Covet (Clann)

second, I would love nothing more than to press charges against Dylan. But then Tristan would hear about it and do something stupid, and that’s what Dylan’s dad wants. We can’t give them what they want. So no anonymous tips, okay?”
    I wasn’t letting the fact that his father was abusing him with magic sway my emotions. Really I wasn’t. Just because Dylan’s dad was a magical bully didn’t mean Dylan had the right to ever touch a female, much less choke one.
    But I also refused to let my anger sway me into making the exact tactical error they wanted me to.
    She stopped beside me. “Excuse me? I didn’t say anything.”
    I stopped, too. “Yes, you did. You were going on and on about making anonymous tips and—”
    “No, I didn’t. I thought it, but I didn’t say it.” Her eyes narrowed. “You can read minds now, can’t you! That’s why he was so freaked out.”
    I gave her a sheepish smile. “Um, surprise?”
    Growling, she started walking again. “If you hadn’t just fixed my wrist, I swear… How long have you been able to read minds?”
    I shrugged one shoulder. “A few months, I think?”
    She growled. “And all you can say is ‘surprise.’ You know, I’m going to remember tonight that you said that. Oh, by the way, Ron said he’ll be giving you a ride home after practice. He said he already worked it out with your parents last night at the party. He has something to tell you in private.”
    “Ron does?” I pretended confusion as I opened the heavy metal and glass main building’s rear exit doors for her then followed her inside to the main hall. “About what?”
    “You’ll find out.” With a dark, smug grin, she gave me a wave over her shoulder with her right hand. “See you later.”
    About time. This should be interesting.

CHAPTER 24
    The fall sun was already slipping below the pines that wove throughout Jacksonville when Charmer practice ended that afternoon. As I walked through the fast-growing gloom down the hill toward the practice field’s chain-link gated exit, I saw a familiar black muscle car purring at the curb.
    I tilted my head and looked through the open passenger’s side window.
    “Hey!” Ron said, his smile tight at the corners and not quite reaching his eyes for once. “Anne said she talked to you at lunch. Ready to go?”
    Okay.
    A few minutes later, I was settled in the passenger seat and we were on our way up the hill and off campus.
    “So Anne said you needed to tell me something?” I said.
    “Yeah. Well, that and show you something.”
    We drove past the turn that would have led toward my house, instead heading out of town. “Where are we going?”
    “Somewhere a little more private.”
    My imagination tried to cue the creepy horror movie picture at this point. But this was Ron, and both Anne and my parents and his supposedly knew about this roadtrip. So I forced myself to relax back in the seat.
    “Are we going to Palestine?” He had just turned onto Highway 79, which led to the next town over. Palestine was also where Ron’s family had moved from when we were in the ninth grade.
    Behind us, the town’s lights faded from view as the sun finished setting and left us to zoom through the cold in the dark.
    “No, not that far. Just another mile or so.” The dashboard lights turned Ron’s face green as he glanced at me with a smile. “I’m taking you to this spot I like to go to where I can be alone and…think.”
    His expression looked the same as always, with that lopsided boy-next-door smile, and the emotions he was projecting were a little on edge but mostly…hopeful. Nothing about him said he intended to kill me in a ditch somewhere.
    Besides, I was half vamp and half witch. I could take care of myself now.
    I searched for something to talk about so I wouldn’t feel so weird. “What’s this band?” I gestured at the radio, which was turned down low.
    “You like it? They’re called Flogging Molly.”
    “Sounds Irish.”
    He nodded. “Yeah. They’re awesome. Oh here, listen to this one. It’s my favorite.” He cranked up the volume and hit the forward button to play the next track.
    I picked up the plastic case wedged into the space between our seats and read the back listing of songs. We were listening to “If I Ever Leave This World Alive.”
    Because we’re about to die? my stupid imagination wondered before I told it to shut up. Other than creeping me out with the lyrics, I liked the music and let my head bob in