Claws // Colby Brock

💫 48 💫

☯︎☯︎☯︎☯︎☯︎

SAM GOLBACH

In a house that was essentially mine, I didn't expect to walk anywhere and suddenly have to stop and turn around, yet when I opened the back door, I instantly froze. "Shit! Sorry!"

Four heads instantly snapped in my direction before someone chuckled and someone else laughed aloud. My eyes were squeezed shut as I stood half-turned in the doorway.

"It's okay, Sam, we're all dressed. Geez." Tara's soft tone led me to slowly open just one eye, peeking to see most of the girls were, in fact dressed. Though, barely. Katrina and Tara were in tiny bikinis that left little to the imagination, while Cassie was fully clothed sitting on a sunbed and Devyn had one of Corey's shirts on with her feet dangling in the pool.

"Of all the guys, you're the one I'd want out here the most," Cassie mused as she rolled her head on her shoulders. "Kevin stares too much, our boyfriends distract us and Mike's a downer."

"Seriously," Tara grumbled in agreement.

I hesitantly continued out into the dark, away from the quiet house. I didn't expect all of the girls to be awake like this, but I supposed us guys usually slept the longest. I was amazed they were up before me, though. I was an early riser. "What are you doing out here?" I asked them, perching on the other sunbed.

Tara shrugged. "Felt like a change of scenery and we had juicy stuff to talk about. Wanna join us?" She sent me a bright, excited smile. Ordinarily, I'd be down for girl talk — a similar situation had happened before — but I knew exactly what they were talking about and I wanted no part of it. My best friend's business was not mine.

"Uh... no, but thanks for the offer," I told her.

"What about you?" Devyn asked softly. "Why're you out here? I never see you outside."

"I've been working on something," I admitted. I realised I was going to have to explain my ingenious plan, which would delve into the territory of what they were talking about anyway, so I just shrugged. "It's classified."

Tara raised a brow. "You've piqued my interest."

"I'm not-" Before I could finish, a ball of fur jumped onto the sunbed beside me and sat down, staring up at my face with gorgeous eyes. Shit.

"What the fuck?!" Tara was almost leaping out of the water immediately. "That thing barely let me near her, and she's come right up to you?"

Awkward, I muttered, "Yeah..."

Katrina laughed. "What's your game, Sam? Come on, you have to tell us now."

I stayed silent for a few moments considering what to tell them. With one hand outstretched to Neoma, I began to carefully scratch behind her ears — and she let me, without so much as hissing or hesitating. "Well," I started, staring down at the cat rather than meeting any of their curious gazes, "Amira loves this little thing and we've all seen how she reacts to vampires. I thought... maybe... if I could gain her trust, she won't be so hesitant to be around the rest of us."

Cassie's eyes widened instantly, catching onto my theory. "Meaning Colby."

"Yeah." I sighed, pulling Neoma onto my lap without resistance. "As you can see, I've made a lot of progress. She's still nervous around you guys — I've been watching her carefully, but if she's comfortable around one vampire, she could be comfortable around others. I think it'll mean a lot to Amira if Colby starts getting along with her."

"That's so sweet", Katrina murmured softly, smiling at me so innocently that I felt my chest tighten up. I had to look away before feelings I'd buried deep down were resurfaced, and focused instead on Neoma.