Blaise just held out her hand. Thea fished in her pocket for the carnelian.
"You ruined the chain, you know," Blaise said as
she shook back midnight hair and examined the stone for damage. "And it was one I designed."
"Sorry. I was in a hurry."
"Yes, and why? What did you want with it?" Blaise didn't wait for a response. "You healed that boy, didn't you? I knew he got bitten. But he was human."
"Reverence for life, remember?" Thea said. " 'An ye harm none, do as you will." She didn't say it with much conviction.
"That doesn't mean humans. And what did he think?"
"Nothing. He didn't know I was healing him; he didn't even realize he got bitten." It wasn't exactly a lie.
Blaise looked at her with smoky, suspicious gray eyes. Then she glanced heavenward and shook her head. "Now if you'd been using it to heat his blood, I'd understand. But maybe you were doing a little of that, too...."
"No, I was not," Thea said. And despite the warmth that rose in her cheeks her voice was cold and sharp. The horror of that death vision was still with her. "In fact, I don't ever want to see him again," she went on jaggedly, "and I told him so, but I've got his stupid notebook, and I don't know what to do with it." She waved the notebook in Blaise's face.
"Oh." Blaise considered, head on one side. "Well... I'll take it to him for you. I'll track him down somehow."
"Would you?" Thea was startled. "That's really nice."
"Yes, it is," Blaise said. She took the notebook, handling it carefully, as if her nails were wet. "Okay, well, I'd better get to my next class. Algebra." She made a face. " 'Bye now."
Suspicion struck as Thea watched her go.
Blaise wasn't usually so accommodating. And that " 'bye now"... too sweet. She was up to something.
Thea followed the ruby of Blaise's shirt as Blaise went back into the main hallway, then turned without hesitation into a locker-lined corridor. There, searching through one of the lockers, was a lean figure with long legs and sandy hair.
Fastest tracking I've ever seen, Thea thought sourly. She peered around the Mediterranean-blue door of a broken locker.
Blaise walked up behind Eric very slowly, hips swaying. She put a hand on his back.
Eric jumped slightly, then turned around.
Blaise just stood there.
It was all she needed to do. Blaise reeled guys in just by being. It was the glorious dark hair, the smoldering gray eyes... plus a figure that could stop traffic on the freeway. Curves galore, and clothes that emphasized every one. On another girl it might have been too much, but on Blaise it was just breathtaking. Guys who thought they liked the waif look dropped everything to follow her just as fast as guys who thought they liked blonds.
Eric blinked at her, looking hazy already. He didn't seem to know what to say.
That wasn't unusual. Guys always got tongue-tied around Blaise.
"I'm Blaise Harman." The voice was low and liquid. "And you're... Eric?"
Eric nodded, still blinking.
Yes, he's dazed all right, Thea thought. The jerk. She was surprised at her own vehemence.
"Good, because I wouldn't want to give this to the wrong person." Blaise produced the notebook from behind her back like a magician.
"Oh-where'd you get that?" Eric looked relieved and grateful. "I've been looking everywhere."
"My cousin gave it to me," Blaise said carelessly. She held onto the notebook as he tried to take it, and their fingers touched. "Wait. You owe me something for bringing it back, don't you?"
Her voice was a purr. And now Thea knew, without a doubt, what was going to happen.
Eric was doomed.
Chapter 3
one for, lost, a goner. Blaise had chosen him, and it was only a matter of how she was going to play him.
A parade of names marched through Thea's mind. Randy Marik. Jake Batista. Kristoffer Milton. Troy Sullivan. Daniel Xiong.
And now: Brie Ross.
But Eric was talking, sounding animated. "Your cousin? Is she that other new girl? Thea?"
"Yes. Now-"
"Look, do you know where she is? I really want to talk to her." The hazy look descended again, and Eric stared into the distance. "She's just... I've never met anybody like her...."
Blaise let go of the notebook and stared.
From her hiding place, Thea stared, too.
It had never happened before. This guy didn't even seem to see Blaise.
That was strange enough. But by the Blue Monkey-headed Goddess of Inquisitiveness, what Thea really wanted to know was why she herself felt so relieved by it.
A bell rang. Blaise was still standing there flabbergasted. Eric stuffed the notebook in his backpack.
"Could you just let her know I asked about her?"
"She doesn't care if you asked about her!" Blaise snapped, voice no longer honeyed. "She said very explicitly that she never wanted to see you again. And I'd watch out if I were you. Because she has a temper." The last word was uttered in rising tones.
Eric looked slightly alarmed-and crestfallen. Thea saw his throat move as he swallowed. Then, without saying good-bye to Blaise, he turned and walked out the far side of the corridor.
Well by the Red Crow-headed Thunderbolt Goddess.
Blaise turned around and stalked up the corridor in Thea's direction. Thea didn't even try to hide.
"So you saw all that. Well I hope you're happy," Blaise said waspishly.
Thea wasn't. She was confused. Strangely agitated-and scared, because the Cup of Death was still floating before her eyes.
"I guess we should both just leave him alone/' she said.