Blood Relatives

22. You Can't Do That

"What are you doing here?" Zev asked. He did not sound happy.

"I was just jogging with Megan." Carmine started weakly. She hoped that if she used the girl's name it would help distract from the fact that she was now lying on the ground. Maybe Zev wouldn't think she'd attack someone who was possibly a friend.

"Really?" Zev cut her off before she even had a chance to finish her lie. "And your jogging partners usually end up passed out on the ground?"

"What? No. I mean–" Carmine sputtered. She glared at Zev. "What are you doing here anyway?"

His house was at least six blocks from here. Was he stalking her or something? Wasn't it enough that he and his friends were checking up on her every day at school?

"I had to talk to Mr. Lowell." he told her. "And now I'm heading back home."

"Through the woods?" It sounded pretty convenient to Carmine.

"I guess." Zev said. He sounded like he thought she was crazy. "I mean, it's only like a three minute walk. I live right there." He nodded towards the back porch of a house about twenty yards away.

Carmine could feel the blood draining from her face. Gone was that wonderful feeling of being full, replaced by a knot in her stomach. Was she really that close to where the boys lived? How could she have been so off? If she'd known that, she never would have gone after Megan like that!

Carmine's thoughts were racing. She wanted to tell Zev that it wasn't as bad as it looked. Really, everything was just fine. She hadn't been out in a day or two, and it was a one-time thing. But Zev opened his mouth before she got the chance.

"I'd ask why you're out here, but I think it's pretty obvious." Zev looked away from her, like he couldn't even believe they were having this conversation. Of course, when he did, he saw Megan lying on the ground. If anything, his look of disgust only deepened.

Suddenly, a thought struck Carmine. A sense of panic started to sweep over her and she could feel herself getting lightheaded with worry.

"Do you know her?" she managed to ask.

"What? No – why would I?" Zev seemed taken aback.

Because she was jogging around your neighborhood, Carmine thought. Zev read the look on her face and figured out what she was really asking.

"No, she's not one of us – If she was, I wouldn't even be talking to you right now. Why do you care anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Carmine thought it was pretty obvious why she'd care.

"I mean, shouldn't you have thought of that before you did this?" he asked coldly.

Carmine struggled to think of something to say. What she really wanted to do was ask if he was going to tell anyone. But it wasn't exactly something she could ask. Especially not when he had that expression on his face. Carmine knew at this point, asking him not to tell would practically guarantee that he did.

"It's really not that bad." Carmine told him.

"Not that bad? You're joking, right?" Zev looked at her like she was an idiot. "Do you know how many houses are here? And people in this neighborhood actually pay attention to what's going on outside."

"I know." Carmine told him. If she'd realized where she was, there was no way she would have risked it. Carmine stared dejectedly at the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Megan's sky-blue sneaker. "Look, if you want to yell at me, that's fine." Carmine told him. "But can we at least move first?"

Zev gave a short nod. He grabbed Carmine's arm roughly and dragged her away – towards his house. She didn't really like the way he pulled her along like that, but she was relieved that they weren't standing over Megan anymore. That was something, right? When they were a safe distance away, Zev finally stopped. They were standing only a few feet from Zev's back porch. Not a huge improvement, as far as Carmine was concerned.

"What about your parents?" Carmine asked. Would they be able to hear Carmine and Zev from inside?

"My dad's at work." Zev said in a way that let Carmine know he didn't think it was any of her business.

"Please don't say anything." Carmine said suddenly.

Every bone in her body told her not to say it, but she couldn't help it. Her whole reputation in this group was based on being the human who happened to know way too much about the supernatural. And now she was the girl everyone was afraid couldn't handle it. She knew Zev would see this as proof that he, Luke, and Conner had been right all along. And he'd tell Anna and Mia for sure. Carmine couldn't bear the thought of everyone thinking they'd made a mistake with her.

"Why shouldn't I?" Zev asked, eyes narrowed. "You're not exactly being subtle here. I mean, it's not even dark yet."

Zev studied her a minute. His eyes seemed to soften almost imperceptibly, and Carmine's hopes rose just a little. Maybe it wasn't all over just yet.

"I know things haven't been that easy for you lately." he told her. "And if you're having problems–"

"I'm fine." she snapped. She hadn't meant to, but somehow his look of pity was even worse than the sneer. "The only thing that's been hard is you checking up on me all the time."

"What?"

Carmine wasn't sure what Zev thought she was going to say, but it obviously hadn't been that. Suddenly, any trace of sympathy he had seemed to vanish. "Well, obviously we should have been looking after you more."

"Why? I'm fine." she told him again. What would he really know anyway? All he had to do was follow what his little group did and have parties once a month. Sounded real difficult to her.

"Does this look fine to you?" he asked. "Look where you are – and it's not even noon."

"Am I only supposed to go at night?" Carmine challenged. "I'm at the edge of town and there's hardly anyone around."

Maybe it wasn't the best argument, but what else could she do? She couldn't have Zev telling everybody that she'd had a moment of weakness. Maybe they wouldn't need her in the group anymore. Maybe it would mean she'd outlived her usefulness. What would happen to her then? Her best bet was to convince him it was no big deal, no matter how impossible that seemed.

"So do you really expect me not to say anything?" Zev asked, clearly annoyed. He was going to tell her how wrong she was, she just knew. So Carmine cut him off.

"Look, things got away from me." she admitted. "But I'll get it under control. Just don't tell them."

"Just lie to your friends for you?" Zev asked. "They should know if you can't control yourself."

"I can." Carmine retorted.

Her excuses didn't look like they were going to cut it, but she always had one last option. She really hadn't wanted to use it, but he wasn't leaving her much choice.

"And you of all people shouldn't talk about keeping things from our friends." she said finally.

"What?" Zev looked genuinely confused.

Carmine sighed. She really didn't want to play that card, but what choice had Zev left her?

"Don't say anything, and I won't tell them about your talk with Rudi."

"What talk?" Zev looked so calm, Carmine would never have known anything had happened. But she'd seen it.

"I saw you. In the courtyard at school." Carmine admitted. "Just don't tell them I made a mistake, and I won't tell that Rudi's pressuring you."

Carmine still didn't understand what all that had been about, but if Zev hadn't mentioned it, it had to be big. Zev's lip twitched, and Carmine thought he was suppressing a snarl.

"Fine." he practically growled. Carmine would have been seriously intimidated, but she was pretty sure she was getting her way. "But if I see you doing this again, deal's off."