Oblivion (Lux 1.5)

“Vampires and werewolves?” I guessed.

“Yeah.”

“Ghosts and aliens?”

“Ghost stories are cool, but I don’t know about aliens. ET really doesn’t do it for me and a lot of readers.”

I raised an eyebrow at that. “What does it for you?”

“Not slimy green space creatures,” she replied, and I swallowed a laugh. “Anyway, I also appreciate graphic novels, history stuff—”

“You read graphic novels?” Disbelief flooded me. “Seriously?”

She nodded. “Yeah, so what? Are girls not supposed to like graphic novels and comics?”

I didn’t think she wanted me to answer that. Damn, she was always a surprise. “Want to go on a hike?”

“Uh, you know I’m not good with the whole hiking thing.” She reached up, tucking a loose strand of hair from her ponytail behind her ear. Did she ever wear her hair down?

Why in the hell was I thinking about her hair?

My gaze followed the movement. “I’m not taking you up on the Rocks. Just a harmless little trail. I’m sure you can handle it.”

She pushed off the railing but hesitated. “Did Dee not tell you where your keys were?”

Hell, I’d forgotten all about that. “Yeah, she did.”

“Then why are you here?”

How could I possibly explain it to her when I couldn’t to myself? I fumbled in my head for an excuse she’d buy and realized I really wasn’t that creative. This was probably a sign I should get my ass home and forget all about whatever this was. “I don’t have a reason. I thought I would just stop over, but if you’re going to question everything, then you can forget it.” Pivoting around, I headed down the porch steps, totally realizing I was yet again acting like an ass. What could I say? I was good at it.

A moment passed and then, “All right, let’s do this.”

Surprised, I stopped. “Are you sure?”

She didn’t look 100 percent certain when I glanced over my shoulder at her, but she hurried down the steps and followed me. “Why are we going behind my house?” She paused, pointing to the west, at the sandstone mountain still glittering in the fading sunlight. “The Seneca Rocks are that way. I thought most trails started over there.”

“Yeah, but there are trails back here that will take you around, and it’s quicker,” I explained. “Most people here know all the main trails that are crowded. There used to be a lot of boring days out here, and I found a couple of them off the beaten trail.”

Her eyes widened. “How far off the beaten track are we talking?”

Cute. I chuckled. “Not that far.”

“So it’s a baby trail? I bet this is going to be boring for you.”

“Any time I get to go out and walk around is good.” That was true. Luxen naturally had more energy in them, and any physical activity helped. “Besides, it’s not as if we’ll hike all the way to Smoke Hole Canyon. That’s a pretty big hike from here, so no worries, okay?”

She relaxed. “All right, lead the way.”

Kat waited outside as I stepped into my house, grabbing two water bottles, and then she followed me across the backyard and into the heavily shaded forest. Something about the fact that she was actually willing to do this struck me wrong. I hadn’t been nice to her. That was a big no shit there. I wondered if she would do this if Andrew befriended her, just roam right the hell off.

If so, that wouldn’t be good.

Andrew would totally be in the Matthew camp, as in he’d have no problem with the idea of preemptively “taking care of her.”

“You’re very trusting, Kitten,” I said quietly.

“Stop calling me that.”

I glanced over my shoulder. She was trailing a few steps behind me. “No one has ever called you that before?”

Stepping around a thorny bush, she shot me a bland look. “Yeah, people call me Kitten all the time. But you make it sound so…”

I waited. “Sound so what?”

“I don’t know, like it’s an insult,” she said, and I slowed my longer-legged pace so she was walking beside me now. “Or something sexually deviant.”

That knocked a laugh out of me, right along with some of the tension that had carved its way into my neck and shoulders.

“Why are you always laughing at me?”

I shook my head as I grinned. “I don’t know, you just kind of make me laugh.”

“Whatever.” She kicked a rock, apparently deciding that wasn’t a good thing. “So what was up with that Matthew dude? He acted as if he hated me or something.”

“He doesn’t hate you. He doesn’t trust you,” I muttered.

Her ponytail bounced as she shook her head. “Trust me with what? Your virtue?”

Another laugh burst out of me. “Yeah. He’s not a fan of beautiful girls who have the hots for me.”

“What?” she blurted out, and then, within a second, she tripped.

I caught her easily, with my arm around her waist, and quickly let go, but I felt the jolt of the brief contact, and my skin hummed.

“You’re joking, right?” she asked.

Amused by her inability to watch out for whatever was on the ground, I felt my grin grow even bigger. “Which part?”

“Any of that!”

“Come on. Please don’t tell me you don’t think you’re pretty.” When she didn’t answer, I sighed. “No guy has ever said you’re pretty?”