Craving Them (Book 1 - SAMPLE)

Chapter 2 - Kas

"Together we shared a
bond not even death
would violate."

~~Dee Remy

****************

~~Kas~~

My phone rang again when I was a few minutes from my destination and I rolled my eyes before answering.

"Hey, QP," I greeted my boss, suppressing a laugh. "Forget something?"

"No," came her response. I could tell from the way she spoke just that one word that she was exhausted. "We're all starving and I got home earlier than I thought. Just calling to see where you are."

"About to pull in and you ladies don't need to worry," I laughed, turning onto their street, "I got three large pizzas, one with extra cheese just for them."

"Oh shit, you're amazing, Kas," she chirped with tired excitement. "See you in a sec."

The line went dead without a farewell which wasn't unusual for her, especially when she'd had a long day. But that was just Aurora Rivers for you. Mostly known by the name 'Rory', she was a genuine, one of a kind person that could give you the shirt off her back as easily as she could cut your heart out if that's what you needed. She didn't take anyone's shit and was the strongest person I had ever met. After going through hell, I had watched her claw her way out the other side, forever earning my respect and loyalty.

I pulled up in front of her family home, an older two story house with white siding and black vinyl shutters. For a structure that outwardly appeared to be normal, it held horrors and secrets that I refused to let my mind wander to. The ghosts that haunted those walls would never go away and I couldn't understand why Rory continued to live in that place.

Pushing away the depressing thoughts, I strolled to the door with pizzas stacked on one hand and beer in the other. Thankfully, I didn't have to bother with the doorbell or knocking because the moment I stepped onto the porch, the front door swung open. Before me stood a teenage girl with hazel green eyes and honey colored hair falling to her waist in soft waves.

"Hey, Nik," I greeted one of the twins.

"Kas," she replied, taking the pizzas from me and walking back inside the house while leaving the door open for me to follow.

Anika Rivers was very reserved and not nearly as social as her twin or their older sister. Her focus was usually on her dancing which was her passion, the only thing that she ever seemed to care about besides her sisters.

I matched her path into the small kitchen, sliding the beer onto the worn formica countertop beside the sink just as Rory walked into the room. She had already changed out of her work clothes, and into a pair of loose sweats and a black tank top. Dark circles ringed her green eyes and her face was slightly pale, leaving me to assume the nightmares had made a reappearance. Sighing sympathetically, I pulled her much smaller frame into my arms.

"What happened to beauty rest?" I asked, intentionally leaving off the nickname 'QP' that nearly slipped through my lips.

"Rory doesn't know what the word 'rest' means," Nik answered for her older sister as she pulled plates down from the cabinet. "I think she's a robot."

Rory rolled her eyes playfully as she pulled away, her toned arms falling limply at her sides. "Yeah? Then, where do I plug in the charger because I'm in serious need of a boost."

"Well... ," I began with a teasing smirk which quickly turned into a bark of laughter as my best friend scowled at my insinuation.

"What are we talking about?" another voice joined in before Rory could formulate a reply.