“Lord Vulthus, please claim your latest courtesan.” Headmistress Cardinal bowed her head as Vulthus joined us. He pressed his rough hand against my face, and my food rose in my stomach. His eyes had that red, veiny look, a sure sign of vampire hunger.
“Finally, you’re mine, Onyx.” His voice slithered over me as every muscle inside of me contracted. He stepped behind me and twisted my head sideways. Something cracked, but I felt no pain, just numbness. I was beyond fear or pain. I was in survival mode. His teeth grazed my skin. “I’ve waited so long to taste you.” And then his fangs pierced my skin and tore into my flesh. A silent scream ripped through me at the burning pain, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of reacting. I stared straight ahead, unblinking, unseeing, unfeeling. The faces before me turned into blurs as the pressure at my neck increased to the point where I thought I would burst. Only one thought kept me standing. Kristen. I repeated her name in my head like a mantra, diving into it, vanishing inside.
I no longer cared what I had to do to her. I’d turn into a monster if it meant freedom.
Lightheadedness settled in, and my ears rang.
“Vulthus.” Headmistress Cardinal’s voice came from far away, tearing me away from my safe place. “Certainly, you don’t want to drain her already and lose all your fun.”
More pain seized me as the fangs slid out of me, leaving two gaping explosions of agony. Hot blood trickled down my neck, and I stumbled sideways into a set of arms. I glanced toward my rescuer, and a maniacal laugh escaped me at the familiar sharp cheekbones, the proud chin. Thorsten. Of course, one final game, one final pretense for old times’ sake. I allowed myself to feel safe in his arms, relax for a moment, and wish that I could kiss him, that he could be good for me. Then reality slammed into me as my instincts took over, adrenaline pushing me back onto the right path.
“Let go of me, you psycho,” I hissed and stumbled away from him.
“And now, our second contract of the night,” Headmistress Cardinal announced, grinning, probably counting all the dollars she was making tonight. “Kristen Rovsek, please step forward.”
I faltered. I was too late. The Wus were about to buy and whisk Kristen away.
“Kristen Rovsek, sold to the Wus as a servant for a quarter million.”
I registered weakly that her sum was only a quarter of what I was worth and pride filled me, followed by disgust. Was this really how I wanted to define my worth?
“Mei Wu, please claim Kristen.”
I exhaled as Mei walked up to Kristen. The Hong Kong heiress was alone. Her parents hadn’t showed up to the bidding ball, clearly busy with other responsibilities. I took a breath, urging the ringing in my ears to go away. I could fool her. I could do this.
Kristen tilted her neck of her own accord, exposing her jugular willingly. Mei didn’t play around either. She bit down quickly, sucked two times, and lifted her blood-stained mouth, which she cleaned with a monogrammed handkerchief as I staggered away. Vulthus had returned to his seat and tapped his fingers against the tablecloth with impatience. It appeared that he was expected to stay until the end of the ball, which was good for me. I had time to make my move, but I had to act quickly.
Pain continued to throb through me, but I tuned it out and returned to my mantra. Kristen. Kristen. Kristen. Then I breathed in and let the soothing sensation of ice rise in me, which helped to numb my neck. I would have to go to the bathroom and wipe away the blood. So would Kristen even if her wound wasn’t as bad as mine and her bite marks had already clotted. The dancing and bidding continued in the background. I moved through the room, stalking Kristen who twirled from one vamp to the next like a carefree butterfly, safe in her position, unaware of my plan.
Lady Cardinal's words continued to boom through the ballroom, along with numbers. Everything blurred together.
At last, the clock struck midnight.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have successfully sold fifty fae so far, but almost as many remain. Remaining fae, line up now.” Lady Cardinal tapped her stick against her palm. “Dear guests, if you wish to bid on these remaining fae, please do so now. Otherwise, they’ll be offered to our non-preferred buyers.”
So there was a second tier of buyers, those who were less posh and had less money and probably treated their servants even worse. I registered this numbly just as I registered the fact that Lily dragged herself toward Lady Cardinal, her shoulders slumped forward, her face drawn down in misery. She hadn’t been claimed yet. What did that mean for her?
A flash of blue strode toward the exit. Kristen. She pushed open the door and slipped out. My heart pounded. I had helped Lily enough. This was my only chance. Vulthus caught my gaze and licked his lips. I rushed toward the hallway. Nobody stopped me. Vulthus only grinned wickedly, probably hoping I’d try to hide and make a scene, allowing him to punish me in front of everyone.
If he locked me up in his mansion, my life would become one of terror and pain. He’d destroy me. But I wouldn’t let him.
My feet were quiet, my motions robotic as I hurried out of the ballroom after Kristen.
Kristen was clearly on cloud nine because she didn’t notice me following her toward the bathroom. Carelessly, she opened the door and didn’t even look up from reapplying her lipstick as I joined her in the ladies’ room.
It was only as I strode toward the sink that she noticed me and met my gaze. “Onyx?” A note of worry lived in her voice.
“How are you, Kristen?” I asked slowly. Everything was slowing down. Nothing existed outside these walls. It was just Kristen and me.
She shrank back even as she put a haughty look on her face to mask her fear. “Much better than you. I’m going to the Wus, who’ll treat me with respect while you’re going to rot away in Vulthus’s dungeons.”
Ice shot into my fingertips, chilling the room. Despite my blood loss, my senses sharpened. Goosebumps exploded on Kristen’s arms. Her mouth dropped in confusion. She was unaware of what I could do, then. Clearly, Peony had never mentioned my magic to her. Good.
“Thank you for that,” I said, filled with calm as a glob of ice formed in front of me.
Kristen didn’t notice it, too focused on capping her lipstick. “For what? You enjoy torture? You freak.” Then her gaze landed on the glob, but it was too late.
“For relieving my guilt.” And with that, I released the icicle. It knocked into her temple, and she swayed, eyes rolling back into her head. I caught her as she collapsed to the ground like a sack of potatoes. There was no remorse, just determination. She was fae. She’d be fine in a few hours.
Now, where could I put her? I glanced toward the door. Too risky to drag her through the corridors. The stall, then. I opened one of them and closed the toilet seat, then dragged Kristen on top of it, locking the stall behind us. Not wanting anyone to see her feet, I arranged them in a lotus position on the seat. They wouldn’t stay. More ice shot into my fingers, and this time, when I pushed her limbs into place, I used a little bit of ice to hold them there. Good. She’d stay like this for a while. Would she get lasting damage from the ice in her limbs? I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. Not everyone could come out of this unharmed. We all had to make sacrifices.
I studied her for the final time, then reminded myself of all the people who had wronged me—Mom, Peony, Cardinal, Sullivan, Vulthus, and Thorsten, the worst of all. The anger shot through me, and I let it, channeling my ice power into glamour as I studied Kristen's seated, unconscious form.
My magic filled me and the red gown I was wearing transformed into Kristen’s blue dress. My body shifted and tingled as it changed shape. Grabbing my hair, I saw that it was now dark with blonde highlights. I had done it and would hold onto Kristen’s form. Now was not the time to let fear grip me. I left the stall locked and climbed over the top, which thanks to Mr. Chad’s PE class was a child’s game even in a floor-length dress.
I glanced into the mirror, confirming I was a copy of Kristen. My brown hair with blonde highlight
s hung straight, reaching my square shoulders. My hazelnut eyes were set too close together with even the white eyeshadow unable to hide that. My make-up was overdone, the foundation caked on to hide my skin’s imperfections except for the two pale bite marks on my neck from Mei. I smiled. I had pulled it off.
Part one of my plan was complete.
Now, I needed to convince the Wus to take me out of here before Vulthus suspected that his latest one million dollar purchase wasn’t crying hysterically over her cruel fate but actually doing something about it.
22
Onyx
With her dainty features and elegant cream sheath gown that made her look like a Chinese princess, it wasn’t hard to spot Mei when I returned to the ballroom. I made a beeline for her, thanking Kristen that her usual neediness would serve me well in this situation.
“There you are,” Mei said. “What took you so long?”
“Sorry.” I tried to look contrite. “I just wanted to look my best and size up the competition.”
Mei rolled her eyes. “The ball is almost over.”
“Are we leaving now?”
Mei glanced around, her gaze landing on Peony who was surrounded by several vamps. She was twirling a blonde curl around her finger and throwing her head back, laughing, probably bragging about her plant magic and what she could do for the vamp museum. I balled my fists, knowing she had gained her new position by taking the video of Thorsten and me for Mei.
Mei nodded at Peony with satisfaction, then focused on Virgie who was at Griffin Steinberg’s side. Griffin had his arm around her waist. Him buying her was more than a rumor, then. I had been too nervous earlier to pay attention to any other bids. I wasn’t sure about this match. Hadn’t Thorsten hinted that his sire wasn’t in the market this year? Or perhaps Steinberg senior simply didn’t want me. Or maybe Thorsten had never asked. Anything was possible when it came to the deceiver.
“Let’s go,” Mei said, pulling me out of my rage. “The ball is concluded, and I need a change of scenery.” She whooshed out of the room, and I followed after her like a good little lamb. In my periphery, I noticed Lily. She was bent across a table. Was she crying? My heart clenched, but I ignored it. I had to get out of here. I had to focus on anger, not fear or sadness, or the glamour would be broken.
Nobody stopped us as we exited the ballroom, and a sigh of relief escaped me.
Mei shot me an impatient glare. “What?”
I smiled, hoping it looked friendly. “I’m excited to get out of this place.”
Mei snorted. “I bet. It’s so boring here.”
I nodded, but didn’t say anything. How would the real Kristen have responded?
We reached the main hallway, in which I had been drugged before and where I had woken up after our last outing. I prayed Mei wouldn’t force me to take anything. I was pretty sure that sustaining glamour in an unconscious state was impossible. Also, while the Wus were better than Vulthus, I didn’t want to end up as anyone’s slave.
I needed to make a run for it.
We walked to a side corridor. A guard in black stood before the bare brick wall. What gave? I’d never seen a guard here before. Thankfully, Mei didn’t force me to swallow anything, but simply said to the guard at the main entrance, “I’m taking my newest fae servant home.”
The guard didn’t even blink, only extended his hand. “Contract, please.”
Apparently, the rules for bought fae were much more relaxed. The exit had to be nearby.
Mei pulled out an envelope from her purse. My pulse hammered. Please let it all be all right. No, I had no space for fear. Everything would be fine. I was Onyx Logan. I would make my own destiny.
The guard scanned the document and then turned, moving his hand in a quick manner to a greenish stone brick. He pressed it, and the wall began to open with a quiet whoosh to a set of stairs that led downward. A bit of sweet, fresh air greeted me. There had been a secret door here the whole time and I had walked past it the whole year I had been here. Once I had even seen Thorsten hanging around here. What an idiot I was. I needed to be more alert.
“Your limo will be waiting, I assume,” the guard said.
Mei nodded. “Yes, thank you. I’ve got it from here.”
I stepped through the secret door of Nocturnal Academy. My palms were sweating, and my throat drier than sand. I’m not afraid. I’m strong. Brave. Adrenaline pumped through me, getting me ready to strike for the final time.
All I had to do was endure the ride to wherever Mei would take me. Then, once, the limo pulled to a stop, I’d knock Mei out and make a run for it.
We descended the steps and passed more stationed guards. There was a whole underground network under the castle. Even if I had found the door myself, there would’ve been no escape, which made me feel a bit better about not noticing the hidden exit before. We descended step after step, walking past crates, guard kiosks, and double doors that must lead out onto the mountain.
Above me, the other vamps would be gathering their new servants. Vulthus would be looking for me. What if he had already checked the bathroom and my dorm? Hopefully, he’d tear the whole castle apart before he concluded that I had escaped.
After one final set of stone steps, Mei opened the door to an underground parking lot. The lot was full of limos all in rows, most of them black, but a few of them tan or gray, and all with tinted windows. I wanted inside of one quickly. Already additional footsteps came down the stairs behind us.
Mei walked lazily across the lot, twirling her keys. I yawned, faking tiredness so I wouldn’t have to talk. I wished she’d hurry, that we could get to the city before everything blew up. We got into the backseat, and I sat in silence, staring straight ahead as Mei slid into the car beside me.
“We need a personal servant to go with us to Paris next week,” she said.
“Really?” I asked, taking on what I hoped was Kristen’s needy tone.
“You’ll need to prove yourself before you can go. My mother is very demanding,” Mei said, picking at her fingernails. “And impatient.”
The driver of the limo, a youngish-looking vampire man, started the car and pulled out of the lot. Another pair of guards opened the gates for us to leave Nocturnal Academy.
My heart continued to race in my throat. I had to prepare for my strike. I’d succeed.
We drove along the road with water on either side, and two more guards in almost-hidden kiosks watched us go down the gravel road. The driver stared straight ahead as we continued through the woods, leaving Nocturnal Academy behind. Mei made small talk about how her mother didn’t tolerate mistakes, and needed service at all times. She was putting Kristen in her place. I pretended to lap it up like a good dog.
“Yes, I said with what I hoped was an eager nod. “Of course. Whatever your mother wants.” How long I could maintain the glamour? I had never practiced maintaining it for over ten minutes, and my lack of endurance was letting itself be known. My feet tingled with pins and needles, and my head ached from the concentration.
Eventually we got out of the mountains and into the city, which glowed in the night with hope. I focused on the approaching lights through the clearing trees and turned my thoughts to where I’d go after this. Another city, for sure. I could dye my hair another color or just look like someone else for a while. Out of the corner of my vision, I realized the door wasn’t locked. Mei clearly trusted that Kristen was desperate to stay in their service. Excellent. I couldn’t have found a better target.
We entered Denver and started driving through the outskirts, a hilly suburb where most of the lights were off. The limo rolled up to a four-way stop, and I tensed, gathering my ice in my chest. All I had to do was knock out Mei with a surprise icicle and run between some hedges. The driver wouldn’t be able to follow, and if he did, I could fight him, too.
The car stopped.
And Mei’s phone buzzed. She studied it as a faint scream of panic rose in my chest.
“Calvin. Stay here for a min
ute,” Mei said, eyeing her phone.
I could go. But curiosity got the better of me as Mei’s eyebrows lifted. From here I could see the text and it had Gregory’s name over the bubble.
Gregory: Onyx is missing. Kristen is knocked out in the bathroom.
Panic exploded, and I felt my glamour wavering, tingling as it threatened to drop away. Already a hint of red showed through my blue fabric. Mei turned her gaze to me, eyes widening in confusion. “Who are you?”
The driver moved his arm to lock all the doors, and I shoved mine open just as the whole car clicked. A primal urge to get away took over. I stumbled out of the car and summoned a ball of ice and shot it at Mei’s face as she reached out for me. It hit with a clunk and shattered, drawing a strange sound from her throat.
I darted between a pair of hedges as my glamour fell away with another wave of tingling. My red dress flapped against my bare legs as hedges grew on either side of me. Mei cursed behind me and the door to the limo opened as the driver got out. They gave chase. Then a tall wooden fence emerged from the dark that separated yards. It was easily eight feet high. Too high for me to climb even with gym training. I stopped and whirled. It was time to fight.
Two figures blocked my way out of the hedges: Mei and the driver. Soon more would come. I had to knock them both out, maybe even kill them. Mei rubbed her head. She was still in shock. Breathing in, I let the ice rise and let two spikes form in front of me. But the vamps were ready this time. The driver gasped and dodged to the side, lightning-fast, as I let them fly. Mei did the same, catching my spike in midair. She stared at it, her eyes wide with shock. Her mouth parted, but she didn’t let go.
“Onyx,” Mei said as she and the driver slowly closed in. “You’ve been keeping secrets.” She clicked her tongue. “A winter fae.” She shook her head. “It’s a shame I can’t find a way to keep you myself. Vulthus is on his way, and he’s very angry.”
The Nocturnal and Fae Prison Academy Boxset [A Complete Paranormal and Fantasy Series Boxset] Page 40