Crave (Harlequin Teen)

What might the vampire council do if she learned about their existence and they found out about it? I also couldn’t tell her that my family used to be in the Clann.
    She already knew about the Clann’s abilities, though. Or at least strongly suspected.
    “They’re all a bunch of witches, aren’t they?” she said. “I knew it. Everyone says they are, and I believe it. You know why? Because it explains everything. I mean, how else would he have saved you all those times? It had to have been either magic or some crazy high-tech CIA-mind-control type gear he gave me. They just worked way too well and way too fast.”
    Huh? “Anne, what are you talking about?”
    She pressed her lips together, considered then nodded. “He never made me promise not to tell, so… Do you remember how all your gaze-daze victims just suddenly left you alone?”
    “Yeah, but that was because the effects wore off.”
    “Sorry, my friend, but no. Tristan gave me these little heart candies every time you got a new stalker. He asked me to put them in your backpack and duffel bag. And immediately your stalkers stayed away. I always wondered how he did it, though.”
    “And now you’re thinking it was some kind of magic spell?”
    She nodded.
    So it wasn’t just the gaze-daze effects eventually wearing off. I’d had help all along.
    At first, I absolutely melted at the idea of Tristan secretly playing knight in shining armor for me. He was so incredibly sweet and good to me, looking out for me like that months before we’d even started talking again. Not to mention the fact that his working with Anne could not have been fun for either of them.
    But then the blood drained from my head and seemed to pool in my toes, taking my smile right along with it. Oh, no. If this was true, then…
    “What?” she demanded.
    “I’ve made eye contact with Tristan twice now. Once right after he fought with Greg in September, and then again last week. Though I could swear he wasn’t affected.” I cringed in anticipation of Anne’s reaction. She hadn’t thought me too brilliant when I’d messed up with Greg. I could guess how she’d react this time.
    She leaned back against her door with a thump. “And you said ever since he’s been asking you out?”
    I nodded, saw the direction of her thoughts and felt sick to my stomach.
    “No wonder. He’s gaze dazed.” She sounded like a doctor announcing I had cancer.
    Suddenly it was hard to breathe. My fingers twisted together. “But he didn’t look possessed like the others. And besides, why would he want to help with the algebra boys? That was way before he and I ever made eye contact.”
    “That was just guilt from dumping you so badly in the fourth grade.”
    I cringed. “You really think so?”
    “The pattern behind his actions seems pretty clear to me. He protected you from the Warty Boys in algebra and then later from Greg because he was feeling guilty for being such a jerk for years. And then you popped him with the gaze daze, so he joined the Charmers so he could be around you, then was driven by a second hit of the gaze daze to ask you out until you finally gave in.” She stared at me like it was all too obvious and I was an idiot for even doubting it. “Why else would Mr. Macho go from not talking to you at all to joining your dance team and begging you twice a day to date him?”
    So much for the knight-in-shining-armor image.
    My stomach cramped so hard I had to wrap my arms around myself.
    I remembered how Tristan had smiled at me last night, how he’d held me while we danced, how he’d touched my face as if I were something delicate and precious while he kissed me. How he’d staggered and seemed ready to fall over after our kiss, and was worried that I might not want to see him again. And how I’d wondered why in the world he would be so into someone like me. Oh, crap. Anne was right. I knew it had all been way too good to be true.
    “Fine, he’s gaze dazed.” Anger at myself and the whole situation, along with a sinking sensation I didn’t want to think about just yet, made me snap. I took a deep breath, blinked away the burning sensation in my eyes and tried not to take it out on her. “Okay, so now what? If he’s the only reason those other guys left me alone…who’s going to save him? ”
    “His sister?”
    “I can’t ask her for help! Can you see that conversation? ‘Hi, Emily, I’m the reason your brother has gone all goofy and obsessed lately. Listen,