Before I Wake
Page 27
The usual, Tod said. Self-destructing in slow motion.
I shot a frown at him. Your guess is as good as mine, I said to Sabine, staring out into the dark after her, just in case. But I found nothing out of place except for her car, which was parked on the wrong side of the street, in front of the neighbors mailbox.
My guess is probably better. She dropped her keys on the coffee table and headed for the hall, ignoring Tod when he called after her.
He passed out, Sabine. You may as well let him sleep it off.
So, what? I said when shed disappeared around the corner. They let Scott outfor no reason I can think ofand he heads straight for Nashs house?
Or for yours, Tod said. We dont know where Nash saw him.
Do you think hes still possessed?
How much did he drink? Hes out cold, Sabine said, rounding the corner into the living room again to eyeball the half-empty bottle of whiskey. Whos possessed?
Its a long story. I sank onto the couch next to Tod and folded my legs beneath me.
Sabine shrugged. Its not like anyone heres missing out on sleep. Maras only needed around four hours a night, and Sabine had already gotten nearly that much before I called and woke her up.
Okay, but hold it down. We were trying not to wake my father up, and I couldnt mute her voicemuch to my own frustration. Theres this guy named Scott who used to go to our school
Scott Carter? Sabine interrupted. The frost junkie? When I could only stare at her in surprise, she rolled her eyes. Nashs my best friend, Kaylee. We talk.
Good to know. Id assumed theyd skipped straight to body language.
How much do you know? Tod asked.
Nash and two friends got hooked on frostbreath from Avari, the hellion I met in the cafeteria. The time shed tried to sell me out so she could have Nash to herself. Doug died, Scott went insane, and because Nash isnt human, he got off with withdrawal and total abandonment from the one person who should have been there for him, no matter what.
I didnt Thats not I gave up trying to explain that I hadnt abandoned Nash, and that frost wasnt what broke us up. What matters now is that Scotts out, and Nash says he saw him tonight.
Okay, why are the two of you talking about a visit from an old friend like thats worse than Nash being passed out in her bed. Which were going to discuss later, by the way. Her dark-eyed glare narrowed on me. You could have at least given him a shirt, Kaylee.
Like youre an expert on when its appropriate to wear a shirt, I snapped, thinking of the time shedpulled hers off and jumped Nash, with me in the next room, and Sabine bristled.
This seems headed into girl-fight territory, Tod said. Should I make popcorn?
I elbowed him in the ribs and glared at the mara. The point is that Scott shouldnt be out of the hospital. He wasnt just a little unbalanced, Sabine. He suffered permanent brain damage from the frost, and Avari sent him enough visual and auditory hallucinations to make sure there was no doubt about his mental instability.
So, howd he get out?
Were not sure, I admitted. But he was half packed when we saw him tonight, so it looks like he was actually released.
Sabine frowned. You saw Scott tonight?
Sort of. We went to see if hed ask Avari some questions for us, but when we got there, he was possessed, so we wound up dealing with Avari directly.
Well, then, it sounds like youve answered your own question.
Tod glanced at me in question. Is it just me, or is she making even less sense than usual?
Sabine rolled her eyes again. You knew he was possessed because he wasnt acting like himself, right? she said, and we both nodded. So couldnt he have been possessed long enough to convince the doctors that hes all cured off the crazy?
I dont think so, I said, and I was pleased to see that Tod looked no more convinced.
He was bat shit when we saw him a couple of months ago, he said.
Yeah, but for all you know, Avari could have been playing all sane and healthy during his doctors appointments for a while, right? Sabine said.
I was far from convinced, but I didnt have any better explanation. Either way, if Nash saw Scott tonight, chances are good that what he really saw was Avari, wearing a Scott-suit. And if he went after Nash, he could go after anyone else. We need to stick together when were not at home. Pairs, at the very least, I said.
I call Nash, Sabine said, glaring at me, and I rolled my eyes.
I dont want your boyfriend. Not like that. And assuming he remembered anything wed said before he passed out, Nash and I may have just made major strides toward an actual, healthy friendship.
Hes not my boyfriend, Sabine said, and the thin thread of pain in her voice drew my focus her way.
But I thought He said
Sabine turned to Tod. How long does she have to be dead before the naivety wears off? Before he could answer, she turned back to me. Only a virgin thinks sex means that much, Kaylee, she said, and Tods hand tightened around mine before I could argue with her. She was lying. Sex with Nash meant something to her, even if she wouldnt admit it, but Tod didnt want me to call her on it.
I shot a frown at him. Your guess is as good as mine, I said to Sabine, staring out into the dark after her, just in case. But I found nothing out of place except for her car, which was parked on the wrong side of the street, in front of the neighbors mailbox.
My guess is probably better. She dropped her keys on the coffee table and headed for the hall, ignoring Tod when he called after her.
He passed out, Sabine. You may as well let him sleep it off.
So, what? I said when shed disappeared around the corner. They let Scott outfor no reason I can think ofand he heads straight for Nashs house?
Or for yours, Tod said. We dont know where Nash saw him.
Do you think hes still possessed?
How much did he drink? Hes out cold, Sabine said, rounding the corner into the living room again to eyeball the half-empty bottle of whiskey. Whos possessed?
Its a long story. I sank onto the couch next to Tod and folded my legs beneath me.
Sabine shrugged. Its not like anyone heres missing out on sleep. Maras only needed around four hours a night, and Sabine had already gotten nearly that much before I called and woke her up.
Okay, but hold it down. We were trying not to wake my father up, and I couldnt mute her voicemuch to my own frustration. Theres this guy named Scott who used to go to our school
Scott Carter? Sabine interrupted. The frost junkie? When I could only stare at her in surprise, she rolled her eyes. Nashs my best friend, Kaylee. We talk.
Good to know. Id assumed theyd skipped straight to body language.
How much do you know? Tod asked.
Nash and two friends got hooked on frostbreath from Avari, the hellion I met in the cafeteria. The time shed tried to sell me out so she could have Nash to herself. Doug died, Scott went insane, and because Nash isnt human, he got off with withdrawal and total abandonment from the one person who should have been there for him, no matter what.
I didnt Thats not I gave up trying to explain that I hadnt abandoned Nash, and that frost wasnt what broke us up. What matters now is that Scotts out, and Nash says he saw him tonight.
Okay, why are the two of you talking about a visit from an old friend like thats worse than Nash being passed out in her bed. Which were going to discuss later, by the way. Her dark-eyed glare narrowed on me. You could have at least given him a shirt, Kaylee.
Like youre an expert on when its appropriate to wear a shirt, I snapped, thinking of the time shedpulled hers off and jumped Nash, with me in the next room, and Sabine bristled.
This seems headed into girl-fight territory, Tod said. Should I make popcorn?
I elbowed him in the ribs and glared at the mara. The point is that Scott shouldnt be out of the hospital. He wasnt just a little unbalanced, Sabine. He suffered permanent brain damage from the frost, and Avari sent him enough visual and auditory hallucinations to make sure there was no doubt about his mental instability.
So, howd he get out?
Were not sure, I admitted. But he was half packed when we saw him tonight, so it looks like he was actually released.
Sabine frowned. You saw Scott tonight?
Sort of. We went to see if hed ask Avari some questions for us, but when we got there, he was possessed, so we wound up dealing with Avari directly.
Well, then, it sounds like youve answered your own question.
Tod glanced at me in question. Is it just me, or is she making even less sense than usual?
Sabine rolled her eyes again. You knew he was possessed because he wasnt acting like himself, right? she said, and we both nodded. So couldnt he have been possessed long enough to convince the doctors that hes all cured off the crazy?
I dont think so, I said, and I was pleased to see that Tod looked no more convinced.
He was bat shit when we saw him a couple of months ago, he said.
Yeah, but for all you know, Avari could have been playing all sane and healthy during his doctors appointments for a while, right? Sabine said.
I was far from convinced, but I didnt have any better explanation. Either way, if Nash saw Scott tonight, chances are good that what he really saw was Avari, wearing a Scott-suit. And if he went after Nash, he could go after anyone else. We need to stick together when were not at home. Pairs, at the very least, I said.
I call Nash, Sabine said, glaring at me, and I rolled my eyes.
I dont want your boyfriend. Not like that. And assuming he remembered anything wed said before he passed out, Nash and I may have just made major strides toward an actual, healthy friendship.
Hes not my boyfriend, Sabine said, and the thin thread of pain in her voice drew my focus her way.
But I thought He said
Sabine turned to Tod. How long does she have to be dead before the naivety wears off? Before he could answer, she turned back to me. Only a virgin thinks sex means that much, Kaylee, she said, and Tods hand tightened around mine before I could argue with her. She was lying. Sex with Nash meant something to her, even if she wouldnt admit it, but Tod didnt want me to call her on it.
