Dark Covenant (Living Covenant Trilogy Book 2) (13 page)

“Okay,” I said, giving in. “You’re going to have to rub my stomach when we get back to the apartment, though. I feel as if I’ve swallowed a huge lump of clay.”

“Gladly.”

“
T
hat was kind of fun
,” I said as we hopped into Aric’s Explorer after leaving the athletics center. “Let’s go to Mark’s house. I’ll make his books dance before I shred them.”

“I thought you were sick,” Rafael said, his voice blasé.

“I’m feeling better,” I said, unruffled by his tone. “Apparently mayhem and getting one over on Mark is enough to cure my stomach of whatever ails it.”

“I want to wait a few minutes,” Aric said, leaning back in the driver’s seat as he watched the rear entrance. “I want to see whether someone goes inside and sounds the alarm.”

“It’s a Friday night,” I reminded him.

“So.”

“It’s a Friday night on a college campus.” I tried again. “That means the kids – even the dumb ones working for the Academy – are out drinking themselves silly. I know you’re old, but you must remember what it was like on Friday nights when we were here.”

“I remember spending Friday nights with you, and it was the best time of my life,” Aric said.

“There’s no reason to be a suck-up,” I said. “You’re going to get sex tonight as long as my stomach stays strong. Don’t be a party-pooper.”

“What are you suggesting?” Rafael asked.

“If the Academy is back, maybe other things are back,” I said.

“Can you be more specific?”

“Where is the happening place to be on a Friday night on a college campus?”

“But it’s summer, Zoe,” Aric said. “It’s not the same as in the fall or spring.”

“That shows what you know,” I scoffed. “I read an article that says more and more kids are taking summer classes so they can graduate on time. Colleges make it impossible to graduate in four years without summer classes. This campus has been busy compared to when we were here.”

“She has a point,” Aric said, rubbing his chin. “Where do you want to go?”

“The Alpha Chi house.”

“Absolutely not,” Aric said, shaking his head. “You were almost killed there three times that I can recall right off the top of my head. We’re not going there.”

“Come on,” I prodded. “Don’t you want to see the old house?”

“No.”

“Don’t you want to see if it’s full of bitten wolves?”

“No.”

I decided to change my approach. “Don’t you want to see if you’re still the big wolf on campus and whether they know who you are? You’re probably their hero.”

“I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work,” Aric argued. “We are not going to the Alpha Chi house. That’s final.”

“
I
CAN’T
believe
I let you talk me into this,” Aric grumbled twenty minutes later, grabbing my hand as he led me up the sidewalk in the direction of the Alpha Chi house. “This is just … stupid.”

“It wasn’t only me,” I reminded him. “Rafael thought it was a good idea, too. He cast the deciding vote.”

“To be fair, I have no interest in going to a college kegger,” Rafael clarified. “I do want to see whether they’re building a wolf army again, though. Going as a group makes the outing safer.”

“I’m not frying a bunch of college kids,” I warned.

“No one is asking you to,” Rafael said. “We merely want to get a feeling for the landscape. It would be nice if we could fly under the radar, though.”

“He’s telling you not to do anything obnoxious, in case that flew under your radar,” Aric supplied.

“I’m never purposely obnoxious,” I said, tilting my head as the unmistakable sound of over-amplified thumping bass pounded the night air. “It just seems to happen.”

“You do have a gift,” Aric agreed, squeezing my hand. “Okay, we need ground rules. The first is that you’re not allowed to drink anything.”

“I can hold my liquor.”

“Your stomach is already iffy, and I don’t want to risk anyone knowing who we are and trying to drug us,” Aric said. “The second rule is that you’re not allowed to go anywhere – including the bathroom – without Rafael or me at your side. I don’t want you separated from the herd. Do you understand?”

“I am not going to the bathroom in front of Rafael,” I shot back. “You know I have bathroom rules. If I won’t go in front of you, what makes you think I’m going to go in front of him?”

“This is really too much information to share,” Rafael said, rubbing the spot between his eyebrows.

“That’s another reason not to drink anything,” Aric said. “Let me do the talking.”

“Knock yourself out.”

“Don’t take that tone with me,” Aric warned. “This wasn’t my idea.”

“You two are … beyond words,” Rafael said. “I’m starting to think I dodged a bullet when you stole her away from me.”

“I didn’t steal her,” Aric clarified. “She was already mine when I asked you to watch out for her. You tried to move in on my turf.”

“I did no such thing.”

“You did so.”

“You guys know I can hear you, right?” The squabbling was getting to me. “We’ll just look around and try not to make the kids think we’re creepy adults on the make. That may be hard for you, Rafael, but give it a shot. I don’t intend to stay for a long time.”

“That’s good,” Aric said, pulling up short in front of the driveway. “Look at that. It’s been five years and things are completely the same.”

I glanced to my left as the sound of giggles assailed my ears, frowning when I noticed two girls clutching red plastic cups and smiling at Aric and Rafael. “Are you lost?”

“Are you?” One of the girls shot back. “I don’t think anyone called for a chaperone.”

I scowled. “Excuse me? I am barely older than you.”

“Then you need a new moisturizer,” the girl said. “Who are your friends? I’ve never seen them around before … and that makes me sad.” She jutted out her lower lip in what I’m sure she thought was a coquettish pout.

“That’s because they’re old, too,” I answered. “Especially him.” I jerked a thumb in Rafael’s direction. He looked younger than Aric and me because he doesn’t age. His demeanor, on the other hand, makes him seem old enough to complain about gas prices and wax poetic about “The Great War.”

“We graduated from Covenant College a few years ago,” Aric explained, pasting a flirty grin on his face. “We were feeling nostalgic and thought we would take a gander at the old frat house.”

“Gander? Now they’re really going to think you’re old.”

Aric ignored me. “Do you girls come here often?”

“I feel like puking again,” I muttered under my breath, fighting the urge to yelp when Aric squeezed my hand so tightly my fingers tingled.

“We come here every weekend,” one of the girls said. “I’m Delilah, by the way.”

“I’m Carrie,” the other girl said. “We’d love to show you guys around if you can’t remember where everything is.”

I snorted at the double entendre. “Ha, ha.”

“I’m sure we can find our way around,” Aric said, keeping his smile frozen in place despite my snarky commentary. “Thank you for the offer, though.”

Delilah looked disappointed. “Are you sure? I think you’d be very popular – if you dump the old chick.”

“I think so, too,” I said, jerking my hand free. “Why don’t you two hang around with your new friends while I check out the bonfire? How does that sound?” I was being petulant, but I couldn’t help myself. The environment was getting to me.

“Don’t you even think about it,” Aric hissed, reaching to grab my hand but missing when I slipped to the other side of Rafael.

“I feel like killing myself,” Rafael said. “How can people think you’re old when you do things like this?”

“It’s a gift,” I said. “Let’s go check out the bonfire.”

“What about Aric?”

I glared at Delilah and Carrie as they fawned over Aric. “He’s otherwise engaged. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Rafael and I moved toward the bonfire, pasting phony smiles on our faces as we studied the students. There was a lot of giggling and squealing, and it was obvious there would be a lot of hooking up once the party wore on. It seemed late, but by party standards it was still early.

“It seems weird to think about it now, but we didn’t even leave to go to a party until it was already dark out back in the day,” I mused. “Now Aric and I are in our pajamas by ten.”

“With all the verbal copulating between the two of you I would think the pajamas are unnecessary,” Rafael said.

“You really are a douche when you want to be,” I said, waving a frat boy off as he shoved a drink in my direction. “I’m good. Thank you, though.”

“Oh, come on,” the boy said. “I’ll bet you’re fun when you loosen up. You look like you’d be a lot of fun, in fact.”

“I’m plenty loose.” Wait … that came out wrong. “I mean I’m fine. Thank you.”

“It’s good stuff,” the boy said. “We spent the extra ten bucks to make sure it was lite beer.”

“Are you suggesting I need lite beer?”

“Heck no! You’ve got curves in all the right places.” The boy did a little dance. He was completely toasted.

“That’s possibly very flattering,” I said. “I’m honestly good, though. We’re just looking around.”

“And what are you looking around at?” Another boy, this one wearing an Alpha Chi hat, moved in at my right. His face was open and welcoming, but his eyes suggested something else.

“I used to come to parties at this house all the time when I was a student here,” I replied, forcing a pleasant smile. “We were walking around campus and decided to take a look around. That’s not a problem, is it?”

“Of course not. I’m Rod.” He extended his hand. It seemed a surreal gesture, but I shook it all the same.

“Hello, Rod.”

“What’s your name?”

“Zoe.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Zoe,” Rod said, looking me up and down. “Did you date any of my fraternity brothers when you were a student here?”

“Two of them,” I replied, not missing a beat. “In fact, I’m engaged to one of your brothers now.”

“Is that so?” Rod had a smarmy quality that I didn’t like. I couldn’t decide whether he was a typical college kid on the make or something more nefarious.

“That is so,” I confirmed, opting to test Rod on his frat knowledge. “His name is Aric Winters. Maybe you’re familiar with the name.”

Rod stilled, his shoulders slouching before stiffening. “I’m sorry. That name isn’t familiar.”

That was a lie. “His father is a state senator,” I said. “Aric was a big deal here five years or so ago.”

“I don’t recall the name.” Rod shifted uncomfortably. “I should probably check on the other guests. Make yourselves comfortable.”

“Sure,” I said, narrowing my eyes as Rod shuffled away.

“What do you think?” Rafael asked.

“I think he was lying.”

“He’s not very good at it. He should work at his craft,” Rafael said. “This place is crawling with … new recruits, by the way.” He cast a derisive look in the first boy’s direction. “What’s your name?”

The boy smiled, happily lost in his own little world. “Oscar.”

“Look at me, Oscar,” Rafael instructed.

Oscar did as Rafael asked, his mouth going slack as Rafael began to whisper instructions. I realized what he was doing when it was too late to stop him. “Oh, really? You can’t glamour him in front of people.”

“Keep your voice down,” Rafael ordered. “Make sure no one approaches us.”

“Fine. I think this is a bad idea, though.” I turned my back to Rafael and watched the partygoers. Most of them ignored us, but Rod stood on the side porch of the second house, his head bent toward another fraternity brother. He kept glancing in our direction.

“What do you know about this fraternity, Oscar?” Rafael asked, his voice eerily smooth.

“It has the best parties every Friday and a great group of honeys to choose from when I want to get laid,” Oscar replied.

“Are you a fraternity brother?”

“Not yet. I’m going to pledge in the fall.”

I risked a glance over my shoulder and found Oscar looked as if he was in a trance. I guess that made sense because he was under Rafael’s control.

“What do you know about the fraternity brothers?” Rafael asked. “Do you know what they truly are?”

“Do you mean players?” Oscar was confused.

“I mean … do you know that they’re really werewolves?”

“You can’t ask him that,” I snapped. “You’ll fry his brain if he doesn’t know that stuff is real.”

Rafael ignored me. “Do you know they’re werewolves?”

“They’re powerful,” Oscar replied. “They’re going to build an army. They tried it a few years ago, but something went wrong.”

“Do you know what went wrong?” Rafael asked, lifting a finger to silence me before I could invade his questioning.

“Some magical girl stopped them and killed a bunch of people,” Oscar replied. “They’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen a second time. This time things are going to end the right way.”

“Tell me what you know about the Academy,” Rafael ordered.

“I don’t know anything about an academy. Is that like ROTC?”

Rafael scowled. “I hate young people.”

“Then you should probably stop hanging around college campuses,” I suggested.

“Have any professors stopped by the frat house to your knowledge, Oscar?” Rafael asked.

That was a good question.

“No,” Oscar snorted. “No one wants to hang around with old people. But I would hang around with the hot blonde you came here with. I love cougars. They’re supposed to be great in bed. They teach you things.”

“Cougar?” I was affronted.

Rafael shook his head to quiet me. “Oscar, in ten seconds you’re going to spill your drink on your pants,” he said. “When that happens, you’re not going to remember anything about this conversation. Do you understand?”

“Does that mean the cougar will sleep with me?”

“Not if you were the last moron on the planet,” I shot back.

I watched impassively as Oscar jolted a moment later, his beer spilling over the crotch of his pants. I had to laugh.

“Oh, man, this sucks!” Oscar said, hurrying in the direction of the frat house.

“Where have you two been?” Aric asked, appearing at my side. “Those two chicks tried to feel me up. They offered me a threesome. I’m engaged. You’re supposed to protect me from stuff like that.”

“It’s not my fault you flirted with them,” I said. “This place is crawling with new or soon-to-be new werewolves, by the way. They’re bringing in regular pledges. Rafael just glamoured one, but he didn’t know anything about the Academy and said no professors were hanging around. I guess it’s lucky that bitten wolves don’t have the keen sense of smell born ones do or we would’ve probably gotten ourselves into big trouble.”