Black Blood

3 August 1998.

I looked at Hanna, arching my brows, I knew exactly where she was going.

«What if Lily never had an accident but simply disappeared?» I asked rhetorically.

My best friend nodded her head, letting out a smirk.

«It would mean Josh's sister dissolved into thin air like all these other girls every ten years.»

That possibility was disquieting, I vaguely remembered that period, but nothing suggested Lily was missing, she was simply dead. There had even been a funeral.

But I was a child, like Josh and Hanna, they could have told us anything and we would have believed it.

«How does this make any sense? Why still keeping us from the truth? We are adults now», I argued not fully convinced yet.

I couldn't find a valid reason that could have led our parents not to tell us the truth.

Why was my casket open?

Doubts arose in me, questions to whom I wanted to find an answer.

Hanna looked out of my bedroom's window, she was watching the street, hidden behind the dusty curtain.

«Isn't that the Winterbournes' car?» she suddenly asked.

I rushed to her side and looked over the pane of glass.

A sinuous sport car was parked on the opposite street.

I swallowed.

«This might look like», I cut it short.

Hanna was right instead, that was Sebastian's huge car. I remembered it perfectly.

«With tinted windows?» she disputed rightly disagreed.

«I don't know what to say, Hanna.»

I was no more able to understand anything.

Missing girls, Lily Coleman, the feeling that our parents were hiding something from us. The accusations against the Winterbournes, the legends about the Thirsty, were all buzzing uninterruptedly in my head, creating a din.

And then there was Sebastian, who had suddenly shown himself interested in me to the point of being seen in town. He had been looking for me from the beginning and now he also seemed to be following me.

I was counting on my survival instinct, it had never let me down, but I probably should have listened to Hanna and being careful.

That penetrating look had remained imprinted in my mind and made no sign of leaving.

I wanted to reassure Hanna, tell her that I wasn't feeding any of those forbidden vibes, except of course for professional purposes.

Sebastian represented everything I hated most in people, however, my body seemed to think differently, because although I was fighting to repress all sorts of impulses, the truth was that something had snapped inside me and my desire was nothing more but to have him.

«What is going on, Reb?»

«Help me find out, Hanna».

Chapter 6

Rebecca

I took Hanna to work at Moonlight for the evening shift.

Josh was waiting for us at the entrance, we had arranged to meet with him and spend the evening together.

«I can stay a bit longer with you, I have still time before starting», Hanna said sitting near us.

I begged my best friend not to say anything to Josh. Nothing regarding Sebastian or my strange unwarranted reactions in his presence.

She promised me she would not mention it.

Josh studied us for long moments, shifting his gaze from one to the other.

«There must be something you two are denying», he declared.

I ignored him, awed by the turn that this conversation could have taken.

Instead, Hanna reached Josh across the table and grabbed him by the shoulders.

«We made a sensational discovery today», she exclaimed as if holding back those words with all her might.

Josh blinked in confusion.

I motioned Hanna to sit down and tried to keep order.

«Quiet! It's confidential information», I yelled nudging her.

She pouted and ignored me.

I hoped she could really keep my secret, I trusted her, but I knew her well and I knew how much she loved talking.

«What have you discovered?» Josh asked, intrigued by our friend's statement.

I quickly checked the surrounding environment to make sure that no one was listening to us.

«A couple of days ago I managed to speak with Frank Weather. He made coming back to my mind some episodes happened in the past. I don't know if you can remember, but those disappearances have already happened and, as a teenager, I had kept the Hazy Daily's articles. I could have searched online also, but I thought it would have been easier summing up those clippings that were left at my parents' house.»

Then, Hanna didn't let me finish.