by Kim Faulks
Because it’s what they want you to think. The words filled me.
The warning voice behind me in the dream was resurrected, sending goosebumps along my skin. I had to do something...I had to trust someone—I lifted my gaze. I’d trust them. I took a step closer, watching as Judas’s nostrils flared, and the other two moved in.
I lowered my voice and dropped my head, speaking into the side of his neck—Hell he smelled good, like the full moon rising, like the perfume of night jasmine still clinging to his skin. “Last night someone came to my balcony.”
I felt all three Wolves stiffen.
“It was some kind of Vampire creature. He looked frightened, like someone was chasing him. He asked if he could come in.”
Brown eyes seized mine as Judas turned to me. All I could see were those lips...those perfect lips.
“Yes,” I whispered. “I let him in.”
“You really need to brush up on your own kind,” Bond muttered, watching me as I stared at Judas’ mouth. “Just sayin’.”
“Anyway.” I shook myself from the trance. “I bought him in, he asked for a glass of water and when I came back he was gone, vanished like he’d never been there at all. I searched the hall, and then went back to bed and had the craziest ass dream imaginable. My room was filled with diamonds.”
Other students rushed past us.
“Kiki! No running in the hallways, please!” A male teacher cried out as he passed. He cut us a glare. “Shouldn’t you four be getting to class?”
“Yes, Mr. May,” Nero answered but didn’t move a muscle. “We should.”
The teacher just looked at us and then kept on walking, muttering under his breath about cocky Wolves.
“And?” Judas murmured.
The words caught in the back of my throat. I couldn’t say them, so I reached out, grasped Judas’ hand in mine and slipped it into the pocket of my jacket.
His chest rose with a hard breath, something predatory sparkled in his eyes, and for a second, I thought he felt it...felt that raw, hunger from the diamonds like I had, until he closed his fist around the bag in my pocket and the jewels clattered and clinked.
“They were real, all real. The creature must’ve left them in my room before he disappeared.”
Judas slipped his hand from mine.
“There’s a sigil on the bag, that’s what I needed help figuring out,” I murmured as the shrill sound of the class bell rang along the hallway.
Judas just stared into my eyes and then nodded. “Then we’ll all help, but no more letting crazy ass creatures into you room at night, okay? Especially the Vampire kind.”
I nodded. But for a second, I thought we were talking about two very different Vampires.
“Right, let’s go to the Dens and Dives class. Ms. Truro isn’t going to wait for everyone,” Nero pipped in.
They turned and we walked to class together, slipping into the room as the teacher stared.
“Nice of you to join us,” she snarled and then with a wave of her hand, slammed the door.
We didn’t have many Witches at Bestias Academy, and the ones we did have were snarling and short fused. I slipped into the seat between Ava and Judas, while the other Wolves took one seat up from the Alpha and one down.
We turned our focus to the white board where the map of Tricks City was divided between the races.
“Right, class. Today we’re learning about the division of breeds, what that means to the races of the future, and of the past.”
“The future is fangs!” someone called out.
“Yes, yes,” Ms. Truro muttered and waved her hand, a ripple of magic pricked my skin.
There was a muffled mutter and a scrape of the chair. I turned and glanced at the loud-mouth who’d spoken out of turn and caught the wide eyed stare of a Vampire with his mouth sewn shut. It looked a tiny bit painful. Hell, this teacher wasn’t messing around.
“The future in this class.” Ms. Truro leaned on her desk and glared at each one of us. “Is respect. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Ms. Truro,” I mouthed the words as the entire class turned quiet and still.
“Now, that’s better…” She pushed off the desk and gave a wave of her hand, hard gasps echoed from the Vamp behind us. “As I was saying...division of breeds.…”
We never spoke another word in the class. Only watched the screen as the lines through Tricks City brightened and dulled.
But she had a point, and I wasn’t talking about the loud-mouthed Vamp who wanted to see our kind rule all the races. I was talking about the future...a future that I was a big part of.
We opened our books and took notes. For a Witch, she had a lot of insight into the migration of our kind into the masses of mortals, and left me with a lot of questions when the bell rang once more.
“You seeing Mr. Leathers next?” Judas whispered after class.
“Yes, and don’t be getting all snarly. I’m totally not interested in him.” There was a grumble and a snarl from Judas, before I stilled and then turned. “I know. Come with me.”
“What?”
I reached for his hand once more, and this time I slipped my fingers between his. “Come with me to class.”
Bond’s brow rose. Nero cocked his head. “Do it,” the blue eyed Wolf murmured. “We’ll take notes, you won’t miss a thing.”
Judas glanced at me, and I gave a shrug. “It’s up to you.”
The bell rang overhead again and both Bond and Nero took a step backwards, then another, leaving Judas behind.
“Okay,” the Alpha murmured. “I’ll come.”
I tugged his hand, leading him to the classroom I used for Ancient studies and pushed through the door.
Nefarious leaned against his desk, his legs crossed in front of him as he read an open book in his hand. He lifted his head as I strode through tugging Judas behind me.
“Ah, I was wondering when the boyfriend was going to turn up.” He glanced at Judas and smiled.
“Oh, Judas isn’t really my….” I cut him a glance and caught him wince. “Oh, ummm...Judas is a really good friend.”
“Sure, welcome anyway.” The teacher stood, took a step toward the Alpha, and reached out his hand. “Nefarious Leathers.”
“Judas Blackthorne.”
“Ah, the infamous Blackthorne Wolves, no wonder.” Mr. Leathers cut me a glance.
I waited, glancing from one to another like I was waiting for the punchline to the joke. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” Judas murmured. ‘You’d better.…” He motioned to the seat in the middle of the room. Intrigue filled me. My father kept all mention of the Wolves from me growing up. I’d never heard about the Blackthorne family, let alone anything else.
“Right, I thought today we’d start with you.”
I flinched. “Me?”
Nefarious slid the open book onto the desk. “Yes, you. I mean you must’ve wondered...why, you, right?”
Judas slipped into the seat at the edge of the room, leaving me in the firing line.
“Why me, what?”
There was a shake of the Vampire’s head as he crossed the distance. Leather pants shone under the lights. Today he wasn’t wearing a cut-off shirt that showed his tattoos, but instead a mesh shirt that showed everything else.
My cheeks grew warm as I looked away. Why me...why me.…
Why not you? That dark warning voice from my dream slipped into my head.
“I mean, you must’ve given it at least a little thought. The role of the Understudy hasn’t been handed out in almost a thousand years. Haven’t you been curious about the previous occupant of that role, the Great Elysian?”
I could feel Judas’ eyes on me, feel that heaviness as I shook my head.
“Morwenna, you really need to start to look at yourself, and not as this love-struck teenager. Look at who you are as a Vampire. Your abilities, your power.”
“Lack of abilities, you mean.” I lifted my gaze and felt that
burn in my cheeks consume me. “You know you’re right. I have wondered why me, I mean, I suck at drinking blood from a vein. I’m decent at hunting, although I hate it.”
The teacher just rested against the desk again and shook his head. “You really don’t get it, do you? I mean, I knew I was getting a diamond in the rough, but a clueless diamond, now that’s something.”
Diamond. He said the word. Was it code for something? Did he know about the creature...did he set this whole thing up? I shot a glance toward Judas.
“Stand up for a moment, if you will.”
Judas just stared, clueless, while I clenched my jaw and jerked my head toward Leathers. But Judas was no damn help, sitting back against his seat as I rose from mine.
Nefarious stepped between the rows of empty seats and stopped in front of me. “I’m going to touch you, is that okay? Just placing my hands on your shoulders, that’s all.”
I cringed inside but nodded slowly. He held my gaze, took a slow, hard breath, trying to ready himself and then murmured. “Here goes nothing.”
His fingers clenched around my shoulders, his eyes seemed to bore into mine. I waited...and waited…and waited. There were no fireworks, no blinding light of reality to sweep me off my feet. If anything, there was this gnawing feeling of being uncomfortable...like he was drawing me closer.
Blue eyes beckoned, Mr. Leathers hands seemed to slide down my arms, even though they never moved. Warmth spilled from my side, bleeding into my body and crept into my chest.
Nefarious’ lips parted, black pupils swallowed the blue. The white tips of fangs peeked out from under red lips. Do you understand now? He murmured without moving his lips. Do you see...why you?
I shook my head as the warmth rose inside me. Sparkling light filled my mind, a remnant from the dream. The diamonds. I lowered my hand to my pocket and slipped my fingers inside. But there was no heat, not even a trace of warmth. But the feeling swelled inside me, like a tiny lick of fire that raced through my body.
“You are meant for something bigger than all this,” Mr. Leathers murmured. “And you draw almost everyone into you. I felt it the moment I saw you...and I know the Ancient did as well.”
“I never met him before my party. But I felt him, his power raced through me, it was like…”
“Like you were on fire. But the most beautiful fire, like liquid sunlight filled your veins and you swallowed it down, unable to get enough.”
I jerked my gaze toward him. “Yes.”
“You didn’t need to,” my teacher explained. “He met you, just as we all met you. Have you ever heard of a Transcendent?”
I shook my head as he lifted a hand from my shoulder and brushed away a strand of hair from my face. “You, my dear Understudy, will be one of the most powerful Vampires in history, mark my words.”
He stepped away, leaving me to falter in that burning desire that raced through my veins. “What...what did you do to me?”
“Nothing that wasn’t already waiting to be unlocked...I just showed you the path to unlock it, that’s all.”
Power trembled over my fingers and spilled out. I closed my eyes as the desk next to me vibrated, and the feeling swelled, consuming the room like wildfire.
“That’s it,” Nefarious murmured. “That’s it, right there.”
I jerked open my eyes and wrenched my gaze to Judas. Awe, fear and conflict filled his brown eyes.
Nefarious just shook his head. “You honestly didn’t think you were just any other Vampire, surely.”
And in an instant the fire was gone.
That was the thing...I did. I was the daughter of a famous Vampire, the one who stood in the shadows...the one who did what I was told. I was the one who stood still while the world around me spun. “Yes,” I murmured. “Yes, I did.”
“Then you, Understudy, have a lot to learn.”
The bell chimed overhead. It felt like seconds had passed. I looked at the clock above the wall...it’d been hours.
“Look transcendence up in the book I gave you.” Nefarious stepped around the side of his desk. “I think it’ll make some interesting reading. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the matter.”
And just like that I was dismissed. Judas climbed to his feet as Nefarious yanked the open book closer and continued reading as though the lesson that’d just rocked my world had been nothing more than an inconvenience.
I scowled and opened my mouth to say something but Judas gripped my elbow and steered me toward the door. Voices filled my head as students chattered and giggled, most of them making their way to the cafeteria.
“I want to go back in there.” I glanced at the door as Judas closed it behind him.
“Why?”
“Because, I... Because.”
“Because what he said was the truth?” Judas’ hand never left my elbow.
I lifted my gaze to his. “You don’t really believe any of that, do you?”
He just chuckled and shook his head. “Mor, I think the only one who doesn’t believe it is you.”
And then he dropped his hand and strode away. I raced to catch up as Judas slipped between the other students and worked his way to the table where the rest of the gang waited.
I smiled, muttered “excuse me,” and followed.
He was already sitting by the time I got there. I glanced at Ava, and the bloodshake waiting for me and leaned across the table towards Judas. “No, I don’t and I don’t think you should either.”
“Shouldn’t what?” Ava cut in.
Bond and Nero glanced at the Alpha and waited for my answer.
“It seems Mor here doesn’t like the fact that she’s unlike every other Vampire.” Judas laid it all out on the table.
“Why’s that?” Bond looked to me for the answer.
“Because I’m not…” I tried to make them understand. “Don’t you think I’d know the difference...I mean, my entire family are Vampires.”
“And ours are Wolves,” Nero added. “But some in our pack are well, just different.”
“I’m eating.” Bond stood and then looked at Judas, “You?”
There was a shake of his head. “I’m good. I’m just going to sit here and watch Mor wrestle with her conscience for a while.”
I wanted to flip him the bird, but instead I just stared at him, and then turned to Ava who picked at the edges of a brownie. “Tell him.”
“Tell him what?” She chewed and swallowed before taking a sip of her milkshake.
“Tell him I’m normal.”
She gave a shrug, “Normal is overrated in my opinion. Take it from me.”
I stilled, and then gripped the bottom of my black glass bloodshake and pulled it close. Ava was different...I glanced around the others. I’d never heard of a Kraken shifter before, let alone met one. She seemed to be handling the fact okay.
“Just drink your shake, Mor,” Ava murmured.
I sucked on the straw, and drank my meal while Bond and Nero came back.
“You wanted to go to the library?” Judas watched me drink.
“You told them?” Ava whispered.
“I couldn’t shut them out, could I?”
“Just give me a sec.” Bond heaped spoonfuls of mashed potato and gravy into his mouth and Nero consumed a steak in three massive bites.
Judas stood as Ava devoured the last bite of her brownie and sucked her shake dry. I followed, gulping and then glanced at Bond pushing to stand once more. “It’s okay, you can catch up.”
“Nope.” He grabbed the bone of the biggest shank I’d ever seen and pushed to stand. “I can eat on the way.”
I grabbed the glasses and the plates, piling them at the end of the table before we headed for the hallway. I had a lot to think about, and this...Transcendence was just the icing on a never ending cake.
We made for the front of the building, pushed through the door and headed for the Lodge. Students milled around on the grassy area, sitting in the sun. But most were inside, leaving us the only on
es on the footpath as it curled near the wooded area.
“So, tell me what we’re actually looking for,” Bond walked, chewed, and talked.
I grabbed the bag from my pocket and raised my hand, pointing at the sigil sewn into the bag. “Well, we can start with that.”
A small, pale blur scurried from the trees and stopped dead in the middle of the pavement. It was a bunny, but...it’d changed. No longer cute and fluffy. This creature had blood red eyes, and hideous razored fangs. The thing hissed and lunged for Bond who dropped the hunk of meat in his hand.
It hit the ground with a thud, before the demonic rabbit scurried forward, sank those hideous fangs into the shank and dragged the meal backwards into the tree line.
We all watched, unable to take our eyes off the damn thing.
“I was enjoying that,” Bond muttered and sighed.
Ava turned to look at me...and the Wolves followed one by one.
It seemed our bunnies were growing bolder by the day. Crap.
Hell knew what was next.
Chapter Six
Rabbits Turned Rabid
Row after row of books lined the shelves. Everything was sorted alphabetically, and there were three floors that looked identical.
A muffled stillness wove around me as I walked down an aisle, my fingers running over the spines facing outward. Everything I could ever want to know about emblems sat here. History, creation, races, and even how to make your own. The five of us split up, each taking various topics to research the icon on the bag of diamonds. We’d been here a couple of hours already with no clue on where the sigil on the bag of diamonds came from.
Movement from the next row caught my attention and I peered through the gaps in the shelving to see Bond casually plucking out random books, his back to me. He looked over his shoulder at me as if sensing me and winked. The dimple in his cheek that appeared when he smiled was so devilishly divine. He had such deep eyes, revealing his Wolf side, but he had the kind of strong face I could admire for hours—so gorgeous. I suddenly forgot how to breathe. Then he walked away. Ava was correct, whenever the Wolves were in my company, I seemed to lose myself.
