by Sage, May
Jack's cold eyes glinted, showing exactly what would occur to anyone who dared seek his help. The man certainly had a presence.
To her surprise, he walked right up to her. This close, he towered over her, although at five foot five, Chloe wasn't particularly small. The man topped her by two heads; he might even have been taller than Levi.
“You're fast,” he stated.
Oh. Chloe shrugged. “I used to run track. I'm not as fast as I was, though.”
Spending years working on her feet had made her quite reluctant to exercise in her spare time.
“Mh. What'cha doing tonight, Cheetah?”
She blinked. Was he hitting on her, now, here? In front of the professor and all?
“We're having a race in the Wolvswoods. Winner wins five hundred pounds, loser buys beer. You in?”
Not hitting on her, then. He was very handsome, so there was exactly zero reason why she should feel relieved. But she did anyway.
“I mean… How many beers are we talking about?”
She could use half a grand, but she didn't have enough cash to buy a round for the entire Institute.
Jack shrugged. “Two dozen, give or take.”
“Is that an open invite?” Gwen asked.
“No,” said Jack, shortly.
Then he turned to her. “Wolvswoods are dangerous. Can you take care of yourself, or are you fast enough to outrun a predator?”
“Yes,” the woman replied, meeting his gaze.
Jack shrugged. “Then suit yourself. We kick off at sundown.”
On that note, he walked toward the Institute’s entrance.
The teen introduced himself—he was a fox shifter of fourteen who'd already graduated from Oxford. Then Miss Paxton invited them to follow her into the grand building.
“The Institute has seven hundred and thirty-four rooms, and at any given time, twenty teachers, ten sub-teachers, a staff of a hundred, and three hundred students–meaning that even if every single one of us occupied a different room, half of the castle would still be empty. You will get lost. Therefore, allow suitable time to get to your lessons. Some teachers do not tolerate tardiness.”
Chloe felt the teacher’s eyes pause on her for a hot second. She shifted on her legs, then followed the group toward the large grand staircase in front of the entry hall.
“You're this year's newcomers—and returners,” she stated, looking at Easton. “Some of you are freshmen undergrads, others are working on their master’s or doctorate. Your individual requirements differ, and it is your responsibility to see that you fulfill them. Undergrads, at the end of each semester, your attendance and participation will be reviewed, and you will pass—or fail—tests in the subjects you choose to pursue. Master’s and doctorate students are expected to present their work once a year, at the end of the second semester. The presentation will cover at least three advanced courses, although the subjects are entirely up to you.”
Gwen lifted her hand politely.
“Yes, Miss Kanye?”
“When you say up to us…”
“It means just that. A panel of judges will rate your work. You can discuss the subject you choose with your mentors and teachers throughout the year.”
“But if we pick them, how do they translate into getting our degrees?” Chloe asked. “Would I have a Master of Business Administration if I pick the wrong thing?”
“No, Miss Miller,” she replied.
Gwen looked as baffled as Chloe.
“So…”
“So pick the right thing.”
Red Doors
They were handed a map of each floor along with the schedule of every class taught at any time of the day or night. The folder was ten pages long. Chloe noticed that the huntsman didn't receive either.
“You're to familiarize yourself with the building this morning. You will not be unwelcome in any room, save for the northern tower at this hour. Your mentors are expecting you to tell them which courses you have chosen to study by the end of the week. That is all.”
The woman wasn't one to linger in useless talk.
Chloe opened the folded map on top of the laminated manual and grimaced. At least Miss Paxton had warned them. There were a good hundred rooms on every damn floor, five floors, and three freaking towers.
Towers. As an American, she found the very concept of this palace ludicrous.
“Freaking out yet, regular?” Gwen asked her. “I know I am, and I was born into this shit.”
Chloe relaxed a little, glad to know she wasn't the only one out of her depth.
“Hey, you know this place, right?” the fox asked the huntsman. “This map sucks. Can you give us a tour? Maybe show us the fastest way to the cafeteria or something.”
Easton was done smiling now.
"Listen, no offense, but I'm not here to play around. I need a degree to get a promotion, so I'm getting one, but I have a job outside of this. Good luck, rookies."
On that note, he walked away as fast as his feet could carry him, leaving them behind.
Chloe stared at her feet awkwardly.
“What a dick,” said Gwen. “I say we stick together.”
The fox nodded, and they went exploring together, opening each door on the ground floor to find classes on the right and study rooms with computers on the left. The first floor was filled with laboratories: biology on the right wing, chemistry on the left, and something that looked suspiciously like magic in the southern tower.
As they'd been warned not to, they didn't open the door leading to the north tower.
Chloe paused in front of it. The door was painted red, making it stand out in the white stone building. Everything else seemed to be either white or dark wood.
Something in Chloe desperately wanted to open that door, but the red paint also felt like a warning. A "do not enter" sign.
“Hey, regular! Coming?” called Gwen.
She nodded, and after a last glance toward the red door, rejoined the rest of the group.
The second floor was filled with amphitheaters. The lessons seemed to be focused on science on the right-hand side and arts on the left. Chloe would undoubtedly spend the bulk of her time on this floor, she guessed.
Again, there was a red door shutting the north tower away from the rest of the building. As they explored the Institute, Chloe found herself both expecting and looking forward to seeing that closed red door.
The entire last floor was an open-plan library. Standing at the middle of it, Chloe found herself in awe of the sheer number of books in the place. Millions. Hell, there could be billions. Thousands upon thousands of square feet filled with rows of books, and each high wall, up to the ceiling, was covered with them.
“Holy shit. I'm having a Beauty and the Beast moment,” Gwen mused. “Belle would have a damn heart attack.”
“I just need a torch, a tent, and a duvet,” said the boy. “Come find me in a decade.”
Chloe wasn't much of an academic reader. She'd been one to do her homework, but when it came to reading for pleasure, she preferred a good romance over a memoir pondering the meaning of life. She guessed that the library would be full of such boring tomes, but as they walked past a few shelves, she discovered a humongous section dedicated to fiction—sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal romance, some graphic novels, manga.
Okay. She was totally up for camping up here with Adam the fox.
She zeroed in on a shelf with a few recently released books she'd been looking forward to reading, and greedily piled them up in her arms. She'd have to check the library’s terms, but now was as good a time as any to start a membership.
Chloe was lost in her little world, carrying seven books and eyeing an eighth on the wall, when a breath made her turn her head left.
Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened.
There was another red door here, but this one was open.
Her feet moved of their own volition, and before she knew it, she'd crossed the threshold and walked right inside the
north tower.
She bit her lip. Dammit. That was the only thing they'd been told not to do, and here she was, going against the rules on day one. That wasn't like her. She couldn't afford to piss off the administration here—not when she'd been accepted as a fluke.
Step back. Go now.
She ignored the voice of reason and remained where she stood.
Chloe looked down, and her eyes widened.
There was nothing; just an endless gray curved staircase as far as her eyes could see. Which wasn't very far. There was no light except for the one coming from the library behind her.
Lifting her eyes, she found that the stairs kept going up and up.
Chloe tiptoed forward and looked down. There was no handrail, no banister to prevent people from falling all the way down from the fifth floor.
What the hell? That was super dangerous.
She swallowed hard and stepped back cautiously only to find herself hitting a hard surface sooner than expected.
She couldn't be at the wall yet, right? Chloe turned, then gasped, releasing the lip she'd been nervously chewing during her little walk on the wild side.
Behind her stood a shadow.
Another vampire, the third she'd seen in less than twenty-four hours. She could tell now. Besides, he wasn't exactly hiding it, with those fangs pointing under his lips as he smirked down at her.
He was staring at her with eyes that shone in the darkness. Chloe wouldn't have blinked if he'd worn a cape, but the vampire had on blue jeans and a light silver shirt under a black leather jacket: perfectly normal attire that did nothing but emphasize his incongruity, his non-humanity. He wasn't pale, but his skin seemed to shine internally, as if fitted with its own internal light.
He was also devastatingly handsome, with his light hair and tanned limbs.
“What have we here? A curious little fledgling.”
She might have answered, if she were capable of speaking at all, but all motor function had been halted until further notice.
Unlike Anika and Levi, this person made her uncomfortable.
The vampire was enjoying her helplessness, she could tell. But his visible amusement finally managed to piss her off enough that she found her tongue again.
“I'm Chloe. I started school here today. Sorry, I didn't know I shouldn't be here.”
“Oh, but you knew. And you ignored it. Aren't you a bad girl, Chloe.”
The way he said her name was a fucking flick on her clit. Embarrassed and more pissed off, she glared. “Is that how you get off? Trying to frighten humans.”
For the briefest instant, he lifted an eyebrow in surprise, and then he smiled. “Not quite. I could show you how I get off, though.”
All right, so she'd walked into that one two feet in.
“Didn't Uncle Dracula tell you that cheesy shit like that basically negates all of your intimidating points?”
The vampire's smile was genuine, and so fucking beautiful it wasn't even fair. “He might have. I've always been a terrible disappointment to Uncle Dracula.”
“I can see why.”
Sometime over the last couple of minutes, Chloe had started breathing more or less normally. She found that when the vampire extended his hand to her, she could move without a problem. She shook it.
“Alexius,” a strangely familiar voice called.
Chloe suddenly inhaled hard, as if pulled out of a spell she hadn't realized she'd been under.
Looking up the staircase, she saw Levi stand a few steps above her, eyes set on the other vampire.
“Alexius, meet Chloe. Chloe, meet Alexius. He will not bother you again.”
She half-wanted to say he hadn't bothered her in the first place, but something in Levi's tone, almost threatening, made her stay quiet for once. What Blair had said yesterday was obvious now. Levi was dangerous. Maybe even a little scary around the edges.
“Sorry for trespassing.”
Alexius chuckled. “It's perfectly natural. You're welcome at any time.”
“She isn't,” Levi stated.
The blond rolled his eyes. “All right, you're not. He's the boss.”
Chloe smiled at him.
“Well, it's nice to meet you, Alexius.”
“Likewise, fledgling.”
On that note, he turned on his heels and started walking away, each of his steps impossibly fast. Levi remained where he stood, eyes fixed on her. Chloe wondered if he was going to say something, tell her to stay away from Alexius, or—or what?
It didn't matter. Levi did no such thing. For the second time, he simply dissolved into dark mist.
Which was irritating as hell. After a second, she was alone in the staircase.
“Chloe?”
She turned to find Gwen standing in the library.
Another world away, or so it seemed.
“Are you coming? We're going to set up library cards and then head down to the courtyard. It's almost noon.”
Was she coming?
Part of her ached to walk up those endless stairs.
She shook her head, willing herself to regain her lost senses.
“On my way.”
Priorities
The large, round study was mostly empty during the day. In a few hours, a dozen vampires would be hunched behind their work stations, engrossed in their research.
He'd deliberately asked the woman to come here at eleven so that they could speak privately.
This wasn’t the first time that Levi De Villier had met a prospective bride. The first few had been bothersome. Now, he was used to their buzzing around him wherever he went like a moth to a flame.
He drove away those who were easy to manipulate, but the woman in front of him didn't look like a faint-hearted shrew, to his displeasure.
One glance, and he already knew she'd be a handful. Her eyes were a little like his. Cold. Calculating.
She may have been young by all standards, but she was a true vamp nonetheless.
“Your name is Catherine, I hear.”
“Yes. My friends call me Cat.”
“You're a Stormhale. That makes you, what, seventeenth in line for the throne ruling over the European covens?”
She nodded.
“Do you have friends, Catherine?”
She didn't miss a beat, he had to give her that.
“People like you and me don't have friends,” she replied. “We have pawns. I misspoke when I said ‘friends,’ but ‘my pawns call me Cat’ would have made me sound like a James Bond villain.”
At least she was honest. He wondered how many truths she'd be willing to reveal.
“Tell me why you're here, Catherine,” he said, using her full name. No one had ever accused him of being a pawn in anyone's game without his consent.
She crossed her legs elegantly. “Because my family wants me to marry you. I've been asked to make myself useful to you for the next three years, and to seduce you at the first opportunity.”
Very honest, then.
“Why did you comply?”
The stunning blonde tilted her head. “It's my understanding that you might eventually become king in this part of the world. Our intelligence has reported that your niece, the Queen of Germania, has very little support from the other families. Her reelection is approaching, and she may lose. I wouldn't mind being a princess, and I sure would like to be queen someday.”
In the Age of Blood, the vampire covens around the world elected the rulers who would reign over humans and paranormals alike. When they retired to the shadows, their kind allowed regular human politics to do as they chose, but they maintained their monarchical systems, to Levi's great sorrow.
It had made sense. Before the Great Reveal, most vampires had been either isolated or part of many little covens often at war with each other, fighting for territory, power, or perhaps just out of boredom. Having one king per continent, and a clear system with laws and structure, had considerably reduced the amount of immortal blood spilled without cause. Overall, Lev
i would have approved, if he wasn't, as Catherine had pointed out, far too close to the throne.
She was right. Bella would not be reelected. No other De Villier was fit to rule. Except him. He was the logical successor, on paper.
“You did your homework,” he stated. “You would have also noted that I’ve never taken a wife. What makes you think I’d change that now?”
Most immortal weddings were contracts, set to be broken within a predetermined length of time—a hundred years, typically. Levi didn’t know many elders who’d remained bachelors through the ages. But he’d never encountered a person—male, female, mortal, immortal, regular, shifter, or anything else—who’d captured his interest. He liked to have sex occasionally, and enjoyed the company of some of his kind. But marriage?
His mind involuntarily flickered back to his encounter with Chloe just a few minutes ago. He was annoyed at himself for thinking of her now, but he couldn’t help it.
She smelled of some fruity moisturizer and, underneath that, of forest, earth, and rain. Wild and sweet.
She was a problem he had no time for. A problem he couldn't ignore.
Just like the woman in front of him.
“I didn’t think you would,” she replied. “But my aunt insists. And I was tired of Rome, in any case.”
He nodded. At least she was under no delusions.
“Well, you're welcome to remain in Oldcrest, of course, and you're invited to attend the conclave on Night Hill during your stay, Catherine. If you wish to be of use to me, you may join my outings. My assistant will notify you, and you may address any question to him. You will not disturb me during my studies here at the Institute. If you bother me, you'll be on the next plane to Rome. Understood?”
The woman acquiesced. “Perfectly. I thank you, Your Grace.”
Levi sighed as she moved away. All the ridiculous fuss went with his name.
Ignoring her, as he intended to do for the foreseeable future, Levi headed to his computer. He placed his hand on his identification pad, and a small needle pricked his finger, drawing a drop of blood.
