by Jenna Moreci
“God,Ilovethesebullets.”
Quickly,EvescannedhersurroundingsandspottedSam,whowasracingup
thestepsofthemusicbuilding,hisentirebodyshakingwithfear.AnInterloper
wasinpursuit,torpedoingthroughtheairinhisdirection.Evereacted immediately, delving deep into her melt, and before the creature could even reach the ivory steps, she had catapulted him high into the sky, where he disappearedamongtheclouds.
SuddenlyaheavywingplowedintoEve’sshoulders,knockingherfromher
feet and forcing her to the ground. She flipped onto her back and stared into the eyes of an Interloper, but before she could even channel her melt, the creatureconvulsedinplace,rockingbackandforthasthick,yellowfluid
pumpedfromscatteredholesacrosshisbody.Finally,thealienslumpedat
Eve’ssidewithaloud,anticlimacticthump.Sheglancedoverhershoulderand
sawSanchostandingbehindher,firearminhand.
“Thesethingsreallyshouldcomewithcontrollers,”hesaid.
Jasonwaspivotingbackandforthattheotherendofthecourtyard.Several
Interlopershadtargetedhim,theirnostrilstwitchingastheytookinhis
intoxicatingscent.Onefinallyboltedtowardhim,andJasonswunghisaxeat
thecreature,splittinghimacrossthemiddleandsendinghisinnardsspillingto
theground.AsecondInterloperhurtledinhisdirection,andJasonburiedhis
axeintothecreature’smouth,theslicesodeepthathehadtokickatthealien’s chest just to dislodge the weapon from his skull. Jason glanced from side to side—hiscomradeswerebusywiththeirownbattles—andsoonspottedthelast
remainingInterloper.
Theypouncedtowardoneanother,Jasonwieldinghisaxeandthealien
wavinghistalons,bothofthemwearingexpressionsofhateanddisgust.With
hisjawclenched,Jasonhurledhisaxeatthecreature,aimingfortheheadbut
missingatthelastsecondastheInterloperduckedbeneathhimandknockedthe axefromhisgrip.Theaxefelltothefloorwithaloudclang,andtheInterloper swung his claws at the chimera, tearing through the back of his shirt and grazinghisskin.Jasonspunawayfromthecreatureandquicklystabilized
himself.Heeyedhisaxe,whichsatonthegroundbehindthealien’sfeet,and
thenhestaredathisopponent,whowascacklingominously.
“Yourblood…Itsmellsdelicious.Likepowerand hate.”
Jason pounded his bare fist into the creature’s face, over and over again, consumedbyanangerhewasnowgrowingaccustomedto.TheInterloper
thrashedhiswings,butJasondodgedhisattacks,nimblyswervingtotheside
andduckinglowtotheground.Hecouldseehisaxeonlyafewfeetaway—its
blade was glistening in the sunlight, begging to be engaged—and just as the Interloperchargedathim,heslidalongthefloor,grabbedtheweapon’s
handle,andhurledtheaxeatthecreature.Thealiendodged,butnotenough—
thebladeslashedstraightthroughhiswristwithanassertivechop.
TheInterloperstaggeredawayfromJason,cradlinghisbloodystump
againsthischestasheroaredandhowled.Hestareddownattheseveredhand
that lay on the ground before him, and then finally looked back at Jason. His eyesnarrowedintoslits,anddespitehisgruesomeinjury,hebegantosmile.
“Ihaveheardstoriesofyourfemale,”hebegan.“Thatherbloodis
intoxicating—thatshewilltastelikeparadise.Evennow,withyourredness
dripping down your face, still I can smell her.” He stood upright, seemingly unaffectedbyhistrauma,andhissmilewidenedintoafullanddetestablegrin.
“AndwhenFaironcarveshisbladeintoherflesh,wewillallfighttotasteher beforeshedies.”
Jasonbarreledtowardthecreature,whointurnbarreledtowardJason,and
justasthetwowerenearlycloseenoughtostrike,Eveslidacrosstheground
betweenthemandthrustherhandsforward,sendingtheInterloperhurtling
againstthenearbystatue.Hefelltotheground,landingface-firstwithan
almost-comical smack against the tiles. Though he was far from defeated, he scrambledalongthefloorinachaoticmanner,hiseyeswideandfearful.
Anxiously,heglancedupabovehim—atthecamerapointedinhisdirection—
and he bolted high into the sky, flying away from the campus and far from sight.
“Dammit,” JJgrowled,hervoiceringinginEve’sears. “Hewason camera.”
“Betterhimthanus,”Jasonmutteredunderhisbreath.
Evestaredatthecourtyard,nowcoveredinInterlopercorpses,severed
limbs, and pools of yellow blood, and then she glanced up at Sam. He was sprawledacrossthestepsofthemusicbuilding,histerrifiedgazeaimed
directlyather.
“Please,”hestuttered.“Pleasedon’ttellanyonewhatIam.Nooneknows,not
evenmyparents.”
“This neverhappened,”Evespat,ignoringhisplea.“Wewere never here. Do youunderstand?”
“But—”
“DOYOUUNDERSTAND?”
Sam’seyesflittedbetweenthefoursome,ultimatelylandingonEveonce again.“Yes.Iunderstand.”
Quickly,Eveassessedhersurroundings.Anewcrowdhadbeguntoform,
studentscometogapeattheslewofdeadInterlopers.Instinctively,Jasonraised hisaxeandPercypointedhisguns,andtheonlookersgaspedandcoweredin
fright.
“Shit,”Jasonhissed,loweringhisaxetohisside.“They’rehuman.”
“They’veseenus,”Eveadded.
Jasonleanedintowardher.“Whatdowedonow?”
“Leave!” JJshouted. “Beforemoreofthemshowup!”
Sanchowavered.“Butthebodies—”
“Arethepatrolmen’sproblemnow,” JJinterrupted,hervoicenoticeablytense.
“Look,timeisoftheessence.Takethesamepathsyoucameinon.You needto getmoving,andyouneedtodoit now .”
Withthat,thefoursomesprintedawayfromthecourtyard,eachofthem
returningthesamewaytheycame.Thoughtheyknewtheyhadbeenseen,they
couldonlyhopethattheiralibisweremuchmoreconvincingthanthetruth.
Inwhatseemedlikeaninstant,EveandJasonfoundthemselvesinthe
Rutherfordbasementonceagain,scurryingupthemetalstepsandcrawling
into the supply closet. They had come full circle, and the dread of battle was soonreplacedwiththeoverwhelmingexcitementofvictory.Eveturnedtoface
Jason.
“How’syourback?”
Heranhisfingersalonghistornshirtandshrugged.“Justafewscratches.”
Hereachedforthedoorknob,butEvestoppedhim.
“Wait,”shesaid,“yournose.”
Withagentletouch,shewipedtheexcessbloodfromhisupperlip,
smearingitontooneofthelooseragsattheirfeet.Shechuckled.
“We’reabouttobelabeledaspervertsacrosstheentireschool.Wedon’t
needthemthinkingwe’reintocrazytorturesex,too.”
ShestaredintoJason’seyes.Hisgazewascalmingasusual,butdespitehis
disarmingpresence,anewfeelinghadtakenholdofher:thefearofwhat,or
who,waswaitingforthemjustoutsidethecloset.Jasonnoddedhisheadatthe
door.
“Youready?”
Evehesitated.ShethoughtofHeatherandtheotherRutherfordians,ofthe
rumorsthatweres
uretofollow,andsherealizedthatshedidn’tgiveadamn
whattheyhadtosay.Withasmirk,sheplayfullyruffledherhair,leavingita
disheveledmess.
“NowIam.”
Jasonsmiled.Heleanedinclosetoher,andwithafirmsqueezeofherpalm,
he delicately kissed her forehead. Hand in hand, they each took in a long, steadybreathandopenedtheclosetdoor.
Theretheywere,yetagain:eyes,mostofthemlargeandgaping,others fierce and beady, and all of them staring at Eve and Jason without a hint of discretion.Theywatchedasthecoupleexitedthenookienook,theirhandsstill
claspedtogetherasiftheirunitycouldsomehowdeflectthejudgmentnow
beingcastintheirdirection.
EvecouldclearlymakeoutHeatherfromwithinthecrowd—herfieryhair
washardtomiss,aswasherspitefulgrin—butshepaidhernoattention.With
eachstepshetook—witheachshouldershepeggedandslursheoverheard—
Evefeltstrongerandbetterthansheeverhadbefore.Shemadeherwayfrom
therecroomandoutintotheRutherfordHalllobby,lookingoverher
shoulder just in time to spot two girls whispering to one another, pointing at thebackofJason’sshirt.
“Wow,hemust’vebeengood.Lookatthescratchmarksonhisback!”
***
Thelecturehallwasfilledwithenergyasthesofthumofwhispersspread
throughtheroom.ProfessorClarkehadhardlynoticed—eitherthat,orhe
chosetoignoreit,thoughneitherseemedtypicalofhim—andcontinuedwith
hislecture,ramblingendlesslyaboutwhateveritwasthathewasrambling
abouttoday.
Evesatinhercorner,aloneasusual,butshecouldstillmakeoutthe
mutteringsofherclassmates.Manyspokeofher—theythumbedthroughtheir
scratchpad tabloids and snickered at the outrageous headlines: The Insatiable SexualAppetitesofChimeras.PublicDebauchery:ChimeraEdition. Herromp
inthenookienookhadbeenleaked,asshehadassumedwouldbethecase,but amidthetalkofhersupposedraunchyrendezvouswas,foronce,arumorthat
piqued her interest: a story of Interlopers, some said ten, others said twenty, founddeadoncampus.Theyhadbeenimpaled,ordecapitated,orrippedapart
bydiamondssculptedintobullets.Someevensaidthatitwasacombinationof
allthree,butmostagreedthatsuchastorywastoofar-fetchedtobetrue.This
rumorwastheoneEvewasmostinterestedin,notbecauseofitsgoryappeal,
butbecauseitwasjustthat—arumor.
Classfinallyended,andonestudentafterthenextfiledoutofthedoorway
andintothehall.AsEvegatheredherthings,aboyspatatherfeet,andanother hissedsomethingdegradingunderhisbreath.Shejustsmiled—noneofit
mattered. A new calm had taken her, lifting her from her seat and filling her headwithunusualthoughtsoffulfillment—andeven,dareshesayit,hope—so
muchsothatasshemadeherwaytowardtheclassroomexit,shewastoo
distractedbyherowncontentmenttoevennoticethatProfessorClarkewas
summoningher.
“Eve,”herepeated,thistimeabitlouder,“aword?’
Eveflinched,startledbytheinterruption,andmadeherwaytothe
professor’sside.Henervouslyeyedthedoor,waitingforhisremaining
studentstoscamperfromtheclassroom.Hedidn’tspeakuntiltheywerefinally
alone.
“Youhaven’tsubmittedyourproposalyet.”Hefidgetedwithhisprojection
controller,hisfingersrestless,thenshovedbothhandsintohispockets.
“You’reusuallysopromptwithyourassignments.”
Evesighed.“Yeah,aboutthat…”
Shedugthroughhershoulderbagandpulledoutherscratchpadcube,
restingitontheprofessor’spodiumbeforeactivatingit.Clarkejumpedwhen
sparksflewfromthecomputer,andheraisedhiseyebrowswhenitssides
awkwardlyunfolded,revealingtheshatteredscreen.
Theprofessorswattedatthestreamofsmoketricklingfromthesputtering
scratchpad.“Howdidthis…?”
“Howdoyouthink?”
Hetookadeepbreath,hiseyesfilledwithdisappointment.“Youknow,ifyou
tellmewho’sresponsible,theycouldfacecorrectiveaction.Harassmentis
aseriousoffense.Theycouldberemovedfromcampus.”
“Idon’tthinkthat’spossible.”
“Why?”
“Becausehehastenure.”
ClarketurnedtoEve,hislipspartedasifhewasabouttospeak,andyethe
saidnothing.Finally,afteramomentofsilence,heexhaleddeeply,cradlinghis
headinhishand.
“Ahandwrittenproposalisfine.Iwon’tpenalizeyouforturningitinlate.I
understandthatthelibraryhassomescratchpadsforrent.I’llarrangetohave
themwaivethefeeforyou.”
“Thanks,Professor.”Evedeactivatedherscratchpad,whichshookand
whinedasitshrankbackintocubeform.“Youreallydon’thavetodothatfor
me.”
“No,Ireallydo.”Theprofessor’seyesweredistant,hishandsplantedonhis
hips.“Eve,there’ssomethingelseIneedtoaskyou.”
Evewrinkledherbrow.“Yes?”
“Areyouokay?”Hepaused.“Areyou…safe?”
“AmIsafe?”Shefaltered.“Well,therehasn’tbeenareportedattackin
weeks,ifthat’swhatyoumean.”
“TheyfoundInterloperbodiesoncampustwodaysago,infrontofthe
musicbuilding.”
“Really?” Eve’s chest became tight, but she feigned an unaffected front. “I didn’tknowthat.”
“Theywerekilled—theirspinesshattered,theirbodiesmangled.”Hestared
downathispodium.“Onewasevendecapitated.”
“Well,it’sgoodtohearthatthepatrolmenarehavingsomuchsuccess.”
Clarkeletoutalong,frustratedsigh.“Therewere witnesses,”hecontinued.
“Theysaw everything.”Hechuckledcynicallyunderhisbreath.“Noneofwhat theysaidcanbeproven,ofcourse,butyouprobablyalreadyknewthat.”
“I’mnotquitesurewhatyou’regettingat,Professor.”
“Eve,”hepaused,finallymakingeyecontactwithher,“whileIrespectand admireyourcourage,whatyou’redoinghere…It’s dangerous.”
“Idon’tknowwhatyou’retalkingabout.”
“Look,Iknowyou’renotgoingtostopjustbecauseIsayso,noramIinany
typeofpositiontotellyouhowtoliveyourlife,butknowthis—”Heleanedin
closertoher,hishandsgrippingtheedgeofthepodium.“Therewillcomea
time—abreakingpoint—whenyouwillfail,notbecauseyou’reincapableor
weak,butbecause everyonefailsatsomepoint.Andyouhavetoaskyourselfif you’rereadyforthat—ifyou’rereadytocollapse.Becauseinasituationlike
this—fightingabattleliketheoneyou’refighting—failurecouldbesmall,or
itcouldbesomethingmuch,muchgreater.Somethingtragic.Now,behonest:
areyoupreparedforthat?Areyoupreparedfortragedy?”
“ProfessorClarke,I—”
“Answerme,Eve.”
Sheeyedhimapprehensively,reluctanttospeak.“Yes.I’mprepared.”
“Areyousure?Areyoureally ,really sure?”
Evestaredattheprofessor,andwhileshesawconvictionandcareinhisgaze,
>
therewassomethingelsethere:itwasherself,herownreflectionineach
of his pupils, watching her as if they, too, were awaiting her answer. Finally, shespoke.
“IknowwhatI’mdoing.AndI’msure.”
Withoutdelay,shehurriedfromtheclassroomandbarreleddownthe
hallway,eagertogetawayfromthemostlikeableprofessoratBillington.She triedtopushhiswordsfromhermind,buthisvoicereverberatedinher
thoughtsuntilallshecouldhearwashisstricttone,andallshecouldseewas
hisanxiousgaze.
Preoccupiedwithherthoughts,sheranrightintoanotherstudentwhohad
strayedintoherpath.Withagrunt,Everegainedherbalanceandturnedtoward
her most recent obstacle, only to realize that she had inadvertently stumbled intotheverylastpersonshewashopingtosee.
“God dammit,”Evegroaned.
Heathercockedherhead.“You’renothappytoseeme?I’mhurt,Eve,truly.”
“Whatasurprise.Ididn’tknowyouwerecapableof feeling.”
Theredheadignoredherbarb.“Howareyouholdingup?”sheasked,eyeing
Eve up and down. “You look a little pale. Perhaps some morning sickness? I imagineyou’recarryingalitteralready.”
Everolledhereyes.“Reallyclever,butthenagain,you are Billington’s most accomplishedmudslinger.”
“Iwouldn’tcallmyselfamudslinger—toodirty.”Heatherwrinkledhernose
withdistaste.“Ijustprefertoleadotherstothemudpileandwatchastheyroll aroundinit.Youknow,”shesmiled,“likepigs.”
“Classy,”Evemumbled,“andderanged.”
“I’msorrytohearthatyourintercoursewithJasonhasturnedintosuchan
infamousincident.”
“Yeah,Iwonderwhocould’vebeenthecauseofthat.”Evecrossedherarms.
“Feelslikesomeonecreatedamudpileandthenforcedmetorollaroundin
it.”
“Eve,darling!Don’tcompareyourselftopigs.Itisn’tbecoming—forthe
pigs.”
“Heather!”avoicecalledfrombehindEve.
Evespunaround,curioustoseewhohadjoinedtheirconversation.An
enthusiastic Hayden was running toward the pair, her arms filled with multi-coloredthermosesthatleakedontoherwhitecollaredshirt.
“Heather,Ipickedupyourmorningjuiceblend!Iwasn’tsurewhatyouwere
