Vampire Beach: Legacy by Duval Alex

relationship! Dani and Ryan had been keeping it low-key, at least up until the party last night. But now that they were out of the closet, the Patricks would be sure to find out soon.
    And then they would forbid Ryan to see Danielle.
    Jason sighed. He didn’t want Dani to go through what he was going through. But he had to admit it: he’d be relieved when she and Ryan broke up.
     
    ‘Describe in one sentence the theme of William Faulkner’s
The Sound and the Fury
,’ Jason read aloud from his English notebook. ‘Great,’ he said to himself. ‘I haven’t even finished reading that book.’
    He let his pen drop onto the notebook, sat back in the deck chair, and stretched. He’d been planning to do his homework out by the pool, but the combination of late afternoon sunshine, birdsong, and the after-effects of last night’s party had made him sleepy. And it didn’t help that now he was alone in the house. His parents had gone out with Mr Freeman’s boss, to some famous restaurant in Beverly Hills.
    Dani was out too, with Ryan. She’d been wearing a huge, dreamy smile when she left. Jason felt a little guilty for wanting her relationship to end. After all, he knew just how it felt to be besotted with a vampire. It was exciting and unexpected and more than a little addictive. He knew he shouldn’t have one set of rules for himself and another for Dani. But she was his baby sister. He couldn’t help feeling protective.
    Besides, she barely knew Ryan. She couldn’t really be in love with him already. It was a totally different situation from his own with Sienna. He’d known Sienna for months, and they’d fought their attraction like crazy before they finally—
    Yeah, right
, Jason thought.
We fought our attraction because Sienna was going out with Brad. It had nothing to do with the vampire thing. I’d have been with her from day one if she’d crooked her finger. And finding out she was a vampire wouldn’t have changed that.
    Jason lurched to his feet, pulled off his shirt, and dove into the pool, letting the chilly water shock him out of his thoughts about Sienna. He couldn’t let himself go there, because thinking about Sienna would lead to thinking about last night’s events. And just the memory of Sienna’s body pressed against his was enough to make him lose his mind.
    After a couple of laps, he climbed out and headed over to the pool house for a towel. He dried off and walked back to the deck chair, surprised to see that the sun had disappeared. A quick glance up showed dark clouds encroaching on the constant blue of the California sky.
    The doorbell rang.
    Jason jogged through the house to the front door and yanked it open, expecting to see Adam, or maybe just the mailman with a package or something.
    He didn’t expect Sienna.
    ‘Hey there, Michigan,’ she said, a smile playing about her mouth. ‘Did I catch you in the shower?’
    ‘Excuse me?’ Jason asked, still trying to process the fact that she was actually standing on his doorstep. He felt alive and awake, all his senses tingling.
    ‘You’re dripping.’ Sienna reached out and playfully tousled his wet hair.
    Jason automatically reached for her hand, then stopped himself at the last second. He wasn’t supposed to touch her anymore. They were just friends.
    Sienna seemed to realize that at the same moment. She snatched her hand away from him. They stared at each other awkwardly for a few seconds.
    ‘I was in the pool,’ Jason said finally. ‘Hence the moisture.’
    ‘Oh.’ Sienna nodded. ‘Well, I should boogie. I’m supposed to be at Belle’s, and she can only cover for me for so long before her dad figures it out. I just came by to give this back.’ She held out the sweater he’d loaned her the night before. ‘Thank you.’
    ‘No problem.’
    ‘OK. So . . . I’ll see you later.’ Sienna turned away, and Jason’s heart gave a lurch. He didn’t want her to go.
    ‘Wait!’ he called.
    She turned back immediately.