Solving the Vampire Murders

fifteen

Torren twisted in the sheets, blinking exhaustion from his eyes as Mandy came into focus. Stumbling out of her heels and cursing under her breath.

"You okay?" Torren whispered.

"Shit!" Mandy gasped. "You scared me. I thought you were sleeping."

"Well, I was," Torren said, checking his phone as he sat up. Keenly aware of his bare chest. Peeling the covers off, Torren hopped out of bed and tiptoed over. The purple-cast of twilight filtered in through sheer curtains, muting all the vibrancy of the room. Mandy was swaying, her tank top strap slipping down her shoulder.

"Everything okay?" he asked again.

Mandy tugged the giant pink bow out of her hair and tossed it on her vanity, not meeting his eye. "I guess I shouldn't have played that second game of Tippy Cup. I thought liquor before beer, you're in the clear. Right? Isn't that like a rule or something?"

Torren chuckled to himself. That was a refrain he'd heard a thousand times from her. Carefully looping his arm around her, he guided Mandy towards the bed. "I think that only applies if you don't overdo it. Come on, you'll feel better after you get some rest."

"I don't sleep anymore, Torn," she giggled. Then her shoulders stiffened, voice slipping into seriousness. "I mean, I don't sleep well. Not getting eight hours like I should."

Guilt tugged down the corners of his mouth. Mandy had probably stayed out later than she would've, trying to let him sleep instead. He was a notoriously light sleeper. Torren checked his watch—it was already five in the morning. He could get a shower and sneak out before any of her sisters asked questions about where he'd slept. Mandy eased herself onto the plush mattress, and Torren pulled the pastel quilt up to her neck. The way the covers hugged her body reminded him of a perversion of metamorphosis, where the beautiful butterfly was locked back inside a chrysalis.

"I'm gonna take a shower," Torren whispered. Snatching his suit off the vanity chair. "Thanks for letting me crash here tonight."

Mandy's eyes found his, and it was the first time the color green looked sad. "Anytime."

"You should get some rest," Torren said soothingly. He knelt down beside her,  the pain of leaving her alone twisting like a knife in his chest.

Mandy sank down further in the quilt. "I'm sorry I'm like this."

The apology sliced at his heart. He wanted to hold her. Tell her she was special. Important. All the wonderful things in the world and more. Brush back that too-short strand of hair that had fallen in her face.

Ever since her father had died, Mandy needed constant attention to thrive. Now, as he took in all the beautiful lines of her face, he thought she looked different. Stronger, even. He couldn't place what was different, only that something about her had changed. She might still be drinking and partying, but over this summer, she had thrived all on her own. She had even been elected Vice-President of Alpha Sigma Tau, which was a huge accomplishment.

"It's okay, Mandy. I think you're perfect just the way you are." Torren forced a smile, then lifted himself off the ground and made his way towards the door.

Before his hand touched the doorknob, he heard Mandy shift in her covers. "Hold up!" she called out. He turned, startling when he she was already beside him. "I didn't think you were leaving so soon. What's the rush?"

He was trying not to study her face. He needed to trust that Mandy was okay. There was going to come a time, sooner than later, when he wouldn't always be around to watch out for her. "I've got a lot to do today," Torren said sheepishly.

"Well, let's do something together later. We didn't even get a chance to catch up. If you're still interested in checking out Medea's Sin tonight, I'll come with."

Torren's brain was frantically trying to puzzle out her shift in moods. Was she feeling guilty? He didn't really want Mandy tagging along with him to a vampire bar. If something happened to her, he would never forgive himself. "No, it's cool. I'm just gonna go alone."

Mandy quirked a brow. "You're going alone? Only weirdos go to clubs by themselves. Or stalkers."

Searching for the excuse he didn't have, Torren sent his gaze to the carpet. "I'm sure you're busy doing sorority stuff tonight."

"Come on, Torn. I haven't seen you all summer. I wanna hear all about your fancy internship." Mandy knocked his shoulder with hers. Mischief dancing in her eyes. "We don't have to stay long."

Jesus, she wasn't going to let this go. "Alright. Let's meet up at ten. Pick you up here?"

"We'll probably be the only losers showing up at ten." Mandy grinned, and Torren bit down on the inside of his cheeks. He had a horrible feeling about dragging Mandy with him to the club. "Alright, I'll see you later then." Mandy threw her arms around his neck, and he let his hands encircle her waist.

"Mandy, you're freezing. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Of course, silly. I just need some sleep." Mandy took a half-step back, quickly pulling her arms from his neck. She gave him a half-hearted smile and a little wave before crawling back under her covers.

Torren tried to ignore the way the hair on his arms lifted as he watched her move. She didn't seem drunk like he first suspected. She was coherent. But, maybe Mandy had reached some new level of tolerance with booze. Torren mentally chastised himself. He needed to do better when it came to trusting her. She was fine.

Silently closing the door, Torren crept down the creaking hallway, ready for a shower and a cup of coffee when a sound caught his attention.

He froze in place, wordless curses streaming from his mouth. If Morgan or one of the other sisters caught him leaving Mandy's room, she would catch hell. Barely trusting himself to breathe, Torren took another step towards the bathroom when he heard the noise again. It was a breathy laugh. The kind of sound that bubbled over lips between kisses. Torren whirled, searching for the source as the giggles turned into a whispered breath.

"Come here, you," the voice cooed.

In a spine-straightening instant, he recognized that voice—Zia.

Could she be here?

Then a thought struck him. Zia must be a Practitioner, too. He felt like such an idiot. Maybe the house on East Fairlane was like a clubhouse for magicians.

Torren reached out a hand towards the sound. Mazia was here, he could feel it.

"That's it, come on," she urged.

Torren took a step closer, when a vision drifted across his consciousness. Of Mazia and him together. Laughing. Her fingers twisted in his hair, pulling him closer. "I'm waiting for you," she said, teeth nipping his ear. "Come find me."

Excitement tugged him into the bathroom. He was going to take the quickest shower of his life, make use of the wardrobe spell, then find Zia. Even though Torren told himself the hallway was empty, for some reason, it felt crowded. By the time he reached the bathroom, he was pushing past imaginary bodies.  Invisible forms casting shadows against the wall.

Torren flung the bathroom door open and tried to shut it before they could squeeze past, breath hitching in his chest. Mazia would know what to do about the ghosts. It all made so much sense. Why he was so fascinated by her, and how she could set him on fire with just a touch. 

She was magic, too.

Rummaging around in the vanity, Torren found a bin of cellophane-wrapped toothbrushes and toothpaste. He was so excited, and nervous, and creeped out, that his hands were shaking when he flicked on the tap.

"Pull it together, man," he muttered, watching the tiny bubbles form and burst as they left the faucet. The water swirled in lazy circles before being sucked down the drain.

Then, something felt wrong. Not just around him, but inside him. A coldness surrounding his heart. That double beat inside his chest returned—the echo.

Torren's hands slipped from the lip of the sink when he looked into the mirror.

That wasn't his reflection.