Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter (4 page)

Denise waited until I walked all the way up to our
lockers to give me a hug. “Welcome back! I wanted to visit you in the hospital,
but your mom said they were only allowing family members. How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

The halls were filled with chatter—the volume much too loud.
I winced as a locker slammed shut beside me.

“Well, you look great,” Denise told me, head in her locker
as she spoke.

“Thanks.”

Students stared at me and whispered quickly as they passed
our lockers.

AJ, Denali High’s ultimate player, strode over. His sneakers
squeaked when he stopped in front of us. He looked me up and down. “Hey,
Aurora, I heard you were in a coma.”

“Leave her alone!” Denise snapped.

“Just askin’,” AJ said with a shrug before moving on.

“I’m sure the last thing you want to do is talk about it,”
Denise said.

Her meaning was clear. Denise didn’t want to hear a word
about the accident.

I didn’t want to talk about it anyway.

Denise pulled a three ringed binder out of her locker and
stuffed it inside her backpack. “I’m so glad you’re all right. Can I help you
with anything?”

 “I’m fine…thanks,” I repeated.

“Okay. See you in math.”

Yeah, okay.

At least now I had an excuse to get out of gym. Even better,
Scott Stevens spoke more than two words to me.

That afternoon, “Hi, Aurora,” was followed by, “Nice to have
you back.”

My own friend had failed to say those words. I liked hearing
it from Scott better anyway. It came with a smile.

Volleyball had been replaced by badminton while I was gone.
Mr. Mooney let me get away with sitting out class the first two days, but by
the third he decided to diagnose me as fit for participation.

“Sky, ready to jump back in?”

I paused on my way to the bleachers. “I’m not dressed.”

Besides, everyone was already paired up.

“Fane!” Mr. Mooney called. “Get out here. You can be
Aurora’s partner.”

I tried not to flinch or show signs of distress. My last
memory of Fane involved his tongue tracing his upper lip.

Fane stood up and gave Mr. Mooney a glare so dark it sent a
shiver down my spine. It was the first real sensation I’d experienced since the
accident. When his eyes moved to me I momentarily forgot to breathe.

Fane held my gaze a moment longer then slipped out of his leather
jacket. I watched, transfixed. This was history in the making. Fane Donado taking
off his coat.

All of his imperfections breezed out the door as soon as I
got my first look at the six-pack straining against his cotton tee. My eyes
must have been playing tricks on me. For a guy with such a slender build, Fane
was surprisingly muscled.

Fane took deliberate steps down the aisle of the bench,
straight to the edge. He jumped from the bleachers, causing them to rock in his
wake.

I swear I felt a
‘thud’
inside the pit of my stomach when
he landed.

Mr. Mooney nodded at Fane. “You two are playing Clayton and
Tyler.”

Fane walked past me and took two rackets off the floor. He
handed me one. I took it from his outstretched hand then followed several steps
behind.

Part of me was relieved he didn’t say anything. All I could
think about was the obscene gesture he’d made right before my world turned
up-side-down. I hardly noticed the hair now. I was too distracted by his lips.
And now his abs. Luckily, I wouldn’t have to look at either while we played
side by side.

At the far court, Clayton and Tyler bounced birdies up and
down on the strings of their rackets.

Clayton nudged Tyler as we approached. “Oh great. Goth boy
and zombie girl. This should be fun.”

I took my place beside Fane. He held his racket loose and
lazy. I barely held mine at all. Clayton pelted the birdie at me. I tried to
shield my face and ended up dropping my racket.

“Oh, come on!” Clayton shouted.

I picked up the birdie and threw it over the net.

Clayton served the birdie to Fane, who smacked it over the
net with the flick of a wrist. Tyler launched the birdie at me. It hit me on
the shoulder, but I swung anyway as it bounced to the floor.

“Hello? Earth to Aurora,” Tyler called across the net.

“I think she’s still in a coma,” Clayton said.

“That’s game,” Tyler said. “Your serve.”

I picked up the birdie and handed it to Fane. It’s a good
thing it wasn’t a real bird. Fane crushed it in his hand. Only for a moment.
Only I saw. He relaxed and looked across the net. I felt that odd shiver
return.

Fane smacked the birdie as though it were a fly. He walloped
it right between Tyler and Clayton so fast neither boy had time to react. When
they did manage a return hit, Fane gracefully flicked away any stray birds that
came at me. I watched in fascination, fully engaged for the first time since
the accident.

The boys tried to hit the birdie back. Fane had them racing across
every corner of their court. By the end of the period they were out of breath.
They took off without a backwards glance when Mr. Mooney blew his whistle
signaling the end of gym.

As I walked past Fane I felt a twitch. Not my own. I felt
the twitch of his hand wanting to stop me.

“Hey, you. Are you okay?”

If I had my full range of emotions left I’d laugh. He didn’t
even know my name—that or it wasn’t worth saying.

He studied me carefully. “I’ve seen that look before.”

Now I was curious.

Valerie jumped down from the bleachers. “Fane!”

He didn’t pay attention to her. I held my breath waiting for
him to tell me what he saw.

Valerie sashayed her way over to Fane. She held out his
jacket. “I’m ready to blow this joint. Let’s get a bite.”

Her last words grabbed his attention, and he forgot me
completely. Valerie looped her arm around Fane’s and they walked toward the
double doors. I was right behind them, silent as a ghost. When I reached the
hall entrance leading to the locker rooms I stopped. I saw his head start to
turn. I knew he was going to look back, but by the time he did I’d be gone.

I heard the Christmas music and smelled molasses before
I walked through the door. “Jingle Bells” jangled inside my ears the moment I crossed
the threshold. Mom was in the kitchen amidst trays of cut-out cookies. She bit
into a gingerbread man as I walked in. She turned, crumbs falling from her mouth,
swallowed, and smiled.

“I was feeling festive today,” she said.

 I glanced at the dining room table, where she’d set out
plates of sugar cookies shaped like angels and stars; bowls of colored frosting
and bottles of sprinkles.

I knew why. Tomorrow Dad returned.

Mom asked me not to say anything about the agents. Not that
I had much information to relay since she’d managed to avoid the topic since bringing
me home. Dad only knew about the accident, that I was fine, and the car
totaled.

I understood Mom’s concern. After their last argument we
were lucky to have him home for the holidays at all.

Mom grinned. “That’s not all. Look what we’ve got in the
living room.”

I followed her into the adjoining room. The branches of a
fir tree nearly touched the ceiling. I could barely pick up its scent through
the sugared cloud wafting from room to room.

“Do you like the tree?” Mom asked. “It was the best one on
the lot.”

Meaning most symmetrical, I supposed. There were plastic
totes lined beside the tree, lids pulled off and stacked against the sofa.

“Go on,” Mom coaxed. “Why don’t you put up the first
ornament?”

I looked inside the tote. Because my mom was waiting, I
grabbed the first decoration that touched my fingers.

The phone rang. While my mom answered I dangled a glittery
star from my finger.

She returned to the living room with the phone pressed
against her chest. “Aurora, it’s Agent Melcher calling to see how you’re
doing.”

I continued staring at the star. “I don’t want to talk to
him.”

Mom hesitated before returning the phone to her ear. “She’s
doing better. Yes, school’s going fine. Her friends are, of course, happy to
have her back—as are her teachers.”