Tainted Blood (19 page)

We returned our attention to them when Kiera announced, “We’re getting married!” She said it like it had just hit her. Carter grinned down at her, and with her still in his arms, he swung her around and kissed her again. It actually got rather uncomfortable at some point so Zoey and I wandered the garden paths again until we heard Mrs. Blake call out the back door for us to come in for dessert.

As we filed into the house and Mr. Wienie was ushered back outdoors, Kiera’s parents seemed to be in better spirits. They even welcomed Carter to the family over a toast where Mr. Blake, Roger, said, “To my soon-to-be son-in-law.” He lifted his coffee mug into the air and smiled at Kiera and Carter. “I look forward to what you will bring to our family.” Next, he took a sip and nodded, we all dug into our yummy, thick slices of heavily frosted chocolate cake topped with fresh raspberries.

After several bites of delicious cake, my stomach was suddenly uneasy. Either from the rich dessert, nerves, or excitement, I really didn’t know. So, without finishing my dessert, I sat back and waited while the others finished theirs. I helped Jane with the dishes and it made me miss Lilly, which only made my stomach feel worse.

We said our good-byes to Kiera’s parents, and they were just as warm with all of us as they had been when we’d arrived—like there had never been any sort of disagreement.

Carter drove and I rode in the back with Zoey again. Kiera chatted all the way to Zoey’s about the wedding and how we needed to start planning like crazy because it was just over three months away.

“Why so soon?” Zoey asked.

Kiera turned in her seat so she could see the both of us, the headlights of passing cars illuminating her face. “Well,” she began, “I need to talk to Laney about that.”

Zoey and I glanced at each other then I said, “Talk to me about what?”

“Well, my parents told me that they would pay for the entire wedding and be completely supportive, on one condition.”

“What’s that?” Zoey and I asked in unison.

Kiera looked at Carter for a moment and he nodded in encouragement. “They said that as long as I move back home until the wedding they’ll agree to whatever I want.”

I felt my stomach turn, making me even more uneasy. I knew what was coming.

“They won’t be paying my half of the rent after this month.” She gave me an apologetic smile and said, “I’m sorry, Laney, but you understand, right?”

“Of course,” I said, forcing a smile that I hoped she wouldn’t realize was a false. I’d figure it out. Oliver had just mentioned us getting our own place, and if nothing else, I could always go back home, out to Lilly’s. That idea sent a shiver down my spine and conjured up images of her last moments in the house.

Zoey brought me out of my inner panic. “You okay?” she asked, rubbing my arm. Kiera had turned back around in her seat as soon as I’d told her that I understood.

I forced another smiled and nodded.

My life kept moving in all sorts of directions, and at its own pace. Not mine. Things felt as if they could slip out of control at any moment—out of my control. Maybe it was a fear of too much changing at once, maybe I just wasn’t ready for my friends to get married and move on. Or maybe, it was the fact that, if I had news like Kiera and Carter did, I didn’t have anyone to share it with. Like Kiera did. Even Carter had his mom, who had apparently encouraged this union.

I was on my own. I didn’t even know how my bills were being paid now that my aunt was gone. I decided that I should probably start taking responsibility for myself and figure out how and when things would and should get paid. That was my first step. Then, I needed to figure out where I was going to live come the end of November.

Carter stayed with Kiera at our apartment that night, I assumed to celebrate, and I was thankful to be in Oliver’s apartment.

Oliver didn’t come home that night, nor did he respond to any of my text messages or answer any of my calls. That was unusual, and I felt a spark of panic ignite as I sat alone in his apartment.

Chapter
10 - Vomit on My Shoes

It was mid-week and my birthday roses had wilted. I hadn’t seen Oliver since Sunday afternoon, when he’d dropped me off at my car at the cemetery and then left for Sacramento—after following me, of course. I was still a little peeved about that one.

I’d only heard from him once since he’d been gone. He’d called Monday evening and was vague and distant about what he was doing and when he’d be coming home. After that I stopped trying to communicate with him. He wasn’t responding anyway.

I wondered if maybe he was still upset with me, but that wasn’t the message I’d gotten when he’d dropped me off at my car a few days earlier. From my experience, you didn’t kiss someone like that if you were upset with them.

Of course, this lack of communication was seriously stressing me out, and to distract myself from all of the horrible scenarios that my mind was coming up with as to why this was happening, I threw myself into my schoolwork, anything wedding related that Kiera needed to talk about and/or show me, and as much mindless TV as I could to fill into the gaps of loneliness and worry.

I met Zoey for lunch that afternoon at a small, locally owned deli downtown. As always, Zoey looked like she’d just stepped out of the display window of a department store. I felt rather plain, wearing jeans and a fitted T-shirt, next to her.

Zoey’s attire included a long, flowy, forest green skirt, white top, and a trendy brown belt draped around her waist. I was a jeans and T-shirt type of girl, but every once in a while I wished I could put an ensemble together like her. I was lucky if I got out of the house in matching shoes.

We ordered sandwiches and sat out on the deli’s patio to eat them. Zoey told me about a couple of dates she’d recently been on. Apparently, the first date hadn’t gone so well. “He was super hot until he opened his mouth and a whole lot of stupid spewed out,” she told me, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Rudy, on the other hand, he was such a gentleman.” She sighed, and I think I actually watched her get lost in her thoughts and smile at the idea of this new man in her life.

I cleared my throat when it seemed she was getting a little too lost and she blinked, coming back to me. “Sorry,” she said bashfully.

I was pretty sure it was the first time in all the years I’d know Zoey that she was actually smitten by someone. Actually, truly enthralled. It made me smile but then immediately made me sad because it brought back thoughts of Oliver and his current, well, absence. I missed the newness of our relationship, that excitement that came along with it. Honestly, I just missed him.

Zoey and I moved on to talk about other things, mostly Kiera and Carter’s upcoming nuptials. We were deep in conversation about the Valentine’s Day wedding when Avery and her disciples caught sight of us as they were passing by. She stopped to prove that she was much braver when her brother wasn’t around. With him, she was usually a sniveling, whiny brat.

“Oh, Laney!” Avery said in a fake sugary-sweet voice.

My attention was pulled away from Zoey immediately. Avery stopped just a few feet away from us, her massive, trendy bag swaying on her forearm, her two followers stopping just behind her.

“Have you seen my lab partner lately?” Her friends giggled quietly.

I felt my blood begin to boil and I bit down on the straw in my soda. My eyes narrowed on her and I saw her take a hesitant step back in her hooker heels.

Thankfully, before I could say or do anything, Zoey stepped in and said to Avery, “Hun, you don’t have a chance in hell with that boy. Now move along.” She shooed her away with her hand.

Avery lifted her designer sunglasses, revealing caked on eye make-up and blue eyes that mirrored her brother’s. As she and her trashy friends began walking away she said, “Oh, we’ll just see about that.” She smiled wickedly, dropped her sunglasses back into place and sauntered off, her skirt so short it threatened to reveal all to anyone who got close enough.

I felt raw and very powerful rage pulsating through me and I actually had to close my eyes and focus on my breathing to prevent myself from chasing that skank down and beating the living crap out of her.

Zoey’s voice broke through my calm. “Why is it bitches always run in packs of three?” I slowly opened my eyes and focused on her. She was picking at what was left of her turkey sandwich.

“You do realize,” I began and her big jade eyes focused on me, “that we’re usually a pack of three. That is, if you don’t count Carter.”

Zoey busted out into a fit of laugher and it helped that last bit of my anger subside.

After composing herself, she said to me, in a rather serious tone, “You keep an eye on her. She’s a boyfriend stealer. She’ll go after anything that’s not hers.”

I was well aware of this information, on a personal level. I knew what she was capable of and that’s what frightened me the most. They were quite the family, the Weslins. Ashton was an asshole who knew too much and Avery was a whore. And just like their parents, they were shallow and materialistic.

Zoey began talking quietly about her vamp changes, which I believe she did to distract me but all it did was make me shift my anger with Avery and her brother to my envy of Zoey and the fact she was turning into a vampire and I was still just Laney. But I listened and smiled when I was supposed to.

Once we’d finished our lunch and Zoey had run out of things to talk about, she offered me a piece of gum. “So, what have you got planned for the rest of the day?” she asked.

My brow furrowed as a wave of nausea hit me. I didn’t answer, just spit the gum into a napkin, rolled it up, and set it with the rest of my trash.
Stupid peppermint
!
I thought. Under my breath, I once again cursed Carter for his introduction of that glorious and evil peppermint goodness.

“Laney!” Zoey snapped her fingers in front of my face and I blinked, focusing on her. “Are you okay?” she asked. “You look really pale, and sort of green.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just, well, ever since that night out with Carter, I can’t eat or smell anything mint flavored. It makes me sick to my stomach.” I made a face to express how nasty it made me feel.

This time her brow furrowed, and in all seriousness, she whispered, “Laney, could you be pregnant?”

I looked at her like she was crazy. “No.” I shook my head, raising an eyebrow at her. “There’s no way.”

“Are you sure?” she asked with wide jade eyes.

“Yeah, I’m sure. It’s not even possible.” I whispered back fiercely. I felt myself blush.

She took a breath, leaned over the table, and very quietly she said, “Is it possible that it wouldn’t be Oliver’s?”

I said nothing at first, just held my queasy tummy as I registered what she’d meant. “No. You can’t be serious!” I said loud enough to draw the attention of others eating on the patio. I dropped my voice to a whisper and leaned across the table, too, as far as I could, “Carter?” I questioned. “But we didn’t.”

“You sure?” And the way she said it made me doubt my own conviction.

“Of course I’m sure!” I snapped quietly. But I wasn’t. I remembered so little about that night and I remembered nothing of what had happened after we’d gotten back to the apartment. I’d woken up in bed with Carter, wearing nothing but panties and his T-shirt…
Oliver would’ve known, wouldn’t he? I would’ve known, wouldn’t I?

Zoey’s voice was suddenly back to normal, “How about you come over to my place and help me pick out something to wear? I’ve got another date with Rudy tomorrow night.”

I stared at her, questioning the abrupt switch of topics, and I nodded with the assumption we’d be finishing this conversation elsewhere. Plus, Zoey had never asked me for style advice before. Hell, I don’t think she’d ever asked anyone for
any
advice. So I knew this was a cover.

Zoey had walked to the deli from her place so we took my car and headed to her apartment in silence. I felt like I was in a daze. There was just no way I could’ve had sex with Carter and not known…right?

Zoey’s grandmother wasn’t home, she was downstairs working in her antique shop, and as I had suspected, Zoey hadn’t invited me over to help her pick out an outfit for an upcoming date. “Laney,” she said in a gentle tone as we took a seat on her made-up daybed. “I think maybe you should take a pregnancy test.”

My stomach dropped then it threatened to come back up.
I seriously thought I was going to vomit. I couldn’t even look at her.
Oh my God!
I just can’t be!
It would ruin everything! Everything! Carter and Kiera’s wedding and impending life together. My life with Oliver. School, how would I finish school with a baby?
Ugh, a baby
, really?
Lilly would have been so disappointed in me. I was disappointed in me. I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. This couldn’t be happening.

“Laney, where’s Carter?” Zoey asked.

“I don’t know!” I snapped, my eyes narrowing on hers. “I’m not his damn keeper!”

She gave me a look. I’d clearly overstepped a line.

“Sorry,” I said, quietly.

She pulled her cell from her purse and called Carter. “Hey, Carter, are you busy? Could you do me a huge favor? Will you buy me a pregnancy test and bring it over to my house?” I could hear his voice rise on the other end and she cut him off. “Please don’t lecture me about this, okay? It’s bad enough that I have to ask you to do this for me.”
Apparently he finally agreed, because Zoey returned the phone to her purse and sat back down beside me. We waited in horrid silence for Carter to arrive.