Lycan Blood (Alex Vane: Demon Stalker #1)

Sleepover

Despite my best efforts, I was still very late to Jacey’s house. I’d stopped at the shops on the way to buy some popcorn to bring (my attempt at an apology) but now I was thinking I should have just gone straight there. Sure enough, her expression was stony when she opened the door.

“There you are! I thought you’d bailed. You were supposed to be here over an hour ago!”

“I know, I’m sorry,” My mind panicked as I tried and failed to come up with a good excuse, “I was busy.”

“Busy? BUSY?” Uh oh. Expecting a full-on explosion, I braced myself for the fallout. Thankfully though, Jacey seemed to change her mind about yelling at me. Instead she simply shrugged, taking the bag of popcorn off me and dragging me inside, “Never mind. You’re here now at least. Come on! We were about to start watching Mean Girls.” I fought the urge to roll my eyes at that. Jacey had been trying to get me to watch that film for years, but I refused on the grounds that I had to deal with enough bitchiness in real life thank you very much. However, I’d been instructed to be on my best behaviour tonight which basically meant I’d have to do anything she said.

This is the real hell.

Plastering a smile on my face, I tried to walk in Jacey’s front room as perkily as I could. Naturally Jenna was already there, sat curled up on the sofa, dressed in pyjama bottoms and a fluffy jumper. All traces of her previous bad mood were gone as she greeted me with a shy but welcoming smile. Not feeling like I knew her well enough to sit by her yet, I flopped down onto the other sofa and helped myself to some crisps. It was going to be a long night.

“Movie time!” Jacey trilled, skipping out of her kitchen carrying three bowls filled with the popcorn I’d just brought. She sat down right in the middle of us, apparently choosing to ignore the awkward atmosphere. You had to give her points for trying. She was far better at this whole socialising thing than I was.

As the film started to roll, I felt myself drifting off into my own thoughts. I did try to pay attention at first but the memory of those too-bright green eyes kept haunting me. What if Scott was out there right now, killing someone? Usually werewolves stick to animals when it’s not a full moon, but now I’d let him know I was after him there would be an added pressure. He might not want to wait. Disturbed by visions of mangled bodies, I fidgeted and fretted until finally Jacey paused the film.

“What the heck is up with you?” She demanded, looking seriously annoyed yet again. Behind her Jenna shrunk down into the sofa, her eyes wide and anxious.

“Sorry. It’s nothing, really.” I felt a stab of guilt and made a mental note to try harder to forget this werewolf stuff. But how could I? I knew Jacey needed me to be a good friend and yet I couldn’t afford to give her all my attention. It would be so much easier to tell her-but then, she’d think I was crazy. There was no way she’d ever believe in demons, let alone that I spent my nights killing them. She was far too down to earth for that. I think that even if she saw me killing one herself, she still wouldn’t believe it. There are some people who are never going to believe in that stuff, no matter how much proof there is.

“Okay, well then could you least pretend you’re paying attention? It’s getting to the best part.” I made sure to sit obediently still for the rest of the film although it was pure agony. I couldn’t stop my mind racing though. I kept imagining hearing about someone’s death tomorrow, someone I knew. And it would all be my fault.

Just like Granddad’s.

“I’m just going to go the bathroom okay?” It was suddenly too overwhelming, being in that room. I left before Jacey had the chance to stop me but I didn’t go upstairs. Instead I found myself slipping out the back door in the kitchen, stepping across the grass and scaling the fence. It was ridiculously easy, all things considered. Before I knew it I was halfway down the street, slowly heading towards the forest.