didn’t, or maybe he did but I wasn’t worth the trouble, or . . .

Jesus. Swearing off guys completely was an option. It wasn’t like I’d be having a lot of time for extracurricular stuff, what with vampires trying to kill me and everything else.

But, you know, I would’ve liked to fit that in. With him. “Okay.” I headed past him for the bathroom. “Dibs on the toilet, then. Forget I asked.”

“Dru . . .” He said it like he was running out of air.

“No, really. It’s cool. I just—”

“I like you, okay? I do. It’s just . . . you’ve got all this other stuff going on. And vampires trying to

take your head off the hard way.”

I swallowed, hard. “Like there’s an easy way?” But my heart swelled up like a balloon. It had been

a long, long time since I’d felt anything close to this. After a few seconds I decided happy was a

pale word for it. “Okay. Cool. I like you, too. We’ve pretty much established it. We’re being careful,

right?” Whatever that means.

“Yeah, uh. Um.” Now he had something stuck in his throat. I was grinning like a fool. He hunched

up again, like he was expecting a punch or something.

“So, yeah. I guess that’s that. Dibs on the toilet.” And I bolted for the bathroom like I was running

away. I just didn’t want to laugh and give him the wrong idea.

I should’ve been more worried. But there’s only so much worry you can stand all the time. And if

Graves was with me, well, I didn’t have so much to worry about, right? We’d handled everything

else the Real World could throw at us. And whatever Anna was doing at my door could wait.

It was the first time in weeks the hole in my chest seemed less angry and empty. And I was really,

really happy about that.

Jealousy

CHAPTER NINE

The entire cafeteria, full of fluorescent light and the competing aroma of boys and industrially prepared food, went silent as soon as I showed up. Djamphir, wulfen, they all stopped and stared at me.

I stood right inside the doors for an uncomfortable ten seconds before Graves pushed me from behind and got me going again.

It was hard to eat with everyone staring. But Graves was there, looking around like he was enjoying

himself. He put away a whole plate of pancakes, a mountain of hash browns, and a mound of crispy

bacon in the time it took me to pick halfway through my cellophane-wrapped ham sandwich.

Good for him.

Leon led me through a labyrinth of quiet halls away from the sound of slamming lockers and male

voices. The flooring changed to hardwood, and the marble busts came back, staring at me like I was