Riot Girls: Seven Books With Girls Who Don't Need A Hero Read online

  He tried to hide a laugh at my frenzied scuttle, and I was too freaked to get mad. There was still the question of why I had been on the ground, unconscious in the woods with only this handsome stranger to blame. It was only when I saw Lucy standing behind the stranger unharmed, that I was able to stuff my heart back down my throat.

  They both watched and waited for me to talk.

  Something tickled at the edge of my memory. “Dan! Where’d he go?” I shrieked. I remembered Dan attacking us now, well, I remembered him attacking me, before I lost consciousness.

  Lucy shuffled forward, pale and wide-eyed. Her jeans were dirty and her soiled jacket was torn at the elbow. “Dan pushed you down. I tried to run towards you, but suddenly he had me on the ground too. He was so fast Xoe. I tried to struggle, but he pressed me down until I couldn’t move. He said I had to come with him. He said I would be . . . dangerous.” Lucy paused as she glanced at Jason, then quickly went on, “The next thing I knew, Jason was there, tearing him off me.” Tears began to well in Lucy’s already puffy eyes.

  I dizzily stumbled to my feet and grabbed Lucy in a hug, feeling pine needles in her hair. “Where’d he go?”

  “I-I don’t know,” Lucy said.

  I turned to this so-called Jason character. “Where did he go? I can’t believe he gave up that easily.”

  Jason studied me for a moment, as if considering which answer would upset me the least, then shrugged, apparently deciding on no answer at all.

  “You were the only one vertical at the time. You had to see him leave,” I pressed.

  He shrugged again. “My attention was on making sure that the two of you were unharmed. I did not see where he went.”

  “So you were completely unconcerned with the stranger that you found in the woods attacking two people?”

  Shrugging again, he smirked and walked up to grab my arm. “I will walk you girls home.”

  I ripped my arm away from him, and got in his face. “We need the truth. Something weird is going on and it is just way too convenient that you were there at just the right time. No offense, but Dan is bigger than you, and I don’t think he would exactly run screaming at the sight of you. Your story don’t wash pal.”

  He brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen into my eyes. I jerked away, startled.

  He chuckled at my reaction.

  I pointed my finger a few inches away from his face. “Now, is so not the time to mess with me.”

  He smiled. “I can see that, but we do need to get you both home. It is not safe out here.”

  I grabbed Lucy and stormed back down the trail. Jason followed a short way behind us. Though Lucy had stopped crying, she was leaning heavily on me as if she’d fall without my support. We stumbled on as Jason caught up to walk on my other side. I focused on the trail, trying to hide the fact that my heart was thundering in my ears.

  “I spoke the truth,” he said. “I do not know why he fled. Do you know him?”

  Sighing, I answered a bit more breathily than I would have liked, “Yeah, we know him . . . unfortunately.”

  I walked a little faster, trying to end the conversation.

  Jason simply matched my stride and pressed on. “Have you spent much time with him?”

  I frowned at him, almost tripping on a stone. I had to pause for a moment and get a better grip on Lucy. “I thought you were just the ‘innocent bystander,’ not involved in the situation, so why do you care?”

  Jason thought for a moment, then shrugged again. “Just making conversation,” he said, effectively ending the conversation.

  By the time we arrived at my house Lucy had somewhat regained her composure, though her normally self-assured eyes still had haunted shadows chasing across them.

  I put my hand on her back in a comforting gesture. She was trembling ever so slightly, making a frightened mouse come to mind. I pushed Lucy in through the backdoor and turned to Jason. “There’s something weird about your story, well okay, a whole lotta somethings. You know more about Dan than you’re letting on. I trust you as much as I trust him. Stay away from Lucy.”

  That carefree smirk returned to his face, but within a moment wiped clean to leave his face all stony-serious. His deep blue eyes looked angry. “Stay out of the woods, and stay away from Dan. He is dangerous,” he warned, holding my gaze to make sure I understood.

  “Thanks, but I already figured that out,” I replied, then slammed the door in his face. So maybe he didn’t deserve my temper, but then again, maybe he did.

  I walked up to my room to find Lucy already sitting on my bed, staring blankly at a framed picture of her, Allison, and me in my backyard. We’d taken it over the summer by Allison’s pool. Last summer seemed very far away.

  Realizing my presence, she looked up and asked, “Can I stay over tonight Xoe?” Her eyes pleaded with me.

  I knew my mom wouldn’t mind Lucy staying over on a Sunday, but Lucy’s strict parents were a whole other story. “You’re welcome to, if you can convince your parents.”

  Lucy gave me a small smile. “They went out of town today, remember? They would actually prefer it if I stayed here.”

  Well that settled that.

  My mom ordered us a pizza. The three of us sat in the living room, with the pizza on the table. I grabbed my first slice and began to wolf (no pun intended) it down. Lucy’s first piece sat forlornly on her paper plate.

  My mom watched Lucy carefully. “Not hungry?”

  Lucy looked up from her plate, startled. “Oh, um, no, not really hungry.”

  My mom patiently waited for Lucy to elaborate.

  I tried to distract her. “When are you leaving for Washington mom?”

  My mom glanced at me distractedly. “Probably Wednesday.” She turned her attention back to Lucy. “Besides your hike, you’ve been here all day. I haven’t seen you eat.”

  Lucy pushed her plate a little farther away from her. “My stomach has been upset lately.”

  My mom nodded and seemed to settle for Lucy’s answer, but I caught her glancing at Lucy skeptically out of the corner of her eye for the rest of dinner.

  When all that was left was a cheese-soaked box, we headed back to my room. Lucy borrowed one of my t-shirts and some plaid pajama pants to sleep in. While she got ready for bed in my bathroom (she stayed over enough to warrant her own toiletries kit), I toured around the house and made sure the doors and all of the windows were locked. Paranoid, who me?

  I paused as I passed the hall mirror. I looked at my reflection numbly. Things hadn’t really set in yet. I felt as if I were walking in a dream. I lightly touched the carved wood frame of the mirror, half expecting it to disappear, just a fragment of this horrible dream. Firm, solid wood pressed beneath my fingertips.

  When I got back upstairs Lucy was done in the bathroom and was staring blankly from her perch on my bed. I spared her a final worried glance then took my turn in the bathroom. By the time I was finished brushing my teeth and picking stray pine needles out of my hair that I hadn’t noticed until now, Lucy was curled up into a ball on my bed, fast asleep.

  I crawled into bed next to her and stared at the ceiling. In my head I reviewed all of the events of the weekend. Reason told me to assume that Jason was in league with Dan, but my gut was inexplicably arguing against that possibility. I instantly wanted to trust him, just like I instantly wanted to distrust Dan.

  I finally fell asleep to visions of werewolves dancing in my head.

  Chapter Nine

  LUCY SEEMED TO be feeling a little steadier in the morning. We each took our turns in the shower and I let her borrow some of my clothes. She had to cuff the jeans a few times, but the long-sleeved, navy cotton shirt fit her pretty well. Hoorah for the bustily-challenged. I dressed in my usual theme: jeans, dark blue v-neck t-shirt, and my ubiquitous sneakers.

  We ran downstairs and grabbed Granola bars for breakfast. I filled my travel mug with coffee from the pot my mom, saint that she is, had made. I added a small amount of creamer and
pushed the lid onto my mug, making that moist suction noise that travel mugs tend to make. I glanced at the clock to see that it was already 7:15. We rushed out the door to fast-walk to school.

  Our silence was weighted with fear and worry. Neither of us wanted to be the one to break it. I think we both were all too aware that tonight was the full moon. Tonight we would have answers, or at least one answer. So much was still unexplained.

  Lucy’s timid voice cracked the silence. “So, um, if you’re right about Dan, what are we going to do? I mean, if I’m to believe that werewolves exist, then it would also stand to reason that some of the legends about them exist . . . ” She stared at the ground, refusing to meet my eyes.

  “We’ll think of something. I won’t let you go through this alone, even if my theory is right, and I’m starting to think it is. Why else would Dan say that you would be dangerous?” I asked.

  “I know,” Lucy said. “I’ve been thinking about that too.”

  I hesitated on my next question, not sure if I would make things worse by asking. “Are you scared?”

  Lucy stopped walking and met my eyes. “Terrified.”

  I kept my gaze locked on hers until she looked back down and began walking again. I followed shortly behind her. The ensuing silence was no less strained. We got to school just as the first bell rang, and we parted to go to our respective classes. I reached biology and slid into my seat next to Allison just as the second bell rang. I was unable to concentrate on the lecture, which was nothing new, but this time it was more than my short attention span standing in my way.

  I met with Lucy before second period. We sat in our usual seats in the front, but Lucy was so obviously not her usual self. She kept her eyes on her desk and did not raise her hand to answer one single question. I guess I couldn’t blame her. The teacher darted a few concerned glances at Lucy, but apparently decided to leave her alone. Lucy didn’t seem to notice.

  At lunch Lucy and I waited at our table, both of us deep in thought. Neither of us had remembered to grab lunch as we rushed out the door that morning.

  “What’s with you two today?” Allison questioned as she sat down in her slim-fit jeans and pink button-up blouse with her purchased lunch. “You both look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  I looked up and forced myself to smile. “There’s nothing wrong, we’re fine.”

  Lucy shook her head in agreement. “Nope, nothing.”

  Our denials did nothing to placate her. Allison pressed on, “Out with it. The two of you are hiding something and you are going to tell me what it is right this instant.”

  Well, when she put it that way . . . I started from the beginning.

  By the time I had finished filling Allison in on the events she had missed over the weekend, she was staring at me in stunned silence. “You’re kidding,” She sputtered. “I don’t get the joke guys, what’s the punch line?” She looked back and forth between the two of us, eyebrows raised.

  “No punch line.” I replied as Lucy lifted her sleeve to expose her scratches as evidence.

  Allison grabbed Lucy’s arm and thoroughly examined the scratches. Lips pursed, Allison took a moment to consider the unlikely situation. “This is so not funny,” Allison said finally.

  I gave her a blank look.

  Allison looked back and forth between Lucy and me. “C’mon guys,” Allison pleaded, “joke’s over.”

  I sighed, “No joke, no punch line. We’re not entirely sure about our conclusion yet, but . . . ”

  Allison snorted loudly. “I simply cannot believe that Lucy is going to,” then she lowered her voice, “turn into a werewolf tonight, but I suppose I can afford to humor you two. If this turns out to be some elaborate prank, I will not be pleased.”

  “Humor us all you want Al. I’d love it if this were a joke. We’ll all find out tonight,” I said tiredly.

  “So what then? We’ll just tie Lucy up and wait out the full moon?” Allison asked.

  Now it was Lucy’s and my turn for stunned silence.

  “Well?” Allison questioned raising her eyebrows, “Do either of you have a better idea?”

  Lucy looked at me.

  Shrugging I turned to Allison. “My place or yours?”

  Now that that was all settled, we just had to wait out three more classes. Then we would set our sorta-plan into action. We would all go together to the local hardware store to try and find some sort of restraints, then we would wait at my house until the sun started to go down. We discussed just waiting for the full moon at my house, but I wasn’t about to put my mom in danger of being eaten or whatever it is that werewolves do. In the end, we decided that we would tell my mom we were going to Allison’s, but instead we would drive out into the woods to tie Lucy up and see what happened.

  Our plan was awful at best, and I was anxious to get it over with. Considering Lucy’s possible fate, and what might happen to Allison and me should our restraints fail, wasting our time in class seemed all too pointless. At least, I thought it did. Lucy refused to miss class, even under the extreme circumstances.

  For the first time in my life, gym went by painstakingly slow. Not even dodge ball could distract me from the ever-ticking clock. I walked into English, ready to count the minutes, and my heart skipped a beat. Dan was in class.

  “You have some nerve!” I stormed up to him. “I can’t believe you’re showing your face around here! I’m gonna . . . ”

  “Xoe!” Ms. Masterson thundered. “Sit down right this minute! What’s wrong with you?”

  I plunked down into my chair, sparing a mutinous glare for Ms. Masterson’s turned back. Dan chuckled. Chuckled! I could barely contain my fury. Brian gave me a concerned glance from his spot on the other side of me. I sat and fumed, clenching the sides of my desk, white-knuckled. My face felt afire. My anger was a palpable thing.

  Dismissing my outburst, Ms. Masterson had barely begun her lecture, when the classroom door opened and interrupted her. And who should walk in but Jason, our supposedly valiant rescuer, dressed in a red flannel shirt and faded jeans. This had to be a dream. I mean c’mon. He took the empty seat behind me while Ms. Masterson glared at him. Jason’s appearance had cooled my anger by a few degrees, replacing it with confusion.

  I stared at Dan. He ignored me, a small, infuriating smile on his face. I could feel Jason’s eyes on us. After what seemed like a lifetime of me staring at Dan, Brian glancing worriedly at me, and Jason watching all three of us—the bell finally rang. Dan stood quickly and rushed out the door. I was blocked from him by the other students shuffling out of the classroom. By the time I pushed past everyone and reached the hall he was nowhere to be found. I felt stupid for not having predicted his escape. I really hadn’t thought he’d run. I whirled on Jason, who was walking out of the classroom behind me.

  Hands on hips, I stared up into his dark blue eyes, just now noticing his clean-shaven face and less scruffy appearance, though his hair was still a tousled mess. Hmm, he did have a nice smile . . . wait, I mentally slapped myself for getting distracted,

  I crossed my arms, put on a stern face, and took on a bad Cuban accent. “Jaaason, you got some ‘splainin to do.” I still wasn’t buying the story he’d given us yesterday, now more than ever. He knew more about Dan than he had let on and he was going to tell me what that was.

  “Skip sixth period,” he replied with a smile. “Let’s take a walk.”

  I nodded, ignoring the risks. What was the worst that could happen?

  Don’t answer that.

  Avoiding the not-so-watchful security guards, we slipped outside and began our walk. A surprise gust of chilly air blew my hair back from my face. I glanced up at the sky as we walked off school grounds. The ominous clouds promised yet more rain. The smell of ozone was thick in the air. Joy.

  “I think that Lucy may be in trouble,” Jason began.

  “Tell me about it,” I replied. “Dan scratched her. I have theories, but the most prominent one means that Lucy’s ‘trouble’ will star
t tonight, and I think you know something about it.” I looked at him expectantly.

  A bitter smile crept across his face, doing nothing to mar his handsomeness . . . not that I noticed or anything. “You are correct,” Jason confirmed. “Dan is indeed a werewolf, and Lucy will likely become one too. Now the question is, what are we going to do about it?”

  “Yep,” I replied, “that’s the $10,000 question. So far we’ve come up with tying her to a tree in the woods.”

  Jason stumbled at my words, shock plain on his face. He recovered quickly, running his hands through his messy, dark brown hair. “Um, only if you are going to tie her up with silver chains.”

  “Oh,” I continued. “You wouldn’t happen to have any of those lying around?” I smiled sweetly and sarcastically fluttered my eyelashes at him.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” He answered nonchalantly.

  Oh. I hadn’t been serious about him having silver chains. I stopped and looked up at him curiously. “So it’s true that silver affects werewolves?”

  “Only the newly turned. Silver loses its potency after the first few shifts.”

  I nodded, storing away the information. “Now the question is, how do you know about all of this?”

  Jason ignored my question and began walking again.

  “Hey!” I shouted. “What gives? I was honest with you wasn’t I? I think I deserve an answer.”

  He stopped and turned to consider me, concern plain on his face. We had neared the city park. He jerked his head slightly, gesturing for me to follow him. We trod a short distance more through the grass, then stepped onto the slightly damp sand of the currently empty playground. Jason sat down on the black rubber seat of a chain-link swing and motioned for me to take the swing next to him.

  “I will make you a deal,” Jason began. “Let us handle this situation with Lucy, then I will tell you anything you wish to know.”

  “Anything?” I questioned.

  “Anything.”

  I glared at him skeptically, but then conceded. I didn’t really have much choice but to trust him, for Lucy’s sake. We sat on the swings discussing Lucy’s “problem.” Well, mostly I sat scraping the toes of my shoes in the damp sand as my swing drifted back and forth while Jason tried to explain to me exactly what was going to happen to Lucy tonight.