in my chest, filling up all the empty space while making it hard to breathe. The thought of leaving town and going to some backwoods camp filled with strangers made my heart beat in a syncopated rhythm.
The last time I left town, my father was murdered.
Killed, I reminded myself. If I was ever going to get the people in my life to stop worrying about me, I had to make them believe I accepted the fact that my dad was killed by a bear. Not murdered.
“Calm down,” Coco whispered, her hand running up and down my arm. “I’m sorry. I