James’ head flashed up and he looked at me for a long minute and then away and around at everything in the coffee shop. “I doubt that. Why would the Ancient One take on the job of Librarian at Dusk Academy? Not really plausible, is it?” He gave me a half smile, but seemed to be giving me excuses for why they probably weren’t the Librarian to get me off the topic.
With a sigh I let it go. There was no sense in upsetting him and I could see my theory had by the way he shifted in his seat and kept looking all around the shop but not directly at me. It told me he was trying to evade the question the best he could.
“It was just an idea.” I shrugged and sipped my coffee again. “Have there been any more attacks?”
His gaze finally swung back to me. “No, thankfully not. At least not that I’ve heard. But then witches have been banned from the vampire dorms until they sort this out. Jodie is pissed off. She and Terrance were supposed to play darts with another couple in our commons area.”
“Oh, I hadn’t heard about the ban yet.” I frowned. “Are they keeping all vampires and witches away from each other in both dorms?”
“I don’t know for sure, but probably. Next they will probably make us Strigoi go to class at night to keep us away from you.”
“That’s not good. I won’t be able to see you if you’re in night classes.”
“I know. How about no matter what they decide, we meet here every day? They can’t keep us from meeting outside of school,” James suggested.
I smiled. “Yeah, that’s true. Okay. Here every day at three.”
James smiled and gripped my fingers in his. “Every day at three. And if something happens or we figure something out, we can share it then.”
“Deal,” I commented, squeezing his fingers back.
“We should get back. Professor Corbett dropped my homework by my room earlier, said I had to get it done and be in his class tomorrow to turn it in.”
I nodded and finished my coffee. “Okay.”
James picked up both our mugs and set them in the bin for dishes and then held the door open for me. We walked through town and then crossed the street and headed back to the school.
“We should split up here,” James said as we approached the school boundary. He pulled me to a stop and into his arms.
“Should we?” I frowned, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“I just don’t want you to get in trouble if they’ve banned witches and vampires from seeing each other for now. I don’t want them keeping us from going in to town to hang out together either.”
“Neither do I.” I glanced up at him and smiled. “Okay. I guess I’ll see you in class tomorrow then?”
He nodded. “Yeah, unless they do what I think they are going to do and make us go to night classes. Either way, I’ll see you in class or at Merriwicks.” He leaned down and kissed my lips softly.
I smiled beneath his kiss and sighed. “Okay.” I pressed my lips to his a bit firmer and then pulled back and out of his arms. “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.” He nodded and smiled.
I jogged away from him backward for a moment, and then with a final wave and a sigh, I turned around and sprinted across the courtyard to the witch dorm. Along the way, I noticed the vampires and witches were all in separated groups on opposite sides of the courtyard. Shaking my head, I went inside and to my room.
Chapter 19
James
“Hey, where you been, man?” Cory asked as I walked into our room.
“Met up with Bethany at Merriwick’s Coffee Shop.”
“Still hanging out there? Even after that attack?” Cory questioned, looking at me curiously.
I nodded and flopped down on my bed. “Yeah. If you haven’t noticed, it’s a bit harder to hang out with her around here, considering all the new rules.”
Cory shrugged. “I guess. Hey, ya wanna go play some darts before I have to go to class?”
I rolled my head toward him and realized I hadn’t spent much time with him lately and I probably should. And maybe he would have some insight into some of the theories Bethany and I were discussing. “Sure.”
We headed out of our room and down the hall and a short flight of stairs into the first-floor common room. Tran and Kale were already at the dart board.
“Hey guys, wanna play teams?” Cory asked as we approached.
“Yeah, sure. How you want to split it? Me and Kale versus you and James?”
Cory nodded. “Yeah, that works.” He accepted the blue tipped darts from Kale.
Tran handed me the yellow tips while he took the red and Kale the green. “I heard you skipped classes,” Tran said giving me a look.
“You know you aren’t my parent, right?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Yeah, but you know I’m the Dorm Monitor, I have to make sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to do. So what’s up with you missing two days of classes, and don’t tell me you’ve been sick.”
I sighed. “Yeah, I’m not. It’s just these attacks. And I’ve been dreaming about Arrond. Nightmares, really.”
“Dude.” Kale shook his head and threw his dart at the board.
I tossed mine and hit just left of his. “I know. I’ve already talked to Corbett, so I’m going to class tomorrow.”
“Aren’t nightmares a sign of the illness that’s causing the attacks?” Cory ask as he threw his dart hitting left of the bulls-eye.
I nodded as Tran aimed and threw his dart, hitting straight up dead center. “Bethany and I have a few theories. I spoke to the Librarian, who I should mention, Bethany thinks might be the Ancient One, and a vampire—”
“Wait, what?” Cory looked incredulous.
Tran tilted his head and nodded. “She could be right. About them being the Ancient One, I don’t know about the vampire part.”
“Her theory is that the Ancient One controlled the chupacabra, who are vampiric creatures, so more than likely the Ancient One is a vampire too.” I shrugged. “Anyway, the Librarian said whatever this is, it’s not an infection, but magic. So we think it must be someone here at the school. Maybe someone who was opposed to the school forming.”
“And what makes her think that the Librarian is the Ancient One?” Kale asked and then looked at his brother. “For that matter, brother, what makes you think the Librarian might be the Ancient One?”
Tran shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe because they seem to have a vast knowledge of everything. Nobody knows what kind of creature the Librarian is, and nobody had ever seen or met the Ancient One. But still those chupacabras showed up here to help James and Bethany last semester, and they are controlled by the Ancient One. So if that is true, it is likely that the Ancient One is here on campus. And who else would fit the bill to be the Ancient One?”
Kale scratched his head and tossed another dart.
“That is a lot of coincidences. And don’t forget, someone had to turn day into night. That was no small bit of magic. Had to be someone super powerful and close to the academy to make that happen,” Tran continued as I tossed my dart.
I nodded. “True. It would explain a lot.” I sighed. “Anyway, the Librarian said it’s magic but didn’t elaborate. So either an anti-vampire witch, or an anti-witch vampire is causing all of this and I, well Bethany and I, are trying to figure out how to stop them.”
“Well, if we can help, man, you know we’re down for it.” Cory smirked and tossed a dart that sailed across the room as if carried on a breeze, slow and steady to strike dead center of the board knocking Tran’s dart out.
“Hey, you can’t use magic, Cors, that’s not fair.” Tran chuckled and picked up his dart, putting it back in the board and plucking Cory’s out. He sent it zipping through the air back to Cory who caught it, with the point millimeters from his nose.
“Uncool, Tran. That could have put my eye out.” Cory glared at him.
Tran laughed. “Yeah, like you don’t have supernatural abilities to stop it from hitting you.”
“
Beside the point, man, don’t throw sharp pointy objects at people.” Cory rolled his eyes and threw his dart again, this time allowing it to go on its own power rather his.
Kale chuckled and threw his dart as soon as Cory’s hit.
“So can’t Bethany’s power defeat this magic?” Cory asked arching a brow at me. “Isn’t she supposed to have like major magical mojo?”
“Maybe, I don’t know.” I lifted my shoulders in another shrug. “She’s been working on learning as fast as she can, but you know she doesn’t know how to control it well. And she doesn’t want to hurt anyone.”
“True, but she’s met every challenge against her with powerful magic. You’d think these people would quit trying,” Tran commented. “Do you think they are behind it? The Shadow Society?” He said it so softly that it was barely a sound.
I nodded. “Bethany put that thought out there too. I think they are after her again, but I can’t figure out how these attacks get at her.”
“Maybe it’s random?” Cory suggested. “Like maybe whoever is working the magic, can affect who it attaches to, but not how or when they attack…”
I gave him a thoughtful look. “That’s possible…”
“And all of the vampires who have been hit with these spells, well, they are all people that Bethany has interacted with, or at least been around.”
“Yeah, but how does that explain the witches?”
“I don’t know. Maybe the witches were hit to cause the vampires to retaliate when Bethany was around so she’d get hurt?” Kale suggested.
“Dang, you all are coming up with some even more scary theories than Bethany and I did!” I tried to chuckle, but it was only half-hearted. I was more worried now than I had been when we started this conversation.
“Well, either way, man, know we are all on board to help in whatever way we can.” Tran smiled and then threw his last dart, winning the game for him and Kale.
Cory looked at the board and sighed. “One of these days James and I are going to take you down at this game.”
Tran just laughed. “Come on, we’d better go. Classes start in twenty minutes.”
“Catch you later, man.” Cory waved to me.
I gave him a smile and a small half wave back. With a sigh, I cleaned up our game of darts, returning the projectiles to their cases and putting them back in the cabinet. With that done, I went to the nurse’s station for a quick bite, and then back to my room to get started on the homework for the classes I’d missed.
Chapter 20
Bethany
I couldn’t wait for class to end. I blinked, trying to keep my eyes open as my English professor droned on and on about some classic book that I had no interest in reading let alone taking notes on. The bell finally rang, and I sprang from my seat as if I were on a trigger. I hurried from the classroom through the maze of hallways to my dorm room to change my clothes. I was meeting James at Merriwick’s and I wanted to put on a warmer sweater since there was another chill in the air.
I quickly switched out my light-weight long sleeved Henley shirt for a heavier red sweater, and changed my boots to my tennis shoes. The heeled boots were great for indoors, but not so much for walking across the campus grounds through a forested area and into town. I’d learned that the hard way.
As soon as I had my tennis shoes tied, I opened my door and stepped into the hallway, running into Porta and Luci. “Oh, hi.” I smiled as I locked my door.
Hi, where are you off to? Want to go to the movies with us? Luci’s voice floated through my mind.
“Oh, thanks for offering Luci, but I’m meeting James at Merriwick’s Coffee Shop.” I smiled and I knew a blush was turning my cheeks pink.
“Even with the attacks, you’re still seeing him?” Porta asked, concerned.
I huffed. “Yes, I’m not going to abandon my friends or my boyfriend simply because a few people were cursed into attacking others.”
“But the professors said we shouldn’t be around each other except in class—” Porta started.
“The professors might be able to make that stick here on campus, but not out in town.”
“I guess. Still, it’s kind of risky. What if he turns on you?” She frowned.
Luci put her hand on Porta’s arm and then looked at me. I know you think he won’t hurt you. We are just concerned and don’t want to see you hurt. I like James. For what it’s worth, I don’t think he’d intentionally hurt you.
Porta sighed. “Yeah, I didn’t mean to be so negative, I’m just worried.”
I nodded. “We all are. But we’ll figure it out. That’s actually one of the reasons I’m meeting him in town, so we can compare notes and see if we can come up with a way to undo whatever magic this is.”
“Okay, just be careful,” Porta said and then leaned toward me and hugged me. “We just don’t want to see you hurt.”
Smiling, I nodded. “I know. Thank you.”
“Want us to walk with you into town? We’re headed that way, anyway.”
“Sure.” I said as we started toward the front hall of the school to leave.
As we were about to push open the outer door, an announcement sounded over the PA system.
“Students, forgive this interruption in your day. We have a change in scheduling beginning tomorrow. Due to the numerous attacks taking place right now, the teaching council have decided to temporarily split the students up during classes. For the foreseeable future, all vampire students and teachers will be on a night time schedule and the witch students and teachers will be on a day time schedule. Vampire and witch common areas will be closely monitored. We are taking this threat to you and the school very seriously and are looking for a resolution to the attacks. Please, stay vigilant and stay safe.”
I rolled my eyes and sighed. “So now we have to be segregated from the vampires even during class time?”
“You heard Professor Zin, they are just trying to keep us all safe. Hopefully they will get it all figured out and things will go back to normal,” Porta commented as we moved across the campus grounds.
“I suppose.” I sighed again. “I just hate this. I hate the distrust we are gaining toward each other. It’s not fair what this person is doing to all of us.”
It will work out, just have faith. Luci smiled and touched my arm as we stepped onto the sidewalk in town.
I’ll try. I smiled back. “Enjoy your movie.”
“We will, and you be careful,” Porta admonished me. “Whoever is behind this could strike at any time.”
I nodded. “I will.” With a wave, I headed across the street to the coffee shop. Seeing James leaning against the brick wall next to Merriwick’s door, I smiled.
“Where are they headed?” James nodded toward Porta and Luci.
“To the movies. I ran into them in the hall and we decided to walk over together.”
“You hear the announcement?”
Frowning, I said, “Yeah. I guess that means you won’t be in class with me tomorrow.”
He shook his head. “No, Professor Corbett won’t either. Don’t know who they’re getting to take his day classes, but this isn’t good. There was another attack last night.”
“There was?” I asked as he pulled open the door for me.
“Yeah, I thought you’d have heard about it. A freshman witch attacked a Strigoi in the cafeteria. It wasn’t pretty. The witch may have started the attack, but they did it just after twilight, so the Strigoi flung them across the room. The witch was knocked out, and is being kept under sedation.”
“That’s not good,” I murmured. “Is the Strigoi going to be all right?” I asked.
“Yeah, the Strigoi, Sam, was pretty shook up about what happened. He was checked out by the nurse, and whatever spell the witch was trying to hit him with had no effect that they could find.”
“Good.” I frowned as we approached the counter. I glanced up to see Merriwick and smiled.
“Well, hello dearies. You’re making a regular habit of coming
here, aren’t you? Glad to see it. Now what might I get for you today?”
James looked up and asked, “Do you have any B positive?”
“I’ll see what I’ve got, my dear, and for you?” she asked, turning her bloodshot gaze on me. She seemed to be hyper focused on me until I lowered my gaze to the pastries in the glass counter.
“Um, may I have a chocolate mocha latte and one of those sugar cookies?”
“Of course, deary.” Merriwick bustled around behind her counter, warming James’ blood in a mug and then fixing my latte.
We went to the register and she rang us up before handing each of us our mugs and me my plate. “Thank you,” I murmured, keeping my gaze down.
Something about Merriwick bothered me, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. She looked the same as ever, but something felt off. Giving up figuring it out, I followed James to a booth far from the counter against the wall of windows. I slid into the seat opposite him and set my plate and mug down on the table.
The coffee shop was busier than it was the day before. I could see a few upper-class witches sitting on the far side of the room. Their eyes watched us, as if they half expected James to turn any second and attack me. I just shook my head and picked up my latte to take a sip.
“I spoke to Cory, Tran and Kale about what we discussed yesterday,” James murmured, keeping his gaze on his mug wrapped between his hands.
“Yeah? What did they say?”
“Tran agrees with you about the Librarian.” His lips lifted in a half smile and his eyes flashed up to mine for a moment before returning to his mug. “Cory thought maybe you could stop this curse or whatever it is.”
I mulled that over and frowned as I took a bite of the cookie. My teeth sank into it, finding it soft and chewy and utterly delicious with a light dusting of sugar across the top. “Mmmm, so good.”
A Witch’s Immunity: Supernatural Academy - Book 3 Page 10