Outrun

by Annabel Chase

  Bryn landed on her side with a thud. Justin scrambled to his feet and ran off without a word. Professor Langley loomed over Bryn, his expression neutral.

  “Let me guess,” Bryn said, nearly breathless. “I’m in trouble.”

  Professor Langley extended a hand to help her to her feet. “For what, Miss Morrow?”

  Bryn smiled and took his hand, pulling herself upright. “Thanks.”

  “I don’t understand how he can think that way,” Cerys said. “What if there was some plague that only affected witches and wizards? How upset would he be to hear that vampires were pleased by the development?”

  “Mr. Holloway is guided by his upbringing,” Professor Langley said. “One would have thought that four years at this fine institution would rid him of his ill-conceived notions.”

  “How is he going to be an agent?” Bryn said. “What if his partner is a vampire? What if he has to track down a vampire and bring the suspect in unharmed? Can we trust he’ll do that?”

  “Your concerns are valid,” Professor Langley said. “Do not despair. The AMF will not tolerate his attitude. It will come to light sooner or later and be dealt with a way that he will not likely forget.”

  “My money’s on sooner since he doesn’t seem to care about expressing his opinion openly,” Bryn said. She threw her arms out in frustration. “Gray works here. He’s helped that little weasel perfect his skills in the field. Was he quietly hating Gray the whole time?” She shook her head sadly.

  “Nobody could hate Gray,” I said. “He’s a wonderful asset to the academy.”

  “He’s wonderful, period,” Bryn replied. She retrieved her wand from the ground and tucked it away. “Let’s go to the cafeteria. I need food after that.”

  Professor Langley bowed his head slightly. “The stew is excellent today.”

  “Finally, some good news!” Bryn said, pumping her fist in the air.

  The professor continued across the academy grounds and my roommates and I started to gather our belongings. A flash of light caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I peered at the tall, shadowy figure lurking in the orchard and my heart seized.

  “Brown Coat?” I said. My confusion rose to the surface with that single phrase. I’d been worried about what I would say when I saw him. Should I attack him? That seemed unnecessary. Declan had helped me. He even came to see me when he heard about Lucille…How had he heard the news? Sources, he’d said. Inwardly, I groaned. What if Nick was right and Declan was part of some larger scheme? What if he’d been playing me all this time? No surprise I was naive enough to fall for it.

  “Did you say Brown Coat?” Dani whirled around. “Where? I want to meet this guy. Make sure he’s on the level.”

  I blinked and the figure was gone. “I…I must’ve been mistaken.”

  Cerys smiled. “I think someone is daydreaming.”

  “A hot guy in a leather duster?” Dani said. “That’s a daydream I wouldn’t mind having.”

  “You have Peter,” I said. “You don’t need Brown Coat.”

  Dani tapped her finger against her cheek. “Peter in a long leather coat. Now you’re giving me ideas.”

  “You all go ahead and I’ll meet you in the cafeteria,” I said. “I’m going to do a sweep of the orchard first.”

  Bryn elbowed Cerys. “Listen to the Keeper of the North over here. A sweep. She’s already incorporating the lingo.”

  “Sorry, we can’t all make Star Wars references,” I said. That was a lie. I’d never seen a Star Wars film, but, between Bryn and Peter, I could recite the dialogue thanks to my constant exposure to it.

  They continued toward the building and I veered left to investigate the orchard. “Declan?” I called. There was no sign of my mysterious stalker. I looped though the trees, hoping to catch another glimpse of him. It couldn’t have been a daydream, could it?

  “Well done for spotting me,” Declan said.

  My stomach clenched at the sound of his voice and I turned to find him leaning against one of the larger trees. “You’re hard to miss in that uniform you love so much.”

  He glanced down at his leather coat. “This old thing?”

  “Oh, please. You wear that to look intimidating.” And sexy. I opted not to add that last part. Focus, Mia, I scolded myself. This guy might be involved in a sinister plot and I was busy admiring his looks.

  Declan smoothed the front of his coat. “Is it effective? Wait, don’t answer that.” He plucked a golden apple from a low-hanging branch and took a bite. “These are delicious. If I went to school here, I’d be out here every day for a snack.”

  “Which begs the question—why are you here?”

  “Why else? To see you.” He chewed and swallowed his bite of apple. “I heard what happened with your warden friend. Two weeks is a problem. This thing could wipe out half the quadrant in two weeks.”

  “I know. Not sure what I can do about it.”

  He shot me an inquisitive look. “You’re going to keep investigating, aren’t you? You’re not going to wait for the jaguar?”

  “Why do you care?” I asked. “I thought you were only in this because of Sela.”

  “That’s how it started. I think we can both agree it’s become infinitely more fascinating since then,” he replied.

  “Well, you’ll be pleased to know I’m not waiting.”

  “Good, that’s what I assumed. There’s a meeting tonight. Vampire enclave. If I were you, I’d want to know what happens there.”

  I peered at him. “How do you know about the enclave? You’re not a vampire.” And vampires kept their secret meetings closely guarded. If it weren’t for Bryn’s big mouth, I wouldn’t have known about the meeting already.

  He smirked. “I know a lot of things. It comes with my territory.”

  “And what exactly is your territory?” I took a hesitant step closer. “You still haven’t told me anything about yourself, other than the fact that you have an oracle on standby.”

  “Haven’t I?” He finished the apple and tossed the core onto the ground. “My name is Declan and I know things that can help you. What more do you need?”

  I crossed my arms. “Your timing is interesting, don’t you think? You were at Nonesuch, yet came away unscathed.”

  “I can say the same about you.”

  “What if you’re responsible for all this?” I asked.

  “Me? What possible reason could I have?”

  “Tell me more about yourself and I’ll figure it out.”

  “Why would I bring you information if I caused this mess?” he asked. “I would disappear into the wind and not give you another thought.”

  “Why choose me?” I studied him. “Maybe because I’m young and naive and will believe your story?”

  He pushed off from the tree and straightened. “Or maybe because I sensed the kind of witch you are.”

  “And what kind of witch is that?”

  He edged closer. “Kind. Compassionate. Smart.” He paused. “Beautiful.”

  I stared at him, flustered. Nick’s doubts came rushing to the forefront. “I don’t know whether to trust you.”

  “Why? Because you can’t believe that someone would see all those qualities in you? I must be a fraud because I think you’re amazing?”

  I shook my head. “How can you think I’m amazing? You barely know me.”

  “I’ve seen enough, Mia,” he said. “I told you, I’ve been around a long time. It takes very little for me to glean someone’s essence. Most of the time I find them wanting but yours…” The way he looked at me made me shiver—but with pleasure rather than fear.

  “You don’t have a stake in this,” I said. Not an obvious one, at least.

  Declan sighed. “I want you to trust me, Mia. How can I earn it? Whatever’s happening, we don’t have time to be at odds if we expect to stop it.”

  If we expect to stop it.

  Whatever his reasons were, he seemed invested. And Nick was out of the picture for two we
eks. Maybe trusting Declan wasn’t the worst idea in the world. How could he prove a negative anyway?

  “Tell me about the enclave,” I said.

  Relief flashed in his green eyes. “Walk with me. I don’t want to be overheard.”

  We took the path into the forest. I knew these grounds by heart. If anything happened, I could outsmart him here. One strong blast of air and I could release the hellhounds from their enclosure from here—only if necessary, of course.

  Declan seemed to sense my unease. “I have no desire to hurt you, Mia. None.”

  I tried to relax. “What’s the purpose of the enclave?” The air turned cooler as the trees grew closer together. The sound of the river drew me to its familiar banks. Aside from Mercer Lake, this was Bryn’s favorite place on campus—well, except for the cafeteria.

  “What do you think?” Declan replied. “The current situation. The vampires are on high alert. They probably want to get to the bottom of this. Send out their own team. A move like that could be dangerous for them. Put more vampires at risk.”

  “Gray…Warden Mappleworth will go and speak up for the AMF, I bet,” I said. “He can report back.”

  “He may not report what he learns,” Declan said. “He’ll uphold their rules.”

  “Not if lives are at risk,” I said.

  “He’s someone you trust?”

  “Unequivocally.”

  Declan tossed a stone into the river. “Lucky guy.”

  I ignored his remark. “Why tell me? Can’t you go to the meeting?”

  “Not a vampire.”

  “Neither am I.”

  “You’re a witch and a trainee agent,” he said. “You can either use magic or rely on someone you trust, like Warden Mappleworth.” He paused. “Though I do think there’s a risk he’ll keep the enclave discussion to himself.”

  I stopped walking and faced him. “You really think I’m capable of sneaking in there?”

  His expression softened. “Why do you doubt yourself?”

  “Why do you have so much faith in me?” I held up a hand. “Forget it. I know what you told me. You’re old and wise and sense the kind of witch I am.”

  His lips twitched. “I’m glad you’re taking notes.”

  “I’ll talk to Gray,” I said. “See if he’ll tell me where it is.”

  “Send me a message when you have information,” Declan said.

  “I’d much rather wait for you to stalk me again,” I said. “It’s more fun that way.”

  His smile broadened and, for a brief moment, I forgot the point of our conversation. There was no danger. No lives at stake. Just a hot guy in a brown leather coat and me, taking a romantic walk in the woods. Was there a fantasy demon—one that embodied the qualities of your ideal mate? Because Declan was ticking every box and it was starting to unravel me.

  “Funny too,” he said. “Kind. Compassionate. Smart. Beautiful. Funny.” His green eyes seemed to see right through me and I brushed aside the tingling sensation that spread throughout my body. This mission was too important to be distracted by an attractive guy. By a fantasy. The truth of the matter was that there was danger. Lives were at stake. Lives had already been lost.

  “I’ll see what I can find out,” I said, and walked away.

  Chapter Ten

  “Take me with you to the enclave tonight,” I said. I’d tracked down Gray in the cafeteria, where he sat with my roommates.

  Gray’s eyes bulged. “Are you out of your mind? Absolutely not.” He cut a sharp look at Bryn. “How do you even know about the enclave?”

  “Declan told me,” I said. “He’s mysterious and he knows things.”

  “If it’s too dangerous, maybe I can come, too,” Bryn offered.

  I bristled. “I don’t need backup.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way,” Bryn said. “We’re always stronger together. You know that.”

  “The enclave doesn’t need strong witches,” Gray said firmly. “You’re only asking for trouble.”

  “Trouble finds me no matter what,” Bryn said. “No need to ask for it.”

  “It was risky enough sending you to a Vampire Alliance fundraising event,” Gray said. “If they found an infiltrator in an enclave, they’d probably kill you.”

  “Danger is part of the job,” I said. “You know that.”

  “If there’s valuable information to be shared, I’ll share it,” Gray said.

  Bryn glanced at him. “Don’t you have to swear a blood oath of silence?”

  Gray’s mouth formed a thin line. “You really do remember every detail I share with you, don’t you?”

  She rested her head on his shoulder. “And you love me for it.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “The devil help me, I do.”

  “Then you’ll tell me where it is?” I asked eagerly.

  “No,” Gray said. “It’s too risky. I promise—if they propose any measures that will expose the vampires to further danger, I’ll speak up.”

  “Okay,” I said. “Thanks. I knew I could count on you to help.” And later tonight, I’d count on him to lead me to the enclave.

  Just because all Fourth Years at the academy were permitted to use invisibility spells didn’t mean they were all equally adept in performing them. Luckily, invisibility was one area where I felt wholly comfortable. Of course, there were inherent risks in any given spell, but invisibility had all sorts of risks attached to it. You might overshoot and end up invisible for far longer than you planned, or you might use too little magic and end up revealing yourself at precisely the wrong moment. The latter was what concerned me right now. If I intended to follow Gray to the enclave, then I had to make sure that I stayed invisible from the time I began to follow him until I was well clear of any and all vampires. One mistake could put both of us in peril.

  I finished cloaking myself and hovered outside the library, waiting for Gray to leave the chancellor’s office and head to the meeting. I already had eyes on his motorcycle. Although there was plenty of room on the backseat for an invisible witch, I planned to ride my broomstick and track him from the sky. It was a clear night with a shining curve of the moon smiling down on us. A perfect night for flying.

  “What are you up to, Mia?” Fred asked.

  “Yeah, where’s the rest of the Quad Squad?” George added. “We don’t often see you out here alone.”

  “You can see me, huh?” I asked.

  “We see all,” they said in unison. The stone gargoyles opened their eyes wider to emphasize the point.

  “You’re both more talented than you let on.” I patted Fred’s head.

  “We could say the same about you,” George replied. “Are you practicing invisibility tonight?”

  “You could say that,” I replied. “I want to make sure my skills are on par with everyone else’s. This year will make me or break me.”

  “We’ve seen you levitate,” Fred said. “You’ve nailed that one.”

  George snorted. “If a small child lets go of his balloon, you’ll be the perfect witch to save the day.”

  I glared at him. “You’re just jealous because you’re made of stone and can’t fly.”

  “Ooh, someone aced her psychology class last year,” Fred said.

  Gray appeared in the distance and I put a finger to my lips.

  “Wait,” Fred said in a hushed tone. “You’re stalking a nightwalker?”

  “Bryn’s nightwalker?” George added.

  “It’s not like that,” I whispered. “He’s going somewhere I want to go and wouldn’t let me join him.”

  The gargoyles made noises of approval. I watched from the steps as Gray climbed on the motorcycle and put on his helmet. I stifled a giggle at the sight of an immortal vampire adhering to safety rules. He revved the engine and I straddled my broomstick, ready to follow.

  “I hope you have fun tonight, whatever you’re doing,” George said.

  “Thanks, I’m infiltrating a vampire enclave,” I replied. “I could die if
I screw it up. Wish me luck!”

  “Luck,” the gargoyles called, as I took to the skies.

  I didn’t need to worry about being spotted, so I kept a comfortable distance from the speeding motorcycle. I wasn’t sure whether we’d end up in a forest or in one of the many mansions owned by ancient and wealthy vampires. Their rituals were foreign to me, except for the occasional mention in class.

  I was caught off-guard when Gray turned into what appeared to be a rundown neighborhood. The gardens were all in disarray and the dilapidated houses had seen better days. Despite the obvious decay, there were a surprising number of vehicles parked on the road. Shiny and expensive vehicles. He pulled between two gleaming black sedans and strode toward a broken iron gate across the street. A large black crow cawed as he passed between two stone chimeras and disappeared into the overgrowth. I circled above confused. It was the only plot in the neighborhood without a house. It must have been destroyed some time ago because there was no sign of a structure, only towering trees and a disused pool that was barely visible from my vantage point.

  I flew to the pavement across the street as another vehicle pulled up in front of the gates. A group of vampires emptied from the car and the driver pulled away. I left my broomstick propped against a maple tree and rushed across the street to enter with them. Now that I was on the ground, I’d lost sight of Gray. These vampires would have to be my ticket to wherever the enclave was being held.

  I slipped between two tall vampires as we passed through the gate between the stone chimeras.

  “I hope this doesn’t last more than an hour,” the vampire to my right said. “Harriett has a way of droning indefinitely when everyone else has mentally moved on.”

  “This must be important, though,” the vampire to my left said. “They would never call an emergency enclave while Xavier is out of town.”

  The vampire behind me grunted his agreement. “He must have authorized the enclave or it wouldn’t be happening.”