“If you ever want tips, let me know. Volleyball is my favorite summertime sport.” His green eyes twinkled.
“I just might.” I wanted to ask why summer, but he smiled and took off toward some guys.
It seemed that guy was always running somewhere.
After PE, I had Homeroom. Abby helped me find the class. It was basically just a ninety minute block of time set aside to do homework, read, or do what most students did, which was talk or mess around on their cell phones.
I pretended to read Wuthering Heights and tried not to eavesdrop. But it was so easy with my vampire hearing. And listening to them talk was interesting. Really interesting. They were so… mature and immature at the same time. They talked like they lived their own lives. Then would talk in the next breath about curfews, allowances, and family trips. It was weird. And amazing. I couldn’t get enough.
When the class ended, it was time for lunch.
I tried to remember how to get to the cafeteria, and on more than one occasion I got lost. The school was huge.
It was frustrating. Irritating. I wanted to scream with rage.
“Hey, are you okay?”
In front of me was a cute couple holding hands. Somehow they looked familiar. They felt familiar. Even smelled familiar. I gave them a closer look. “Do I know you?”
The guy shrugged. “Don’t think so. We’re new. Just moved into town.”
“So did I.”
They gave each other a quiet look.
“I’m trying to find the cafeteria.”
“Yeah, I think it’s this way.” The girl smiled. She had short red hair, green eyes, and a friendly smile.
They moved down the hall. I followed, trying to push away the strange feeling the two of them brought.
The guy was tall and had dark hair. I hadn’t seen the color of his eyes, but he was handsome. Just as the girl was pretty. They looked like they belonged together. Which was strange. Why was I even thinking about them like that? I didn’t know them.
The guy pushed one of the swinging doors open. The girl walked by, kissing him on the cheek. “Thanks, Peter.”
He patted her cheek. “Anything for you, Zoe.”
Peter and Zoe. I didn’t know anyone in Sharra by those names. I hadn’t met anyone at school with those names either.
“Thank you, Peter.” I said as I went in. “I’m Jack.”
“Oh?” The look on Peter’s face suggested he didn’t believe me.
Zoe gave me a big smile. “Nice to meet you, Jack.”
“Let’s eat.” Peter walked toward the long line of students.
I hung back. “No thanks. I’m not hungry.” If I got any closer to the human food I’d puke.
A strange look, almost like approval appeared on Zoe’s face. “Okay, well see you around.” They walked away, hand in hand.
I stared after them, strangely unsure of the immediate connection I felt for them. I figured it was probably because they were new to the school, same as me. I knew they could relate to my apprehension. Except they didn’t seem all that worried. In fact they appeared to be right at home.
Sydney bounced over. “Hey, who are those two?”
“More new kids.” I glanced at Sydney. “Their names are Peter and Zoe.” I studied them.
“Oh. Cool.” She took me by the arm. “Come with me. I want to introduce you to everyone.”
“Wait.” I searched the noisy cafeteria for Abby or the guy I met earlier, Cam. I couldn’t find either of them in the sea of faces.
“What? Let’s go, Jack.” Sydney pulled me through the tables and throngs of students carrying trays of food until we reached double glass doors. “We like to sit outside. The smell isn’t so overwhelming.”
I took a deep breath. It was cool outside but smelled much better.
Sydney led me over to a table filled with people laughing, joking, and basically having fun.
“Hey guys. I want you to meet Jackie. She’s new to the school. I’ve had the chance to get to know her a little and she’s totally cool.”
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned. It was weird suddenly having a dozen sets of eyes taking in my appearance, judging me.
I lifted a hand. “Hi.”
They all greeted me, some more friendly than others. Then they went back to their lunches and horsing around.
“Sit here,” Sydney said, grabbing an empty chair and patting it.
“Thanks.”
She sat in the chair next to me and started talking to a girl with curly brown hair. “Lynn, Jackie has the coolest set of wings tattooed on her back.”
“Oh, let’s see it.”
A couple of the others stopped talking and turned to focus their attention on me.
I shook my head, uncomfortable. “It’s…”
Sydney interrupted. “It’s huge. It takes up nearly her entire back.”
One of the guys pawed my shoulder. “A tattoo, huh? You must get a thrill out of pain.” His eyes raked over my body. “I can do things to you that’ll hurt so good.”
“Shut up, Drake.” Sydney glared. So did Lynn.
All I was thinking is I’d like to see him try.
“How do you know she has a tattoo? Been hittin’ that?” Drake asked.
“I take it you haven’t met your ass quota for the day?”
Lynn laughed at Sydney’s joke.
“Not yet.”
“Gosh, if you must know I saw it when we were getting ready for gym.”
“Oh.” Lynn forked a piece of fruit and popped it in her mouth.
“Well now we all want to see it,” Drake continued, squeezing my shoulder. “Take off your shirt. I dare you.”
I placed my hand over his and twisted. Pain and surprise swirled over Drake’s features. I let go and he rubbed his hand.
“What kind of freak are you?”
My face burned.
“Did you see what she did? No girl is that strong?”
Lynn threw a strawberry at Drake. It smacked him in the cheek and then landed on the table.
“Skank,” he said. Picking up a napkin, he wiped the juice off his face.
“Douche,” Lynn fired back.
I really didn’t want to show them, but decided I should. So I stood, pulled my shirt from my skirt and unbuttoned it.
The guys started whistling and laughing.
I held my head high and gritted my teeth. When all the buttons were undone I pulled my hair to one side and turned around as I lowered my shirt.
“Whoa.” Drake said, his hand immediately forgotten.
“That’s freaky.”
There was that word again. I wasn’t a freak. I wasn’t.
Abby and Sydney had asked to touch it, but as everyone gathered around me now I felt random hands.
“Isn’t it the freshest thing you’ve ever seen?” Sydney stood on her chair so she could look over the crowd. I kept my head down and didn’t say anything. As a princess and the only vampire with wings, I’d been the center of attention on many occasions. Over time my uniqueness wore off. I hoped the same would happen in the human world.
“I want one.” I thought that came from Lynn.
“There’s a fight in the cafeteria. Some guy is fighting Troy.”
“Why?” Troy seemed really nice to everyone. Who would want to fight him?
“Probably defending some girls honor,” one of the guys said sarcastically.
“Let’s go,” a girl added.
My wing tattoo was instantly forgotten as everyone rushed back inside. Relief washed over me. I quickly buttoned my shirt and tucked it in.
“Fame is fleeting.” Lynn still sat at the table eating her fruit.
I shrugged. “I’m glad.”
Lynn rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Your two seconds are up. Time to disappear.” She stood, grabbed her books, and walked away, not even bothering to throw away her food. Sydney had gone inside so I was alone. It was refreshing. I sat and looked out over the courtyard. Huge trees with
long, wispy branches dotted the landscape. It reminded me of home. I could imagine pixilettes fluttering through the leaves, collecting seeds. It made me miss Sabrina. Maybe I should wish for her to come as a human. She could be like me—normal. But I shook away the thought as quickly as it came to mind. Sabrina liked who she was. She liked what she did. Probably because she was like the rest of her kind. Every other pixilette had wings.
There weren’t any vampires with wings. Except me.
“Hey, I’ve been looking for you.” Cam slid into the chair next to mine. “Didn’t you want to see the fight?”
I shook my head and tried to get rid of the melancholy weighing on my heart.
“Yeah, the first day of school can be a bit overwhelming.” He patted my hand.
His kindness and my mood caused tears to form on my lashes.
Cam leaned in. “No. No. You never let them see you cry.” He shook his finger at me. “That’s a sign of weakness and trust me the vultures will pounce.” By the look on his face I guessed he was talking from experience.
“Got it.” I tried to smile.
“Better.” He squeezed my hand. “What are your last two classes?”
“Pre-Calculus and history.”
“Who do you have for history? That’s my last class of the day as well.”
I pulled the paper schedule from the front pocket of my backpack. “Mr. Henry.”
“Awesome.” Cam clapped his hands. “We have the same class. The teacher is great too. He makes history seem less like a snooze-fest and more like a time that was actually interesting.”
“Hey pretty-boy, what are you doing at our table?”
I felt Cam freeze a second before he recovered. “See ya,” he whispered to me. He stood and turned. “Hey Drake. Still sleep with your Dora the Explorer night light?”
I turned just in time to see Drake’s eyes widen. “Shut your lying mouth before I shut it for you.” He rushed Cam. Cam held his ground.
But Drake was obviously thicker and taller than Cam. If Drake laid so much as a finger on Cam I’d break it.
I stood.
Drake gave me a once over. “What do you think you’re doing?”
I smiled, feigning innocence. “Cam is my friend. If he can’t sit at this table then I don’t want to sit here either.” I moved closer so that Cam and I were touching shoulders.
“Figures.”
Sydney came outside. “What’s going on?”
I stepped around Drake and walked past her. Cam followed. “Drake doesn’t want us sitting at his table.” I shrugged.
Sydney put her hands on her hips and stomped her foot. She didn’t say anything for a second. I could tell she was having an internal debate, weighing the pros and cons of standing up for the new girl. Finally she said, “I’ll see you around.” She flipped her hair and walked over to the table.
I heard Drake. “She’s a freak, just like pretty-boy. Stay away from her.”
I sighed.
Cam wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Welcome to Salem High, home to witches, bitches, and ogres.”
My first inclination was to look around, but I knew Cam was only kidding. So I laughed. “Good one.”
Fourteen
Pre-Calculus was a joke. I had no idea what the teacher was talking about. He might as well have been speaking borkanese. I was beyond glad when the class was over, even when the teacher had me stay after class so he could give me a syllabus and a book.
The layout of the school was beginning to make more sense and I found my history class on my own. If there was a dash and a number after the room number that was the floor the class was on. So history was 127-4. That meant it was on the fourth floor.
The bell rang as soon as I entered the class. Mr. Henry glanced up and did a double take. He stood and I realized I knew Mr. Henry. It was Professor Pops. I thought he was a professor at Harvard. What was he doing here?
I ducked my head and tried to find a seat.
“Jack. Jack. Over here.”
I glanced up enough to see Cam waving me over. I slid into my seat behind a very bulky guy that could’ve been related to an ogre. He had a similar stench as well.
“You found the class. Good job.”
I smiled, but didn’t have time to say anything before Mr. Henry started to speak. “Welcome. It appears we have three new students.”
Three? I searched the room for Peter and Zoe.
“Please stand, tell us your names and a little about yourself.” I hunched down further in my chair.
“My name is Zoe. I moved here from Virginia with my boyfriend and his parents.”
Mr. Henry gave her a strange look. “And your parents were okay with that?”
“My parents are dead. Peter’s parents agreed to be my guardians since I had no other family.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Mr. Henry had his glasses resting on his forehead. He lowered them and glanced at a paper on his desk. “Peter, why don’t you stand and tell us something about yourself.”
I peered around the giant guy in front of me. Peter stood and surveyed the room before speaking. “I love football.” He pumped his fist. Several guys in the room shouted in response, including the guy in front of me.
“Very good. Have a seat. There’s one more. Where is she?”
The students around me stared, waiting for me to stand.
I did so quickly. “I’m Jackie. I’m from Las Vegas. I like reading those trashy entertainment magazines.”
Several students laughed, including Cam. “I knew we were meant to be friends.”
Mr. Henry chuckled. “Excellent.” He rested his glasses on his forehead again and clapped his hands. “Who can tell me how the second World War started?”
Over the next ninety minutes he talked about the war. Why it started. Which countries were involved. How many were killed. And so on. When class was nearly over, Mr. Henry passed out a paper. “This is your study guide for the test we’ll be taking next week. Put it to good use people. I expect everyone to get an A, including you, Claude.”
The large guy in front of me snickered. “Will do, Mr. Henry.”
The bell rang.
“If the three new students could stay after class a few minutes, everyone else is excused.”
I watched as the rest of the students filed out. Zoe and Peter sat a couple of rows over. They kept looking at each other. My heart raced so fast I thought I might keel over. Would Mr. Henry recognize me?
When only Peter, Zoe and I remained, Professor Pops waved us up to his desk.
Forcing myself not to look nervous, I picked up my backpack and made my way forward. Zoe and Peter smiled.
If Mr. Henry knew who I was, he didn’t say anything. Instead he handed us each a few different papers. “As I said there will be a test next week. The rest of the students in this class have had weeks of in-class discussion and different assignments to help prepare them.” He paused, tucking his reading glasses into the pocket of his sweater. “You haven’t had the luxury. Hopefully in your previous school you studied the second World War?” He gave each of us a pointed look. Zoe and Peter nodded, so I did too.
“Good. Then there shouldn’t be a problem. If you feel you need a refresher, do the handouts in front of you. I’ll check them and give you extra credit.”
Zoe and Peter picked up their papers. I followed.
“One more thing.”
“Yes?” Peter asked.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard about the brutal death in the woods south of us?”
Peter and Zoe nodded. I did as well.
“Have they identified the body yet?” Peter asked.
“If they have, they aren’t sharing it.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m only telling you so that you won’t go exploring there without proper supervision.” He glanced at me and said, “Better yet, just stay away from the forest altogether.”
“Thanks, Mr. Henry,” Zoe said. Peter waved.
“You’re welcome.
”
They left the room.
“Yeah, thanks. I’m sure these will come in handy.” I started toward the door.
“Uh, Jackie.”
“Yes?” I turned around so that we were facing each other.
“Have we met somewhere before? You seem familiar.” His eyes twinkled with genuine interest.
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.” I shrugged my backpack further onto my shoulder. “Unless you’ve been to Las Vegas.”
Mr. Henry chuckled. “The last time I was there would’ve been way before you were born.” He took a stack of papers and straightened them by banging one edge on the desk. “Let me know if you need any help.”
“Thanks. I will.” As soon as I was outside the room, I took in a big gulp of air and immediately regretted it. The scent of blood pounded in my veins. That reminded me, I needed to ask Laeddin what he was thinking, giving me human blood. And on top of that, where had he gotten it?
Fifteen
Laeddin waited for me exactly where he’d dropped me off several hours before. If I hadn’t watched him drive away I would’ve wondered if he’d ever left.
As I started down the stairs Sydney fell into step beside me. “Hey, Jack. Sorry about Drake. He’s such a jerk.”
“It’s okay. Thanks again for all your help. I couldn’t have made it without you.”
She waved a hand in front of her face. “Sure. Sure. So listen. A bunch of us are getting together tonight. Just a little party to start the week off right. Want to come?”
I glanced at Laeddin who was watching me.
“I’d love to.” I smiled. My first party.
“Cool. Here’s the instructions. Wear something warm.” She went down the rest of the stairs. “And Jack?”
“Yeah?” I clutched the paper she’d given me. “Is that your dad in the car over there?” She pointed at Laeddin.
“Gah, no. He isn’t my dad. He-he works for my mom and dad. He’s staying with me until they can join me.”
“Oh, lucky. Well tell your hot babysitter that you need a phone.” She laughed.
“I will.” I finished walking down the stairs and made my way over to the car.
“Jack?”
“Tell no one about tonight. K?”
Vampire Wishes Books 1-2: Vampire Lies and Vampire Secrets Page 7
