When the Darkness Comes

Chapter 8

Ravin and Marie sat in the swings of the childless playground. The park on the witch side of town was a normal get together spot for us. The park almost never had any children in it as it was out of the way for most of the town. That being said the park wasn't crap. The jungle Jim and swing set both had bright fresh paint that never seemed to chip and the tire mulch was changed regularly. Ravin's mom even planted flowers in the pots at the entrance every spring.

"Nick filled us in though text last night. Not much goes on that we don't know," Marie smiled standing from her swing to hug me.

"Good to know my life is monitored," I smiled back returning the hug.

"By ninja's in trash cans," she joked. It was an inside joke we shared sense middle school and used every once in a wile. Ravin smiled at me her short dirty dishwater blond hair pulled back in its normal low ponytail and her fringe bangs hung in her face on the left side.

"You could have called me you know," Ravin said her soft voice so light compared to Marie's booming voice.

"You would've talked me out of going and made me apologize," I stated crossing my arms.

"True I would have," she laughed.

Ravin and Marie shared a brief look before both turning to me.

"You and Cornett?" They asked at the same time and knowing them it wasn't planed but they liked that it happened anyway.

"One, creepy and two, no we're just friends."

Ravin rolled her eyes, "sure and I'm just a unicorn."

"I'm not lying. Really I don't know her well enough to make any kind of a move. So she is just a friend," I sat on the ground and rolled my eyes.

"For now?" Marie asked.

"What is this a police investigation? I just hung out with her. Like we are now, I remind you."

"Yeah but your not romantically interested in us," Ravin pointed out.

"Well..." I smirked.

"Oh shut up! Your not, we know it, " Ravin rolled her eyes again.

"Can we not talk about events you already know about? James was at my house when I got home," I looked between both of them with their now shocked faces.

"You're joshing us right?" Marie asked blue green eyes wide.

I shook my head as a reply. Marie growled and Ravin's hair tips cracked with flames.

"He didn't do anything. I don't think. Calm down both of you okay? R your hair."

"Sorry," she mumbled and the flames went out.

"Thank you. His whole point of being there seemed to be to tell Renee About my hunting. But he didn't as you can tell by my being here. But he must have stressed Renee out a bit more because she is letting me hunt again. Before you say anything, I also came out of the closet to her. She then forbid me from dating vampires."

"You're kidding?!" came Marie's reply at the same time as Ravin's, "the fuck!"

"No I'm not kidding and yeah R, I know it's a bunch of BS," I sighed.

We continued to talk and gossip about anything and everything from nick's date to Ravin's little brother's first crush. As dinner rolled around we walked over to Ravin's.

"Mom I bring other races!" Ravin called out into her worm home. The witches houses were possibly the oldest buildings in town but you wouldn't be able to tell as they were kept so well. Ravin's family home was of the Victorian style and looked like it came out of a story book (hell, for all I know it could have).

"Two hunters, I hope," Ravin's mom, Emily called back.

"How do you always know?" I smiled as she walked down the hall.

Emily was beautiful in every way. She had pixy cut brown hair and sparkling grey eyes. She was tall too, almost six feet. If a love spell ever had a human form it would look like Emily without a doubt.

"I have my ways," she smiled giving both Marie and I a hug.

"Is that macaroni and cheese I smell? Are you sure you didn't plan this?" Marie smirked.

Emily held up her hands, "I don't plan anything."

"Mom we're not four anymore we know you changed the dinner menu because they came over," Ravin sighed with a smile.

"Take all the fun out why don't you? Well come on time to fatten you two up," Emily led us to down the hall to the kitchen.

Dinner went by fast as we all talked. Ravin and Marie getting Emily to join in on picking on me hanging out with Emma. The food was fantastic as always and I lost count how may bowls I had after four. Somehow I felt like I would go home and mom would ask how dinner was and dad would pick on Emily's cooking skills just like they always did but when I got home my brain reminded me that it was Renee inside waiting for me not my parents.

"Jenny?" Renee's voice came from the living room.

"Who else would it be Emma? Sneaking in?" I replied ready to go to my room.

"I'll try that next time," Emma's voice stopped me in my tracks.

I walked into the living room and sure enough sitting in dad's lazy boy was Emma.

"What are you doing here? Where's your car?" I stammered shocked.

"I walked and I wanted to check on you," she shrugged like it was the most normal thing.

"You could have texted me. She didn't judge you to bad. Please tell me she didn't."

"Jenny! I don't judge people," Renee scolded me.

"Yeah not in front of them," I shot back.

"She was nice, Jenny I promise. My cell died and I can't find the charger so I came here. Your not creeped out are you?" Emma asked now very worried.

"Not at all just shocked. Um, Renee we'll be in my room," I motioned for Emma to follow.

Only realizing my mistake after I closed the door. My room. Crap. We're just friends, it shouldn't be a big deal, Ravin has been in here thousands of times. But this was somehow different in a way I didn't want to process. Not to mention the mess from all my gear and nerd stuff.

Emma smiled as she looked around at my walls, "nice."

"Thanks," I shrugged sitting on my desk.

"So I see you and your aunt are still tense," she said watching me.

" That never changes," I chuckled.

"That must suck."

"Eh, I'm not home much these days."

She laughed, "true, I guess."

"How are you?" I asked out of nowhere.

"I'm good, thanks for asking," she replied then shook her head as if shaking off the sentence, " I mean I'm good. How are you?'

I smiled, "I'm good. Fantastic even. She's allowing me to hunt again."

"That's something right?" she smiled excited.

"Yeah, it's something until you learn why she is allowing it."

"Why is she allowing you to hunt?" Emma cocked her head out of confusion.

"Because she thinks it will keep me from being friends with you."

"Because she can control you?"

I chuckled, "right?"

" So I really came over because I was texting Maria last night and well..." She trailed off nervously and moved at vampire speed again, something that if she kept doing I will get annoyed. She stood infront of me her green eyes full of nerves. Suddenly her lips met mine in a random but beautiful kiss.