Covet (Clann)

you all the time, either!”
    “Then don’t!”
    “You started it.”
    “Who came into whose room and started this whole conversation?”
    She had a point. “Well, how else can I get you to talk to me? You run out of English lit so fast I can’t even say two words to you.”
    “Please. You have all the time in the world to shout anything you want to me without interruption for an hour and a half before I ever leave. English lit is nothing but having to sit through your monologing.”
    “Believe me, I’d much rather hear your thoughts.” What I wouldn’t give to have her ability, to be able to hear her uncensored thoughts for a change.
    She drew in a sharp breath, and as I watched, her eyes turned from green to silver-white. “Tristan, step away.”
    “Or what? You’ll bite me?”
    Unable to resist any longer, I stroked a fingertip along the curve of her cheek. Though her impossibly smooth and poreless skin was cold, strangely my finger felt warmer where it had touched her, as if my skin were having some kind of chemical reaction to the contact.
    Her chin trembled. “Please. Don’t do this.”
    I wanted to hold her, kiss her just one more time. But even that wouldn’t be enough. One kiss would only lead to more, and we were indoors away from the ground where I could draw replacement energy. The second she felt my energy level weakening, it would be all over. She’d go right back to blaming herself for what she couldn’t stop or change, and using that excuse to add to the walls between us.
    Sighing, I stepped back toward the bedroom door, hating every inch of space that grew between us.
    Someone knocked on the door, making Savannah jump.
    Anne popped her head in. “Oh, sorry.” She started to duck back out.
    “I was just leaving,” I muttered. I hesitated, waiting for Savannah to say something. To tell me not to go. To say she was wrong and we never should have broken up.
    But she didn’t say anything at all.
    Anne stared at us, her eyebrows raised.
    “Have a fun party,” I told Savannah before leaving the room.
    My steps were heavy as I slowly headed down the stairs. Every time I came to this house I left in defeat.
    No matter what I said or did, no matter how jealous I managed to make her, no matter how much I argued with her, I couldn’t change Savannah’s mind. The fact that I’d convinced her to give us a chance once seemed like a miracle now. Because she loved me, there was nothing I could do to make her risk my life.
    If it weren’t making both of us miserable, I could almost admire that unbreakable will of hers.
    I reached the entrance area just as Emily stepped through the living room’s archway. She didn’t notice me at first, too busy laughing at something some guy at her side was saying. Trust Emily to find the only frat boy in the place to flirt with.
    Finally she looked up and saw me. “Tristan, there you are! We’ve been looking all over for you.”
    Sure she had.
    Overhead, a movement of glitter caught my eye as Savannah stepped out onto the balcony with Anne. Savannah stopped there, returning my stare.
    Emily followed my line of sight. “Uh-oh, time to go.”
    “Call me,” the guy said as Emily and I left the party.
    “That was the best party I’ve ever crashed!” Emily gushed as we crossed the lawn toward her car.
    Yeah. Too bad we couldn’t stay longer.
    * * *
    At home, I’d just toed off my shoes in my bedroom and was getting ready to fall into bed when I heard a thud across the hall.
    I glanced out through my open door in time to see my sister closing hers and throwing a quick glance in the direction of our parents’ room.
    Emily was definitely up to something.
    I darted out in time to beat her to the top of the stairs. “Hey sis. I thought you’d be headed back to your dorm by now.”
    “Shh,” she hissed, glancing over her shoulder at our parents’ closed door again.
    Oh, naughty, naughty sister.
    “Sneaking out?” I grinned.
    “I’m not sneaking out,” she said, still keeping her voice at a whisper. “I’m headed to a friend’s house. Mom knows.”
    Liar. “Girl friend or guy friend?”
    Her face went carefully blank. “Why would you ask that?”
    “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the short skirt you’re wearing, or the extra makeup and perfume? You sure it’s not another Halloween party you’re off to instead?”
    She hesitated a fraction of a section, then rolled her eyes, pressed a finger to her lips in warning to be quiet, then