Under Sunless Skies (Starlight Saga Book 2) Read online

  “You mean, aliens with benefits?” I lower my voice so only Viola can hear me. “When did this happen? And when were you going to tell me about it?”

  Viola puts a fry dripping with ketchup into her mouth, then chews and swallows. “There’s nothing much to tell.”

  “You’re playing tonsil-tango with my on again, off again boyfriend’s bother and there’s nothing to tell? Obviously, something’s going on. I’m not stupid.” My posture goes rigid, the muscles twanging in my neck. “What did you do? Rush to his house right after I told you my secret?”

  “No! We ran into each other at the library a few days after the senior bonfire and started talking.” She shrugs and points at my French fries. “You gonna finish those?”

  “Help yourself.” I scoot my plate to her, and Viola happily devours my salty fries.

  My breathing still rough, I try to relax. I glance at Zach and Hayden’s table. My stare zeroes in on Zach, who’s twirling a basketball on one finger while talking with his teammates.

  Even though, I trusted Viola with all my other secrets, it might be safer for her and myself, if I don’t tell her about The Blackmailer yet. Since she’s hooking up with Zach, I might have to censor everything I say until I uncover the culprit. And if it does turn out to be Zach, then it would only tip him off that I know he’s guilty.

  Zach’s still my prime suspect.

  My head turns and my gaze locks with Hayden’s burning stare. I’m jolted by a hot current sizzling and sparking between us, zapping through me as though I’ve touched an exposed wire. Even though five tables separate us, we still have a thick layer of incredible chemistry linking us together. Then Hayden looks away and refocuses on whatever Zach is saying to him. Dragging in a shallow breath, I concentrate on my lunch and friends.

  The bell clangs and we throw our trash away, then part ways.

  Shuffling my feet, I trudge along the corridor to my locker like an inmate walking along death row. The odor of pine-scented floor wax assaults my nose. Nearing my locker, I hesitantly stand before it.

  When I open it, another black envelope waits inside. I immediately, scan the corridor, checking left and right. Other students huddle near classroom doors and lockers. Nobody is looking in my direction. A hot flush steals up my neck, and two bright red splotches blossom on each cheekbone.

  I tear open the envelope and remove the latest warning. With my head hanging low, I stare at the ominous threat. The paper crinkles in my sweaty hand as I reread the message:

  STOP HANGING WITH HAYDEN BEFORE HIS PARENTS DISCOVER YOUR SECRET COUPLEDOM!

  A slow, sick roll hits the pit of my stomach. My legs wobble. I reach out, catching hold of the edge of my locker. Bile creeps up my throat, and my lunch threatens to spew out all over the floor.

  When will this nightmare end?

  FRIGHT NIGHT BABBLE

  Hey there, Grinning Gremlins!

  This next overused cliché is just a craptastic schlock-fest…

  Why are the humans in most science fiction tales considered the good guys, and aliens are the evil baddies that crash-landed on Earth to wreak havoc?

  There are some good storylines with the opposite scenarios, like Superman, District 9, Avatar, and Transformers, where the humans are the major jerkwads.

  Then there are those evil extraterrestrials that are constantly trying to attack our planet because of some valuable resource that no other rotating rock in space seems to have. Or for some reason humans are just special snowflakes.

  And what about the tropes that alien races aren’t ugly space invaders? Most creatures from outer space resemble humans because of a comparable evolution. Eh, whatever.

  Although, I guess I could believe a few Martian-like anthropologists might be stationed on Earth to study humans. But those rumors about aliens having hybrid offspring secretly living among us?

  Nah. Too cliché.

  Peace, love, and horror flicks,

  Sloane

  TWENTY-FOUR

  In the lunchroom, I’m quiet and moody, barely speaking to my friends. In other words, I’m in a bitchy PMS mood. Saxton sits with my crew again, and Hayden shoots draggers at him from his own moody glare.

  Ignoring Hayden, I take out my Hello Kitty notebook and reread my notes. Somehow, I need to narrow down my list of suspects. I scrutinize every single person seated in the cafeteria. One of them is The Blackmailer.

  In case they’re watching, I lift my chin in defiance and take a big bite off the end of the carrot stick my mom snuck into my lunch. Grimacing, I toss it aside and open the plastic baggie I packed with Double-Stuff Oreos.

  “I’m starving. I’ve hardly eaten anything today.” I stuff a cookie into my mouth.

  Viola grabs a carrot and takes a bite. “What did you have this morning?”

  “Not much. Just like two glazed donuts. Then on my way to school, I stopped at Starbucks and had a venti green tea Frappuccino and a cinnamon raisin bagel. And between second and third period, I munched on some nachos with extra cheese, but they weren’t really that filling and drank a soda.”

  Viola snickers. “So you’ve basically had two breakfasts and lunch?”

  I groan. “Yeah! That’s all. No wonder I’m so hungry.” I take out my tuna sandwich on rye and a bag of chips, then proceed to share my lunch with Viola. But if she touches my cookies, she may lose a hand.

  Midway through lunch, Hayden leaves his seat and stomps through the doors. Scooting back my chair, I grab my stuff, mumble a goodbye to my friends, and chase after him. I want a word, or maybe several dozen.

  “Hayden!” I yell, shoving through the double-doors. “What’s your issue with Saxton?”

  “What is he? You’re new lunch buddy?” he snaps.

  “We’re friends.”

  He raises a brow. “Like you and I are friends?”

  “You know damn well I’m not friends with Saxton like that.” I frown. “Wait. What are we talking about?” I point at him and then myself. “What type of friends are we?”

  If he suggests we’re friends with benefits, I’ll save those reapers the trouble and kill him myself.

  He moves closer and lowers his head until the tips of his long brown strands brush my face. “I’m only trying to protect your honor. Nothing more.”

  I frown. “He’s a harmless flirt.”

  He steps back and rakes a hand through his hair. “You used to say the same thing about Devin, and look what happened to him.”

  “Are you threatening to mind-wipe Saxton?”

  “No.” His chin jerks upward in defiance, his eyes flashing. “But he is a douchebag.”

  The bell rings. Behind us, the double-doors to the cafeteria burst open and release a horde of students. Our classmates maneuver around us as if we’re a boulder in the middle of a rushing river. Hayden grips my arm and guides me closer to the wall and out of the way of oncoming traffic.

  I squint up at him. “You’re actually jealous of Saxton.” My lips quirk into a smile. “This is an interesting turn of events.”

  Hayden shoves his hands into the pockets of his ragged jeans. A vein in his jaw ticks. “I’m not jealous of that asshat. Guys like Saxton are players.”

  “I’d never get serious with anyone who dated my best friend.”

  Hayden rubs the back of his neck. “My gut says that Saxton has ulterior motives and I intend to discover what those are.”

  While I agree with his suspicions pertaining to Saxton, this is not the place to voice them. The Blackmailer could be anywhere watching or listening.

  “There’s something I need to talk to you about, other than your weird obsession with Saxton Ridge.”

  “Okay, meet me by my car at three.” Hayden stamps to the outer doors, which means he’s cutting his next class.

  When my last class ends for the day, I hurry to my locker and warily lift the latch. A bathroom door slams and I flinch.

  Damn, I’m turning into a paranoid freak.

  No. Stop it. This is my locker
and has been for four years. I’m not going to be intimidated any longer. I’m not going to be afraid to open it. Whatever my mysterious blackmailer wants to chuck at me next, I’ll just deal with it. Like I’ve dealt with all the other alien craziness that has darkened my doorstep since Hayden entered my life.

  These intimidation tactics must stop.

  Taking a deep breath, I unlock the door and fling it open. Inside, dangling from a shoelace noose is a purple-haired doll in a black dress and knee-high boots.

  What the holy hand-grenade is that? Some type of death threat?

  Attached to the dress is a note:

  GO TO THE PROM WITH SAXTON. BUT REMEMBER, NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS!

  My stomach does all kinds of crazy flips. The Blackmailer has gone off the rails with this latest threat and the creeptastic doll.

  After grabbing a textbook, I shove Lynch-Mob-Barbie onto the top shelf. Shutting my locker door, I turn and jump about a foot off the ground. Saxton stands there with a puckered brow.

  I place a hand over my rapidly beating heart. “You scared the crap out of me!”

  “For a horror queen you scare easy,” he says.

  My panic dissolving, I eye him closely and shove the heavy textbook into my backpack. “Did you need something?”

  “Are you going to the prom?”

  The most recent warning note advised me to go with him to the dance. Saxton might actually be The Blackmailer. Maybe he’s the one who set this whole thing up as a trap to get me to agree to attend the prom with him. Very weird and very sneaky.

  “I’m not sure yet.”

  Saxton rubs his hands together. “Would you like to go with me?”

  The tips of my ears burn. “What type of sick game are you playing?”

  “Guess you’ll have to wait and see, won’t you?” He smiles, all teeth. “You’re not going with Hayden?”

  I shake my head. “No. He has raging family issues.”

  “Then can I be your alternative?” He raises both eyebrows. “Look, I know prom sounds kinda lame and never really lives up to all the hype, but seriously, this is probably our last chance to go to a school dance. So whaddya say?”

  My first reaction is to say ‘no thanks’ for two reasons, the first is I don’t trust the blackmailer’s advice, and the second is I’m not interested in dating Saxton. Since I can’t go with Hayden and attending a dance with a guy—a male friend—doesn’t equal any type of serious commitment, I don’t see any harm in accepting Saxton’s invite. And I shouldn’t miss the senior prom just because Hayden is still too afraid to take our relationship public and The Blackmailer warned me not to go with him. Plus, if Saxton’s The Blackmailer, there’s only one way to blow his cover and find out for sure…I have to go with him.

  “Um, okay. Yeah,” I say. “As friends only, right?”

  “Sweet!” He takes out his phone from his pocket. “Give me your number.”

  We exchange info and Saxton tells me he’s going to pick me up at seven. When I protest and say I’ll meet him at the prom, he claims it’s his gentlemanly duty to drive me there.

  I rush across campus to meet Hayden by his Range Rover, trying to ignore the icky feeling building in my stomach. I spot him leaning into the door of his black SUV. When I reach him, I recline my elbows on the hood while we wait for the lot to empty.

  Once most of the cars have exited, I tell him all about the threats left in my locker. Instead of being relieved when I finish, my nerve endings feel stretched tight.

  “You should’ve told me sooner,” he grumbles. “Just like with the notebook.”

  “I know, but I was afraid of dragging more people into my nightmare. I thought I could deal with it.”

  “It’s okay to ask for help if you need it.”

  “See, the thing is, I’m just having a really hard time trusting people lately.” I wring my hands. “Do you think Zach’s the blackmailer?”

  He is quiet a moment, as if digesting the question. “Why would he?”

  “Duh. Your brother hates me.” I take out my Hello Kitty notebook from my backpack with my list of possible suspects and read it over. “He’s got the biggest motive. Think about it, he dislikes me and Zach doesn’t want us to date. Maybe your Neanderthal brother has more imagination than I gave him credit for...”

  “Can I see the notes? And my brother’s not a caveman.”

  “Sure, and his knuckles don’t drag on the floor.” I reach into my backpack, then yank out the folded messages that I kept, and hand them to him.

  Hayden quickly reads each one and gives them back to me. “This person obviously knows a lot about you and me.”

  “Today when I opened my locker, I found a doll swinging from a noose.”

  “Must be a warning of some sort,” he says in a small voice. “I don’t think it’s Zach.”

  “Why not?”

  “It just doesn’t sound like my brother,” Hayden says. “He’s more of a get-into-your-face type of guy. He wouldn’t waste time with immature scare tactics to frighten you.”

  “What about Arcane? Would he—”

  “No. It could be Saxton,” he says.

  And silently I agree. Saxton just got top-billing on my suspect list.

  “What would be his motive?”

  He pinches the bridge of his nose and briefly closes his eyes. “I’m not sure, but it sounds like those notes started showing up around the same time he transferred here.”

  I chew my lip. “And shortly before Arcane started teaching at Haven High.”

  “So…” Hayden glances at me. “Then it’s one of them.”

  “Or a third-party we have yet to discover. What about Xavier?”

  “How would he have access to the school and your locker without being seen?”

  “We can rule him out, I guess…” I frown. “While we’re on the subject, do you know who Xavier is or not?” I demand.

  Hayden doesn’t respond for a moment. A ripple of friction makes my shoulders rigid.

  “I’ve heard of him, yes.” He swallows hard, then stares down at his sneakers. “He’s a powerful man with connections to ST.”

  “And?”

  His head snaps up. “And nothing. Can we please just finish discussing this blackmail—”

  “No.” I grind my teeth, my jaw aching. “The way you’re back to dodging my questions again is getting beyond frustrating. Can’t you ever answer anything without me having to pry it out of you?”

  His brow furrows. “Only when I feel it’s time to discuss something. And this is not the time, Sloane.”

  “So in other words, drop it or what?”

  “Stop pushing me. Or…” He gazes into eyes with a deep intensity. “We can’t be friends.”

  I lift my shoulders. “Fine. Be a butthead about it.”

  His lips twitch. “Did you just call me a butthead?”

  Our eyes meet and hold for a moment. Tension soaks the air.

  “Yup. And just so you know, I’m not letting this go.”

  “I know.” He blows out a deep breath. “I’ll tell you everything when I’m ready. Can you live with that?”

  I cross my arms over my chest. “Oh, yeah. Major butthead.”

  He inhales sharply. “Please stop calling me that.”

  “If it walks like a butthead, and looks like a—”

  “That’s a duck.”

  “Or a—”

  “Okay! I get it,” he says, waving a hand as if to stop me from anymore name calling.

  “You’re on probation, Hayden Lancaster. I’m determined to find out whatever it is you’re not telling me.”

  “Fair enough.” Hayden rubs his chin as if in quiet deliberation, his blue and green eyes boring into mine. “But I’m still not ready to talk about it.”

  “Then I guess we’re at an impasse.”

  “I suppose we are,” he says softly and backs away. “Without witnesses or evidence linking them to the blackmail, it could be anybody. Like we need more problems to deal wi
th!” Hayden bangs his fist against the hood, then blows out a breath. “I gotta get home. We can deal with this blackmail disaster later.” He spins around and stalks away, never glancing back.

  “You bet your ass we will,” I mutter to his retreating back.

  TWENTY-FIVE

  The next day, during my last class, I text Viola under my desk to tell her that I have news. I missed her at lunch because she was a no-show, along with Zach, which probably means they went off campus to have lunch together. I wish so badly I could tell her about the blackmail notes, but I’m not sure it’s safe and I don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me.

  Viola meets me in the student lot by the Jetta, and I ask her to come over so we can talk. When we get to my house, I fling open the front door and drag her upstairs to my room.

  After shutting the door behind me, I sit on the bed. “Saxton asked me to prom.”

  Viola’s mouth drops open. “Please tell me you didn’t say yes.”

  Frowning, I nod. “I get that it’s weird because you went out with him, but we’re only going as friends—”

  “Zero weirdness. I don’t care who Saxton dates,” Viola says quickly. “But Zach and Hayden don’t trust him.”

  “Zach too? I would’ve thought Zach and Saxton were best buds.” I scratch my cheek. “Saxton’s okay. I mean, I’m not attracted to him, but he seems harmless and I decided that I’m not going to miss the dance because Hayden isn’t man enough to stand up to his parents.”

  Viola crosses her arms. “I’m just glad you’re getting over this total blah phase you’ve been wallowing in. You used to be way more fun. And I say that with extreme sensitivity.”

  “Well, whatever. If I can’t be seen in public with Hayden yet, you shouldn’t be going with Zach.”

  “Ha! You’re the one in danger. Saxton uses way too much tongue.”

  “What?”

  She fake shudders. “Kissing him is like calisthenics of the mouth. Super gross.”

  I laugh. “No worries. I plan on having a kiss-free night.”

  “Besides, it’s not that serious with Zach and me.”

  “Righttt,” I say dragging out the word. “You know lying to yourself isn’t going to keep you from getting hurt by him,” I mutter. “So tell me about this thing you have going on with Zachary Lancaster.”