"Rumor has it you're here every day now. That Colbert girl must be a pretty good-"
There was no thought. One minute I was shoveling ice, the next I'd dropped the metal scoop in the ice machine and had a softball-size fireball fully formed and rolling around inside my hand just waiting to be thrown.
A matching orb of energy slowly grew in Dylan's right hand. He growled, "Careful, Coleman. Wouldn't want you to lose your control again and get kicked off yet another team."
As ticked off as I was, part of me really didn't care what happened as long as I could shut him up once and for all about Savannah. But deep down inside, another part of me was yelling, Don't be stupid, Tristan! This is exactly what he wants!
Footsteps at the locker-room door only gave us seconds to snuff out the magic before Ron Abernathy walked in. "Hey, guys, what's up? Oh, hey, Tristan. Haven't seen you around much lately. How've you been?"
Still staring at Dylan, I muttered, "Okay, and you?"
"Not bad. Heard you were helping out the Charmers now. You lucky dog, getting to work with all those girls wearing nothing but leotards all the time. They got any more openings for managers? Might have to join the team myself!"
I forced a tight smile, though it felt like I was having to chip the expression out of stone to pull it off. "I'll let you know if any come up."
I was waiting for Ron to get lost so I could finally take care of an old problem here. But he showed no signs of leaving as he stood there watching us. Was he hoping to see us fight again, or trying to stop the fight before it began?
As the seconds ticked by in silence, the anger eased back down to something I could control again. This wasn't over by a long shot. Dylan would have to be dealt with eventually. He was like a bulldog once he saw something, and obviously he wasn't ready to let our issues go. But tonight, I had bigger problems to deal with.
Gritting my teeth, I turned away and finished filling the last ice bag, then closed it up with a metal twist tie. As I headed for the door, my arms filled with ice bags that did nothing to cool the blood still boiling beneath my skin, I told Ron over my shoulder, "See you later." He raised a hand in answer.
"See you later," Dylan said, his tone making it a promise.
"Looking forward to it." I smiled, and this time I didn't bother to try and make it look nice.
Once outside the field house, I took off at a jog through the fading light across campus to the practice field. By the time I got there, the team was still wrapping up practice. But now the sun had fully set. The field and surrounding track were lit by several stadium lights. But the wood-lined walk between the field and sports and art building had no lights at all. And after we got through that section, I would still have to get Savannah out of the building and across the dark campus to the front parking lot and her truck.
Once practice ended and she and I were headed toward the practice-field gate, I tried a different plan. "Listen, I think I should lock up the dance rooms for you tonight. Then you can go straight from here to your truck and home."
She glanced at me, then kept walking toward the campus road and the shadowed section by the woods. Hardheaded woman. "I can't. It's my job to make sure the sound system's secured and the dance floor's locked up. Our equipment costs way too much. We couldn't afford to replace it if it got stolen or damaged."
"I'll make sure everything is locked up properly."
"That's really sweet of you, but you have no idea how mad Mrs. Daniels would get if she found out I dumped my job off on you. Come on, let's get this done so we can go home."
Frustrated, I tucked the MegaVox under my right arm and carried the jam box using my right hand. I'd at least have my left hand free. I clenched it into a loose fist and willed a tiny flame to life inside. If anything came at us, I was as ready as I'd ever be.
Savannah rubbed her arm through her coat. "Hey, are you using..."
"Just keep walking please. I'll show you later, I promise."
Catching the worry in my tone, she nodded and walked faster.
As we drew closer to the dark section of the road, I put myself between Savannah and the woods at our left. For added measure, I guided her to the opposite side of the street, using the brick backside of the math building to help protect her. I also kept her moving at a near jog.
"Where are they?" I muttered.
She glanced behind us and whispered, "Still back at the practice field."
My ears strained for any little noise from the woods or behind us. The gravel crunched beneath our feet, seeming extra loud in the silence. In the distance, a girl shrieked then laughed in the front parking lot, making my muscles twitch.
Time stretched. The walk took only minutes, but it seemed like hours before we made it past the woods to the cement ramp and then into the foyer. We were both breathing hard as we hurried inside. Now I just had to get her home safely.
On the way up the stairs, I showed her the flame inside my fist before I put it out. Then I told her what Emily had said.
Savannah turned pale. "But...they can't be."
"Trust me, Sav, vampires really exist." At Mrs. Daniels's office now, I stowed the equipment in the closet.
She frowned. "I know. But why would they be here?"
"You're still a descendant by birth. That means you can reach out and pull the earth's energy into yourself if you need to. That makes you like a big, limitless generator for vampires. They need energy. We've got it. Most of us know how to protect ourselves. But you were never trained. So the temptation must be irresistible to them."
Hands free at last, I walked over to hold hers. They were cold and shaking. Oh, good job making her feel protected, Cole man. "Hey, listen, you're going to be fine. Between your family's magic and mine, we'll have you covered 24/7. No vamp would try to attack you here with so many descendants around to witness it. And for the times when we can't be with you, your family can get you set up with some vamp wards for protection."
"No, they can't." Her eyes widened, as if she'd given away some secret.
"Why not? Don't they know how to make them?"
"No, it's not that. It's...we're...forbidden to do magic." She nibbled the inner corner of her lips, and I was a little distracted by the movement.
After a few seconds, I blinked and remembered what we had been talking about. "Okay, I guess that makes sense. No big deal, Emily should know how to make them by now. And until then, I can teach you how to make fire." I reached for her hand.