“We’re helping vampires to grow, to learn, to become the best versions of themselves, and we’re doing it all in a safe environment. We’re providing them with something I never had growing up.”
“And you’re doing a damn good job at it,” Reece says, handing me all the credit, though he deserves just as much of it as I do.
“And now, the council wants to make peace with us.”
He doesn’t break my gaze, even as I run my other hand down to his stiffening cock. “Is that what you want? To join them? To become one of the leaders?” There’s something about his tone that tells me that if I so much as hint that I’m considering it, he’ll force me to draw back.
I suck in a deep breath, trying like hell to reel my thoughts together. “I don’t know what I want.” His brows shoot upwards at that. He knows how much I hate saying that. Indecisiveness is one of the things I despise the most – the world is either black or white. It should never be that hard to make a choice. But I go on nonetheless. “After everything I’ve been through, struggling all my life, I’ve finally made it to a point I can be proud of.”
“And you should be proud.” He cups my cheeks, but I shake his hands away.
“I want to find them.”
“Find who?”
“My parents. They left me, probably to die. I want to find them and show them how far I’ve come without their help. It’s stupid, and childish, and I have an academy to keep in order, fledglings to keep an eye on, but -”
Reece pulls away, finally noting the seriousness of the conversation. And that’s exactly the point where the coward in me takes over. I drop my hand lower and palm his cock gently. It’s a distraction, both for me and for him. He throbs under my touch, swallowing hard before setting free his next words. “You don’t need to prove anything to them.”
“I’m not trying to prove anything, Reece. I want to gloat. To rub my success in their fucking faces.”
“They’re exiles, Mariella. Imagine what’ll happen if the Grand Master finds out that you’re trying to find them. They won’t believe that you’re searching for them just to boast. They’ll think you’re conspiring.”
“Conspiring to do what, Reece? Why the hell did they get exiled? And why didn’t they take me with them?”
“Perhaps they didn’t want to subject you to that kind of life?” He says it like it’s a fact and I try my best not to think too much on it. Reece knows a lot, but he doesn’t have answers to the questions I’ve been plagued with my entire life.
“Bullshit.” Anger, hot and consuming, lances through me. I throw the curtain aside and step out of the shower. Reece lingers, letting the water wash away the remaining suds of soap. I grab a towel. “They were exiled. So fucking what? Are they living out of a dilapidated cabin in the middle of the woods and forced to feed on rabbit blood and their own goddamn feces? What kind of terrible life could they possibly be living simply because they’ve been exiled from the city?”
“Edemead is the biggest city state in the world, Mariella.” Ever the calm one, he steps out of the shower and grabs his own towel. “And the only State that has a vampire council that rules alongside the president. The only State that has a thriving vampire community with covens. Being exiled doesn’t just mean you’re forced to live a lesser life than you would have had you been in the state. It also means that you’re a pariah amongst the other vampire states as well. It wouldn’t have been an easy life.”
“Not any harder than the one I had to live. I’m finding them, Reece. End of story.”
“Think about what you’re saying, Mariella.” I blink at him, unbelieving. The composure of the ever calm, ever level-headed Reece is slipping. “This is madness. It’s a bad idea.”
“What has gotten into you? Why are so against this?”
“I –” I frown when he breaks off, turning away. Crossing my arms, I wait for him to explain. “I’m just concerned about your safety.”
“Then stop it. I won’t die.”
He doesn’t say anything to that, thank heavens. Now, even more than before, I need the distraction of his body, because sex is a hell of a lot easier than fear and anger and pain. In the blink of an eye, I’m standing before him. He’s so used to it that he doesn’t even flinch.
I press my lips against his, but he doesn’t reciprocate the kiss.
“Help me to forget, Reece,” I whisper against him and slowly, hesitantly, he relaxes. I take that as my go ahead, ease him to the floor and get on top.
I don’t think I’m ever going to get enough of this. Enough of him. From the moment he found me on the street, hiding from the police after I was nearly caught at my local blood bank, he’s been a major part of my life. Teaching me how to fight, how to be stealthier, how to be smarter. He’s helped me become the vampire I am today. And I’m not reaching when I say that the Academy wouldn’t exist without him. I’ll always be grateful to Reece.
I close my eyes and focus on the way he feels inside me. His hands are on my hips, guiding my movements. That building sensation in my legs and in the pit of my stomach when my release is near seems to grow more powerful each time we’re with each other. And this time it’s heightened to an all new level. As usual, he’s right there with me, holding on tight as he cums inside me.
The anger fades. Satiation settles in. “We should get some rest,” I tell him, before easing myself off his body.
Chapter Six
I close my eyes to silence and open them to screaming. The sound doesn’t frighten me, but it does annoy me. That annoyance only lasts for a moment. I shoot up, straight a ruler as I sit on the bed, head pointed in the direction of the noise. I recognize the voice, and based on the direction it’s coming from, I know who it is and what is happening. One thing people mistake about nightmares, is that they only happen when we’re fast asleep. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
With a growl, I throw my sheets aside, grabbing my robe to cover my very naked self before throwing the curtains open. The sun is high in the sky, its brightness almost blinding.
For some reason, it still surprises me how quickly and silently Reece moves — but then again, he was the one who taught me all about stealth in the first place. He’s only half dressed in pajama pants, his chiseled chest out on display. A pang of hunger hits me at the sight of him, with his ruffled hair and everything, but then the scream shoots back into the air and cuts into my wayward thoughts.
“Who is that?” Reece asks. Despite only just waking up, his eyes are direct and ready. He’s off the bed in an instant, throwing on a shirt and following me outside the room. “Mariella,” he calls after me. “Who the hell is that?”
“My bet is that it’s Sarah,” one of the teachers say, stepping into the hall. She’s dressed in an Academy Robe, the silky blue and yellow fabric clinging to her skin.
I shake my head and watch as more and more teachers stream out into the halls, wide-eyed and a little annoyed. They clearly haven’t a clue what’s going on. At first, I’d have put my neck on the block and sworn Sarah was just having a nightmare. After the night she had, it wouldn’t have been much of a surprise. But as the screams intensify, I know just what the hell is happening.
“Sounds like she’s burning,” I say. There’s still a slither of hope that I’m wrong and that I’ll be back in bed in no time.
“Burning?” Reece’s voice echoes the horror that mine should have. We stream down the hallway, running toward the light. Suicide by sunlight is a horrible way to go. And again, I feel like a failure. Last night should have never happened. We should have had measures in place to ensure that the fledglings are accounted for at all times. What’s happening now shouldn’t be happening either. Again, there should have been measures in place to prevent it. Support, counselling, someone to keep an eye on her.
“Sounds like someone’s burning,” someone else says, rushing out of my way as I charge deeper down the hall.
Dellman, another teacher, grunts as he continues toward the exit
. “Either she’s gone mad, or something’s very wrong.”
“It might be what she saw last night. She might still be traumatized,” Reece whispers against my ear.
I don’t disagree. She didn’t just lose a friend; she had to watch me snap her friend’s head from her body. Trauma doesn’t begin to describe what I’m sure she’s feeling.
I look at Reece as the screaming reaches an ungodly pitch and then we take off running even faster.
Some of the teachers are already outside, cordoning off the area, as to prevent the younger vamps from coming through. They part like a wave for Reece and I and we come to stop before the door. Joe and Rob are manning the door with faces so menacing, I’m slightly surprised the others are still trying to get through.
“Hey.” I don’t bark or shout or even hiss. My voice is quiet but it runs through the crowd of born vampires who are slowly growing unruly as if they’re running from the Bubonic plague. Everyone goes silent and their eyes fall on me. “Everyone go back to your rooms. Now!”
Surprisingly, they hesitate, but right at the ripe moment Sarah releases another loud scream. Their eyes jump from me to the door then back to me.
“You heard what she said.” Now, their eyes fall on Reece who speaks just as quietly as I did, but also just as firmly. “Get to your rooms. There’s nothing to see here.”
The vampires know better than to refuse both our commands, no matter how much they want to see what’s going on behind those closed doors. After a moment, they begin to shuffle away, not even murmuring to themselves because they know I’m going to hear anyway. The only ones who stay behind are Joe and Rob.
Despite the screaming on the other end, I look calmly at Joe. “Well, aren’t you a brave one?”
Joe cocks his chin a bit higher, his red eyes sparkling with pride. He’s decked from head to toe in thick blackout fabric covering every inch of his body except for his eyes. It helps, but it doesn’t make him immune and every few seconds I see him wince at the pain he’s undoubtedly under. He’s a turned vamp, after all.
“I’m only doing my job,” he says. I nod at that. Best case scenario he’ll be able to last an hour before the pain gets too bad and he can hardly function. But it seems he’s adamant on being here and he should know his limit.
“What do you know?” I ask them.
“Only as much as you do, ma’am. The screaming started about ten minutes ago. I got here a few seconds after it did, along with Rob and we secured the area for your arrival.”
“The longer we spend out here, the worst it gets for her.” Reece agitatedly touches my back.
Joe and Rob step to the side. Reece and I come forward and I kick the door open, revealing a shower of sunlight. The sun is more up than down now and Joe hisses at the light, throwing his arm over his face as if that’ll do him any good.
“Joe, leave,” Reece orders.
From the corner of my eye, I see him hesitate. Everyone else is captivated by the sight before them — or rather horrified — and they don’t move from where they’re standing.
“Leave,” he says again, with more bite in his voice and finally, Joe whirls away, unable to take the pain anymore. In the blink of an eye, he’s gone, and we’re left with the scene that brings the scream.
At first, I’m not sure what I’m looking at. My eyes have to be deceiving me because this couldn’t possibly be right. But the longer I stare, the more the truth solidifies and the more anger boils in my blood.
Sarah is being held by the hair, right on the fringe of a shower of sunray shining through the window. Ten blackout curtains are used for these rooms, to make sure that while they sleep, they aren’t slowly burning to death, and all ten curtains are currently pulled to the side. The person holding her has eyes that glow an evil gold, sneering happily at us.
Slowly, my eyes fall to his shoulder where I see a tattoo I don’t recognize. I’ve seen lots of gang tattoos in the last few years. They’re all different in as many ways as they’re the same. This tattoo, however, isn’t one I’ve seen before – a tiger’s head.
“What are you doing?” I ask. His smile slips a bit, taken aback by my calm manner despite the situation we’re in. If only he knew the fire raging inside me. If only he knew I could already smell the scent of his death.
“This is a message,” he spits. “The Rogue Academy will not survive. You take one of ours. We take one of yours.”
“No one has taken any of your men, Mr.-”
“My name doesn’t matter. What matters is that you have the blood of one of ours on your hands and now it’s time to pay.”
He shoves Sarah into the light and the screaming resumes. Her face is almost completely burnt off, ashes that was once her skin falling to the floor. Her eyes grow bulbous as the flesh around it is stripped away and there’s nothing left of her lips. Her beautiful blonde mane has been reduced to strings. He pulls her away, but the burning doesn’t cease — it just lessens.
Rob and Reece step forward, ready to pounce. I can hear Rob snarling behind me. I hold out an arm, not stopping the others from moving forward, but not lunging at him myself. He knows that I’m in charge here and so he sees me as the real threat. The closer I move toward him, the more likely he is to shove Sarah head first through the window. If that happens, there’ll be an even slimmer chance of us being able to save her. “How old are you? Nineteen? Twenty? Do you know what you’re doing?”
“I’m defending my gang,” the man replies.
No, what he is, is the sheep they sent to be slaughtered. I’m going to ask him two questions before I kill him. I try as much as I can to keep my voice calm. “What is the name of your gang?”
The bugger has the good sense to look a bit afraid at my words, but it doesn’t last all that long. “Tigerhearts. And we will avenge our fallen —” He falls deep into his words, repeating the same bullshit I’m sure he’s heart a thousand times. That’s all I need to make my move. Before he can so much as another breath out, my hand is around his throat, sparking fear in his eyes. I shove him against the wall, forcing him to release Sarah. Rob catches her before she falls.
It isn’t until I’m staring into his eyes do I realize how true my words are. They did send him as the sheep to be slaughtered. The pride in his eyes is fake. This boy sweats insecurity and inexperience. “I don’t give a fuck what your boss said about us. We didn’t do shit. But you decided to breach our walls, disturb our sleep and torture one of us because of whatever fucking rumor you heard.”
He’s trembling now, hands on mine to try and tear it away. Fear is making him stupid. Any seasoned vamp would have easily tried to injure me instead of force my hands off. “You —” His windpipe is closing up. “You killed —”
“Question number two. How would you like to be served? In a box or on a silver platter?”
I’m pretty sure he pisses himself at that. It almost — almost — makes me smile, but I’m so livid that I can hardly think straight. Rogue Academy is where the young and the inexperienced come, not only to learn, but to be safe. Before I know it, my hand is in his chest, searching around for that heart of his until I feel it against my fingers. I squeeze a little.
He’s gasping for air, tears pricking in his eyes. Slowly, his eyes wander away to something over my shoulder. “H-help… me… please...”
Help? Who the fuck—
I look over my shoulder to see Reece staring at the intruder with a grim look. And then I look back at the intruder to see his eyes focused on Reece’s. Reece? Was he asking Reece for help? They couldn’t possibly know each other … could they?
All of a sudden, I remember the day we first met. Me running from the cops and Reece, just a few years older than me, materializing out of the darkness with a helping hand. I remember the look in his eyes, the slight panting. I remember wondering if he himself had been running from someone. Or something.
No, no matter how much the look in his eyes resembles the look he had the night he saved me, it has nothing to do
with this. Despite the fact that, years later, Reece has never come forward and told me what was actually going on with him that night, it couldn’t possibly have anything to do with this vampire asking him for help. This guy is delirious, desperate, and will say anything to stay alive. He saw the only human in the room and is hoping to appeal to his sense of empathy. That has to be it. And the look in Reece’s eyes… well, he must have some explanation for that later.
“Just end it, Mariella.” The sound of Reece’s voice snaps me back to the present. And for some reason, after hearing him say that, I’m even more pissed off.
With a roar, I rip his heart from his chest. Blood spurts into my face, the scent so rich and powerful, I nearly lick my lips. His beating heart feels good, as does the sight of his body slumping to the floor.
“Rob.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Clean this up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I sense his hesitation without having to turn around. “What do I do with the … with Sarah?”
I look over at him, noting Sarah’s vacant eyes. She must have died in his arms. That’s two losses in less than twenty-four hours. I feel my own chest tighten. I look at Reece and as soon as my eyes focus on him, his own jerks away from the dead vampire and settle on me. I can’t read him. I can’t fucking read him. “Bring her to Emma in the infirmary,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “We’ll have a burial tonight.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Gently, he picks up her body, taking care not to jostle it too much. A second later, he’s gone, leaving me, Reece and a very dead vampire.
“We need to talk. In my office. Now.”
I don’t wait for Reece to respond. I just walk away — and he follows without a word.
Chapter Seven
Reece is anything but submissive. Though I hold the spot at the head of the table, and his authority here comes through me, I’m not so foolish as to think that he’s going to bow at my feet. His eyes are dark with anger at the command, but he doesn’t say anything to me until we’re in my office, safe behind closed doors and my soundproof walls.
Rogue Academy: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Academy Romance (Rogue Vampire Academy Book 1) Page 5
