Blood Fever_The watchers

by Veronica Wolff

  Headmaster Fournier scanned the room with his shuttered gaze. “The question is, who among us would want to see Guidon Trinity dead?” He pinned that icy stare on me.

  My nerves became nausea.

  CHAPTER TWO

  There was a burst of sound as people turned in their seats. All eyes landed on me.

  I slid down in my chair, trying to hide. Because I knew who’d want Trinity dead. So did everyone else.

  The list was easy:

  Emma, who’d suffered much at the hands of the redheaded Guidon.

  By extension, Yasuo, her boyfriend. Duh.

  And Three?

  Number Three was the ringer.

  Number Three was the only one who would’ve been capable of seeing such a thing through.

  Number Three was the only person who’d want Trinity dead and who also happened to come equipped with a new vampire buddy who operated just enough outside the official Eyja næturinnar ecosystem to do something like feed on an Initiate.

  Number Three was me.

  Headmaster Fournier asked who wanted Guidon Trinity dead, and the answer was: I did. I’d fantasized about the many ways in which I’d obliterate both her and Masha pretty much every day since day one.

  Headmaster glided to the doorway. When he spoke again, it seemed his gaze was trained on everyone but me. “Keep your eyes open, Acari, Trainees. The student who discovers and reports the identity of the culprit will know great honor.”

  The moment he left, Acari Loren turned to me. She was one of the many girls who’d dance a jig if I were to come to a gruesome ending. “You knew Trinity, didn’t you, Drew? Didn’t you hate Trinity?” Her tone was saccharine sweet.

  When I’d left on my mission, I’d been public enemy number one in everyone’s sights. But that I returned with a new—and let’s be honest—super-stud vampire? I was now under a microscope.

  If anyone discovered that Carden and I shared a bond and turned us in, it would garner them major brownie points. My sure and subsequent death would just be icing on the cake.

  Yas whispered under his breath, “Bitch.” His bemused, marveling tone was like armor for me.

  I consciously slowed my heartbeat enough to speak. “I seem to recall Trinity kicking your ass a time or two, Acari Loren. Easy enough with such a wide target.” The girl was built like a rock.

  Yasuo chuckled. “Snap.”

  I hated stooping to such ridiculously adolescent taunts, but sometimes you needed to speak the native tongue. I’d seen Loren in the locker room, noticed how she always stole a quick glance to make sure nobody was looking before she changed. I don’t know why she was self-conscious—she could probably bench-press the lot of us with a solid strength that I envied—but who was I to understand? Girls and their stupid hang-ups were beyond me.

  “But it was you and your little friend who Trinity hated the most,” an Acari said from the back of the room. “How lucky for you that she’s out of the picture.”

  Nobody tried to hide their open stares, aimed at me.

  Another girl chimed in, “How convenient she shows up dead just after you showed up with your new vampire pal.”

  Pal. So people had noticed me spending time with Carden. What else had they seen? Could they sense my obsession with him? Had they caught me casting longing stares whenever he was nearby?

  I had to stop. This had to stop.

  I had to figure out what this bond was so I could break it. In the meantime, I had to deal with the disrespect. I couldn’t let my fellow classmates sniff my vulnerability.

  I steeled myself. Looking over my shoulder, I said, “I didn’t realize you were in a position to accuse any of the vampires. Impressive. You should definitely bring your concerns to Master McCloud’s attention.”

  That shut people up. For now.

  But it wasn’t good enough. I’d thought my focus was shot before, but now I really couldn’t pay attention to anything having to do with my class. Because who had killed Trinity?

  Girls died all the time, but not like that. There was ceremony around it. God forbid the vampires missed an excuse for a tournament or a feast.

  Guidon Trinity had been a bully bent on tormenting and sabotaging me. She and Masha had both been overly curious about anything to do with me.

  Crap.

  Masha.

  I groaned to myself. Masha wouldn’t appreciate losing her friend to mysterious circumstances. She’d had it in for me before, but now she’d be laser focused, waiting for the chance to wrap that bullwhip of hers around my neck.

  She’d be watching me even more closely than she and Trinity had before. Watching. Waiting. Wanting to catch me in the act. Catch me breaking the rules. To catch me in a compromising situation—like sharing a secret blood bond with a renegade vampire.

  The other girls were right—Carden would’ve had every reason to want to remove Trinity from the picture. If she’d discovered our bond? The Directorate wouldn’t look too kindly on Carden secretly hitting on a first-year Acari. They killed for much less around here.

  I had much to think about as I walked back to the dorm. Thankfully, Yas had to run off to some Trainee thing—more and more such mysterious events seemed to be claiming his attention this semester. But I was glad for the alone time.

  It didn’t last long.

  I felt Carden before I saw him. A vibrating power at my back. I felt those eyes consuming my body, boring into me. I imagined I even smelled him. Rich, heady, like earth and man.

  I wanted to turn and fling myself into him. To know a second kiss.

  But instead I balled my hands into fists and sped up my pace. I didn’t know why. It was stupid. There was no running from McCloud.

  I didn’t understand our bond. For all I knew, he could read my every thought. He probably knew where I was going better than I did.

  I felt his presence even more strongly now. My skin turned hot, awareness pounding through me. I had silly impulses—to wonder what I looked like from behind, to slow my stride and sway my hips to match the low pulse in my belly. I fought my urges.

  He laughed, a low rumble behind me. “You can run, my pretty wee Acari.…”

  I was being ridiculous. This was a chemical bond, pure and simple—like a drug addiction. I refused to act like a silly, lovesick girl.

  I sucked in a breath through my teeth. “I know. I can run, but I can’t”—I stopped short to deliver the line. It’d been so sassy and careless in my head. But Carden was right behind me, and his body walked right up against mine, a hard, hot wall pressed at my back. “Hide?” I finished weakly. Lamely.

  “Aye, and best you accept it, young one.” He traced a single finger along my shoulder blade.

  I took a defiant step forward. “Just because you’ve got a few hundred years on me.” Determined not to cower, I planted my hands on my hips and turned to face him. “It’s not like you were so ancient when you became a vampire. You can’t have been much older than—what?—nineteen? Twenty, max?”

  He looked amused. “As you say, little Acari.”

  “I am not little.”

  He was grinning now, and my words hung in the air, preposterous. Because next to Carden, I was little. I was tiny and delicate and frail.

  It cast my mind back to when we first met. He hadn’t seemed so large, dying of thirst in a dark, dank cell, imprisoned by a bunch of evil vampire monks.

  He’d been dying, and all I’d known was that I couldn’t fail on my mission. I had to help him survive. And so I’d fed him. My blood had pumped into his body, engorging muscles and flesh until he regenerated into this strapping hunk of a man before me.

  Just the memory gave me a shiver.

  I had to stop thinking of him as a man. He was a vampire.

  “So?” I demanded.

  He raised his brows, looking aggravatingly amused. “So, what?”

  I scowled. “Don’t patronize me. So…how old were you?”

  “You had the right of it the first time.”

 
I rolled my eyes. “Can’t you just answer the damned question like a normal person?”

  He rubbed his thumb along my lower lip, stealing the breath from my lungs. “Careful, my wee dove. There are relics on this island who’d kill upon hearing such language.”

  “Dove?”

  “Oh, aye.” His laugh was easy, but the dark glint in his eyes made me shiver down deep. “And how I’d love to watch you fly.” He licked his lips.

  My body buzzed, the yearning for him pure anguish. My blood demanded more of his. My lips burned to kiss him once more. I had to fight to control my breath. “What have you done to me?”

  He ignored the question, answering a different one instead. “I was indeed nineteen when I was turned,” he said calmly.

  I thought my head might explode—the guy was impossible. “What are you doing even talking to me? You’re Vampire; I’m Acari. We’re not supposed to—how do you say it?—fraternize.” I shook my head. Since when could I not remember a simple word?

  I glared. “What did you do to me? What’s happening to me? I can’t think straight.” I lowered my voice to a hiss. “And who killed Guidon Trinity?”

  “Questions, questions.” He pinched my chin, studying me. “What I did to you,” he mused. “It’s what you did to me.” His pinch grew firmer. “You fed me, girl. And now we’re stuck with each other.”

  But then he let go, easy Carden once more. “You made the bed. And now we must sleep in it.” He winked.

  I flushed from head to toe. “Fine. Whatever. What about Trinity? You didn’t kill her, did you?”

  He parted his lips, revealing the barest glimmer of fang. “Yours is the only nectar I’ve a taste for.”

  Vertigo spun my brain as I began to fall into those eyes. They were golden brown, like honey.

  I gritted my teeth. I would not lose myself. I was Annelise Drew, and I was stronger than that.

  “Does that line generally work for you?” I turned from him, and it took everything I had. “Look, I’ve gotta go.”

  With a gentle hand on my shoulder, he stopped me. “Little one.”

  “I told you not to call me that.”

  “Ah, but if you’d asked…”

  Maddening. Why didn’t he act less like a cocky guy and more…vampiric?

  “Fine,” I said. “Please don’t call me that.”

  “As you wish, my wee dove.” He pressed on before I could get out more than an outraged squeak. “But before you go, for the record, I do not savage young women.” He gave my shoulder a final squeeze. “At least, not without their consent.”

  I stormed off, the sound of his rumbling laugh at my back.

  All I wanted was peace and quiet, and I couldn’t get back to the dorm quickly enough. As much as Lilac’s empty bed creeped me out, at the moment, I was thrilled at the prospect of a single room.

  Carden’s scent lingered in my head. I exhaled sharply but couldn’t rid myself of his memory. He was branded into me.

  I jogged up the stairs, anxious to get back before I ran into anybody. I didn’t even want to see Emma. If I saw her, I’d have to pretend nothing was going on for me. I didn’t think I could do it.

  I passed her room without event. The hallway was oddly silent. Of course. It was lunchtime. The thirst for Carden was so consuming, I hadn’t even realized I was missing a meal.

  His eyes were in my head, staring. One minute playful, the next minute smoldering. I knocked my head against the doorframe, resting it there as I slid the key in the lock. I actually shuddered with relief as I turned it.

  Almost there. I’d crumple onto my bed, roll into a ball, and wait for the throbbing in my belly to stop.

  I opened the door, and for one surreal moment, I thought I’d entered the wrong room. But no. It was Lilac’s bed, with its gray mattress ticking and neat stack of white and gray linens.

  Only now a slim figure sat at the edge. I registered a sheet of shining black hair. Slim shoulders.

  The figure turned.

  My new roommate.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Dammit to hell.

  She was here. My roommate. I’d known this day was coming. Was actually kind of relieved it had. But still, I made it a general rule not to trust girls on principle.

  As she turned, I sized her up. Asian. Pretty. Young looking. Younger than me. I tried to guess what flavor of badass she might be.

  I muttered, “How young do they take them now?” Even though she was new, part of me braced for her to pull a weapon on me. But nothing happened.

  Her cheeks were blotchy. Crap. “Are you crying?”

  She gave me a curt shake of her head. Perfectly cut layers swished into her eyes, and she swept them away again.

  “Oh, okay. Because it looked like you were crying.”

  She cleared her throat and said firmly, “I wasn’t crying.”

  “Fine. Got it. Not crying. I’m Drew.” I waited, but she just looked at me blankly. “Well? What’s your name?”

  “Mei-Ling.” I watched her slim throat convulse. There’d been some definite crying. “Mei-Ling Ho.”

  “Pretty name.” I slung my bag onto my desk. Making idle chatter was the last thing I felt like doing.

  Carden preoccupied my whole mind and body—I didn’t have time to deal with anyone else, much less some kid.

  I realized it was past time for her to speak. I probed. “Mei-Ling. That a Chinese name?”

  She nodded.

  I was getting impatient. “What’s it mean?”

  “Beautiful and delicate.” She turned her back on me.

  Great. “My advice, best change your name. What’s Chinese for ruthless and savage?”

  She ignored the question. Was she in shock? I thought she’d been crying when I came in, but she seemed utterly emotionless now. I watched her long fingers repeatedly smooth the sheets, the nervous gesture the only thing telling me she was in there somewhere.

  I could not deal with this right now. I had to sort out my bond with Carden.

  Carden. My breath caught, just remembering the feel of him.

  I fisted my hands and shook them out again. I needed to get ahold of myself. There was no way I could function in this place with all the obsessing I was doing. I had to figure this bond out before someone figured me out. Which meant I couldn’t trust anybody in the meantime. Especially not a new roommate who could be in my face—and maybe even in my stuff—24-7.

  I looked at her, trying to figure out how to go about laying down the ground rules, and took a step closer. Was she even sixteen? “How old are you?”

  “I just turned fifteen.”

  “Damn.” No wonder she was proving hard to read. She must’ve come from a seriously messed-up place to land here so young. “So you were in, what, ninth grade?”

  “I just started at the performing arts school,” she said in answer. “My parents relocated to Long Island so I could go.”

  “Fancy.” How I would’ve loved parents who supported me. What a different world I’d live in now. “Does that mean you’re some sort of prodigy?”

  To my surprise, she nodded. I wanted to snark that I was smart, too. On this island, special meant nothing. Special got you a shooter of blood and a knife in the back.

  “I’m a violinist,” she said, “but I can play a lot of things.”

  Was that why the vampires had placed her with me? Put the musical genius in with the genius-genius? Because my room wasn’t the only one with a sudden vacancy. “Well, now you’re an Acari. Fights to the death seem to be the only performing art we’ve got going around here.”

  She gave me a flat look. “When do we receive our syllabus?”

  “Our syllabus?” I choked back a little laugh.

  “Yes.” She looked at me like I was a moron. “Otherwise, how will I know where I need to go?”

  Oh God, the poor thing was being serious. She had no clue what she’d agreed to, and it dismayed me. “Don’t worry—they’ll let you know. The vamps go for drama. They’ll
probably slide some ancient piece of parchment under the door at some ungodly hour, and if you can parse the old-school calligraphy, that’ll be your syllabus.”

  I watched her riffle through her stack of books, even though I was sure she’d done plenty of riffling before I came in. What weapon had she been assigned? Because surely there was a weapon hidden in one of her dresser drawers.

  Would Mei-Ling be a threat to me? Maybe smother me in my sleep? Most important, would she find out about me and Carden and narc on me?

  I had no clue, and knew I needed to get one fast. I rested my foot on my desk chair to unlace my boots and kick them off. “So why’d you wanna up and leave your fancy new school for a place like this?”

  “I didn’t want to leave,” she said.

  “Wait.” Surely I misheard. The vampires recruited us onto the island. Maybe they sometimes used little hypnotic tricks to persuade us, or seduced us with fancy private jets and hot Tracers, but they didn’t resort to outright kidnapping. “Back it up. What do you mean, you didn’t want to leave? You’re here, aren’t you?”

  Her jaw tightened. “He made me. He killed my boyfriend and said if I didn’t go with him he’d kill my parents and my sister, too.”

  I could say that I sat on the chair, but it was more like my knees gave out. I dropped. Thankfully, the seat was there to halt the progression of my butt onto the floor. “You didn’t come of your own will?”

  “I tried to fight back, but he was too large.” Her expression changed, and she looked at me like I’d just told her I drowned kittens as a hobby. “Why? Did you?”

  “Yeah.” Her tone had put me on the defensive. “The guy was pretty persuasive, though.” I thought back to that day—Ronan, sexy Ronan, in a Florida parking lot. He’d used his hypnotic touch to help convince me. But honestly, the guy was so good-looking and my world had been such crap, it hadn’t taken much.

  I bristled at the memory. Suddenly, I felt eager to explain this to Mei-Ling and her judgmental eyes. “I had no place else to go. I had nothing but thirty bucks in my checking account and an abusive dad waiting for me at home.”

  She gave me a look that said she didn’t fully understand me, and worse, that she found me pathetic. My defenses locked even more firmly into place.