Free Third Strike by Heather Brewer Page A

Sirus was alive and a vampire and not his real dad. Because his family was in shambles, and no amount of pretending could hide that fact from the world. Because his sister was dead, and it was his job to avenge her. Joss was mad for all of these reasons and more. But worse than any of that, he was losing it completely. He had to get away from Henry and regain his composure before he did or said something really stupid.
    As if a light had gone on over Henry’s head, he said, “Did you kill him?”
    In Joss’s mind, he saw the cabin from two summers ago exploding, the flames and debris flying outward. Then he saw Sirus’s face as it had been just a few hours ago in the woods. His smile, still so kind, still so warm. His heart regretted feeling the elation that it had at the sight of him, but it was undeniable that he had felt it. Stunned at his own confusion, Joss slowly shook his head. “No. No, I didn’t kill it.”
    â€œSo he got away. No wonder you’re mad.”
    â€œI’m not mad and . . .” He shook his head. He was so tired of lying, but it felt like the only way out. “Yeah, basically, it got away.”
    Henry folded his arms across his chest. “Basically. Hmm.”
    â€œLet’s just get inside and eat some pizza, okay? I really don’t feel like talking to you about vampires anymore.” Joss started back toward the house, his thoughts racing. Why was his cousin doing this? This was all Henry’s fault. If Henry hadn’t been asking so many stupid questions, Joss wouldn’t have to think about Sirus or his family or anything unpleasant that was going on. He would still be lost in the mundane task of chopping wood. Overwhelmed, he spun around and shoved Henry again. “Why can’t you just admit how dangerous they are?”
    Henry shoved him back, his words right on the heels of his action. “I thought you didn’t want to talk about them anymore!”
    â€œWell, now I do! Why, Henry?”
    â€œNope. Sorry. We’re done.” Henry brushed past him. “You don’t want to talk anymore? That’s fine. Or maybe you could kiss my—”
    Joss grabbed his cousin by the shirt. It was only after he’d balled up his fist that he realized that he meant to hurt Henry. Slowly, he lowered his hand and released his cousin, who looked as if his temper had been pushed to the absolute brink. But, try as Joss might to change it, his tone was still full of venom. “Why?”
    Henry shook his head, like Joss were a sad, pathetic person who was blind to the ways of the world. Joss instantly despised him for it and immediately regretted that emotion. “Because they’re not all dangerous. They’re not all good or all bad. You seem to think that the word
vampire
is the same as the word
evil
, and that’s not true.”
    Joss shook his head. He wasn’t the blind one here. “And you seem to think that the word
Slayer
and the word
murderer
are one in the same, and that’s not true. I’m defending mankind with my actions. Things aren’t always what they seem, Henry.”
    There was a moment when neither spoke. But it wouldn’t last. It couldn’t last.
    Henry made his way to the side door, and as he opened it he turned back to face his cousin. “That’s exactly the point I’ve been trying to make about Vlad. Things aren’t what they seem. When are you gonna realize that?”
    As the screen door slapped closed behind Henry, Joss shouted, “When are
you
?”
    As he stood there in the growing darkness, Joss realized two things. One, he was growing ever certain that he and his cousin would never again be as close as they once were. And two, if Henry was going to survive the next month in a town where vampires were roaming free, Joss was going to have to keep him close.
    Oh yes, he thought as he moved toward his house and the smell of pepperoni pizza