Breed of Envy (The Breed Chronicles, #02)

by Jordan, Lanie

  Peter gave me a curious look. “Would you have left it if you had known?”

  I didn’t answer immediately. Not because I didn’t know the answer, I just wasn’t sure I should be honest about it. “Yeah,” I finally said. Just because I couldn’t trust others to be honest with me, it didn’t mean they couldn’t trust me to be honest with them. “I still would’ve helped it.”

  He nodded, like he understood my point. I just figured he nodded because he’d expected that answer. “You’ve been through a lot since you’ve been here. You’ve been attacked by demons, bitten by a vampire—which I know couldn’t have been fun, even though you survived it, or maybe especially since you’re the first person who has. And you’re different.”

  I muttered a curse. I was beginning to hate that word as much as ‘interesting’. Maybe I could make a list of hated-words and demand no one use them when talking to or about me.

  Peter laughed. “Yeah, you hate that. But you’re not the only one who’s part demon around here. I signed up for the treatments, and I know you didn’t—your parents did. So while me and the others were given a choice, you were born that way without one. My point is, I know it can’t be easy for you..”

  I sighed. “No, not really.”

  For the first time in a long time—or maybe ever—he looked mildly uncomfortable with what he was about to say. He ran a hand through his hair and then shoved his hand into his pocket. “Don’t let anyone get you down about this stuff. You’re a good person, Jade. You’ll make a great hunter when it’s your time. You’ve got the makings for it.” He winked. “Just don’t let anyone tell you differently. And if you need to talk about anything, I’m here.”

  “Thanks, Peter.”

  He nodded and patted my knee before standing. “Alright. I’ll leave you alone now. Just let me know if you need anything. And I mean it.”

  “I will.”

  Peter headed out. I stayed where I was, frowning after him. I really had been trying to ignore everyone; the hushed whispers, the weird looks. The not-so-hushed whispers. Everyone knew about the demon. More, they knew I had defended it. I expected them to give me funny looks about that. Heck, I gave myself funny looks anytime I thought about it. But it wasn’t just that that had everyone up in arms. It was that everyone knew the demon had liked me, which was somehow worse than me liking it.

  I couldn’t help my feelings on the demon, or the demon’s feelings for me. And if the other Prospects didn’t like it, well…that was tough. I couldn’t change who I was or what I felt just because no one understood it. I didn’t understand it myself.

  Shaking my head, I started for the exit. I stopped a few feet from the door when Rachel and Leslie stepped out from behind the bleachers. My stomach sank. Had they overheard me talking to Peter? If so, how much had they heard?

  Rachel made her way to me slowly. She sneered. “Well, look. If it isn’t our favorite Teacher’s Pet.”

  The knot in my stomach loosened a little. If she’d overheard us, she would have started off with that. Thank you, I thought silently. “Whatever,” I said. “Get a new line. Pick on my hair or something. I’m sure you can find a way to hate that.”

  “Well, it is kind of boring,” she said.

  I just laughed. “Great. We’re agreed. Are you done now?” I didn’t bother waiting for a response and just turned and walked away. I wasn’t in the mood for her crap, especially when it was all old.

  Rachel grabbed my arm. “What? You’re too good to have a conversation?”

  “If that’s what you actually wanted, then I’d be game for it. But you don’t. You just want to stand there and hurtle accusations at me or call me names, or whatever it is people like you do.”

  “People like me? What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Bullies, and—I don’t know! People who have bugs up their asses for no reasons,” I said, then laughed.

  “What the hell are you laughing at?”

  “Honestly? I don’t have a clue.” And I really didn’t. The whole thing was just funny. And sad. She hadn’t said much to me in the last month, though anytime she caught sight of me, she glared, snickered, or did something Felecia-like by bumping into me or trying to knock me over. “It’s just funny that you’re mad at me because your friend almost got me killed because she…I don’t even know what she was hoping to accomplish, really. But instead of her planned…whatever...she got herself expelled and I get the blame.” I paused. “Do you even know what really happened? Have you even spoken with her? Do you even know why you don’t like me?”

  The question, for at least a second, seemed to confuse her. But then she just shrugged. “Oh, my problem with you started with Felecia, but believe me, she’s not the only reason I don’t like you. You walk around the place like you’re better than everyone else, but you’re not. You’ve got the teachers and Director Greene thinking you’re something special, and you’re not. Hell, you’ve even got Lincoln wrapped around your little finger.” She smiled, but it wasn’t the nice kind. It was the kind that said she was about to say something I wasn’t going to like—not that she’d said anything I’d liked so far. “I really just don’t know what they see in you. You’re a freak.” She paused and a slow smile tipped her lips. “You’re not even completely human.” At my shocked look, she nodded, and her smile widened. “Yeah, I heard that little tidbit of information. It makes sense now,” she said with the same vicious smile. “Why that stupid baby demon liked you, why you liked it. Because you’re one of them.” The smile stayed in place. “Survived a vampire bite, huh? Is that what you are? Part blood-sucker?”

  My jaw clenched, even as my stomach bottomed out. I tried not to let my anger show, because I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of knowing her words bothered me, but I was positive I’d failed. So much for thinking she’d hadn’t heard anything.

  She’d heard everything.

  I took a deep breath, closed my eyes for a split second. “And?” I finally managed, though my tone sounded forced. “Half the agents around here have had the treatments. You suddenly have a problem with that?”

  “Who said it’s sudden? I don’t like demons. There’s a reason they’re hunted. But at least the hunters don’t defend or like them. At least they don’t have demon friends. Maybe because they weren’t born that way.” She emphasized ‘born’ specifically, making it sound like the nastiest thing she could. “You were.”

  I didn’t point out that all demons had, at one time, been human. She had to know that. She just didn’t care. Though I had no idea why she was still here if that bothered her so much. It wasn’t like that information was hidden from anyone. I doubted my Orientation—or the speech parts, anyway—differed that much from the rest. Greene had been upfront about their research and the fact that some of the CGE agents had demon DNA. “Fine. I’m a freak, whatever. Are you satisfied now?”

  “Not even close.”

  I shrugged. “Okay, then. I’m leaving now. You two have fun,” I told her, sparing the other girl a glance. For what it was worth, when Rachel had called me a freak, Leslie’d been right in line with the thought, nodding vehemently with her, but when Rachel had said why I was a freak, her friend paused and gave her a what-the-hell look. Then again, considering the fact she was still there, standing beside Rachel, it didn’t count for much.

  My hands shook as I walked away. Her words shouldn’t have bothered me, but they did. I could pretend (even badly) that she wasn’t right, at least about some stuff.

  I did feel like a freak, specifically because I did have demon DNA. But I’d never, for even a second, thought about it making me less human. Maybe she was right. I wasn’t exactly like the others here, no matter how much we had in common or shared. Our backgrounds might’ve had some of the same elements, but when it came down to it, I was about as different from them as we all were from normal teens, teens who didn’t know about demons. Teens who hadn’t lost someone to them.

  “Aww, is the little wannabe hunter going t
o go cry to Director Greene now?” Rachel continued, even though my back was to her now. She laughed. “Pathetic.”

  Do not engage, I told myself over and over in the span of seconds. Do not engage; that’s what she wants. Though it was hard to deny her something that, with every passing word, I wanted more and more myself.

  My hands curled in and out of fists and I let out a long breath, hoping it’d take some of the anger with it. But it didn’t. It seemed like the room was filled with rage instead of air, so each breath I took only filled me with more.

  “If I ever turn into a demon,” Rachel said, “put me out of my damn misery.”

  Leslie’s chuckle sounded forced. “Definitely.”

  Keep moving, Jade. I was chanting more and more and it was having less and less affect on me. What I really wanted to do was stop, turn around, and…do something. I didn’t really like violence (hitting Linc didn’t count), but I kind of really wanted to punch her. If she’d been wanting to take Felecia’s place as the Bane of My Existence, she was doing a damn good job. Well, at least she hasn’t tried to get me killed yet. I almost snorted at the ‘yet’. The Phase was nearly over, but there was still plenty of time for that.

  Her and her friend kept trash talking behind my back. I blocked the words from my mind, so all I really heard was ‘blah, blah’ in annoying tones, but it was still irksome.

  “She’s probably going to go cry to her mommy,” Rachel said and had me stopping and turning around.

  “My mom’s dead,” I said, my tone cold.

  “Well, she was part demon, wasn’t she? She’s probably better off.”

  I hadn’t thought anyone here would be crass enough to say something like that. Obviously I was too naïve and still had a lot to learn about the CGE and the Prospects.

  Wordlessly, I walked up to Rachel. She took a step forward until she was an inch from my face. “What? Did that strike a nerve, Demon Whisperer? That’s what your hunter buddies are calling you now, isn’t it?”

  My fingers curled into fists again, and despite my best efforts to uncurl them, it didn’t work. They curled tighter and tighter until my nails bit into the skin painfully and my fingers went cold.

  “If your parents were both part demon, then they’re both better off dead.”

  I didn’t think, just reacted. The next thing I knew, my knuckles stung and I heard Peter snap out my name. Rachel was on her back on the floor, holding her jaw and glaring up at me. Leslie, eyes wide and mouth slack, backed away. Her gaze went to me, then Rachel, then back to me again.

  Slowly, still holding her jaw, Rachel pushed to her feet. Her hands were curled into fists now and she took a threatening step toward me. “Oh, you’re going to regret that move.” She shot a glare in Peter’s direction. “You saw her. Do your job and do something about it!”

  Peter’s jaw twitched. “Yes, I did see her.” His eyes narrowed. “I also heard most of your conversation and I know damn well Director Greene wouldn’t be pleased with your side of the story. But if you really want me to go to him, then I’ve got no problem with that. Your call.”

  I should have cared, or at least been worried, but really, I wasn’t. I tolerated Felecia’s bullshit last Phase and what had that done for me? Nothing, except let her know it was okay to walk all over me. And I’d done the same with Rachel and her friends this Phase. I was done with it.

  Rachel rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She jabbed a finger in my direction. “But this isn’t over. Not by a long shot,” she said with a hiss, then turned and stormed away.

  Her friend hesitated, briefly, but then ran after her.

  Peter stared down at me but didn’t say anything until Rachel and Leslie had left the auditorium. His expression hardened. “What was that all about?”

  “I don’t know. Ugh!” I ran my fingers through my hair. “I just lost my temper. I was okay until she said my mom was better off dead. And then…” I shrugged helplessly.

  He shook his head once, his expression softening. But it wasn’t in a good way. The disappointment was there, and that, more than the threat of Greene, bothered me. “That’s partially my fault, because I’m the one who talked about your parents without checking to make sure no one was around first, so I’m sorry for that. But punching another Prospect over something like that? That’s not the CGE way. That’s not your way and we both know it.” He shook his head again. “You have a lot of potential, Jade. But it’s wasted if you act like that.” And then he just walked away.

  His words—and guilt—gnawed at my stomach until I sighed and dropped down, resting on the heels of my feet. I covered my face with my hands. “Damnit, damnit, damnit!”

  A fat lot of good potential would do me if I wasn’t around to put it to use.

  *~*~*

  Over the next few days, I waited for the other shoe to drop. Classes were supposed to end on Thursday and now, after the anger of Rachel’s words had worn off, I was afraid of getting kicked out only days before the end of Phase. I kept waiting for Director Greene to come and kick me out, or for Rachel and her gang to make a move against me.

  Neither happened.

  It should have made me feel better, but the suspense just made me feel worse.

  When I didn’t hear anything from Greene, I assumed no one had mentioned the incident to him, which explained why I hadn’t seen him and why I hadn’t been escorted off the property.

  But it didn’t take me long to figure out why Rachel and her friends hadn’t said or done anything to me. What was the point when they had most of the other Prospects doing their dirty work for them?

  The day after my fight with Rachel, I started noticing people avoiding me. I’d just assumed they’d heard about me punching Rachel and didn’t want to get involved. But then it got worse and worse. Now, it seemed like every time I spotted someone, they were turning in the opposite direction, moving as far from me as they could. And if I was lucky, that was all they did. When I wasn’t lucky (which happened more than I liked), they muttered ‘freak’ or ‘demon’ under their breath. And then they scurried away.

  It was Thursday now, the last day of the Phase, and I was still worried sick. Linc, Tasha, and I were sitting in the café court before class. After picking up the same piece of bacon for what had to be the tenth time, I tossed it down and shoved the plate aside. Just the idea of eating had my stomach rolling.

  Not one to waste food, Linc snatched it right up.

  Tasha fixed me with a look. “They’re treating you like a piranha.”

  “Don’t you mean pariah?” Linc asked.

  “No. A piranha. They’re all acting like she’s going to bite their fingers off. But pariah works, too. Maybe a piranha pariah.”

  “Great,” I said, sighing. “Now I’m the Demon Whispering Piranha of Pariah’s. That’s much better.”

  “They’ll get over it,” Tasha said. “Half the agents around here have demon DNA and they don’t seem to have a problem with them.”

  I glanced around, frowned. “Except Rachel.”

  Tasha rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, who’s counting her?” She flipped her hair over her shoulder when it came close to going in her food. “Besides, she’s just jealous.”

  “And you’re forgetting, oh, just about everyone else.”

  “Most of them are jealous, too, or just plain dumb. You’re the same chick you were last Phase.” She winked at me. “You’ve just got some features we didn’t know about.”

  Features she’d spent an hour yelling at me about, because I hadn’t told her. And then she’d yelled at Linc for not telling her. She didn’t seem bothered by my demoness, just that I hadn’t told her about it and that she’d had to hear it from everyone else.

  I tried to laugh, because I knew she meant well, but it didn’t make me feel any better. I was used to mostly being shunned by everyone. Or I had been, until I’d gotten here. I wasn’t exactly a social butterfly or anything, but neither was I a complete hermit. I talked to people. Kind of.

  Sighing,
I glanced up at the clock on the back wall. Still twenty minutes until class. “I’m gonna head up. I need to talk to Mr. Sheldon before class,” I lied, ignoring the small tinge of guilt. Linc started to push up from his seat, but I just shook my head. “Sit. Enjoy my breakfast.”

  “Will do,” he said, and proved it by shoving a piece of bacon into his mouth and making mmm sounds.

  I rolled my eyes and silently wondered where the food went. He always ate tons—including some of my food if I wasn’t fast enough to hide it.

  I picked my tablet up from the table and waved as I turned to leave. A P3 almost ran into me. They glanced up, realized who they’d run into, then coughed ‘freak’ under their breath. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Rachel. She sent me a smile, waved, and laughed to her friends.

  Clenching my jaw to keep from saying anything, I walked out of the café court and headed to the stairs to burn off the sudden surge of rage.

  I knew I probably shouldn’t let it get to me. Maybe I was a freak. I did have demon DNA, so that did make me part demon. But I hadn’t asked for those things; I hadn’t been given a choice. Though I probably would have, I admitted silently, if it meant I’d be a little faster, a little better at being a hunter. I would have, if it meant getting The Demon a little sooner. Greene had recruited me. Though, like Linc, if I’d heard about the CGE, I would have begged and cheated—I would’ve done anything I could to join.

  Honestly, I didn’t particularly like the idea of having demon DNA…but it had saved my life, hadn’t it? And if Greene and the CGE scientists found a way to cure vampirism or something, then that potentially meant saving even more lives.

  So how was that a bad thing?

  As for being a teacher’s pet… Well, I hadn’t asked for that, either. I didn’t ask for special treatment from anyone. But wasn’t I earning it? Hadn’t I, repeatedly, proved that I belonged here?

  It wasn’t like I sat by and did nothing. I studied. A lot. Maybe I had a bit of an advantage because of the memory thing, but it wasn’t like I was cheating. It wasn’t like it made all of my classes easier. It helped with Demonology, sure, but I still had to put the work in, especially on reports and in my other classes. I still locked myself in my room, studied for hours on end. I didn’t slack off or fool around or not take it seriously, despite what Brian The Jerk seemed to think.