Blood Candy Page 16

  “Never mind,” Wendi said with a wave of her hand and a roll of her eyes. “I’m only doing this because I hate those British assholes. I can’t wait to kick their worthless fucking teeth in.”

  “Do we have to hear about this again?” Coop said. “Hayden ripped out your heart and stomped on it. We get it, he’s an asshole. Move the fuck on.”

  Wendi flipped him off. Cooper grabbed his crotch and flicked his tongue in front of his fangs. Of all the brothers, Candy would have thought the skinny, redheaded Coop would be the modest one. Looks can be deceiving, she supposed.

  Wendi replaced the CD in the boom box with one of her own and heavy rock music blared out into the night. Candy didn’t care for that kind of music and she couldn’t remember the name of the song or the angry band who sang it way back in the nineties, but it was better than her brother’s eighties mix.

  The next hour would have been an extension into the dreary land of boredom had Candy not enjoyed Wendi bouncing around so much. A lot of grunge and metal from the nineties played on her CD; that, combined with the hardcore expression on her face as she played with her brothers, made her look like a complete badass. And undeniably sexy. Never mind she was a vampire as well. Candy was glad when she sat next to her on the bleachers. She noticed then that none of them sweated; another vampire oddity she’d have to get used to.

  “I hate this game.” Wendi watched her bothers practicing for a moment, shaking her head. “You realize we’re going to lose, right?”

  The statement surprised Candy. “No you won’t,” she said. “Look at them. I’ve never seen anything like it. Look at how quick they are and how high they can jump.”

  At times they went into a drill where they passed and shot the ball, moving faster than Candy thought anyone could sprint, and they did it from a standstill—one push off, one stride, and they were hauling ass down the court.

  “The Brits are faster,” Wendi said with a snorting laugh. “They are older and stronger. Aside from Chester, the rest of us haven’t been vampires nearly as long.”

  “Oh,” Candy said. “Don’t you think your knowledge of the game will help?”

  “A little, but the only way we’ll win is if we play dirty. Unfortunately, my idiot brothers play by the rules. That’s where I come in. I’m going to make Hayden wish he had never. . . .”

  Wendi jumped up and kicked a ball that had rolled next to the bleachers. It disappeared into the night. Candy gulped, but she wasn’t anything if not curious.

  “I shouldn’t pry, but what did he do?”

  Wendi glared at her. “Take your own advice and don’t pry.”

  Wendi wandered back out onto the basketball court, found a ball, and beamed Cooper on the back of the head with it. While they shouted at each other, Candy decided to retire to her room for the night. She sorted the shoes and hung the clothes Renaldo had brought the night before and then she took a shower in the awesome bathroom. As she lay in bed trying to fall asleep, she started to enjoy the idea of living in a mansion.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Candy crawled out of the impossibly comfortable bed at around noon the next day. The first thing that came to her mind was the lack of dreams involving vampires. What she did dream about had been pleasantly normal, if an anxiety dream about being on the brink of failing a class could be counted as such. As far as Candy was concerned, it counted.

  As she rolled out of bed she saw the cell phone Melvin had given her on the nightstand. Her next thought was that she hadn’t checked in with the Misfits. They hadn’t called her, either. She was worried about them, and she hated herself for not thinking to call. She also hadn’t called her mother or her best friend. She thought about calling Amanda for a moment, and then decided now wasn’t the best time. The address book in her cell phone showed each Misfit’s number. She selected Jimmy’s entry. He sounded overly concerned when he answered.

  “Candy? Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” Silence. “Are you there?”

  “Yes.” Silence again. “You should have called yesterday.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t like you being there. I—” He didn’t finish his thought.

  “I’m fine. I know you don’t like me being here, and I don’t like it either.” She paused, hoping he couldn’t hear the lie for what it was. “Are you all okay? You haven’t run into any trouble, have you?”

  “None,” Jimmy said. “Chester called Dave and told him where the game will be. I can’t. . . .” He paused again. “I don’t like being away from you like this. I know we’re not dating, but I care about you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

  “Jimmy—”

  “You think I’m a total dork now, don’t you?”

  “No.”

  “You like it there, don’t you?”

  Candy had to answer right away or he might become suspicious, so she said what first came to mind. “It’s not as great as you think it is.” She scrunched her eyes and silently cursed. Anyone with an ounce of common sense could easily read between the lines. “I’ll see you tonight, Jimmy.”

  He didn’t say anything and Candy thought she had blown it. Though she really did like the Misfits, she was so confused she didn’t know what to say. She had dealt with plenty of love struck boys, but this confounded her. Finally, Jimmy said, “Okay. See you there.”

  He hung up. Candy knew that wasn’t good.

  She fell back on the bed and sighed, feeling bad for him and wondering why she had led him on, why she had kissed him. She knew why. He was kind and handsome. He had saved her and gone through all kinds of trouble with her, trying to help her. She stared at the ceiling for a long time until Renaldo knocked on the door.

  “Are you well, Miss Candy?”

  Candy sighed again. She wasn’t sure she felt like having Renaldo waiting on her all day. She strolled over to the door in the shirt and shorts she had fallen asleep in.

  “Can I get you anything?” he said.

  “I’m fine, thank you. I need to shower.”

  “Very well. Shall I have lunch or breakfast prepared for you?”

  “Whatever you want.”

  Candy didn’t think she would ever get out of the shower. She had to though, it gave her way too much time to think, and she didn’t want to think anymore. She dried off and got dressed, opting for a blue blouse and jeans as she checked through the bags. She put sneakers on with it, refusing to wear anything that wasn’t conducive to running.

  Renaldo waited on her like he had before. A light brunch of salad with chicken waited for her in the kitchen. While she ate, Renaldo asked when she would like to go to the city. Though he was a pleasant man, she didn’t want to go anywhere with him. She didn’t want to do anything except maybe zone out in front of a television so she wouldn’t have to think about everything. Unless she went to her room, Renaldo wouldn’t leave her side. She ended up going to the den with the manservant on her heels to watch some television. A daytime talk show featuring formerly semi-famous women was perfect for shutting down higher brain functions.

  Renaldo sat down on the other side of the room, crossing one leg over the other and propping open a book. Candy turned her head to him.

  “Why don’t you watch TV with me?”

  He gazed up from the book. “I shouldn’t. I’m working.”

  “You’re reading a book.”

  Renaldo frowned. He closed his book and sat beside her on the comfortable leather couch.

  “Are you going to follow me all day?” Candy said.

  Renaldo’s frown deepened. “It’s my job. You’re my responsibility.”

  “They don’t want me running around their house unattended?”

  “It’s nothing personal, I’m sure. No one wants people running around their house.”

  “But I’m a guest,” Candy countered. “Guests can generally do such things. You people are seriously uptight.”

  “You would be too if you were completely
helpless while you slept during the day.”

  Renaldo immediately slapped both hands over his mouth as if he had revealed some great secret. Candy laughed, feeling a little bad for the poor manservant. And then she wondered what Anastasia might do to one of her servants who revealed a family secret. She didn’t put anything past the creepy little girl.

  “Don’t worry, Renaldo. I won’t tell anyone.”

  He was visibly relieved, which made her wonder even more. She imagined dainty, little Anastasia (those attributes didn’t make her any less frightening) scolding him, or worse.

  Candy had to settle on passing time in front of the television, which worked for the most part as it numbed her mind so that she didn’t think about anything until evening approached. After that point, she couldn’t get her mind off the basketball game and what Wendi had told her during practice the night before. The realization suddenly hit that her fate would soon be decided, and it may not turn out good. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies. The idea that she may have to go with Rupert chilled her to the bone.

  When Blake finally came down, she wrapped her arms around him.

  “Please win tonight!”

  They looked into each other’s eyes, and then he leaned in to kiss her. His lips were cool but otherwise perfect, and his embrace revealed his unnatural strength. His tongue found hers in a gentle caress. She noticed there was no taste in his mouth or scent on his breath other than a nearly imperceptible metallic tang.

  “I won’t let them take you,” he said.

  Candy rested her head against his chest. There was no beating heart within him. She took a sudden step away, but Blake didn’t intend to have his moment ruined. He pulled her back into his embrace. Beating heart or not, in his arms she felt safe. For the first time since that night with Rupert, she truly felt as if she had no worries.

  “Let’s get ready for tonight,” he said. “You have nothing to worry about. These Brits don’t know what’s coming.”

  When Candy lifted her head he leaned in for another kiss. She welcomed it, his kiss unlike any she had known before, full of experience and passion. In the corner of her vision Anastasia stood near the door, smiling while she watched before she turned to walk away. A moment later, Chester came into the den, and then Chip with a stupid grin when he saw them together.

  “Okay, lovebirds,” Chester said. “Mother’s waiting so let’s get dressed and ready to go. I want to get to the stadium early so we can get some practice in before the Brits show up.”

  Everyone was dressed and ready by seven o’clock. Candy and Blake rode with Anastasia and Wendi in one of the day-proof town cars that Renaldo was driving. The rest of the Mullins rode in a second town car. Candy couldn’t see where they were going through the obscured windows and her nerves were on edge once again. Both Anastasia and Wendi seemed able to sense this, as if her anxiety gave off a distinct odor they could smell.

  “I wish I could promise we’ll win tonight,” Wendi said with a grin, as if she enjoyed Candy’s unease and wanted to bring out more. She had her long black hair tied off in a pony tail that ran down her back. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up too much.”

  Anastasia gave her a sideways glance, though she didn’t say anything. Blake glared at his sister and said, “You’re such a downer. Just keep your head in the game, remember everything we went over, and there’s no way we can lose.”

  “It would do you well to take after your brother more,” Anastasia added.

  “Oh sure, Mother,” Wendi said in the snide way an insolent teen might to an actual adult parent, which Candy thought was way freaking odd in their case. “I hope you have a reason to put so much faith in Blake.”

  Wendi turned her dark eyes on Candy. The vampire hadn’t been exactly pleasant the night before at practice, but the way she acted now caught Candy a little off guard. It made her wonder what she did to deserve such ire.

  “Stop picking on your brother,” Anastasia said, once again in a detached way. “I’d like some peace and quiet now.”

  Peace and quiet she got. No one said another word until the town car came to a stop and the driver opened the door. Candy didn’t know what to make of Wendi. She seemed like one of those people who always saw the glass as half empty. Wendi was an instigator, an effect achieved with her eyes alone, which Candy had to endure over the rest of the silent trip.

  “This is the stadium of the local amateur team,” Blake said when they got out of the car. They were in a tunnel the teams used to get down into the locker rooms. “My high school team played a state championship game here in my senior year.”

  The other Mullins walked on ahead. When Blake took Candy’s hand, she worried Jimmy might see if the Misfits had already arrived. Then again, she wasn’t sure if she cared. She went ahead and pulled her hand gently away, feigning to scratch her head.

  “When was that?” she asked.

  Blake opened his mouth to answer then gave her an amused look. “Are you trying to trick me? You won’t like the answer.”

  “Why not? I already told you it doesn’t matter. It’s not as if you look like an old man or something.”

  Blake laughed. “I guess you’re right,” he said, though he still didn’t answer.

  Candy stopped and crossed her arms. “I want to know,” she said. “It’s not a good sign that you’re trying to keep secrets from me.”

  Blake forced a smile. “Nineteen eighty-nine.”

  “Holy shit you’re—” She stopped to think a moment, counting in her head. “Fifty years old?”

  “I said you wouldn’t like the answer. And I’m forty. I was nineteen when I was made.”

  “Wow.” Some things made sense now. “What were the eighties like?”

  Blake put his arm around her shoulder, laughing a little. “The eighties were by far my favorite. The seventies sucked, but I was a kid and didn’t really notice. The nineties were far too depressing, but I was a young vampire and didn’t really care.”

  They came into the main area of the stadium, which was completely empty except for Candy and the Mullins. It didn’t look quite as big as a professional stadium, though it was close. The scoreboard above the court was lit up and read double zeroes for both sides. Anastasia took a seat courtside while the Mullin children grabbed some basketballs.

  “How is this possible?” Candy said, looking around the empty stadium.

  “Anything’s possible with the right amount of money. Amateur basketball isn’t exactly a booming business. It didn’t take much of a donation,” Anastasia said.

  Blake trotted out onto the court with his brothers and sister. Candy took a seat next to Anastasia, wondering how many girls Blake had been with over the course of twenty years as a vampire. She realized she actually didn’t know if vampires could do normal things with girls. She supposed they could; either way, it had her curious.

  “When will the Misfits be here?” she asked Anastasia.

  “Chester informed them where it is. They’ll be here soon, I’m sure. Ah, there’s Nigel.”

  Nigel was on the other side of the court dressed in a striped black and white referee uniform. He hurried over to take the seat on Anastasia’s right.

  “I’m bloody excited,” he said, grinning widely. “It’s been a good long while since I had the pleasure of witnessing a duel. This may be a sissy duel, but I expect plenty of blood regardless.”

  Candy was taken aback when Anastasia had a good laugh. “I don’t expect it to be pretty,” the little vampire girl said. “I hope as the referee you can keep up with the action, Sir Nigel.”

  “I can keep up with these whippersnappers.”

  There were other people coming into the stadium. They sat in groups throughout the rows of seats, talking amongst themselves while watching the Mullins practice. After a few minutes there were seven different groups. Candy didn’t recognize any of them. Some of them looked like normal, everyday people, while others were extremely pale and dressed in old fashioned clothes. A chill ran t
hrough her—they were all vampires.

  Nigel excused himself to go talk with the other groups of vampires. Candy heard familiar voices—the Misfits had shown up, sitting one row over. She stood up to go over to them.

  “Don’t wander too far,” Anastasia said. “Trust me when I say some of the other vampires here make the Kingsleys look like harmless little boys in comparison. Speaking of which, the Magister will be coming over here in a few minutes. Do try to remember our goal.”

  Candy nodded, then she moved over to take the seat next to Felicia.

  “How was it at the vampire mansion?” Felicia asked with a wry smile.

  “Fine,” Candy said, glancing at Jimmy. “Nothing special.”

  “Nothing special my ass.” Felicia followed Chester on the court with her eyes. “I need to nab me a filthy rich vampire stud.”

  Jimmy’s face burned. He hadn’t said a word since coming in.

  “What’s with all of the vampires?” Melvin said. “I don’t like this.”

  Candy followed his eyes to the Mullins and all of the other vampires. “I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t like it either.”

  “Whoa!” White Paul blurted out, his eyes locked on Wendi. “Who’s the hot chick?”

  “She’s a vampire, dipshit. One of the Mullins,” Melvin said.

  White Paul read the name on her jersey aloud, “Wendi.” He leaned back in his chair with a wide grin.

  Candy stared at Jimmy until he looked at her. She stood up and beckoned with a swing of her head for him to follow her to the tunnel. He did so, though he made it a point to show his displeasure. She paused at the edge of the tunnel when she saw two guards posted at the other end. When she turned to face Jimmy, his eyes went straight to her neck.

  “What?” she said. “Don’t look at me like that.”

  “Look at you like what, a vampire lover?”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Is that why you called me back here? To tell me to fuck off and you want nothing to do with me anymore? I’ve come to expect as much from girls like you.”