Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles 2)

I heard the bell chime again as the door closed.

“Hey, Angel Face, wait up.”

I froze. I would have known that voice anywhere. Link was staring at the door, too. He looked like he’d seen a ghost, or worse.…

Ridley.

Lena’s Dark Caster of a cousin was as dangerous and hot and barely dressed as always, except now it was summer, so she had on even less than usual. She was wearing a skin-tight, lacy black tank and a black skirt so small it was probably made for a ten-year-old. Ridley’s legs looked longer than ever, balancing on some kind of high, spiky sandals that could stake a vampire. Now the girls weren’t the only ones with their mouths hanging open. Most of the school had been at the winter formal, when Ridley brought down the house and still managed to look hotter than any girl there except one.

Ridley leaned back and stretched her arms over her head, as if we’d woken her from a long nap. She laced her fingers together, stretching even higher, revealing even more skin and the black tattoo encircling her navel. Her tattoo looked a lot like the one on her friend’s arm. Ridley whispered something in his ear.

“Holy crap, she’s here.” Link was slowly absorbing it. He hadn’t seen Ridley since the night of Lena’s birthday, when he had talked Ridley out of killing my dad. But he didn’t need to see her to think about her. It was pretty clear he’d been thinking about her a lot, based on every song he’d written since she left. “She’s with that guy? Do you think he’s, you know, like her?” A Dark Caster. He couldn’t say it.

“Doubt it. His eyes aren’t yellow.” But he was something. I just didn’t know what.

“They’re comin’ over here.” Link looked down at his freeze, and Ridley was on us.

“Well, if it isn’t two of my favorite people. Fancy meeting you here. John and I were dying for a drink.” Ridley tossed her blond and pink strands over her shoulder. She slid into the booth across from us and motioned for the guy to sit down. He didn’t.

“John Breed.” He said it like it was one name, looking right at me. His eyes were as green as Lena’s used to be. What would a Light Caster be doing with Ridley?

Ridley smiled at him. “This is Lena’s, you know, the one I was telling you about.” She dismissed me with a wave of her purple-polished fingers.

“I’m Lena’s boyfriend, Ethan.”

John looked confused, but only for a second. He was the kind of guy who looked relaxed, as if he knew everything would go his way eventually. “Lena never told me she had a boyfriend.”

Every muscle in my body tightened. He knew Lena, but I didn’t know him. He had seen her since the funeral, at least talked to her. When had that happened, and why hadn’t she told me?

“How exactly do you know my girlfriend?” My voice was too loud, and I could feel the eyes on us.

“Relax, Short Straw. We were in the neighborhood.” Ridley looked across at Link. “How ya been, Hot Rod?”

Link cleared his throat awkwardly. “Good.” His voice came out kind of squeaky. “I’ve been real good. Thought you left town.” Ridley didn’t answer.

I was still looking at John, and he was staring right back, sizing me up. Probably figuring out a thousand ways to get rid of me. Because he was after something—or someone—and I was in his way. Ridley wouldn’t just show up here with this guy now, not after four months.

I kept my eyes on him. “Ridley, you shouldn’t be here.”

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, Boyfriend. We’re just passin’ through, on our way back from Ravenwood.” She said it casually, like it wasn’t a big deal.

I laughed. “Ravenwood? They wouldn’t let you in the door. Lena would burn the house down first.” Ridley and Lena had grown up together, like sisters, until Ridley went Dark. Ridley had helped Sarafine find Lena on her birthday, which almost got us all, including my father, killed. There was no way Lena would hang out with her.

She smiled. “Times have changed, Short Straw. I’m not on the best terms with the rest of my family, but Lena and I have worked things out. Why don’t you ask her?”

“You’re lying.”

Ridley unwrapped a cherry lollipop, which looked innocent enough but was the ultimate weapon in her hands. “You clearly have trust issues. I’d love to help you with that, but we’ve gotta get going. Have to fill up John’s bike before that hick gas station of yours runs out of gas.” I was holding the side of the table, and my knuckles went white.

His bike.

It was sitting out front right now, and I bet it was a Harley. The same bike I had seen in the photograph on the wall of Lena’s room. John Breed had picked up Lena from Lake Moultrie. And before he said another word, I knew John Breed wasn’t about to disappear. He’d be waiting on the corner the next time Lena needed a ride.

I stood up. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but Link was. He slid out of the booth and shoved me toward the door. “Let’s get outta here, man.”

Ridley called after us. “I really did miss you, Shrinky Dink.” She tried to make it sound sarcastic, like one of her jokes. But the sarcasm stuck in her throat, and it came out sounding more like the truth. I slammed my palm against the door, sending it flying open.

But before it swung shut, I heard John’s voice. “Nice to meet you, Ethan. Say hi to Lena for me.” My hands were shaking, and I heard Ridley laugh. She didn’t have to lie to hurt me today. She had the truth.