by Ilana Waters
“I . . . what?” Most people talked about my father’s blood drinking in hushed tones. But Colleen didn’t seem the least bit frightened by it. Then again, it was difficult to imagine Colleen being afraid of anything. I watched the bucket’s level of soapy water rise. “You do realize that’s not how genetics works, right? No one is born a vampire; it’s not part of any DNA. None of those traits carry over. Just like a person who got a cut on the arm wouldn’t have children with cuts on their arms.”
“But I thought that’s why you wore sunglasses. Because vampire eyes are sensitive to the light.” She dunked both mops in the bucket and moved one across the floor to me.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” I pretended to concentrate hard on my mopping. They’re just a convenient way to avoid making eye contact, I thought to myself.
“And you’re supposed to have bloodred lips that drip with . . . I don’t know . . . blood or something.” Colleen’s gaze moved sideways toward mine. Although our mops were at opposite ends of the room, she was standing awfully close to me.
“Once again, I did not inherit any vampiric—”
“But of course, they’re not dripping with blood. In fact, they’re not even that red.” Suddenly, Colleen had developed a single-minded obsession with my lips. She kept staring at them, stroking them with her thumb. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you. They just have a healthy pink color. Very kissable.”
My mop stopped. So did Colleen’s. Our eyes flickered over one another’s faces, searching. I don’t know what for. Permission, maybe? Permission to finally have something that was ours, without school or enemies or parents barking at the periphery? Whatever it was, it must have been granted. My heart pounded and my head swam as my lips met Colleen’s.
Colleen opened her mouth, and my tongue pushed inside. My hand was at the back of her neck, pulling her to me. She wrapped her hands around my waist and up to my shoulders. I felt a zinging sensation right down to my toes. It may have taken a pit stop at a few other organs, but I won’t burden the reader’s delicate sensibilities.
Warm and wet and soft. Everything mingled. I felt possessed: a demon lost in ecstasy. As if something was taking control of my body, making me do the things I’d wanted to do for so long. I desperately wished I knew what Colleen was thinking, but didn’t dare read her thoughts. Our mops clattered to the floor, splashing dirty water where they fell.
Colleen’s head fell back, and she laughed—a breathless, tinkling sound as her eyes shone up at me. I smiled back. Colleen pulled me close, this time sideways. Our arms were wrapped around one another, Colleen’s head resting against my cheek. The scent of gardenias floated up from her hair. We stared out the gym windows onto the moors, until Colleen pointed to something in the upper corner.
“Look!” she cried. “A snowflake.”
“So it is.” I kept smiling and held her tighter. Soon, all of Equinox would be dusted with snow. Sparkling faerie dust sprinkled over all the ugliness of my life.
But not quite as ugly as before, I thought to myself. Maybe Equin isn’t so bad. I had a boyfriend. Girlfriend. So what if he—she—was a little unconventional? That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I was hardly the poster child for convention myself.
Colleen and I watched the first wisps of snow begin to fall. Maybe this means a fresh slate, I thought to myself. Maybe things are finally starting to turn around. I leaned in for another kiss. Our lips were a hair’s breadth away when Miles burst in through the double doors.
“What’s this?” he puffed. “No time for hanky-panky, you two. Let’s go. Specs called an emergency assembly.”
“Emergency?” I echoed as Colleen and I separated. “What emergency?”
“There’s been a break-in.”
Chapter 13
“We believe the storage room theft occurred sometime yesterday, between the hours of one and two p.m.” Specs strode back and forth on the auditorium’s stage, the four housemasters seated behind him. His watchful fae gaze bored into us, and he seemed to glare at everyone, and yet no one in particular. “Professor Clarke went to retrieve supplies at twelve forty-five. A Phineas clock inside was smashed; the time showed it stopped a little over an hour after Professor Clarke’s visit. And there it remained, until Professor Wintertowne attempted to enter the storage room this morning, only to find the door broken, and its contents in disarray.”
The entire student body was quiet and somber as we listened to the details of the break-in. Our gazes flitted nervously to one another. Only Oliver stared, unwavering, at the stage, but even he looked especially stern.
Which storage room is Specs talking about? Miles asked us. Equin must have dozens.
The storage room, Pen thought back. You know, where they keep all the important potions, stones of power, et cetera.
Oooh. That storage room. Miles’s eyes widened.
“But make no mistake,” Specs turned sharply on his heel, “we will find whoever stole the hologram potion and discipline them accordingly.” Again, the glare meant for all—and no one—at the same time.
A hologram potion? Colleen thought. She sat on my left-hand side, eyebrows knitted together. That’s all they took?
Isn’t that what they use in light shows and plays? asked Imogen.
Out of all the things in there, why take a hologram potion? Miles asked. I mean, it’s not even that powerful. There must be more deadly poisons, love spells, stuff that . . . I don’t know, turns other stuff to gold.
Pen rolled her eyes. I don’t know if the Craft supplies there are quite that powerful, Miles. But yeah, there must be some pretty keen magic on those shelves. Stealing a hologram potion is like nicking a breath mint when there are mounds of chocolate bars right next to them.
But couldn’t a hologram spell be dangerous in the wrong hands? asked Suyin.
I stroked my chin. Unlikely, I thought back. They don’t even last that long. It’s like Imogen said—they’re mostly used for special effects. But Miles was right. There were tons of other potent stuff that were just left there. Weird.
Special effects? Suyin echoed.
Yep, Pen thought. I heard that the drama club was interrogated, and had their rooms searched. But the potion was never found.
Why not just search all the rooms and students, then? Miles asked.
Pen smacked Miles in the arm. You really want them going through our private things?
Well, no, but—
Colleen shook her head. There’s no time, anyway. Everyone’s leaving for Samhain break after this. Parents picking up their kids won’t want to be held up by a search, and they’d likely take umbrage that one was conducted at all.
None would even want to contemplate that their kid could’ve done it, Pen added.
Suyin nodded. Boy, the thief sure timed this one well. They’ll probably take it with them when they leave, and no one will ever find it.
Maybe that’s why they took it, Miles thought. Just as a prank, or because they wanted to make some cool holograms over the break.
Maybe, I thought back. But ransacking the storage room? Seems like an awful risk to take just for a lark. That’s the kind of thing that can get you expelled.
Shhh! I can’t hear Specs over all your mind-speak, Imogen chided.
“We are looking into putting further security measures in place on all storage facilities.” Specs continued pacing briskly across the stage, hands clasped behind his back. “We’re not sure how someone was able to break in with all the magical wards on the door, but that is also under investigation.” He continued on about how the perpetrator’s actions brought shame to Equinox, witches in general, et cetera.
Yeah, security measures. How did they get past those protections? Miles asked.
It’s possible a bright enough student could do it, Colleen replied. Not many, but a few. Calls for some advanced magic, though. Whoever it was would have to be a six former, I imagine.
“Are there any questions?” Spe
cs’s voice indicated there should be absolutely no questions. Still, one student timidly raised their hand.
“Why do you think it was one of us?” she asked. All eyes turned to her, some of them accusing. “I mean . . . it’s just . . .” she stammered. “Couldn’t the thief have come from the outside? They might not even be a witch.”
“Don’t be daft,” the student next to her scoffed. “You know how heavily guarded Equin’s location is. Mortals would never find it.”
“That is very likely correct,” Specs said. “And besides the actual break-in itself, there is no evidence of a witch or other supernatural trespassing on the grounds. None of the school’s boundary spells were broken, or even tampered with.” The girl nodded and slumped down in her seat.
So, this was definitely an inside job, I thought.
“Does anyone have any other questions?” Specs asked. “No? Then, needless to say, I do not expect this type of behavior after you’ve all returned from break. Let this Samhain be a new start for us all, and bring trouble to Equinox no more. Have a good holiday. You are dismissed.”
Specs exited the stage, and we rose from our seats. Chairs groaned and shoes squeaked. We gathered around the doors for various professors to take us back to class. I saw Victor and his goons, along with Nadine, Geoffrey, and Roger in the queue opposite me. At least I could take comfort in holding Colleen’s warm, soft hand. I gave it a gentle squeeze, and felt her squeeze back. The room was abuzz with whispers.
“Hologram potions . . . what’s next?” Nadine was saying. “I hope no one takes anything of mine.”
“No one wants your ratty old stuff, Nadine.” Victor waved his hand at her.
“If they catch the bloke, think he’ll get barred from Tournament?” another student asked.
“Or she,” said Nadine.
“Barred from Tournament?” Roger repeated. “They’ll be lucky if they’re not turned over to the Council, and that’s after they get expelled.” Roger glared at me as he said it, perhaps wishing the mere thought of such a thing would send me home for good.
“What’s the matter, Roger?” I called. “Why the dirty looks? Not quite gotten over our kiss yet?”
A few students snickered, and now Nadine was giving me dagger eyes as well.
“Speaking of things that need expelling,” she said, her voice dripping with loathing, “why are you hanging out with that half-breed, Colleen?”
“Yeah.” Roger wrapped his arm around Nadine’s waist. “You oughta find yourself a real man.”
“If only you were still available, Roger.” Colleen heaved a dramatic sigh. “But I guess once you go twat, you never go back.” She looked straight at Nadine. Exclamations broke out all around us.
“You sodding, ugly man-bitch,” Nadine hissed. I felt Colleen tense up, but I just held onto her hand more tightly. “Come over here and say that,” Nadine said. “Roger will beat the crap out of you.” Roger’s alarmed gaze swiveled back and forth between the two girls.
“Please.” Colleen tossed her hair. “I wouldn’t sully my blade with his flesh.”
“Alderman doesn’t seem to mind sullying things—like Equin’s good name,” Victor said.
Damn. I’d been hoping he’d ignore the entire exchange and let us return to class in peace.
“After all, didn’t the break-in happen during your free period?” Victor said. “Again?” Dirk and Mason grunted in agreement. “One of the few times you didn’t spend it tainting House of Fire, that is. Though I’d say it’s fairly tarnished already.” He looked at Colleen.
“Please don’t make me ream you out the arse with my arse reamer.” Colleen let go of my hand and glamoured a sword. She effortlessly swished it inches from Victor’s face. Even though it was a fake weapon, Victor took a step back, and Dirk and Mason went pale. “You’re too young to die.” She saw Professor Martinez scanning the crowd, and quickly made the sword disappear.
“I’m just saying,” Victor continued, keeping a watchful eye on Colleen, “first Cerridwen, now the break-in. All these things seem to happen just when you have a free moment, Alderman. I’d call that a hell of a coincidence.” Colleen bit her lip and glanced at Miles, Pen, Imogen, and Suyin. They looked like they had questions, too.
“That’s exactly what a coincidence is,” I said. “Two things that seem related, but aren’t.” But even as I said it, I knew that crying “coincidence” wasn’t the world’s strongest defense. It’s sort of saying the other side can’t prove anything. Even speaking the words makes one seem guilty. Colleen scratched the back of her neck. Miles and the rest stared at the ground, reluctant to meet my eyes.
“Then again, I suppose these sorts of incidents are to be expected when they fill up the school with a certain class of people,” Victor said.
“Careful, Wright.” My voice darkened. “I could give you a bloody nose, or worse. It’ll match that entitlement you wear so well.”
“Did you hear that?” Victor asked loudly. He raised his chin and turned to the left and right, giving his booming voice as much range as possible. “Did you hear how he threatened me?”
“Can it, Wright,” Miles said halfheartedly. Professors started calling the names of their classes. Groups of students broke off to form even shorter queues at the doors.
“You do believe me, don’t you?” I whispered to Miles and the others.
“Of course we do,” Pen said. But she didn’t smile. “Look, we have to get back to class. Catch you later, okay?” She and the others went quickly to their respective queues, until only Colleen remained. I turned to her as she was about to leave.
“Leenie, you believe me, don’t you? You know I didn’t do it.”
“Of course I believe you, darling,” Colleen replied. But there was just enough doubt in her eyes to worry me. Our newfound romance was tenuous. She could easily dump me for someone else if she thought I was guilty. I mean, she had her pick of people; she didn’t need to pick me. Why would she? Simpler to choose a companion not regularly charged with crimes against witchcraft. She gave me a quick peck on the cheek and dashed into her queue. Students started filing out of the auditorium after their professors.
I rubbed my temples. The lightheaded feeling I had with Colleen less than an hour ago had vanished. Even the celebratory atmosphere of Samhain seemed dampened. Once again, just as I thought I saw a ray of hope, someone shut the lights off on the world.
I can’t believe I ever thought Equinox would be boring.
***
“I didn’t do it!”
“I don’t care if you did it or not!” My father’s voice was halfway between a holler and a growl. It was like having a mad dog at the other end of the phone. “I’d just like to think that if you did do it, you wouldn’t be stupid enough to get caught.”
Trust Titus Aurelius never to let a little breaking and entering trouble his mind. I twisted the old-fashioned phone cord around my finger. My father fed on underworld criminals on a regular basis; he probably viewed petty theft as a step down from murder. Though I’d always suspected his killing evildoers over innocents stemmed from a desire to attract less attention from law enforcement, rather than from a moral conscience.
It was later that night, and almost everyone else had gone home for Samhain break. This included Oliver, which meant I was blessedly free of his watchful eye. Victor, too, had left, bragging about the ski trip he and his family were going on with some European royalty. Unfortunately, Miles, Pen, and Colleen were also spending the holiday at their parents’ houses. Colleen said she wished she could stay with me. But she’d promised her dad she’d come home, and since he was a widower, it didn’t seem fair to make him spend Samhain without his children.
“I told you,” my father continued, “I didn’t want to hear from Specs again that you’d caused some kind of trouble.”
I dropped the phone cord. “Specs said that? He’s lying, or mistaken. I didn’t do it!” This was pointless. It seemed that noth
ing I said to my father—or anyone—really mattered.
“He didn’t explicitly name you as the culprit, no. But I don’t see him calling up any of the other parents to inform them when something goes awry.”
“Well, how would you know if he did?” I asked. “You aren’t here.”
“That’s because I’m up to my jugular in bureaucratic paperwork over this casino,” Titus snapped. Paperwork, I thought to myself. Locating Abigail now ranks below pushing around pieces of dead tree. I shook my head in disgust. Why had I ever thought Titus cared about finding my mother?
“I also don’t feel I should have to travel five thousand miles to babysit my teenage son,” he added. “You know, being sent to one of the finest schools in the world is a privilege. Not many children have the advantages you do.”
“Not many fathers would leave their son alone in the middle of the woods for three days and call it wilderness training,” I muttered. “Remember that? When I was ten? Hell’s sake—I could’ve been eaten by a wild animal.”
“Perhaps I should have arranged for that.” Titus’s voice was like the low rumble of thunder in the distance. “It’s not too late, you know.”
“And did you know you can still be a hard-ass without being an ass?”
There were a few more colorful words and phrases before Titus and I hung up on each other. I rubbed my temples. Yelling with my father had given me a migraine. I climbed out of the phone booth and leaned my forehead on it.
“Oy, Josh.” Miles’s head poked around the common room door. “Good thing I caught you before you went to sleep.”
“Miles?” I lifted my head. “You’re still here?”
“Yeah. I’m just about to leave. But I’ve a message for you first: you’re wanted in the headmaster’s office.”
I made a face. “Are you sure? I think he’s getting rather tired of me.”
Miles put up his hands. “Don’t blame me, mate. Just the messenger. Specs told me to tell you to hightail it down there if you were still awake.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Anyway, I gotta go. Mum and Dad are waitin’ for me downstairs with the car. Still complaining they didn’t get here till near midnight ’cause of the traffic. Happy Samhain. Have a great break!” He held up his hand in a brief wave and was gone.