Covet (Clann)

silence, she finally made eye contact again only to change the subject. “I heard about you and Bethany. Sorry it didn’t work out.”
    “I thought you didn’t want me to lead her on anymore.”
    “I wanted you to be happy with her. And honest with her if you couldn’t be.”
    I gave in to the urge to study her face, rememorizing every curve, the wispy curls at the edges of her forehead, the new pearl-like gleam to her skin. “You were right. I was leading her on, though I swear I didn’t know it. And when I finally did, I told her the truth.”
    One corner of her mouth deepened. “From the Charmers’ reaction, I take it that didn’t go over well with her.”
    “Yeah, not so much.” I gave her a sheepish smile, appreciating the sympathy even if I didn’t deserve it.
    She opened the door, and I grabbed the edge of it to hold it for her, taking one last chance to be close to her.
    “Hey, Sav?”
    She stopped, turned back, looked up at me and was close enough to kiss.
    “Be careful, okay?” My hand ached to touch her cheek. “Dylan and the twins are going to be suspicious now, no matter what I tell them. They might try to push you again just to prove to the adults that you’re breaking the rules. Don’t let them make you lose control again. You’re stronger than that, stronger than them.”
    She searched my eyes, a faint smile curving her lips. “Thanks, Tristan.”
    Still wearing that trace of a smile, she entered the cafeteria, letting the doors drop closed between us.
    Taking a deep breath, I reached for another charmed stick of gum in my pocket.

CHAPTER 29
    It was a long week. Mom and Dad took turns shouting and threatening me over the phone about the burned vamp ward. But I flat-out refused to wear one and risk hurting Savannah. I told them I didn’t care if they grounded me again, flew home and ordered me to, or had Emily and Mrs. Faulkner beat on my bedroom door and yell about it for days. It wasn’t happening, and that was all there was to it.
    Mom nearly went ballistic. Dad promised we’d have a talk when they got home next week. And that was the end of the discussion for now.
    I stayed busy all week, using every bit of spare time to make replacement vamp ward blocks. Along with the other descendants on campus, Dylan and the twins stuck to wearing only one ward each, but even those few wards were enough to wear out my blocking charms on a daily basis. Even with drawing energy, I was distracted and played lousy during Friday night’s away game. Coach Parker ended up benching me for most of the game in disgust.
    I used the weekend to draw energy and worry about Savannah. Would she listen to my warning to be careful? Or was she still practicing using power without supervision? How often did she practice? She would have to go somewhere away from her dad to keep it a secret; there was no way the vamp council was knowingly allowing her to develop her skills. Was she outside in the cold?
    Short of calling her and demanding that she let me supervise her practice sessions, there wasn’t much I could do to keep her safe. And it made for a lot of sleepless nights.
    She was at school on Monday, though, so I could relax while at school. That afternoon after football practice, I headed home and was surprised to find Dad’s car already in the garage. They’d gotten home late last night, Mom sleeping in this morning and Dad off to work long before breakfast. I checked my watch. It was only five-thirty, hours before I’d figured he would come home tonight since he probably had a ton of work to get caught up on.
    Hoping he was tired and comatose on the living room couch, I walked softly down the hall between there and the kitchen to check on him.
    Halfway down the hall, I passed his open study door and discovered him on the phone behind his desk.
    Great. Maybe he’d be too busy working from home to give me that “talk” he’d promised.
    I turned toward the foyer, but I wasn’t quick enough. A sharp snap of fingers commanded me to turn around again and join him in his study.
    I eased down into the creaky leather armchair across from him. This was not going to be good.
    My left knee bounced as I stared at my hands. Then I began to actually listen to what he was saying.
    “No, you don’t want to do that, and here’s why. We don’t know for sure that vampires are the killers in the first place. Yes, I’m serious! Two holes in the neck does not automatically equal a vamp killing.” He paused.