Part 9 (1/2)

Jason studied her face. She obviously thought the whole dating-a-vampire thing was pretty romantic. 'I don't know if I'd call it that,' Jason said carefully. 'I had no choice, and neither did Sienna. It was more about survival than romance. Just hanging out, kissing, holding hands, all the usual stuff that's romantic. The vampire part is mostly just a complication.'

'I guess,' Dani said thoughtfully. 'But it's also pretty cool, you have to admit. Did you know they can change the way they look? Ryan showed me his real appearance and he's even more gorgeous than he looks normally!'

'Yeah, I-'

'Plus, he's incredibly strong,' Dani went on. 'And fast. It's like they're humans, but they're just sort of better at it than everyone else.'

'I wouldn't put it that way,' Jason said. 'They're not better, they're just different.' He didn't really want his sister getting some kind of starry-eyed idea about the vampires. Dating one of them wasn't the kind of situation she should walk into without some serious consideration.

'Listen, Danielle,' he said seriously. 'I know it probably feels like a TV show or something, dating a wealthy, good-looking vampire, but-'

'A wealthy, good-looking, incredibly sweet vampire,' Dani cut in.

'Still, this isn't a television series,' Jason insisted. 'It seems like you're only paying attention to the vampire traits you like. But you can't ignore the fact that there are bad things too. It's dangerous to date a vampire. It can be a matter of life and death.'

'You mean the crossbow killer,' Dani said. 'Ryan told me that guy who shot you was really a vampire hunter. He said you figured it out which is incredibly studly of you, by the way.'

'Thanks. I think,' Jason said dubiously. 'But that's not what I meant. Do you want to know how I originally found out about the vampires? Turns out there was a renegade vampire in town. A vampire who was giving in to his bloodl.u.s.t. Did Ryan even tell you about bloodl.u.s.t?'

Dani chewed on her lip. 'Nooo . . .'

'It's what happens if vampires let their hunger get out of control. The need for blood consumes them and they keep on drinking, even if it kills the human. That's what really happened to Carrie Smith the night of Belle's party.'

Dani's eyes widened. 'Are you serious?'

'Yes.'

'Wow.' Dani looked thoughtful. 'I can't imagine Ryan ever being like that. Or Sienna.'

'No, it doesn't happen often,' Jason admitted. 'And the vampires dealt with it pretty quickly. But I saw the guy's eyes when I fought him he was off the hook. And vampires are outrageously strong, so if one wants to kill you, well, you're dead.'

'Why are you talking like this?' Dani asked. 'You're in love with a vampire. You're friends with vampires. You like them.'

'That's true.' Jason ran a hand through his hair. 'I don't know. I just don't want you to get hurt.'

'Are you getting hurt?'

'h.e.l.l, yeah,' Jason said with a rueful laugh. 'Emotionally, anyway. Sienna's parents won't let us see each other. And that hurts like you wouldn't believe.' He took his sister's hand. 'Look, I just don't want you to end up feeling like I've been feeling lately. It's not fun. So just . . . don't get in over your head. You've only known Ryan for a few weeks.'

'But that's enough,' Dani told him. 'I know everything about him. I know he loves me. And I know I'm safe with him.'

'OK,' Jason said. 'Then I'm happy for you.'

But as his sister headed upstairs to her room, Jason felt a stab of worry. He had a feeling Dani didn't know as much as she thought she did. Had Ryan really made it clear to her what a big deal it was to have a vampire-human romance? And what about Ryan's parents? Why hadn't they reacted the same way that Sienna's had?

Suddenly, Jason realized the truth Ryan's parents didn't know about the relations.h.i.+p! Dani and Ryan had been keeping it low-key, at least up until the party last night. But now that they were out of the closet, the Patricks would be sure to find out soon.

And then they would forbid Ryan to see Danielle.

Jason sighed. He didn't want Dani to go through what he was going through. But he had to admit it: he'd be relieved when she and Ryan broke up.

'Describe in one sentence the theme of William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury,' Jason read aloud from his English notebook. 'Great,' he said to himself. 'I haven't even finished reading that book.'

He let his pen drop onto the notebook, sat back in the deck chair, and stretched. He'd been planning to do his homework out by the pool, but the combination of late afternoon suns.h.i.+ne, birdsong, and the after-effects of last night's party had made him sleepy. And it didn't help that now he was alone in the house. His parents had gone out with Mr Freeman's boss, to some famous restaurant in Beverly Hills.

Dani was out too, with Ryan. She'd been wearing a huge, dreamy smile when she left. Jason felt a little guilty for wanting her relations.h.i.+p to end. After all, he knew just how it felt to be besotted with a vampire. It was exciting and unexpected and more than a little addictive. He knew he shouldn't have one set of rules for himself and another for Dani. But she was his baby sister. He couldn't help feeling protective.

Besides, she barely knew Ryan. She couldn't really be in love with him already. It was a totally different situation from his own with Sienna. He'd known Sienna for months, and they'd fought their attraction like crazy before they finally- Yeah, right, Jason thought. We fought our attraction because Sienna was going out with Brad. It had nothing to do with the vampire thing. I'd have been with her from day one if she'd crooked her finger. And finding out she was a vampire wouldn't have changed that.

Jason lurched to his feet, pulled off his s.h.i.+rt, and dove into the pool, letting the chilly water shock him out of his thoughts about Sienna. He couldn't let himself go there, because thinking about Sienna would lead to thinking about last night's events. And just the memory of Sienna's body pressed against his was enough to make him lose his mind.

After a couple of laps, he climbed out and headed over to the pool house for a towel. He dried off and walked back to the deck chair, surprised to see that the sun had disappeared. A quick glance up showed dark clouds encroaching on the constant blue of the California sky.

The doorbell rang.

Jason jogged through the house to the front door and yanked it open, expecting to see Adam, or maybe just the mailman with a package or something.

He didn't expect Sienna.

'Hey there, Michigan,' she said, a smile playing about her mouth. 'Did I catch you in the shower?'

'Excuse me?' Jason asked, still trying to process the fact that she was actually standing on his doorstep. He felt alive and awake, all his senses tingling.

'You're dripping.' Sienna reached out and playfully tousled his wet hair.

Jason automatically reached for her hand, then stopped himself at the last second. He wasn't supposed to touch her anymore. They were just friends.

Sienna seemed to realize that at the same moment. She s.n.a.t.c.hed her hand away from him. They stared at each other awkwardly for a few seconds.

'I was in the pool,' Jason said finally. 'Hence the moisture.'

'Oh.' Sienna nodded. 'Well, I should boogie. I'm supposed to be at Belle's, and she can only cover for me for so long before her dad figures it out. I just came by to give this back.' She held out the sweater he'd loaned her the night before. 'Thank you.'

'No problem.'

'OK. So . . . I'll see you later.' Sienna turned away, and Jason's heart gave a lurch. He didn't want her to go.

'Wait!' he called.

She turned back immediately. 'Yes?'

'Don't you want to come in?' Jason asked.

Sienna raised one eyebrow. 'Is coming in a good idea?' she asked.

Jason grabbed her hand in a friends way, he told himself. 'Oh, just come have a drink. Friends are allowed to do that. And there's no one else home, so no grapevine potential.' He tugged her inside, and he couldn't help noticing that she didn't resist too much.