Totally a Vampire Thing || ONC 2024 ||

Chapter 15. On Dylan's Trail

The flower crown turned into a headband with crystal flowers the moment we left Necrontium, though it took me a while to notice it. Its beauty alternatively made me sniffle and clench my jaw in determination to not break down as I endured Sunday. Dad didn't even let me come with him to pick my Mini from the Eternal Acres, and without my phone, I nearly went insane, wondering what tales people concocted about Cruz and me. Late night standoff in our driveway was bound to get the rumor mill spinning its wheels.

So, on Monday, when I could finally leave the house, I wore my crown and held my head high, braced for the worst.

The closer I drove to the school, the faster my heart beat. It went into complete overdrive as I turned into Third Street, but my worries disappeared as if by magic: Cruz's Porsche was parked where I usually parked my Mini. Even better, the man himself leaned against his car.

If Cruz was with me, why did I worry in the first place? Silly me.

Washed-out jeans and varsity sweater Cruz wore that morning made the scene look like a picture out of a fashion magazine. Even a plastic bottle in his hand didn't spoil this impression. He took a sip of what looked like tomato juice, and most definitely wasn't, then circled the Mini and leaned into the rolled-down driver's window.

"Good morning, my queen." The dazzling smile that graced his face the moment he saw me, wavered. "How are you doing?"

"So much better now," I answered. "How's Bartolome?"

Cruz shook his head sadly. "No changes, alas."

"But the Coven, they let you go to school?"

He laughed. "My parents stormed the Acres, demanding that I must have access to conventional public education."

Cruz's parents knew so much more than mine, but wouldn't it be nice if Dad gave me the benefit of the doubt? Or just had my back, without needing an explanation. Believed, that I wasn't always on the verge of doing something dumb simply because I was sixteen.

And if wishes were horses... I sighed, flipping my hair I wore down that day, and for a good reason.

Cruz's glance traveled to the blue-and-purple mark his teeth left on my neck. "Gosh. Sorry about that...I...I have something for it."

He dug into his pocket. I expected some vampire salve, like the elixir he was drinking, but he pulled out my scarf with a flourish of a magician.

"You kept it!" My chest was warm and twinging, while my stung with wanted tears. Basically, a state of total aww.

"Allow me."

The other students' cars honked, as they drove around my double-parked Mini and Cruz. Their noise came from a great distance, not reaching our private paradise, as Cruz wrapped the scarf around my neck. I melted, as he adjusted the silk with cool, elegant fingers until the bow hid the bite mark. It should have been enough, but he freed my trapped hair, spilling them over the scarf. His brown eyes misted dreamily, as if he was trying to come up with more things that kept our heads bent together.

"Cruz, just kiss me already."

We did. We kissed out in the street, but the street was gone for a second, lost to us. So, I guess, it was okay.

Cruz finally released my lips from his and rubbed his temples. "You make me forget things," he mumbled.

"I...I'm dazed myself." I looked around, still melting inside, to ground myself in reality. Street. School. Porsche...in my spot. I tilted my head toward it. "Why...?"

"Oh. Park in my spot in the parking lot, Zoe. I might need a getaway vehicle after I talk to Aiden. I'm closing in on where to look for Freida's hideout."