by K. G. Reuss
Chloe cleared her throat, darting a look between me and Raiden. “Uh, Gen, let’s just let them go. We should get back to the house.”
“You heard her, General. Hurt me, and you’ll hurt her.” Nev was at my side in moments, staring Raiden down.
“You’re drunk. You need to sleep. Alone.” Raiden glared at Nev, his voice rough. “Ever, let me escort you home—”
“I don’t think so.” Nev wound his arm around my waist and pulled me behind him as Raiden reached out for me. “No one touches what belongs to me. That includes you, Hawthorne. Ever made her desires clear.”
“The hell she belongs to you, vamp!” Raiden snarled, taking a dangerous step forward.
“Aren’t you getting married?” Nev taunted. “And didn’t your fiancée try killing Ever because you were lying and creeping around behind her back? Ever remembers—”
“Nev, I swear on the Old Words,” Marcus growled. “Let’s just go.”
“No. Screw him,” Nev snapped, glaring at Raiden who trembled with barely contained rage. “You think you’re the top of the food chain, Hawthorne. You know who’s really at the top?”
Raiden glared at Nev, his eyes the color of night.
Nev reached behind him and tugged me forward so my back was to his front. He raked his fingers through my hair and tugged my head to the side, his eyes locked on Raiden whose rage vibrated around us. “Vampires,” Nev finished, pressing a kiss to the place he’d bitten me earlier. “We’re recruiting.”
“You piece of shit,” Raiden howled, rushing toward Nev.
Nev shoved me aside roughly. I stumbled and fell to my hands and knees on the cobblestone path. The burn from the tiny, random pebbles tore my skin, making me hiss.
“Raiden, no!” Chloe shouted, joining the fray as Raiden and Nev tore into one another.
Marcus looked from Nev to me, his amber eyes wide.
“Stop him!” I shouted at Marcus. I wasn’t sure who I wanted him to stop, Nev or Raiden. I climbed to my feet and moved toward the fight.
Raiden landed a well-aimed punch to Nev’s face. Nev wasted no time in returning the blow, catching Raiden in the face and splitting his lip. They didn’t bother with their abilities, opting to simply beat on one another like barbarians.
“Hey, knock it off!” Damien shouted as he, Jared, Adam, Brandon, and Eric rushed onto the scene.
“I’m not fighting. I’m not fighting!” Marcus shouted as Adam and Brandon threw him to the ground.
Purple glowing handcuffs were twisted around Marcus’s wrist as he let out a ferocious snarl.
Eric and Damien wrestled Raiden away from Nev who was immediately knocked to the ground by Jared and Adam. Handcuffs were placed on Nev’s wrists. Something told me he let it happen. I’d seen Nev in training. He wouldn’t go down so easily if he was putting in any effort.
“What the hell is going on?” Eric demanded.
Marcus and Nev were pulled to their knees. I pushed my way through and stood beside them.
“General’s mad because I told him I wanted to be with Nev.” I pointed my finger at Raiden whose chest was heaving as he stared back at me, his aquamarine eyes narrowed in anger, his silver hair a mess. My head spun, and I swayed where I stood, nausea twisting my guts. I didn’t feel like myself. I winced and wiped at my brow.
“Ever?” Chloe called out. She sounded far away.
I frowned and let out a whimper.
“I don’t feel so good,” I murmured, taking an unsteady step forward. I shook my head, trying to clear it.
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Six
Raiden
Ever’s face paled to chalk white, and sweat dripped down her skin. Her emerald eyes locked on mine, fear shimmering in them before they turned glassy. Her lips parted to give way to a soft monotone.
“Perish in fire
The Mancer will weep.
Reborn from the ash
A promise he keeps.
Lie together they will
For three nights whole.
From the depths
He returns her soul.”
Eric caught her before she hit the ground, her head lolling against his chest. I wasted no time getting to her.
“I’m not feeling so good,” she repeated in a whisper, her words slurred together.
I ground my teeth together as I reached out to cradle her face. Damn, Blackburn and Ambrose. This was all their fault. Hell, it was my fault too.
“Take Blackburn to my office,” I commanded. “Release Ambrose.”
“Now just wait a damn minute,” Nev snapped. “I demand Headmaster Brighton be present as well a council of our peers—
“Now!” I shouted.
Everyone sprang into action, Jared and Adam hauling a protesting Nev away. Chloe released Ambrose who hesitated, his gaze flickering between me and Ever. He didn’t bother to make a scene. Something told me that was more worrisome than any protesting Blackburn did.
“Ambrose, I suggest you leave if you don’t want the same fate as your counterpart,” I growled, continuing to cradle Ever’s face in my hands as her eyelids fluttered.
“I’ll escort him back,” Chloe said, clearing her throat.
The moment they were gone, I gave Ever a gentle shake as Eric held her up.
“Everly. Can you hear me?”
“Mhm.”
I pushed more healing into her, trying to eat away the alcohol. I frowned when I couldn’t pull it from her.
“What’s going on?” Damien demanded, moving to stand beside me. “She’s making more predictions. Did you hear that shit?”
I nodded as I leaned in and sniffed her.
“I’m not worried about that,” I lied. “I’m more worried about why she’s not drunk.”
“What?” Eric’s eyes locked on mine, and I let out a low growl as I pushed Ever’s hair away from her neck.
If he bit her, I’ll kill him. . .
My heart thundered in my ears. The smallest of purple bruises greeted me.
“Damn. Girl’s been getting some action.” Damien clicked his tongue.
My hands shook as I leaned in to inspect the mark further. If it was a bite, it sure as hell didn’t look like one. It appeared as if someone had been sucking on her neck though. Even if a vamp took a chunk out of someone, it always left a tiny scar where the fangs entered. Unless someone possessed incredible healing magic, which was a rare gift amongst Specials. Vamps had the ability to regenerate themselves and mildly those they bit, but they always left a scar, their calling card. As far as I knew, on campus, only Brandon and I possessed the unique healing ability, with the exception of Madam Ann.
“Easy, man. It’s not a big deal. It’s probably not even a hickey,” Damien offered weakly, the same thoughts probably going through his mind. “Maybe her books fell off her nightstand and hit her on the neck. . .”
“Could be a spell. You know how Ambrose is. He might have been trying to help her with something again. It does seem like it could be a spell,” Eric offered.
I nodded. It was a possibility, but she said she’d been drinking. There was no way Ever would do a blood exchange, knowing how much I hated vamps. It had to be her sarcasm and Ambrose weaving a new charm on her.
But something niggled at my mind. There was no way she wanted Blackburn. My heart ached as I imagined him touching her. Kissing her. Making her laugh. The guy had a reputation, and not a bit of it was good.
“I’ll take her home. You guys start questioning Blackburn.”
“You sure? She might lose her shit on you and blast your ass into next week like she nearly did to Eric when she was pissed.” Damien looked between me and Ever with uncertainty.
“I can handle her,” I muttered, wrapping my arm around her waist and steadying her.
“I think I’m sick.” She coughed and sagged against me.
“I know,” I murmured, hoping beyond anything she hadn’t been bitten.
I gave the guys a look that said
get to work before leading Ever toward her dorm. She whimpered as we walked.
“Sorry about the prediction,” she slurred out as I pushed her dorm door open. “I can’t control them. Trying.”
“I know,” I answered, taking her to her bedroom.
Memories of her in my arms surfaced. Of her against the wall, our lips melded to one another. Of her straddling me in her bed the last night I’d spent with her. How close we nearly were. . .
I shook the pain in my chest away and focused on the task at hand.
Gently, I helped her into bed, drawing her blankets up to her chin. She let out a soft sigh, her eyes closed. A moment later, her body went slack, signaling she’d fallen asleep.
“Damnit, I miss you.” I gave her hand a gentle squeeze as I stared down at her. “Please, anyone but Blackburn, Ever.” I backed away and went to her door, turning the light off. I cast one more longing look before leaving her dorm, my heart heavy.
“I didn’t do shit wrong,” Nev snarled from his seat as I walked into my office after returning from Ever’s.
Damien rolled his eyes as he leaned against my desk, his arms folded over his chest.
“Ever said she’d been drinking,” Eric interjected. “Why would she say that if she wasn’t?”
Nev ground his teeth and shook his head, irritation on his face. He winced as he twisted his hands in the vorbex handcuffs. It didn’t help that the vorbex held veins of silver. It doubled a vampire’s pain when cuffed.
“You still haven’t confessed?” I asked, tossing my cloak onto the leather sofa.
“I have nothing to confess to, Hawthorne. I was out with my friends. It was getting late, so I walked Ever back. You showed up pissed off, and now I’m here.” He glared at me as I sat back in my leather chair behind my desk and stared at him.
Damien moved to sit in the chair beside Nev while Eric hung around at the edge of my desk.
“You forget the part where you shoved me and decided you wanted to fight,” I pointed out.
“You came at me because you can’t handle Ever wanting anyone else but you.”
I stiffened as I stared back at him.
“I knew the two of you had a thing going on before she announced it tonight. I know you were screwing around on Amara, and that’s why Ever nearly died the night that rotwraith got on the grounds.”
“You’re out of line,” I seethed at him, sitting forward.
“I know you couldn’t be with her, so you broke her heart playing your game. It’s killing you she doesn’t want you now.”
“Leave,” I ordered Damien and Eric.
“Gen, that’s not a good idea,” Eric started.
“Now!” I bellowed, my eyes focused on Nev.
He glared back at me, no sign of fear anywhere on him.
Damien looked between me and Nev for a moment before gesturing for Eric to follow him.
“We’ll be right outside the door,” Damien said as he opened the door. “Don’t do anything stupid.” He snapped the door closed behind him and Eric, leaving me alone with Nev.
“Do you know how long I’ve waited for you to screw up?”
Nev scoffed. “Since we were children. You’ll be waiting a long time, Hawthorne.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “I could end you right now. No one would miss a vampire. In just a few months’ time, the entire lot of you will be eradicated. I’d be doing you a favor by killing you now and saving you the agony of being rounded up later and dealt with.”
“Do you even hear yourself?” Nev snarled at me. “You’re nuts. You hate me because your mother was killed by a vampire, or so they told you—”
“I saw her dead body!” I shouted at him. “And this has nothing to do with her!”
“I beg to differ, General. You’re in this room, pissed off at me because I’m in the position to steal your girl and your mom died because of one of my kind. I’m taking double hits here. It’s unfair.”
I scoffed and sat back in my seat, trying to simmer down my anger. “Let’s get one thing clear. Ever would never want you. She sees what a piece of shit you are. She knows my mother died by a vampire’s fangs. She may hate me right now, but she’d never betray me like that. Never.”
“Funny you should say Never.” He smirked at me. “That’s our little code name for one another. Nev. Ever. Get it? Cute, huh? What are your little names for one another?” He cocked his head at me. “Oh, that’s right. You couldn’t actually have a relationship with her because of the whole being engaged thing. So you had to sneak her around like some sort of side piece. Did you really think so lowly of her as to put her in that position?”
“Go to hell,” I growled at him. “Ever means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
“I’m sure she does. She’s the Mancer. You guys want her to raise that undead army so you can kill my kind.” He glared harder at me. “Tell me, General… Who is Shadow? I’m sure you know who he is.”
“I think a night in Xanan would be good for you,” I said, getting to my feet.
“I’d rethink that if I were you.” Nev’s gaze followed me as I moved to pour a glass of tarish.
I poured him one too and sat it on the edge of my desk. I waved my hand, and his handcuffs clicked open and fell to the floor. He widened his eyes and gave me a confused look.
“Have a drink,” I offered, tipping my glass back and draining it. I moved back and refilled it.
“I see the double standards are in full force,” Nev muttered, tossing back his drink, his blue eyes focused on me.
I paused. His eyes were beyond blue. They were nearly glowing. I’d never seen them look that way before.
“Perks of being Conexus.” I shrugged, taking my third glass back to my desk and sliding another one at Nev.
He took it and stared at me, eyes narrowed.
“You were nearly bloodlusted today. I saw you on campus at lunch, and your eyes were pitch black.”
“So?” Nev’s lips tilted up into a smirk.
“Now your eyes are the strangest blue. I looked at Ever’s neck. Tell me, what other powers do you possess?”
Nev’s smirk widened. “Why? Thinking about bringing a vamp into Conexus ranks?”
“Hardly,” I scoffed, leaning back in my chair. “I’ve just never gauged your abilities. Being a vampire, I assumed it was drinking the blood of the innocent and being a general pain in the ass to society. Vamps don’t tend to have much more than minor casting abilities. But you’re different, aren’t you, Blackburn?”
He shrugged and sipped his drink. “Bring me into Conexus and find out. Get rid of Mason. Guy is a tool.”
“Not likely.”
“Then what are we doing here, General? You going to send me to the dungeons or let me go?” He polished off his drink and gave me a pointed look.
“I know you bit Everly.”
“Your proof?” He placed his glass on my desk, no sign of a confession coming from him.
“Intuition.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not going to hold up in court. What else you got?”
“I’m only going to say this to you once, Blackburn. Touch her again, and the dungeons will be the least of your worries.”
“What are you going to do? Really kill me?”
“As far as I’m concerned, you’ve already been handed a death sentence. I’ll be sure it’s me who makes good on it. It’s up to you on whether you want that to be sooner or later. Get me?”
Nev let out a soft laugh and rose to his feet. “I think you’re confused about who the real monster in the room is, Hawthorne.”
I ground my teeth at his words.
“Get out. The next time you screw up, you’re done for. I meant what I said about Ever. Stay away from her. Do you understand?”
“I understand.” He moved to the door and paused, looking over his shoulder at me. “Does she know?”
“Know what?”
“What sort of monster you really are, or did you let her fall for the lie?
I guarantee you haven’t told her a single kernel of truth since you met her.”
My hands shook at his words. Nevron Blackburn was more than he let on. There was no doubt in my mind. That was why we needed to watch him more closely.
“Stay away from Everly Torres.”
“I’ll stay away, General, but I promise she won’t stay away from me. She can’t. Not now. Have a good night.” And with that, he opened the door and sauntered from my office, leaving my guts churning.
Seven
Everly
“God,” I groaned, sitting up in bed and rubbing my eyes. I felt like I’d been hit by a bus. My muscles screamed in protest as I tried to move. I winced and looked down to take in my rumpled uniform.
“What the hell did I do last night?” I muttered, shuffling out of bed and heading for the bathroom.
My hair looked like hornets performed redneck fueled line dances in it all night. I shook my head and stripped down for a quick shower. When I had that taken care of, I dressed in a clean uniform and made coffee.
Marcus had given me a bunch of the Forsenia Rose coffee he drank, which came in handy since I was a coffee addict. Mom sent me a travel coffee mug with pink, sparkly gems on it. I filled it to the brim and drank as quickly as I could without burning my tongue off. The rest of the morning, I lounged around, half-asleep.
“Girl, how are you feeling today?” Harper asked, falling in step next to me as I made my way to the courtyard later that afternoon. Classes were split at Dementon and happened throughout the day and into the evening. Vampires and werewolves tended to take the late afternoon and evening classes just because they were more alert at those times and stronger, although I think it was just an excuse to sleep in. Vampires in our world didn’t have issues with sunlight other than they weren’t nearly as strong in the day. I’d seen Nev in both waking and sleeping hours. The guy seemed just as strong to me in the daylight as he did in the moonlight.
“Like a train wreck.” I yawned.
Abby let out a giggle as she walked on my other side. “You were so gone last night after you got lusted.”
