Kiss of Fire (Imdalind, #1)(40)

Before I could stop myself, my fingertips had moved forward to trace the lines of our intertwined hands. My touch shocked him and he shivered, giving me a knowing glance. I looked away from him and down to continue running my fingertips over his skin.

“So, Wyn, where to?”

I looked up to Ryland as his loud voice boomed through the quiet car. My mind froze in place. I hadn’t thought about the time between Wyn’s house and my own. I was doomed. Luckily, Wyn came to my rescue.

“My brother is picking me up at Joclyn’s place,” she said, her eyes never leaving her phone.

I saw Ryland’s shoulders drop, while my heart eased just a bit. I wasn’t ready to talk yet.

Ryland squeezed my hand, conveying some form of sorrow that I wasn’t sure I reciprocated. In just a few minutes, he pulled into one of the few empty stalls at my apartment building. I looked up to the third floor where the obvious flicker of a television lit up the windows to my apartment. Ryland reluctantly let go of my hand as I exited so Wyn could climb out behind me.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Ryland asked. Suddenly, I was relieved I had already made plans.

“Actually, I’ll be at Wyn’s house all night.” My heart almost broke as his face fell.

I took off his hoodie and handed it back to him.

“What’s this for?” he asked.

“My mom won’t let me come over Saturday night if I walk in wearing a hoodie.”

Ryland smiled in understanding as he took the jacket from my hands.

“Then, I will see you tomorrow morning.” He smiled before bidding Wyn goodbye and sped off, leaving us staring after him.

Moments after he drove away, Wyn’s brother pulled up in a sleek black Mazda, his body stiff and tough, as if willing himself to only look straight ahead and not toward us.

“I changed my mind,” Wyn said as she climbed into the car.

“What?” I asked.

“He’s not your boyfriend; he’s your true love.” She smiled before Ilyan drove off, her door not even closed all the way.

All I could do was look after her, knowing full well my heart was beating erratically in my chest.





Twelve


Night of the Living Vampire turned out to be just as horrible and sucky as promised. It was full of teenage humor that mocked the vampire craze with a nice splattering of cheesy gore thrown in. Wyn and I sat on the long couch in her living room with a bowl of popcorn in between us, while Ilyan occupied the overstuffed lounge chair. He was trying very hard not to laugh at the stupid jokes and dirty humor, but every once in a while a laugh escaped anyway, which sent me into further pelts of laughter, while Wyn chose to glare at both of us.

I pulled my hands into Ryland’s bright blue hoodie that he had dropped off at school for me that morning and sank into the couch to watch the final fight scene of the movie. The lead vampire was running across a clearing after some girl he thought he was in love with; but instead, he decided she would make a better lunch. The whole thing was so over-the-top, it was ridiculous.

“Last minute, he decides not to eat her because he loves her, and they run away from the vampire horde together to live happily ever after.” Ilyan’s voice was bland, his accent rolling off his tongue.

“Ilyan!” Wyn shrieked, her hands going in the air. “You’re ruining it.”

“How am I ruining it? These things are so predictable. Besides, don’t you want them to end up together?”

“Well, yes. But, I wanted to discover that for myself!”

Ilyan just sighed at his little sister.

“Joclyn,” Wyn whined at me, “don’t you agree?”

“I’m sorry, Wyn, but it is pretty predictable.”

Wyn huffed, folded her arms and faced the television just as the vampire took the human girl in his arms and proclaimed his love for her. Wyn just pouted and huffed again.

“This should be romantic, but you guys totally ruined it for me.”

Ilyan and I laughed together, drowning out the vampire’s declaration of love. Wyn huffed more and rewound it so we had to sit through the whole ending over again.

“I’m going to go order some Chinese food,” Ilyan grumbled as he headed for the kitchen. Part of me was jealous he had an excuse to get away from the mush I had to endure.

Wyn had her hands clasped together as she leaned forward, her face glossed over. I sighed as the credits finally began to roll again, and Wyn leaned back with a tear-streaked face.

Oh, bother.

“Wasn’t that so beautiful?”

“Not really.”

She looked at me like I had skinned her cat.

“But, I don’t get into this stuff, Wyn,” I amended to make her feel a bit better.

“But it was funny, and scary and gory, and romantic. It had something for everyone!”

I chose not to reply to her; the whole movie was just silly.

“What kind of movies do you like then?” she asked in slight frustration.

“Sci-fi, super-hero, action and spy movies,” I rattled off, knowing full well I had just listed all of Ryland’s favorites. If she had asked me what my favorite video game was however, I could have spouted off half-a-dozen racing games that I knew I enjoyed on my own. Ryland didn’t like to lose.

“Super-heroes?” she said.