Lost in Starlight (Starlight Saga) (18 page)

Welcome, Snarklings!

These romantic horror clichés will make any self-respecting fear fanatic wanna rip their hair out!

First off, love means never having to say, “You’re butt-ugly.” So if the heroine falls for the disfigured opera junkie, it almost always gives new meaning to the expression: “strange love.”

If your boyfriend is a DNA scientist and his botched teleportation experiment goes awry, it’s time to get a new boy-toy—
stat!

If your lover becomes the walking dead, and then begins a reign of bloody terror by eating your friend’s brains, it’s time to rethink those warm, fuzzy feelings you have for the dude.

If the object-of-your-affection is a stalkery vamp avenging a thwarted romance that happened, like, a hundred years ago and you resemble his long lost love, please consider getting higher standards. No guy is worth having your throat ripped out and the blood drained from your body.

Peace, love, and horror flicks,

Zombie Queen aka Sloane

After school, I shuffle into the Graveyard Gang’s weekly club meeting and sit down in the desk next to Viola. She’s smiling and texting away with Brendan, her long fingers flying over the little keyboard.

“Viola and Brendan sitting in a tree—” I sing teasingly.

“Stop it.” She rolls her eyes, still busy texting her new boy-toy. “You’re one to talk. Heard all about you and Hayden going to that kegger on Saturday. You two are getting awfully friendly.”

Before I can reply, Devin enters the room just as I’m stretching my arms over my head and his eyes bulge from the sockets. He puts his backpack down on an empty desk and lustily ogles the twins.

I mentally will him to stop staring at my chest.
Skeevy pig!

Raymond and Tanisha walk in arm-in-arm and take seats in the front. It seems like everyone is being bitten by the love bug these days. Raymond’s a great guy and it’s wicked cool that Tanisha’s finally hooked up with him. Three more kids dressed in a cross between emo and Goth apparel mosey into the classroom and sit down. Everyone says hello to one another, and then we all face the chalkboard to wait for Puckett.

Still looking at my chest, Devin says, “I want to invite everyone over to my house this weekend to watch
Dance of the Dead
, and afterward we can discuss the movie.”

“That’s
so
last year,” a girl says from behind.

Devin waves his hands in the air. “Hold up. If you guys are expecting some unoriginal teen horror-comedy, you’re wrong. It’s one of the better zombie films of the last decade.” He looks over in my direction, his eyes glued to my gazongers. “And Sloane, you can review the film for your column.”

My blood starts boiling. Why can’t he stop staring at me like that? Like I’m a sex object? Maybe it’s past time that Devin and I had a little talk about our so-called friendship.

Puckett arrives and the group talks about other zombie flicks for another thirty minutes, but I hardly join in. My mind is elsewhere—mostly on hot alien boys.

I text Hayden under the desk.

Me: Why weren’t U in the caf today?

Hayden: Had a makeup test. Meet me in the parking lot.

Finally, Puckett calls the meeting to an end. I scoot back my seat and grab my stuff ready to make a hasty exit. Maybe Hayden’s already waiting for me—

Devin stands and blocks my escape. “So, Sloane, when are you gonna decide to go out with me?”

Everyone falls silent.

“Seriously, dude?” Raymond shakes his head. “You’re asking Sloane out again? How many times does that make it? Like a million?” He chuckles. “Give it up.”

Devin ignores him. A few people laugh. Tanisha whispers something in Viola’s ear.

It’s fine. Do. Not. Panic.

I glance up at the fluorescent light fixture and will it to fall on his head. Sneaking a peek at my best friend, I silently plead with Viola to save me. She stands there for a moment as if uncertain, and then gives me a look that reads ‘
Tell the perv off!
’ before ducking out of the classroom with the others.

All the heat in my body blasts up my neck and into my face. I don’t want to hurt his feelings or make a scene, but I am growing tired of his relentless pursuit.

“Devin, I can’t date anyone in the club,” I improvise. “If we broke up, it would make it really awkward. Plus, you’re like my boss as the editor of the paper.”

Ha! I’m a genius.

I turn to leave, but Devin reaches out and squeezes my upper arm. My skin crawls at his touch. Can’t he take no for an answer?

“Where’s the fire?” He keeps looking down at the twins. “Why are you running off?”

Deep breath. Stay calm.

“You’re hurting me.” I try to move, but Devin’s grasp tenses on my arm like a blood pressure band. With my free arm, I snap my fingers in front of his face. “
Hel-lo!
Up here, Devin.”

He flicks a glance upward and frowns. “What?”

“That’s better. Now let go of my arm, please.”

He grins. At my chesticles. “Why are you fighting this? I like you, and it’s time you quit playing games with me.”

Un. Be. Lievable.

My mouth drops open and warmth reddens my cheeks. “What? I’m not—”

“Is there a problem?” a deep voice demands from the doorway.

Sweet merciful zombie brains. I’ve been rescued!

“Devin, what are you doing? Let go of Sloane.” Hayden steps into the classroom and puts his hand on Devin’s chest, effectively pushing him away from me, but he doesn’t release my arm.

Devin glances at Hayden with an evil smirk. “But you didn’t say the magic word.”

I try to jerk away, but Devin’s still holding on tight. He just regards me brazenly without moving, as if I’m his property.

Oh, puhleeze.

Hayden glares daggers at Devin, who only lifts his head a fraction and scowls back at Hayden with a disgusted look. In the awkward silence that follows, something dark and menacing passes between the two boys as if they’re seconds away from throwing punches.

“
Please
, let go of her.” Hayden’s hands curl into fists.

The little hairs on my nape stand on end at his foreboding tone. Hayden won’t ask twice. This is going to get ugly fast.

“Now.” Hayden folds his arms across his chest. His shoulders tense, stretching the fabric of his V-neck shirt. “Don’t make me repeat it.”

Devin’s gaze flickers between the two of us before finally leveling on Hayden, but the dumbass still doesn’t move. I cannot believe he’s stupid enough to even consider standing up to someone like Hayden.

I sigh dramatically, feeling suffocated by all the testosterone in the room. Any minute they’ll start a pissing contest to mark their territory. And I am
not
getting peed on. Just
ewww.

“Devin,” I say. “Please let go of me.”

Hayden’s eyes narrow on Devin. A muscle spasms in his jaw. His eye color churns with hues of dark indigo and hunter green. “You heard her, back the hell off.”

Devin stiffens at the threat in Hayden’s voice and finally releases my arm one finger at a time. “I meant no offense.” He holds up his hands in bogus surrender. “It’s cool.”

Hayden’s gaze is cold and hard. “Time for you to go.”

My own insecurity over my body and not wanting to make a huge deal out of Devin’s pervy leering has kept me from feeling brave enough to confront him, but witnessing how Hayden valiantly faces bullies head-on has encouraged me to finally take a stand.

“Devin,” I say firmly. “We are
just
friends—nothing more. And I’m fed up with always protecting your feelings because we work on the school paper together. So, you can stop staring at my chest all the time and stop asking me out and just…
stop!
”

Devin jerks back as if I’ve slapped him. His face goes red and splotchy. “Don’t stress it. I’m going.” He backs out of the room, his backpack slung over one shoulder. An odd shape pokes out of the side of his bag. The size of an aerosol can.

He must be the jerk who’s been tagging Hayden’s locker. Might be time to do some undercover sleuthing. But probably
not
a good idea to tell my suspicions to Hayden just yet.

Hayden’s stare follows Devin’s every movement, like a predator tracking prey. Devin gives us a mock salute and slips out the door.

My body heat slowly returns to sub-nuclear levels.

“Thank you,” I say.

Hayden’s shoulders stiffen. “No problem.”

“Guess I owe you, again.”

He slowly flashes one of his rare, beautiful smiles. “Didn’t know we were keeping score.”

“We are now.”

I hoist my backpack over my shoulder, and we walk out into the corridor, making our way toward the student parking lot.

“So, did you talk to your people?” I ask, halting just shy of the double-doors.

He raises his eyebrows. “My people?”

“Yeah, you know, your cousins and creepy Agent Dixon.”

“Right.” Hayden turns away and sighs. “I told them we were just friends because I can’t
claim
you publicly. It’s too dangerous.”

Major suckage.

I frown. “Um…wait, did you just say
claim me
?”

Hayden clears his throat. “Some adult hybrids can get permission to claim homo sapiens as…” he trails off, his voice mild yet laced with unease. “As a sort of human companion and they’re protected by the Brotherhood.”

Noteworthy.

“Did the other hybrids believe you?” I ask.

“Yes, but Arcane looked somewhat skeptical about us only being friends. So we need to keep up the pretense for now.”

My head hangs down. “Yeah. Got it.”

He moves closer and lifts my chin. “Don’t pout. I
had
to lie to protect you from being taken by the Brotherhood. To protect us.”

Us.
Such an unpretentious word, but to me, “us” means we are in this together now. My heart does a funny flip. Hayden and me. I like the sound of that. My lips quirk into a hopeful smile that hurts my cheeks.

I bump his shoulder with mine. “Us?” Just saying it aloud fills me with all kinds of happy.

“Yeah. As in you and me, Peaches.” He bumps back and sighs again. “But...”

My happiness deflates like a beach ball with a hole in it.

“No
buts
, Hayden. Please.”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt.” His tone is soft, but there is rawness to it, an edge.

Does he mean mentally or physically?

“I’ll only get hurt if we stop seeing each other.” My voice comes out throaty and rough. It doesn’t even sound like my own.

He takes my hand and squeezes my fingers. “Then we’ve got to be careful.”

“I can live with that.” I move closer, but his hand stops me.

“As far as the world knows, we’re
just
friends, so we’re going to have to act the part.”

“I know...” I swallow hard, my lunch turning into a brick in my stomach. “But I don’t have to like it.”

“It’s for your own safety, Sloane.” Hayden rubs the back of his neck. “It’s either that, or walk away now, but I don’t want to lose you.”

“Then don’t.” I grasp his hand. “Come with me.”

We walk back down the hallway and sneak into the private senior lounge. Thankfully, it’s empty of students.

“Now, we’re all alone.” I grin wickedly at him. “Better?”

“Much.” Hayden cracks a smile. “You’re making me feel the need to rebel.”

“Good.”

Clasping the sides of my face, he lowers his head and his mouth hovers close to mine. His touch completely catches me off guard as he gently backs me up against the wall.

This is another total romantic movie moment. And I love when I have those.

“Am I crowding you?” he asks, his voice hoarse and low and oh-so-sexy.

For a second, I can’t speak. Can barely shake my head and wet my lips. “No…”

The sexual tension between us becomes a palpable, living thing. Hayden caresses my cheek with his knuckles, and my breath hitches in my throat. He leans in agonizingly slow until our lips are only inches apart. My heartbeat quickens. The primal look on Hayden’s face sends a warm thrill through my body. A blaze of lust and heat in his not-quite-human stare scorches my skin. Then he finally presses those firm lips to mine. My pulse goes into cardiac overload and fiery rivers course through my veins from the deep kiss. Even my thighs quiver. Eyes closed, all I can feel are his lips, his hands, and his body pressed into mine. And a soft warmth that spreads from my mouth to my chest.

My arms wrap around his body, pulling him closer—and all thoughts of judgy aliens and secret agents and disapproving parents instantly vanish. He kisses me hard, violently, with explosive feeling. He tastes tangy, almost like his spicy scent, and it isn’t anything like a normal human boy. His hands tangle in my hair, cradling my head gently. Yearnings of want and need flow through me. My body clenches in places I didn’t even know had muscles. Every cell in my body tingles and thrums with unnatural energy. Kissing Hayden is electrifying and intense. Maybe because I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.

Hayden slightly pulls back. “You belong to me now, Peaches,” he whispers.

For a second, his remarkable eyes fasten on mine, and he’s quiet. Then he touches my face, cupping my cheeks with his warm palms, and leans in close, brushing his lips against my mouth again. Almost sinfully erotic. He kisses me firmer this time, deeper. Stolen kisses that make my blood run hot inside me. Forbidden fruit. Lust and desire. Moth to a flame. Human to hybrid. It’s so wrong, but feels so wickedly right. Every part of his body—his lips, his hands, his scent—overwhelm my senses. I lean my whole body into his firmness, and by the feel of his passionate kisses, I know there will be no turning back now.

And kissing Hayden is mind-blowing perfection.
Check.

Footsteps passing by in the hall pulls us apart.

What have I gotten myself into? With that one hot make out session everything’s changed. It’s been kicked up a notch. The stakes are not just the potential for heartbreak—there’s the possibility of losing the one person who makes me feel whole.

I swallow. “Maybe we should think this through. Your parents will lose their shit if they find out—”

“Screw them,” he says strongly. “I know we have to be careful around the other hybrids, but I’ll figure out a solution. Do you trust me, Sloane?”

“Of course. With my life…”

We stare at each other, and the atmosphere crackles between us. He grabs my hips and jerks me against him. One of his hands tugs at my hair, gently pulling my head back as his mouth claims mine again. My knees wobble. I put my hands on his arms to steady myself and kiss him back fiercely.

Hayden breaks away without taking his smoldering gaze from mine. “It’s too late to change our minds,” he says. “We sealed our fate with a kiss.”