Free Blood Candy by Matthew Tomasetti Page B

on the couch.”
    “Nah,” Candy said. “I just want to rest my
eyes for a bit. You can stay so long as you promise not to get
fresh.”
    They both laughed a little and Felicia went
back to her book. The cold air from the ceiling vents passing over
Candy’s still steaming body instantly relaxed her. When she closed
her eyes the first thing she saw was Rupert’s fangs. She turned her
head to Felicia.
    “Have you ever seen a vampire?”
    “A few times,” Felicia said, setting the book
down on her chest. “Once in New York at a nightclub. I wouldn’t
have known he was a vampire if I hadn’t learned everything I did
from Tinch. It scared the shit out of me the way he hung back in
the shadows looking over the room like it was an animated
menu.”
    “What did you do?”
    Felicia snorted. “I got the hell out of there.
This happened last summer when I was seventeen, and I was alone. I
know what vampires can do and what he had probably already done to
people, and worse still whatever sick shit was going through his
head for that night.”
    Candy wanted to ask why Felicia had been alone
at a nightclub in New York when she was seventeen, but a more
important thought came to mind. “Have you ever killed
one?”
    “No,” Felicia said with a curious glance at
Candy. “They’re not easy to kill.” She sighed and seemed to think
about what she should say. “Not all vampires are as bad as Rupert
and you shouldn’t think in the terms of ‘vampires need killing.’
People have thought the same about lycans.”
    Felicia’s views were a sharp contrast to what
Jimmy had said. Candy closed her eyes and relaxed. She imagined
running alongside a wolf until she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Seven

    “You’ll be with me soon, love. It’s nearly
night.”
    For a moment, Candy could see down the hallway
and through a set of glass doors to the yard beyond—the yard with
the sculpted hedges and with the fountain straddled by little
trumpet bearing angels. Then shadows grew out from every corner
around her, from every unlit crack, pulsing with life and obscuring
anything she tried to look at in an inky gloom.
    Everything except Rupert.
    She woke up sweating, feeling like shadows
were creeping up her legs. She had slept for less than an hour; the
dream had been brief, but it jogged her memory of the first time
she dreamed about Rupert. She had been walking with him along
strangely sculpted hedges. There had been something about a wish,
about his wish for her to be with him. There had been his anger and
his fangs. She couldn’t stand dreaming about him
anymore.
    Felicia had fallen asleep and rolled well into
the middle of the bed, one of her skinny legs stretched out over
Candy’s knees. Candy poked her shoulder until she woke up. Felicia
yawned and rolled over. She sat up on the side of the bed and
rubbed her eyes.
    “What time is it?” she said
sleepily.
    “About six, I think.”
    Beyond the guestroom window the red summer sun
hovered near the horizon. Candy pulled on some socks and a cheap
pair of tennis shoes they bought at the mega-store. Downstairs,
Were-Jew was sleeping on the couch and Jimmy on the recliner. With
a glance through the blinds into the back yard, she saw Melvin,
White Paul, and Medium Dave.
    “I hope they’re getting the pool ready,”
Felicia said.
    The smell of Chinese food in the kitchen made
Candy’s stomach growl. Jimmy woke up with a start when Melvin and
Medium Dave came inside.
    “Good, you’re up,” Melvin said. “Grab a bite
to eat, we leave in fifteen.”
    Both young women picked meticulously through
the food. Candy never cared much for Chinese food, but she was
starving and had nothing else so she didn’t complain. While she
ate, the rest of the Misfits went into the living room. Jimmy came
into the kitchen and leaned against the counter next to her. Melvin
went over the plan once everyone was gathered around.
    “Okay, guys. We all know the plan. Were-Jew
will be inside the store with