Over the course of the next few days, it doesn’t get any less weird. The infiltration of werewolves in my social sphere has made me appreciate just how perfectly normal my teenage existence was before. What I wouldn’t give to be invisible again, an afterthought to everyone around me. I wouldn’t have to be concerned that paranoia has become part of my routine. As the papers, readings and assignments pile up at school, only one topic focuses my attention: werewolves. Every once in a while I’m overcome by a sense of being watched, sometimes catching a flash of pale red hair like a ghostly sail in a breeze, but it’s never for long enough to know for sure that it’s Boadicea or just a random stranger.
On Saturday afternoon, while I’m trying to immerse myself in homework at the apartment, it’s a welcome break from my worry when I get a text from Madison: CUS @ I <3 Sushi? I save my assignment and head to J’m Sushi, looking forward to the distraction from monotonous readings and thoughts of the supernatural. Speaking of which, Arden forms the perfect wolf-shaped barrier to my exit, asleep at the threshold. When clearing my throat does nothing but perk up his ears, I unlock the door with the thought of just pulling it open, him with it. No sooner does the deadbolt slide open than Amara appears from their bedroom.
“Where are you going?”
“Out for sushi with Madison.”
“Wonderful,” she says and I assume that means Arden will let me pass now that I’ve got her approval. Instead, she heads toward us and gathers her things. “We will join you, as I am famished and on my way out in any case.”
Arden scrambles out of our way, allowing Amara to practically hoist me out the door and down the stairs. We’re at the end of the block when he appears again, looking model-perfect as usual, even though he had only minutes to transform and get dressed. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I don’t like it. It’s like having helicopter parents suddenly introduced into my life, hovering around my every move. Maybe my host werewolf family has decided to get warm and fuzzy with my friends. I don’t know how long Josh and Madison have been at J’m Sushi when we arrive, but it’s long enough that only scraps of tempura are left on their shared plate alongside two sets of chopsticks. As we stand by the table, it doesn’t go unnoticed by me that Arden’s left arm suddenly appears around Amara, the tattoo of the wolf glaring toward them. Thankfully, the awkward opportunity for small talk is abruptly overcome by Madison, who waves us over eagerly.
“Oh. My. God,” she says dramatically. “You will not believe this little tidbit of 411.”
She’s seated across from Josh at a four-top and is patting the chair next to her for me. As I comply, she pauses for effect. She wears a T-shirt that reads Self-Rescuing Princess with a bright yellow crown above it. I have to wonder if it’s meant to underscore our conversation from the other day. While Amara takes the free seat across from me, Arden is forced to pull up a chair between us at the end of the table. The look on Madison’s face is self-satisfied.
“Let me guess,” Josh attempts lightly. “There’s a Miyazaki film festival?”
Madison and I lean forward to look at him. Miyazaki is like the way cooler Walt Disney of Japanese animation.
“Do not joke about that,” she warns. “No, I’ve just found out about the most amazing underground party in the entire city of Paris.”
“Underground?” Amara asks, thrown off by another the figure of speech.
“Not literally,” I explain. “She just means―”
“Um, yeah, literally,” Madison interrupts.
“Like, what, in the subway system?” Josh inquires. “Those parties are for hobos, Maddy.”
YOU ARE READING
The Night Has Teeth (Book One) EXCERPTS ONLY
Werewolf#WATTYS2014 HQ LOVE AWARD! There's a darkness that lurks in the City of Light Seventeen-year-old Connor Lewis is chased by a memory. On his first day of kindergarten he bit a boy hard enough to scar the kid for life. Since then he's been a social ou...
