We parted ways, and I headed for English, feeling a little lighter than I had before.
*
It wasn’t until Defensive Maneuvers that I started feeling anxious again. I’d managed to push away all thoughts of Wes, Alex, and the problem that was always in the back of my mind–Miles–for most of the morning. I walked into the classroom and found Professor Flaherty waiting at the doorway. I mumbled “Hello” and kept walking, but she stopped me and motioned for me to follow her to the corner of the room.
“Tara, I want to check and see how things are going for you here,” she said.
“Um, fine, I guess,” I said.
She nodded and then lowered her voice. “Listen, I’ve been made aware of a proposal offered to you by Professor Kane about training with him next year, and I’d like to offer one of my own.”
“Okay.” It came out sounding more like a question. I hadn’t really given much thought to Professor Kane’s offer. Or any thought at all, really. But I wasn’t going to tell her that.
“You have a lot of potential, Tara, and from what little I’ve seen of your combat skills, you’re going to make a great fighter, a real asset to the Hunter community. I’d like to offer myself as a mentor for next year and work with you personally on further developing your combat and weaponry skills.” She looked like she was going to say more, but another group of students walked in behind me and she broke off, watching me expectantly.
“Uh, thanks.” She blinked at me, waiting for more. “Can I think about it?”
“Of course, it’s not a light decision by any means. Your mentor will play a significant role in what sort of Hunter you will become. Take all the time you need.”
I nodded, and she ushered me to my seat. We were doing in-class lectures today about new techniques. We wouldn’t start drilling on them until tomorrow, so I had a day to do nothing but think. I would rather be outside, kicking and punching at someone, but I didn’t have a choice, and my thoughts immediately wandered back over my conversation with Professor Flaherty. She was right about one thing. A mentor did play a significant role in my life. At least mine did. Whether I wanted to admit it or not.
By the end of the day, and another infinitely long and eerily quiet training session with Alex, I couldn’t take it anymore. I waited until I thought Alex would be heading in for a shower and I slipped up to the roof of Griffin Hall. I powered my phone up and crouched down behind one of the AC units. Two new voice mails. I clicked the button to retrieve the messages, held my breath, and listened.
“Tara, it’s me.” Wes’ voice was low and thick, and something squeezed itself around my heart listening to it. “I know you don’t want to talk to me right now. I get it. I want you to know I’ll be here when you’re ready. I just – I miss you. A lot.” The last word was nothing but a whisper and then the line went dead.
I pressed the button to save the message and listened to it over again, enjoying the sound of his voice. There was longing in it, along with every other emotion that should’ve been there when we’d seen each other face to face. After the third listen, I sighed and skipped to the next message. This voice brought on exactly the opposite reaction.
“Hello, darling.” Miles’ voice dripped with psychotic sweetness. I tensed and swallowed against a horrible taste in my throat. “Time is running a little short, and we’ve had to bump up our schedule a bit. I know I said I’d come for you when I was ready but I think it best if we rearrange that a bit and have you come to me. We need to be moving on from here. It’s getting a little crowded with all of your boyfriends, and what-not. I’m in Luray. Not too far from you as the wolf runs. Keep your phone close, and I’ll call you tomorrow morning with further instructions. Won’t be long now, darling. Ciao.”
The line went dead, and I closed the phone and let it fall into my lap. I stared ahead, seeing nothing, my mind racing.
Miles wanted to meet me and was giving up a location to do so. It would be crazy to go. Walking right into a trap. Then again, he didn’t want me dead this time. He just… wanted me. Eww.
I knew I should probably tell someone–or everyone. That would’ve been the smart move. Take a team with me; try to close in on his location and take him out once and for all. But if I brought anyone with me, I had no doubt that Miles’ gentle streak would come to an end. If I betrayed him, he could very well change his mind about wanting me alive. But if I went alone, willingly, I’d have a shot. I could get close enough to take him out myself. And in the meantime, I could find out what his little project was all about.
I stood up and brushed myself off, tucking the phone back into my waistband and heading for the door. I was sick of sitting around, waiting for the danger to come to me. I was being handed the chance to end this and I was going to take it. Even better that I wouldn’t have to involve or risk anyone I cared about.
My hand faltered at the knob. Wes would be severely pissed off when he found out. So would Alex.
It didn’t matter; let them be mad. They’d get over it once they realized I’d taken care of it, and Miles was no longer a problem. It bothered me a little that I would have to kill again, but it bothered me more to have psycho-perv Miles after me for the rest of my life. I shook it off and took the stairs at a run. I had to hurry if I wanted to slip away without being noticed.
That’s when it hit me. There was no way I’d make it off school grounds – and through the wards – undetected. Unless…
I checked my watch and made a beeline for the dining hall.
Cambria and Logan were at our usual table, plates loaded with rice and beef. Chinese night.
“I need your help,” I said, sliding in across from them.
“What’s up?” Cambria lowered her fork and looked instantly suspicious. “Don’t tell me Ice Queen ended the truce already because I’ll–”
“Not about that,” I said, cutting her off. “I need your help getting through the wards.”
Cambria cocked her head at me and seemed to consider. Then she exchanged a glance with Logan who gave her a knowing look. “Let me guess,” she said. “Time to make up with hottie boyfriend.”
“Um.” I blinked.
Cambria nodded, like that was all the answer she needed, and I felt guilty enough that I had to look away, but I kept my mouth firmly shut. It was better than having to explain Miles and then somehow convince her she couldn’t come.
“Can you do it?” I asked.
Cambria shrugged. “Easy peasy. When?”
Chapter Twenty Two
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Logan muttered.
“Ssh!” I hissed at him through the earpiece and heard Cambria do the same thing from right next to him.
“You aren’t doing anything,” I heard her say.
Cambria had swiped the earpieces from a gullible senior – it would’ve been too risky to ask Alex – and although I hadn’t asked and she hadn’t said, I was pretty sure she’d had to use her powers of persuasion to get him to hand over the goods. I would’ve felt bad for making her use her powers because of me, but that was nothing compared to what she was about to do. I wasn’t allowing myself to think about what would happen if she got caught.
Logan had the earpiece so he could signal me when the coast was clear but he’d kept it set to “two way,” so he wouldn’t have to press the button to talk to me; which meant I could hear all of the bickering going on between them as I made my way towards the invisible border in the woods.
It wasn’t quite dark yet but it was close enough that there were shadows everywhere. It was eerily quiet, save for the sharp call of a bird at regular intervals, and I had to concentrate to block out the feeling of being so completely alone out here. Alone was a good thing. Having company would be a problem.
I was on alert for it, too, but there was no sign of movement, or goose bumps, or a pull of any kind. That last part was sort of disappointing, although I didn’t know why. It’s not like I could expect Wes to still be waiting for me three days
later. Besides, a part of me was still angry. I was clinging to that part because it made missing him a little easier.
I trudged on, slowly, careful not to leave a trail, like Alex had taught me. Until I was clear of the wards, I needed to make sure there was no evidence of having been here. If I didn’t return soon–that thought left a lump in my chest too big to swallow–Alex would come looking and I didn’t want him following.
Through the earpiece, I could hear Cambria whispering to Logan and him shushing her. A door banged closed, and I knew they were inside Griffin Hall. I picked up the pace. I was supposed to be in position when they found Headmaster, and I still had a fair distance to go.
A few minutes later the silence on Logan’s end was broken by a faint, echoing knock. It was followed up by a pause and then Headmaster Whitfield’s surprised voice coming through the line.
“Mr. Sandefur. Miss Hebert. What brings you here at this time?”
“A quick question about our schedules, actually,” said Cambria. She was talking slow, and I could hear the hypnotic quality already seeping into her tone.
“Sure, sure. Come in. Sit down. I was heading out for the night, so let’s make this quick,” he said.
He must’ve led them to the chairs in his office because there was a pause and then fabric rustling.
“What exactly do you want to know, Ms. Hebert?” Headmaster asked.
“Well, it’s not so much about my schedule as the wards,” said Cambria, in a sing-song tone.
I stilled without even realizing it and held my breath. I could picture the way she’d stare at Headmaster Whitfield, intense and unblinking, a gentle expression on her face.
“Wards? What about them?” Judging from the tone of his voice, the charm was already working. He didn’t sound the least bit alarmed about her comments.
“I need to know the bypass phrase, sir. It’s a small favor, just this once.”
Cambria’s voice was soothing and even without the power of her eyes on me I could feel myself wanting to give her what she was asking. I shivered and my head cleared. Wow. That girl had some serious talent. She hadn’t even laid it on this thick with Victoria. A stab of guilt shot through my gut. Please don’t let her get caught because of me.
“Bypass phrase. Of course,” I heard Headmaster say. It was a mumbled response. He was fully under Cambria’s influence now.
“Yes, sir, what is it?” Cambria prompted.
“Semper Tutus.”
“Semper what?” Cambria’s voice sharpened, and I cringed. We didn’t need Headmaster coming out of it before she was done.
“Semper Tutus,” Logan whispered. “It’s Latin. Finish up.”
“Thank you for your help, sir. We’re going to head back now. Can you do me one more favor?” Cambria asked, back to her smooth tone. “Forget we were here, sir.”
“Of course, Miss Hebert. Already forgotten,” said Headmaster Whitfield.
Chairs scraped; I could hear Cambria and Logan shuffling for the door.
“Oh, one more question, sir,” said Cambria. “How long is this bypass phrase good for?”
“It will be changed tomorrow,” he said. He didn’t sound nearly as out of it as before, at least not on my end.
My pulse sped. “Get out of there,” I hissed into my mouthpiece.
“Thanks,” Cambria called. A door clicked shut.
I resumed up my pace. Silence followed, and I knew they were booking it back to the dorm, or at least somewhere far away from Griffin Hall.
“Tara, you there?” Logan finally came back on.
“I’m here,” I said.
“How far away are you?”
“Almost there.”
“You heard the bypass phrase?”
“Yeah. Latin.”
“Doesn’t seem like Vera’s style, does it?”
I shook my head. “No,” I murmured. “Let’s hope it works.”
I reached the thorns and got through them as best I could without getting bloodied up. It was completely dark when I came out the other side, and I stood still for a moment, using the thorns as cover and waiting for my eyes to adjust. Slowly, the dark shapes of trees and bushes came into blurred focus. When I realized that was as good as it got, I walked forward.
“I’m starting to feel the pulse. I’m almost there,” I whispered.
“You know what to do,” said Logan.
Static crackled over the line, like fabric rustling. Hissed whispers. Then, “Tara, its Cambria. How are we doing?”
“Okay, so far.”
“Did the bypass phrase work?”
“We’re about to find out.”
“Be careful,” she said.
“I will. And Cambria, thanks for doing this.”
“Are you kidding? School hasn’t been this much fun since Logan got his underwear stolen. Off his body.”
“Shut-up,” I heard Logan hiss.
“I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me,” I said. I was almost there and feeling guilty now that the deed was done.
“Don’t worry about me. It’s been a long time since I had a friend worth doing it for,” she said. Her voice was thicker and lower than usual, and I could tell she meant it.
“I don’t know how I would’ve survived this place if I hadn’t met you,” I said. I really was grateful to have found Cambria–and Logan, too.
Logan’s hissing voice came through my earpiece, pulling me out of my thoughts. “We do not have time for this.”
“He’s right. We’ll bond later,” said Cambria. Her tone was all business. “Listen, when you’re through we’re going to have to sign off so I can get this earpiece back before anyone notices.”
“What about mine?”
“Bury it for now and then bring it to me when you come back through.”
“No one will notice it’s gone?”
“You’ll be back before they do,” she said, sounding overly sure. She paused, like she wasn’t sure whether to say the next part. “I don’t know if you heard, but Headmaster Whitfield says the bypass phrase is only good until tomorrow.”
“I know.” I tried to sound unconcerned. “Here goes,” I added, wanting to cut off any further conversation. There was nothing left to say, anyway, that wouldn’t lead to more questions.
I took a deep breath and stepped as close to the pulse as I dared without stepping into its direct line. Then I exhaled and whispered, “Semper Tutus”.
The pulse in the air waned and disappeared. I wasn’t sure how long it would last, but I didn’t want to find out. I shot forward, running several yards and taking cover behind a tree, before stopping and looking back. There was nothing to see, of course. I wondered if the wards were down around the whole school or only in that spot. No time to find out.
“I’m through,” I said into my mouthpiece.
“Good girl,” said Cambria. In the background I heard Logan sigh. “Now get going and find your man.”
“Um, right. I’ll see you guys… soon.”
“Don’t forget you have a curfew.”
“I won’t.” We said goodbye, and I powered off the earpiece and removed it. I found a soft spot in the dirt at the base of the tree and buried the earpiece like Cambria had suggested. I covered the spot with leaves and stared at the tree until I was sure I would remember where I’d left it.
When I was finished, I turned and ran.
Chapter Twenty Three
The sound of my phone ringing woke me up. I groaned and grabbed for it, yanking it free of where it was wedged between my pocket and the hard, wet ground. I rolled to a sitting position, pulling leaves and debris from my hair and answered it, still half-asleep.
“Hello?” My voice was a croak. I desperately needed water…and a toothbrush. Yuck.
“Tara, darling.” Miles sounded wide awake and ecstatic.
I came awake at the reminder of why I was here, alone in the woods, sleeping on the ground.
“You came,” he said.
“Yes, I
came,” I answered, scanning the trees warily. “How did you know?”
“I have my sources. I’ve sent someone to bring you to me. He should be there shortly. Stay put and we’ll see each other soon.”
The line went dead before I could argue.
Great, so I was supposed to sit in the woods like a painted target until someone–or something–came for me? I pulled a bottle of water out of my backpack, slugged half of it down, and stood up to brush myself off. My jeans were damp and stale but I didn’t have anything else, thanks to Victoria. I looked around, trying to find someplace to wait it out where I would see what was coming. There wasn’t much to choose from.
On one side were widely spaced trees that got thicker the further you went. On my other side was a shallow river that separated the forest from a trail that led into town. The faint trickle of water could be heard as it was pulled over rocks in the riverbed. Part of me wanted to get in and wash off, but I didn’t dare with company on the way.
I went back to scanning my surroundings, and in the end, I climbed into the low branch of the tree I’d slept under. I hung my backpack on a curved branch next to me and checked on the wooden stake I’d packed into my boot–a replacement for the burnt one, thanks to Cambria–before settling in to wait.
I felt the newcomer before I saw him. The goose bumps ran up my arm and onto my neck and I clamped down against the creepy crawly feeling. A second later, a husky brown wolf emerged from the thick of the trees, heading in my direction. He stopped and looked around, his brown wolf eyes confused, as he scanned the forest floor for me. He sniffed the air and grew agitated; probably because he could smell me, but it hadn’t dawned on him to look up. It might’ve been a funny prank under other circumstances.
Suddenly, the wolf’s eyes sharpened into slits and his hair stood up. He fell into a crouch at the same moment the wave of goose bumps swept over me, intensifying exponentially. The brown wolf had just enough time to pull his lips over his teeth and growl before an entire pack of Werewolves shot into the clearing and pounced on him. There had to be at least seven of them, maybe more. It was too hard to count with all of them moving so fast. Half of them piled onto the brown wolf, taking him down in a flurry of fur. The other half spread out and began sniffing; the air, the ground, the leaves, the river’s edge.
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