“Yes. Oh, please. Yes.” He cradled me in his arms. His scent was heady, intoxicating. Professor Pops said I’d drink from a human and Dorian was begging me to. How could I resist? Why?
I grazed my canines against his neck and a red light shot between us, separating us. We both jumped.
Dorian’s eyes were glazed over. He cleared his throat, shaking his head. “What was that?”
“I’m not sure,” I responded, pressing my back into the seat, clutching my hands into fists. “We’d better get to school. We don’t want to be late.” I worked to calm my desires.
“Okay, but remember. I’m here if you need me.” He put the car in drive and pulled back onto the road.
“Thank you, Dorian.” I leaned my head against the seat and caught sight of someone in the side view mirror. Dressed like a hunter in fairytales—brown trousers, brown leather boots, a forest green shirt opened at the collar. Around his hips was cinched a leather belt, another strapped over his shoulder. The face was hidden in the shadows, but the way he held himself seemed vaguely familiar. My first thought was of Christopher, but I brushed that thought aside. It couldn’t be him.
Had he seen what I’d almost done? Would he have tried to stop me? Panic glided up my spine.
Dorian gave me a sidelong glance. “I’ll be training you after school today.”
“Cool,” I said, forcing my lips to a smile. No sense telling him I’d actually be training with Kenmei. He’d find out soon enough.
Chapter 4
Dorian was right. When I walked into chemistry class, Cindy was sitting in her seat. She glanced up as I ambled past our table.
“Kon’nichiwa,” she said.
My eyebrows lifted in question, though for some reason I understood she’d said hello—good afternoon specifically—in Japanese. Ohaiyogazimasu meant good morning. My heart lurched with apprehension.
Maybe the pendant?
Or you’re a nut job. My inner voice sounded smug.
“That means hello in Japanese,” she said, her face filled with pride. “I’m soooooo over French. The language is,” she paused and shrugged before continuing, “boring.”
I hid a smile. Once the newness of a language wore off and started to get difficult, she moved on. “Hey yourself,” I responded. “What happened to you yesterday? I was worried.”
She looked irritated a moment but waved it off. “I had some stuff to do.”
I snorted. “Flirting with a boy kind of stuff?” I asked, pulling out my binder and book, and flopping them on the table.
She twirled some of her blond hair in her fingers and winked. “So what’s going on with you and Charming?” She nodded toward his empty chair and my heart dropped into my stomach. He’d left. I didn’t know where, but he’d said he wasn’t coming back for a while.
“Nothing.”
Cindy let out an exasperated grunt and rolled her eyes. The girl was way too perceptive.
“Fine, I like him, but nothing big.” I felt for the gem hanging under my shirt and wrapped my fingers over it.
I crave his blood, that’s it, I thought.
It’s more than his blood, my inner voice chided.
Cindy made a face and I laughed nervously. “Have you seen Chri—Chace?” Figured I might as well pretend I didn’t know he’d left.
“No.” She shook her head for emphasis. “Haven’t seen him.” Her voice caught as she spoke the words. She was lying. Before I could control my expression, my eyes scrunched together, accusing. “What?’ she said. “ I-I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” Cindy turned away, fiddling with the ragged edges of her notebook paper.
The bell rang and Mr. Wallace, ever the timely teacher, walked in and started class. He passed out an assignment and began talking, but I wasn’t listening.
When the bell rang Cindy was out of her seat and at the door before I’d picked up my backpack. Taking a deep breath, I walked out of class.
At lunch I sat in my usual spot. The guys made their way over. Gabe and Cindy entered the cafeteria together and got in the lunch line. They were talking, their words and gestures animated. Cindy blushed. I gripped my plastic fork so tight it snapped in two. The guys, who’d been talking randomly, glanced at me.
“What’s up, Snow?” Dorian asked. When I didn’t answer he turned to see what made me so upset. Clearing his throat, he said, “Don’t worry about them.”
I nodded and tried to focus on the mandarin orange cup I’d chosen for lunch. It wasn’t right to be jealous. I knew that. Christopher—even thinking his name punched a hole in my gut—and I were secretly doing things that didn’t make it right for me to be green-eyed, but I was.
Gabe brushed Cindy’s hair from her face, and that was the last straw. My mind zeroed in on Gabe like a stalker with binoculars. Adjusting my senses, I listened to his rapidly beating heart. Smelled the scent of his body wash, the decadent aroma of his blood, his skin. I heard him talking.
“Want to come with me to Warehouse Video after school? We could grab a coffee and talk,” Gabe said to Cindy.
Cindy giggled. The one she used when she flirted. “Okay. My shift at Bertilini’s ends at seven. Can we meet after?”
He smiled. My heart broke.
“Sure. I’ll pick you up.”
Cindy nodded. “Great.” She selected some food and scanned the room, her eyes finding mine. I heard the intake of her breath and could only imagine the emotion plastered on my face. Anger. Fury. Possibly avocado—the shade of sick jealousy.
Gabe must’ve heard her because he glanced up before following her gaze.
“Snow, chill. Really. You don’t understand,” Dorian said, squeezing my hand.
I yanked my hand away. “No. I understand completely. And it hurts.” I picked up my tray. “See you later.”
I heard Cindy call my name, but couldn’t answer. Fury like I’d never experienced boiled in my veins. The lunchroom turned hazy. Every heartbeat pounded through me, hundreds of harmonized drums. The intoxicating scent of the blood of every person in that room packed my veins, but most especially Cindy’s. I knew somehow it was hers, and I wanted to drain her—not in the way I’d thought about drinking from Dorian. Not even close. I wanted her blood to be mine.
I wanted her dead.
That knowledge rocked me with guilt, with fear, but mostly with exhilaration.
Professor Pops’ words entered my thoughts. “The more blood you drink, the more like a vampire you’ll become. It’s like anything in life; if you work to keep yourself as human as possible, that part of you will remain, will be the strongest. If you consume human blood, the way a vampire does, that part of you will become the strongest.”
I knew if I drank from Cindy I’d kill her. I wouldn’t stop.
She’s your best friend, my inner voice retorted horrified.
I had to get out of there. Someplace quiet.
The library.
I went inside and found an empty table in the back. I dropped my backpack on the table, fell into the chair, crossed my arms, and dropped my forehead on them. Hot tears spilled.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed away the desires for Cindy’s blood, my desires to hurt her. She’d told me she liked him. Plus, she’d been my best friend a long time and she was a good person.
I should be angry with Gabe. He’d caved, broken his promise because I’d been bitten. That wasn’t my fault. How could he be so cruel? I needed him—at least his friendship. Not the cold shoulder he gave me. And Christopher. Seeing Cindy with Gabe would’ve been a lot easier if he’d been there. If he hadn’t left.
Everyone leaves, my inner voice scolded.
I swallowed a sob.
And heard a high-pitched cough. Lifting my head I saw Pava, the periwinkle blue pixilette I’d met in Sharra.
“Pava?” I whispered.
She fluttered to my arm and bowed. “Snow. You are in danger. Watch the shadows and tell no one you have the pendant Christopher gave you. Never take it off. Promise.” She fell to h
er knees.
“What’s wrong?” I cried, concerned.
“Promise,” she wheezed, falling forward.
“I promise.” Carefully I lifted her into my hand. No longer blue, she’d become dingy, like a dirty wet sock. A wing fell off. Paper thin, I watched the veins turn from blue to grey to white.
She patted my hand.
“Pava,” I whispered, and heard the desperation in my voice. “What can I do? How can I help?”
A smile touched her lips as she began to shimmer. A reddish glow emanated from her, and then she was gone.
“Pava?” I shouted, standing.
The librarian came around the corner. “Everything alright?”
I searched, frantic, a second longer. “Y-yes. Sorry.” I swiped my backpack, brushed away a tear, and left the library.
I needed to talk to someone, but who?
Professor Pops, of course, my inner voice admonished.
No, I couldn’t talk to him. But what about the Museum of the Supernatural? There might be something about the necklace in the book on pixilettes. I’d check it out tonight, right after school. Skip track and head over to Professor Pops. I could do some reading before training. My insides froze at the thought of practicing with the wise old Hunter.
What about the laptop? If you quit track, your dad and stepmother won’t buy you one, my inner voice said sarcastically.
So what? If I wanted a laptop, I’d just buy myself one. What would my dad and stepmother do? Ground me? They never stayed around long enough.
Chapter 5
After school I went over to Dorian’s locker to wait. Out of everyone he was the one person I felt most comfortable with, even with thoughts of sinking my teeth in his neck. He allowed me to be myself. He accepted me, liked me. And he wanted me to drink from him. My knees trembled.
“Snow. Can we talk?”
My body tightened. The hall blurred. An angry craving for Cindy’s blood strained my heart. I had to get out of there. Taking off, I hollered, “Go away. I-I can’t be around you right now.”
I knew she followed. I’d zoned in on her heartbeat, the aroma of her blood. My canines pressed against my lips.
Out in the crisp fall air I searched the school parking lot for Dorian’s car. The Mustang still sat in the same spot he’d parked in that morning. Relieved, I rushed over, hoping Dorian would come soon.
When I arrived at the passenger door, I stopped. Trapped. Cindy stood a few feet away, her face screwed up with sadness. My heart sank. “What do you want?”
“I miss you,” she whispered, her bottom lip trembled. “Ever since I went to the Cape you’ve been weird. Different. Did I do something to make you mad at me?” She stepped closer.
The pounding of her heart forcing blood through her veins made the back of my throat ache. “No. You didn’t do anything. I—” This wasn’t her fault. Gabe chose Cindy. He returned her affections.
You don’t deserve Gabe. You’ve been making out with Christopher, my inner voice rebuked.
I tried to calm down. I closed my eyes, thinking about the necklace resting between my breasts, near my heart. A reminder of Christopher, of the pixilette that’d died in my hand in the library. Being jealous of Cindy was the least of my worries. Inhaling a deep breath, I forced myself to relax and opened my eyes.
Her face was inches from mine. A frightened scream escaped my lips. How had she done that?
“Cindy?” I gulped, pressing my back against the doorframe.
“I’ve changed too, you know. We should talk.” A glint of humorous annoyance flickered in her eyes.
“O-Okay,” I sputtered. Her face seemed slightly different, more angular. Her cheeks hollow, her blue eyes more dazzling blue.
“Cindy,” Dorian barked. “Get away from her.”
Cindy seemed to move back faster than I believed possible. She turned on her heel and started to walk off. A moment later she paused and looked back. “Tomorrow night? Let’s get together, ’kay?”
“Sure,” I agreed, swallowing a strange panic that’d crept in.
After she’d gone, Dorian pushed a button to unlock the door. I climbed in and waited for him.
“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. What is up with her?”
He seemed about ready to tell me, but changed his mind. “I don’t know.”
“You’re lying, Dorian.” He was a terrible liar.
“Yeah I am, but I can’t say anything. Professor Pops asked me not to. Not yet.”
My mouth hung open. “Why? Does he really think anything can shock me at this point?”
Dorian started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. When we were headed toward home, he said, “There’s still a lot that can surprise you. Just be careful.”
Chapter 6
Dorian dropped me off at my front door. I figured I should probably let my dad know I’d be at Professor Pops so he didn’t worry. It seemed like the responsible thing to do. Tossing my backpack on the table, I went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottled water.
“I’m home,” I called out after taking a sip. The cool liquid soothed my parched throat.
No one answered so I went into the living room, then upstairs where I knocked on their bedroom door.
They weren’t home.
I made my way back downstairs. On the kitchen counter leaned a folded piece of paper. It just said they’d gone out and would be back later.
“Fine. Two can play this game.”
If I’d had a phone they could’ve left me a message or texted me. I’d at least know when they were coming home. Grabbing a pen, I flipped the paper over and wrote: Next door at Mr. Henry’s. I’ll be back around nine.
In my bedroom I changed into a pair of black sweats, brushed through my hair, and walked over to Professor Pops’. Salvatore answered.
“You’re early.” By the look on his face he’d expected me. Dorian probably filled him in.
At the bottom of the stairs he patted my back. “How are you doing with all this?” He motioned with his hands around the room.
“Fine. A lot to learn.” I swallowed.
“Yeah, I’ve had years to learn about all the creatures and it still blows my mind.”
I was stunned. Had I expected them to find out about the Museum of the Supernatural at the same time I did? That wasn’t right. Professor Pops said the guys had been trained. “How old were you when you found out about these creatures?” I walked over to a lemon yellow pixilette. At the sight of her—dead—I thought about Pava. Poor thing. This creature was in a case behind the dragon.
Salvatore followed closely behind.
“Professor Pops revealed this room to us when we were twelve and thirteen. We trained with the swords, arrows, and such from the day I arrived.”
“Really? Wow. What did you think?”
Salvatore laughed. “The truth is most of us came from...” he paused and ran a hand through his shiny black hair before going on, “less than perfect households. We’d lived in horrible foster homes, or facilities that kept us like prisoners.
“Training with Pops, the things he taught us about life, about respect for others and ourselves, the world.” He shrugged. “I don’t know about the others, but I’d do just about anything for Pops. So when he showed us the room, a couple of the brothers,” he let out a self-conscious laugh before continuing, “freaked, I guess is the right word. For me it’s hard to explain, but it was like I already knew these creatures existed and Pops confirmed what I believed.” He laughed again. “Silly, right?” He looked embarrassed.
“Not at all.” I certainly could understand why some of the brothers freaked. If I hadn’t been bitten I probably would be a basket case. As it was I kept meeting new supernatural beings and dealt with them as it happened, which reminded me of the beast I’d seen in my room last night.
“Have you ever seen a creature about this tall?” I marked my leg at the knee as I continued, “His entire body is brown, like mud. He
sort of looks like a frog, but the eyes are more like those of a cat. Plus it can talk.”
Salvatore’s face paled. “You saw one?”
I nodded. “Last night. In my room.”
“Did you tell Professor Pops?” He seemed alarmed.
“No.”
He balked.
“What? A lot’s happened, and I forgot.”
He exhaled. “They are despicable creatures called gremlins.” He spat. “I’ve encountered one before. Evil and vile, but easy to kill.” He walked past the pixies. “They can morph into anything, so we call them changelings. All are loyal to the Vampire Queen, but only a select few can see the creatures when they are in their true form.” He stopped in front of a small case. It was only about eight inches square. Inside was what looked like a moth, only it had two yellow eyes, like a cat. Salvatore pulled out the book, took it to the pedestal, and said, “Appendix D.”
The old pages flipped to the back of the book. When it stopped I gazed at the pictures. On the left page sat the gremlin in its true form, and on the facing page were pictures of a wasp, an elephant, a beautiful woman, and a small puppy. The one telltale feature was the eyes—in all its forms it retained the yellow eyes of a cat.
“What did it say to you?” Salvatore asked.
“Hmmm.” I paused, scared. Should I tell him?
You can trust him, my inner voice huffed.
“He seemed to be talking to someone else and commented that I had magic.” I shrugged, peering into his dark chocolate eyes.
“We’d better tell Pops for sure. Come on.” He put the book back and grabbed my hand, pulling me up the stairs.
My stomach tightened in knots. Kenmei would be here soon, if he wasn’t already, and I had a feeling our conversation would be about more than my fighting stance. I grabbed at the necklace and felt its warmth enfold me.
Where are you, Christopher? I thought, wishing he was here.
Chapter 7
When Kenmei arrived he took one look at me and pulled me into Professor Pops’ office.
“You’ve changed, Shiryo-san,” he said as soon as the door closed behind him.
I gulped down my fear. “Have I?”
“No sense playing coy, revenant.” His voice sounded harsh, his eyes hard with anger. “If you intend to survive another month you’ve got to trust Adam Henry, the brothers, and me.” He sat in the chair next to mine and took my trembling hands. His eyes softened. “I can help, Shiryo-san. Talk to me.”