“JJ! Fancy seeing you here!” Blue called out to her old friend, making the girl sneer back in disgust.
“One day on campus and you're already back at it? Wasn't one innocent family enough, Graves?”
Hurt lanced through her chest but she refused to let it show on the outside. Jewel was acting out and Blue couldn’t completely blame her. She had lost so much that night ten years ago. They all had. So much had changed in that time, even the one person she thought would stand by her forever.
“It's nice to see you too…although I must have missed all those calls and post cards you sent me. It's been what? Ten years?”
“Stop talking.” Jewel snapped. “You shouldn't be here. There's a reason your family was exiled. You need to leave this campus before you wind up getting hurt.”
Blue rolled her eyes. “And let me guess, are you going to be doing the hurting?” She smirked. She knew she was pushing Jewel, but she couldn’t help it. Ten years ago they had been closer than sisters.
“Don’t play dumb Blue, you know you aren't welcome here.”
“Then why the fancy letter? Obviously someone wants me here.”
Ronnie suddenly stepped up beside her, followed closely by David on the other side. They were creating a united force and although she had only just met them, their loyalty was touching. She’d never really had friends after Jewel. It was a warm feeling and she wanted to keep them.
“Oh this is cute, are you guys seriously falling for this bullshit? She's a killer, her whole family deserves to rot!” The girl accused. Her face was red and her eyes looked shiny with unshed tears. Blue remembered that Jewel had always been an angry crier.
“Just give it up JJ, the mean girl act doesn’t faze me.” She stepped closer and Jewel stayed put, jutting out her chin. “I’m not going anywhere and if it pisses you off that much then that's your problem, not mine. You don't have to talk to me. You don’t have to look at me. Just mind your business and we’ll all be okay.”
Jewel squinted her eyes. “This isn’t a mean girl act, Blue. I can’t live under the same roof as a traitor.”
People snickered around them. Whispering to each other like children. Everyone knew about her. The Graves family was practically famous in the Slayer community. It wasn't fair though, not by anyone's standards. ‘How could you hold someone accountable for an accident that wasn’t even theirs?’
Blues eyes drifted over Jewels shoulder for a split second, gaze drawn by a boy who stood near the floor to ceiling window. The moonlight bounced off of his shoulder length blonde hair and illuminated his profile just enough to see how startlingly handsome he was. His face was almost elfin, slender and angled in just the right way. He looked to be around eighteen or nineteen, but you never could tell with a Slayer. Slayers in general tended to look a few years older than they were, given their rigorous physical training and the fact that they were forced to grow up much too quickly. But his looks were not what kept her attention. No, it was the scowl on his pretty face that wouldn't let her go.
His angry eyes were a dark brown and in them were shadows, put there by something haunting. Something terrible had happened to this boy. He continued to glare at her though she had no idea who he was. For now though, she forced herself to break his penetrating gaze and look back to Jewel.
“Anything else enlightening you have to say to me?” She asked witheringly. This conversation was going nowhere and there were more pressing matters. ‘A girl just died for fucks sake!’
Jewel continued to glare, but just as the girl opened her mouth to no doubt cut her down some more, a deep voice spoke up first, cutting through the silence of the still gathering crowd.
“Aren’t you tired of hearing yourself speak?”
Blue swiveled around to find yet again, another astonishingly handsome boy, parting the sea of Slayers as if they were ants. ‘Whatever’s in the water at this place, give me some…” She mused as she watched him come closer.
He was tall, much taller than her five foot five. His hair was close cropped, tightly buzzed and military-like. It was dark brown, almost black. His eyes were a light green color with a more orange hue towards the center, framed by chestnut colored lashes and there was a long scar down his smooth cheek. He looked older as well, probably a senior. The boy knocked knuckles with David as he took his stance beside her. His presence seemed to be doing something funny to her stomach…which was insane because Blue was generally immune to male charms and charisma.
Jewel rolled her eyes at the strange boy. “You’ve got to be shitting me Jasper…you don’t even know her!”
Jasper, in question, rolled his jade eyes before casually slinging an arm over Blues shoulder to which she promptly shrugged off.
“Maybe I just don’t like bullies.” He grumbled as he cast an annoyed look at Blue before turning back to Jewel.
“And maybe I don’t need you to defend my honor, dude.” Blue interjected.
Students around them snickered and for a moment, she could see a flicker of amusement in Jasper's’ eyes before it turned to mirth.
“I was trying to be nice, but suit yourself.” He raised his hands and backed away. “Have fun with this one though, she’s relentless when she locks onto a new target.” He nodded towards Jewel who scowled at him.
Blue rolled her eyes. “I think I’d know that better than anyone.”
For a moment she held Jasper’s gaze and it seemed like he was trying to figure her out somehow. But that was stupid. He didn’t know her and she had no plans to ever know him, despite the way he made her body feel. Yes, she knew she was being a hypocrite because just moments before she had been totally fine with Ronnie and David backing her up, but something about this unnerving boy was making her act like a bitch. Well, a bigger bitch that usual.
“Slayers! Back to your dorms! Orientation will commence tomorrow at dawn, anyone caught in the halls after curfew will lose dinner privileges for a week!” Screeched the muscular woman with close cropped blonde hair and a deep, olive complexion. She was old enough to be an instructor, but young enough that Blue could tell she’d been a student not so long ago.
Some students still looked visibly upset, while others just looked angry. They were confused as to why this situation wasn't being addressed and Blue could understand that frustration. Reluctantly though, they turned away one by one, heading off in different directions, clutching their stakes tightly and casting worried looks over their shoulders. Some eyes landed on Blue before moving away quickly and guiltily. The school would be on edge for a while to come.
Before heading back to her dorm, Blue waited for the room to clear a bit more. She really didn't want to be cornered in the halls of the large castle where there were plenty of shadows to conceal oneself. From the doorway, the blonde teacher caught her eyes with her brown ones, which were currently boring into hers with an intensity that almost made her shudder. The instructors face didn’t look welcoming, nor was her expression meant to reassure. No, she just looked suspicious, and Blue could guess why.
“Is there a reason you're lingering, Ms Graves?” Called the woman. Her voice was gruff and commanding. She strode into the room further and Blue suddenly felt a tug on her inner elbow.
“Let's get out of here…” Ronnie urged her, but Blue didn’t budge. David was already at the door.
“Go ahead, I’ll be right behind you.” She assured her roommate. Never taking her eyes off of the instructor.
Ronnie huffed “Sure you will… just stay out of trouble alright? Mrs. Slater isn’t someone you want to mess with, I promise.”
Without another word, her new friends left the room. Instinctively, Blue knew she needed to speak to Mrs. Slater. She had expected the reactions she’d received from the other students. She knew they were just teens who didn’t know any better, but this was a teacher, an adult who should have known better.
“And here you still are, Ms Graves…can I help you with something?” She asked impatiently.
Blue fr
owned at the severe looking woman. “Yeah, you can tell me what the hell that was all about. Down there, in the courtyard…you killed a student.”
Slater scoffed. “That was no student. That was an abomination, every part of the Slayer Savannah had once been was dead...gone. We did what needed to be done.”
Blue rolled her eyes. Teacher or no, the evasiveness irked her. “You know that's not what I meant. How did that girl turn? I don’t get it, something’s going on here and I want to know what.”
Slater stared at her for a moment, eyes traveling over the plains of Blues face as if searching for something but coming up empty handed.
“You forget your place, little girl. You are in no position to demand anything. As a Graves, you're lucky to even step foot on this campus much less question what goes on within its walls. You should get to your dorm before people start asking even more questions.” She snapped.
“That's not fair.” She snapped back.
“Life's not fair, Graves.” Slater stepped closer and lowered her mouth to Blues ear. “I suggest you keep your head low, lest something comes along to take it from you…”
With wide, disbelieving eyes, Blue watched her stride away with heavy steps until the only one who remained was herself and a lingering sense of unshakable dread.
Four
Sweat poured down her face as she sat up in bed that night. The moonlight shining through the window cast the entire room in a dull glow but she knew she was no longer dreaming. Heavy snores from Ronnies side of the room assured her of that.
Creeping out of bed was easy, but Blue made a mental note to rub the swamp creature noises in her roommates face the next day. Being a Slayer, letting one's guard down could be fatal. The hallway was dim and chilly, the torches had been long snuffed out and a breeze seemed to be twirling through the air, perhaps from an open window somewhere nearby. Chills raced over the surface of her pale skin and immediately she regretted venturing out in just a pair of leggings and a black t shirt. Her stomach was rumbling and that was the most important thing. She had her stakes though, she always had her stakes.
It seemed like the halls would never end as they twisted and turned through the massive castle-like building. Every door was the same arched wooden monstrosity and one could easily find themselves lost within the labyrinth. ‘Freaking Slayers... everything just has to be dramatic doesn't it? Would it kill them to install carpet? Or a heating system?” She grumbled as she rubbed her hands over her goosebumps. She wore a thick pair of socks, but she could still feel the iciness of the stones beneath her feet.
Finally, on the ground floor, Blue tiptoed into the massive kitchens which she remembered from her childhood visits. Back then, the chefs would indulge the young Slayers visiting their siblings, filling them with sweets while the parents were talking business. She remembered everything about those days, missing the familiarity of this world. Her parents had been involved in everything Slayer related, and had even been known to donate massive amounts of money to Arcane. Hell, the library once boasted the Graves family crest over the top of it's entryway thanks to her great, great grandfather's startup money during its reconstruction. That was long gone by now no doubt.
See, the Graves had been wealthy. Disgustingly so according to her sister. She was a legacy after all. Her parents and their parents before them had attended Arcane. Not only had they attended but they had excelled in all things to the point of fame. Generations of Graves had been top of their class. They had been elite warriors, always placed into the best teams the school could produce. But when everything had went to shit, their assets had been seized and dispersed amongst the victims, leaving nothing to the two girls left behind. Funny how things worked out…
After making a simple sandwich of cold turkey and cheese scavenged from the gigantic stainless steel refrigerator, Blue hoisted herself atop a smooth stone countertop and chewed in silence. It was somewhere around four in the morning and she was tired as hell after the stress of her first day, but the dreams made it impossible to sleep for long. Each night it was the same, each night it became a little more clear…
“Stealing food newbie?” Came a deep voice from the doorway.
Jumping slightly, Blue chastised herself for getting so lax, back home nobody got the drop on her, she would have heard him coming from down the hall. It was the blonde boy. The one who stared her down the day before as if she had just murdered a litter of puppies in front of him. The same hardness was there now in his dark brown eyes and it perplexed her. Did she know this boy? She didn’t think so.
“Last time I checked, I was enrolled here and have just as much right to this disgusting sandwich as anyone.” She grumbled back around a mouthful of turkey. He may be beautiful and slightly off putting, but that didn’t mean she was about to let him interrupt her dinnerbreakfast.
“What are you doing out of bed?” He asked, moving further into the room. He headed for the freezer, promptly removing a bottle of Vodka and pouring himself a glass. He looked so smooth in his practiced movements, as if this was something he did often.
She watched all of this in amusement. Was he putting on a show? If so, why?
“I don’t sleep much.” She supplied, though she really didn’t owe him an explanation at all.
“I don’t sleep at all.” He said around a small sip from his glass. He didn’t even grimace, she noted. This must be a normal night for him, the Vodka went down as smooth as water.
“I’m pretty sure you’d die without sleep.” She goaded him. She didn’t know why. Something about him ticked her off.
He raised a single eyebrow, which she realized was slightly darker than his long blonde hair. “Wanna bet?”
Blue rolled her eyes. “Okay tough guy, whatever you say.” She hopped down from the countertop.
She tried to seem unaffected as she went to pass him. The strange boy was trying to make her uncomfortable but she refused to let him have the upper hand. After dusting off the nonexistent crumbs from her shirt, Blue was jerked to a halt as a warm hand wrapped itself around her wrist.
“Are you particularly attached to that hand, pretty boy?” Turning to face him, she could see a grin beginning to tilt his lips at the side. She ignored it's charm. “Because I'm about to rip it off if you don’t let me go.” She said calmly.
He released her.
Suddenly, his face became serious. All traces of humor died in that instant and suddenly she became very nervous. The boy stepped up close to her face. He was close enough for her to note a subtle hint of burgundy shining from within his dark irises.
“You need to be careful around here. I mean it. This place isn’t safe. Slinking around the halls in the dead of night doesn’t look good for someone like you.” He warned.
She pulled her head back from his invasion of personal space.
“Someone like me? Like me how? You mean a pariah? Hated by the masses?” She huffed and rolled her eyes. “Sorry to be the first to tell you this, buddy but I don’t scare very easily. A school full of over privileged teenagers is nothing compared to what I’ve faced out there in the real world.”
He stepped closer, but before he could invade her space any more, Blue put her hand to his chest and pushed softly, just enough to let him know she meant it.
His scowl deepened. “I'm just trying to give you some helpful advice here, you don’t need to be a bitch.” He snapped.
“A bitch?” She chuckled bitterly. “I think I've earned the right to be whatever I want to be, don’t you think? People haven’t exactly been welcoming so far, including you.” She poked him in the chest.
He looked down at where she touched him and frowned even more if it were possible. She worried idly that his pretty face might become stuck that way if he kept it up. The broody thing worked for him aesthetically, but she couldn’t tell how much of it was an act. Hell, she didn’t even know his name.
Raising his hands in a passive way, he backed away from Blue and out of her space. “Alright then, do
n’t say I didn't warn you. When this all blows up in your pretty little face I hope you’re ready to handle it.”
“You think I'm pretty?” She drawled, fluttering her eyelashes mockingly.
“That’s it, I’m out.” He turned away.
Blue huffed. “I don’t believe I invited you in.”
He was gone though. She let out a relieved breath now that she was alone once again. Through the doorway she could see distant rays of sunlight just beginning to peek through the windows and light up the stone corridors, turning them various shades of orange and yellow. It was day one of classes and she couldn’t help the excitement that coursed through her. For as nonchalant as she tried to be, attending Arcane had been a lifelong goal of hers and now that the time had finally come it was almost surreal.
Five
The first two classes of the day were mostly boring. Math and Literature blah, she was ready for the good stuff.
It was close to noon when third period brought her to…‘Training Room A’, as she read it on her class schedule. There were already students inside, milling around in small groups. They were dressed in all sorts of gear from regular running outfits all the way to fighting leathers. Anticipation curled in her stomach.
She’d stopped by her dorm before heading down to the room so she was already changed out for the next few classes which included —Self Defense, Weapons Mastery and the last one, Team Building.
‘Ugh, great. Just what I need, a team who would probably rather use me as bait.’ She thought with a sneer. It wasn't that she didn’t want to be part of a team, in fact, she’d always fantasized about who those Slayers would be. Slayer teams were closer than family. Their units were tight, they had to be if they planned to put their lives in each others hands. Deep down though, she feared the day she would be placed with a team…they would probably hate her on sight.
The first twenty minutes of class focused on stretching and loosening up their muscles. Many of the students at Arcane had spent their summers with their families and not necessarily a part of any sort of action. Blue couldn’t help but feel a little smug at that. While these kids hung around with their mommies and daddies, Blue and Harlow had been out there slaying bloodsuckers and saving human lives.
Blue Blooded: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Arcane Academy Slayers: Book 1 ) Page 3