by Sofia Daniel
“I thought hunters took her,” said Raphael.
“Kush didn’t have plans to leave the castle,” the vampire said between clenched teeth. “She was looking forward to the Yule ball and wouldn’t have missed the chance to wear a dress.”
Dante leaned against the doorframe and yawned. “Is this story going anywhere?”
Ponytail pulled out a piece of paper from the inside pocket of her blazer. “Your blood whore killed my sister in revenge for trapping her with a werewolf. And when Lady Mantis finds out, she’ll know who’s responsible for the death of Micalla, too!”
In the blink of an eye, Ponytail vanished, leaving us all gaping at the empty hallway.
Chapter 17
Before I could blink, before I could even process what Ponytail had said, Nero and Dante disappeared after her. Stomach dropping, I shot out of the leather chaise and clutched my hands over my mouth. How on earth had she discovered that one of us had killed her twin?
Raphael’s nostrils flared. “I can’t leave you.” He scooped me up in his arms, making my stomach lurch. “Whoever gave her that information probably wants us to leave you here alone.”
A shudder ran down my spine. This was probably the work of Captain Tanar. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I squeezed tight. “Let’s go after her.”
Less than a heartbeat later, Raphael sped through the hallways and up two flights of stairs, where Dante and Nero cornered Ponytail by of a stained-glass window, which depicted a chalice of what was probably blood. Pale streaks of sunlight streamed through the colored glass, casting patterns on the marble floors.
Still in Raphael’s arms, I leaned back to glance over his shoulder for signs of Captain Tanar. The hallway was empty, with only a dim wall sconce providing the barest illumination.
I swallowed hard. Since the new headmaster commanded so many knockers, it would make sense for him to stage a potential fight close to sunrise, when the younger vampires would be at their weakest and the knockers at full strength.
If anything happened to the boys, he could put all the blame on Ponytail.
“Stay away.” She swung the mace like a flamethrower. Sparks of holy fire jumped out from its spiked tip.
Dante held out his palms. “Nobody’s going to hurt you unless you persist on slandering us.”
“Who else could have killed my sister?” she snarled.
“You’re not thinking straight.” Nero leaned his shoulder against the wall, looking like he was too bored by Ponytail’s antics to stand upright. “Captain Shanks was trailing Alicia at the time of Kush’s disappearance because she hurt Raph.”
“If she could burn Raph in broad midnight, she could easily murder Kush!” Ponytail swiped the mace, making Dante and Nero flinch away from the wickedly bright sparks.
“It wasn’t me,” I snapped. “Do I need to make a blood oath?”
She narrowed her eyes at me through the gap between Dante and Nero. “But you know who did it!”
“No.” I placed my hand on my heart, trying to embody as much truthfulness as I could muster.
“Liar!” she screeched.
Nero turned to me and shook his head. “I don’t care what I promised you, Alicia. It’s time to tell the truth.”
My features slackened, and all the blood drained from my face. “What? Don’t—”
“Zarah Peridot,” said Nero.
Ponytail lowered the mace. “What?”
“Think about it.” Nero folded his arms across his chest with his head tilted to the side, acting as though he was deep in thought. “Kush is too clever to lead someone into a trap and then drop her guard around that same person when they come looking for revenge. Admit it.”
Ponytail’s brows drew together, and she rested the business end of the mace on the marble floor. “That’s… true.”
Nero nodded. “Alright. Who did you and your group consider one of the most harmless people in the academy? Zarah Peridot, right? I’ll bet you even fell asleep around her.”
The vampire’s mouth clicked shut. I mirrored the movement, triumph flaring through my insides. It was plausible if one thought about it. Zarah had full access to the Coven of Bitches and could have attacked them in their sleep at any time in revenge for them cruelly taking too much blood.
“No.” Ponytail shook her head. “I searched through Zarah’s things. I found enough information to incriminate Stephens and bring her to justice.”
My lips tightened, and my heart rate tripled. No wonder Zarah looked so dismayed that I wasn’t escaping with her. She’d left behind all her blackmail material where anyone could find it. If I ever encountered her again, I would exsanguinate her myself with a rusty hook.
“Zarah was making it all up,” said Raphael. “I overheard her tell—”
Dante dashed forward, snatched the mace from Ponytail’s hands, and swiped it across her middle. Sparks flew, and the scent of seared flesh filled the air. With a bloodcurdling screech, Ponytail leaped backward. The force of her jump sent her spine crashing through the stained-glass window and out into the morning.
Sunlight spilled through the into the hallway, and Dante leaped several feet back.
Raphael turned to him. “Are you—”
“I’m fine.”
Holding his arm over his face like a shield, Nero rushed forward to the broken window. “I can’t see a thing.”
I sprinted to Nero and gave him a gentle shove back. “Don’t hurt yourself.” Ponytail lay unmoving on the gravel courtyard, her face reddening in the morning sun. Blood spread out from the black hair fanning out underneath her head. “She’s just lying there. Do vampires die from head injuries?”
“No,” Dante snarled. “We’ve got to stop her before she wakes.”
“I’ll go,” said Nero.
I turned on my heel and strode toward the boys. “I’ll go.”
“It’s too dangerous,” said Raphael. “If she runs into the shade, she’ll regain her strength and overpower you.”
I walked past the brothers, pushed open the door to the nearest stairwell, and descended the steps. “What other options do we have? If we let her do what she’s threatening, I’m dead.”
The boys followed me in silence. They knew I was right. If vampires burned to a crisp in sunlight, I might have left Ponytail and let nature take its course. But they could survive hours until they finally succumbed to the power of the sun.
At the bottom of the stairs, I pushed open the door of the stairwell, stepped out into the ground floor, and headed toward the double doors.
“Alicia,” said Raphael. “Don’t do it.”
I shook my head. “This is all my fault. If I’d told you about Zarah from the beginning, we could have confronted her and avoided a situation like this. Now it’s time for me to put things right.”
Continuing down the hallway, I stopped at the entrance hall. Sunlight streamed from the panel in the front doors. With my third eye fully open, I could tell that it was magically filtered so it wouldn’t affect any vampires standing in front of the panel.
I turned around and gave the boys what I hoped was a brave smile. Dante and Nero’s eyes were bloodshot, presumably from standing so close to the stained-glass windows, and Raphael’s pale face was a mask of concern.
“Get some sleep and meet me outside at around sunset,” I said.
Dante and Nero exchanged worried frowns. It was clear that they didn’t like my suggestion, but I’d never seen vampires wander the castle after dawn. They looked worn, as though being awake during daylight had sapped them of their energy. Despite their frowns, the resignation in their postures telegraphed that they knew I was the only person to fix this mess.
Raphael stepped forward and placed his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t go. We can wake up early and guard all the exits—”
“And risk her sneaking into the castle?” I said.
He cupped my cheek. “I won’t see you hurt.”
“You’re forgetting.” My hand rose to cover his, and I
gave him my bravest smile. “Lava might try to attack, but I’ve got enough magic to subdue any vampire.”
Raphael dropped his gaze. “Be careful.”
I stepped out through the double doors into the bright, spring morning. Sunlight drenched the courtyard, melting all traces of frost. With one final glance over my shoulder, I gave the boys a wave and stepped out of the shelter of the porch. Ponytail had fallen on the right of the castle, so I jogged in that direction and kept close to the building.
Up close, the castle wasn’t as ancient as I’d initially believed. Black wiring ran alongside one of its walls and led to a satellite dish, making me wonder if it was used for television or communications. Probably the latter, considering what the onion woman told me about Dracula’s paranoia.
Shards of glass littered the gravel, and a pool of blood up ahead indicated that this was where Ponytail had fallen. I stopped, stared up at the broken window to confirm my suspicion, and followed the trail of blood around to the back of the castle. After about twenty paces, it suddenly disappeared.
I frowned at a glass window. Surely, she couldn’t have opened it to return to the castle?
A large hand grabbed my arm, and a male voice asked, “Are you escaping?”
My heart jumped into my throat, and I spun to lock gazes with an amber-eyed Gates. “Oh!”
He let go of my arm and stepped back, palms raised. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I clapped a palm over my frantic heart. “It’s okay. There’s a vampire who has information that could get me killed. She fell out of the window—”
“You want me to track her?” Gates tilted his head and stared up into the castle’s depths.
Hope sprung in my heart. “Could you?”
“I smell blood and burning flesh.” He flicked his head in the air. “But she’s long gone.”
“Where?”
Gates scrunched his brow and glanced from side to side. “My nose isn’t the best like this.”
My shoulders slumped, and I stared back at the castle. The imposing building had enough alcoves and crevices for a vampire to find shelter during the day. If vehicles were parked around the other side, they would provide the perfect hiding place.
“She couldn’t have gone very far,” I said. “What if she—”
Gates slung off his denim jacket, revealing a broad and muscled chest covered in thick, dark hair. I spun around and clapped my hands over my eyes. “What are you doing?”
“Stripping off, so I can shift.”
Fear lanced through my heart, causing my breath to freeze in my lungs. “Into a werewolf?”
“I have full control of my dire wolf.” The thud of boots hitting the gravel made me jump, and I tried not to imagine him pulling off his jeans. “When I shift, get onto my back and hold my fur.”
My eyes bulged. If his dire wolf form looked anything like that werewolf that had tried to attack me, I would probably run back into the academy and face my chances with Lady Mantis.
“No, I can’t…”
The biggest, shaggiest dog trotted out in front of me and lay on his belly. I turned around, not quite believing my eyes, but I only found a pair of work boots and a pile of denim clothes. I turned back to what I supposed was a dire wolf. “Gates?”
He gave me a silent nod.
“Are you really in there?”
He nodded twice.
“O-okay.” The part of my mind that wasn’t terrified of all things related to werewolves smacked me upside the head and told me to mount Gates, find Ponytail, and stop her before Lady Mantis arrived. “Can I sit on your back, please?”
He narrowed his eyes, giving me an impatient look that made me flinch.
“Sorry.” I placed a trembling hand on his flank. The fur was thick and coarse and warmer than any dog I’d ever touched. “After seeing you transform that time, it’s hard to believe that you’re so docile.”
Gates’ whine tore at my heart, and I edged toward the dire wolf. He probably mistook my phobia of werewolves for judgment or disgust, but it was nothing like that. Girding my courage, I reached across the wolf’s back, grabbed two handfuls of his fur, and swung my leg over his spine.
Before I got the chance to settle myself on his back, the dire wolf galloped through the woods.
My stomach lurched, and a scream tore from my lips. He was going too fast! Gates jumped over fallen logs, over ravines, through ridiculously thick vegetation and under the dense canopy of the forest. Only the tiniest streams of sunlight falling between the gaps in the trees provided illumination.
I clenched my fists around Gates’ fur and stared straight ahead, not wanting to see what else I would find in the dark. After several more seconds of galloping, he lay on his belly and flicked his ears to the side, indicating for me to climb down.
I swung my leg off his back and landed hard on my ass into a dense pile of leaf litter. “Is she—”
He transformed into a man, his huge, flaccid dick and the biggest, hairiest pair of balls swinging in my face.
Heat rose to my cheeks, and my mouth went dry. I’d seen penises before, three of them, and they were of an equal length and girth as the hairy monstrosity mere inches away from my face. But this was too much. The werewolf looked like a miniature version of King Kong under his clothes.
“Gates!” My gaze snapped to muscular thighs covered in thick, dark hair. “You’re naked.”
His thick brows scrunched together. “What are you complaining about? You saw me take off my jacket and jeans.”
My nostrils flared. “You could have asked me to carry your boxers or something.”
He shrugged. “Wolves have no use for underwear.”
Without meaning to, my gaze rose back to his penis. It was thick with a bulbous head that looked like it would chafe on his rough denim.
My throat went dry, and all the words stuck on the back of my tongue. Common sense returned to the forefront of my brain, bringing with it the realization that if I didn’t catch that runaway vampire, she would spill her guts and get me killed.
“Why have you stopped?” I asked.
He pointed at a hole in the ground. “She’s burrowed down there.”
“What?”
“This leads to where the foxes live,” he said.
“Fox shifters?”
His brows drew together, and he gave me the oddest look. “There’s no such thing.”
“Right.” I coughed and glanced around the clearing. Tall oak trees provided ample cover from the morning sun, ridding us of our advantage if she sprang out from the foxes’ den and decided to fight. I glanced down into the hole. “Does it lead to the castle?”
“I don’t think so, but their network spreads throughout the forest.” He glanced from left to right. “She could use the tunnels to travel anywhere. But she’s bleeding quite heavily, and I could smell burned flesh. I might be able to overpower her with help.”
“Let’s do it,” I said.
Gates stared down at me and furrowed his brows. “I meant help from another wolf.”
“Don’t worry about me.” I rolled up my sleeves and edged toward the hole. “Things have changed since last term. I have power now.”
He gaped. “What are you—”
Closing my real eyes and activating my third, I jumped into the hole. The scent of wet fur and damp earth filled my nostrils, accompanied by a vague hint of decay and rot.
I landed in a crouch on firm ground and turned my head from side to side. The tunnel had no magic to act as a beacon, and there was no sign of a vampire in my peripheral vision.
As I straightened with my arms raised, I felt no earthen ceiling. Anxiety tightened my chest like a whalebone corset. If the wolves were the sizes of horses, what size were the foxes, and how could they dig tunnels this big?
Gates’ heavy feet thudded at my side. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“It will be suicide if I don’t find her.” I groped around in the dark, grabbed his
bicep, and frowned at the fine covering of hair on his skin. “Can you smell where she’s gone?”
“Yes,” he whispered, “But she’s far away. Get on my back, and I’ll help you catch up.”
A second later, the warm, furry body of the dire wolf pressed into my side. I scrambled onto his back and grabbed fistfuls of fur as he lurched forward in the direction of the castle. The race through the underground tunnels was smoother than jumping through the forest, but I kept my eyes closed for signs of magic.
Every so often, rods of power protruded through the ceiling like stalactites, and I whispered commands to Gates to dodge them.
The closer we got to the castle, the more rods we encountered. Some of them reached through the ground, while others hung in groups like chandeliers.
I made a mental note to ask the onion woman what they were… as soon as I’d dealt with the immediate problem of Ponytail and her desire to get us all killed by Lady Mantis.
Moments later, a wall of iridescent magic appeared several feet ahead. I tugged on Gates’ fur. “Stop!”
Gates transformed into a naked man, and I slid off his back.
“She’s here,” he whispered.
“Where?” I studied the wall, which shimmered like a soap bubble. Along the bottom was the spot of dark light I had come to recognize as a vampire’s missing soul. “Right. I see her. Why isn’t she moving?”
“My alpha says that young vampires have to fall asleep after dawn,” he murmured. “The sun saps their energy, making them weaker than humans.”
“Oh.” I chewed my lip.
“Now’s a good chance to kill her,” said Gates. “Do it while she’s helpless.”
Guilt squeezed my heart in its clawed grip. Ponytail had neither bullied me nor had she been particularly cruel to anyone. If I had a twin sister and someone had murdered her, I would want justice for them, too.
I stared at the dark spot that indicated her presence and sighed. This wasn’t right. But then, neither was leaving her alive to inform Lady Mantis.
“What are you going to do,” said Gates. “Should I fetch you a stake?”
