by P. A. Warren
Walking into the cafeteria, my nose is assaulted with hundreds of different smells. I take a deep breath and settle into the part I have to play. I walk towards the food line, grabbing one of everything and piling it on my tray. I hand the cafeteria lady some money and nonchalantly look to the corner where I don’t even have to guess. I know I will find Claire, and lo and behold, there she is wishing she was anywhere else but here. Sauntering over and putting on the cool guy act, I set my tray on the table across from her and sit, drawing her attention from the doorway. Peering across the room, I see Jason following some blonde out the door.
Oh sweetie, I think you are so much better than her, and will be so powerful once you awaken that you could decimate the girl with the flick of your wrist. I sit there for a minute just staring at her loveliness and have to remember I’m incognito.
Glancing at the food, I grab the can of soda, trying to look like a bumbling fool. She sits there staring at me with her brow pursed in consternation. I decide to break the silence by acting like I’ve never seen her before, and as I open my mouth, words pop right out.
“No one told me how beautiful you were.” I grimace at my mistake.
Her face flushes a light pink color as she looks away. She is so cute when she gets embarrassed and bashful. I clench my hands against the table. It’s all I can do not to jump over and bring her mouth to mine and really show her how beautiful I think she is. I stay seated with the knowledge that all will be well once the Queen fixes everything.
“Do I know you?” she blurts out. “You seem very familiar to me.”
Alert, I put the can of soda down.
“What do you mean familiar?”
She shrugs. “Never mind, I was just thinking of someone else.”
I let that comment go for now and go back to eating while she continues to ponder whatever’s going on inside her head.
Chapter 7
Jason
Walking into the quad, I let the noise surround me and zero in on Claire, making sure she’s here, yet keeping my distance. Only this time she’s not sitting at the table alone like she normally is. I stare at her. It’s all I can do to stop myself from going to her, grabbing her, and asking where that Maji is. Did she put it somewhere safe? Does she have it on her? Running my hands through my hair, I see that she notices me and the thought crosses my mind that I messed up big time. I’m supposed to be watching her from afar, but something keeps pulling me towards her, and I can’t seem to stay away. I’m so frustrated that I’ve let my hormones override caution. I have to fix this, make her think I’m a player, someone not worthy of her or her attention.
Glancing around, I pinch the bridge of my nose as my brain tunes into all the heartbeats. Right now I’m regretting not feeding this morning. I turn my head and feel my fangs start to lower, and I snap my mouth shut and take a few deep breaths. Heading straight for the table full of cheerleaders, I put on my best player façade and approach them with confidence and put my arm around a blonde cheerleader with a small waist and a very well developed chest. Pulling her to me, I try not to breathe in so I don’t inhale the overwhelmingly strong perfume she uses. While doing this, I discreetly look across the quad and see Claire staring at me with an unrecognizable look.
“Hey, baby what’s your name?” I ask staring directly into her eyes willing her to cooperate.
“Rebecca,” she answers.
I lean towards her, keeping direct eye contact and tell her, “I’m going to kiss you and then you’re going to walk out and wait for me in the janitor’s closet down the hall.”
“Okay,” she whispers softly, still staring at my eyes.
Breaking eye contact, the sounds of the quad come back to me double time. I look back and checks to make sure Claire is still watching, and see she has a devastated look on her face. Feeling like an asshole, I pull the girl named Rebecca towards me and touch my mouth to hers, letting my tongue invade her mouth. I almost forget myself and gently pull away and wait for the girl to go to the janitor’s room so I can have lunch.
She whispers in my ear, “Meet me in the janitor’s room in five minutes.”
Nodding, I watch her walk away and admire the fit of her pants, waggling my eyebrows at the other guys and getting knowing winks. I’m just about to go meet the girl for lunch when I stop dead in my tracks at who I see walk through the door. Mikail Tsarev, what the hell is he doing here?
His eyes lock onto mine as he gives me a deadly look that he quickly masks. Smirking at me as he walks past me, slipping me a note. He looks like a tattooed convict in this college crowd as he makes his way towards…wait… he’s going straight for Claire! Son of a bitch! Unfortunately, since we’re in a crowded place, I can’t just run up to him. My jaw ticks in anger over seeing Mikail, but remembering I need to feed, I push the door open and slam it against the wall as I walk towards the meeting place for my next meal.
***
Reaching the janitor’s closet, I don’t give the poor girl a chance to talk. I instantly drop the player, feeling relieved to be myself, and salivate at the thought of taking her...I shut the door behind me and smile, letting my fangs elongate. I rush towards her, tipping her neck to the side and sinking my fangs into her soft pale skin... I let the sweet blood fill my mouth, putting my hand over hers to cover her cries. Unfortunately, vampires only get pleasure from feedings when we feed off our mate, or another vampire, but human blood makes us stronger. Closing her wounds, I grab her face and force her to look into my eyes. When her eyes go blank I know the compulsion is working.
“Go to your dorm. You’re going to need vitamins. Get some if you don’t have any. You’re going to feel sick for the next few days, so stay in your dorm room until Monday.” Once she leaves, I feel euphoric from the fresh blood and pull out the note. My smile falters when I read what’s written on it: Stay away from Claire fucktard.
Grinning, I tilt my head and laugh, balling the note and tossing it aside. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen Mikail, and I like nothing better than a challenge.
Chapter 8
Griffin Dumont, Leader of the Western Clan
I walk over to the tinted window and stare out. It looks like midnight, but it’s only mid-afternoon. I let the phone call I just took absorb into my mind as a knock turns my head. I watch as one of my lovers walk in with her head already tilted for me to feed from.
“Laney, you know me too well.”
Pulling her into my lap, I let my fangs come forward and enjoy the euphoria that comes prior to the bite. I swiftly bite her neck, draining her of her life force. Looking down upon her, I position her still warm, but drained body as if she was sleeping and shut her eyes with my hands. I place a soft kiss on her lips. She was a good woman, but she served her purpose, and well that’s the way this life is. You serve your purpose and then you die.
***
Several hours later, I’m standing behind my desk, anticipating a phone call. Today has been highly interesting; I’ve already received a call from the most unlikely source: Anya, Claire’s half-sister, of all people. I sit down, grab a tumbler and pour a glass of bourbon and study the way the golden liquid fills the glass. Taking a long, slow drink, I pensively think about the new information that I’ve learned today. If only life was as easy as drinking this bourbon. A shrill ringing breaks the silence, interrupting my thoughts. Picking up the phone, I bark out an angry hello.
“We’ve located the college, Sir, and Mikail is infiltrating as we speak.”
“Call me when you’ve captured her,” I snap.
“Yes, Sir.” There is a pause on the other line before he continues. “Sir, we have also found the person protecting her, and you might be interested in knowing who that is.”
Intrigued, I lean back in my seat. “Who is it?”
“Your son, Jason.”
I grip the phone in my hand so tightly it breaks, tiny pieces fall in front of me, making tinkling sounds as they hit the floor, but I could care less. I haven’t seen Jason in
a few years. He hates me, and for him to be working with Antony just proves it.
“Riley!” I roar, as I yell for him, my face hot with anger, as I watch him walk towards me slowly. I fix my eyes on my first born son.
“I’ve just heard some surprising news; I’ve found your long-lost brother, Jason. He’s protecting the girl we need. You have permission to stake him if he gets in the way.”
“Yes, sir.” Riley nods without a smile.
“You know I blame you for Jason leaving, right?” I ask him.
“Yes, sir.”
I walk toward the roaring fireplace and shove the fire poker into the flames.
“Take off your shirt,” I order my eldest son. Riley hesitates for a split second, making me slap him across the face.
“I despise insubordination. When I give you an order I want it done without a second thought.”
Riley, clenching his jaw in anger, makes me strangely happy. Fear takes me to my happy place. If he’d grown up with my father then he would understand.
“Never hesitate when I tell you to do something. Shirt off now.” As he pulls it off, I watch as he then throws it in a crumpled heap on the ground, looking straight at me in disgust.
“Now kneel and face the wall.” I watch him disdainfully as he finally complies with my order.
Grabbing the rod out of the fire, I glance at my son’s scarred back. I laugh inwardly before finding a space of flesh that is free of scarring. I jab the scalding poker into his flesh. I listen to my son scream in pain; inhaling the smell of his burning flesh. It always brings back memories of my childhood and when my father did this to me. I’m only teaching him the family way. One day he will understand. Weaklings don’t win. You must be cold and have a black heart to win the game of life.
“Get out of here. You disgust me,” I say, picking up the shirt and throwing it at a cowering Riley. “I’ll have a new prisoner coming in the next day or so and will need your services. You do your job and maybe I’ll be happy that you’re my son. Maybe.”
Sitting back in my leather chair, I pull out a cigar and light it, letting my mind wander back to the events of the night. Taking the cigar, I set it on my arm, letting it burn into my skin and enjoying the burning feeling it provides as it eases my tension. Tonight turned into a very informative evening. Apparently Claire has a half sister who wants her dead as well, which was why she called me earlier tonight to push that process along. She also informed me that she overheard her dad, Antony, talking to Mikail, who’s supposed to be helping me. That bastard. When I find Mikail, he’s dead. You don’t play us against each other and live.
Chapter 9
Claire
Watching Jason walk out, followed by the girl, reminds me of just how far down the totem pole I am, and leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. Why the hell would he kiss me and then go with another girl? Guys, who needs them? They are nothing but trouble. My staring is abruptly interrupted by the guy who sat down with a tray filled with almost every type of food the cafeteria offers.
This must be my lucky day, I think to myself sarcastically. I don’t pay attention when he firsts introduces himself. Looking up, I do a double take as I look him over and am stunned. He is drop- everything- you’re- doing good looking. He has a skull tattoo on his forearm and a small tattoo next to his left eye, the number twenty one. My eyes zero in on his number tattoo, and I wonder what the meaning behind it is. He has dark brown hair that’s shaved close, and he’s tall, not built like Jason, but he does have muscles, only they are more compact. His red Abercrombie shirt is stretched across his chest, and he’s wearing khaki shorts. He must be lost or something because he is way too good looking to be sitting here with me. He opens his soda and takes a sip, grimacing at the taste and looking at the can in disgust.
He stares at me unabashedly, “No one told me how beautiful you were.”
“I’m sorry… what?” I look at him, confused.
What? Seriously? Who is this guy?
“Worst pick up line ever buddy. I’m not here to be your first conquest,” I countered back to him.
I must look like an easy target because I’m sitting all alone in the cafeteria, and therefore I must be starved for attention from hot men. I glance around at the cafeteria to make sure he’s actually talking to me when my eyes fall on him and find him staring at me with such an intensity that it makes me shiver. I can’t pinpoint it, but something about this guy is very familiar to me.
“Have I met you before?” I ask.
He tilts his head sharply. “What do you mean?”
Shaking my head, I look down in embarrassment. “Never mind. I was thinking of someone else.”
He smiles, playing with his soda can. “It’s okay, I get that a lot.”
I glance to my left and right and nod at the other table surrounded by students. He should be over at the rowdy table, not here with me: Miss Social Disaster.
“You have about ten wheels turning in your head at the moment, don’t you?” He laughs, leaning back and crossing his muscular arms.
“Are you lost?” I blurt out.
He looks pained. “No. I’m right where I need to be.”
Unsure of how to respond, I look at my sandwich distastefully. I’m hungry, but for some reason the sandwich is no longer appealing. I began breaking off pieces of the sandwich and spreading them on the plate.
“You know I’m not positive, but I think it works better if you eat the sandwich rather than mutilate it, right?”
I laugh nervously, shoving the sandwich out of my fingers. “Yeah, but for some reason it doesn’t sound good anymore.”
“So what’s your name, love?” He asks, opening up a bag of chips and sniffing.
“Claire. You?”
“Mikail,” he replies, grinning. When he smiles, two dimples appear in his cheeks and make him even hotter. What is it with the abundance of hot guys at this school suddenly?
Playing with my sandwich wrapper, I wonder if the world has tilted on its axis. Two very hot guys have shown me attention; me, a very plain nobody. Mikail is sitting here oblivious to the fact that half the female population is ogling him right now. He’s looking straight at me, staring into my eyes without blinking, and his pupils are dilating. Why is he looking at me like that? What the hell is wrong with his eyes? Something tells me Mikail isn’t here to flirt with me, and I stand abruptly grabbing my trash. “I have a class, sorry...”
Practically running to the trash can, I toss my stuff in and exit through the double doors and proceed to run right into Jason, again.
I pull back and look up at him. “We have really got to stop doing this.” I laugh, shaking my head and walk around him I’m still thinking about Mikail and what Jason did in the quad so I don’t even bother saying sorry and keep on walking towards the lake on campus. Thankfully, it’s empty so I have my pick of benches along the edge. Sitting on a bench, I tense when I hear footsteps approaching and look behind me and spot Jason closing in on me.
“What’s got you so wound up?” he asks, sitting next to me and putting his arm around me. I bump his hand off and jump to my feet, walking towards the lake. The wind blows my hair in my face, and I push it out of my eyes with an aggravated groan. “Do you ever feel like something weird is going on, but you have no idea what it is?” I ask, sensing he’s following me.
“All the freaking time,” he answers.
Taking a deep breath, I debate about asking him why he’s been everywhere I’ve been, and then just blurt it out. “So why are you everywhere I am? Why are you being seen with me? What is going on?”
Instead of answering me, he seems really alert as he stares over my head. Turning my head towards what’s grabbed his attention, I spot the gorgeous brown head of Mikail strolling towards us with his hands in his pocket, looking about as out of place as he did in the cafeteria. Out of the blue, Jason grabs me and places me behind him, using his body as a shield. What the hell, I think as I stare at his back. I try moving past him, but h
e blocks me and fits his hand across my wrist tightly, keeping me in place. Finally, freeing my wrist from his tight grasp, I rub it as Mikail walks up to us and stares hard at me, realizing that Jason has actually hurt me. I’m afraid they are going to fight so I evade Jason’s grasp again and get between them.
Shooting Jason a pissed off glare, I turn my attention to Mikail, thinking they have some kind of awkward guy rivalry.
“Hey Jason…” Mikail sizes Jason up. “Does the zoo know you got out again?”
I shift, feeling a blush hit my cheeks. “I ran into Jason when I was walking to the lake to wait on my next class.” Looking over at Jason, not sure why I’m even bothering telling him.
“I met Mikail at lunch,” I say to Jason.
“How convenient,” Jason says snarling at Mikail.
“I think it’s ironic you think you need to protect her from me. I’m the last person that would hurt her I wish I could say the same about you,” Mikail says uttering the last part softly under his breath.
So this was about me, what the hell?
They are both in each other’s faces, ignoring me completely. They’ve got some male macho thing going on. I don’t know what they are fighting about, but it has to do with me, and I’m speechless. Since when would two super-hot guys fight over a girl like me? Trying to get them to listen is useless, so I do the only thing I can think to do. I walk away. Later I know I’ll look back on this moment and wish I stayed, but I’m more of a flight than fight kind of girl.
Chapter 10
Claire