by Bailey, G.
Hazel and I have already parted ways with the other guys now that breakfast is over, and we’re standing in one of the upstairs hallways now, trying to make sense of a campus map that was provided to us at dinner last night. “God, this place is confusing,” she mutters.
“I think you’re holding it the wrong way,” I tell her, pointing. “That’s the Siren wing, right? So you should go up a level.”
“Really?” She frowns. “I thought that was down a level.”
“Is it…?” I furrow my brow. “Shit, I think you’re right. So then where the hell do I go? I have vampire shifting next!” I rake a hand through my hair. “I should’ve stuck with Hunter.”
“Come on, you know his sister’s going to make life difficult for you,” Hazel tells me. “Better to just give her a wide berth, I think.”
I sigh. “Maybe you’re right. So how are the Murakami twins?”
“Fantastic,” she tells me, her eyes bright. “Seriously. It’s nice to know I’m close to the rest of you guys, and as for them…” A sly grin appears on her face. “That Xander isn’t too hard on the eyes, is he?”
I raise an eyebrow. “I guess not. Are you interested?”
She just winks at me. “That would be giving it away,” she teases, and then nudges me playfully. “Well, I guess I’d better go upstairs, then. Don’t want to be late to my first class here. Do you think you can make it to yours okay?”
I shrug dismissively. “I’ll figure it out.”
“Godspeed,” she replies, giving me a mock salute before tipping me a wave and disappearing down the hall.
I’m left to try to make sense of the map on my own, and I end up surprising even myself by making it to vampire shifting class a minute before the bell rings. It’s a sea of white and golden uniforms, and I can see Amelia and Hunter on the far left side of the classroom, talking in low voices. In the back corner, I see Lyle, whose eyes drift unnervingly over to me as I enter the room. The teacher, an older woman with graying hair, holds out a hand to me as I come to a stop. “Nice to meet you,” she says. “I’m Professor Cochran. It’s free seating here, so feel free to take any of the open desks, Ms…”
“Brix,” I reply, shaking her hand. “Millie Brix.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Wow,” she says. “I think we lucked out today, everyone.”
I balk when the other students’ attention settles on me, feeling put on the spot. “Sorry,” I say, brow furrowing. “‘Lucked out’?”
Professor Cochran nods eagerly. “I’ve been teaching here for nearly forty years, and I’ve never once had the privilege of having a hybrid as a student!”
Just like that, all the air seems to go out of the room. There’s an awkward rustling amongst the other students, followed by hushed whispers as their eyes practically burn a hole in my forehead.
I grimace.
So much for flying under the radar.
Chapter 34
I clear my throat, continuing to balk under the gazes of seemingly everyone in the classroom—specifically Lyle, who is giving me a look I can’t put my finger on. “Well,” Professor Cochran says, when the silence finally becomes unbearable, “I think this is a bit new for everyone here. Hybrids are exceedingly rare, so I think we should all take this as an opportunity to expand our knowledge. Sorry to put you on the spot like that,” she adds, leaning in closer to me.
“Don’t worry about it,” I tell her, relaxing a little. “I guess I’ll go find a seat, then.”
She nods. “We’ll get started in another couple minutes.”
Clutching my bookbag to my chest, I work my way to the back of the room and dropping into a desk. Hunter glances at me over his shoulder, and our eyes meet for a moment; he gives me a questioning look, and I shrug my shoulders. Could be better, could be worse. At least no one is giving me shit for my origins, the way Amelia does—although I don’t miss the stink eye she shoots me when Hunter finally turns his attention away.
I’m only just starting to get situated when Lyle comes over, taking a seat in the desk right next to me. He continues to give me that penetrating stare, made all the more unnerving by his corpse-like appearance. Finally, I can’t stand it anymore, and I turn to look at him. “Sorry, was I in your seat?” It’s a stupid question, but anything to get him to stop giving me that look.
He gives me a thin smile. “So you’re the hybrid,” he says, and my shoulders slump. If this is any indication, the rest of my time here is going to be equally coloured by my unique abilities. I can only hope it’s in a positive way, although I know better than to get too optimistic. I return his smile, nodding. “You were in my tour group yesterday,” he observes, leaning back in his chair. “I remember you. There was something about you, although I couldn’t figure out what… I sort of just had it chalked up to you being - well, gorgeous.”
I blink, startled. This just took an interesting turn. “I… thank you,” I say, feeling my face heat up a little. “I appreciate it.”
“No need to thank me,” he says. “It’s true. I mean, I have to admit, the whole hybrid thing’s a bit odd, but not a deal breaker. Call it a case study in interspecies interaction, right?” His smile turns a bit predatory, and I stiffen in my seat. I don’t like the way he’s looking at me, like I’m some kind of novelty - a snack he’s eagerly getting ready to devour.
“Well,” I reply, a little dryly, “I’m so glad I have your approval.”
“Hey, hey, I mean no disrespect,” he protests, putting his hands up. “I’m just curious, is all. I’ve heard rumours about hybrids, but I never thought I’d actually meet one.”
I open my mouth to ask what sort of rumours he’s referring to, but think better of it at the last minute. I’m already on edge from my introduction to the class, and I don’t like where this conversation is going. There’s something off-putting about this guy, and I feel exposed under his gaze. I clear my throat and return my gaze to the front of the room without responding.
“Silent treatment, eh?” Lyle sighs, shaking his head. “You girls are all the same. Offended by a bit of friendly conversation. You’d think shifters would be better at it than humans, but I guess you’d be wrong.” I set my jaw, not responding. I can’t tell if he’s intentionally trying to provoke me or just being an ass, but I can feel myself getting agitated, the magic in my stomach waking up even as I try to keep a level head. Lyle doesn’t seem to take the hint. “What, you’re just going to ignore me? Not very nice, considering I’m your RA.”
Hunter turns back around in his seat, his blue eyes darting from me to Lyle as the older student speaks. He’s gripping the back of his chair so hard that his knuckles are turning white, an uncharacteristically fierce look appearing on his face. He looks like he’s about to speak up when Professor Cochran begins to talk, silencing the class and bringing our attention back to the front of the room. Saved by the bell, so to speak.
As per usual, the class consists of theory and practice, similar to how the lessons are structured back at the home campus. Cochran takes her time lecturing us about a couple of significant events in the history of vampire shifters, and then we break into groups to practice shifting. I end up with a couple of other girls who seem to be having an easier time with it than I am, although my struggles are as much due to anxiety as to problems concentrating; I can feel Lyle’s eyes on me throughout the class, even though he’s on the other side of the room, and every time I look up he just gives me that wolfish, unsettling smile, like he’s reveling in my discomfort. It’s only by watching Hunter that I’m able to calm myself down, although he seems as distracted by Lyle’s words as I am. He’s partnered with his sister, whose demeanor softens around him as she patiently tries to coax any sort of transformation out of him, but no dice. In spite of his best efforts, he remains thoroughly human, if pale, and the frustration on his face is evident by the time the exercise ends.
Vampire form is one of the easier ones for me - that and siren seem to have come to me most easily since I start
ed at the Academy. Granted, I’ve managed to get into all of my forms at least once, although some of them are more a struggle than others - dragon, especially, which I haven’t been able to replicate since the one time I transformed while fighting Samantha. It doesn’t help that Lyle has me shaken up for the remainder of the class, and it’s almost a relief when the bell finally rings and we begin to file out. I hang back until most of the students have dispersed, and then make my way outside and onto the quad, hoping to get some fresh air. Not the best start here, all things considered, but at least there was no overt crisis - even if Lyle is shaping up to be a thorn in my side.
Famous last words.
Almost immediately after I step onto the grassy lawn, I find myself face-to-face with the older shifter once again. He’s leaning against one of the statues, his arms crossed over his chest, seemingly waiting for another chance to talk to me. “So, I was thinking,” he says, coming to stand in front of me, “maybe you and I should have a drink together. I know you’re not technically old enough here, but I am, so…” He shrugs, smirking. “It might loosen you up a little bit.”
I glare at him. “And why do you think I need to loosen up?”
“You just seem so tense,” Lyle replies coolly, raising an eyebrow. “I mean, listen, Millie, now’s your chance to open up a bit. You’re here, you’re unsupervised… and you’ve got an upperclassman who’s very interested in getting to know you.” That predatory grin appears on his face again. “Trust me when I say that doesn’t happen very often.”
“Lucky me,” I mutter, looking up at him defiantly. The height difference is staggering, and I can’t help but feel a little intimidated. “Thanks, Lyle, but I’ll pass.”
“That’s a shame,” Lyle says, taking hold of my upper arm, “because people don’t usually say no to me.”
“I just did,” I snap, trying to wrench free. “You’ll have to forgive me for not wanting to be a project for someone with a hybrid fetish.”
That seems to set him off, and his eyes flash as his grip tightens. “What the hell did you just say to me?” he demands, and a wave of panic shoots through me. We’re far enough away from the main building that I doubt there’s any faculty around, and it’s not lunch yet, so the courtyard is more or less deserted. Fuck. This isn’t where I wanted this to go.
Entitled asshole, I think, still struggling against his hand, which is like a vice around my arm. I can feel my shifter magic starting to flare up again, and I struggle to stay calm in the face of what might happen; I’ve gotten into one brawl already since starting my training. I’m not looking to get into another, so instead I just say, “You heard me.”
“You’re new around here, so I’ll let you off easy,” Lyle says, his voice dangerously low, “but you’re going to learn very quickly that you don’t just get to insult me to my face.”
“Let me go.” I take a step back, but he moves with me, and my heart rate speeds up.
“You first years are all the same,” he sneers. “Someone ought to teach you some respect.”
“Get the fuck off her.” We both whip our heads around to see Hunter stalking up to us, his hair like fire in the midmorning sun.
Lyle raises his eyebrows. “I remember you. You’re that kid who can’t even grow fangs yet. Are you sure you want to get involved in this?”
“That’s funny, coming from an RA in the beginners’ class,” Hunter fires back. “They must’ve held you back longer than me.”
The anger in Lyle’s eyes is sudden and intense, and within moments he’s transforming, his vampiric strength increasing his hold on my arm as his eyes turn red and his fangs extend from his mouth. “You tell me,” he says, rounding on Hunter. “On second thought, maybe you ought to stick around, too,” he adds after a moment. “It sounds like you and your girlfriend could both use a lesson on the way things work at our school.”
He wrenches me toward him painfully, and I cry out. Hunter’s eyes flash, and he lunges for the older guy, slamming into him at full force. I’ve never seen him get this aggressive before, and it stuns me more than the pain in my arm, but Lyle just lets out a barking laugh and shoves him away. His vampire strength is enough to send Hunter flying, landing in a heap a few feet away.
“Hunter!” I yell, my eyes wide with panic. The redhead struggles to sit up, blood on his face, and a rush of anger and fear take me over. The world narrows around me, I feel my magic surge, and I summon the first form that comes to mind: in an instant, green scales are rippling up my arms, my physique becoming svelte and reptilian as I transform into a siren. That seems to throw Lyle for a loop, and his grip loosens for a brief moment, long enough for me to shove him away.
I’ve never done it before, but I’ve seen Landon and Hazel do it enough times to give it the old college try, as they say, letting out a loud, shrill shriek that’s enough to make Hunter clap his hands over his ears. Almost as soon as he hears it, Lyle’s demeanor changes, his eyes going wide and fixing on me at the first sound of my siren song.
Damn, I think, with a touch of surprise, that was cool. Then I turn back to the older student, my eyes flashing with anger. “Get out of here,” I tell him, “and leave us the hell alone.”
I’m not under any illusions that my abilities are on par with Landon’s and Hazel’s, but the scream I managed seems to be enough to get him to follow the basic command, and wordlessly, the vampire shifter turns on his heel, brushing past me and moving with unnatural, lurching steps back towards the main building. I watch him long enough to make sure he goes inside before shifting back to human and hurrying to where Hunter is.
“Are you okay?” I ask him, holding out a hand and helping him to his feet.
He wipes the blood off his upper lip, looking away. “What do you think?” he asks.
“I’m sorry he hurt you,” I say, touching his shoulder. “If you need the nurse, we can-”
“What? No.” He shakes his head. “I mean, that’s not the problem.” He turns in the direction Lyle went. “I can’t believe he talked to you that way,” he says, his voice shaking a little, and I’m taken aback. I don’t think I’ve seen him quite like this before. He looks angry, frustrated, confused… but most of all, embarrassed.
“Thank you for intervening,” I tell him. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up.”
Hunter just snorts, shaking his head. “Right. Intervening. For all the good that did.” He kicks a loose stone, sending it rolling away in the grass, not meeting my eyes as he jams his hands in his pockets. “I’m useless. I can’t transform, not even to help the girl I-” But then he stops short, his mouth closing so hard I can hear his teeth click. Ducking his head, he takes a step away from me. “Fucking great.”
I feel a burst of colour in my cheeks, and think back to our conversation before we left for Boston as I watch this brooding, self-loathing vampire-shifter, this guy who’s spent his life in his sister’s shadow. I’ve spent so long thinking about my own difficulties that I’ve practically forgotten I’m not the only one who’s struggling. And my dad isn’t on the school board. A wave of emotion hits me then, and before I can stop them, the words come tumbling out. “Maybe I can teach you. How to transform, I mean.”
Hunter meets my eyes then, a glimmer of hope on his face, along with a healthy dose of skepticism. “You… want to teach me?”
I shrug. “I mean, no promises, but… Shade really helped me figure out what was holding me back before. I’m not a master, by any means, but maybe you just need the right perspective, you know? Someone who’s not a teacher or your sister.”
He looks at me for a long time, seemingly torn. Several emotions flit over his face, and I can see the conflict in his eyes - as well as a hint of what might even be desire. Then he finally clears his throat. “I mean… I can’t say I’m expecting much, but… I wouldn’t mind.” He gives me a rare smile. “What do I have to lose at this point?”
I grin back at him, nudging him playfully with my elbow, and a fam
iliar spark passes between us. “That’s more like it,” I say. “How’s eight tonight, then? Professor Brix, Vampire Shifting 101. Don’t be late.”
Chapter 35
The American campus isn’t nearly as big or spread out as ours, which doesn’t exactly make it ideal for practicing magic, but I’ve always been told to make do with what I have, and tonight is no exception. I’m not about to let something as simple as not having enough space prevent me from helping Hunter, if I can.
The rest of the day’s classes were quiet and uneventful compared to what happened with Lyle, which is saying something, considering we’re at a new school on the other side of the world. The American teachers have a different sensibility about them than ours, along with a tendency to be less formal, but there’s no mistaking the power each of them holds. Silas mentioned to me that the East Coast has a higher density of shifters than other areas of the country, which explains why there are so many students here - and why the conference would be called in a place like Boston, right under the noses of hundreds of thousands of people. I guess that’s what they mean when they talk about hiding in plain sight.
The curfew isn’t until around nine-thirty or ten, which gives us plenty of time to wander - or, in my case, try to coach Hunter into his form. I can’t say I have high hopes, which is as much a reflection on my self-confidence as it is on his abilities; I’m not exactly the prime example of a capable shifter, but if there’s anything I can do to make it easier for him, then I’m willing to give it a shot. Especially after watching him put himself at risk for me like he did earlier.
I dig in my pocket for my cell phone as I make my way down the sidewalk and up onto the grassy hill that borders on the parking lot. I end up coming to a halt right where we stopped after transporting yesterday, squinting against the darkness to see if Hunter’s here yet. I’m halfway to sending him a text when there’s the crunching of grass behind me, and I turn around to see the ginger vampire shifter climbing the hill, his hands in his pockets. He’s wearing his classic look of slightly on-edge concern, and it’s endearing; this is clearly a guy who isn’t used to breaking the rules, and he seems as unsure of himself as I am of myself. “Hey,” he says, hunching his lanky shoulders and looking around.