Chapter Three

Vicky pulled her ’99 Ford Mustang into the Wickford High School parking lot fifteen minutes early as promised. The first student to arrive, she parked as far away from the building as she could get. She cut the engine, but left the key engaged so her radio continued to play in the background.

Luke was nowhere to be seen. Either I’m early, or he’s running late. She turned around in her seat and her gaze stopped at the building. Goosebumps traveled down her arms in an unexpected shiver. Her impression of the building from the day before had not changed much. It still felt ominous and foreboding. There were things going on behind those walls, evil things that were kept secret. She shivered again. Girl, you’re letting your overactive imagination run away with you,” she mumbled to herself again.

She sucked in a breath at a knock on her driver’s side window and jumped. She giggled nervously, rolling down the car window; the frantic pace of her heart had not slowed much. “Luke . . . you snuck up on me . . . again!”

Eyes sparkling, he smiled. “Did I scare you again? Or are you just happy to see me?”

Heat rose to her face, and she turned away self-consciously. “I guess it’s a little of both,” she replied, looking past him into the parking lot. “Where's your truck?”

“I live close enough to the school that I don’t need the truck.”

“I didn’t see you walk up . . .” She giggled softly. “I didn’t see you walk up because. I assume you approached my car as a wolf?” His smile grew larger. She grabbed her bag and tossed it to the back seat. “Why don’t you climb in, and we can listen to the radio while we talk.”

He opened the passenger door and climbed in. He leaned forward and gently kissed her. Sitting back in his seat, he stared at her clothes. A slow grin spread across his face. “Nice legs. That skirt really shows them off.”

She rolled her eyes. “Stop teasing me. I hate this horrid uniform, and you know it.”

“No, seriously, the uniform looks great.” She tugged at her skirt trying to cover more of her legs, and he changed the subject, “I see you’re still in one piece after your private conversation with your dad.”

She shifted uneasy in her seat. “Yeah, Dad wanted to pack up and move again.”

The smile left Luke’s face. “I don’t want you to move!”

“I don’t want to move either.” She exhaled dramatically. “I think I was able to talk him out of it. It really depends on what happens in school if I’m threatened again, he won’t give me any choice. Luke’s eyes took on a hard gleam. “We’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“You’re sweet, but I don’t know if there is anything you can do to stop it.”

“I will always be there to protect you.”

She caressed his face. “I couldn’t ask for a better champion than you.” She kissed him gently, and turned away, dropping her hand to her lap. “I’m afraid that this battle is going to be fought with magic. I’m going to have to prove to myself and to Sara that I’m not a coward. I’m going to have to stand on my own two feet, just like I told my dad I would.”

Luke’s gaze dropped to his lap. “Speaking of your dad,” he began nervously, his eyes rose to meet hers, “what’s the verdict?”

She tilted her head, furrowing her brow. “You’re not on trial. My dad doesn’t blame you for what happened last night.”

He lowered his eyes to her lap and picked up her hand; he rubbed his thumb over her palm in a gentle caress. Lifting his eyes to hers, he asked, “Did he change his mind about me? Can we still go out?”

“My dad was angry, and he didn’t have any facts when he said we couldn’t date.”

“I’m aware of that . . . but . . . is he going to hold my being a . . . wolf . . . against me?”

“I’m not going to lie to you . . . he tried.” Clenching his jaw, he looked away.

“Luke, don’t look like that. I had a very serious talk with my dad, and I told him his concerns were unfounded, that I felt safe with you. And so that you know, he likes you.

It was the wolf thing that had him going. To answer your question, yes, we can still date.”

Luke let out a breath in a rush. His eyes sparkled. “Good, we’ll go out again tonight

“Luke . . .”

“Maybe we can go to a movie . . .”

“Luke . . .”

“Or . . . or . . . go out to dinner again!”

She giggled at his enthusiasm. “Luke, I can’t go out again tonight.”

“Why not? I thought . . .”

“It was after one-thirty before I was finally able to go to bed last night.” She reached over and squeezed his hand at the disappointment still evident on his handsome face. “I wish I had your energy. I’ll tell you what, why don’t you come over to my house for dinner, we’ll order a pizza or something, and we’ll watch some TV or maybe a movie.”

He beamed. “Sure, why not. At first I thought you were trying to just brush me off . . .”

She rolled her eyes again and grinned. “No, I enjoy your company. You are the only reason I want to stay in this town. It certainly isn’t for this creepy school.” She shivered.

The smile left his face, replaced with an expression of concern. “Are you getting sick? It’s not cold.”

She shrugged. “No, I’m not getting sick. I . . . just . . . I mean . . . It’s just . . . this place . . . it’s just . . . so . . . creepy.”

Luke glanced over at the building, shrugging. “It just looks like a school to me.

Since I’ve lived here all my life, I don’t have anything to compare it to. I’ll have to take your word for it.” His eyes sparkled mischievously. “You’re safe with me. I’ll protect you from whatever you’re afraid of.”

“I didn’t say that I was afraid of anything. I just said that the building gives me the creeps.”

“I’m just saying, you can run into my arms anytime.”

She laughed. “If the need arises, I’ll take you up on that.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Why wait?” She opened her mouth to tease him back, and was surprised when he brought his lips quickly to hers in a kiss so hot that it seared her to her toes. He pulled her closer, and she melted into his arms, stroking her tongue against his. Hot, intense yearning flowed through her. That kiss effectively erased all thoughts of the creepy school from Vicky’s mind. First and foremost were the new intense sensations and emotions she experienced with Luke. Every nerve ending in her body alive and hypersensitive, she wanted to lose herself in the experience.

Suddenly, a set of knuckles rapped urgently at Luke’s window.