Page 108 of Red Rooster

“Valerian,” Trina started.

“Fine,” Dottie said. “Now. Trina.”

They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, staring at her in a way that made her want to squirm. She felt thirteen, suddenly. “There’s nothing to tell,” she said.

“Yes there is,” they said together.

Trina turned her back to them and resumed putting the tea things together, anger swelling in her throat.

Or, at least it felt like anger. There was a good chance it was desperation, or fear, or some other, much more dangerous emotion that shedid nothave time for right now.

“We didn’t know he was sick,” Mom said, gentler now.

Trina breathed a sound that tried to be a laugh. “Neither did I. He told me when he was drunk, so there’s a good chance he was just never going to tell me at all.”

“Oh, honey.”

“But he’s fine now. So.” This time she knew the sound she made wasn’t a laugh, just a forceful push of air that hurt her throat. “We can go back to the way things were.”

“Honey, no.” Mom and Grams moved to flank her, supportive hands on her shoulders.

“Mom,” Trina sighed, turning to her. “Are you honest to Godencouragingme to be involved with avampire?”

Rachel blinked. “Well it just sounds stupid when you say it likethat.”

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