Bait

by Kasi Blake

  Bay-Lee woke to the familiar sense of panic that accompanied her from town to town. Where was she? Without opening her eyes she tried to remember. The information slowly filtered into her brain. The house on Hickory Lane came to mind first. She pictured her bedroom, the retro furniture and outrageous orange and pink decor. An image of a rock star intruder popped into her head. The trouble had started with him. After his visit, the reaper had dropped in to plant seeds of doubt, trying to turn her against Connor and Van.

  An unfamiliar buzzing hit her ears.

  Frowning, she opened her eyes and gasped. Dark curls, big brown eyes, and an impish grin filled her vision. Her hand automatically stole under her pillow for the dagger, getting ready to fight for her life. Then she realized she wasn’t being attacked. Recent memories returned in a chaotic flood. She was the newest student at Van’s school for hunters.

  The next thing Bay-Lee noticed was the Bad-Rock poster on the wall over the girl’s shoulder with the five band members staring down at her. It was like a living nightmare. The poster featured them standing in a line with the pale blue sky behind them and the top of a rocky mountain beneath their feet. She wondered if they’d climbed to the top or if a helicopter had dropped them there for a photo op.

  Nick was caught in the middle between Mike and Jordan with a boy on either end. There was a wide smile on Nick’s face. The dimples in his cheeks made him look charming in a devilish way. He seemed happy, a man in his element, not at all the brooding jerk who’d left her stranded in the middle of nowhere. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and sighed. The last thing she needed was a Bad-Rock-loving roommate.

  The girl began to talk in a voice that reminded Bay-Lee of a mouse, an annoying cartoon mouse. It was high-pitched and squeaked in places as words left the girl’s mouth, a hundred miles an hour. Bay-Lee had to concentrate hard to catch them all, not an easy feat at—her gaze transferred to the clock on the table next to her bed—five o’clock! in the morning.

  “I’m your roommate Tessa. We met earlier, but you were kind of out of it so you probably don’t remember. Shock, I guess, from having to face Orientation. We’ve all been there. I nearly wet my pants when everyone came rushing at me to beat me to a pulp, but you were awesome. Of course you would be, right? You’re a Van Helsing and probably learned how to fight when you were still in the womb, huh? I can totally relate. My parents were hunters. In fact, I am a fifth generation hunter. No one in my family has ever made it to Warrior. If I make it, I’ll be the first. You’ll be a Warrior, no problem. But you won’t stop there, will you? No way. You’ll be Legend like your father.”

  Both sides of the room were mirror images of the other with twin beds covered by textured Army green blankets with matching nightstands, dressers, and shelves. Once again she was living in a place furnished by strangers.

  The pixie continued to talk at a rapid rate, speeding over commas and periods as if she was afraid someone else might try to speak. “Wow. I don’t envy you all that pressure. Van Helsing doesn’t come around very much. If you get into major trouble, you have to visit him in his office. It’s at the top of the building, penthouse floor. I’m grateful to say it’s never happened to me. My old roommate had to visit him once. She came back bawling her eyes out, poor thing, and it took me three hours to convince her not to throw in the towel and leave. She was pretty needy in that department. She needed constant encouragement. I don’t expect you’ll be like that. You’re a Van Helsing.”

  Bay-Lee threw a hand into the air, instantly silencing the chatterbox. “Why are you telling me this at five in the morning?”

  “It’s almost time for our workout, of course. Alec Gallos told you about it during Orientation. You probably didn’t hear him because your heart was beating so loud. Am I right? They do it on purpose, you know, scaring the crap out of us. That’s why they kidnap you and drag you down to the lake, and that’s why they do it when it’s dark and there’s hardly a sliver of moon. Don’t worry. You’ll get used to their ways.”

  If I live long enough. Bay-Lee groaned and closed her eyes tight. For some reason she’d expected school to be a lot less like joining the military. What had she gotten herself into?

  The chatterbox continued. “Hurry up or you’ll be late. If you don’t get to the workout on time, they make you run an extra five miles with one of the instructor’s chasing you and screaming at you the whole time. It isn’t pleasant. Take my word for it. No one is ever late twice. I put your workout clothes on the dresser. If you get them on in the next three minutes, I’ll walk with you. If you don’t, well, you’re on your own. No way am I going to be late.”

  Bay-Lee considered going back to sleep. This was not what she’d signed up for. But she couldn’t risk embarrassing Van, not after everything he’d done for her. With that in mind she rolled out of bed and slipped into her workout clothes, a black tank top and matching stretchy pants. Her roommate stood near the door, bouncing on the balls of her feet while counting the seconds out loud as if that was going to make Bay-Lee move faster.

  Tessa stopped counting and said, “By the way, if you see a precious little silver bear charm somewhere in this room, it’s mine. I lost it. It’s very important to me. It was a gift from someone special, someone who died. So keep your eyes open. Okay?”

  Bay-Lee grabbed her hair-band on the way out the door. She wrapped it around a high ponytail several times as they hurried into the hallway only to find their way blocked. The girl from last night was waiting for them. Instead of workout clothes, Keisha wore a short plaid skirt, grey blouse, and stylish boots. Grinning from ear to ear, she greeted Bay-Lee with enthusiasm. “Hey, New-girl!”

  “Here to kick me in the face again?” Bay-Lee placed hands on her hips and glared at the other girl. “Gotta warn you. It won’t be so easy this time.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that. I was living in the moment.”

  Tessa’s disapproving gaze raked down Keisha’s body. “Are you going to morning workout dressed like that?”

  Keisha’s smile grew. “No workout for me today. I’m taking New-girl shopping for clothes, Van Helsing’s orders.” She flashed numerous teeth at Bay-Lee and bared her palm to show a plastic square. In a sing-song voice she said, “I’ve got his credit card.”

  A chill of fear shot up Bay-Lee’s spine. Not much scared her, but shopping for clothes...

  Keisha frowned. “What’s wrong? You got something against spending Van Helsing’s money?”

  “I’ve never bought clothes for myself before. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

  “What?” Keisha gaped at her. “How is that even possible? I would die if I couldn’t drown myself in new fashion at least once a month.”

  “A wardrobe was supplied for me everywhere I went. The clothes were always waiting in the closet of my new home.”

  “What if you didn’t like them?”

  Bay-Lee shrugged. “Didn’t matter. I had to wear them.”

  Keisha stared at Bay-Lee as if she’d asked her to eat a worm.

  Then a slow smile stretched Keisha’s lips until they couldn’t possibly grow wider. “Girl, you are in for a treat today. Mama says I was born with a credit card in my hand. Shopping is my middle name.”

  Tessa snorted. “I thought it was Penelope.”

  Keisha stuck her tongue out as she grabbed Bay-Lee’s arm and pulled her down the hallway, not even giving her the chance to change out of her workout clothes. For the first time in her life Bay-Lee was going shopping, and she was doing it with a girl her own age. Her entire body trembled. This was worse than suffering through Orientation.