Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set (97 page)

Cara wiped her hands on her apron and smiled at him. “You better not love me just for my cooking. I left a corner of it without meat,” she told me. “We don’t want you going hungry.”

“Thank you. That was nice of you.”

“Well, it’s the least I can do, since you feed Zack every morning. Your mom’s waiting for you, Zack. She’s more tired than usual today. You should see her while she’s still up for it.” Zack opened his mouth and she cut him off. “Go. Both of you. I don’t need any help just yet.”

“You sure?” I asked Cara as Zack disappeared into the hallway. Staying busy would make me less antsy about waiting helplessly for Daniel to pounce. It was coming. I could feel it. “I don’t have anything to do.”

Trevor burst through the front door and spotted me right away. “Hey.”

“Autumn.” Maya sprinted to me and filled me in on everything we’d missed after leaving Ashley’s party the night before. Ashley’s mom had stepped in vomit, almost slipping on the bathroom floor. When they were breaking up the party and sending everyone home, her parents found partiers making out in their bed. Cigarette butts were strewn across the lawn, a bed of flowers trampled beyond saving and a trash can tipped over with garbage littering the driveway. Now Ashley was limited to a certain number of guests — if she’d ever be allowed to have parties again.

“That’s terrible.” I said, distributing a stack of plates around the table. “It seemed like everything was under control when we left.”

Maya narrowed her eyes. “Somebody spiked the punch and I don’t mean with booze. I think it was Daniel. He probably figured her parents wouldn’t be able to tell the punch was drugged.”

“Such a jerk,” I said. It made sense in a twisted way. If he wasn’t able to ruin my evening by harassing me, he’d upset me by messing with my friends.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Maya said. “We’re going to that carnival tonight. You and Zack should come. It’ll be fun.”

I was so not in the mood. “Don’t you and Trevor ever want to be alone? You know, a real date, without us tagging along?”

“We get plenty of time alone. It’s fun having you two go out with us, especially when you’re getting along.”

“I’ll ask Zack, but he’s worried about my car. He wants to go to the garage and check it out.”

Maya rolled her eyes. “On a Saturday night? Oh, please. You’re coming with us.”

I decided to let Zack handle her. I barely had any brain cells left after worrying about Daniel’s imminent attack, much less anything else.

† † †

After dinner, Zack helped his mom to bed, while I started on the kitchen. He joined me a few minutes later, washing the pots and pans while I rinsed and dried them.

“What are Trevor’s chores? Or do you do everything?”

“I clean the kitchen.” Zack grinned. “Trevor handles all the laundry.”

“Oh, that explains why you were so anxious to dump it on me earlier.”

He laughed. I’d missed the easy camaraderie. Soon, Daniel would interfere and who knew what the outcome would be?

He’ll come for us tonight, I think
, Zack said silently.
The more prepared we are, the better our chances. Always stay close to me, okay
?

I’d had even less time to relax than I thought.

“You guys are coming to the carnival, right?” Trevor asked.

Zack glanced at his cousin, shook his head and continued scrubbing. “Nah. Thanks, but I’m too tired. Slept crappy last night.”

Trevor wrapped an arm around Maya. “What do you think? You and I can go to a movie tonight instead.”

“Only if I get to choose which one,” she said, a gleam in her eye.

“Sure,” Trevor agreed.

Maya looked smug. She went for chick flicks. I giggled to myself, knowing he’d regret agreeing so readily. The happy couple went to Trevor’s room to check on movie times and we finished in the kitchen. Setting the sponge on the side of the sink, Zack wiped his hands on a dish towel and turned to me.

“What now?” I asked out loud.

Visit with my mom, then we meet up with Daniel
.

If he isn’t out front to see us leave, how will he know where we went
? I asked.
Or did you already arrange it with him
?

We didn’t talk about it at all. But how do you know he’s not around to watch where we go, just because we don’t see him?
He headed down the hallway toward his mom.

I followed, a rush of trepidation making me sluggish.

Crap. That sucked.
Maybe it won’t be tonight. He might wait a few days,
I said hopefully.

Daniel’s used to getting his own way and wasn’t gifted with patience. The only leverage he has left is surprise. He’ll attack and he won’t wait a second longer than he has to.

Zack was probably right. Just great. I hated being so dependent on Zack and wished I’d taken a self-defense class. Or two.

He tapped on Favianne’s door and opened it gradually. When his mom signaled for us to come in, he urged me ahead of him. As soon as she saw me, she patted the side of the bed. I scooted up onto the mattress and she took my hand.

Trevor poked his head in. “Goodnight, Aunt Favianne.”

She smiled sleepily. “Goodnight.”

“Can I borrow you?” Trevor asked Zack.

Zack glanced uncertainly at his mother and she waved him away. “Don’t stop your life for me. If I fall asleep, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He hesitated a moment, then slipped out of the room.

“When do your parents get back?” she asked.

“A week or two, I think.”

She smiled. “Then Zack will sleep here again?”

“Yes.”

She scrutinized my face. “When I go, his family will take care of him. But it would be nice to know he has a girl to love him and watch over him.”

I couldn’t be there for Zack. He’d never allow it. My eyes watered, but I didn’t wipe them. “I’ll do my best.”

“I’m sure you will. Don’t let him push you away. He can be very independent and stubborn.” She leaned her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes. “He loves you, you know.”

I blinked, unsure how to respond. What could I say? That her mother’s intuition was off? That Zack and I would never be together and what she thought she saw was a lie? “We’ve been hanging out a week. Love might be too strong of a word.”

“He’s been slow to open up since he lost his father, but I see that he cares for you. Love can mean many things. Caring for someone, wanting to be near her for who she is. That’s the best kind of love.”

Should I deny it? Tell her that he and I were thrown together, because of Zack’s habit of helping damsels in distress?

Her deep steady breathing told me she’d fallen asleep and didn’t require a reply. As gently as I could, I eased off the bed and left. In the hallway, I heard Zack and Trevor. I followed their voices, poking my head through the doorway of Trevor’s bedroom.

“They’re okay cars, but for that price, you can find one with fewer miles on it.” Zack looked doubtfully at the laptop monitor. “Be patient. Don’t be in such a rush that you buy a problem. Besides, you have my Jeep when you need it.” He glanced at me. “
Is she asleep
?” When I nodded, his face fell. I’d make sure he spent time with her tomorrow.

If we were still alive.

He waved to Trevor and as we re-entered the hallway, he called out goodnight to his aunt. Handing me my purse, he ushered me out the door and to my car. Once he’d seen me safely inside — not without first scanning the area thoroughly — he started the Mustang and backed out of the spot.

“Should we go straight to the auto shop?” I asked, lowering the window to feel the wind.

“Yeah. Listen,” he cast me a quick glance, “if Daniel shows up, you have to remember not to do anything that’ll tell him you’re a shifter, no matter what.”

“He’ll fight dirty, Zack. You know he will. If he’s about to hurt you, I can’t sit there and do nothing.” I took in a deep breath and stared ahead. “You can’t ask that of me. You can’t expect me to stand by and...” I couldn’t finish it.

“Autumn, if they find out about you, it’s over.”

I wasn’t going to let Zack get hurt if I could help, but I let the subject drop. “Why are you so sure he’ll go to the shop?”

“He’s not going to follow us into a crowded place with witnesses. The garage is in an industrial area and deserted most of the weekend. There’s no better place to launch an attack. I think he knew that and did something to your car, so we’d have to go there.”

“We should’ve taken my other car or your Jeep.” Anything was better than falling in line with Daniel’s plan.

“He’d just do something to those cars too, if he hasn’t already.”

“Oh, my God, Zack.” I wasn’t sure how much more I could take. There seemed to be no way to avoid a confrontation with Daniel. “Why are we even leaving the house?”

“He’s determined to get what he wants. You think some walls and windows would stop him?”

I gripped the edge of my seat. “How about weapons?”

“There are plenty at the garage.”

“That Daniel can access also,” I added.

Zack shot me a smile. “But I know how to use the good ones.”

My eyes snapped to his. “You had all this figured out and you didn’t feel the need to tell me?”

“You would’ve gone crazy worrying.”

I didn’t reply. Zack’s protectiveness was getting annoying. But I
was
grateful I hadn’t had all that time to chew on it.

“Thought of all the ways this could go,” Zack said, switching lanes. “My house is the safest place for you, but Daniel would just wait it out. This is the way it needs to go down.”

Shades of red and orange painted the sky as shadows elongated. It would be dark in a matter of just minutes. “But why didn’t you insist we do this earlier? He’d be less likely to attack in broad daylight. Staying alive is a little more important than laundry and chores, don’t you think?”

“If he’s going to come, I’d rather be the one to orchestrate it, so we know when and where to expect him. This way, we can be prepared. Plus, it’s easier to hide a body in the dark.”

I shot him a glare. “What?”

“Just kidding. Sort of. Hey, we have to be prepared for anything.”

My stomach felt queasy and I pressed a hand to it. “It’s a bit of a stretch that Daniel would sabotage the car with all that in mind.” I hoped Zack was wrong.

“Maybe. I smelled Daniel’s scent on the hood when I checked to see where the noise was coming from.” He waited until we were several blocks from the shop before speaking again. “He’s been around the car again today, but I’m not sure when.”

“You smelled him?” My belly roiled.

“Yeah. All over the seats.” He turned to me. “He’s just messing with us.”

“Why didn’t I smell it?”

“While you were doing laundry earlier, I slipped outside and checked out the car. When I smelled him, I cleaned the seats.”

“Really, Zack? What else are you hiding?” Anger was good. It took my mind off my churning stomach.

He nodded toward my hand pressed against my abdomen. “Look at you. If we switched places, would you want to tell me?”

“That doesn’t make it right,” I mumbled. We were almost at the shop and staying focused on any topic would be difficult. I’d argue with him later.

“I was thinking about this three-way calling business.” Zack began slowing the Mustang way before the stop light. “If Daniel’s touching either one of us and we talk telepathically, he’ll hear us and know about you. We should be able to direct our thoughts. You know, he shouldn’t be able to hear us if we block him.”

“How do we block him?” I asked. We were moving again, but barely. Zack was stalling, probably since we were close to the shop and he had more to say.

“I’m guessing it’s the same way you morph. You visualize it happening. See it the way you want it to be.”

Apparently, he utilized his spare time trying to find a way to beat Daniel, while I used mine trying to get Zack to want me. His time had been much better spent. I slumped in my seat, feeling useless.

He eased up off the accelerator a little more. “On the other hand, it might not work and he might overhear everything we say to each other and he’ll know you’re not human.”

“So we don’t do it unless there’s no other way,” I said, recognizing the auto shop sign up ahead.

“Right. When we get there, we’ll open the garage, drive the car inside, then close and lock it.”

“Sounds simple enough,” I said.

Waiting in the turning lane, he glanced at me. “The timing will be tricky though. The garage door isn’t automatic. We’ll both have to leave the car to open it and come back together. I can’t leave you alone.”

With the Mustang’s top down, I felt vulnerable. “We should put the top up.”

“No, that would make your car higher and give Daniel something bigger to hide behind if he snuck in somehow. We need to see everything around us.”

The nausea became more intense and I swallowed to keep from gagging. As Zack pulled into the deserted lot, he squeezed my hand. “It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”