Hexbound (The Dark Elite 2)

Scout humphed.

Our phones chose that moment to simultaneously start ringing. If we were all getting a call, it must have been a message about Adept business.

Michael made it to his phone first. “Daniel’s called off tonight’s meeting. He’s still figuring out what to do about the vampires.”

“So we don’t end up in the middle of a turf war?” Scout asked.

“That would be my guess.”

Scout sighed, then pulled another chunk from her sandwich. “Sometimes I dream of lying in bed and spending my nights—and hold on to your hats, ’cause this is pretty crazy—sleeping.”

“At least it’s not every night,” Michael said.

“Yeah, but it’s more on the nights we do go out. More monsters, more Reapers, more ‘operations,’ ” she added with air quotes.

Michael patted her shoulder. “Someday I’ll take you on a trip, and we’ll spend our days relaxing in luxury.”

“Hawaii?”

“I’m on scholarship. How about Kenosha?”

Scout shrugged. “That works, too.” She looked down and began plucking through the paper bag and empty sandwich wrapper. “What happened to the other half of my sandwich?”

“You just ate it,” Michael said.

“Nah, I couldn’t have. Not that fast.” She put a hand to her stomach, then pressed a little. “I do feel full. But I seriously don’t even remember eating it.”

“Maybe you’re also distracted.” Michael winged up his eyebrows for effect.

“You ate it, didn’t you? You ate my sandwich?”

Jason leaned toward me. “Whatever you might say about Scout, the girl’s tenacious.”

“That she is. Did you eat her sandwich?”

He made a huff. “A gentleman does not take a lady’s sandwich.”

“Are you a gentleman?”

“I am a gentlewolf. I did rescue a beautiful damsel in distress, after all.”

“You did do that. And I appreciate it very, very much. Being alive rocks.”

He lifted a hand and brushed a lock of hair from my face. His eyes were the same color as the wickedly blue sky. “Of course I did. I think you’re pretty cool, you know.”

My toes practically curled from the heat in his eyes.

Scout cleared her throat. Loudly. “Hey,” she said, bumping Michael with her elbow. “Could I talk to you for a sec?”

“I didn’t eat your sandwich.”

Scout made a sound of frustration, then grabbed Michael by the hand and helped him to his feet. “I know you didn’t eat my sandwich, but we need to talk,” she said, then pulled him between the thorns until they disappeared from view.

“What’s that about?”

“I am not entirely sure.”

We sat quietly for a minute.

“You know, we haven’t known each other very long, and we met under kind of strange circumstances.”

I glanced over at him. This sounded like some kind of relationship talk. Was he going to ask me to Sneak? My heart sped up, but I went for a casual tone. “That is true.”

“I just—I guess I think we should, you know, actually go out sometime.”

I was a little disappointed I hadn’t gotten an invite to the Sneak, but I guess an actual date of any kind would work for now. I managed a smile. “We could probably make that happen.”

“I was thinking Saturday.”

Okay, a definite date helped. “Saturday works.”

“Cool.”

Scout and Michael popped out from between the thorns. His curly hair was standing up; her cheeks were flushed. I had to bite my lip to keep from saying something snarky.

“All right, Parker. You ready for school?”

I nodded. “Let’s do it.”

I picked up the remains of our lunch, then stood up so Jason could fold up the blanket.

“We’ll walk you,” Michael said, extending his crooked elbow toward Scout. She rolled her eyes, but took it.

Jason glanced at me with amusement.

“Don’t even think about it,” I warned him, but didn’t object when he entangled our fingers together.

We walked back through the alley and past the SRF and bank building, then hit the Erie Avenue sidewalk back toward the school.

That was where we found John Creed, standing beside the low stone fence that contained the St. Sophia’s grounds, his heavy eyebrows pinched together as he gazed at the phone in his hands. He looked up when we approached, then slid his phone into his pocket.

“I didn’t know we had plans,” Jason said.

“We don’t. I had to drop by Franklin’s. That’s my dad,” he explained, gaze on me. “He’s got an office up the street.”

“How is Franklin?” Jason asked.

“Knee-deep in money.” Creed looked at Scout. “And you are?”

“Scout Green,” Michael said. “She’s another St. Sophia’s girl.”

“Swell to meet you, Scout Green, St. Sophia’s girl.”

“Ditto,” Scout said.

“I figured I’d wait so we could walk back together. But you weren’t at the school.” His gaze followed the sidewalk to the spot where we’d emerged onto the street. “What’s over that way?”

“Just a shortcut,” Jason said, squeezing my hand as if to keep me quiet. I guess he wanted to keep the thorn garden to himself.

Creed looked doubtful, but nodded anyway, at least until we lost his attention. M.K. and Veronica crossed the street toward us, steaming paper coffee cups in hand. Figured. They seemed like the expensive-coffee type.

“I guess they made up,” Scout whispered to me.

“Guess so.”

Creed stuck his hands into his pockets. “Afternoon, ladies.”

“Hello, again,” M.K. said, giving him a catty look.

Veronica smiled at Creed, but the smile drooped a little when she realized that he was slumming with us. “You’re far from home,” she said. “Paying a visit to the convent?”

Creed smiled. “Waiting for my brothers-in-arms.”

“Cute,” M.K. said, giving Scout and me a dirty look. “And they’re just tagging along?”

“Sagamore and Scout are friends of Jason’s,” Creed said with a big smile. “And that makes them friends of mine.”

Jason leaned toward me. “Just a warning, friendship with Creed comes with a lengthy disclaimer.”