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Gabriel only nodded. He stood there a moment longer, silent and dark against the glare of a streetlight outside. His fathomless eyes took in the people around the room, daring anyone to challenge him.
"It's not healthy to party with Astrid right now," he finally said in his subterranean growl. "I'd advise against it."
Vivian checked out the others who'd run with Astrid. Their faces were pale and grim. She almost felt sorry for them.
What now? she thought, but when she looked back at the door, Gabriel was gone.
Chapter 13
13
"Where are you going, looking so pretty?" Esmé asked.
"I'm meeting Aiden," Vivian told her.
The smile left Esmé's face. "Baby, I know you're lonely for kids your own age, but I wish you'd be careful. If you gotta wag your tail, wag it for one of the Five."
"The Five are jerks."
"But they're our jerks. You know what to expect from them."
"I know what to expect from Aiden." She thought of his gentle caresses and his dreams of magic.
"But he'll never know you, not really."
Vivian opened her mouth to speak, then clamped it shut.
Esmé must have read the argument in her eyes. "Don't even think about telling him about yourself," she said. "That would be the stupidest thing you ever did in your life. If the pack found out, you'd be cast out in case you brought danger back to the den. How would you like to lose everyone you care about and be alone in the world? And if what you did led to death ..."
Vivian started toward the door. "I don't want a lecture."
"Honey, I'm just worried," Esmé said. "I get the creeps each time I see that silver around your neck."
Vivian's fingers flew to the pentagram. She had worn it for every date since Aiden had given it to her.
"Listen," Esmé said. "We'll be moving soon. Life will get normal again." She followed Vivian to the door. "You'll have your choice of men. You're beautiful. Don't throw yourself away on someone who can't appreciate you."
"What makes you think he can't appreciate me?" Vivian left the house and slammed the door.
It was one of those steaming days when air clogged the throat like wet cotton wool. Bloody Moon, Vivian thought. She wished she hadn't insisted that Aiden not pick her up, but she wanted to keep him away from her house. The smell of the dusty hot sidewalk burned her nose; the sun scorched the top of her head.
Up by Dobb's Corner Store she ran into Rafe with two six-packs of beer in his arms. He wore a clean Nine Inch Nails T-shirt and part of his hair was pulled up in a topknot so he looked like some pagan chief.
"Going to a formal event, then?" Vivian asked him.
"Got me a honey," Rafe said.
She rolled her eyes. "And who's she when she's conscious?"
"You'll see," he said, and sauntered off chuckling.
It wasn't worth puzzling over. She walked on, pleased he was distracted from his insistent pursuit of her.
By the time she reached Aiden's her T-shirt clung to her back and the hair at the nape of her neck was wet. She pushed her leopard-splotched sunglasses back up the bridge of her nose for the millionth time. As she walked up the front path Aiden came rushing out. Before the door closed she heard his father yelling.
"Don't think you can run away from it, my lad."
Aiden grabbed her arm. "Come on," he urged, and tugged her toward his car.
