Chapter 17
Ending things with Joshua had been hard, but it was nothing like saying goodbye to my friends at Barktacular. I told Maggie first since she was between grooming assignments. She was an expert with anxious pooches who got the jitters around clippers. Auburn fur from an Irish Setter covered her white apron and obscured her colorful sleeve tattoos. “You’re leaving Barktacular?” Maggie gasped. “Why?”
“I needed more time to focus on school and extracurriculars.” I picked up the lint roller we kept behind the counter and handed it to her.
“Thanks.” Maggie gave herself a onceover with the roller. “Have you told Mr. Sherwood yet?”
“No, but I’m going to call him.”
“I think he left for Cabo this morning.” Maggie ripped off the sticky tape of the lint roller and began again. “I’m glad he’s enjoying semi-retirement, but I miss him.”
“Yeah, me too.” I chewed on my thumbnail. “I guess me leaving will mean he’ll have to change his travel plans and swing back into town so he can hire my replacement.”
“Not necessarily.” Maggie tossed the lint-roller paper into the trashcan. “Other employees might want to pick up more hours.”
“Hopefully so. I’ll be in the romper room if you need me.”
“See ya.” Maggie waved.
Now that I’d told Maggie about quitting, I had to face the dogs.
You’re leaving us? Charlie howled.
You mean you’ve been paid to play with us this whole time? Melvin sneezed, then turned away in disgust. You’re dead to me. I feel so betrayed.
“Guys,” I pleaded. “It’s not like that, okay? Humans need jobs in order to buy food. I feel like the luckiest person in the world that I got to hang out with you and earn money for it at the same time.”
If you’re so lucky, then why are you leaving? Charlie barked. The dalmatian whacked me in the shoulder with his tail. Why not play fetch and get paid for it?
“Because I have other responsibilities.” I reached out to pet him, and Charlie closed his eyes while I scratched him behind his ears.
You’re not the only one with responsibilities, yapped Melvin. Every single morning I have to jump on Professor Radcliffe’s face and lick his ears to make him get out of bed. And then when we drive in the car, I have to press my nose against the window or else it won’t run.
“That’s a lot of responsibility.” I nodded. “You’re right, Melvin. It must be difficult being you.”
You better believe it, Melvin continued. Without me, Professor Radcliffe would be all alone. He works long hours, too.
“He’s working hard to find a cure for heart disease.” I nodded my approval. “A heart attack killed my grandpa. Your human does good work, Melvin.”
I guess. Melvin spun around three times before lying down on the carpet. What were we talking about again?
Kate leaving us, Charlie whined.
My phone buzzed. I checked the messages and saw that there was a text from the public liaison for the campus police department agreeing to meet with me tomorrow morning before my class on digital media and online journalism. Thank you, I texted back. I’ll see you tomorrow.
What was that? Charlie barked.
Why are humans always looking at their phones when there are perfectly good poodles to snuggle with? Melvin wanted to know.
Yeah, grumbled Charlie. If you only have two weeks left with us, the least you could do is pay attention while you’re here.
Melvin crept up next to me and looked up at me adoringly. Like I said, I’m available for snuggles.
I put my phone down and petted both of them at the same time. “That was about my job at the school newspaper.”
You have two jobs? Charlie barked. Why don’t you quit that one so you can still play with us?
“I wish it were that simple.” I picked up Melvin and cuddled him in my lap, then put an arm around Charlie. “My job reporting for The Triton is part of my journalism degree. I earn course credits instead of a paycheck. Right now, I’m investigating a string of attacks happening on campus to women walking alone in the dark.”
How horrible! Melvin growled.
This is why you should always take a dog with you on a walk. Charlie’s tail thumped on the ground.
A golden retriever who couldn’t understand Human wandered over and lay down at my feet. I ran my fingers up and down his back and he sighed with pleasure. Good dog, I barked, and he smiled.
Professor Radcliffe only takes me for walks on the weekend, said Melvin. He’s always working during the daytime and at night he’s afraid I’ll be hit by a car because I’m so little.
No car would hit me. Charlie scratched the back of his hip. Dalmatians are naturally reflective. At least that’s what Dr. Simone says when she takes me for runs.
I checked the clock. It was five minutes until four when the next employee would come to relieve me. “Guys, as fascinating as this conversation is, I need to refill water bowls.” I gently removed Melvin from my lap and stood up, brushing a cloud of fur off my legs.
As I tidied up, I thought about what questions I wanted to ask during my interview tomorrow with the public liaison for the campus police department. Why hadn’t they released more details to the public? Was there a connection between the two assaults? Why weren’t there wanted posters with a police sketch of the possible attacker plastered all over campus? The woman from last Thursday couldn’t give a description—especially after I’d broken her neck and slain her, but the first victim could. She was the one who had fought off her assailant by scratching him and defending herself until two passersby stopped to intervene.
I needed to go into that meeting tomorrow fully prepared. Meanwhile, I was still waiting for Sergeant Byrd to return my phone call. I wanted to hear what she had to say about the attacks too.
As soon as the next Barktacular employee showed up, I said goodbye to the dogs and ran across campus to Tioga Hall. Exercising with my backpack thumping across my hipbones wasn’t ideal, but I had to squeeze in sprints where I could get them today because of my packed schedule. Cassandra would be at my room in an hour to help me move out, and I needed to have my things ready.
I stopped by the dining hall on my way back to the dorm, even though dinner wouldn’t be served for another thirty minutes. I’d seen cardboard boxes by the shipping and receiving door at the back of the cafeteria and was hoping I could score some free moving boxes. I didn’t have many things, but even my meager wardrobe would be too much for my backpack.
Lucky for me, I found stacks of watermelon boxes that were the perfect size. I picked through them, making sure to collect cardboard in mint condition. Loaded down with four boxes in my arms and unable to see past them very well, I walked the rest of the way to my dorm, praying I wouldn’t knock into anyone.
When I finally made it up to the tenth floor and walked down the hallway to my room, I found Lacey sitting on my bed and clipping her toenails.
“What are you doing?” I dropped the boxes to the ground. “That’s my bed!”
“Geesh.” She wrinkled her nose at me. “It’s no big deal. You weren’t even here.”
“What are you talking about? Of course it’s a big deal!” Anger bolted through me like rockets. I pointed my finger at her. “Get your stinky feet off my comforter and stay the hell away from my side of the room!”
Lacey rolled her eyes. “You’re so sensitive.”
I stomped over to my bed and looked at the covers. “You got toenail clippings all over the place!” I seriously wanted to punch her. The only thing that stopped me was knowing I was meeting with a police officer in the morning.
“Is there a problem in here?” Cassandra stood at the doorway wearing jeans, an olive-green shirt, and leather boots. Her unbraided hair hung down her back in a thick wave.
“Who are you?” asked Lacey. “And why’s your hair so long?”
Cassandra adjusted the pendant of her silver necklace. “Why’s your hair so greasy?”
Her eyes roamed over Lacey’s stained pillows, rumpled sheets, and piles of filth on the floor. “Well, I guess the two hundred and eighty thousand dollars’ worth of private school tuition your parents shelled out for you in high school paid off.” Cassandra looked at me and winked. “Campus housing sure placed you with a winner.”
“Did you just insult me?” Lacey put down the bag of croutons she was eating.
“I don’t know, did I?” Cassandra stared into Lacey’s exploding closet of unwashed unmentionables. “I hear Hoarders is interested in shooting a college version. Should we submit your name?”
“How do you know I went to private school?” Lacey asked.
Cassandra shrugged. “I just do.”
“You two are freaks.” Lacey rattled the bag of croutons. “I don’t have to stay here and listen to this.”
“No.” I opened my dresser and brought over a box. “You don’t. Maybe you should leave.”
“I’m not leaving.” Lacey crossed her arms. “This is my room. Make your bitchy friend leave.”
“Oh, I’m leaving, all right.” Cassandra laughed. “If I stay much longer, the smell will stick to me.” She whipped out her phone and took a picture of the mess.
“Hey!” Lacey shouted. “You can’t do that.”
“Too bad.” Cassandra smirked. “I just did.” She picked up a box and walked over to my closet. “Want some help?”
“Sure,” I said. “Thanks. But there’s not much in my closet.” I was almost done with the dresser, and it had only taken me two boxes.
Cassandra opened the closet door and saw my plaid skirt hanging there, along with the patent leather flats and a box of cross-country trophies on the floor. “Where are the rest of your things?” She looked over at my side of my room. “Like your shoes?”
I pointed at my Brooks. “I’m wearing them.”
“What’s going on?” Lacey sat up straight. “Are you moving out?”
I nodded. “I am. But I still have rights to half of this room so don’t get any wild ideas.”
“Yeah,” said Cassandra. “Kate, take your pillow with you, but leave your blankets here so you’ll have a place to crash on campus if you need it.” She folded my skirt neatly and placed it in a box. “Anything else we’re missing?”
“My towel’s hanging in the bathroom. That’s it.”
“Low maintenance. A gal after my own heart.” Cassandra picked up a box.
“Hey, wait. I had a piece of mail on my desk.” I searched through the empty drawers but didn’t find it. “Lacey? Did you see what happened to the envelope that was sitting here?”
“You mean that disgusting spit tube you did last week? Your friend came by on Saturday and said he’d mail it for you.”
“Joshua?” I remembered him saying that he’d stopped by my room, but I had no idea that he’d been inside.
“That’s creepy.” Cassandra wrinkled her forehead. “Why would he mail something for you?”
“I don’t know.” I bit my lip. “Maybe because he gave me the kit?” I slung my backpack over my shoulder and picked up the last two boxes. “Oh, well. He’s not my problem anymore. I ended things with him at a lunch.”
“Hey.” Lacey shoved her hand into the bag of croutons. “Where are you going, anyway?”
Cassandra got a wicked look in her eye. “My parents invited Kate to come live in our mansion.” Cassandra crossed the room and stared out the window. “The view here is nice, but where we live at the top of Mount Soledad, it’s even better.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and stalked out of the room.
I did my best to imitate her, but the closest I could get to Cassandra’s mean-girl burn was stumbling out of the room without dropping my boxes.
“Can you handle the stairs?” Cassandra asked me as she eyed the line for the elevator.
“Sure.” I adjusted my hold on the boxes. “No problem.”
“Here, let me take one of those.” Cassandra lifted the third box off my stack. “I only have one.”
Now that we were evenly burdened, it was easier to keep pace with her. Still, Cassandra stomped down all ten flights of stairs at an impressive clip. “I’m parked in a student lot about two blocks away,” she said.
“I think I can make it.” I laughed. “One of these boxes has my pillow in it, so it’s pretty light.”
“Why didn’t I grab that one?” Cassandra chuckled. “What’s in this one? Dead weight?”
“You might have the box with my trophies from cross country. Sorry about that. They’re kind of heavy.”
“I’ll consider this my—” Cassandra’s words were cut short by a scream that tore through the night air. Birds resting in trees above us scattered, resettling on higher branches. “What was that?” she asked. “It sounded like a wounded animal.”
I stopped in my tracks and mustered my senses to listen. I heard cars drive along the road beside us. Music played from someone’s open window at Tioga Hall. Birds squeaked a warning cry. But I didn’t hear any more screams. “Weird,” I muttered. “I don’t hear it now.”
Cassandra and I walked farther down the path, but this time we cut out the chitchat. She scanned the surrounding area, looking to the left and right as she walked along the sidewalk. I focused on listening and taking deep breaths of air in case there was a scent I’d missed.
The next time we heard a scream, we zeroed in on exactly where it was coming from: North Torrey Pines Road. I dropped my boxes at the same time Cassandra did but kept my backpack strapped to my back. My pathetic wardrobe was replaceable, but I couldn’t risk my computer and phone being stolen.
“Do you smell that?” I sniffed the wind and caught a hint of decaying flesh and bodily fluids. It was coming from an isolated grove of eucalyptus trees on the edge of campus. Following the scent meant leaving the safety of the sidewalk.
“Smell what?” Cassandra pumped her arms as we ran.
“Bile. I smell bile and blood.”
“Blood?” Cassandra slipped her necklace off her neck and grabbed the end of it so that the pendant swung out like a weapon. “Are you warded?”
“Warded? With what? It’s not like I brought a whip back to the dorm with me.”
Cassandra reached into her pocket and tossed me her keys. “These are silver coated,” she said between pants for breath. “Spike them through your fingers.”
Great. Here I was once again approaching a vampire-attack scene with a cheesy self-defense move from that women’s empowerment class Mom had made me go to when I’d been in eighth grade. But since shifting into a Doberman wasn’t an option at the moment, I did as I was told. I looked around the grove of trees and didn’t see a soul.
“Help!” someone cried.
We were getting closer. So close that the odor was becoming overwhelming. “We’re almost there.” I stopped sprinting and motioned for Cassandra to do the same.
“Come save me!” The voice sounded female, but it came from the opposite direction of the smell.
“Over there.” Cassandra pointed down the sidewalk. “Don’t stop running now.”
“No.” My eyes watered from the noxious air. “That’s not right. It’s—”
Cassandra cut me off with a scream as two massive arms grabbed her from behind.
Chapter 18
I spun around to face our attacker, and when I saw who held Cassandra in a vise grip, terror pierced my heart. The face was inhuman, or at least appeared that way at first glance. The place where the eyes should have been were empty sockets, with shriveled nerves dangling like loose threads.
“Blood, blood, blood,” the monster hissed. “The life force calls.”
“It’s the campus police officer!” I shrieked. “The one that the vampire attacked!”
“How to quench this aching thirst?” He pulled his hands farther down Cassandra’s neck and yelped when his palms touched her silver nano-mesh undershirt. It was just the advantage Cassandra needed to be able to gasp for breath and defend herself.
&n
bsp; “From Thursday night?” Cassandra stomped on the man’s instep, bent forward, and heaved him over. When he was prone on the ground, she lashed out at his cheek with her silver pendant. The metal decoration singed his face and made him howl. “Use the keys!” Cassandra commanded.
I looked down at the spiky pieces of metal sticking out of my knuckles. “You want me to punch him?”
“Hell yeah, I want you to punch him.” Cassandra whipped the necklace around her head and whacked him in the forehead. The vampire lumbered to his feet, his arms outstretched, trying to figure out which direction she was coming from next.
I hadn’t punched someone since foster care, and never anyone who outweighed me by a hundred pounds. But when the officer lunged toward me, I let him have it, throwing my fist directly at his face and feeling the silver keys pierce his flesh. The vampire howled and clutched his face.
“A knife would be better.” Cassandra spread the necklace out with both hands and circled it around his neck. “But this will have to do.” She pulled the chain into a noose and pulled with all her might until his neck cracked and his head lolled to the side.
“Cassandra.” My voice quavered. “We have company.”
“Blood, blood, blood,” said a middle-aged woman. She had beautiful dreadlocks bound with a purple scarf, and long, flowing silk pants. Her blouse was ripped, and the buttons had popped off. “The life force calls.” The woman’s veins bulged, revealing her newborn status.
Cassandra struggled to untangle her necklace-noose from the sightless police officer. But it was too late. The newborn bared her fangs and leapt toward me. My fist shot out and I smacked her in the nose with the keys.
“That hurt!” she shrieked. “Tempting morsels should play nice.”
When she came for me again, I jabbed her with an undercut. She batted my arm away like it was a toothpick and the keys went flying. “Cassandra!” I screamed “Help!”
“I’m coming!” Cassandra yanked the necklace and decapitated the officer. She struggled to disentangle the necklace from under his severed shoulders.
Secret Shifter Page 12
