Page 23 of Hallowed Bones

It isn’t until halfway through my second class that it hits me.

I never told him where my next class was.

CHAPTER 9HAVEN

Heading to the store. I had another nightmare last night. Hopefully, they’ll have my new meds and I’ll sleep better tonight.

—TEXT MESSAGE FROM JENNIFER WARDWELL TO ALEXANDER WARDWELL, TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE FIRE

My first week at Ipswich is spent trying to get back into a routine. I’d tried to find jobs during the summer between, but with the therapy sessions and my aunt’s constant demands, it’d been a struggle. College, much to my surprise, is actually far more laid-back than high school. The professors and instructors are available via email and office hours for any questions, but overall, students control and manage their own time. It’s refreshing.

If there’s one complaint I have, it’s my inability to find a group to belong to. The list of clubs and extracurriculars is overwhelming, and none of them appeal to me. I find myself, more and more, trailing behind Elodie like a lost puppy if I’m not on my own. And as much as I like my roommate, she has the unfortunate quality of being at the center of all things gossip-worthy.

“So, Cameron Goode…”

I freeze, halfway through putting my lunch tray on the table where Elodie is sitting with one of her friends that I’d met briefly at the lake party. I narrow my eyes on her face.

“How did you find out?” I demand, setting the tray the rest of the way down and plopping into my seat.

She bites into one of her baby carrots and arches a brow before nodding to Liz—the willowy redhead with tattoos peeking out of the rolled-up sleeves of her uniform. “Red saw him walking you to class on Wednesday.”

I shift my annoyed look to Liz. “Seriously?” I deadpan.

Liz grins, unabashed. “What? You weren’t exactly hiding behind corners,” she replies. She dips her fries into ketchup and shrugs. “I only mentioned it to her in passing.”

Which is like shoving a bloody steak in front of a wild animal, I want to say. I don’t get the chance, though, as Elodie leans over her own tray and slides her gaze up and down my body as if she’s looking for evidence of some crime.

“I thought you didn’t like them?” She poses it as if it’s a question.

“Them?” I rip the tab of my ketchup packet open and dump it to the side of my own fries. “Cameron is the only one that walked me to class.”

Elodie throws the rest of her carrot at me. I dodge and open another packet, repeating my actions. “Please,” she snaps. “The Sons of Salem do everything together. If one of them is interested in you, then they all are.”

I pause in the process of opening a third packet and lift my eyes to her face. “They … what?” She cannot mean what I think she means.

It’s not Elodie who answers this time but Liz. Using one of her fries as a shovel to scoop as much ketchup onto it as possible, she nods emphatically. “Oh yeah, did Elodie forget to mention that?” she asks. Before I can tell her that, yes, she did in fact forget to mention that the Sons of Salem aren’t just strange guys with a history of tragedy and witchcraft but that they’re … what? Swingers? Sharers?

Liz continues, “Maybe it’s because they’re all rich, but they’re super secretive around who they date. None of them have ever had public girlfriends, but some of the guys on the lacrosse team said they spotted a couple of them at a bar in one of the neighboring towns with the same girl.” Liz shoves her dripping fry into her mouth, chews, and swallows.

“Reyes and Lyall are the more open of the group—mostly Lyall, though, since Reyes is a workaholic. He still attends classes, but even as a freshman, he wasn’t on campus much. He’s practically sprinted through his premed program. Anyway, my money is on the two of them. They definitely share.”

I let that information sink in and turn my attention to my food. The thought of eating, though, has lost all appeal, and I end up moving through the motions rather than actually enjoying my lunch. Reyes—Dream Boy—had been the only one who’d come back the night of the lake party. He hadn’t said a word about Elodie’s obvious lie, but he’d hung around, and after a while, it’s like everyone had forgotten who he was. The initial burst of anxiety I’d gotten when I’d seen him again had faded over time. Without Ezra Bishop at his back, it was as if a wave of calming energy had exuded from him. Even Jonah had relaxed and begun treating him as he would anyone else. I did the same. After all, it wasn’t like it was his fault he’d ended up in my dream.

Liz’s words, however, have me thinking of both him and Lyall. The taller, sandy-haired man had been the least intimidating of all of them. His smile was infectious, but underneath that easygoing expression and laid-back attitude of his, I get the sense that it’s all a mask to hide something else. To think that the two of them … share women.… I’m no virgin and haven’t been for nearly two years, but even that’s never occurred to me.

Lyall … and Reyes … My mouth dampens as I picture them. Both tall, muscular, and well built. My skin tingles at the idea that they enjoy sharing a woman so much that it has made its rounds through the rumor mill of Ipswich College. What would they do?

“But anyway, back to Cameron.”

At Elodie’s sharp comment, I lift my head. In the time following Liz’s information, I’ve forgotten how the topic came up to begin with. I blink and shake off the wayward thoughts. “It’s nothing,” I tell her, shoving the fry between my lips. “Besides, I’m not interested in dating anyone.”

Liz snorts. “Who said anything about dating?” she asks with a shake of her head. “If Cameron Goode is interested in you, I think you should let him take you out. Guys like that—you know, the smart, introverted ones; the gamer types—are surprisingly good in bed.” Her eyes trail over me. “And no offense, but you seem a bit tense. You could probably use a good orgasm.”

Elodie gasps and smacks Liz’s arm. “Elizabeth!” she snaps.

“Ow! What?” Liz gapes at her and rubs at her arm. “What did I say? You know I’m right.”

With a huff, Elodie glares at her friend. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic; I barely hit you. Regardless, not everyone is as sexually free as you are. Don’t try to pressure her into doing anything she’s uncomfortable with.”