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Lost in thought as he was, he was unprepared when Tucker shoved him and went flying backward. He tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. Though his eyes told him he’d hit a brick wall, that wall jumped away from him with a curse. Had he actually hit a person?
Tucker grinned, and there was an evil edge to it. “This is gonna be fun. ”
As Aden popped to his feet, Tucker launched forward. Back to the ground he went, but this time he rolled, pinning Tucker’s shoulders. He drew his knees up, straddling Tucker’s waist, holding him down.
“I don’t want to fight you,” he snarled.
“Chicken?” Tucker jerked his arms free, grabbed hold of his shoulders and tossed him aside.
Just determined to stay here. He stood, fingers curling into fists. “Why can’t you just leave me alone? I’ve never done anything to hurt you. ”
“Go ahead. ” Tucker stood, too. “Get up and walk away. I’ll just follow you. I’ll be your new shadow. Every time you turn around, there I’ll be, my fist in your face. Then, when I’m done with you, I’ll turn on Mary Ann. After that, I’ll go after that new chick, Victoria. She’ll—”
Aden roared, his rage springing up, spilling over. Tucker’s eyes widened as Aden’s fist came at him. Contact. Cartilage snapped and blood poured. Tucker howled in pain.
Stop, Eve said. You have to stop. He’s just taunting you, trying to force you into this fight so you’ll be kicked out of school.
Aden was past the point of listening. No one threatened his friends. Him, sure. He’d dealt with threats his entire life. But Mary Ann was too delicate, Victoria too…his. He drew back his fist for another punch, but stopped when Tucker’s image changed, shifting into Mary Ann’s. He blinked in confusion.
Next thing he knew, a fist was connecting with his nose. Again, cartilage snapped and blood poured. His own. He felt a sharp sting, then nothing as adrenaline surged through his bloodstream.
Destroy him, Caleb said.
No matter whose face he shows you, attack, Julian added.
Eve is right, Elijah said, trying to be the voice of reason. He’s provoking you on purpose. Only reason he hit you back is because his own temper is too volatile to control.
In the distance, Aden thought he heard kids cheering. He just couldn’t see anyone. So badly he wanted to whip out his daggers, but he didn’t. He didn’t want to kill Tucker. He just wanted to stop him. Perhaps humiliate him in the process.
Aden crouched and leapt, arms wrapping around Tucker’s middle and propelling him into the wall. Cocky laughter filled his ears. When he straightened, drawing his elbow back, he saw that Tucker now looked like Victoria.
Not her, not her, not her. Aden threw his punch, Tucker’s eyes widening as it neared. No longer was he fighting fairly. He hit Tucker in the throat, cutting off his air. The boy hunched over, trying to breathe. Aden then kneed him in the face, cracking his cheekbone and sending him to his back, where he writhed on the ground.
Aden leapt on top of him. Over and over he beat his fists into Tucker’s face. Teeth cut his skin, but he didn’t care. After a while, Tucker stopped writhing. Then stopped moving. “You don’t ever threaten Mary Ann. You don’t ever threaten Victoria. Do you understand me?”
“Aden,” Victoria said softly from behind him.
An illusion, he told himself, continuing to punch and punch and punch. Victoria had told him to leave her alone. Victoria wasn’t even at school.
Gentle hands settled on his shoulders, inexorably hot. “You have to stop. ”
He whipped around, ready to attack this new illusion when he noticed the alley had vanished and the halls of the school had once again appeared. Kids were all around him, no longer cheering. Not even smiling. They were gazing at him in horror. In fear.
Today was game day, so many of their faces were painted with Go Jaguars and We’re #1. That paint was stark against the paleness of their skin. His wild gaze flew back to Victoria.
She really was here. She was breathing heavily, her fangs peeking over her lips in a show of absolute hunger. Couldn’t be an illusion. Tucker didn’t know she was vampire. Aden pushed to shaky legs and reached for her. His hands were covered in blood.
She backed away from him. “Can’t…touch you right now,” she croaked out.
Did she fear him, too? Or did she simply crave the blood that covered him?
“Oh my God!” Principal White pushed his way through the crowd and peered down at Tucker’s motionless form. “What did you do? What the hell did you do? Someone call 911. ”
Victoria shook her head, seeming to drag herself out of her stupor, and shouted, “No one move,” in that husky voice of hers. Power hummed from her. “Hear me and obey. Except you, Aden. ”
Everyone froze. Including Shannon, who now stood in the crowd, stopping midcough. No. Shannon had been kind to him these past few days, and they’d had each other’s backs. Aden hated that the former dreg had seen him like that, bloody and vicious, hated that Victoria now had to use her vampire powers against him.
“A tall, blond stranger came onto campus and fought Tucker,” she said, and everyone nodded. “You all saw it. Then you watched as that blond stranger ran off. You didn’t follow him because you were too concerned for Tucker. Now go about your day. Principal White will handle things from here. ”
When she lapsed into silence, everyone started moving at once, backing into the shadows. The kids mumbled fearfully about “some blond stranger,” Shannon sneaked away, probably wanting no part of the interrogation that would come, and Principal White bent down and cradled Tucker’s head in his lap, feeling for a pulse.
“He’s alive,” he said with relief.
Aden’s shoulders sagged. He hadn’t killed him. Thank God.
Victoria cupped his face, forcing his attention on her. “Meet me in the parking lot. I’m going to convince your last three teachers that you are in class, even though you won’t be. ”
“No,” John said, suddenly beside him again. “I put the polish in your backpack. Pink, glittery and brand-new. You have to find Chloe now. ”
Aden flicked him a glance, took in his panicked expression, before turning back to Victoria. She didn’t act as if she saw the ghost. “I’ll be a few minutes. There’s something I have to do first. ” He didn’t give her a chance to ask what. He bent down, kissed her hard—she licked his lips, eyes closed in surrender as the flavor of blood hit her tongue—and raced toward the cafeteria.
“Stop in the bathroom and clean up first,” John demanded at his side. “You’ll scare her. ”
Aden quickly obeyed. There was no ridding himself of his bruised nose and hands, so he simply mopped up the blood as best as he could. When he finished, he resumed his journey. Word of the fight was spreading fast. He even heard kids on the phone with their parents, telling them about the unidentified man. Those parents were probably on their way now, meaning to take their precious children home to safety. Would news stations come out? Interview witnesses?
Aden gulped.
Everything will be all right, Elijah said. You won’t be sought and Dan won’t be worried.
You’re only encouraging his bad behavior, Eve reprimanded.
“Where is she?” Aden asked John. He scanned the crowded cafeteria, face and hands throbbing. Since learning John was a ghost yesterday, he’d made it a point to find out who Chloe Howard was. She hung with the smart kids, the ones more concerned with grades than appearances. A cute little thing with thick glasses, skin covered in freckles, and braces. She had pen-straight brown hair she always wore in a ponytail.
“There,” John said, pointing to the far back corner.
Aden worked his way over. When she spotted him, she ducked her head to her tray. There were three other kids around her, books in front of them as they talked and studied. A moment passed. She glanced up, realizing he was still coming toward her. She looked behind
her, saw no one, and her mouth fell open.
“Can I speak with you?” he asked when he reached her.
Her gaze fell to her friends. They, too, were watching him with confusion.
“Alone,” he added. “Please. I need to talk to you about something important. ”
John moved behind her, bent down and breathed her in. He pressed his lips together. To silence a moan? A whimper?
She nodded to her friends, who pushed from their chairs and walked away slowly, eyes never leaving them. Aden sat across from her. John remained behind her, hand brushing her cheek with longing. She didn’t seem to notice.
“I’m Aden,” he said.
“I know. ” A blush stained her cheeks. Once again she turned her attention to her food, picking at it with her fork. “What happened to you? And what do you want?”
He ignored her first question. “I have a message for you. ” There was only one way to present John’s case without admitting his own abilities. “John O’Conner and I were friends. He told me about you, how he loved you. ” As he spoke, her color became ashen. “He tried to tell you, but—”
She jumped to her feet. Hands shaking, she gathered up her tray. “How dare you!” she whispered fiercely. “Let me guess what happened. You heard the rumor about our…relationship and you decided to taunt me. I thought he was cruel but you…” A pained cry left her.
“Don’t let her leave,” John rushed out in a panic. “Not until she understands. ”
Aden, too, stood. “It might have started out as a dare, but he fell in love with you and wanted to be with you. ”
She turned, ready to stalk away.
“Aden,” John said, eyes beseeching him. “Please. ”
Maybe John’s empath powers had somehow transferred to him, because Aden felt his desperation bone-deep. He had to make this right. Had to make this girl understand. Even at his own expense. “Wait. You’re right. I didn’t know him,” he admitted, “not when he was alive. But the past few weeks I’ve been able to see the dead and he came to me, wanting only one thing. For me to talk to you. ”