Sullied

Chapter 10

Ten

Ru

Boy, waking up in this house takes me back. Memories from undergrad play tag in my mind, taking turns being it.

The time Zoe insisted on naked hiking and got poison ivy on her ass. Her boyfriend bragging about where he got to rub the calamine lotion.

The rest of us pretending we didn’t hear that.

The time I needed a YouTube tutorial to start a fire for roasting s’mores in the backyard burn pit. Not like the others knew how to do it either, but that didn’t stop them from laughing at me. Hey, it’s harder than you’d think to start a decent, long-lasting fire.

The time Ryan almost kissed me, but chickened out, so I planted one on him instead. The four months we spent dating after that first kiss. We were never going to work out, but we had some fun.

Good times.

Being in this cabin with Sully is different.

Though not without levity, our situation is somber. There’s a weight to our presence here beyond avoiding homework and grungy dorm bathrooms. There could be serious consequences to playing the wrong card.

I take my coffee outside. Sully’s still sleeping, and I want to do a walk around the perimeter. Not sure what I’m looking for. Tire tracks. Footprints. I’m not much of a spy, but any assurance we weren’t followed is better than nothing.

The air is brisk, chilling my cheeks, and the wind cuts through my sweatpants, chilling parts of me that would rather not be chilled. No snow, but the breeze carries the scent of it through the pines.

I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. It’s a gray, wintry day, and we’re alone up here. Safe and sound.

With my peace of mind intact, I head back inside.

Several hours later, nearly lunchtime, Sully comes tottering out into the living room, bleary-eyed. Very cute.

Socks is the first to greet him, hopping from her spot on the ottoman to rub her flank against his calf. He leans down to pet her while Twenty-Four maintains his regular perch on his left shoulder.

I could get used to this. The three of them. All night owls with their sleepy mornings and evening zoomies.

“You hungry?” I ask, ready to be even more domestic and cook him breakfast. Or brunch, considering the hour.

“Yes.” He plops onto the sofa, followed by Socks, who’s angling for his lap already. Furry hussy.

I consider the contents of the fridge. “Now that I think about it, there isn’t much to cook. We have bread, bread, or more bread. How about a charcuterie board of toast?”

“I don’t know what charcuterie means.”

“Hmm, neither do I. Just like a board with an assortment of food, but it sounds French so… fancy food? Probably not toast. Meat and cheese, of which we have neither.”

“How about popcorn?”

I shake my head and chuckle, but telling him no isn’t high in my skill set. “Great idea. Coming right up.”

While the microwave hums away, Sully opens a fresh tin of stinky food for Socks and adds it to her bowl, which isn’t empty. Spoiled feline menace.

“How did you sleep?” I ask.

“Okay.” His little shrug tells me not so well, but Sully doesn’t ever complain. “How about you?”

I slept like shit, but if he’s not going to complain then neither will I. “About the same, I’d wager.”

There’s suddenly a lot less to complain about in my life now that Sully is in it.

Sully

Twenty-Four and I curl up on the couch with our popcorn and Ru’s dad’s copy of Twilight.

We’re not even halfway through the bag when I hear tires crunching over gravel. I hold my breath, hoping they’re turning around or something, but the noise grows louder as the car approaches.

My heart pounds. No one is supposed to know we’re here. I’m frozen, muscles tense, and the sound of the shower from Ru’s room hasn’t paused. He doesn’t know. He can’t hear as well as I do.

I have to move. Get up. Tell Ru. Look out the window. Something.

Twenty-Four has stopped eating to stare at me. His little body is also rigid with worry. He’s empathic that way.

A car door slams outside. Just one. Footsteps clatter up the walkway. I can probably handle one person if I have to. Whoever it is, they can’t be a vampire, not during the day, so they’re human.

I can subdue a human. I can.

But I hope I don’t have to.

Willing myself out of my frozen state, I creep from the couch toward the door and jump a mile high when whoever it is knocks. Energy slams through my chest and spikes out through each limb, shaky and buzzing.

Should have anticipated that knock.

Didn’t.

There’s a peephole if I can bring myself to look out of it. I gather my courage and reach for the door to lean on. My hand tingles, fingers light and clumsy. The light through the little hole repels me.

Can’t look after all.

“Ru?” A feminine voice. “Open up. I see your car. I know you’re in there.”

I don’t recognize that voice. Very few women work at II Tech, and she isn’t any of them. So that means… This must be Zoe. And she’s Ru’s friend.

So we’re safe?

I think we’re safe.

More knocking. “Ru. You can’t just hole up in here alone and not tell me what’s going on.”

What do I do? I can’t open the door for her, there’s too much light on the other side, and Ru’s still in the shower. I should say something, but what?

The handle jiggles. I jump backward.

“I’m coming in.”

A key slides into the lock, metal on metal. Before she can turn the handle, common sense takes over and I duck behind the wall to shade myself from the light.

The door opens. “Ru, you okay?”

The door closes.

I take a deep breath—which does nothing to stop my racing heart—and step around the corner.

She startles.

“Um, sorry,” I offer. “Hello.”

“Hey.” She recovers quickly. A petite woman with brown skin and black hair. She’s bundled in a puffy white coat and white fuzzy earmuffs. The house key dangles from her slender fingers. She doesn’t look like a threat. She looks beautiful. And not at all scared of me. Which is good.

“I’m Ru’s friend,” she says. “Zoe. Is that a rat?”

“I’m also Ru’s friend.” My tongue ties as I decide what my name should be. Am I Sully to everyone I meet now? Or just to Ru? Why does this feel like a big decision?

II Tech named me Sullivan.

Ru named me Sully.

Decision made.

“I’m Sully. And this is Twenty-Four.”

“Hey, Sully. Hey, Twenty-Four. That’s a funny name for a pet.” She smiles, flashing a row of straight white teeth and looking genuinely glad to see me. More than that. Like she knows something I don’t and whatever it is makes her happy. Then she squints. “Wait, why didn’t you answer the door?”

“I can’t.”

She stares. I stare. Will she be scared if I tell her why? I wonder if she knows any other vampires.

“You can’t? Like Ru said not to or something?” She looks me up and down. “Are you wearing his clothes?”

Honesty is the best policy. That’s a thing I’ve heard, so it’s probably true. “I can’t because the sun could kill me. Ru doesn’t boss me around like that. And, yes, these are his clothes. I don’t have any of my own. And I like his. They smell like him.”

Her mouth opens. Closes. She blinks. “Okay. I have so many questions. But first, is Ru around? I need to talk to him.”

“He’s in the shower.”

“Okay.” There’s more awkward staring.

I can’t stand it. “Want some popcorn? We have plenty.”

She blinks. “Um, sure. Why not? Let’s have popcorn at—” She glances at her phone. “—eleven forty-five in the morning. Sounds great. Not weird at all.”

We head to the kitchen, and I start a fresh bag.

Zoe wanders through the living room and picks up my book. “Who’s reading Twilight?”

“Me.”

“You keep getting weirder, Sully.”

“I like to read.”

“Me too. But not this tooth-rotting fluff pretending to be dark romance. I was done with that years ago.”

I have no idea what to say to that. “Okay. I like to read other stuff too.”

“Like what?”

“Ru’s parents had this book about vampires in Europe. I’m reading that.”

“Bit of a vampire obsession going on. Should I be worried?”

“No?” The microwave dings and saves me from whatever she’s about to ask next. Inspiration strikes, and I grab the cream cheese frosting from the fridge plus two butter knives. “So this is your house?”

“My parents’ house.”

I hand her a knife plus her bag of popcorn and reclaim my own. We settle at opposite ends of the couch. I pop off the top of the icing and dig in. “Thanks for letting us come here.”

“You’re welcome.” Zoe’s staring again, but I’m used to being stared at. And I’m so relieved she’s Ru’s friend and not some goon from II Tech following us that I can’t be bothered.

“Are you guys in some kind of trouble?”

Well, shit. Now I’m bothered. Ru probably doesn’t want me to talk about that. “Not at the moment.”

“Dodgy.” She watches me slather a piece of popcorn with frosting and pop it into my mouth. “Does that actually taste good?”

“Mm-hmm.” I offer the container. “Try it.”

She does. Hesitantly. She chews slowly, but when she swallows she smiles. “Oddly satisfying.”

“Isn’t it? Ru let me do the grocery shopping.”

“Did he now? I don’t remember him having much of a sweet tooth.”

“He likes Dr. Pepper.”

“Everyone likes Dr. Pepper.” She coats another piece of popcorn in frosting. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-three. How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight. How’d you meet Ru?”

“He works where I used to live.”

“Oh.” Her brows draw inward. “But Ru’s an engineer. Where did you live?”

“I don’t want to talk about that.” II Tech is the last thing I want to talk about with Ru’s pretty friend. “We both like books. We could talk about books.”

The shower water cuts off. I hope Ru hurries dressing. This would be easier if he were here too.

“Changing the subject.” She points at me with her knife. “But I’ll allow it. Tell me about vampires then, since you like to read about them so much.”

I’m not sure this is a safe topic either. “I’m watching True Blood. Have you seen it?”

“Yeah, when it came out like fifteen years ago. Have you been under a rock?”

“Sort of.”

We safely manage to discuss our mutual appreciation for Eric Northman until Ru shows up, hair damp, face flushed, wearing jeans and a T-shirt and looking even more gorgeous than usual.

His gaze roams over me and lands on Zoe. He stops in his tracks. “Zoe.”

“Rupert.” She purses her lips. “Your boyfriend’s weird.” Then she looks at me and adds, “No offense.”

I’m not offended. Boyfriend, though? She thinks Ru might have a boyfriend…

“Sully’s not my boyfriend.”

“He’s wearing your pajamas. I’m not stupid.”

“He doesn’t have his own clothes, that’s all.”

“Are you picking up pretty hobos with pet rats off the street these days? Desperate much? I mean, he’s definitely your type, don’t get me wrong, but why the fuck doesn’t he have his own clothes?”

My mouth might be hanging open stupidly. Okay, it definitely is. I’m his type? So… he is gay? Or at least bi.

Either way, I have a chance.

A world of possibilities unfurls in my imagination. Kissing Ru. Leaning into his neck. My tongue on his throat. What would he taste like?

“Not that I’m not thrilled to see you, but what are you doing here?” Ru sits on the edge of the rocking chair across from us, and I take a moment to stare at his mouth. Which now seems even more kissable than before.

“Um, it’s my house? And I came to ask you that exact question. Because I was worried. I am worried. What’s going on here?”

He tilts his head. “Are you guys eating popcorn and frosting? Wait, don’t answer that. Obviously you are. And that seems like something Sully would do.”

“It’s actually pretty good,” says Zoe. “Now stop avoiding the topic and answer my questions. What’s his story?”

“He’s sitting right there. It’s rude to talk about him like he’s not here.”

“I don’t mind.” I dig my knife into the frosting. “I’m used to it.”

“That not the point,” Ru argues.

“He says he doesn’t mind. You better start talking or I’ll tell your not-boyfriend about the time you fell in a mall fountain.”

Ru’s flush deepens. “You wouldn’t.”

“Don’t try me, Dr. Rupert P. Martin. He said the sun could kill him. What the fuck does that mean?”

Ru’s gaze flashes lightning quick to me. His eyes widen.

I shift in my seat, chest prickling. “Should I not have said that?”

“See,” says Zoe, “stuff like that. It’s weird. Why would he ask you how to talk to me? Why doesn’t he have his own clothes? And while we’re at it, what’s with the rat?”

“His name is Twenty-Four.” I remind her while scratching his head.

“That only deepens the mystery my new, weird friend.” She reaches for the frosting.

I hand it over. “It’s short for R-24-1733.”

“Sully, maybe it’s best if you stop talking.” Ru drops his head into his hands.

“Sorry.” I have no idea what I’ve done wrong, but he doesn’t seem mad. Just flustered.

“No need to be sorry. It’s okay. But maybe I should talk to Zoe alone.”

“Oh, hell no. The two of you are far too interesting together to be separated. Spill it, Ru.”

He sinks farther into his chair and doesn’t answer.

Zoe turns to me and grins. “So there was a laser tag place at the mall where we—”

“Okay, okay, okay!” He sits straight up and waves his hands for her to stop. “If I never hear that story again, it’ll be too soon. I’ll talk.”