Lain, who had been silently blending in with the rest of the books, stepped up and nodded toward the doors. I guess he realized it was time for me to leave, too.
Brushing past Brie, my shoulder bumped her and caused her to stumble a bit. She opened her mouth to yell at me, but Lain raised his hand, stopping her.
Silenced, all Brie could do was stare daggers at me as I rushed out the door.
Once in the hallway, I allowed myself to breathe again. Slumping forward, I took a moment to catch my breath.
“So, that was…” Lain tried to sum up my encounter with Brie, but even he was at a loss for words.
“It was the start of a war,” I breathed out.
Just then, Eden came bursting through the library doors and almost crashed right into me.
“Why didn’t you wait for me?” she asked, clearly annoyed at my quick departure.
“Seriously?” I asked. “Brie was ready to bite right into me back there,” I said, waving my hands toward the library door. “I had to get out of there before I attacked and gave her quick access to my blood.”
Nodding, Eden threw an arm over my shoulder. “You know I wouldn’t have allowed her to do that,” Eden said, looking hurt.
“I know, but my own anger was getting out of control. I hate that I allow her to get me that upset,” I admitted.
As Eden comforted me, Jordan walked up and whispered something in Lain’s ear. As I pretended to allow Eden to soothe me, I kept a careful eye on the boys. Their behavior was getting more suspicious by the day.
“What’s going on?” Donovan asked, almost scaring me to death.
I jumped at his words and Eden just held me tighter. “Don’t scare her, she has had a rough day,” she warned her brother.
“Sorry,” Donovan said, holding up a hand as if to show a peace offering. “I saw you two standing here and Aubrey looks like she just saw a ghost,” he finished, a small smile creeping on his face.
“No, just a monster,” I said, under my breath.
Donovan raised his eyes, clearly not understanding my comparison.
“Brie and Aubrey just got into an argument,” Eden stated flatly.
Nodding, Donovan showed his understanding. “What about your guards, did they try to stop it?” Donovan asked.
“It was just Lain. Jordan was… well, I don’t know where he was. Zane was in training,” I said.
Donovan just looked over at Jordan and Lain who upon seeing him, stopped whispering and became stoic.
Just then, Zane appeared from out of nowhere. Maybe I had been too wrapped up in Lain and Jordan to notice, but it seemed as though Zane knew where to find us.
“Hey,” Zane said, walking over to me.
Eden let go of me and took a step back. I caught her rolling her eyes at Zane, but I kept that information to myself.
“You need to keep a better eye on Aubrey,” Donovan warned Zane.
Sighing, Zane kept himself composed, but I could feel him tense up as he wrapped an arm around my waist. “Ok I guess I will play your little game. Why do you think my guards aren’t doing their job?” Zane asked, showing his annoyance.
“Maybe because Brie has now confronted Aubrey twice. Not to mention, she was almost attacked in her room. Maybe you should keep your eyes focused on the human you are protecting and no other activities,” Donovan said, his teeth extracting and his eyes glowing a deep, gold.
“I can’t control that Brie runs her mouth or acts like a spoiled brat,” Zane spit out. “Worry about your own issues,” Zane stated, before leading me away from the group.
“I will see you at dinner,” I shouted back to Eden.
“Where are we going?” I asked Zane, once we were further down the hall.
“I thought you and I could finally get our date night,” he said, smiling down at me.
“Really?” I asked.
“Yeah. I mean, if you still want to. I know you have been upset with me, but I really just want to spend time with you,” he said.
My heart melted at his words. I knew I shouldn’t have been having these strong feelings toward Zane, but he just had this effect on me that caused me to weaken at the knees whenever we were together.
We moved into the media center where a small movie theatre was located. It resembled any movie theatre you would see in town, except this one was more luxurious. Leather lounge chairs faced a floor to ceiling screen. We nestled in together in the back, Zane with his arm around me and me swooning.
“What movie are we watching?” I asked.
“The new Fast and Furious movie,” Zane said.
Of course, that would be something a guy would like, but honestly, I didn’t mind. I could focus on the eye candy on the screen and by my side.
Zane messed with a remote that worked the screen and the movie began to play.
After a few minutes, Zane leaned over and I felt his cool breath along my neck. It was tantalizing. “I’m sure you have seen the posters for the dance,” he said.
“Yeah, Eden told me about it earlier,” I added.
The room was now dark and all I could see was the colors from the screen and the silver glow of Zane’s eyes.
“I thought you might want to attend the dance with me. I have asked the Dean to bring in designers and their dresses for the girls to select from,” Zane stated.
I got excited at the thought of getting to shop with a personal designer, but I still wasn’t sure about the dance. It just wasn’t my normal scene, but neither was a Vampire school. Maybe I could push my horizons.
“I have never really liked school dances, but I guess it would be fun. I just have one stipulation,” I started, turning to face Zane.
“Sure, just ask me whatever you like,” he prompted.
“Will you agree to be nice to Eden and Donovan? Just for the night?” I asked.
I knew it was a long shot, but I just had to ask.
Zane hesitated for a moment before smiling. “Sure, for you I will.”
Happy, I nestled back in his arms and allowed the action of the movie to drown out the drama from earlier. If only the problems in my life could be as easy to solve as those in the movies.
Chapter 16
Since learning about the upcoming dance, there was a buzz around school. Students were trying to figure out which designers would be coming to dress us and rumors were spreading about who would be crowned The House of Shadows king and queen. From what I could make out, Brie was a sure winner for queen.
I wanted to gag at the thought.
While everyone else was running around in a frenzy about some lame dance, I was busy working on my schoolwork and keeping a close eye on the guys around me. I still hadn’t forgotten about seeing Alex and Marcus the night I followed them into town. And, it was still a mystery why Jordan and Lain had been so secretive. I was determined to get answers.
While in theatre class, I was lost in thought when I felt a nudge at my side.
“Hey, isn’t this what you are interested in?” Zane asked, flashing his heart stopping smile.
I shook my head, trying to declutter my thoughts. “What?”
Laughing, Zane whispered in my ear. “While you were daydreaming, I was paying attention as your teacher told the class about an upcoming play. Everyone needs to select a character and learn your lines. They will perform the play for the class and then the school for your final semester grade,” he said, his eyes sparkling as he talked.
When I had learned that Zane would be my guard today, I was beyond ecstatic. Jordan and Lane were quiet and mostly kept to themselves, which honestly didn’t bother me too much, but Zane, well… he was fun to be around.
“Thank you so much,” I said, scribbling down what he said in my notebook. Papers began to be passed down the rows and as I grabbed a copy, I noticed it was the play and list of characters. Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream was listed at the top, along with the main roles we would each need to select from. I quickly scanned the list, looking for the exact
name I wanted; Titania. I had always loved her character as the queen of the fairies. She had an important role in the play, but wasn’t the main focus.
I circled the name and waited as our teacher ran down the list. Hands shot up as he began to announce the characters.
“Hermia,” he stated.
A girl with fire red hair stood, almost shouting that she wanted the part. I had to stifle my laugh at her eagerness. Noting her part, he moved on to the next character. “Lysander,” he announced. A few guys raised their hands, but the part was given to Brett, a tall, good looking guy who I saw only in this class. He definitely looked the part of the character he selected.
Finally, when he called out Titania, I shot my hand up, ready to take on the part. However, I saw another hand out of the corner of my eye pop up, too.
Brie.
She glared at me from a few chairs down as we both held our hands high in the air.
“Oh my,” our teacher began. “Looks like we will have to determine which one will take the magical part. Tomorrow, you will each perform one monologue from Titania. The one who delivers the most engaging speech, will get the part,” he stated flatly.
I was crushed. I surely thought Brie, or any other girl would want a part that would grant her a kissing or star role. But, I should have known Brie would try to undermine me.
As we both lowered our hands, I began scanning through the packet of the play that had been passed out as well. I would stay up all night memorizing the lines if needed. There was no way I would let Brie beat me.
By the time lunch time arrived, my head was pounding with a massive headache. Zane had helped me practice my monologue and even run lines for the play while I was on the treadmill in gym. While I appreciated his help, I really needed silence right now.
We were walking toward the cafeteria when Marcus and Alex rounded the corner and almost ran straight into us.
Stopping, Zane’s eyes almost bugged out of his head as the two guys looked startled.
“Hey,” Marcus said, breaking the awkward tension.
Students walked around us as we were right in front of the doors that led into the cafeteria. Inside, I could already see Eden and Donovan at our normal table. They were sitting and talking with our group and part of me felt envious for their carefree attitudes. I was stressing over a part in a play while they were just living their lives.
For a brief moment, I considered the possibility of what it would be like to live as though death wasn’t an option. They were already dead-- the one thing that most people feared the most was their reality. Nothing could really hurt them, so they had very little to worry over. Thinking of their world like that gave me a false hope that life could be that simple.
“Are we still meeting tonight?” Alex asked, clearly annoyed at my presence. He looked me up and down as though I were rotten meat stinking up the halls.
I heard Zane hiss as his body tensed and his fist clenched at his sides. His grip on my hand tightened and I swear I thought he was going to break my bones.
“Ow,” I winced.
“I’m sorry,” Zane said, taking his eyes away from the boys momentarily.
“I think we should talk later,” Zane remarked, giving both boys an annoyed glare.
Glancing my way, I cringed as Marcus sniffed the air, a familiar glint streaming in his eyes. Did he recognize my scent from the other night? That was ludicrous, right? I mean, I’m a human not an animal.
But, as the thought crossed my mind, I realized I was an animal to them. I was the prey they hunted. My blood stood out to them, something they smelled and savored. Realizing this, I took a step back and away from the circle of boys.
“Are you ok?” Zane asked, noticing my unease.
“Yeah, I just have a terrible headache,” I stated, rubbing my temples as I spoke. “I think I am going to grab some lunch and eat in the library,” I stated.
“Ok, I will have Jordan walk with you to lunch and then I will meet up with you for dinner,” Zane stated.
“Where are you going?” I asked, before I could stop myself.
I was about to get that silence I had craved and I was intruding into Zane’s affairs.
“I forgot about a meeting I had with Lane and Marcus. I will see you later,” Zane rushed out.
He kissed me on my cheek and as his lips caressed my skin, I noticed both Marcus and Zane eyeing me with disdain. I wasn’t sure if they were on to me or not, but something was amiss here.
Zane texted Jordan and he arrived in a flash. I guess that was one more perk of being a Vampire: super speed.
Together, Jordan and I walked into the cafeteria and the instant rush of noise to my ears made my head feel like someone was taking a hammer to my skull. Feeling sick, I quickly walked over to my table and sat down. When the waiter arrived, I ordered my lunch-- a turkey sandwich and fruit to go.
Seeing me lay my head on the table, Eden rushed over to my side. “Hey girl, everything ok?” she asked.
Raising my head, I caught Donovan watching me, too.
“Yeah, I just have a terrible headache. I want to go somewhere quiet and eat before my next class,” I said.
Even talking was making the pain increase.
“I think you need to go lay down,” Eden insisted, helping me out of my seat.
“I can’t miss class,” I argued.
Hearing my bed sounded amazing and I wanted nothing more than to fall into the comfort of my sheets and sleep away this pain.
“Yes, you can. I will have my dad talk to your teachers. Let’s go get you to bed. We can stop by the nurse to get some Aspirin, too,” Eden finished.
She grabbed my hand and gave me no other option but to let her take care of me. I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone as Eden walked me through the halls. We stopped by the nurses stations where I was given a bottle of Aspirin and a glass of water. When we arrived at our room, Eden helped me into bed and placed my lunch on the nightstand.
“Here, lay in the dark and I will come check on you later. Jordan is outside, so call on him if you need anything,” Eden said quietly.
She rushed over to the windows and drew in the dark, black out curtains. As the room fell into a blissful darkness, I lay back on my pillows and allowed the medicine to work its magic. Hopefully, sleep and the dark would cure my painful head.
The last thing I heard before falling to sleep was Eden softly closing the door behind her as she left.
***
Waking sometime later, it took me a minute to realize where I was. Stretching, I slowly sat up and realized my headache was gone. Thankful for the reprieve, I got out of bed and found my phone on the dresser.
It was after seven in the evening. I had missed all of my classes and dinner was already started. Rushing to the bathroom, I ran a brush through my unruly hair and placed some lip-gloss on my chapped lips.
Opening my bedroom door, I ran right into Jordan.
“Morning, princess,” Jordan stated flatly.
Ugh, I did not like that nickname.
“It is hardly morning,” I said, pushing past him.
“You have been sleeping for hours,” he informed me.
Continuing to walk, I made my way toward the cafeteria. I hadn’t eaten the lunch brought back for me and my stomach was starved.
I could smell the scent of deep-fried foods and my mouth began to water. It was still beyond odd to me that Vampires ate human food, but right now, I was never more grateful for anything in my entire life.
Practically running to my table, I sat down and anxiously waited for a waiter to bring me plates. Eden raised her eyes at me as I rushed to the buffett and loaded my plate with golden fried chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and garlic infused vegetables. I barely made it back to the table before I began digging into the delicious meal.
Laughing, Eden and the rest of the table watched me with amusement.
“What?” I asked around a mouthful of food.
“You look like you haven’t eaten in
years,” Eden joked.
“I feel like I haven’t,” I mused, shoving another forkful of chicken into my mouth.
“And you think Vampires are dangerous. Just because we eat our food raw and bloody, doesn’t make it any different than what you are doing with that chicken,” Donovan said, trying to hide his own laughter.
It wasn’t very often that Donovan talked or even smiled, so seeing him joke around was a nice sight to see.
Jordan kept one eye on me and I swear he looked at me like I was some disgusting pig.
“Hey, not fair. My food was already dead. Not my fault it tastes so delicious,” I retorted.
Everyone around me laughed, but it was Donovan who came back with the witty remark: “Well, I guess that’s what makes humans and Vampires so different. Part of the fun of our meals is the chase,” he said, his eyes winking as he talked.
I gulped down my food and for a second, I almost felt worried. But, I reminded myself that these people were my friends. They had a whole kitchen filled with blood and they were trained to hunt animals, not humans.
I just rolled my eyes and continued clearing my plate. When I was finished, I sat back, holding my hands across my now protruding stomach.
Seeing my satisfied state, Eden took that opportunity to share some news with me. “So, I hope you didn’t just make yourself sick again with all that food. We have plans early in the morning,” Eden stated, a wide grin flashing across her face.
“What?” I asked in surprise.
Tomorrow was Saturday, my first day to sleep in and relax. I was hoping to lounge around in my pajamas and stuff my face with junk food, while running lines for the play.
“The Fall dance is coming up soon and my dad has arranged for designers to come tomorrow for girls to select their dresses. We were going to ask about heading into town, but the locals usually get nervous when a bunch of pale kids begin roaming around town,” Eden snickered.
Of course, the dance. Zane had mentioned getting designers to come in and dress us.
“Ok, I can arrange some time to check out a few dresses. I do need to really focus on working on my monologue for Monday. I have to beat Brie for the role of Titania,” I added.
Veiled: Book 1 in the House of Shadows Series Page 9