Betrayed

isn't an excuse to be heartless,” I said. She'd turned away and I saw her pause. Her back got really straight and when she looked over her shoulder at me I could see that her eyes were narrowed in anger.
    "What would you know about it?”
    "About your parents? Not much except that they're controlling and your mom's a nightmare. About screwed-up parents in general? Plenty. I've been living with pain-in-the-ass parent issues since my mom remarried three years ago. It sucks, but it's not an excuse to be a bitch.”
    "Try eighteen years of a lot more than just 'pain-in-the-ass parent issues' and maybe you'll start to get something about it. Until then, you don't know shit." Then, like the old Aphrodite I knew and couldn't stand, she flipped her hair and stalked away, wiggling her narrow butt like I cared.
    "Issues. The girl has major issues." I sat down on the bench and began rummaging through my purse for my cell phone, glad I carried it around with me even though I'd been forced to keep it on silent, without vibrate on. The reason could be summed up in one word—Heath. He was my human almost-ex-boyfriend, and since he and my definitely ex-best friend, Kayla, had tried to "break me out" (that's actually what they'd said—morons) of the House of Night, Heath had been way over the top on his obsession level for me. Of course, that wasn't really his fault. I was the one who had tasted his blood and started the whole Imprint thing with him, but still. Anyway, even though his messages had dwindled down from like a zillion (meaning twenty or so) a day, to two or three, I still didn't feel like leaving my phone on and being bothered by him. And, sure enough, when I flipped it open there were two missed calls, both from Heath. No messages, though, so hopefully he's demonstrating the ability to learn.
    Grandma sounded sleepy when she answered the phone, but as soon as she realized it was me she perked up.
    "Oh, Zoeybird! It's so nice to wake up to your voice," she said.
    I smiled into the phone. "I miss you, Grandma.”
    "I miss you, too, sweetheart.”
    "Grandma, the reason I called is kinda weird, but you're just going to have to trust me.”
    "Of course I trust you," she replied without hesitation. She's so different than my mom that sometimes I wonder how they could be related.
    "Okay, later today you're planning on coming into Tulsa to do some shopping, right?”
    There was a brief pause, and then she laughed. "I guess it's going to be hard to keep birthday surprises from my vampyre granddaughter.”
    "I need you to promise me something, Grandma. Promise that you won't go anywhere today. Don't get in your car. Don't drive anywhere. Just stay home and relax.”
    "What's this about, Zoey?”
    I hesitated, not sure how to tell her. Then with her lifelong ability to understand me, she said softly, "Remember, you can tell me anything, Zoeybird. I'll believe you.”
    I hadn't realized that I'd been holding my breath until that instant. On my let out breath I said, "The bridge on I-40 that goes over the Arkansas River by Webber's Falls is going to collapse. You were supposed to be on it, and you would have died." I said the last part softly, almost whispering.
    "Oh! Oh, my! I'd better sit down.”
    "Grandma, are you okay?”
    "I suppose I am now, but I wouldn't be if you hadn't warned me, which is why I'm feeling light-headed." She must have picked up a magazine or something because I could hear her fanning herself. "How did you find out about this? Are you having visions?”
    "No, not me. It's Aphrodite.”
    "The girl who used to be leader of the Dark Daughters? I didn't think you two were friends.”
    I snorted. "We're not. Definitely not. But I found her having a vision and she told me what she saw.”
    "And you trust this girl?”
    "No way, but I do trust her power, and I saw her, Grandma. It was like she was there, with you. It was awful. She saw you crash, and those little kids die ..." I had to stop and breathe. The truth had suddenly caught up with me: my grandma could have died today.
    "Wait, there were more people in the crash?”
    "Yeah, when the bridge collapses a bunch of cars go into the river.”
    "But what about the other people?”
    "I'm going to take care of that, too. You just stay home."
    "Shouldn't I go to the bridge and try to stop them?”
    "No! Stay away from there. I'll make sure no one gets hurt—I promise. But I have to know that you're safe," I said.
    "Okay, sweetheart. I believe you. You don't