"Got it," Tristan nodded.
"What are you guys talking-" Something smacked the back of my skull. Hard. My hand flew to my head and I whirled around to find-nothing. Right when I was trying to decipher what invisible force was playing hockey with my skull, a fresh wave of pain crashed through my brain. Knees buckled. I went down, a roar filling my ears.
A hand grabbed my shoulder. My head jerked up and took another whack. At least this one I understood. Tristan reeled back from my unintentional headbutt.
"Sorry." I rubbed my head.
He waved off the apology, but his wide purple eyes watered from the blow.
Purple? I looked again. No, blue with a ring of violet around the irises. As I watched, the violet faded to lavender then only deep ocean-blue orbs held a worried expression. Too many knocks to the noggin must have given me a concussion because, unless these guys wore some funky contacts, eyes just don't change color.
"Don't worry about it." Tristan reached a hand. Even with his slender frame he easily helped me to my feet. "You okay?"
The throbbing dissipated. I massaged the back of my scalp, surprised to find no lump, and nodded, still clueless as to what had transpired but ready to be rid of these two.
"Rora!" Luna screeched from the doorway of our house. My fourteen-year-old sister wasn't known for subtle. For once I was grateful.
"Gotta go. See you guys later." I walked backward and pointed at Mr. Exotic. "Keep your head up. I'd like to avoid another train wreck."
The two boys shared a startled look.
"Wait, you-" Tristan began but stopped when Mr. Exotic raised a quick hand.
"Dinner's ready!" Luna gestured an impatient arm.
I waved goodbye over my shoulder, glad to be away. What an odd pair.
CHAPTER FOUR
Luna sniffed as I came into the house. "You seriously stink. Who were you talking to?"
"The neighbors. Tristan and … " I realized the insolent hottie had never introduced himself.
"Are they cute?"
I smiled. "Smokin'.'"
My sister Selena launched herself into my arms, almost knocking me over. My theme for the evening.
"School tomorrow!" the five-year-old squealed. "Yay!"
"It'll be fun." I tickled her side to erupt giggles and cover my lack of conviction. New school, middle of the year, and demons trying to kill me? Forecast didn't look sunny.
I squeezed through unpacked boxes in the dining room and settled Selena into her booster seat. She sang her latest made-up melody about "schools that have snools." Already in his high-chair, one-year-old Oron had one fist stuffed in his mouth and the other banging his tray. Luna and her twin, Lucian, started a back-and-forth rising crescendo of "Am not," and "Are to," after Luna called Lucian a "perv."
Some folks call it chaos. In our house? Welcome to dinner.
"Lucian!" Mom barked as she set out her famous shepherd's pie, plying us with our Irish heritage comfort food before our first day at the new school. "Enough boob talk."
I raised eyebrows at my hormonal brother.
"Mom claims," Lucian said with a dubious look, "she doesn't mind Dad seeing other ladies' boobs. It isn't like the city. This town is small. He'll know them. The ladies-not the boobs."
Selena sing-songed new lyrics. "Daddy sees boobs that look like snoobs … "
Dad jumped in with his standard lecture about surgeons concerned with saving lives not ogling women's "private parts," and Mom changed the subject.
"Aurora, have you met any old friends from before?"
I grabbed bread for dipping. "Mom, I was eight when we moved from here. Do you remember anyone?"
Mom shook her head, shoveling mashed potatoes into Oron's mouth. "No. Clyde?"
"Nope." Dad paused with the fork halfway to his mouth. "Although, didn't Aurora's teachers call her Snow White?"
Selena chimed, "Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work we go."
"That's right." Mom paused a spoonful on its way to Oron who lost patience and plowed his hand into the spuds. Most of the mush made it into his mouth. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs because she and those boys were always hanging out at school."
"You had seven boyfriends?" Luna asked, impressed.
"No," Mom said. "Not seven, just four or five. And they weren't boyfriends, just friends. Aurora was a tomboy. She didn't hang out with girls."
"Should've stuck with that plan," Lucian muttered.