Ok, wait, he thought. Besides everything else, that was different. He couldn’t explain the other stuff, but the biting he could. That wasn’t to attack her, that was just scraping his teeth and tongue sensually over her neck, nipping at her and kissing her softly to give her goose bumps.
Are you kidding me, Nicholas? I was there too, remember? That was the epitome of wolfish love bites. Stop trying to rationalise this. It is going to happen.
Nick held his head, feeling sick. The voice he kept hearing…was that the wolf, that…beast he had just seen? “No,” he strained.
You know you want her, Nicholas. Every time you close your eyes, you see her face. Give in to your darkest desire…take her.
Nick wobbled on his feet, everything beginning to go black. “Fuck you,” Nick said defiantly, feeling himself heading to the ground. “I’m not going to ‘take her’. I love her.”
*
Nick peeled his eyes open and stared at a rectangular-shaped light in the ceiling, blinking several times as he adjusted to the brightness.
“You’re awake,” Nicole said. Nick looked around, recognising where he was: the first aid office. Nick also noticed they were the only two inside. Nicole sat on a stool next to the makeshift bed, holding an ice pack on his forehead.
“Well…if this is death, it’s pretty good so far,” Nick said.
Nicole smiled and shook her head. “You certainly have a flair for the dramatic. The whole school is talking about your fight with Mr. Shubert. After the class, he got in his car and just took off, and then you were brought in here by two teachers. You look like you’ve got a case of heat stroke,” she said, flipping the ice pack over. “But you’re still quite the charmer, I see.”
“He left? Just like that?”
“Yep.”
“Did he say anything?”
“Not a word. He was in too much of a hurry. A few staff tried to call him back but he didn’t listen to anyone. What did you say to him?”
“Nothing really. He caught me sleeping in his class and went kinda ape shit. He went on and on and I…lost my temper.”
“Ooooh, did you just? Wish I could have been there.”
Nick gave her a disbelieving look. “Why?”
“I dunno, I like it when nice guys get angry.” She shrugged and winked, clearly pulling his leg.
“Weirdo.”
“Drama queen.”
Nick playfully swatted her hand away, sitting up. “I’ll show you…whoa.”
He felt nauseated, warm in the head.
Nicole reacted swiftly, cradling the back of his neck and eased him to his original position. “Yeah, you’ll show me what? How good you can throw up? Lie back down.”
“Okay, I’m not arguing. What are you doing here anyway? I thought today was your uni day.”
“Holidays,” she replied like she was reminding him. “So I thought I would come in and have a session with Zachary. I was on my way out when I saw you get carried in here. The nurse got called away so gave me the ice pack and said keep you cool and make you stay lying down. So here we are?”
“How is he?”
“Zachary? Not good.” Nicole sighed and shook her head. “I think he is getting worse.”
“What’s wrong with him?”
“You know I can’t tell you.”
“But you’ve just said he’s getting worse. Maybe I can do something, maybe I can’t, but I’m willing to try. What harm could it do?”
Nicole put the ice pack under the back of his neck and sat back down. “I suppose you’re right. Okay, how can I tell you without telling you? Hmm. Well, you already know he refuses to talk, right?”
Nick nodded.
“But only a few months ago he was a bright and happy child, laughing and chatting with the rest of them. Now…” Nicole shrugged. “Everything points to some sort of psychological trauma, but I can’t even begin to pinpoint why or what it might be, because he doesn’t say anything. He is not rude, he isn’t disoriented or nervous. He just simply seems to shuffle on through life as if it’s something to get through. But not that he’s exasperated at it. More that he isn’t even involved in what goes on around him; he’s not participating in life.”
“Sounds like something is wrong at home, not school.”
Nicole nodded emphatically. “Exactly my theory, but when I tried calling his father there was no answer. And since I’m not an official teacher, I’m pretty restricted in what I’m allowed to do. The fact is, apart from the off day when he comes in looking a little pale, he appears to be a healthy boy. No marks or bruises. He is never late. He always does his homework, and his grades are fine—really good, actually. He isn’t disrupting other kids, or being bullied. There is no physical evidence or reason that I have to question his dad. He just seems…seriously depressed.”
“Can’t you speak to his dad when he comes to pick him up from school?”
“His dad doesn’t come. He gets picked up by a driver. I only know that because Zachary showed me a photo of a time when he was happiest, and it was a photo of him and his dad on a fishing trip last year. The guy who comes to pick him up isn’t the same man.”
“So what’s your next move?”
“I don’t know, I really don’t. There is absolutely nothing I can do differently if he doesn’t speak. To someone looking in from the outside, there is little to base an action on. It’s just me that knows something is wrong with him. I know it.”
“If it means anything, I know it too.”
“It does,” she replied.
“What does Mrs. Davies say?”
“She’s concerned too. She’s made the same enquiries I have. The only thing is we just monitor him like I’m doing. If something drastic happens, we can call the authorities, but as it is, we have no proof of anything that we could even provide them with.”
“Do you think the driver might know anything? Maybe you can wait for him to come pick up Zach and ask him directly?”
“Therein lie some of the restrictions. I can’t talk to him about Zach’s mental wellbeing. He’s not the parent and I’m not a teacher.”
“Since when do you take no for an answer? I’ve heard about your fundraisers! Look, I’ll even be with you if you need me. Or if I can help, just tell me.”
Nicole didn’t respond, just looked to the floor briefly. “You know, sometimes you say things that piss me off, and I think I can see right through you. Then other times you just…I just can’t figure you out.”
“What do you mean?” Nick asked.
“You can be pushy, childish and a little arrogant. Things that I hate.”
“Ok, about that—”
Nicole held up a hand, giving it a second before replacing the cold compress. “And then you show me that you have the kindest heart and think about others. You give me a shot in the arm just when I need it.”
“Well…” Nick started, trying to choose his words carefully. “I’m glad I’ve made a fan.”
Nicole laughed. “Don’t you think you have enough admirers? I had three girls in twenty minutes in before you woke up, asking if it was true you had punched a teacher and gone to prison. Then two more asking if you had died in the hallway.”
Nick rolled his eyes.
“It must be nice,” Nicole said.
“What?”
“Having so many chicks fawning over you?”
Nick couldn’t understand it, but unless he was imagining it, Nicole sounded jealous. “Yeah, well, I like one of them.”
“Oh yeah? Well…lucky her.”
“Trouble is she doesn’t think she is lucky. She rejected me, saying she just wants to be friends.”
Nicole looked at him and blushed at the look he gave her. “Oh,” she said. “So…how are you doing with, you know, all that?”
“Can we not do this? Look, you have told me where you stand and I appreciate that. Trouble is, I don’t want to be just your friend and never have. You think I care about those girls? I want someone to wake up to
, not just sleep with. And that’s exactly the opposite of what they want. They don’t care about me, so I don’t care about them.”
Nicole’s eyes widened as he stared at her. “Look, uh, you seem better, so I should…probably go. Stay here as long as you need. The nurse will be back in a while.”
Nicole rushed to leave, turning around and picking up her bag and coat.
If you will not make her stay…I will. The minute her body was straight and had turned, Nick felt his arm rise.
She is mine!
Nick pulled his arm away violently and crashed to the floor.
Nicole spun around. “What the hell?”
“No…stay back!” he yelled.
“Wha—” Nicole held her hands out, palms facing him. “Nick…listen to me. Talk to me. You’re having a panic attack or something. What’s going on?”
Nick felt the rush again. The wolf was there, Nick could feel him. He had no choice but to believe. His arm had lifted of its own accord. That was no dream.
“I have to tell you something,” Nick said, still pressed against the wall, keeping himself away from her.
“Ok…tell me.”
“I wasn’t entirely honest with you when I told you about my father. I mean I didn’t lie, I just didn’t tell you the whole story.”
“Ok then.” She nodded quickly. “I’d like to hear it.”
“My father was thought of as royalty, and his position killed him. That along with his refusal to accept the fact that I wasn’t like him. Everyone, even my mother and me, told him to forget it. That it was a pipe dream, a fantasy, that it would never happen. He refused to believe, trusting himself, but the people under him grew restless and weary, waiting for his heir to be appointed. But as it turns out…I am like him.”
“What do you mean?”
“My father and his associates weren’t…normal.”
“What do you mean exactly?” Nicole shook her head questioningly, not understanding.
Nick took a deep breath, the pain in his muscles and the heat on his skin reaching feverish levels. “They were werewolves.”
Nicole did the exact opposite of what Nick thought she would: absolutely nothing. She stood completely still, with the same face she had before he uttered the words. I did not expect this from you. An interesting choice to say the least. What will you do now? She doesn’t believe you, Nicholas. Convince her? Or backtrack?
“And you’re telling me that…you’re a werewolf too?”
“Yes, I…I think so.” You can do better than that.
Nicole nodded once. “Come here.”
“Wait…what?”
“Just come here.”
“No, you need to stay away!”
“Calm down…” Nicole said, her voice an octave lower. She took both of his hands in hers and looked him directly in the eye. “Come here, I said.”
He let her pull him into her arms, embracing him. “Just breathe, ok?”
Nick felt the pain subside, he felt himself cool off as if someone had poured ice-cold water over his steaming body. Being close to Nicole was helping him, more than helping him. He didn’t want it to stop, he needed to make sure he was in control. He grasped her hips a little harder then he would’ve liked, trying to maintain whatever calming effect she had on him.
“Shhh, easy…easy. Just relax,” she said, slowly stroking the back of his hair and his back.
How wonderful it is to finally be in her arms. Wouldn’t you agree, Nicholas? She soothes me, the beast within you. Remember that.
Nick heard the voice, but tried to focus on the moment. He kissed Nicole on the shoulder as they both continued to hold each other. The wolf was right, though. She didn’t believe him. She thought he was probably delusional from his panic attack, but right now, he didn’t care. Nick was just grateful to be where he was.
When he had calmed down, Nicole kissed him—on the cheek again—before she left, promising to call him later that night to see how he was doing. Nick felt good, surprisingly so. After feeling so sick he wanted to throw up, her embrace had enlivened him. It was just a hug, but it had made him feel at peace for the first time in a long time. That in her presence, in her arms was where he was meant to be and nothing else mattered.
He walked, lost in the dream of Nicole, down the winding staircase to woodwork class, along with several other students.
Step to the right. Now!
“Trent, no!” came Jason’s voice.
Nick saw Miller barrelling towards him from above, and sidestepped. Miller lost his footing and tumbled down the rest of the stairs to the floor. Thunderous laughter erupted as he came to a stop.
Miller howled in pain. “I think I broke my fucking hand!”
Nick casually made his way down. “Should be more careful, mate. I hear these stairs are pretty dangerous.”
Nick walked easily past as Miller raged at him, threatening him. Nick walked on. After the very un-friends-only hug from Nicole, he couldn’t even begin to describe how much he didn’t care.
Chapter 24
Take Me Home
Melina opened her eyes to darkness. She realised the echo that had woken her was from a vision, not reality. There were no windows in her cell. She had no way of knowing what time it was, but her door was still half-open, which meant no vampire had come to check on her. Perhaps because they were all still asleep? She got to her feet feeling woozy. Nathaniel’s blood had helped strengthen her, but it wasn’t the nourishment of human blood. She walked as quickly as she could, stumbling up the steps of the dungeon to the outer hall. There was no one around.
As she dared to hope, she spotted it. Streaming through the window, a bright ray of sunshine, and she had never been happier to see it. To think she had feared and even cursed it when she had awoken early the first time, and it had now undoubtedly saved her life.
She came to the front door and flung it open, the light of day drenching her body. She tried to walk down the steps but failed. The sun did not burn her, but after not having seen it for over two hundred years, the light was excruciatingly bright. She could see nothing but a wall of white. She slumped to the ground, fearing that her plan was in vain, dreading the consequences of being found by Vincent when the sun set again.
“My lady? How can this be?”
Melina recognised the voice. Nadia, her human hand-maiden before Julian had dismissed her. Melina blindly reached for her.
*
“I’ll get you inside!”
“No!” Melina screamed. “A car…drive!”
“I can’t leave the estate, my lady!”
“We will both die if you don’t!”
Nadia heaved her mistress to her feet. She had no idea what she was in for, what was going on, but she knew Melina was terrified which Nadia had never seen before.
“This way,” she said, moving towards Vincent’s collection of automobiles, opening the back door of a nearby sedan and helping Melina inside.
Melina sagged into the back seat, unmoving. Nadia felt a heavy painful grip on her arm and stopped, terrified.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Nadia? Stealing bodies from the crypt?”
“Oh, Damien, it’s you.” Nadia breathed a sigh of relief. Damien was like her, he tendered to the gardens of the grounds. “Let go of me. I’m not stealing anyone. Melina is awake. She is terrified and very sick. She wants to get away from here.”
“Do you think I’m an idiot? The sun is up. You’re not going anywhere.”
“Take your hands off me!” Nadia half-shouted, half-whispered, before being pushed into the side of the car.
“Got a secret deal going on with a scientist or something? Hmm? Gonna get some money for the body of a vampire? How dare you betray the king’s trust. I will—”
A roar of rage erupted from the car. The last thing Nadia heard of Damien was a scream as Melina pulled him partially into the car with her, his legs still dangling off the ground outside the vehicle. Nadia covered her mouth as she
peered into the back seat. Melina bit and pierced his jugular. She barely had enough strength to drink the blood spewing from the wound, so she gave a final heave to pull him on top of her instead, letting the thick crimson fountain splash down over her face and torso. When she had drunk and gathered enough energy, she flung him out and he landed in a twisted heap, several metres from the car.
“I think he believes you now,” Melina said to Nadia in a dreamy voice before closing her eyes.
Nadia was shaking as she closed the back door and opened the driver’s side. She reached for the keys, finding them under the seat. “Where should we go, my lady?”
“Somewhere they can’t find us,” Melina whispered before finally, Nadia expected, falling asleep.
She started the car and drove, no idea where would be safe when the sunset and the king roused his subjects to hunt them. Where in Sydney could Nadia go that the king had no jurisdiction over? Who would ever help them hide and defy Vincent?
Chapter 25
A Line in the Sand
Werewolf…
No matter how many times she repeated it to herself, Nicole couldn’t understand why Nick would make such a wild statement. She had stayed almost an hour past the end of school, mulling it over and she was certainly no closer to figuring it out. It was just so…random.
He wouldn’t have meant the physical form obviously—that would be ridiculous—but perhaps he meant the theoretical term of Lycanthropy. The fight between man and beast, the fear of losing oneself? Truthfully she knew very little about Nick’s family, so didn’t know if this was a natural thing to think of with them. Or maybe it was all just the heat exhaustion talking, and he was just overtired and stressed out.
Nicole sighed, gathered her things and headed out, going over all logical scenarios in her head. Curiously, his revelation didn’t make her like him any less. Despite herself, and this was probably the most stupid and illogical thing, she liked him more. It had taken a lot for him to tell her this information, knowing what she might’ve thought. But whatever was going on in his head could very well explain the strangeness over the last few weeks. The move took balls, and she liked that he could trust her even in all his desperation and fever.
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