“Nope. I’m good, Mom. After school I’m heading to Britt’s house. I’ll be home before dawn.”
“Alright, get moving. We’ll see you in the morning.” Sheridan and Jake each gave her a quick hug and headed down the hall.
Nettie flopped back on the pillows, grabbed her phone and sent off a quick text to Britt confirming their plans. Her friend hit her back with a thumbs up.
Given that their parents were all employed in some way by the vampire kingdom, the children of Conservators lived their lives as though they were members of the close knit society. Mainly it entailed attending school at night while their parents worked. Awake at dusk, go to school, hangout till dawn. While other humans were sleeping the night away, Serenity and her friends were just beginning their day.
Honestly, she loved it. There was less judging amongst her peers in school. The paranormal teens didn’t care if your hair was purple, you were tattooed or pierced. In fact they welcomed you into their ranks. Which was why when they moved to this small town and Nettie heard about the school, she did a serious dye job on her hair.
Needless to say, her Mom freaked.
Smiling, she threw back the dark purple comforter and got out of bed, tossing the phone on her desk as she padded over to the closet. She flipped through the hangers and pulled out a red plaid skirt, white blouse, black leather jacket and a pair of combat boots. Heading off to the bathroom with her armload of clothes, Serenity got ready for school. By the time she applied her lipstick, a horn honked outside.
Nettie opened the curtain and waved. Britt waved back as the drape fell back into place. Dashing through the house, Nettie grabbed her book bag, purse, and a quick cup of coffee on her way out the door.
He was going to be late and it was his own fault. No one else to blame ,but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try.
Why did he throw his phone last night? For forty-five minutes he searched the grounds of Bonatelli’s compound, hoping no one saw him, only to come up with nothing.
Absinthe would kill him if someone found it.
Should have thought of that last night.
Damn.
Drakkar winced, imagining the torture he would endure. Too late to worry about it now.
After doing one more lap around the area, Drake admitted defeat and dematerialized reappearing beside his jet black Harley Davidson Night Rod. He removed the branches concealing it, tossing them into the trees before rolling it back onto the dirt road. Swinging a leg over the bike, Drake tightened the straps for his backpack and pulled on his helmet. Starting it, he revved the engine a few times listening to it purr.
The thrill of the open road called to him. If only he could answer it. For now, he needed to play by Absinthe’s rules. Bide his time under her thumb. Soon enough Drakkar would be free. Then he would live his life.
First, he had to get his butt to school.
Punching the Harley into gear, Drake sped down the deserted road toward Cornwall High School. With any luck he’d make it before the second bell.
Yeah, right.
~ ~ ~ ~
“Wow, the almighty has graced us with his presence today!”
Drake rolled his eyes, slamming the locker shut. “Don’t you have anything better to do with your time than keep tabs on me, cattle?”
“I’m just pointing out you’ve been more absent than present lately.” Nick leaned against the wall across from him. His mess of dark bed head hair under a Neff beanie announced that he just woke up and got there himself. The human owned balls of steel to constantly irritate Drake. That was probably why Drakkar put up with him. After all, Nick was essentially harmless.
Nick narrowed his eyes. “And what was with that crap of killing me off yesterday? I’m on your team, remember?”
“Just blowing off steam. Don’t worry your little brain about it.” Drake walked down the hall toward class.
“Yeah well, it’s not cool, Drake. Not cool at all.” Nick fell in next to him.
“Hey, Nick! I’ll tell you what his problem is.”
The shout made both of them pause mid-step and turn. They came face to face with Vince, the only wolf stupid enough to get under Drakkar’s skin every chance he got. He was more of a nuisance than a threat, but it never stopped him from opening his fat mouth, especially when his pack of mindless followers was around.
Drake gritted his teeth. “I wouldn’t go there if I were you.” He really didn’t need this. He had enough going on already.
Vince tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. “Oh no?”
“Not if you value your life, such that it is.”
Laughter erupted from the pack behind Vince. Nick put a hand on Drake’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s just go.”
Drake shrugged him off.
Vince did not back down. “Interesting coming from you. You know, Mommy issues and all. You should listen to your human pet and get to class. Run to safety, little vampling.” He shooed Drake and Nick away.
Drakkar slipped the backpack off his shoulder. It hit the floor with a thud. His hands slowly clenched into fists. “I’m warning you. I’m not in the mood to play today, Vince.”
“Aw, Mommy tighten the choke collar? From what I heard she likes that on occasion. Especially since the Princess lost the throne to a half-breed prince.”
Rage tore through Drakkar. He roared, blasting Vince square in the chest with a ball of energy from his fist. It knocked the vampire into his friends. They fell like bowling pins. Standing over them, Drake grabbed a handful of Vince’s shirt, hauling him off the floor. When they were face to face, Drakkar curled his lip.
“I told you, today is not the day to play with me. Next time it won’t be an energy blast. Next time, it’s gonna hurt.”
Drakkar let go and Vince crumpled to the floor. He turned away retrieved the backpack and swung it over his shoulder. The groans and slow shuffling from Vince and crew brought a smile to his lips.
Ever since he came into his powers a few years ago he wanted to blast the bully. None of them knew what he was capable of. Well, they got a small taste of it. Maybe they would learn from the experience. Maybe not.
Let the haters finally come for him. He was ready.
“That was awesome!” Nick pulled up next to him. “Why haven’t you said you could do that? We could have been rid of them ages ago.”
“Because it’s none of anyone’s business.” He shot Nick a side glance. “Especially not the business of nosey cattle who latch on like a leach.”
“Yeah, but you still love me. Admit it.” He batted his green eyes at Drakkar, who only made a sound of disgust.
“What is it with humans that they feel the need to befriend vampires? You know I could drain you at the drop of a hat.”
Nick laughed. “If you did that to me, you’d have no friends at all. So get over your hatred and accept you have a human that actually likes your grumpy self.”
Drake opened the door to their Biology lab. The pair picked their way through the other students to get to their seats in the back of the room. They were in the middle of getting their books out when the scent of strawberries hit him. Drakkar inhaled deeply and sighed. The tension seeped from his body and he relaxed. Nick still droned on beside him about something, but Drake heard none of it. He was busy trying to locate the girl from the other night.
A hand connected with the back of his head. Drake spun on Nick. “What the hell?”
“Where were you just now?”
“Right here next to you, why?”
Nick shook his head. “No. You weren’t. I’ve been trying to get your attention for twenty minutes.”
Drakkar frowned. “We just sat down. How is that possible?”
“You zoned out on me when I tried to go over the assignment. I ended up doing it myself. Here’s the answers.” He slid a paper across the desktop.
“Thanks.”
“So the cattle is good for something, I guess?” Nick chuckled.
“Don’t go getting too ful
l of yourself, Nick.” He looked away to stare at the black haired girl in the front of the room.
Nick followed his gaze and whistled low. “Hey, who’s that? She’s kind of cute in a goth kind of way. Is she new?”
Drake growled possessively.
Backing up his chair, Nick held up his hands. “Look, I was only making an observation. If you already staked a claim, we’re good.”
Drakkar shook his head. “What? No I didn’t. She’s human. I’d never claim a human.”
“You didn’t just hear yourself.” He wagged a finger at Drakkar. “You. Are. Hooked.”
“Not hooked. Curious. There’s something about her. I noticed it last night.”
“Wait. Last night? Where’d you see her last night?” Nick closed his notebook giving Drake his full attention.
“She was at the wedding.”
“Hold on. You and your Mom were invited to the wedding? No way! I thought they’d never let her near the mansion. Now you gotta spill.”
Drake shook his head. “No, we weren’t invited. I was there on my own. I cut the last couple of classes and hid in the woods to watch.”
“But why?” Nick glanced at the time and packed up his books.
“You wouldn’t get it. Forget I mentioned it.”
Drake stood abruptly and shoved everything in his backpack. The bell rang. Without another word to Nick, he bolted for the door, vanishing into the crowd.
A blur rushed past Serenity and her books crashed to the floor. Papers scattered across the hallway in the wake of the jerk who knocked into her.
“Thanks a lot! Next time try saying excuse me,” she called after him but he didn’t hear a word she said.
“Some people!” Her friend Britt joined her on the floor, collecting the wayward papers which dislodged from her binder. “Just because they’re vamps and think they are the top of the food chain, doesn’t mean they should crap all over us and treat us like dirt.”
Serenity stood, organizing the sheets on her desktop. “I don’t think he meant it, Britt.”
“Oh, he meant it. You didn’t see his eyes. They held an, evil ‘get out of my way you piece of dog crap,’ glow to them.” Britt nodded. “He totally meant to do it.”
“If you say so.”
Nettie finished packing up. The two were almost to the door when the tall green eyed god wearing a Neff hat from the back of the class stopped them. He held out a packet of papers to her.
“I think you dropped this.” He shifted uneasily looking out the classroom door.
Looking down at his hand, she noticed her lab report. “Wow, thanks. I would have been in deep if I didn’t hand this in.” She took it from him and slipped it in her messenger bag.
The guy rubbed the back of his neck and grinned. “Wouldn’t want that now would we? I’m Nick, by the way.”
Serenity smiled. “Nettie.”
“So, you’re new here? When did you move into town?” He sat on the edge of the desk.
“Last week. My mother’s been here for about a month, transferred to New York by the Conservatorship. You from here originally?”
“Yup, born and raised.” He grinned. “I’m just following in the family footsteps. You know, bowing and scraping to our vampire overlords, changing their nappies and keeping them sane. All in a day’s work.”
Looking up from her book bag, Britt frowned. She abandoned searching for whatever it was she needed from inside, eyes on Nick. Slinging her pocketbook over her shoulder, she grabbed Nettie by the arm.
“Nick,” she said icily. Britt nudged Nettie. “We’re going to be late for Algebra.”
“Oh, it was nice to meet you, Nick. Maybe we can talk more later.” She waved to him as Britt ushered her out the door.
They were halfway down the hall when Serenity made Britt stop. “What is wrong with you? He only handed me the lab paper I dropped.”
Britt narrowed her eyes. “You can’t be that naive. Nick always has an ulterior motive. He stopped to talk to you for a reason.”
Serenity opened her locker. “Why do you have to be so suspicious? Maybe he was just being nice.” She switched out her Biology book for Algebra.
Her friend snorted. “Nothing about Nick Montgomery is nice.”
Slamming the locker closed, Nettie faced Britt. “You seem confident about that. You don’t know everyone, Britt.”
“I know Nick. Trust me.” Britt held up her hand.
“How do you know?”
“We dated for six months last year, that’s how. Can you please just take my word for it? You don’t want to get involved with Nick or that psychotic vampire he hangs around with. The two of them are bad news.”
They walked toward the Algebra classroom. Serenity wasn’t buying what her friend said. Nick seemed nice enough. It wasn’t like she wanted to date him or anything. It was nice to connect with someone other than Britt for a change.
Something else bothered her and it wasn’t Britt’s ex. “You said his friend is psychotic? You’re not serious.”
“Deadly is probably the better term to use. He’s the son of Princess Absinthe Dragoni. She tried to kill off her brother, the Prince, and his wife a while back. Ever since, Drake’s got this look in his eye. I can’t describe it, almost like he blames all of us for her losing the crown to the Prince. He wouldn’t hesitate before killing us humans.”
Serenity stopped in front of the door to the classroom. “So why doesn’t he? And if he’s such a threat, why do they allow him in school?”
“Now that’s the million dollar question.” Britt leaned closer and whispered. “I’ve heard Absinthe has something on the school board. They’re terrified she’ll use it against them.”
“But still-”
“No, Nettie. He’s not a little fixup project. Leave this one be and stay away from him.”
She shook her head and stepped into the classroom taking her seat. “I haven’t even met him. How can I fix someone I’ve never met?”
Britt dropped into the chair beside her. “Good. Let’s keep it that way. Hey, you’re still coming to my house after school, right? We can work on that spell for your witchcraft class for a while.”
“Yup.”
Serenity opened her notebook and wrote down the notes from the white board. The rev from a motorcycle in the parking lot outside the window caught her attention.
I thought everyone was in class. What the hell?
Moments later a black motorcycle passed under the street light and through the parking lot. She caught a glimpse of the driver dressed in jeans and a black leather jacket. His face obscured by the dark helmet he wore. Her gaze followed him down the main drive and out to the street light until he turned and sped out of sight.
~ ~ ~ ~
Drakkar lurked at the edge of the woods surrounding the blue Victorian house upon the hill. He despised Absinthe for making him do this.
The front door opened and light spilled over the white-washed porch and stairs. A petite woman with a long, jet black braid and olive skin stood on the porch looking down the driveway, searching. Her gaze roamed from the drive, over the enormous lawn, finally resting on his hiding spot. Drakkar held his breath, frozen until she bowed her head and slipped back inside. The door closed, shutting him off once again from a world he had no business yearning for.
Who the hell is that?
No one was supposed to be there. Jared and the sorcerer left over an hour ago, and should be in the city for a while. The wolf and his bride were on their honeymoon. The Goddess, well she was a wild card, but rumor was she headed back to Camelot with King Arthur after the wedding. Being in a different century should hinder her sensing what was about to go down.
This was his one shot, his moment to shine and gain freedom. All he needed to do was kidnap the child and Absinthe would let him live his life -a life that did not include being her secluded little lap dog any more. But this new woman posed a problem, a big problem.
Drakkar cursed under his breath. There must to
be a way inside, one that wouldn’t set off alarms or get him killed.
He was about to call the whole mission a bust, go back home and come up with another plan of attack, when a gleaming black Escalade barreled up the driveway. It came to a skidding halt, and two men jumped out. They ran to the door. The dark-haired one, Zephyr, he’d seen hanging around Absinthe in the past. It shouldn’t surprise him the sorcerer would show up. This was his daughter’s home, after all.
What did throw him for a loop was the other guy, the blonde, Jared Bonatelli. It was the first time he saw the object of his hatred up close. Jared paused on the stairs and turned toward where Drakkar hid under the cover of trees as if he willed him to do so. Time stood still when their eyes met, he was looking at a mirror image of himself only older.
Holy shit.
Shocked to the bottom of his black combat boots, he stumbled backward. He couldn’t catch his breath. All this time he wondered why Absinthe kept him locked away from the world. Why couldn’t he live in the same home with her?
Now he knew. The resemblance was uncanny. The same aqua blue eyes, shabby blonde hair, even the way he ran a worried hand through the mop on his head.
Jared shook off whatever spell was cast in those mere seconds and disappeared inside the house. The door made a resounding thud as it slammed shut. He clenched his fists. For seventeen years, Jared was a faceless enemy. For almost half of that time his mother would look on him with a disguised hatred he never understood.
Thanks to pure chance, he knew why.
“This changes nothing. I have to get my hands on that kid and bring her to Absinthe,” Drakkar muttered. He inched his way closer to the driveway shielding his location with the Escalade. There was a way inside and he would find it.
Keeping to the shadows below the windows, Drakkar skirted the house’s foundation looking for access. All the windows were locked tight against the cold weather. Not one latch was left undone. That was until he found a broken pane of glass in a basement window. It was just large enough for him to slip in undetected.
Drakkar ~ Beyond the Lie (A Dark Order of the Dragon Novel Book 3) Page 2
