The week slid dryly into the next until we were finally offered an unexpected sunny respite on Friday. The school-day dragged as we'd slogged through it, staring longingly outside at the sunlit lawn, but soon enough we were setting up soapy buckets of water in the drop-off circle of the school's parking lot.
"Very cute!" Allie complimented, though her outfit was very similar; cut-off shorts and a bikini top. She carried over a few more buckets full to the brim with soapy water. "I'm glad you gave in."
I shivered briefly at the slight breeze.
"I still don't get it. And it's so chilly in Alaska too."
"This is a heat wave," she waved a carefree hand, "Besides part of a car wash is the sex appeal!"
"We're underage," I grumbled flatly, "If people are coming for the sex appeal, they're pedophiles."
"Creeps with money."
Was I like that when I was her age? I wondered, setting a sponge and brush in each bucket before taking them to the tire-washing stations.
I wracked my brain. Back when I was truly a teen, we'd put blush on our knees, just beneath the hem of our dresses in case they flew up as we danced. I shook my head, embarrassment coloring my cheeks.
"You alright there, Sara?" Will asked.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"It's a shame the Wardes can't make it for the car wash," Anthony said, crossing his arms, "I wish my parents would let us skip school to hike on sunny days."
"Kind of weird," Trevor noted with a frown, picking up one of the sponges to squish out soap-suds, "Don't they have straight A's? While missing so much class?"
"Mason texted me earlier," I said quickly, taking my phone out of the back pocket of my high-waisted shorts, "Told me to tell you all that he's sorry he couldn't make it."
"His loss," Trevor shrugged as he worked up a lather with the sponge.
"Missing out on honest work," Tim said, shying away from Trevor's vigorous, soap-sud spraying squeezes, "Not very manly!"
"You mean four hours of easy community service," Anthony pointed out with a grin.
I shrugged again, but parted from them with a wave as I continued handing out bucket after bucket.
"You're seriously not worried about getting an uneven tan?" Alissa wondered, picking at her triangle bikini straps, "I'm trying to keep my stomach tan from the summer."
I gazed skeptically at her delicate, snowy skin, then shivered at the apparently balmy Alaskan weather. Despite the excitement about temperatures in the high fifties and low sixties, I felt a rash of gooseflesh across my bare arms.
"Listen, I have no problem being out on a nude beach," I said shortly, tugging at the neckline of the tankini I wore, "When it's time for skinny dipping on a secluded beach in the summer, let me know, alright? And it's got to actually be warm out. Understand?"
"Wait, really?" she asked, brown eyes suddenly alight and glittering with mischief. "I can't guarantee the water will be warm for your standards, but some of the lakes are lovely in the summer."
"Yes," I chuckled, putting a hand on my hip, "Showing skin has a time and place, you know?"
"Totally, totally - ohmygosh - I'm going to hold you to that, okay? We'll go when school lets out for the summer. Though I have to be super careful about picking a spot: some lake that's actually pleasant enough to swim in but also not too frequented."
"If we camp, maybe we'd see the Northern Lights, right?"
"Uh, no," Allie snorted, her eyes glittering as she smirked at me, "We don't have long enough nights to see aurora activity during the summer. Terrorist season is only good for daytime scenery, culture festivals, and good Alaskan eats."
"What season-!?"
"Tourist season! God, you sound just like one! Don't worry, we'll get you trained up on the lingo. Oh! And we should totally invite the guys!"
"Now we're getting a tad carried away."
"Right, right," she said quickly, sweeping her hands out in front of her as if physically clearing her headspace, "First things first."
Catalina raised her eyebrows at Allie's bright attitude, but smiled at me as we approached.
"How's your grandmother doing?" I asked as the three of us headed toward the end of the wash-line.
"She's doing much better. She doesn't remember the event too well, but she's in good spirits. She should be discharged today!"
"Excellent," I smiled, picking up a squeegee from the bins of drying materials, "A good outlook is half the battle."
"And soul-food," Allie seconded, "You made her chili to go with the corn muffins, right?"
"Sure did."
"Woah!" Allie interrupted in a shocked yelp, staring toward the entrance of the parking lot.
"Oh, wow," I echoed, putting a hand at my forehead to shield my eyes from the sun. A parade of police cruisers filed in through the entrance, a line of about five-long. "That's the whole department, right?"
"Looks like it," Cat whistled, then grinned over at me, "Chief Murphy came through for you."
I smiled softly, watching as the lead car flickered its red-and-blue lights. I put my arms above my head and waved wildly, beaming.
"Alright, mission is a go!" Allie said, clapping her hands together, "Look alive people! First customers are here!"
A chorus of whoops piped up as everyone stepped up to their stations. Allie walked down to one of the little tables at the end of the two wash lines, picked up a donation jar and stood attentively.
Her opposite counterpart, George Sappho, sat with his hawk-nose buried in his phone upon the little chair. At Allie's snapped fingers, however, he looked up with a frown. I giggled at her petulant stare and watched him reluctantly stand to take up a jar.
"She's going to be a great administrator or CEO one day," Catalina said, following my gaze, "She may be to the point, but she's got a good heart."
"Sure does."
"Hey," Cat murmured, watching the cruisers slowly roll through the tire-washing station, "I wanted to ask you something..."
"Yes?"
"The house has been peaceful since we came home and Allie says you weren't at school Wednesday while we were staying in the hospital with Lita. So..."
"It's taken care of."
"Thank you.
Her mouth pressed into a line as her eyes brimmed behind her glasses.
"Let me have a share in that chili and we're even."
"I'll make you anything you want," she agreed.
In my pocket, my phone buzzed.
>I take it the vampires aren't in attendance?
Carmen's text was to the point.
>No, but I have payment.
>I suppose we can make our way down. The Skinchangers?
>Confirmed, but not certain on the timing.
"Hey, Sara!" a familiar, gruff voice called.
"Scott," I greeted, quickly putting away my phone and taking up a squeegee, "Nice day for it, huh? Some unexpected sunshine!"
"That's for sure," he agreed, rolling up his window momentarily so I can pull the water from it with a squeegee, "Mine and Officer Gomez's cruisers may need a second run. Don't worry, we'll donate extra."
"We'll make sure you're all clean."
"One too many fishing trips, I expect."
"No such thing!"
He stopped by Allie on the way through, dropping a decent wad of cash into her jar before rounding and going through again. One of the following cruisers had put his loudspeaker on and was doing a round of 'you missed a spot' with the team working on the car in front of him. Anthony sprayed his car pointedly with the hose, much to the amusement of the other officers who jeered their coworker over their own loudspeakers.
Cat and I worked in tandem to dry the cars down as they came through, switching off to save the towel-dryer's back. It didn't matter too much for me, but Cat was always grateful for a change of pace.
Students did a few rounds through the wash after the police cars vacated, filling the time between three and four until some parents began to arrive from work. I rocked up on the balls of my feet, watching the entrance anxiously. Finally, I heard the booming rumble of Caleb's engine before I saw it turn the corner.
A wide smile spread over my cheeks.
After him rolled in a generous handful of other cars. The second car, a silver Buick, side-by-side with Caleb's pickup in the second lane, held another tan-skinned, black haired man with a woman in his passenger's seat. Even from through the windshield, I could see something was wrong with the woman's face, but I couldn't quite recognize the issue from this distance. When I finished drying my current car, I noticed the pair of them staring in my direction.
"People from the Alaskan Native village nearby," Catalina noted.
"Yes," I nodded to the pickup, "That one's a friend of mine."
She examined Caleb through the windshield.
"A... friend?"
"Uh, yes, I met him when I went fishing with Scott a while back. I told him to invite a lot of people today and he delivered."
"I'll say. Looks like a ten-car entourage."
"Ten," I wondered absently, glancing at the Buick again.
Their car was now being dried by the team across from us. The man in the driver's seat was hard-faced, young - in his late twenties, perhaps - but with a weathered, aged look to his expression. His hair was left-long with a single, beaded braid interwoven behind his ear. He openly studied me.
"Do you know him?"
I shook my head, raising my eyebrows at him. He looked forward once more as the woman beside him patted him on the arm. They rolled down the passenger window to put a donation in George's can. Caleb's car rolled up, deafening us with its roar. I chuckled as he manually rolled down his window. Catalina passed me the squeegee.
"Hey," I greeted, starting on the back windows as he leaned his arm on the windowsill to chat.
"Has it been busy?"
"We had a lull until people got off work, but thanks to you..."
"Hey, no problem," he said as I moved on to his windshield, "Do you mind saying hi to some of my friends? I've... uh, mentioned you and some of them want to meet you."
"Hm," I narrowed my eyes, "I don't know. I can't leave Catalina all alone to dry."
"I'll take over for you."
"Is it really that important?"
"They're wary of any newcomers to town," he explained, tapping his fingers anxiously on the door, "And since you'll be on village-owned land for the bonfire later this month, they want to see what you're about."
"Does everyone get this warm a welcome?" I asked sarcastically.
He shrugged. I snorted, rounding the car to get the other windows dried.
"Your shoulders look healed," Caleb noted.
"I told you. Nothing to worry about."
"If you say so- "
A loud honk startled the pair of us as the driver behind Caleb laid in on the horn.
"Dammit, Aaron," he growled, rolling his eyes, "Alright; donation jar ahead?"
"Yes, straight-on."
Catalina watched him go, then looked at me.
"I'm not sure either," I muttered.
The guy in this next car looked a little younger than Caleb with short hair that curled slightly behind his ears. He was accompanied by a friend with very curly hair piled mostly on top of his head. The driver smiled dubiously as his pair merely smirked, like they were in on some inside secret.
"Children," I chastised under my breath.
I rounded the car quickly and grabbed a towel to help Catalina finish up. The next van was a familiar one and my genuine smile returned as Ray raised a hand in greeting.
"You ready to part with all the cash you got?" I demanded.
"Depends on how good a job you've done," he said easily, "Terry's giving the kids back a run for their money. He drives his car out in the muddy back-trails to get to the good hunting spots; I can't imagine just how much is caked on there."
"He went last?"
"Sure did," Ray chuckled, glancing in his rearview, "And he's still holding up the line, as expected."
"Thanks for coming up," I said with a grateful nod, "I really appreciate it."
"No problem, kid," he replied, then his expression fell a bit, "I apologize in advance for the inquisition. Us small-town folk have always been cautious, but it seems subtlety is a dying art in this era."
"We'll learn. We always do."
He drove on, keeping his window open to pass a wad of cash into Alissa's jar. She beamed over at me then mouthed, 'Do you know them?' I nodded quickly before switching off with Catalina once more and moving in to towel the next car. A hard, brown gaze lasered me through the driver's side window.
The woman inside had the same coppery skin as the rest, perhaps a shade darker, but eyes the darkest I'd seen yet. Her hair cropped short around her jaw, accentuating the sharp cheekbones of her severe expression. I shook off the nonverbal accusation and focused on the task at-hand. Despite her aggression, she donated.
Allie jogged over, eyes bright with curiosity. There was a little lag back in the line due to Terry's filthy Ford pickup and she took full advantage of it.
"Was I imagining things or was there a little chemistry between you and that first guy?" Allie gushed conspiratorially.
"I can control myself," I said firmly, "He should too."
"Who is he?"
"I'll explain in a second," I said, nodding to the group that had parked their cars and were walking over, "But I think they want to chat with me."
"Seriously? What do they want?"
"They're wary of outsiders, apparently."
"They'll love you," Allie said with a wave of her hand, "Still, I bet they wouldn't accept a free trip to Rome even if it was all meals included. They're so cliquey."
"Xenophobic is the word," Catalina corrected, "But they have a right to be."
"How do they handle tourists?" I wondered.
"It's something about someone who's lingering," Catalina explained, stretching out her back as we watched the group amble over, "Rumor has it that they really don't like the Wardes."
"I've heard that before."
Caleb spoke with the others, his head inclined to the conversation and his face more severe than before. His messily tied-up hair accentuated his strong jawline and I could see the passion ablaze in his eyes. They didn't seem convinced.
"They're like a walking storm cloud," Catalina shuddered.
"We'll stick with you," Alissa said automatically.
"I'll be alright."
Allie and Cat looked to one another, Cat biting her lip as Allie crossed her arms.
"No one better to prove you're worthy than those of us who've had to put up with you the longest," Allie pointed out with a good natured half-grin.
"I don't know if this is the kind of trial that will allow for character witnesses," I sighed, picking up another towel as they finally got within ear-shot, "It'll be fine. I'll look at you funny if I need rescue, okay?"
"You've got this," Allie said, "If they ask any complex or personal questions, tell them it comes with a fee."
She shook her jar as she danced back to her post. I met the Lawatscoh group halfway, tossing a towel to Caleb who caught adeptly.
"Dry cars, car dryer," I commanded, putting my hands on my hips as I regarded those gathered.
"As you wish," he said, smiling, though the expression didn't reach his eyes.
He glared meaningfully behind him, but the stiffness of his five companions didn't waver.
"Hello," I said, tilting my head to regard the group. I could feel the heat radiating from their skin despite the space between us. "How can I help you?"
"Who are you, really?"
It was the severe woman from earlier who spoke. She didn't blink as she glared at me.
"My name is Sara Luzio," I stated, raising a hand in the air as if swearing an oath, "I am originally from Los Angeles, California. I play the violin pretty well. My AP literature grade dropped into a C grade last week. And my guilty pleasure is raw honeycomb."
The honking guy from earlier stifled a smirk. The weathered-looking young man was central to the group, appearing older than the rest by the way he held himself. The woman he'd driven with hadn't approached, but another man with a deepening scowl stood directly at his right instead.
"We hear that you're new as of August," the main-man finally stated, gauging my reaction.
"Yes, that's correct," I confirmed, then pointedly, "Usually after one person introduces themselves, everyone else reciprocates."
The man to the right of the lead began trembling, his jaw clenched.
"I'm Owen Mitchell. These two are Aaron and Gavin. And on my right are Liam and Morgan."
"Nice to meet you, my jury," I said with a mock-curtsey.
"You amuse yourself too much."
"Someone's got to keep things light," I countered, slipping my hands into my pockets.
The little jar of vampire venom brushed against my forefinger and I wondered briefly whether they could smell it; I'd wrapped it multiple times in plastic wrap and doused it in perfume. It was probably fine. Still, their standoffishness was particularly severe.
"How long are you planning on staying in Homer?" Owen asked.
"At least until I graduate high school," I speculated with a shrug, "And I plan on attending community college rather than a four-year institution so maybe I'll be around even longer."
"Why're you hanging around the Chief of Police?" Liam demanded, still shaking, though the rate of vibration had decreased slightly.
"We've each both lost family," I admitted, my voice hardening and I tilted my chin defensively, "Him, a daughter. Myself, a mother and brother."
"Why do you-" Morgan started in, but Owen overrode her.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
His brown eyes softened ever so slightly. I chewed on my lower lip and dropped my gaze, nodding in acknowledgment. Morgan bristled, but was successfully cowed. Liam still appeared to be experiencing his own personal earthquake.
"Would you mind taking a sip of this?" Owen asked.
He lifted a small water bottle that had previously been dwarfed in his hand. It was tinged green. I raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"Lamalis tea," Morgan said smugly.
"Oh," I noted, but wrinkled my lip, "Cold?"
"Room temperature," Aaron... or maybe it was Gavin, corrected.
"Lovely. A tad superstitious, aren't you?"
"What makes you say that?" Gavin - yes, the one with the curly hair was Gavin - snorted.
"They say lamalis repels supernatural creatures," I whispered conspiratorially, offering up a hand for the bottle, "Vampires specifically."
"You believe in that sort of thing?" Owen asked with far too much seriousness.
"I don't not believe," I offered, unscrewing the cap and taking a slow swig. It burned my throat, but it was a familiar enough sensation to ignore. I wrinkled my nose. "This is better as a tea than a... refresher."
"'Don't not believe'?" Morgan growled warily, "The hell does that mean?"
"Well, I definitely believe in ghosts. So who's to say there's not more out there, right?"
The five leaned in, intrigued.
"Hey, Sara!" the voice was Allie's.
I turned, looking over my shoulder to see her waving at me from beside a familiar black Porsche. Caleb stood a bit back, shoulders up near his ears as he stared after the vehicle. Cat watched him, holding the towel uncertainly in her hands, sensitive to his unnerved attitude. It was then that I noticed how wet the car still was.
"You've got a customer who wants to say 'hi'!"
"I'll be right back," I said to the group.
I trotted in double-time, cursing Carmen's timing.
"You're popular today," Allie noted, eyebrows raised as the car drove a short distance away, "Don't hold up the line, okay?"
With a tense nod and a slow saunter, I came up alongside Carmen's car.
"Hello," I greeted, putting a hand on my hip.
Carmen grinned widely through the rolled-down window.
"Quite the turnout," she said with a wide, almost too wide, grin.
Her blue eyes gleamed as she spared another furtive glance at the group I'd been occupied with.
"We've been lucky," I agreed, staring across at the woman who sat in the passenger seat, "Plenty of folks have come through."
"Ah, right," she said, waving a hand, "This is Crimson; say hello, Doll."
Crimson tilted her head in acknowledgment, the shades on her eyes hiding her gaze from me. Her hair shone strawberry blonde just bordering into ginger, with a light smattering of freckles over her nose. Similar to her partner, she'd adorned in a sundress, despite the car's windows being so tinted as to make it night within the cab.
"Here you go."
I fished the vial out of my pocket and passed it over.
"Hm," she took it into the car to inspect it within the discreet shadow of her lap, "That's a decent amount; smells really good too."
She smirked over at me, clearly wary of the Skinchanger's range of hearing, as I was.
"Your friends over there seem nervous," she pouted, handing the little bottle off to Crimson who unwrapped the plastic.
"Should they be?" I countered, quirking an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes, "Please. At any rate, if you need any more help, let me know. You're very generous, I suppose I can find it in me to help again if all your 'thank-you' gifts are quite as unique as this."
"Let's hope things stay quiet for a while, shall we?"
"Boo. No fun!"
I waved an unconcerned hand, "I'll see you around, alright? I need to get back to it. Have a safe drive home."
"Sure will!"
She peeled out and I watched her go for a moment, smile affixed on my face, before turning and letting it drop. Sure enough, the group appeared significantly more hostile than how I'd left them; heads were ducked low, shoulders were up, and hands balled into fists.
"Sorry for the interruption," I apologized.
"How do you know her?" Morgan asked, eyes narrowed.
I feigned embarrassment, rubbing the back of my neck, "You know how I said I believed in ghosts? Well, a friend of mine was experiencing a haunting and I asked that woman to help get rid of it."
"Why her?"
"Uh, well she's a psychic or a witch or whatever. Her shop's located up in Kenai."
"What did you give her?" Liam asked.
"A homemade, anti-aging salve," I said vaguely, then as Owen opened his mouth I put a finger to my lips, "It's a family secret, so don't bother asking for ingredients."
"Doesn't she give you, I dunno..." Aaron said a little more conversationally, "...the creeps?"
"I mean, yes, but she also claims to be a witch. That likely comes with the territory. And instead of money she did request 'something unique', which I thought was a little weird too, but I think that what she did worked."
"That woman is dangerous," Owen said, dropping all pretense.
I frowned, tilting my head with mock-curiosity.
"Are you stupid?" Morgan asked, her dark eyes narrowed.
"I guess so," I admitted, "What makes her dangerous?"
"We have good instincts," Gavin explained evasively, "She sets our hair on edge. Each and every one of us feels it. Something about her is just wrong."
"I'll keep that in mind, but she's only ever helped me."
"Your funeral," Morgan snorted.
"Look, are we done here? I really ought to get back to work."
Owen nodded absently, eyes looking past me. Following his gaze, I noted him watching Caleb; the man worked diligently, but glanced up at us despite his constantly-moving hands.
"Come by the village sometime," Owen said, almost a command, "Morgan will show you around."
The woman started, her upper lip curling indignantly, but Owen's even stare silenced her opposition.
"There's also a bonfire at the end of October," I said, leaning forward on the balls of my feet, "If you're interested."
"You know any good scary stories?" Aaron pressed.
"Plenty."
"Morgan," Owen prompted, jerking his chin at me.
She scowled, but fished a cell from her jeans. I put in the number and texted myself, handing it back before she too started quivering in anger.
"I'll reach out to you with details over the weekend," I explained to her, "We can coordinate through your dad, too. I'll be fishing with everyone again tomorrow."
"Don't you have homework?" Morgan asked, her voice contemptuous.
"I'm going to bring it out," I said brightly, "Don't you worry!"