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Aaron was also something of an outcast. A curious kid, he was drawn to the human world. A lot of younger colony members were. They craved the comforts and technology that the colonies didn’t have. They wanted more. What kid doesn’t? Just like Todd wanted more than Deadhart had to offer. Unsurprising, in a way, that the pair found each other. And friendship—love—shouldn’t be wrong. It wasn’t so long ago that interracial relationships were illegal, and still, in some places, you could expect to attract stares and comments.
It took time for things to change. Yes, Todd and Aaron were minors, and Tucker would have advised Todd to wait before he took a momentous decision like a turning. But ultimately, kids will always push boundaries.
Tucker often wondered if the anger directed toward Aaron was partly because the town couldn’t accept that two boys, a human and a vampyr, could be in a relationship. Todd’s desire to be turned was a rejection of everything they stood for. A rejection of humanity. Of course, it didn’t change the fact that the relationship got Todd killed. But was it Aaron’s fault, or did Tucker get it wrong? And had another kid paid the price for his mistake?
He reached for his drink.
“Tucker?”
He looked up and felt his heart still.
“Jess?”
The last time Tucker had seen Jess Garrett she had still been Jess Grainger. Twenty-two years old, with a head of wild blonde curls and an attitude. She had her father’s temper and piercing blue eyes, and her late mother’s intelligence and fine bone structure. A winning combination.
Back then, he had expected her to leave Deadhart and move to the city. Some people just seem too big for small towns. Instead, she had stayed and married Dan, an out-of-towner who had turned up one summer to start an adventure business and then stuck around.
Maybe it was her mother, already showing the first signs of dementia, that held her back. Maybe it was love. Or convenience. Tucker had only ever met Dan briefly. He was one of those laid-back, outdoorsy types. Easy-going, good-looking in a careless way. Unchallenging. He could see why that might have appealed to Jess. The opposite of her dad. Still, he was surprised the pair had lasted.
She folded her arms, regarding him with a mixture of appraisal and hostility. “So, you’re back? Long time, Tucker. Lot of people thought you were dead.”
“Thought, or hoped?”
A thin smile. “Guess they’ll have to put the bunting away again.”
“You don’t seem surprised to see me.”
“No. Ever since the Colony crawled back, I’ve been expecting you to do the same.”
“Nice to know I’ve been missed.”
“You haven’t.”
“And I was thinking you came to see me especially.”
“I was passing. Saw you walk in here.”
He wasn’t sure he believed her. Not that he was flattering himself, but there was history here.
As if confirming his suspicions, she said: “You going to see Dad?”
“I don’t think so,” Tucker said tightly.
“He’s getting old, Tucker. He’s not the man you knew.”
“Well, that makes two of us.”
“You know he always respected you. Thought of you as a friend.”
“Your dad shot me and left me for dead.”
“You gave him no choice. You let that vampyr loose from jail.”
His hand tightened around the glass. “Because you told me your dad and his lynch mob were planning to storm the police department and take justice into their own hands. It was my job to protect a minor.”
“And my dad was protecting Deadhart.”
“You set me up, Jess.”
