Chapter Fourteen—Sweeny

Momma sat at the kitchen bar with a glass of wine and a smile. Sweeny kicked her shoes off at the door, and took a seat across from her.

She’d set out a plate of pasta and garlic bread that Sweeny couldn’t wait to dive into. “Saw you getting friendly with your Cajun Lover out there.”

Sweeny slurped a noodle. “It’s beneath you to watch me.”

She shrugged. “I have to make sure that no baby making is going on. Although, he is cute enough to make some grandbabies.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Momma didn’t raise no ho.”

She tipped her glass of wine. “How is school going? Besides attracting handsome Cajuns? How’s track?”

“Good,” Sweeny said. “Coach gave me an application to help with scholarships. She has faith. It feels good. I’m gonna leave out a form for you to sign saying I can ride the bus to the track meet.”

“When is it?” Momma asked.

“Friday. I know you have to close, it’s no big deal.”

Momma frowned.

“So, I have some extra cash to get me new cleats. Crawfishing maybe my new calling, who knew?” Sweeny said to lighten the mood.

Momma laughed. “How about Hattie?”

“She’s good. I think she skipped school today. Her and Kurt were on the rocks.”

“Kurt’s her boyfriend?” Momma asked.

“Yeah, he’s a cowboy.”

“A cowboy? Hattie?”

“You’re as surprised as I was.”

Momma laughed. “Well, as long as he’s a good cowboy.”

“How’s work?”

She took a drink of her wine. “Good, the people are friendly here. Everyone knows everyone. Speaking of the new talk of the town. There is a vacant house down the road, that someone just bought in cash. A family, with a son around your age.”

“Cash, huh? Maybe I found the wrong Cajun.”

She laughed. “You’ll probably hear all about it tomorrow at school.”

Sweeny finished her plate, while Momma watched some home improvement show on TLC. She gave her a kiss goodnight and walked toward the shower.

Knowing that Lucas would be inside her room made her warm. She scrubbed her skin extra hard, putting on lotion, and drying her hair before bed.

She sat to do her homework at her desk. It didn’t take long to read her chapter for Biology and finish the quiz. She was halfway finished with her Algebra assignment when she heard something crash outside. Her first thought was Lucas.

She jumped up and waited for Momma to stumble out of her bed, but she didn’t. Pressing her palm to the cool glass of her door, she took a deep breath before opening it.

The humid night hit her, along with a handful of hungry mosquitos. She waved them off, searching the backyard for any movement.

She stepped out onto the damp grass and into the moonlight. Something moved to her right causing her heart to race.

“Lucas?” she asked into the silence.

The wind answered.

Slowly she walked over toward the fence, noticing a light coming from the house down the road. Silence took over as she neared the fence separating her property from the other.

A U-Haul sat in their driveway.

“Sorry about that.”

Sweeny’s scream caught in her throat. She turned to her right, a guy around her age walked toward her, palms outstretched. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He chuckled. “We dropped our washing machine off the back of the truck and it made a crash. I figure y’all could hear it.”

His form materialized from the dark. He was tall, with a nice button-down shirt and slack pants. Odd for this time of the night and his age, but who was Sweeny to judge?

His auburn hair was messy on his forehead, but his face nicely shaven. He kept from the moonlight so she didn’t get a good look at his facial features.

“It scared me. I wanted to make sure that everyone was okay.”

“We’re fine,” he said. “I’m Jeremy. Nice to meet you.”

“Sweeny. I guess you’re our new neighbors?”

“That’d be us.”

Sweeny stood with her palms around the posts, an uneasy feeling settled around her. This guy was awfully close to their property and his silence made her feel weird.

“Well, I guess I—”

He stepped forward, moonlight hitting his features and her breath hitched in her throat. His face was almost perfect—GQ worthy—but a huge thin scar traveled along his eye and over his nose.

With ice blue eyes, he looked beautifully rough. It didn’t match his facade. Neither did his burning gaze on her. She felt the urge to run. “You’re a senior? I would love a tour around the school.”

The only place Sweeny wanted to guide him was home.

“Yeah, well—maybe I’ll—.”

“Sweeny.”

Sweeny felt Lucas behind her and she relaxed. About time. She turned to see him coming toward them. Questions raced over his face and he looked out of breath. “What are you doing out here?” he asked, stopping beside her.

His attention drew to Jeremy’s and the tension rose up her back. Fire licked her nerves. She tried to hide it but she couldn’t. She slapped her palm to the back of her head and cringed.

“You okay, cher?” Lucas asked.

“Fine,” she lied.

“Who the hell are you?” he finally asked.

Jeremy chuckled as if he couldn’t be bothered. “I’m Sweeny’s new neighbor. We made a loud racket and she came to investigate. I just wanted to reassure her that there were no monsters outside of her window."

Sweeny tensed when Lucas’ grip tightened. “We’ll, we’re good now, yeah?” he asked. “We are going to go to sleep.”

“Is this your brother?” Jeremy asked.

“No,” Lucas barked. “She’s my—woman.”

Despite her headache, she laughed. “I know this is the south but girlfriend will do just fine.”

Lucas glanced down at her. He felt threatened by Jeremy—at least it looked like it—and she couldn’t wait another second to go inside.

Jeremy’s laugh sent chills down her spine. “Well, it was great to meet you both, but I better help my family. I’ll see you tomorrow, Sweeny.”

He walked back into the shadows and disappeared into the dark.

Lucas hauled Sweeny toward the sliding doors and locked it, pulling her curtains. Terror formed on his face.

“Cher, don’t ever go outside with him again. Something isn’t right.”

Sweeny wiped off the grass from her dampened feet and sat on the edge of her bed. “He is—weird, isn’t he? Something feels wrong about him.”

Lucas rolled his neck and checked the lock again. “I won’t be sleeping tonight, no.”

Sweeny pulled back her covers. “It’s not that bad, is it? I mean he’s a little weird but nothing to get our panties in a twist about.”

Lucas kicked off his shoes. “You remember how I told you that you don’t smell right, Sweeny?”

“Here we go with this again.”

Lucas sank to his knees beside her bed. “You smell like something supernatural but I don’t know what it is. It’s the reason these animals follow you around and you see things that aren’t there.”

Sweeny wiped at her tired eyes, trying to make sense of this. “I’ve never done this until I moved here, Lucas. I’m not some kind of mind reader or vampire. I’m just Sweeny.’

Lucas sighed, running his rough thumb against her bottom lip. “Cher, I know what a human girl smells like and you ain’t it.”

He hesitated as if he wanted to say something but didn’t.

She sighed.

“What about your daddy?"

“What about him?”

“He in your life?”

Sweeny shifted to her side, letting Lucas crawl in beside her. “No.”

“Your Momma ever talk about him?”

“No, not really. I don’t think she knows much, why?”

“Your Momma is human. Your daddy can’t be. We need to find him and find out what you are.”

“What if she doesn’t know?”

“We’ll find him, cher. We need to know not only to help you figure out what’s going on, but because of something else. You are the first person in my life that I’ve come across that has smelled like you. Until tonight.”

Sweeny lifted up on her elbow to look at him. “What do you mean?”

“That guy—he smelled just like you, cher.”

Sweeny felt her pulse race. Like her? Could he hear voices? And did he have random animals following him around?

Fear paralyzed her. No way some random guy moved in next-door that smelled like her, accidentally.

She felt the need to calm her nerves. “Do you want to bone him, too?”

Lucas tossed her a heated look. “This is serious.”

She nodded and curled into a ball. “What are we going to do?”

Lucas stroked her hair. “You’re gonna go to sleep and I’m gonna figure this out tomorrow with the guys.”

“Y’all don’t have like a warden or a leader of the parish?”

He gave her a funny look. “No.”

“Excuse me for not being up on the supernatural regulations.”

He chuckled. “Do you get cranky when you’re sleepy, woman?”

Sweeny grinned. “Only when someone says I smell like the weird guy next door.”

***

Sweeny woke the next morning to an empty bed and chilled skin. It was amazing how much heat Lucas put off. The times she tossed and turned the night before, she’d noticed him awake, staring at her with alert eyes.

It’d felt nice to sleep in peace, knowing that he was there in case some big bad monster came after her.

She got up, seeing he’d cleaned the mud from her carpet by the sliding doors. Momma knocked a few moments later. “Time to get up. Looks like the new neighbors are moving in.”

Sweeny grabbed her jeans and T-shirt for school and took a shower. Momma cooked her breakfast and left it on the stove with a note saying she was called to open the bank.

Sweeny grabbed her bagel, and headed toward Hattie’s house. She meant to text her to check on her the day before, but forgot with the Lucas’ drama.

Hattie pulled up to her driveway as Sweeny walked out of her house. Sweeny waved, but let her arm drop when the backseat window rolled down.

No freaking way.

“Get in loser,” Hattie yelled.

How had he met Hattie already?

Sweeny walked to the passenger side reluctantly. She slung her bag inside and crawled in. “This is Jeremy our new neighbor,” Hattie said.

Sweeny didn’t bother looking. “We met last night.”

Jeremy leaned in between the two seats. “I also met her boyfriend, Lucas.”

Hattie raised her eyebrows. “Boyfriend? Official, huh? Where did y’all meet without me?”

“Lucas gave me a ride home from track. You were with Kurt.”

“Girl, his dad was in town and I met him. Can you believe it? He introduced me. Weird guy, but that’s a wifey step right there.”

“Does Kurt live with his Mom?” Sweeny asked.

“Nah, his Gran,” Hattie said. “Anyway, was Lucas there to watch you run, Sweeny? I bet he watches your totties bounce.” Sweeny rolled her eyes. “So is sports your thing, Jeremy? Track or football?”

“Actually no, I don’t do track. I ran into them at Sweeny’s house last night.”

Hattie’s mouth popped open, a new tongue ring in the center of her tongue. “No freaking way, you slut! He stayed the night?”

“Well—technically, but we didn’t do anything, Hattie.”

“Umm-hmm,” she said, giving her the eye.

Sweeny sat back against the leather seat praying Lucas didn’t see Jeremy in the backseat. She’d promised him that she would stay away.

Maybe Lucas could give her a ride in the mornings.

When they pulled up to the school, Sweeny jumped out quick.

“Where is the fire?” Hattie asked.

Sweeny grabbed her bag, giving her a look. “I have somewhere to be.”

Hattie lifted her brow. “If you want to go make out with Lucas, just say so.”

Sweeny sighed and met her around the front of her Jeep, while Jeremy grabbed his bag. “Maybe we could talk at lunch?”

Hattie jabbed her finger over her shoulder. “Is it about the new guy?”

Sweeny glanced over at him. “Yeah.”

“Okay,” Hattie said. “Does it have to do with your new infamous boyfriend staring daggers at us right now?”

Lucas stood at the stairs leading to the double doors—glowering at them. Shitake. Hattie waved at him and received a half-hearted glare back.

“Ouch, jealous much? The king of campus gets a girlfriend for the first time in history and he’s protective. I like it,” she said.

Jeremy stopped on the other side of Hattie. It was her first time to see him in the sunshine. His handsome face looked picturesque. Like that GQ style she mentioned, but something was different.

His eyes—they weren’t blue but hazel. She could have sworn they were blue the night before.

“You’re your boyfriend’s first girlfriend?”

“I don’t know,” Sweeny mumbled.

“They are part of The Trios Loup—they never date anyone,” Hattie said.

Sweeny narrowed her eyes at Hattie but she pulled out her phone and started texting. Jeremy’s knowing eyes seared her deep. Why did he look so knowing? As if he knew what that meant and everything else Sweeny tried to deny.

“What is that? A boy band?” he asked.

Hattie laughed. “Nah, some old superstitious stuff.”

Sweeny began to sweat.

Lucas neared her, took her elbow into his hand, and pulled her close. “What are you doing,” he whispered into her ear.

She glanced up at him.

Hattie shoved Lucas’ shoulder. “Don’t be mad at Sweeny.”

Sweeny felt her face heat from Jeremy’s glare, so she shoved away from them all, and walked toward the stairs. Lucas caught up with her easily. “What was that, cher? Riding with the supernatural, are we? You got a thing for trouble?”

She ignored him.

“Wait,” he hissed once she made it into the empty school. The bell hadn’t rung yet and most of the kids littered the parking lot and cafeteria for breakfast.

“I didn’t ask him to ride with her. He was already there when I got in. I had no other choice.”

Lucas cornered her into an alcove by a set of lockers, lifting her chin with his fingers. “You could have called me, yeah? You can ask me for stuff?”

She’d been close to him before but she felt embarrassed. Heated.

“Like those shoes you need for track? I can get those; you don’t have to catch crawfish to buy ‘em.”

“How did you know about that?” she asked. “Let me guess—Momma?”

He grinned, showing that crooked left tooth and panty melting smile. “I have enough for them,” she said. “I just need a ride to go get them.”

“I can make that happen,” he whispered. “Just tell me when.”

Sweeny felt her resolve slipping. Lucas braced a palm on her waist letting it fall to her bottom. “You smell so good,” he said, teasing her mouth with his.

The silent sound of the school and his heavy breaths sent her hormones into chaos. She didn’t care who saw them—she wanted to feel him.

So, she kissed him this time.

Lucas froze for a moment when she pressed her mouth against his, but it only lasted a millisecond before he took control, holstering her up to his hips and the wall at her back.

The world titled on its side and rocked her around until she felt dizzy. Lucas groaned into their kiss, his teeth skimming her bottom lip. She felt the same urge for him to bite her again. Lucas squeezed her in his hand, his free hand trailing from her neck to her breast.

Lava shot between her legs and she whimpered as he assaulted her mouth with his. “Don’t stop,” she said without meaning to.

They needed to stop. They were in the middle of the school hallway with the bell about to ring.

He slid his palm up the wall and slammed his fist against it. “I'm sorry,” he whispered, driving his hips into hers. “I’m sorry. My wolf is playful in the morning.”

She didn’t care if it was his wolf or him. She loved it. She pulled back; her hand tightened into a fist at the nape of his neck. “I don’t know why I did that,” she said with a laugh. “I can’t help it. It’s magnetic. It feels worse when I’m mad at you or emotional.”

Lucas nodded. “It’s not gonna get easier,” he said. “It’s gonna get worse, cher. Until I have you in my bed, it’s gonna feel out of control for both of us.”

Sweeny let her head fall back and she closed her eyes.

Her head swam in thoughts of him undressing her. Tasting her. Touching her—there.

“Let me down,” she whispered.

He dropped her hips but kept her pushed against the wall. “We can’t let this hinder us from finding out what’s going on with you,” he said. “Meet me in the library today and we’ll talk.”

She knew he wanted to say something the night before but didn’t. Did he know what she was? Or thought the library would have the answer?

She frowned. “You really think the library is going to have a supernatural section?”

He grinned. “Nah, but I have a book that my granddaddy left behind. We’ll look through those.”

“Will Jaxson be there?”

“Yeah, and Theo. We need to resolve this stuff y’all got boiling, cher. They won’t defy me.”

After that smack down in the cafeteria, she figured neither of them wanted to relive the embarrassment.

“Okay.”

Lucas kissed her once more before leaving her standing in the alcove. Partly she wanted to hide in the corner forever, take Momma up on that in-depth sex talk she’d threatened her with for years.

Once the bell rang, Sweeny walked to American History and sank into her seat, head swimming in a pool of dreams.

The seat next to her moved. She expected to see Jaxson with another threat but Jeremy sat there with a wide smile on his face.

“Hey, I looked for you before class but Hattie said you must not have made it to your locker.”

“Hattie just knows everything,” she mumbled. “What did you need?” she asked.

“Hattie said you were in this class. I’m glad I know someone.”

Sweeny tossed him a small smile, while digging her homework out of her backpack. Jaxson’s heavy muddy boots pounded down the aisle a few moments later.

The chair in front of Jeremy moved and Sweeny glanced diagonally to look at him. Jaxson obviously smelled whatever it was that they all smelled on him.

“You’re new,” he spat.

Sweeny rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Dr. Obvious. You can go sit in your seat now.”

He ignored her. “Where are you from?”

Jeremy leaned back in his seat, suddenly more confident than before, that knowing look present. It gave Sweeny the chills as if two different people resided inside of him. “New York.”

“You don’t sound like it.”

“What can I say? I adapt.”

Sweeny tapped her pen while they stared each other down. “Okay, you can leave now.”

Jaxson turned to look at her. “You would make friends with this freak,” he said toward Jeremy about her.

Feeling frisky, she flipped him off.

He chuckled. “I think that spot has been taken—or it will be soon.”

Sweeny wanted to throw her pen at him but Mr. Ruby made his way to the podium. Whether or not the new guy was scary, she didn’t want Jaxson bullying anyone else.

She was enough.