Free End Game (Vampire Hunter Book 6) by S.C. Reynolds

neck. “It’s embarrassing,” I said in a muffled voice.
    Lucas caressed my back. “After everything we’ve been through, you
shouldn’t ever have to feel embarrassed to talk to me about anything.”
    I pulled back and looked away again. “She just made a jab at me about
being…inexperienced,” I finally said.
    “I like that you’re inexperienced , as you put it,” Lucas said in a
flirty voice. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
    “That’s part of the problem,” I blurted out. “She said if I got close to
you, you’d use me for one thing and leave me afterwards.”
    “What?” Lucas sounded genuinely surprised. “She’s just trying to get in
your head. Even in my wildest days, I didn’t do that kind of stuff,” Lucas
said, shaking his head.
    “I guess I know that deep down,” I said haltingly. “It’s just that
– I don’t know, the fact that she’s been with you and I haven’t
been with anyone…” My voice trailed off.
    Lucas hugged me to him. “I wish I could erase that part of my past,” he
admitted, “but I can’t. But I promise you, you don’t need to waste your time
worrying about any of the garbage she said to you. I don’t ever think about
her. Ever .”
    I smiled, feeling a little bit better.
    “Now we’re even. I’ve had my freak out over Jet and you’ve had yours over
Senara,” he said jokingly.
    “Oh, Lucas, what are we going to do?” I asked.
    “You have to believe in yourself. When the opportunity comes, I know
you’ll be able to get rid of Senara. It’s too bad we can’t push her into Hell,
too,” he mused.
    I laughed. “I don’t think we should complicate that plan any more than we
already have. But I’m worried, Lucas.”
    “So am I. But all the worry in the world won’t change a thing.” Lucas
cupped my chin in his hands and kissed me softly.
    “Knock! Knock!” came my mom’s voice from the other side of the door.
Without waiting for an answer, she barged in. Lucas and I jumped apart
guiltily.
    “Lucas, I brought you some iced tea,” Mom said, pretending she hadn’t
seen us kissing. “And I wasn’t sure if you like it sweet or not, so here are
some sugar packets.”
    “Thanks, Audrey,” Lucas replied, taking the glass from her.
    Mom turned to leave, not closing the door behind her.
    “I wish we could have our own space,” I said wistfully.
    “Maybe we can,” Lucas replied with a smile. He stood up. “I’d better get
going. I know you have homework to do,” he teased.
    I slapped his arm playfully. “Am I that transparent?”
    “I knew something was wrong, and that’s why I rushed over,” Lucas
replied. “I don’t want you keeping things from me, no matter how trivial
– or embarrassing – they may seem. And I promise I won’t keep
anything from you. Deal?”
    “Deal,” I agreed, walking with Lucas downstairs. I took the glass of iced
tea and poured it down the sink so my mom wouldn’t ask why he didn’t drink it.
    “Thanks again for the tea, Audrey,” Lucas said to my mom when we got into
the main room.
    “Oh, you’re going so soon?” Mom smiled. “As long as Aurora’s caught up on
schoolwork I don’t mind if you hang out here. You’re welcome to stay for dinner
as well.”
    “I appreciate the offer, but I do need to get home,” Lucas said. I
stepped outside with Lucas, closing the door behind me.
    Lucas took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “See you soon,” he whispered,
and then he was gone.

Chapter 10
    The rest of the week crawled by at a snail’s pace. Henry told me he had
done the spell to make sure Benji – at least temporarily – wouldn’t
be able to hurt anyone else. And thank God, my total ape-shit freak out hadn’t
caused any real damage. Benji was back at school the next day, looking
like his usual ugly self except for the long scratches I’d left down his face.
    And then, as each day painfully ticked by, suddenly it was Saturday.
After her visits to Jet and me, Senara had remained eerily