Bloodstream (#2 Blood Series)

Chapter 18

"Today we remember the seven people who lost their lives in the gas explosion that occurred last weekend..." the mayor of our town drones on at our Friday night morning assembly. I'm only half-listening because I already know that soon enough they are going to pour down the bullshit and turn this tribute into a lecture. The whole expression 'crocodile's tears' finds a new meaning today when I watch our mayor trying to look sad that the people he deemed as simple free beer losers lost their lives.

Soon enough the lecture begins. "This could have been prevented if more people respected the drinking laws. Always remember that alcohol decreases the sense of reality and slows down your reflexes..."

"I can't believe the nerve on these people", Drea mutters under her breath. We are sitting in the back of our school's auditorium and trying to bite back all the snarky comments swimming into our minds.

I'm right there with her. "They are way too comfortable with lying to grieving people. It doesn't seem to bother them at all", I say and stare at our mayor whose face is a woeful mask.

"You two better keep your voices down. We are already under their scrutiny, I don't want to pour any more gasoline into their fire", Callum hushes us. He has got a point. Ever since that whole thing with us spying on their council meeting I've noticed increase in the attention we three receive from all of those who were there. They are trying to figure out whether we know about their cover up or not. We have been walking on egg shells for the past week, watching what we say or do but this ridiculous assembly just kind of pushed both Drea and myself over the edge.

Drea and I fall silent but exchange looks every time the mayor says something idiotic. This is the beauty of Drea and mine relationship: even when things are rocky we can still be friends. Last year we didn't stick together and bad things happened. I think that due to that both of us are kind of scared to let out the fight that we can both feel coming. I know Drea is angry and confused about why I just disappeared when she needed me the most. I thought Callum had told her but after Drea joined forces with Callum and I, the official outcast of our high school, it has gotten pretty obvious that she doesn't know what really happened. She probably thinks I just bailed.

Nathan tries to catch my eyes a couple times during the assembly but I purposely keep my eyes on either Drea and Callum or the mayor. Whatever he wants from me I don't want to know about it. Nathan might think otherwise but nothing has changed. Yes, he knows about the curse now but also yes, it still cannot be broken. I don't even want to try to find a way because I know that if there is one it'll surely be painful and cost too much. Mirabelle didn't come to rule the Underworld by being nice. Or sloppy, for that matter.

To get something else to do I glance around and inevitably my gaze falls on the person leaning on the wall and nodding along to whatever our demented mayor says. Dandy Dave is really gaining a following, now he's even hanging out with the mayor. I think we should really start worrying about him. As if he isn't annoying me with his presence enough already at home he has started to show up everywhere else as well.

Mom and I have lived with him for a week now. Surprisingly enough Dave lives in a rather big house in a good neighborhood. I have no idea how he can afford it with a common policeman's pay but I haven't asked. In fact, I haven't spoken to either my mom or Dave ever since our stuff was shipped to his two-story house in a suburgatory. I've tried my best to avoid them both which has been easy because nowadays their lives consist of church functions, little league games of our neighbors' children, driving around in a mini-van, PTA meetings and they are hardly ever home. But I know that Dave is out to get me and he's just aching to start dictating my life. So far I've been able to lay low but the fallout is inevitable.