The Strange Path Read Free

nod of her head, she allowed herself to be helped into the car.
    “Come along, children,” Fiona called. “Let’s get my little lamma home for the nonce.”
    Whiskey wondered where they’d put everyone. She sank into the backseat, the plush leather cushioning her aches, driving the thought from her mind.
    Cora slipped in beside her. “Lean on me, Whiskey. Stretch out.”
    Whiskey concentrated on finding some level of comfort for her bruised body. She didn’t note who got into the car until Fiona settled in the driver’s seat. Only Daniel had joined them. “Where are the others?” She peered out the window.
    “As you know, Manuel was hungry.” Fiona shrugged as she started the car. “Bronwyn and Zebediah decided to join him for a bite to eat before coming home. Alphonse is keeping an eye on them.”
    Whiskey saw Manuel in her mind, leaning over one of the boys they’d beaten. He’d gone after the one that got away. Do these people believe they’re vampires? The idea both intrigued and worried her. She’d read about people who thought that they needed human blood to live. She gave Cora a surreptitious glance, but didn’t see fangs. Whiskey had always been drawn to stories and movies about vampires, but she’d never been swayed to believe she had anything in common with them. Other than a morbid curiosity and sense of humor. It’d be fun to pretend though. Maybe I’ll have a chance to play the game.
    The city blurred past the passenger window. Cora produced a bottle of water from somewhere and, after Whiskey drank her fill, used the remainder to wet a piece of cloth. She gently cleaned Whiskey’s most apparent facial injuries. At first skittish with Cora’s proximity, exhaustion and pain took a toll on Whiskey’s ability to guard against danger. Her body relaxed into Cora’s, a distant part of her noting the softness of the woman’s figure. Her eyelids drooped.
    “You must stay awake, Whiskey.” Cora shifted to rouse her. “You may have a concussion.”
    Whiskey blinked and sat up a little, the movement causing her stomach muscles to throb in protest.
    “Very true.” Fiona glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “We’ll have Doctor Daniel here have a look at you when we get you home.”
    Whiskey looked at the blond punk in the passenger seat. “Doctor? He’s no older than me.”
    Fiona laughed. “You’d be surprised, little lamma . Our Daniel has a medical doctorate. Certainly you know better than to judge someone by appearances alone.”
    A stab of jealousy soured Whiskey’s curiosity. Paul and his crew were privileged assholes, but eventually they’d get into a fix from which their parents’ money couldn’t rescue them. Whiskey had a suspicion that Fiona’s pack didn’t have that problem. God, what would it be like to have the money and the parental support to become a doctor at eighteen or nineteen? The idea simply amazed her. She knew that not everyone had loving parents, they were an extreme rarity in her world. They did exist, though, and she studied Daniel’s profile. Did he rebel against his parents by dressing and acting like this? Maybe he hadn’t wanted to become a doctor, and that’s why he hung with Fiona. She felt a faint wash of disgust. Spoiled. What a fucking waste.
    Fiona guided the car off the road and into a driveway. A garage door widened, brightening the darkness. She pushed herself up to see where they were, falling back with a groan. “Shit, that hurts.”
    Fiona laughed as she shut down the engine. “We’re home, children. Let’s get our visitor inside and comfortable.”
    With creaky movements, Whiskey disengaged herself from Cora’s lap, trying to keep from expressing how much pain she felt. Looking out the window, she anticipated some wildly decorated flophouse, a la The Lost Boys movie. Instead she beheld an immaculate three-car garage. A black Porsche skulked next to the Lexus, low-slung and gleaming danger in every curve. Past that a fleet of