I raise my eyebrows. “How?”
“We’re not sure,” Mara says with a shrug. “He never talks about it. He was only a little kid when it happened though.”
“Becoming a Slayer is his way of getting revenge against the vampire race,” Leanna adds. “And he takes his role very seriously. That’s why it was such a big deal that you got the best of him yesterday.”
“His goal in life is to kill every vampire on the face of this Earth,” adds Peter. “Whether they’re good, evil, or totally Switzerland neutral.”
Wow. I stare after Corbin, a mixture of pity and unease warring through my insides. Pity, because he’s obviously had a rough life. I can’t imagine how I’d feel if my parents were drained dry. Unease, because I’m thinking if he ever finds out what I truly am, stake practice may suddenly turn deadly. And I don’t know if I can guarantee I’ll beat him every time—especially once he has added motivation.
“Yeah, vamps, along with any other otherworld creature he manages to track down,” adds Varuka helpfully. “Werewolf, leprechaun, Santa Claus. You name it: If it’s supernatural, Corbin’s ready to kick its ass.”
“Um, awesome?” I mean, what else can I say to that? Sunny reaches over and squeezes my hand comfortingly. I give her a rueful smile, suddenly very glad she’s here.
“So what are you two doing out here tonight, anyway?” Peter asks. “Trying to go AWOL from Slay School?”
“Of course not!” Sunny interjects, with far too much force to be believable. Once again the “actress” in the family is the worst liar ever. “We’re just ... um ... exploring.”
The Alphas laugh. “Sure you are,” Varuka says patronizingly. “’Cause there’s so much to see at midnight.”
“Don’t worry, we won’t tell,” adds Leanna. “We’ve all tried it once or twice.”
“Yeah, I’d say most new recruits get the idea after a day or two of training,” Peter agrees. “They suddenly aren’t sure what they’ve gotten themselves into. But Riverdale hasn’t lost a student yet. The outside world is just too far to get to on foot. The nearest village is probably a hundred and fifty miles away.”
Sigh. So much for my great navigation skills. I swear, it looked so close on the map!
“The only way to get out is by helicopter,” Leanna says. “And, unfortunately, they keep that locked away, up on the roof of Night School.”
“What’s the deal with Night School anyway?” Sunny interjects curiously. “We passed the building and it looks all creepy and stuff.”
The Alphas glance uneasily at one another. “Um, well, we’re not entirely sure,” Mara says. “We just know that they only accept a small graduating class of the best and brightest slayers.”
“When you graduate, you’re given one of three assignments,” adds Leanna. “A field job where you’re commissioned to go slay vampires out and about, a desk job at Slayer Inc. headquarters in some kind of administration position ...”
“Or,” Varuka butts in, “if you’re really lucky, you can go on to Night School. A continuing education program reserved for the top six slayers of each graduating class.”
“And what happens to them?”
“We don’t ... know exactly,” Mara says, after a pause. “But they’re like top-secret ops. A Secret Slayer Service.”
“I heard they even do plastic surgery on their faces,” Peter adds. “So no one will recognize them. That’s how big a deal it is.”
“Really?” Sunny makes a face. “And people willingly sign up for this?”
“It’s the greatest honor a student here can be awarded,” Leanna says reverentially. “Everyone wants to sign up. But only six are chosen.”
“And this year, it’s definitely going to be us.” Varuka smiles smugly. “They don’t call us Alphas for nothing. We’re the best this school has to offer.”
“Hey, maybe you’ll be our sixth!” Mara adds, excitedly, turning to me. “If you play your cards right. After all, you’re amazing out in the field—”
I’m about to say no thank you, but my words are cut off as Corbin bursts through the forest into the clearing, his eyes wide with fright.
“Someone’s coming!” he cries.
The Alphas are on their feet in an instant. “Is it Johan?” Peter asks.
Corbin shakes his head. “No,” he says, his voice hoarse and scared. “Definitely not Johan. In fact ... I don’t even think it’s human.”
11
The camp erupts in a flurry of activity as the Alphas scurry to grab knives and stakes and other assorted weaponry they have lying around the fire. I had no idea they came out here packing so much heat. How dangerous are these woods anyway?
“Stay close,” Corbin commands, motioning for everyone to stand on the far side of the fire. “Keep quiet.”
We huddle together in silence. The only sound, the sizzling of now-overcooked burgers. So much for dinner. My stomach growls and Varuka shoots me a look. I shrug apologetically.
Then, suddenly, I hear it: a weirdly familiar buzzing sound. At first I can’t place it. It’s low-pitched and burning, almost like the beating of—
Oh my God. I look over at Sunny, who, I realize, is looking back at me with terrified eyes. They’ve found us. Somehow, some way, they’ve found us.
Corbin notices our exchange and shoots me a hard stare. “What?” he demands in a hoarse whisper.
“I think it’s ... Oh God.” I swallow hard. This is so not good. “I think it might be ... fairies.”
The buzzing grows louder. How did they find us here? This can’t be just some random attack. Did the janitor guy sell me out? Headmistress Roberta? Who else knows we’re fairies? I reach for my stake, but Corbin stays my hand and offers me a razor-sharp knife instead.
“Go for their wings,” he whispers. “That’s the sweet spot.”
Just the idea makes my own winglets ache a little, but I accept the knife gratefully. Beside me, Sunny’s now gripping her own dagger and I can only hope she’s far enough back from the action that she won’t have to use it.
I open my mouth to tell her to stay behind me, but they’re on us before I can speak, dive-bombing into the camp. Just like at Dad’s condo, though there’s at least ten of them this time. All, once again, looking just as handsome and plastic as a platoon of winged Ken dolls armed with swords. (Thankfully, these particular ones are not flaming or we’d have a serious forest fire on our hands.) They descend at high speed, releasing an ear-piercing shriek on approach. I ward the closest off best I can, slashing at his chest with my blade, then following up with a sound kick to his groin. He staggers backward, dropping his sword to clutch his privates.
I take advantage of his momentary weakness and throw myself forward, knocking him off balance. Together we crash to the ground. I stamp my foot down on his wings, so he can’t get up, then reach down and slice one clean off. He howls in pain as blood fountains from the wound, splattering my legs. It’s all I can do not to puke in his face.
“Behind you!” I hear Corbin shout and I whirl around, just in time to dodge an arrow spinning in my direction. It misses me and pierces a nearby tree trunk. From a few feet away, I see Corbin take the archer down.
I glance around frantically for Sunny, but can’t locate her in the fighting and confusion. I pray she’s all right—that the other Alphas have protected her or led her to safety.
Suddenly I hear a fairy shriek. I look up and realize one of them has taken flight again, preparing to dive-bomb Corbin. The Alpha is busy helping Peter with another fairy and doesn’t see him coming. Realizing I have to do something, I leap into the fray, tackling Corbin and throwing him off target. A moment later, the fairy slams into me instead, the force knocking the wind out of me. He rolls me over, his sword slicing at my stomach, and I scream in pain.
Corbin responds. On his feet already, he stabs his sword into the fairy’s back. The fairy falls on top of me, his weight crushing my wounded stomach. Corbin kicks him off, and kneels to examine my wounds.
/>
“You’re bleeding badly,” he says, his voice betraying his fear. “I need to get you out of here.”
“No!” I protest weakly as he picks me up like a baby in his arms. “I can’t ... Sunny ...” Pain stabs at my belly and I moan in agony.
“You won’t do her any good in this state,” Corbin scolds. “The other Alphas will guard her. Now stop struggling.”
I give in. The pain’s so fierce I can barely manage to take a breath, never mind start fighting again. Corbin runs through the bushes, carrying me as if I weigh nothing at all. A few moments later, we reach a small cave, tucked into the hillside and hidden by green, leafy vines. If you didn’t know to look for it, you’d never find it in a million years. A perfect hideaway.
“Inside,” he instructs as he lowers me gently to the ground. I manage to drag myself in and then collapse onto the cool dirt floor. He bites his lower lip. “I should stay ...” he hedges.
“No! Please!” I beg. “Go back. Make sure my sister is safe!”
After a moment of indecision, he finally nods and disappears. I can hear his quick footsteps through the brush and pray he’s not too late. If only Sunny and I had that telepathy thing twins always seem to have in the movies. Then I could know for sure that she was all right.
I won’t die myself. After all, I’m a vampire. But let me tell you, that doesn’t mean my stomach doesn’t hurt like a freaking mother. I try to put pressure on the wound to stop it from bleeding, but it doesn’t seem to help. I’ve already lost a ton of blood. And without any Blood Synthetic to replace what I’ve lost, it’s going to take me a long time to heal.
I wait for what seems an eternity, my mind racing with worst case scenarios. I see Sunny’s bloodied body lying twisted and broken by the burned-out fire. I see her tied up and taken away—dragged back to fairyland to become their captive queen. Oh God, why did I have to go and get hurt?
I freeze at the sudden rustling in the bushes outside. A moment later, Corbin pokes his head into the cave and I let out a sigh of relief. “It’s just me,” he says, crawling in alongside of me, having to duck from the low cave ceiling. He shines a flashlight over my body. “How’s your stomach?” he asks, his voice laced with concern. Gone is the big, bad Alpha arrogance he displayed earlier. I guess a near-death-by-fairy experience will do that to a guy.
“Sunny ... ?” I manage to question hoarsely.
“She’s fine,” he assures me. “They found her hiding in a nearby bush and are taking her back to school. She’s got a few cuts and bruises but that’s it. I think she’s more scared than anything.”
I let out a sigh of relief. Thank God. If anything had happened to my sister ...
“So we beat the fairies?” I ask, realizing that the battle must be over.
“Oh yeah,” Corbin says, his cocky grin returning. “Guess they weren’t expecting us to kick so much ass. We wounded three of them and that was enough to send them running. Well, flying,” he corrects. He shakes his head. “Man, I can’t stop shaking. That was a lot more intense than the sims.”
“Sims?”
“You know,” he says. “The simulation rooms back at school. Where we practice our slaying.”
I stare at him. “Hold on a second. Those vampire kills you were bragging about were glorified video games?” I cry. I start to laugh, but stop as my stomach protests.
“Well, of course,” he says, looking offended. “How else would you ... ?” He stops short, looking at me with wondering eyes. “Are you saying those two kills you made ... those were real vampires?”
“Duh.”
“Wow.” He hangs his head. “I don’t think any of us have even seen a real vampire, never mind slain one.” Looking up, he adds, “I think I owe you an apology, Little Slayer.”
I’m about to say no big deal, when pain stabs at my stomach again, forcing me to involuntarily cry out in agony.
“Are you okay?” Corbin asks worriedly. He looks down at my stomach, which has started bleeding again. “Oh God. Here I am going on and on and you’re hurt. We need to get you back to the clinic.” He makes an effort to move. “Can you walk? If not, I’ll carry you.”
“Wait,” I cry. I can’t have him take me to the clinic. They’ll discover I’m a vampire. Not to mention a fairy. But I can’t exactly just assure him that if I lie here long enough my body will heal itself either. At least not without arousing his suspicions.
I try to scramble to my feet, but there’s no way. I’m too weak. I’ve lost too much blood. If only I had some ...
My gaze falls to Corbin. Even in the low light, my vampire eyes can lock onto the small blue vein pulsing temptingly from his neck ...
Suddenly I know exactly what I have to do.
“Corbin,” I say, swallowing back my extreme unease. “Look at me.”
He does. And instantly his piercing green eyes go soft, lost in my spell, just like on the practice field a day before. “Oh Rayne,” he murmurs. “You’re so beautiful.”
I wince at the vampire scent-induced compliment. It kills me that I have to do this. Especially to him, of all people, whose parents were actually murdered by vampires. There’s no way if he were in his right mind, he’d be cool with any of this.
But, of course, he’s not in his right mind. He’s thoroughly knocked out by my vampire seduction. And suddenly he’s kissing me. His lips attacking me with a hunger I’m completely unprepared for. And as I open my mouth to protest, his tongue invades, taking me, claiming me, making me his own. He tastes sweet, like mint gum. He feels hot and heavy against my cool vampire skin. As he presses the length of his body against me, I can feel his heartbeat pounding, hard, fast, intense. And when he reaches for me, his touch is firm, with an underlying gentleness I never would have predicted, judging from his cocky outer facade. I breathe in, lost in his scent of vanilla mixed with sandalwood.
Jareth, forgive me, I think as I surrender to his passion, kissing him back with the same fervor he’s using with me. I try to remind myself that this is just an appetizer, not foreplay. That it will lead to a meal, not sex. Still, it’s more than a little weird to find myself making out with a guy who’s definitely not my boyfriend. Even more so when my body responds so hungrily to his touch. But, of course, that’s just the bloodlust.
I think.
He groans in pleasure as my lips leave his own to trail kisses down his face, nibbling at his jaw line, then dropping lower to his neck. The idea is to keep him seduced and not startle him out of his trance until I reach the sweet spot. That beautiful vein that will save my life. My body trembles as I lick his dewy skin, desperate for a taste.
This is it. The first time I will ever bite a human. There’s no going back after this.
My fangs slide out eagerly, no hesitation at all. They slice through delicate skin as if it’s softened butter, sinking in and piercing the vein and enabling sweet blood to start flowing into my desperate mouth. I suck hard, swallowing mouthful after mouthful of blood as Corbin moans in ecstasy, completely lost to the drug of the vampire scent.
This is old-school vampirism. Why we have that scent to begin with. While now we only use it to get out of parking tickets, back in the day before sanctioned donors, victims had to be seduced before being drained. They’d offer their bodies willingly, never imagining they were about to have their lives stolen by their hearts’ greatest desires.
I drink and drink, Corbin’s life force flowing through me in almost orgasmic waves. Why did I wait so long to try this? It feels so good. So powerful, rich, delicious. Nothing like that disgusting, vile substitute I’ve been drinking. There’s no way I can go back to that, now that I’ve tasted the real thing ...
My thoughts are interrupted by the desperate sound of Corbin’s heart, pounding frantically in his chest, and I realize I need to stop—now—before I accidentally drain him dry. With major effort, I manage to retract my fangs.
The letdown is instant and the craving inside me nearly unbearable. My victim collapses beside me, passed
out instantly in a dead faint. I press my shirt against his neck wound, putting pressure on it to stop the bleeding.
It’s then that the fear finds me, hitting me hard and fast. What have I done? How am I going to explain this to him when he wakes up? Will he remember that I did this to him? Will he report me if he does? Or just kill me himself?
Panicked, I shake him roughly to awaken him from his slumber. He looks up at me with glazed eyes. “God, Rayne,” he slurs. “You’re amazing.”
Amazingly awful and disgusting, I think to myself. Then I shake my head. After all, there will be plenty of time for the guilt hangover later. “Don’t try to talk,” I tell him. “You were bitten by a ... fairy. A nasty, evil fairy. You have a mark on your neck from him,” I add. “But you’ll be okay.”
“Mark ... fairy ... okay ...” he murmurs. Then his eyes roll to the back of his head and he’s passed out again. I let out a frustrated breath, praying that he’ll remember my words when he wakes up.
It’s then that I realize I’m breathing without pain. I look down at my stomach wound, which has completely healed over. The skin is smooth, as if it were never sliced at all.
I shake my head in disbelief. The blood did the trick. I’m completely healed.
Though ... at what cost? I look over at Corbin’s bruised, swollen neck and feel sick to my stomach. So disgusting. So vile. So monstrous. Who could do such a thing to a person?
I could, I guess. And I just did.
But I swallow hard, forcing myself not to throw up. After all, there’s real, genuine life-giving blood in my stomach. And who knows when I’ll get the chance to feed again.
Why, anytime you like, a snickering little voice inside reminds me. He’s yours for the snacking now.
12
I wake the next morning back in my dorm room bed, totally and utterly starving. You’d think all that protein I drank the night before would stay with me for a bit, but evidently no such luck. I want more blood and I want it bad.