Claimed by the Beast Bundle (10 page)

Chapter 3

“Did you finish your physics homework?” Beth asked when Crystal slid into the passenger seat the next morning.

Crystal opened her mouth and hesitated, and then laughed. “Oh crap, I forgot all about it!”

“Oh, like you had anything better to do!”

Crystal rolled her eyes. “I know, right?”

“Think Mr. Snyder will give you an extension?”

“Oh, sure,” Crystal said. “I’ll just explain how I was up late worrying I might turn into a dog or Bigfoot or something.”

“Bigfoot?”

“Yeah. The Beast kind of looked like him. Big, hairy, two arms, two legs. Maybe that’s what all the crazy sightings all over the place are about.”

“Wow,” Beth mused. “You might be on to something there.”

“Doesn’t help me get a good grade, though,” Crystal said with a sigh. “Oh well.”

“Oh well? Who are you and what have you done with Crystal Davison?”

“Look at me,” Crystal said while flourishing her arms. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder shirt with a black skirt and matching black boots. “This shirt used to just have a low neckline.”

“Oh my God!” Beth exclaimed. “And you’re not doing anything extra? Not watching what you eat?”

Crystal shook her head. “After everyone left last night, I got hungry. I ate an entire frozen pizza. By myself! And I’m still down four more pounds this morning.”

Beth laughed and shook her head.

“And you’re laughing,” Crystal said. She turned and looked away, fighting the tears that were filling her eyes.

“No!” Beth said. “Well, yes, but not at you. I’m laughing because of how messed up this is. How many girls would kill to be able to eat whatever they want and still lose weight? We could make a million bucks if we could sell that!”

“So what, I should be thankful?” Crystal turned to glare at her. “The odds are pretty good I’m going to die in a few weeks, but I can be a skinny bitch before then, at least?”

“Crys, stop it!”

Crystal blinked away the tears and looked away again.

“Look, whatever happens, I’ll be there with you,” Beth promised. She reached over and laid her hand on Crystal’s for a long moment before she gave it a squeeze. “I love you, Crys. I’ll stay to the end, no matter what it is.”

Crystal looked down at their hands and asked, “What if I turn into a monster? What if I—if I kill you?”

“You won’t.”

“You don’t know that,” Crystal argued. She shook her head and pulled her hand away. “I’m not safe.”

“But you’re still my best friend.”

Crystal bit her lip and looked back at Beth. She sighed and, without any reason for it, they both smiled. “You’re probably going to end up regretting this.”

“No way,” Beth said with a solemn face. She grinned before adding, “I’m going to buy stock in a shaving cream company.”

“Why?”

“Either way, you’re going to need a lot to show your legs in public!”

“Oh my God,” Crystal groaned while Beth laughed at the joke. Beth put the car in gear and pulled out of the driveway. They both waved as they passed Crystal’s mom on her way home from the hospital and headed to school.

“Figure out what you’re going to do about the science homework?”

Crystal sighed. “No, but it doesn’t really matter. Think about it: if I don’t die, then what? I’m either running and hiding because I’m a monster full-time, or every time I see a rabbit or a deer, I turn into a wolf and chase them. I don’t think college prep classes are going to help me with that!”

“Hank and the others seem normal enough,” Beth said. “I don’t see why you can’t live a normal life? Just, um, maybe try not to go to any petting zoos?”

“Really?”

Beth grinned. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist.”

“Bitch,” Crystal muttered in spite of the smile on her face.

“But you still love me, right?”

“Yes,” Crystal groaned. “Nobody else is going to make sure I get all my shots. What are they? Distemper? Rabies? What else?”

“I’m not sure, but don’t forget the flea collar! I bet we can find some with bling on them.”

Crystal groaned as they pulled into school. Beth parked and turned the engine off but then waited. She turned to stare at Crystal, making the taller girl pause. “Hey, I’m being serious now. Are you okay?”

Crystal smiled and blinked the fresh threat of tears at her friend’s show of support. “No, but that won’t change what’s happening. I have to deal with it, right?”

Beth nodded. “You’re so strong, Crys. I don’t know how you do it.”

Crystal stiffened. “What do you mean? I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“Facing this and handling it. You make it look like it’s easy. I’d be freaked out. Worse than freaked out, I’d be—I don’t even know! I’d want to run and hide and hope that maybe everybody was wrong, I guess.”

Crystal shook her head. “That’d be me lying to myself. I made a promise to myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t do what my dad did.”

“Get a girl pregnant and leave? I think you’re safe.”

Crystal laughed. “No. Well, the leaving part. The running away thing. Mom said he never faced tough situations. She said his head was in the clouds and he always thought the rules didn’t apply. I guess they didn’t; he just ran away from them.”

Beth nodded. “You haven’t mentioned him in a long time.”

Crystal shrugged. “I stopped wondering. Stopped caring,” she said. “Daydreaming about him was the kind of stuff I promised myself I wouldn’t do.”

“I don’t understand.”

Crystal smiled and explained, “Think about it. If my dad was always chasing his dreams and not dealing with his problems or the life in front of him, how different is that from me always thinking about him?”

“Oh, okay. That makes sense.”

Crystal nodded. “This is my life. I have to deal with it and make the best of it, not hope for something better that’ll never come.”

“You don’t know that!” Beth said. “Maybe something great will come out of this. We could run away together and join the circus. I’ll be your trainer and you can be, um, the wolf girl.”

Crystal rolled her eyes and laughed. “You’re not helping.”

Beth grinned. “Maybe not, but there’s always hope.”

Crystal nodded in spite of the hollow pit in her stomach. She flashed her friend a smile and opened her car door to get out. She stood up and turned, spotting Stephanie walking across the parking lot. Her heart dropped and she looked away as Stephanie waved. “Stephanie—one, hope—zero,” she mumbled.

Beth spun and saw the popular blond change course and head towards them. She swore under her breath but Crystal heard it as clear as if Beth had shouted it. She had the same thought, but forced a plastic smile on her face instead. She needed to do something to get rid of Stephanie once and for all. Well, something that didn’t involve biting her or peeing on her leg.

Chapter 4

Crystal licked her lips and turned to face Stephanie as the prom queen approached. She felt the hair on her neck tingle and had to force herself to keep her hands still at her sides. Stephanie slowed and dropped her eyes all the way to Crystal’s boots and then back up to her face.

“What kind of diet are you on? You’re looking really good!”

Crystal’s eye twitched. Why was Stephanie still being so nice? She was sick of it. Sick of her lies and tricks and bullshit. “What are you doing?” Crystal said in a tone that made her think of Ember growling.

Stephanie blinked. “I’m complimenting you.”

“Knock it off,” Crystal said. “You’re just trying to screw me up. Build me up and laugh at me again. You know what? I’m sick of it. Enough, already!”

Beth gasped at Crystal’s outburst. Stephanie stared at her and pressed her lips together. “I told you I was sorry. I was drunk. Can’t we move past that, already?”

“Need help for your finals?” Crystal guessed. “Aren’t your grades good enough to get you into your daddy’s school?”

“Crystal!” Stephanie gasped. “How dare you!”

Crystal stepped up to her and saw that they had the attention of several students in the parking lot or on the sidewalk. Either Stephanie’s presence made people look or their raised voices drew them in. It didn’t matter; Crystal was trapped by the attention and glanced around at all the people.

“My grades are fine,” Stephanie insisted. She glanced at Beth and added, “I just thought that maybe you’d like to try again. Maybe get out a little instead of spending all your time with her.”

Crystal stiffened. “With Beth? There’s nothing wrong with Beth. Beth has been my friend through everything. She’s the kind of person who will be there when you’re popular or forgotten. She’ll be there when you’re sick or healthy. Old or young. She’s a real friend.”

Stephanie’s smile faded enough to look like a sneer. “Is that it? You couldn’t have me so you turned to her instead? That makes sense. I’m surprised I didn’t see it before. Lots of people are doing it.”

“Doing what?”

“Butching up and turning gay. Lots of attention. It keeps you relevant longer than you should be.”

“Oh my God!” Beth gasped.

Crystal’s eyes narrowed. She wasn’t gay and Stephanie knew it. But she’d teased her about it a few times. Was that it—was Stephanie trying to keep herself relevant by using a different side of the same stick? Instead of acting like a lesbian, was she trying to degrade gay people? Crystal snorted.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Stephanie pressed. “You look pissed! I must have—”

Stephanie yelped as Crystal slammed into her. It was a punch or a tackle: it was her grabbing her and pushing her against the side of the pickup truck behind her. Crystal pressed her lips against Stephanie’s and held her there while she moved her lips and kissed the protesting woman.

Crystal’s rage was gone in an instant of regret. She wanted to shock and hurt Stephanie and, stupidly, she’d thought that by doing something Stephanie would consider gay, she’d hurt her. Far from it; she was going to be teased and Stephanie was going to be the victim. The blond would get even more attention now and Crystal would probably get expelled.

She started to back away when she realized Stephanie wasn’t fighting her. In fact, the blond reached up between them and grabbed her shirt and pulled on it, keeping her close. Crystal’s confusion spiraled out of control when she felt Stephanie’s lips open and her tongue brush against Crystal’s lips.

Against everything she knew that was right, Crystal’s body responded. Her brain insisted she push Stephanie away but the sparks that had been warming her belly ever since she came into heat burst into a bonfire. She all but attacked Stephanie, bruising her lips and grinding their teeth together more than once.

“Crystal!”

Hearing Beth shouting her name doused the flames enough for Crystal to blink her eyes open and see Stephanie’s face next to hers. The blond smelled nice, a mix of perfume and shampoo and a hint of musky passion. Crystal backed away and shook her head, trying to force her mind clear. Stephanie leaned forward and blinked her eyes open. She stared at Crystal but she lacked focus. Crystal took another step to escape Stephanie’s hands that rose up to reach for her.

Crystal turned and saw her best friend staring at her. Unshed tears shimmered in Beth’s eyes. She spun around and started walking without a word. Crystal felt her breath go with her, leaving her to stumble and reach out for Beth’s car to steady herself.

“Crystal?” Stephanie breathed behind her. “Oh my God! That was—”

Crystal ignored her. “Beth, wait!” she cried out.

She started after her but Beth turned in the middle of the lane and clutched her bag to her chest. “No!” Beth shouted. “I’m done. You’ve treated me like shit too many times. Go ahead. If you want her, you can have her! See if she can understand you like I do!”

Crystal stopped and stared at her best friend as she turned and stormed off towards the school. She wanted to go after her but she couldn’t make her legs move. She heard a foot scrape some stones on the asphalt behind her and remembered Stephanie’s scent again. She turned and looked at the flustered girl. Crystal shook her head. No, she didn’t want Stephanie. Maybe once she’d wanted to be her friend but not anymore. Now she wanted nothing to do with her or with the life of bullshit and lies that she represented.

“I’ve never been kissed like that,” Stephanie whispered. “Crys, you—”

“I don’t want you,” Crystal spat.

Stephanie stiffened and looked at the back of the fleeing girl. “What? Her?”

“No, not her,” Crystal said.

Stephanie turned back to her. “Then why not me?”

Crystal reeled from the question. Was she serious, or was it just another attempt to screw with her? She looked serious. Crystal sniffed the air and knew that Stephanie wasn’t lying. She wasn’t sure how or why but she could tell. The woman’s intense gaze and the pink tone beneath her tanned skin. Even the tiny blond hairs on Stephanie’s arms were standing up in the otherwise warm and muggy morning air. All the little things that Crystal had never noticed before were coming together.

She shook her head. “Stephanie—look, there are a lot of things I’m dealing with right now. You’re one of them and you’ve made my life hell, but there are bigger things going on now. Worse things. So will you please just forget about me and move on with torturing someone else? Find a freshmen or something.”

Stephanie gasped as Crystal turned and started to walk past her. She reached out for Crystal’s arm to stop her and said, “Wait, I don’t want to—”

Crystal spun and snarled. Her lip came up to bare her teeth and she let out a sound that was an unmistakable growl. Stephanie stepped back in surprise and bumped into the faded blue pickup truck behind her.

“Whoa!” Stephanie breathed.

Crystal shook her head and turned away. Her pulse pounded in her ears and she could tell Stephanie was startled and scared. She could smell it and taste it, even without looking at her. Was it happening to her already? Was she turning into…something? She was already acting like a beast—a human version, at least. She might as well look like the real thing.

Crystal stormed away, heading away from school and off through the parking lot. She wished she could drop to her hands and knees and run away and forget everything. She broke into a jog and then ran faster. Maybe she couldn’t shift or change or whatever her friends called it, but she could still run until her legs gave out and her lungs were raw.