Silver Is For Werewolves-BOOK 2 IN THE Garlic Is For Vampires Series-

Chapter 11: The Bloody New Year

The months passed and Dylan kept a low profile, but I sensed someone following me around constantly, and whenever I turned around a corner and looked back, I saw a flash of clothing before my stalker was gone. Dylan left bloody animals in front of my apartment door, and I wasn't the only one getting fed up with it. I remembered a conversation a week ago at 8:00 in the morning.

"What's so spooky about this?" I had wondered aloud, tossing the tenth, bloody possum that Dylan left on our doorstep into the trash. I washed my hands in the sink. "If it's supposed to scare me I don't feel scared. I feel like I'm going to throw up."

"I don't know," Brendon muttered. He was heading into work and picked up his badge from the counter. "But I want you to stay with a friend today, or maybe somewhere public. Or you can just stay home."

"But I have school," I had protested. "And I rarely see my friends. Chelsea has a test today and I won't see her at all."

"Make more friends," Brendon had said with a wink and then he was out of the apartment. I grumbled and decided to get ready for my class.

Now I was sitting in my room putting on makeup because we were a few hours away from New Years.

I wish I could say I was excited. But I was walking into the new year with burdens on my shoulders, vampires after my blood, and a werwolf friend who I was lying to. It was another New Years without my parents-both adoptive and biological-and it made me sad. But Angie and Bennett were coming over to New York to spend it with me and Brendon. Skylark had his own plans running the White Falcon where according to him, New Years was just more blood and ecstasy.

I sighed and finished with makeup. Then I reached for my black liquid leggings and slipped on my black dress with silver and red thread in the hem. Then I found a pair of black heels that I never wore. I grabbed my coat and my bag and left my bedroom.

Brendon was fidgeting with a tie in his room. I headed down to the living room and sat down on the couch, checking my phone for a message from Angie and Bennett. Someone knocked on the door and I stood up to open it. Angie and Bennett were there already waiting for me. We hugged and greeted one another just as Brendon was coming out of his room, finally dressed. He was wearing a black tux and was fixing the watch on his wrist. He hugged and smiled with my friends. Then we were all ready to go out.

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"So far every place we've gone to is full," Bennett said.

"Well, I made a reservation," Brendon said with a wicked grin. We hooted and clapped, and he gave a little bow. Going out to eat on days like New Year's Eve was so difficult. We would've lost hope and had simply stayed home if we knew how crowded restaurants and bars would be. I walked with my hands tucked into the pockets of my coat, and Angie was recording everyone on her phone.

"Boo!" she said and wrapped an arm around my neck, and I slipped an arm around her waist. Our cheeks were pressed together and we both smiled at the camera. Angie tossed her hair back and called Bennett over. We paused in the middle of a crowded sidewalk waiting for the light to turn green just to take a group picture. Bennett and Brendon stood behind us girls and then Angie was clicking away on her phone.

We finally reached the restaurant and Brendon walked up to the receptionist. He spoke a few words and she smiled and then a waiter walked over to us and led us to a table. It was at the far back of the restaurant and we slid into one large booth around a white-clothed table. The waiter handed us menus and said his name was Miguel. Then he hurried to another table.

"Brendon, you're my hero!" Angie said, clasping her hands together and batting her eyelashes at him. He smiled and looped his arm around the back of our side of the booth. I took off my coat and placed it in the middle between me and Angie. Once the waiter took our drinks and appetizers we settled in, avoiding gazes with the people waiting outside who were looking at us.