Crave (Harlequin Teen)

Savannah had it right the first time. Those vampires aren’t here to leech off her. They’re here to watch her. She’s one of them.” Emily looked at me, waiting for me to piece it all together.
    “What? No, she’s not. I’ve seen her mother and grandmother. They’re both human. They’re descendants, remember?”
    “So she could be a dhampir instead.”
    I stared at her, one eyebrow raised. She realized she was talking to someone who didn’t spend all his time reading old spellbooks, right?
    “Half human, or in this case half descendant, and half vampire.”
    Huh? “There’s no such thing. Everybody knows vampires can’t have kids.”
    “How do we know for sure? What if everyone just thinks that because most vampires can’t stand to be around humans for long without draining them? What if Savannah’s father is a vamp and he found some way to resist draining her mother?”
    “Have you ever seen her father?”
    Emily nodded. “I saw him once with Savannah at Chez Corvet’s. He totally looked like a vampire.” Chez Corvet’s was the local Italian restaurant.
    But I still couldn’t believe it. Savannah, half vampire? I’d known her for years. Sure, she was pale and tended to sun burn every year instead of tanning. But that could be from her Irish roots instead. “We’re talking about something that the Clann doesn’t think is possible. And even if we go way out on a crazy limb here and pretend dhampirs do exist, that still doesn’t mean she would have any vampire abilities. I’ve never seen her show any fangs or want to drink my blood or whatever.”
    “But you did say you felt tired after every time you see her.”
    I gave a half shrug. “Well, yeah. We kiss when we say hello and goodbye….”
    Aw, hell. Vampires could take human energy through a bite or a kiss. Every descendant was taught that from day one.
    Emily nodded, seeing the understanding on my face. “Like I said, she’s draining you every time you two make out. You’ll be dead in a week!”
    Dragging a hand through my hair, I slumped back in my seat. “I’m not that stupid. I know how to draw energy afterward, remember?” And Savannah’s kisses were worth it.
    She sighed. “Tristan, be smart about this. You’ve got to stop seeing her. It’s the only safe thing to do. Otherwise—”
    “No.” I didn’t even need to think about it. I didn’t care what we’d been taught to believe as kids. Savannah wasn’t a monster. She couldn’t help what her dad was. She might not even know.
    “Don’t be stupid! Mom and Dad must know about this already. It’s probably why her family was cast out. Our parents, the entire council, will kill you if they find out you two are involved. This isn’t about some simple disagreement between our families anymore. She’s one of them. ”
    “I don’t care. It’s too late.”
    She stared at me then groaned. “You fell in love with her?”
    Why bother saying anything? She already knew how I’d answer.
    “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.” She closed both our internet browsers, her shoulders slumping. “You, little brother, are an idiot.”
    In this case, I had to agree with her. I was definitely an idiot. I’d fallen in love with the so-called enemy. But knowing that still didn’t change my feelings. “What do I tell her? There’s no way she knows about this.”
    “Tell her the truth.”
    “Are you crazy? I am not going to be the one to tell her something like this. How would you feel if someone told you this kind of stuff?”
    “I’d think you were nuts. And if I did believe you…” She sighed. “I guess I’d freak out big-time.”
    “Exactly.” Not to mention Savannah would probably want to break up with me.
    Scowling, Emily held the bracelet between her palms, closed her eyes and whispered a few words to remove the spell. I felt her power flare up over my skin, stabbing me with a thousand tiny needles over my arms and the back of my neck. Judging by the level of pain she was causing across my skin, I had to wonder again why Dad didn’t just make her the next Clann leader. She obviously had the power for the job.
    After a couple minutes, the energy died down and she handed me the bracelet. “Have her try it again.”
    “And tell her what?”
    “That I fixed it.”
    I felt like I was holding a bomb. “Will it hurt her again?”
    “No more than any other bracelet might. Though let me know if she still has a reaction to it.”
    “And if she