Making sure I had everything I needed in my bag, which was basically my clothes and a bottle of blood, I walked out of the suite. I closed the door so I heard a soft click, ensuring that no one could get in. Only Natalie could open it from the inside when she awoke that night. The common area of our dorm was empty but for the human staff who were scurrying around quiet as mice, cleaning up discarded blood bottles and numerous boxes, splotched with grease from the pizzas they’d held inside.
After class last night, the whole dorm had congregated together to watch the final game of supernatural football season. Unlike the rest of the world, vampires hadn’t been interested in sports teams unless they made used them as an investment to make money. However, there was a growing interest from vamps since a Novus vamp, the first of his kind, had joined the city’s home-team, the New Orleans Creepers.
The game had been particularly contentious as it had been between the home-team and the Philadelphia Blood Hounds, which had an all werewolf line-up. The whole academy had watched the game. Obviously, the werewolves had rooted for the Blood Hounds which had only strengthened the vamps in wanting the Creepers to win.
I tried not to judge how trashed the place had gotten and how humans were simply expected to take care of it and have things back to order by the time that everyone woke up. Maybe my judgement was a good way to distract myself from the task that lay ahead of me.
There was a deep irony that I was running away from Bloodline Academy with the very person who’d brought me here. I’d attempted on many occasions, to convince Ulric that coming with me wasn’t the best idea. In fact, it was the worst I could think of. In the end, I’d realized that he was still looking for his sister, Winnie. And, coming with me would allow him a better chance at finding her than staying at the academy. That was the story I was telling myself and I was sticking to it.
“How do you feel?” asked Ulric as I walked up to him at the corner of Chartres Street. The sun had just started to come up and the whole city was a scape of bright orange. Due to the time of year, it was another crisp day that would steadily become gorgeous and pleasant within the next few hours. Whenever it was like this, I always thought about Europe. My memories there were so hazy that I couldn’t actually say whether they were real or just a figment of my imagination anymore. My time there as a young child had been brief but these cooler days reminded me of something vague, I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
“I’m fine. How about you?” I asked, scanning up and down the street, paranoid that we must have been sprung.
“Better for what we’re about to do,” he replied, leading the way down the street. I almost asked if he’d brought his cute little car and then thought better of it. Of course, he wouldn’t have. We were basically fugitives and roaring our way past the academy in a candy-apple coloured Mustang would hardly have been smart.
“Do you even know where we’re going? Because I don’t but I was thinking we could head north,” I said feeling instantly stupid. Who ran away from a place like Bloodline Academy, without a solid plan?
“I do have a plan. But I can only share it with you once we’re a few streets away from here.” Ulric’s eyes gleamed golden. He actually looked excited rather than uncomfortable with what we were doing.
“Okay. Should we hail a cab?” I asked, looking around me again. The two of us were dressed in hoodies and jeans. Ulric’s was black as usual and mine was dark blue. I couldn’t help but wonder, if in a bid to be inconspicuous, we were having the opposite effect. Stay clam, Katrina, I sternly told myself.
“I thought about it too but the best chance we have, is if we walk,” replied Ulric. My breath caught in my chest, mid-inhale. How far could we get on foot? Even if we streamed – or he did the werewolf equivalent – it would tire us out pretty quickly, not to mention that I couldn’t during the day. In my mind I’d imagined us whisking away to some far-flung destination from where we’d never be found again. It felt like my childish notions were already beginning to crumble.
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s too risky,” he said. Realizing I didn’t agree, he elaborated, “come on, who has a monopoly on the cabs and other public transportation?”
“Companies and municipal offices?”
“Werewolves,” said Ulric with an amused smirk. “Specifically, Black Banes. And I’m now in defiance of my entire pack, which includes hundreds if not thousands of werewolves that have been churned out at some point by St. Erzsebet’s.”
“Oh,” I said. We walked in silence until we were out of the mostly deserted French Quarter. It occurred to me to turn us both invisible but before I raised it, I realized how near impossibly exhausting that would be. It had been so difficult to get from the academy to the gate when I’d helped Lorna. And I wouldn’t use my magic to shield only myself when Ulric was on the run because of me. Even if he had insisted on coming along.
“So, what did you think of the big game last night?” said Ulric, giving me a light, friendly nudge.
“It was something.”
“Who were you rooting for?”
“No one really,” I replied, wondering where we were going.
“Really? Did you even watch it?”
“Yes, of course I did – bits of it. With all the mayhem around it, it would have been hard not to.” I was irritated and didn’t care if he knew it. Getting out of Bloodline Academy had been my thing and now I found myself being led somewhere, on foot, with no clue of where we were headed. I felt like if anything, I was the spare wheel in Ulric’s plan.
“Who were you cheering for?”
“Not the Blood Hounds,” I said honestly.
“Really?”
“Really!” Talk about not being able to take a hint. Out of all things to talk about at this life changing point in time, I couldn’t believe that a game was at the top of his list.
“I guess congratulations are in order then,” persisted Ulric.
“Why is this like some sort of game to you?” I asked no longer able to hold myself back.
“What’s this?” said Ulric.
“Us running away.”
“It’s really not.”
“It obviously is.”
“I’d like to see you do better,” said Ulric, looking genuinely hurt.
“Fine, forget it.”
“No, as someone who knows the city inside out, including what’s hiding in each of its’ neighbourhoods, I thought I’d take the lead in not getting us killed. Please tell me what I’m doing that’s so wrong.”
“You’re making us walk out in the open where everyone can see us!” I said, finally voicing my fear. “Did it ever occur to you that of the same cab drivers that might see us if we ride in their car, might be seeing us right now?”
“Okay and what would you do? You’re a vampire so it’s not like you can stream right now.”
“If I was alone right now, I would have taken my chances and hailed a cab. And then, I would have asked the driver to take me at least a couple of hours away from the city,” I said.
“And what would you have paid the cab fare with?” asked Ulric, catching the most obvious flaw in my plan. There were obviously many others. Damn. I kept quiet. “Look, I know this isn’t easy for you either but I’ve got one place in mind where we can go to. And if things don’t go the way I hope they will, then we can race on out of here and not look back.”
“Okay,” I said feeling both, better and immensely guilty for having been such a jerk. “Can you tell me where we’re going now?”
“It’s not far,” he said, taking my hand as the familiarity came flooding back. I felt his hand in mine. It was strong and warm and it gently stirred my own magic. We walked on, speaking without words, for another quarter of an hour. “There. We’re in the Garden District,” Ulric finally said.
I looked around and noticed how the streets had widened and the density of bars, restaurants and shops had given way to stately mansions, each one uniquely constructed and styled.
I had heard of this neighbourhood. It definitely rang a bell. “Wow, quite the set up,” I said, staring wide-eyed at all the gated properties amongst the tree-lined street.
“You have to know where we’re going, by now,” said Ulric, looking at me with the same intensity with which I was checking out our surroundings.
“Celebrities live here, don’t they?” I said, sounding utterly superficial. My cheeks flushed. It wasn’t that I was so in awe of the glitterati but only that, that was as far as my reference point for the garden district went. It was limited to say the least.
“Okay, this is hilarious,” said Ulric amused but not ridiculing, “you really don’t know, do you?”
“I think you know the answer to that,” I said, throwing in a smile so he wouldn’t think I was coming off as too defensive, which I probably was.
“This is where your friend, Safi now goes. Along with her older brother.”
“What?” I said and just as I did, the building at the end of the street we were on, came into view. I didn’t need to read the inscription on the metal gates that surrounded the huge complex to know where we were. “You’ve brought us to Superno?” I asked in disbelief.
Chapter 11
“Why would you do such a thing? We can’t be here. I really can’t be here! In case you’d forgotten, I’m forbidden to ever speak to Crystal Witches again. Probably all witches!” I pulled my hand to free it from Ulric’s but he held tighter and turned me around to face him.
“Safi is expecting you,” he said with a sincerity that made me realize that it wasn’t just some ill-conceived scheme on his part. “And her brother, Aviar, who helped save you that night. I’ve been in touch with him. At first it was about Winnie but when I came to know what happened at the hearing…”
“but I only told you about that yesterday,” I cut in.
“Yes, but Aviar had filled me in a while ago. We’ve all been thinking of a plan ever since – including Safi.”
“But Pearl – their mom,” I said. It was all too much to process.
“Aviar said he’d take care of it.”
“No, that doesn’t make sense – and what about you?” I uttered. Actually, neither of us would be welcome at Superno. If anything, Ulric might be a little less unwelcome than me.
“It’ll be fine, just trust me. Safi thinks that in exchange for the info you have that Nadasdy and the Dark Legion are trying to use you to turn her, the S.L.A., will be forced to sit up and take notice. I was here last night. I actually missed most of the game because after you told me you were running away; I knew I had to act quickly.”
I didn’t know what to say. No one had ever done anything like this for me before. I noticed we were still far enough away from Superno Academy that Ulric wasn’t physically repelled by the place. I was sure that magic and guardian spells many times stronger than the kinds that had been in place at the coven must have been protecting the premises.
“How did you even get close enough to talk to Aviar?” I asked, mesmerized by the building up ahead.
“I did pretty much what Safi used to do to me. I waited around,” said Ulric. “I’ve been worried about you, Kat. Just because we didn’t hang out for a while didn’t mean I stopped caring about you.”
“But I thought...with the way you cut me out,” I said, still quite speechless.
“I’m sorry I shut down like that. But I said I’d always be there for you and I meant it. I’ve never met anyone like you.”
“What if I hadn’t said I wanted to run away?”
“Then sooner or later I would have suggested it myself,” said Ulric, “you weren’t made for that place.” He leaned in and my chest fluttered. I too leaned closer and there and then, more than the perils that lay behind and the uncertainty sprawling before us, I wanted nothing other than to kiss him. I closed my eyes and felt his face, closer to mine. He touched my cheek.
“Katrina, I need to speak to you,” said a woman’s voice. I opened my eyes, confused. Anxiety immediately replaced the flutters that I’d had in my chest and stomach. I broke away from Ulric and looked back. If danger hadn’t been the imminent likelihood of our situation, I would have been hugely annoyed. Ulric too, went on high-alert, as we both sized up the woman who had approached us a little too calmly for it to have been anything good.
“Who are you?” I demanded, instantly sensing her and picking up exactly what Ulric had too. She was a Sanguine vampire. She had deep blue eyes and brunette curls that tumbled past her shoulders. Her complexion was as perfect as porcelain and matched perfectly with her dainty features. She was absolutely gorgeous which had to mean in vamp-speak, that she was equally vicious.
“My name is Sophie-Anne,” she replied in a soft, smooth voice.
“What do you want?” I asked, trying to match her cadence as a way to hide my own panic that was swiftly rising.
“I just need a moment. I only want to talk to you,” said Sophie-Anne, looking with fascination from me to Ulric like she was paying us a compliment.
“Yeah? Well, we don’t want to talk to you,” said Ulric, becoming rigid and putting himself slightly in front of me. Sophie-Anne took a step towards us as well.
“I promise that all I want to do is talk to Katrina. After that, I’ll leave you alone,” she persisted.
“I don’t know you and I don’t want to talk,” I said, stepping out from behind Ulric. I didn’t want this vamp or any others to see that I was scared of them. Because, I wasn’t.
“I understand why you’re apprehensive. But I would never harm you, I’m only here to help you.”
“Oh yeah? And why the hell should we believe you?” asked Ulric. Sophie-Anne nodded almost imperceptibly and her eyes continued to survey me.
“Because I’m your mother, dear,” she said.
***
My body prickled with sweat. Or at least it felt like it did as silver swirls of my magic came to the surface. I suddenly found myself unable and unwilling to look at the woman’s face. She was in no way related to me, yet I knew how the mind could deceive, seeing resemblances where there weren’t any.
“It’s okay,” Ulric tried soothing me, speaking with his voice low so I knew it was meant only for me to hear.
“No, no, you’re not!” I said ignoring him and stumbling backwards with uneven footing, “It’s a trick and a really dumb one. My mother’s dead, I’m an orphan.” I cried, not bothering to hide the emotion from my voice.
“I expected you’d say that,” said Sophie-Anne in a voice that was equally as calm as Ulric’s.
“No shit!” I replied, “Because you’re a phony. You probably want a hit of witch-blood and the minute I trust you and let my guard down, you’ll attack me.”
“Why don’t we talk in a coffee shop or somewhere where you know I won’t try anything. And if I do, you’ll be able to turn the tables on me? And anyway, you must know my vampiric state can’t emerge until after the sun goes down,” suggested Sophie-Anne, not at all phased by my reaction.
“What do you mean, turn the tables on you?” asked Ulric. It aggravated me further that he was giving her a way in. Why was he indulging her? He couldn’t possibly believe the crap she was spouting.
“As in, you pick the place? Pick somewhere you know that’s not run by or for vampires.”
“No, we’re not interested. Please leave us alone,” I said. Sophie-Anne dropped her gaze. She lightly rummaged through her tiny handbag, the kind that must have cost an entire month’s rent at very decent lodgings.
“Look,” she said after a moment, holding out her hand. In her palm she had a clear quartz crystal.
“So?” I asked.
“If I wasn’t who I claimed to be, then how do I have one of these?”
“Because you target and attack Crystal Witches,” I replied with conviction, rolling my eyes.
“Or because I am who I say I am,” she persisted.
“How about we go to Lupine’s, a couple of streets down?” said Ulric, trying to dislodge
our stalemate.
“No – what’s that?” I asked.
“I know it, it’s a bar run by the Silver Shadows, werewolves allied with the Supernatural Light Alliance,” said Sophie-Anne, with a nod, “would we be allowed inside?” she asked Ulric.
“I’ve been there a few times. I’ve chatted with the owner. She knows I mean no harm,” said Ulric, “as long I can come too.”
“Of course, you’re Katrina’s…friend, right?” asked Sophie-Anne mildly amused. Ulric being a werewolf or else, it wasn’t something that appeared to bother her in the slightest.
“Fine,” I relented, “but if you try anything, my vamp might be dormant but my witch is fully out,” I said, cringing slightly as that sounded exactly like something a vampire would say. If they were also a witch.
“Of course,” said Sophie-Anne, raising both hands like she was talking to someone who was mentally unhinged.
I turned my back on Superno and followed close behind Ulric, who had told the vampire to walk a few steps ahead of us. Whatever she wanted, there was no doubt she had an ulterior motive. Just the fact that she knew my name and had materialized from out of nowhere, near Superno, was unsettling enough as it was.
Bloodline Academy must have sent her. That had to be it. She was one of their spies and us walking through the city in broad daylight must have tipped her off. Thanks Ulric, awesome idea. As I had the thought, Ulric responded by thinking, quite loudly, “Let me guess, you’ll think this vamp chic turning up is somehow my fault?” He smirked, meeting my gaze and it took me a further minute to realize that he had let me back into his head.
“Well, isn’t it?” I blurted, giving Ulric another reason to be amused at my expense and causing Sophie-Anne, the vamp chic, to turn and look at me, before she put the outburst down to some inside joke and carried on walking.
Within five minutes, which had seemed like much longer, we were standing outside Lupine’s. The bar’s signage was inside a circle that depicted the full moon, with a wolf emerging from the font, its’ back arched in a howl. It was much more sophisticated looking than I’d given it credit for, having imagined a place like the ones I had seen in downtown Lafayette. Dive bars, with ravaged furniture due to constant barfights. I chided myself for such blatant profiling of what every werewolf joint might look like. We went inside and I took in the serene ambiance of the place, where people were tucking into their gourmet breakfasts and others were merry on their second drinks. We were met by a host, who crossed his arms more like a bouncer when he saw us.
Dark Spark: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy Novel (Bloodline Academy Book 2) Page 10
