by Meg Collett
Thad didn’t meet my eyes as he ate his food like it was the most interesting thing in the world. “The best hunters get posted here. Protecting the school is the only way to ensure our future.”
I couldn’t help but glance at his throat. He still wore a bandage, though I figured the wound had to be healed by now since my own hand wounds had scarred over pretty quickly. But no amount of gauze and tape could cover up the fact the bite had disfigured him. I wondered if it was turning black yet and why he didn’t display his scars with pride like the other hunters did. I ran my fingertips over my own battle wounds. “Doesn’t it feel hopeless sometimes?”
“Wouldn’t be war if it didn’t.” For the first time, he glanced up at me, his brows furrowed. “I guess you’re missing your family with Dean having to cut ties and all that.”
Though he said the words like he felt sorry for me, I didn’t like the sympathy. Especially from him. “I don’t have any family.”
Surprising me completely, Thad laughed. “Lucky.”
The contempt in his voice took me aback, especially after his general disregard for his family earlier. After spending all day reading the evidence of the school’s obsession with family, I struggled to swallow his heated disregard of his own. Unless his family was like Luke’s and Hatter’s, and Thad had been trained too early and too hard as well.
I was never one to justify asshole actions, but it might explain the issues between Luke and Thad.
I nodded toward the door Jolene had left through. “Why isn’t she with her family? Are her parents hunting or something?”
Thad spewed his water back into the glass like I’d said the most hilarious thing in the world. “Jolene’s parents hunting? That’s hilarious! They’re hiding in Europe.”
“How can they hide?”
Thad was still laughing, his shoulders vibrating with repressed chuckles. He actually looked pretty handsome when he smiled, although his laughing made his bandaged throat bob in a way that emphasized the missing chunks. I forced myself not cringe at the sight. “They have hiding down to an art. During the fall and winter, they ‘travel’ to their home in Europe. But really they go there to avoid hunting in the north during the ’swangs’ breeding time. There aren’t many ’swangs in Europe.”
“That’s awful though. They just leave Jolene here?”
“Yep. Priceless family moment, right?”
“Dicks,” I muttered under my breath, making Thad laugh again.
He stood, scraping his tray across the table. “If you get bored during break, come find me in the barracks. I know some ways to make the days pass faster.”
So much for having a nice conversation. “Gross, Thad. Not in a million years.”
He smirked. “I meant sparring. What did you mean?”
He had my attention with that. Luke was still healing, which meant he couldn’t practice with me. Neither could Hatter with his hand. I would take any kind of training I got, even from Thad. “I would like to spar, if you have time.”
Clearly, I’d surprised him with my agreement. “Sure,” he managed. “I’ll find you tomorrow.”
“Great. I’ll be in the library.”
With a confused look, Thad nodded and walked off. No matter what made Thad tick, if he was good at fighting, I wanted to learn. Something told me he would teach me all the dirty tricks Luke deemed too unworthy to learn.
This break might not be so bad after all.
* * *
This break was going to be awful.
I needed all of two seconds to figure out sleeping in the dorms tonight, the first night of fall break, would be impossible: the Death Dome sounded more silent than a grave. I pictured doors slamming shut on empty cells, with no music or televisions or students shouting back and forth with each other. Somewhere in here, Jolene was sleeping, but I didn’t picture myself calling over to her cell and asking for homework help.
Not going to happen.
I turned on my heel and walked out, not bothering to figure out a way to not swipe my card on the scanner. I didn’t know where I was going until I was at the barracks and knocking softly on Luke’s door.
I heard his heavy sigh on the other side and took it as my invitation to enter. “Nice to see you too,” I commented, closing the door behind me and crossing the room to flop onto the bed beside him.
“You’re supposed to be in the dorms, Ollie.”
His chest was bare again except for the swath of bandages over the cuts, revealing the tangle of black scars across his body. I wanted to trace their awful, horrible lines and commit them to memory. He set aside the book he was reading, along with a cute pair of reading glasses I hadn’t expected him to wear; they made him seem older, more studious and less like the raw killer image he normally exuded.
“The Death Dome is too quiet tonight. Besides, don’t you miss me?”
“Let me guess. You’re staying here tonight.”
“You should be excited to have a hot girl in your bed.” I kicked off my shoes and tucked my legs under the blankets, wishing I’d thought to bring some pajamas. The bed radiated heat from his warmth, and I snuggled deeper into the thick covers, savoring the smooth, expensive sheets.
“You should be in your dorm.”
“So what?” I mumbled, blissed out and comfortable. “It’s fall break. No one will care.”
“Ollie—”
“Do you really care? Or are you complaining because you have a stick up your ass?” I sat up in the bed, staring at him. His chest rose and fell evenly, his bandages tugging tightly against his muscles with every inhale. His hair was mussed, and he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days, making his face full of scruffy, dark shadows.
Luke frowned. “I do not.”
“Not the point, Luke. Do you want me to leave?”
He checked the clock. “It’s after curfew anyway. I guess you have to stay.”
“I’m sure there’s an empty room in here somewhere.” I swung my legs off the bed and stood, ready to shove my feet into my boots. I don’t know why Luke’s rejection hurt me, but it did. And it was really annoying. “Or I bet Thad wouldn’t mind if I stay with him.”
“Ollie. Wait.”
“It’s no big deal,” I said like it didn’t bother me, like my heart wasn’t panging with sharp aches. I shot him a grin over my shoulder to illustrate how much he didn’t bother me. But his dark, serious look gave me pause.
“Damn it, Ollie. You’re not going to Thad’s room.” Wincing, he rolled toward me and grabbed my hip. With a firm tug, he pulled me back into bed. “You’re staying here.”
Even when he let me go, the tingling heat from his touch scored through my skin. I liked it. A lot. I settled back into bed, noticing the distance between us all too well. “I’m not asking for you to make sweet passionate love to me. I just need somewhere to sleep that’s not as creepy as the Death Dome.”
Luke snorted at my nick-name for the dorms, his lips tugging up into a grin. I always felt like I’d won some prize when I made him smile. “You’re so weird,” he said, still smiling.
I spotted the television’s remote on his bedside table, and, leaning over him, I grabbed it. For a moment, I paused and stared down at him, remembering when I beat him in my evaluation. I knew I was pushing my luck, but seeing how his brows lowered over his narrowed eyes, like he was simultaneously pissed at me and turned on, was worth it. I flopped back to my side, bouncing the bed and making Luke hiss in pain, and turned on the television. As I clicked through the channels, searching for some epic reality television, he picked up his book and glasses. Every shift of his weight tickled up my belly, and sent a fresh wave of his smell up my nose.
I might have gotten more sleep in the Death Dome.
Eventually, a new show came on, but I had no clue what I was watching, and Luke hadn’t turned a page in his book for the last half hour. I played with the hem of my shirt to have something to do, all the while knowing I exposed a bit of my stomach as I fidgeted.
�
��Ollie,” Luke said, his voice deeper than usual. I hid my smile. “This isn’t working.”
“What do you mean?” I shot him a grin because I knew exactly what he meant.
“I can’t do this.”
“You are doing this.” I motioned to the bed between us. “See?”
“I can smell you.”
Laughing, I sniffed my armpits. “I took a shower.”
“You keep lifting your shirt up.”
“If you want me to flash you, all you have to do is ask.” I turned onto my side and propped my head up in my hand so I could watch him as I teasingly lifted my shirt a little. He resolutely ignored me and glared at the ceiling, his jaw flexing. The tendons in his arm flexed as his fingertips tapped against each other. He struggled for control, and I liked it.
“People are going to think something is happening between us if you stay here.”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “Don’t worry, Luke. I won’t sully your honor. I’m sure I could rig up a chastity belt for you, though, if you’re that worried.”
“This isn’t funny. Stop laughing.”
“It’s hilarious. You should see your face right now.”
“Ollie, nothing can happen between us. You don’t understand what that saliva does to me . . .”
Seeing him in bed, like this, trying so hard to be a gentleman, had me smirking. He might intimidate everyone else at this school, but not me. I welcomed his wrath. I even welcomed his sexual aggression. “You’ve already kissed me twice,” I pointed out. I pulled the sheets from his clenched fist and smoothed them out, my hand brushing against his arm.
“Mistakes,” he said. “I’m your trainer anyway. It’s a conflict of interest.”
“You can’t train me right now.” I poked his chest, making him wince. “Besides I’ve already asked Thaddeus to help me out tomorrow. He said he would spar with me.”
“What?” Luke growled, fingers dancing faster. “You asked him?”
“Well,” I drawled. “Technically, he offered and I agreed. I thought he might show me a thing or two that you won’t.” I blinked innocently at him, refusing to let my face crack into a grin.
An odd noise came from Luke’s chest, like he was humming with anger or repressing a vicious growl. I flung the covers down my legs, practically sweating from the heat circulating in the room. I shrugged out of my sweatshirt, knowing Luke watched every movement as I undressed. I took too long to pull down my shirt when it rode up my ribs, and Luke reached over and yanked it down for me.
“You don’t need to spar with him. He’s dangerous.”
“He’s just a spoiled brat.” I adjusted the pillow behind my head and picked up the remote again.
“He’s inept.” Luke indicated his throat to illustrate his point.
“That’s rude. Besides, you managed to get your chest all clawed up.”
“His throat was nearly ripped out. That’s inept, not rude. He has nothing to teach you.”
“I haven’t had to save his life,” I said.
“You did not save me. I was fine.”
“Right,” I drew out the word. Let him believe what he wanted to protect his pride, but my smirk said otherwise.
Luke reared up in the bed and leveled his best glare in my direction. As if that scared me. When I didn’t look at him, Luke grabbed my arm and pulled me against him. “What?” I asked, grinning. I knew it was coming, and I relished pushing Luke to that point.
“You shouldn’t do this to me, Ollie.” The words were a warning, a soft hiss against my cheek. He raked the scruff of his jaw along my face, the rumbling in his chest and throat vibrating through my bones. I groaned.
“I like doing this to you.” My fingers splayed across his right pectoral, where a deep black scar resided. I traced its length, feeling Luke’s skin jump beneath my fingertip.
Without another word, he dropped me back against the bed and covered my chest with his. His lips crashed against mine as I gasped, not from surprise but excitement. He crushed me into the bed, his arms like huge pillars braced on either side of my head. I felt the pressure of his weight against me just enough to make my skin dance with feverish excitement. I twisted my hips up against him, and he deepened the kiss until he consumed me whole.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on, my smiling lips keeping pace with his.
* * *
The next afternoon, Thad found me in the library. Together we walked to the gym in silence, which shocked the hell out of me. Even after I’d changed into my workout clothes and walked back out to the mats, he didn’t say anything. I was struggling to figure out how to break the ice when Luke and Hatter stalked in, their expressions stormy.
I groaned. This wasn’t going to be good. I’d taken a shower since last night, but I still smelled like Luke, as if he’d marked me with his scent. We’d only kissed, which disappointed me. I’d wanted more of him, but Luke stopped us before we got that far.
“Let’s get to it then.” Thad nodded stiffly because of his thick bandage and reached for some sparring gloves.
“She doesn’t warm up like that,” Hatter called from the bleachers, his hand still wrapped in a bandage. He bobbed his head in time to the music coming through his lime-green headphones, but his eyes narrowed at Thad, watching his every move. Luke didn’t comment, just sprawled across the bleachers like he was a king presiding over his domain. I rolled my eyes at them.
“Shut up.” I turned my back to them and looked at Thad. “I’ll warm up however you want me to warm up.”
At my words, Thad directed his attention over my shoulder and smiled slowly at Luke. Behind me, the bleachers squeaked, which meant Luke had taken the bait. I bristled beneath all this testosterone.
“Sounds good,” Thad finally said, focusing on me again. He pulled on the sparring gloves after handing me a pair.
As I got ready, more hunters streamed in through the gym doors. I tried not to pay attention, but there were so many, I wondered who was left to guard the fence. Even Jolene came to watch me practice.
“No pressure,” Thad whispered when he sensed my growing nerves.
“Did you invite the freaking President of the United States too?”
“Maybe.” Thad threw the first punch, which I blocked easily. The footwork went faster than when I warmed up with Luke, and Thad was unpredictable, coming at me before I righted myself from his last attack. He was relentless, and he fought dirty like I’d expected. I relished it.
The practice lasted two hours. Two hours of sweating, grunting, and cursing. It was wild and rough, our audience captivated the entire time. The girl who’d run off the ’swangs was putting on a good show.
I hit my back more than a few times, Thad standing over me with a feral grin, and Luke surging to his feet, ready to rip off Thad’s head if Hatter hadn’t pulled him back every time. Thad barely gave me enough room to get to my feet, but I managed to land an elbow to his bandaged throat once.
It was a dirty move, one Luke would have admonished me for if he was training me. The blow to Thad’s throat should have done him in, but he grinned wider at me. So his throat had healed, yet he wore the bandages anyway.
When the practice ended, I didn’t get a chance to sit down and catch my breath. Luke came over and grabbed my arm, ignoring Thad completely, and marched me back to the barracks, where he backed me onto his bed and kissed the hell out of me for the next hour. Pretty good cool down, all in all.
The rest of break passed in blur of routine. Against my better judgment, I ate my meals with Jolene, who didn’t speak to me, and Thaddeus, who spoke too much. I spent an hour in the morning and afternoon sparring with him. He mostly took his new responsibility seriously, though he made a few more snide comments and lewd suggestions as we practiced, much to Luke’s dismay, who spent our practice sessions glowering in the bleachers with Hatter and a barrage of hunters, who all called out corrections as we sparred. For the most part, Thad and I ignored them.
In between
my evening runs and sparring sessions, I researched in the library until my eyes burned, and though I’d made my way through most of the binders, I still found no mention of hearing ’swangs. At night, I went straight to Luke’s room. Wonderfully enough, I found the more I pissed him off during the day by ignoring him while Thad and I practiced, the more rigorous he was while we made out for hours.
I seriously loved fall break.
T H I R T E E N
On my way to Luke’s room the day before students arrived back from fall break, a siren began to wail.
Sunny had warned me about the school practicing drills every now and then, but I’d never experienced one. I knew we were supposed to immediately go back to our dorms for the emergency lockdown, but as the siren blared, I stood in the middle of the courtyard, frowning and mildly annoyed. The only students here were Jolene and I. There was no point to having a drill with two students on a Saturday night. Unless this wasn’t practice.
This was a real ’swang attack.
My first thought was Hex. He’d come for me, like he promised.
I surged forward and sprinted to the barracks, but the building and Luke’s room were empty. Instead of turning back to the Death Dome and going for my cell, I sprinted toward the closest rook’s nest and flung myself up the ladder.
Organized chaos reigned on top of the fence. Most of the guards ran toward the east side of the fence. “What’s going on?” I practically shouted to be heard over the clamor around us.
A guard fired his rifle into the woods, the sound ringing in my ears. He instantly ejected the round and reloaded, squinting down the sight. “Organized attack against the east wall. Big group.” He took a second to glance up at me. “You should report to your cell now.”
“Is Luke up here?” I pressed.
He shot again at something in the woods. From the east side of the fence, I heard a howl. The sound was a mixture between a wolf and a human screaming that sent chills down my spine. “Go to your cell. Now.”
I ignored him and ran down the fence, ducking around the other stationed guards. Gunshots went off all around me, people shouting back and forth to each other. Their efficiency, their cold calculated method of destruction, excited me.
