Tainted Souls Read online

  “Hey, guys,” Melody said as we sat down.

  Becca was opposite me and tucked into breakfast as soon as she sat down.

  “Hey, Melody, Eva.” I nodded to them. “Any plans today?”

  Melody shook her head. “Nope. Chilling.”

  “Must be nice. She’s dragging me shopping.” I pointed at Becca.

  Eva grinned. “You could do with some new clothes.”

  “Hey!” I protested.

  Becca and Eva high-fived.

  “Exactly,” Becca said.

  “So Becca, when were you going to tell me this shopping trip was about me?”

  “I wasn’t.” She shrugged. “Shopping is shopping to you no matter who it’s for. You’ll deal.”

  I shook my head. The nerve of my best friend was unreal.

  Just then, Kirsty walked past, followed by Lisa. If looks could kill, Melody would’ve been stone dead right then. She sighed and dropped her head.

  “You okay?” I nudged her.

  She nodded. “Yeah. I just don’t want to fight anymore, and I don’t know what else to do. I gave her phone back and said I was sorry.”

  “Some people always hold a grudge,” I said.

  “So you mean I’ve got to deal with this forever?”

  “Probably until she grows up and moves out.”

  “Great.”

  Becca leaned across the table, fixing her gaze on Melody. “Don’t let it bother you. You don’t need someone like her in your life, anyway. You’ve got Eva.”

  Eva grinned. “Damn right.”

  I enjoyed the rest of my meal, and the more I shovelled down, the better I felt. My stomach growled in appreciation, and as I swallowed the last piece of toast, I sank back, cradling my coffee.

  “I think I needed that.” I patted my stomach.

  “Told you,” Becca said.

  “I’ll just finish my coffee. Then we can head out.”

  “Finally. I can’t wait to get in there.”

  Chapter Three

  As we set off from St. Helen’s, the sun beat down on us and I was glad I’d had the foresight to wear a tank top. Though, I knew I’d still be scorching by the time we got to the mall because of my jeans. I tilted my face to the sky and soaked up the rays. The bag across my shoulder bounced against the top of my thigh, a constant reminder that nothing about my life was normal.

  A beep sounded just as the mall came into view, and I fished into my bag, grabbed my phone and TAT. I checked The Agency device first. It had been radio silent since handing Greed over to Sheila. It baffled me that she could whisk away two demons into her possession without letting me know where they went. My questions were met with a brick wall, and even though I understood that I couldn’t have all of the information I wanted, I figured I had a right to some of it, considering I was at the centre of it all.

  I dropped the TAT back into my bag and brought my phone into view.

  Hey you. What you doing today?

  My stomach flopped. It was Vaughn. Our morning messages were becoming a ritual, and it made me smile every time. And not only that, but this was the morning after the night before. Not that I went home with him or that we even kissed, but it still felt different.

  “That Vaughn?” Becca peeked over my shoulder.

  “None of your business.” I pulled my phone out of her way like I had something to hide, and grinned.

  “Oh, come on. I know it’s him.”

  “Yeah, it’s Vaughn.”

  “I told you he likes you.” She smiled.

  “You text me all the time. Should I be worried?” I bumped her with my hip.

  “That’s different and you know it. No guy texts you every day, Red, unless they’re interested.”

  “We have a lot in common.”

  “Whatever.”

  I moved my fingers over the keypad. Just heading out shopping with Becca. Pray for me? What about you?

  As I dropped my phone back into my bag, Becca’s words rolled over my mind. Was he texting me because he liked me? Every part of me hoped that was true, but the negative part of me nagged. Of course he doesn’t like me. Surely he would’ve kissed me by now?

  The mall got closer and closer, the huge building rising across the town’s rooftops like a monster climbing from the ocean, and the sense of dread permeating my stomach got thicker. I sighed. Shopping was one of the things I most hated, but unluckily for me, Becca was my best friend and it was her favourite. All friendships had to have compromises, right?

  As the automatic doors swung open, I felt like I was going back to school. We had only officially broken up yesterday, with an early finish so that the students could prepare for the dance later that evening, and now it was like I’d never left. Everyone was there. In the first ten paces, I recognised two girls from St. Helen’s, and over by the fountain I saw several of my peers lounging on the wall. I was willing to bet that the closer I got, the more people I’d recognise from school.

  I paused as Becca looked around as if assessing where to go first, and memories flooded me. The last time I was in the mall was when we lured Greed to the centre, where the clock stood amidst a second fountain. It was late, and everything was shut. The place hustled with Hunters. But it was me and Vaughn who went up to the clock.

  I shuddered. Being in the mall was even worse now.

  “Are you ready?” Becca asked.

  “For a day of torture? Not really.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Chin up, and let’s do this.”

  When we hit the fourth shop, I was ready to call it a day, but there was so much more to go. Becca was like a dog with a bone, and my refusals to try on any clothes were going to be thwarted later. I just knew it. We grabbed a coffee, took it to go so we could maximise shopping time, and headed to the fifth shop.

  “What about this?” She picked up a pair of cropped jeans and held them against my legs.

  They were black, so I could give her that, and maybe for days like this when the sun was blaring, having a little leg on show wouldn’t be too bad.

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  Her jaw dropped. “You’re seriously going to try them?”

  I nodded. What harm could it do?

  I took another sip of coffee. “Yeah, they’re nice. Keep looking.”

  A smile exploded on her face as I gave her full clothes-control. She folded the crop jeans into a basket, hooked it over her arm, and then the hunt really began. She stopped at every rail and shelf, pointing things out, pressing them against me and either smiling or scowling. By the time we had weaved through all the rails of clothes and made it to the back of the shop, the basket was filled to the brim.

  After snatching my cup from my hand, she replaced it with the basket and shoved me towards the changing rooms.

  I raised my brow. “All these?”

  “All of them.” She nodded. “And I want to see.”

  I rolled my eyes as I pulled the curtain shut, then stared at the pile of clothes. I had no idea where to start.

  I accommodated, trying on the items, modelling them awkwardly for my best friend, and then tossing them into one of two piles. By the end, the leave pile was much bigger, but I was taking the crop jeans, a pair of shorts, and a few tops that weren’t traditional t-shirts. All of them were black, but at least we were both satisfied.

  “You did good.” Becca clapped me on the back, with a wry grin as she handed me back my cup.

  I took another drink, wishing it was still full.

  “Let’s get these and go for lunch,” she said.

  “Now that sounds like an idea.” I nodded.

  Chapter Four

  We found a lovely café tucked away from the hustle of the mall and settled down at a small table in the crowded room. I sank against my seat. The clothes I’d purchased were folded in bags on the floor, and I was proud of myself.

  “This is the best part about shopping.” Becca beamed as she picked up her panini.

  “I couldn’t agree with you more.”<
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  In front of me, I had another coffee and a tuna melt. I took a bite, savouring the taste as the cheese popped in my mouth.

  “So I was thinking we could head to—”

  “What? Wait!” I held up my hand. “There’s more?”

  “Of course there’s more.” She rolled her eyes. “The mall is a big place, and we’ve been to like two shops.”

  “Five. I’ve been counting.”

  “Well, you can keep counting. There’s still plenty more to do.”

  I sighed as I stared at my best friend, wondering how much more I could take.

  “Well, look who we have here,” a voice purred.

  My heart froze and my mouth suddenly felt dry. I swallowed hard and felt bread stick in my throat as I turned to face the newcomers. Jenny and Melissa strolled over, and I cursed my choice of table. Not that there were many other options.

  “Hey, guys,” Becca said.

  Becca’s friends were two people I could do without seeing. Now my day had well and truly gone downhill.

  They stood over us, Jenny eyeing my food like I was eating something that offended her, and I was no longer hungry. Melissa retrieved two chairs, so now there were four of us cramped on a table meant for two.

  “You should’ve told us you were coming shopping.” Jenny leaned on the table with her elbows, rocking it and nearly sending my coffee flying.

  I picked it up and cradled it. I wasn’t about to let that go.

  “It was a last-minute thought.” Becca shrugged.

  “Let me know next time. We actually like shopping.” Jenny gazed at me and then nicked a chip from my plate.

  I bit my tongue. The girl was like acid—corrosive and toxic. I wouldn’t rise to her.

  “Me and Ruby have had fun, haven’t we?” Becca smiled.

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “I think I’m actually coming around to shopping as a pastime.” I sipped my coffee and then set it down where Jenny’s hand had been.

  She crossed her arms and looked between the two of us.

  “So what did you guys think of the dance last night?” Jenny asked. “I saw that Vaughn came with you, Ruby.”

  “Yeah, it was all right.” I nodded, watching her reaction.

  “I suppose he wanted to go as your friend since Jake was going.”

  That stung. I bit my lip. Maybe it was painfully obvious to everyone else that I liked him. The thought of not having him in my life was difficult, but the thought of Jenny with her paws all over him made my stomach ache.

  “Actually, Vaughn asked Ruby before Jake and I had plans,” Becca said.

  “Well, aren’t you lucky?” The scowl she gave me was a typical Jenny death-stare.

  I refused to look away.

  “I enjoyed it,” Becca said, “and so did Jake. It was a good night.”

  “I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I could have decided who I wanted to go with. Me and Melissa went together instead. You know, as a finger up to the guys.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure.” I said.

  More like nobody actually asked her because she was such a shallow, self-centred piece of work.

  “So, Jenny, did you convince your dad to take you on holiday?” Becca asked.

  Jenny shook her head, perfectly straight blonde hair swishing over her shoulders, and drummed her nails on the table. “No. He said he has too much going on with work. He wouldn’t even send me and Melissa. I told him we’d be fine.”

  I was sure they would. Two teenage girls lounging on a beach, scouting for men. They’d be just fine. I couldn’t blame her dad for clipping her wings. Jenny was already a spoiled brat. She got everything she wanted, so it was about time she learned what no meant.

  “I wouldn’t worry.” Becca shook her head as she popped the last chip into her mouth. “I can’t remember the last time I had a holiday, let alone got flown abroad by myself. How about you, Ruby?”

  I shook my head and tried to suppress the grin threatening to break free.

  “Well, I think it sucks. I need some sun in my life.”

  “It’s nice here today. I’m surprised you’re not at the beach,” Becca said.

  “Traditions keep. Me and Melissa come here every year after we breakup. I like to scout about and pick up the gossip.”

  I balked and took another sip of coffee. How could Becca be friends with someone so vapid? Sometimes I wondered whether it was more out of habit than anything else.

  “But if the weather keeps up,” Jenny said, “I think we’ll be spending a lot of time at the beach. What do you think, Mel?”

  “I love the beach.” Melissa nodded.

  Compared to her counterpart, she was timid and mousy, and I wondered if she stayed friends with Jenny more out of loyalty than actually wanting to be friends with her.

  “It’s been ages since I was at the beach.” Becca sighed as she sat back in her chair, probably picturing the sand and the sea.

  “You can tag along when we go, Becca.” Jenny slid her gaze to me. “And I suppose you will want to come to?”

  I shrugged.

  I loved the beach as much as the anyone, but if it meant spending time with Jenny, I wasn’t sure I could agree to it.

  Her deadpan look turned into a self-satisfied smirk.

  “Oh, what a shame. Becca, you can bring Jake and Vaughn, too.”

  I bristled, but I had no right to. Vaughn was single. But the thought of Jenny getting her claws into him made me sick. Surely he wouldn’t like her.

  “Yeah, I’ll come. When are you going?” Becca asked.

  “The weather is supposed to be gorgeous next week.” Jenny beamed like she was a sun worshipper.

  “Just let me know. I can’t wait to let my hair down. This year has been full on.”

  I assumed she was talking about the AS level exams. And yeah, they had been pretty tough, but it was a step up from GCSEs and we knew what was coming. Besides, that’s all she’d had to deal with this year. My plate was brimming over, and I was struggling to catch it all.

  “Tell me about it,” Melissa said. “I think I failed every one of my exams.” She pouted, and her cheeks sunk.

  Maybe she hadn’t studied enough—or at all—and having to re-sit was something no student wanted to go through. Her ride through sixth form was only happening because she was too scared to branch out on her own.

  “Results come at the end of August.” Jenny flipped her hair back. “There’s only one year left of that place. Then I can really get started on my career path.”

  She was coasting through school, only doing it to meet the stipulations set by her dad so that she could get the money when she turned eighteen. After that, her prospects would dip when she lounged about in a beauty shop every day. Truth was, she was smart—as much as I hated to admit it—and the girl could’ve been on par with Becca if she’d tried. Only Becca knew exactly what she wanted to do and had mapped out a route to get there. The others had no aspirations and were cruising through life.

  Before I found out I was a Hunter, I had dreams, ambitions. Now? I wasn’t so sure. Could a girl who maintained a job as a Demon Hunter really consider having a normal career as well? I was exhausted as it was just trying to keep up with schoolwork. The thought of having a career in addition almost knocked me dizzy.

  “At least you only have this year left.” Becca pushed a chip into her mouth. “It’s going to be a long time before I get a job. Being a solicitor takes a lot of hard work.”

  “Hey, I have to study, too,” Jenny said. “It’s not going to be a walk in the park, you know.”

  “I’m sure, but they’re very different career paths,” Becca said.

  “Ooh, you can come to my salon before your big cases, and I’ll make sure your hair is done and your nails are perfect.” Jenny grinned.

  I snorted, and Jenny’s smile dissolved as she swung her gaze to me.

  “What are you planning to do after school, then?” she said. “Because let’s face it, being a writer isn’t exactly goi
ng to work out for you.”

  I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath. I had mentioned it once that I loved writing. Once. And she stuck on it like glue. Little did she know I already had a career.

  “I have something lined up.”

  “Oh, yeah? What?” She leaned on the table, rocking it again, chin resting on her clasped fingers, eyes fixated on me.

  I squirmed under her stare.

  “Working for a bank,” Becca said.

  My gaze flew to her, eyes bulging, and I mouthed the words thank you. For some reason, I always forgot my cover story anytime my job was mentioned. But Becca had it covered. That’s why we were best friends.

  “Well, that sounds…promising.” Jenny scoffed.

  Heat flushed my cheeks as I bit my tongue. I wanted to ram that stupid smirk right down her throat, but there was no way I was losing my cool over someone like her. I knew what I did, and nobody else had to know.

  “You ready to go, Melissa?” Jenny asked.

  Melissa nodded. Always the follower.

  The pair stood up, their chairs scraping across the floor.

  “We’ll see you around then, Becca. I’ll let you know the plan for the beach.”

  “See you guys later,” Becca said, muting my muttered goodbye.

  As they strode from the table, I let out a deep breath. My gaze met Becca’s.

  “Thanks for that,” I said.

  “Next time, think quicker on your feet.” Becca shook her head. “You can fight demons, but Jenny stumps you?”

  “That girl makes me so angry.” I held up my fist. “She thinks she’s better than everyone.”

  Becca shook her head. “Let it go, Red.”

  She was right. Letting myself get riled up over someone I cared so little about was pointless.

  I took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and then let it out. “Okay. I’m good.”

  “Come on.” Becca pushed her tray into the middle of the table.

  “What?”

  “We’re not done shopping.”

  I sighed. That was the last thing I wanted to do now that I knew Jenny was lurking around the mall. But I’d promised Becca a day out, so I had to give it my all.