Grace got up and scouted the premises. “Can’t you smell the ashes? There were many enemies here, and they are all gone. There’s just him. He’s the only one left.”
Andrea folded her arms. “Your point?”
“He killed them. I saw it.”
Her best friend arched an eyebrow. “Have you lost your mind? We’ve never seen him before. They attacked us in our home. We killed them. Maybe it was Michael’s group who killed these and failed to kill him. You know how powerful Darren is.”
“No. I would have seen his fire powers if Darren had done this. Michael’s group is closer to the mansion.” Grace looked at the young male again. “Also, I heard the vampires call a name. A name that many fear. Didn’t you?”
“I was too busy killing them.”
“I don’t want to kill him,” Grace mumbled. “I can’t.”
“Well, I can.” In a flash, Andrea grabbed the stake from Grace’s hand and raised it above her head.
Something inside Grace snapped, and she caught Andrea’s wrist. She shoved her friend back as her canines grew in her mouth, and her nails turned into claws. “You’ll have to go through me to get to him.”
Andrea blanched and dropped the stake to the floor. “What do you mean, Grace? Have you lost your mind?”
“Mine,” Grace growled as she faced Andrea. “Do you understand?”
“What’s going on?”
Grace’s attention was drawn to Craig and Lori. They were both covered in ashes, an indication that they had been on a killing spree and have done their job of protecting the academy.
“Why’s that one still alive?” Craig grabbed a stake from behind his back and walked to the vampire lying on the grass.
Grace sped in front of him and held a hand up. “Off-limits.”
Arching an eyebrow, he stopped. “What do you mean?”
Andrea edged closer to them. “She doesn’t want us to kill him. He looks like an angel, and he’s hers.”
Craig frowned and scratched the back of his head. “Are you serious?”
Grace growled at him.
“He’s trespassing,” Craig argued.
“My prisoner,” Grace stated. “You’ll have to go through me to get to him.”
“I told you,” Andrea muttered with folded arms.
Craig waved in dismissal. “Whatever, princess. Your grandfather will decide then.”
The mention of her grandfather made her heart stop beating for a second as coherency returned to her mind. The fear of losing the unconscious male on the grass grew stronger. How could she defy her grandfather? She wasn’t strong enough to protect the young man if Vincent Delacroix wanted to claim his life.
Andrea leaned closer. “Are you coming back to your senses?”
Grace’s heart fluttered as she looked at her friend. “Help me carry him home.”
Her friend stepped back. “Who? The vampire? You want me to touch one of those things?”
“I promise you that I’m not mad. Help me, Andrea.”
Huffing, her bestie grumbled, “Fine. I’ll grab his legs.”
Grace smiled.
“Wait!” Craig waved as he marched behind his teammates, who carried the vampire down the pathway and into the mansion. “Are you serious? I thought you were pulling a prank on me. Are we really taking him home?”
Grace ignored all the protests as her eyes lingered on the guy’s handsome face, and her heart kept beating out of control. The strange energy coming from him wrapped around her body and touched the depths of her soul. It was hypnotic, and she had no idea how to snap out of that state, or if she wanted to do that.
Minutes later, Vincent Delacroix stood аt thе lаrgе Frеnсh doors. Hiѕ brows furrоwеd, аnd Grace соuld see a vеin thrоbbing аt hiѕ neck, bеtraуing hiѕ calm exterior.
“Hе helped uѕ fight them,” Grace ѕаid at his questioning eyes.
Though ѕhе knew thеу could hаvе tаkеn the vampires оut, his help allowed them to finish faster.
Her grandfather folded his arms over his chest. “Why would he do that?”
“They called him Noah,” Grace added.
The Lycan’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you certain?”
“Yes. He’s not like them, either,” Grace added with her eyes on his face. “He’s so much more.”
“Who hurt him, you?” Her grandfather questioned.
“I found him like this.”
“Why didn’t you kill him?”
Grace looked up and nibbled on her lower lip. “He’s mine.” She could see the blood drain from her grandfather’s face. “If you kill him, you’re killing me.”
“What does that mean?” Andrea asked.
Craig added, “She’s been acting strange since she saw him.”
Vincent Delacroix stepped back and pointed up. “Take him to the infirmary and don’t speak of this to anyone. Understood?” His cold eyes aimed at the other werewolves following Grace and Andrea.
They all nodded and lowered their eyes to the ground.
His voice came out menacing and low. “I’ll kill anyone who betrays my family.”
Grace gulped as she raised her eyes to look at her grandfather. His resolve warmed her heart, but the menace had been something that she had never heard from his mouth before. Still, he had said that to protect her. She thought she would have to fight him.
“I love you,” she voiced as tears fell down her cheeks.
Her grandfather’s eyes softened before he turned his back and left with his hands tightly closed into fists.
Chapter Five
VINCENT
Their trespasser rested on the infirmary bed. Hе wоrе lеаthеr trоuѕеrѕ and a bloody white shirt that was torn apart when Carl, the academy’s doctor, cleaned his wounds and patched him up. It seemed that the creature was allergic to silver like werewolves. His body had been brutally beaten and stabbed. It was a miracle that he was alive. Carl’s medical expertise also had a role in that. He was able to detect a deadly toxin and cure the rogue hunter before it was too late.
The headmaster was unsure of who hе truly wаѕ. He had no identification with him. Cоuld he bе Noah Keith? No. Keith wasn’t so ѕtuрid аѕ tо соmе tо Sanabria. It was Lycan’s old territory, and the alpha president didn’t tolerate rogue hunters. Not that the assassins who attacked that night seemed to care. It was a good training for his pups and Grace, though.
Rubbing his forehead, Vincent returned his thoughts to the pressing matter laying on his infirmary’s bed. There were no reports about Keith for the last two years. Rumors circulated that hе wаѕ, indeed, аlivе and causing havoc between the vampire hordes while also working as a gun to hire. If that was the halfling, he wasn’t technically a foe, but not an ally, either.
Why had the creature helped them?
Vincent clenched his jaw. It couldn’t be. Thiѕ wаѕ juѕt a run оf the mill vampire, and hе wоuld bе trеаtеd as оnе. Though, the blood tests revealed that he was a hybrid. Worse, his granddaughter seemed to be attached to the thing. How could he send the rogue away if it broke the girl’s heart? Not only that, looking at Grace’s eyes when she arrived with the male was like a déjà vu. His son had the same expression when he found Grace’s mom wounded and brought her home. Now, like back then, something was telling him that a tragedy was going to happen. Still, Evelyn didn’t have vampire blood coursing through her veins. The werewolf communities didn’t criticize her marriage with his son. It had brought honor to his family and blessed him with his granddaughter. If that was, indeed, Noah Keith, Grace’s tragic fate had been sealed. He had to do something to prevent his granddaughter’s suffering.
Carl and Logan had left the room while Grace paced around with a gloomy expression as if someone had hurt her favorite pet.
“Why do you have to chain him? He did nothing wrong,” she protested.
Vincent had ordered Logan and Carl to restrain the prisoner.
“We have no idea how dangerous he is,” Vincent re
torted.
Grace huffed and balled her hands. “He’s hurting, can’t you see?”
“And we fixed him. He’ll be fine,” he said the last sentence to reassure her.
She glanced at the creature’s face. “He seems in pain.”
“Carl gave him a sedative, and he’ll be out until he’s fully recovered.” Edging closer, he placed a hand on her shoulder. “You should go to bed and sleep. You have classes in the morning.”
“I don’t care. I’m staying here until he wakes up.”
He frowned and rubbed his forehead. “Why?”
Her lips trembled as she pouted and folded her arms over her chest. “He’s in an unfamiliar place. He might be scared when he wakes up and realizes that he’s chained and alone.”
“Grace, he’s a grown-up male, not a child.” He groaned at her, harsher than he intended.
His granddaughter looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I don’t know how to explain this, Grandpa, but I feel that I might die if I stay away from him.”
Vincent snarled and gritted his teeth. “Stay here if you must, but don’t be foolish enough to remove his chains. Understood?”
Grace nodded.
The headmaster felt a fluctuation of energy in the infirmary and opened his eyes.
After several days of being unconscious, their guest seemed to be awakened and trying to remove his restraints.
Cleaning his throat, Vincent waited for the vampire hybrid to look at him.
The individual froze and slowly turned his head to the werewolf.
“Where am I? What do you want from me?”
Plastering on a smile, Vincent greeted him, “Welcome to the land of the living.”
The hybrid grumbled and dropped his head on his pillow with a sigh.
Vincent hummed and folded his arms. “You don’t seem happy to be alive.”
“I got my revenge. My life has no more meaning.”
“Are you talking about the vampires that attacked my school? I appreciate your help. Though, I’ll need to ask you a few questions about who they were and what they were doing here.”
Noah looked at the headmaster. “Is that why you saved my life?”
Vincent offered him a lopsided grin. “You helped us. I decided to return the favor.”
He scoffed. “That’s because you have no idea of who I am, or you’ll kill me on the spot.”
“Make no mistake, my child”—Vincent got up and pulled at the cuffs of his tailored black suit— “I know perfectly well who you are. In fact, I have a proposition that might please you. I’ll call the doctor and have him bring you to my office once they make sure you are able to stand.”
Vincent walked to the door.
“Wait,” Noah requested.
Vincent turned around.
Noah seemed conflicted about speaking.
The headmaster frowned.
“The girl. The one who was by my side while I was recovering. Who is she?”
Vincent’s face became sober. “No one you should worry about. We’ll talk about all of your doubts and your future in a few moments.”
The headmaster left and followed the corridor to the stairs. His granddaughter was at college and wouldn’t be home before nightfall. He had plenty of time to assess that assassin’s worth and come up with a plan to keep both of them from doing something stupid in the name of love. Not that he believed that the cold beast in the infirmary would care about a mate bond. But his granddaughter cared. He would make the hybrid care about it, too.
Chapter Six
GRACE
Grace stormed into the mansion, climbed up the stairs to her bedroom, and dropped her bag on her bed. Filling her lungs with air, she combed her fingers through her hair and looked at herself in the mirror before leaving for the infirmary.
Moments later, her heart dropped when she found an empty bed where Noah used to be.
Spinning around, she breezed down the corridor and into the doctor’s office. “Mr. Chambery, where’s our patient?”
The doctor raised his eyes from the book he was reading. “Last time I checked, he was with the headmaster in his office.”
“Why?”
Dr. Carl Chambery flipped a page. “He’s cured, and your grandfather wanted to talk to him.”
Nibbling on her lower lip, Grace debated about whether she’d go to her grandfather’s office or wait to know more about what was going on.
“Do you need anything else?” the doctor asked.
“No. Thank you.”
Closing the door behind her, Grace chewed on her right thumb. What could her grandfather be talking with Noah about? Was Noah still there? What if he left without her having a chance to speak to him?
“What are you doing here?’’ Michael’s voice startled her.
“Nothing.”
Ignoring him, she paced to the stairs and climbed to her private space in the attic—her refuge and off-limits to the others.
Something wasn’t right, though. She felt it the moment she stepped in there, and the last sun rays streamed down the roof’s window and washed over the red velvet sofa in front of her bookshelves. She often curled up there with a book and a quilt covering her legs while entering the adventurous and romantic world of her favorite authors.
Her space smelled differently. Someone had been there and used her bathroom to shower. Her chest of drawers had been touched. Two drawers with her clothes remained open.
Her eye twitched, and she clenched her jaw. When she was about to turn and unleash hell on the other students, the bathroom’s door opened, and a male figure stepped out, still drying his hair with a towel.
With wide eyes, Grace came face to face with Noah, wearing a gray t-shirt and sweatpants with the academy’s logo. Her tracksuit. Her comfy stay-at-home clothes.
Her throat became dry, and her mouth slightly dropped at the sight of his gorgeous figure walking her way. Her eyes met his furrowed eyebrows.
She managed to speak. “What are you doing here? Who told you to come here?”
Noah halted in front of her and dropped the towel on the floor. He looked her up and down before walking past her and dropping onto the couch under the sunlight.
“Hey.” Grace turned on her heels. “I’m talking to you. Why are you here and wearing my clothes?”
Noah covered his face with his arm and rested his wet hair against one of the cushions.
“You must be one of the students. I’m Noah, the new substitute teacher.” His voice was sexy and low.
“Substitute teacher?” Grace asked to confirm she’d heard him right. “Of what?”
“Advanced Class of Attack and Defense.”
“That’s the headmaster’s class. He doesn’t need a substitute teacher.”
“He has some business to take care of, and he’ll be away for a few days. Now, could you leave and let me rest? I had a hell of a week.”
Folding her arms, Grace tapped her boot against the floor. “This is my place. You can’t be in here.”
Noah raised his head and studied her. Squinting, he added, “I was told to pick a place to sleep. I didn’t know this was a girl’s bedroom. Where’s the bed, though? I was planning to sleep on the couch. If there was a bed here somewhere, I’d assume the space was taken.”
“There are plenty of free beds in the male dorms. Get your stuff and go there. You can’t stay here. Plus, you’re wearing my clothes.”
“I need to wash mine. They have blood all over, and I didn’t have time to get my things. Actually, Vincent doesn’t want me to leave the Academy without my assigned guardian. I also used your shampoo and body wash. Vincent said I could stay here and wear the school’s training equipment.”
“What?” Grace turned to the door and left to search for her grandfather.
One minute later, she entered his office and stopped in front of his desk. “Why is Noah in the attic, saying that you told him to stay there, and you’re leaving for a few days to take care of business?”
“I see you two have met,” Vincent said, entwining his fingers over the desk. “You saved him. He’s your responsibility now.”
“She saved me?” Noah’s voice alerted Grace of his presence.
She glanced back and saw him, resting a shoulder against the door frame.
“This is Grace, my granddaughter. She’ll help you settle in and will escort you around. She’s a student but also my assistant. She’ll fill you in about what you need to teach in your classes. I’ll leave tomorrow to talk with the council about your staying here. In the meantime, Grace will make sure that you feel welcome and have everything you need. Won’t you, Grace?”
Grace was unable to answer since her mouth was agape. She, eventually, nodded.
Vincent reached for his wallet and removed a black credit card. “Grace, Mr. Keith needs new clothes.”
“I have my belongings at a pension nearby. I also need to get my clothes and bike. When can I meet my guardian and leave?” Noah asked.
“You are looking at her,” Vincent replied.
Noah frowned. “Aren’t you afraid I might escape from such an … inoffensive guardian?”
“She might look harmless, but you don’t want to annoy her,” Vincent warned. With a smile, he added, “If anything happens to her, I’ll have your head after I make sure to chop you into pieces and cause you the most excruciating pain before you die.”
“You should threaten someone with something they might care about. I don’t care if I live or die,” Noah said, walking towards Grace. “Since you’re my guardian, do you mind if I sleep on the floor of your room?”
Grace was going to nod but shook her head instead. “Are you crazy? There’s no need for you to sleep on the floor.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Sighing, she rubbed her right temple. “I have my own room. You can sleep on the couch. I’ll get you some blankets and a pillow. It’s chilly at night.”
“That’s settled.” Vincent rose to his feet. “Tomorrow, Grace will go with you to grab your belongings. Tonight, she’ll show you where you can have your meals. Do you eat meat, or are you only on a blood diet?”
Academy of Magic Collection Page 111
