The Gray Institute (The Gray Institute Trilogy Book 1)

by Leanne Pearson

I feel significantly under-dressed in my black jeans and grey jumper and I pat myself down self-consciously, flashing her a timid smile. She beams widely back at me but I notice – with discomfort – the flunky to her right; a tall man in a dark suit watching me sternly.

  'Glad you could make it.' Lorna grins as I formally shake her hand, wary of the guard's eyes fixed on my every move. Lorna's skin is warm and I feel her pulse beneath the paper-thin tissue, beating in rhythm with the sound of her heart.

  'I see we're not alone.' I nod to her bodyguard, who scowls at me beneath dark eyebrows.

  'Of course not,' She rolls her eyes. 'I was a fool to think Alec would allow that,' She keeps a firm grip on my hand as she turns to stand by my side. 'However, we are allowed into the grounds.' She beams, nodding to the guard who pushes the doors open, letting in a gust of cold air.

  We step out into the frosty winter night, leaving the warmth of the Institute behind. The moon is full, the stars are bright and the air is crisp and still. The grass is damp with dew and the blades crunch beneath our feet as bats swoop over our heads. Lorna giggles excitedly, tugging my hand to pull me along the winding path. I wonder how long it's been since she left the stifling Institute's walls and I watch her breathe in, filling her senses with winter.

  The gravel path forks off to the right, just shy of the clearing, where Tia and I stood arguing only yesterday. I listen to the trickling stream accompanied by the crashing sea across the other side of the Institute. The narrow stream sparkles in the moonlight, watched over by the willow tree, its rods of leaves silent and still.

  'I have to admit, it is beautiful here.' Lorna whispers, surveying the picturesque scene. She perches on the solitary stone bench, smoothing her long skirt over her knees, and gazes across the water to beyond the horizon. The Institute's border lies far out of sight, further than I can see from even the highest window of the Institute.

  Lorna sighs heavily, her breath unfurling from her mouth in a dense fog. 'Do you know what lies beyond the fence?' She asks. I shake my head, uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. It hasn't been five minutes and already Lorna's speaking of a taboo subject.

  'I didn't even know there was a fence.' I admit, sitting down next to her.

  'There is,' She nods confidently. 'A few months ago I ran to the edge of the grounds. It's a six metre tall fence, electrified with barbed wire. I think it's more to keep people out than the students in, seeing as neither the height nor electricity would affect any of you. Though who's likely to find this place out in the middle of nowhere is beyond me.' She shakes her head, casting a sweeping glance around the deserted grounds.

  'Do you think we're on an island?' She asks suddenly. I shrug, considering her idea.

  'Possibly.'

  'Do you know how they ensure that none of you will find this place once you leave?' She asks, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. I shake my head, squirming with unease. The bodyguard is in earshot, I know I must watch what I say, but how can I stop Lorna from revealing forbidden secrets?

  'Somebody in my Theory class asked once, we were told it didn't concern us yet.' I reply pointedly.

  'I know,' She grins. 'They're not supposed to tell you in case you figure out a way to beat the system, but it's pretty simple really. They fly you away,' She states, glancing at the sky. 'In an airplane, I mean,' She explains. 'Supposedly, you guys can't find your way very well in the air, what with it being against even your nature to fly.

  If they blindfolded you and just drove you far away, you could memorise the route, find your way back using smells and sounds. But in the air, you're completely senseless.'

  I nod slowly, considering her words. It's so simple yet – if Lorna is correct – so effective. All the Institute would need to do is fly us a few thousand miles into the air, take an indirect route to our destination, and drop us there.

  I cast my eyes up to the night sky, searching for flashing lights, smoke trails – any sign of an aeroplane.

  'They don't fly over here,' Lorna shakes her head, reading my thoughts. 'I've watched for hours at a time, I've never seen one.'

  I nod reservedly, studying Lorna from the corner of my eye. She appears relaxed, at ease with both me and herself, comfortable – in stark contrast to how I feel.

  'What do you do all day?' I ask her, my curiosity peaking. Her scent washes over me; a tantalising mixture of sweet human sweat and blood, stronger and more inviting than even the most expensive perfume. A few tendrils of hair escape the tight bun and frame her pale face, caressing her soft skin.

  'What do you mean?' She asks, frowning.

  I cast a glance over at the guard who hangs back, hovering next to a tall oak tree, his beady eyes on me. I wonder silently whether he'd have time to stop me if I decided to sink my teeth into Lorna's neck. I doubt it; it would take only a second on my part, a few on his, by which time my venom would be coursing through her veins.

  Of course, that would be a dream come true for Sir Alec. Lorna would be changed immediately, I would be carted off to the Confine and Sir Alec could rest safe in the knowledge that he didn't break the age restriction law.

  'I mean, Sir Alec doesn't allow you to mix with students, he doesn't allow you to go outside – what does he allow you to do?' My voice is steady despite the screaming in my mind as my body begs for her sweet-smelling blood.

  'Not much,' She sighs, crossing one of her shapely legs over the other. 'I have my own library, I'm free to browse that to my heart's content, but I'm not allowed access to the internet. He likes to keep me as isolated from the world as you.

  I watch movies; he brings me the latest releases, new books, certain magazines, I draw sometimes. But really I'm not supposed to leave my quarters. Obviously, I don't stick to that rule.' She raises her eyebrows. It would explain why, on each of her trips to the fourth floor window, she was unsupervised.

  'Does he know?' I ask. 'That you sneak out, I mean?'

  'Probably,' She shrugs carelessly. 'He's never mentioned it to me, but I imagine he does know.'

  'Why do you think he keeps quiet about it?' I ask.

  'Well, everyone at the Institute stays well clear of me and he knows that I despise all of them. I don't suppose he worries too much so long as I'm not canoodling with them.' She scoffs.

  I try to imagine for a moment what life must be like for her; bound by rules, left alone all the time, unable to so much as converse with someone without the consent of Sir Alec.

  She wraps her slender arms around her chest, pressing her fingertips against the skin on her back. Though she maintains a confident and carefree persona, I know without asking that underneath it all, she is desperately sad.

  After all, how could her life possibly be a happy one?

  I feel an overwhelming sense of pity wash over me, twisting my dead heart in the depths of my chest. She, unlike us, has been taken from a good life, a fulfilling existence with family and friends. I know this because – despite a few exceptions – most Institute students are grateful for their second chance, most adapt easily. Without anything or anyone to miss from their old lives, delving into a new one – a fresh start – is just what they need.

  For Lorna, it's not.

  'Want to do something?' She asks suddenly, her mouth twisting into a smirk as her eyes glitter in the darkness.

  'Sure.' I nod amicably, feeling an inexplicable responsibility to give her an hour of respite from her monotonous life. She stands, taking my hand, and pulls me toward the river bank. I hold onto her tightly as I help her down the slope, catching her as she slips on the wet grass. She laughs carelessly, throwing her head back, letting her hair cascade down. She kicks off her black dolly shoe, flicking it deftly back up onto the bank, and dips her foot into the water, making circle patterns with her toes.

  Before I can stop her, she steps into the stream, squealing as she wades deeper into the water, letting it lap gently at her knees. The stream is shallow on the West side, but in the East it grows deeper – too deep for her to
stand in.

  'Your father will kill me if anything happens to you.' I call to her from the bank, eyeing the sharp stones beneath the water's surface. Whilst she treads blindly through the stream, I'm able to see through the water to the bed, even at the deepest parts.

  'Don't call him that,' She snaps, running her wet fingers through her hair. 'And he can't kill you, silly,' She reminds me – not that it's much consolation. 'Besides, what will happen to me with you here?' She smirks.

  'You put too much faith in me.' I shake my head nervously.

  'Perhaps.' She shrugs. She stretches a hand out, beckoning me to join her. I sigh resignedly and slide my boots from my feet, kicking them aside before slipping my toes into the water. It's extremely cold – even to my skin – and I wade out to Lorna quickly, with little effort. She grips my hand, her skin smooth and wet, and as she leans her weight on me, her long hair brushes my cheek. She's shaking like a leaf as her blood runs cold, her skin breaking out in goose pimples.

  'It's too cold for you.' I shake my head but she tuts, releasing me and batting my concerns away with a wave of her hand. She wades further upstream as I keep close behind her, ready to catch her if she falls and steering her clear of jagged rocks.

  'You think I'm too fragile.' She states, cutting ripples in the water with her deft fingers.

  'I can see how fragile you are.' I remind her. She shrugs, catching a stray willow leaf.

  'Ice is fragile. But it can still kill.' She replies with a smug smile. She's nearing a deep drop in the river bed and I tug forcefully on her arm, pulling her back. She stops and turns to face me, smiling though her teeth chatter and her lips are turning blue.

  She dips her arm deep into the water, readying herself, and though I know what she's about to do, I let her anyway. She brings her arm forward and out of the water, soaking my hair and face as she laughs like a child. I smile, wiping my cheeks with the back of my hand, wringing my hair out, though the sensation is quite refreshing.

  'Do you really think it's a good idea to get into a water fight with me?' I cock my head to the side as I circle around her.

  'Probably not,' She admits with a shrug. 'But good ideas are over-rated.'

  I dart quickly from in front of her to behind, too fast for her human eyes to follow, but she laughs, unafraid. Without turning around, she flicks water at me again, but this time I dodge it and with one swift movement of my arm, I send a tsunami of waves over her head. She screeches with laughter, coughing as the liquid fills her lungs.

  'That wasn't fair! You cheated!'

  'How?' I laugh as she turns to face me, her hair sopping wet, her mascara running down her cheeks.

  'Well, I think you're a little ahead of the race. You do have certain advantages, don't you agree?' She smiles, wiping the water from her eyes.

  'I suppose so, but I thought you were the ice?' I smirk. She laughs, her teeth chattering loudly.

  'I'm cold enough to be.' She stammers, wrapping her arms around her waist in a pitiful attempt to keep warm.

  'Yeah, I think that's enough of the water fight.' I state, moving towards her. She lets me pick her up, one arm around her waist, the other beneath her knees, and carry her to the riverbank. I climb out after her and shed my jacket, wringing it out as best I can and wrapping it around her shoulders.

  'That won't keep you much warmer, we should head back inside. I'll find your shoes.' I tell her as she squeezes out locks of her dripping hair.

  I find her pumps and hand them to her. She smiles gratefully before slipping them onto her quivering feet. I help her up and keep an arm around her – though I provide her with no heat – as we walk hastily back to the Institute's warmth. Heated air begins to thaw her out as we step over the threshold and she sheds my damp jacket, handing it back to me.

  'That was fun.' She grins, still shivering, holding her hair in a make-shift pony tail behind her head.

  'It was,' I agree, flashing her a smile. 'You should get warm, before you get sick.' I warn her. I'd forgotten all about her imposing guard, only remembering him as he steps forward to hand Lorna his dry jacket. She nods gratefully at him, slipping it over her shoulders before turning to me.

  'Well, thank you,' She holds my gaze as she heads towards the stairs, her guard following suit, ushering her forward. He'll be in as much trouble as me if he allows her to catch a cold. 'Maybe you might like to meet me again sometime? Soon?' Lorna asks hopefully, her expression eager.

  I hesitate for a moment, unable to decline her request for more than one reason. Though I have to admit that I enjoy Lorna's company, being with her is a constant battle. It's exhausting having to restrain myself around such a tempting human, and equally exhausting to watch my every word in case I say something wrong or offensive.

  'Sure, whenever you like.' I nod, forcing a smile onto my face. I pity Lorna Gray now that I understand her better; she longs for company – though she won't admit it – and everyone at the Institute is too afraid to give it to her.

  'Bye, Eve.' She beams once more before disappearing onto the first floor, her guard hurrying after her. The entrance hall is empty and I lean up against the wall, calming my nerves and gathering my wits. My meeting with Lorna could have so easily gone awry. I came so close to being on my way to Sir Alec's office, ready to follow in Katy Branch's footsteps.

  I have no idea why Lorna Gray is willing to spend time with me; her hatred of Immortals is plain for all to see, but I can only attribute it to her utter loneliness. Though I've come no closer to persuading her to change, I'm simply thankful that I haven't displeased her and that she's willing to meet with me again. Our next meeting must be soon and this time, I must pluck up the courage to broach the subject of her imminent transformation.

  This time I must be prepared to upset her, to disagree with her or to displease her, for the sake of my own existence.

  *

  As I towel my hair dry in the immaculate bathroom Tia and I share, I have an overwhelming and inexplicable desire to talk to Diana; to smell her comforting candy floss scent, to hear her melodic voice and to share my thoughts with her.

  Counselling is effective for most of the students, and whilst I like Islwyn Griffith, my task isn't something I'm able to discuss with him. I'm under the distinct impression that he'll relay my thoughts back to Sir Alec if the headmaster asks him to – he no doubt already has.

  The problem is, I have no idea where to find Diana and I haven't seen Tia since earlier this afternoon.

  I head to the common room which is full to the brim, but can't spot Tia's familiar spiky hair anywhere. Malachy catches my eye from the corner of the room, but quickly looks away as Lucrezia puts a possessive hand on his shoulder.

  I do spy the Bermudez sisters, however, and I cross the room towards them. I'm largely ignored by the other students but receive a quizzical glance from a blonde girl, sitting cross legged on the floor beside Ursula's feet. Upon seeing her friend's distasteful expression, Ursula turns to me and a warm smile spreads across her beautiful face.

  'Eve Ryder,' She beams, standing to kiss my cheeks, her tanned arms enveloping me in a hug. 'How are you, my love?' She asks, eyeing my messy, damp hair with wonder.

  'Oh, I'm fine.' I assure her, smiling at Arlinda as she too stands to greet me.

  'Eve, my sweet, you look like, ah, what is the expression? A drowned cat?' Arlinda frowns, her expression concerned, not bitchy.

  'Rat,' I correct her. 'I'm fine, really. I was actually wondering if I could ask you something.' I address the twins.

  'Of course!' Ursula turns her body to face me fully, isolating her blonde friend from the conversation, much to her annoyance.

  'I was just wondering if you could tell me how I can get in touch with my Creator?' I ask. Ursula nods knowingly.

  'Ah, of course!' She glances at the ornate clock on the far wall. 'The Creators will most likely be in their own common room by now, it's on the sixth floor, right at the end of the corridor. Who is yours?'

  'Diana Hadd
ix.'

  'Yes,' Ursula nods. 'I imagine she'll be there. But if she isn't, you can call on her, she will answer as soon as...'

  'Is there anything we can help with?' Arlinda cuts in and I shake my head, patting Ursula's outstretched hand gratefully.

  'No, thank you so much.' I smile, releasing Ursula's grip and retreating.

  'You're so welcome. Don't be a stranger, Eve.'

  'Yes, and tell Tia to come see us! We miss her!' Arlinda calls after me. I wave in response, catching Malachy's eye before exiting the common room.

  I make my way to the lift and press the button for the sixth floor. I've never been in this particular hall but it's much like the rest, the same décor, the same glowing torches.

  I head to the end of the corridor and hear the friendly babble of the Creators' conversations. The door is propped open, revealing an elaborate common room with marble arches and an expensive-looking bar. The Creators sit on couches or stools, smoking and drinking glasses full of red liquid. Classical music plays quietly in the background and I scan the room for Diana's mane of dark hair.