Third Strike Read Free

know was that a small whisper of doubt had entered Joss’s mind just before the stake had made contact with Vlad’s skin, and Joss had moved the weapon slightly to the left on purpose, knowing that Vlad would likely survive.
    Because Joss wasn’t sure how he felt about Vlad, exactly. How he felt about Dorian. How he felt about vampires in general. He was confused. But Henry wouldn’t understand that either.
    Big Mike ruffled Joss’s hair with his enormous hand. “Don’t you let Henry’s foul mood get you down, Jossie Boy. That boy’s been moody for months now. I think it’s girl troubles, myself, but your Aunt Matilda thinks he and his buddy Vlad—you remember Vlad—are having issues. He’ll get through it. Just don’t you mind him until he does.”
    He wished he could believe his uncle, but he couldn’t. Because Joss knew very well that Henry’s issue wasn’t with some random girl or his best friend—it was with Joss, and Henry had already made up his mind about him.
    â€œJoss, would you please take these steaks out to your dad?” Without awaiting an answer, his mom handed him a plate of thick, red, raw meat.
    With a shrug at Uncle Mike—because Joss didn’t really have any idea how to respond to him about Henry—Joss made his way through the crowd and out the side door. He was glad to see so many family members outside, because it would make speaking to his dad a lot easier. Speaking through their masks was so much more pleasant than interacting the way that they did whenever no one else was around. “Hey, Dad. Mom sent these out for you.”
    His dad smiled his fake smile and took the plate, offering Joss a semi-grateful nod. Then a hand fell on Joss’s shoulder. When Joss turned his head, resisting his Slayer instincts to flip the unseen person over his shoulder and pin them on the ground, he realized that it was his cousin Greg, Henry’s older brother. Greg was looking tan and fit, as usual, dressed in tan cargo shorts and a black tank top. “Hey, Joss! How ya doin’, man? Listen, do you mind if we talk?”
    Before Joss could utter a word, Greg was steering him away from the grill, and away from all the people. Joss didn’t feel alarmed at all, just relieved to not be onstage for the moment, as he and Greg crossed the lawn to the forest’s edge that bordered the property. Just at that edge, Greg stopped and gave him a look that said that he was worried. “What’s going on with you and Henry, kid?”
    Joss swallowed hard and shrugged, trying desperately to put his mask back on so that his cousin wouldn’t see how upset the whole situation really made him. But Greg saw the scramble and tossed that metaphorical mask on the ground with a sigh. “Joss, it’s clear you two are fighting. But about what? I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s going on. You guys used to be so close, and then suddenly every time someone at my house says your name, Henry’s eyeballs catch on fire. What’s up?”
    At least Joss knew that he wasn’t misinterpreting Henry’s fury toward him. He shrugged one shoulder in response, but when Greg crossed his arms in front of his chest, Joss knew that he wasn’t about to accept aloofness for an answer. He raked his hair back from his forehead with an exasperated sigh. “I don’t know, Greg. I guess . . . I guess Henry just doesn’t like me anymore.”
    He wasn’t exactly certain what Greg’s response to that might be, but he did know that he hadn’t been expecting what Greg said next.
    â€œWell, that’s crap.” Not so much as a smile on his lips. Not even the hint of one.
    Joss blinked. “What?”
    Greg shook his head. “
Of course
he likes you. He’s your cousin. He’s your friend. But it seems like he’s worried about you. Any idea why that might