“Did you hear my thoughts?” Finley asks. His breaths are slow and his eyes wide. He wants me to be able to read his mind. Was he crazy? Did he even know what it would mean if I could?
“Nothing,” I reply, unsure of what kind of reaction I would get from them all. “I told you I didn’t do it.”
Finley nods to the other boys, and I know they are mind talking. I can’t tell from their expressions how the conversation is going. Then Finley averts his attention back to me.
“This is dumb,” Arthur walks back toward the main campus, but not before he bumps into me.
I bite my tongue, knowing I’m outnumbered.
“Is it true?” Finley steps in front of me, “that you don’t know your bloodline?”
They seem to know just as much as I do, “I’ve never been interested.” I walk past him and hope they let me carry on to the dorms.
“I’m sorry if we scared you.” Finley grabs my arm and holds me back. “My brothers can be idiots sometimes.”
“Speak for yourself,” Hunter yells as he takes a seat on a stump.
“Please don’t go.” Finley lets my arm go.
“I can’t tell you much, and you seem to know more about me than I do.” I face the three of them. Finley and Ivor are the only ones still watching me. Hunter is occupied with cutting into the stump he is sitting on.
“Maybe we can help?” Finley’s smiles and I begin to feel more at ease.
“I have no interest in any powers. If I had it my way, I’d be living off the woods by myself.” I said, as I slip my backpack on. I had to be careful how much I told them.
“Your way? What does that mean?” Hunter broke away from his artwork on the stump.
“I can’t exactly do whatever I want. You’re born into this.” I said, hoping my answer would please him.
“How did you get in here?” Hunter stood up, and Finley steps closer to me, almost as if he was ready to protect me should Hunter act on his instincts.
I watch and wonder what is about to happen. Finley’s back is tense, and Hunter’s lips shorten into a thin line as he approaches. I had to think of something fast.
“I’m sponsored.” I blurt out, unsure of what that would even mean. Their uncle was the principal, so if anyone were sponsored – they would know.
Hunter stops about a foot in front of me. Finley is at his side, and I’ve lost track of where Ivor is. Hunter is a good two feet towering over me. His broad shoulders are distracting even in a moment like this. My mind drifts to a better use of his energy.
“That’s enough,” Ivor calls out from the woods. He’s leaning against a tree, watching us. So, he was in charge of the brothers, hopefully of Alexandra too.
Hunter, backs off and I begin to understand the hierarchy of the brothers. Ivor rules their den. I guessed Arthur is next, then Hunter and last is Finley. Finley was also the peacekeeper. I’d find out where Alexandra fit in, eventually.
“I’ll take you to your dorm.” Ivor walks past his brothers to get to me.
Finley opens his mouth but retreats as soon as Ivor spins back to us.
“Are you coming?” Ivor directed his question to me, ignoring his brothers. His voice is low and calm. As if nothing had just happened.
I nod, then jog over to his side. The brothers follow behind us but stay a reasonable distance away. I keep quiet and wait for Ivor to speak. As the minutes pass by, I’m more at ease as we walk through the woods. It seems their mission was to fish for information.
“It’s interesting that you’re here.” Ivor finally said, as he looks down to me. I can’t read his facial expressions. He hides them well.
“I wouldn’t know,” I said, as I try to keep the pace of his long legs. My thoughts drift back to the moment we met in the hall and the intense attraction I felt for him.
“You can count on us,” Ivor slows down as we near the opening, “we’ll try to protect you as best that we can.”
“Protect me?” I reach out for his arm, but stop myself from intruding on his personal space. As much as I had a connection with him, we were not friends. We were feeling each other out. “Why would I need protection?”
Ivor didn’t say anything. His silence told me more than he could have with words. He kept up a good stride in the direction of the campuses. I guess we were done talking.
“You really don’t know anything, do you?” Ivor’s eyes stopped on mine, and it was hard to break away from them. They were familiar, yet not.
“Who should I be afraid of?” My voice was strong and forceful, the opposite of my stomach right now. It twists and turns. I was certain he could hear it.
“Everyone.” Ivor stops abruptly in front of me and swings around to face me. I almost slam into him, and I’m sure that he wished I had. We are in a dead lock stare, neither of us willing to break away first.
“Everything all right?” Finley calls out to us. He and Hunter jog to meet us.
“Just chatting,” Ivor said. He offers his arm to me.
Finley’s eyes drop to the ground, and he scuffs the soil with his foot. His hands form into fist in the pockets of his jeans as his jaw tenses. Hunter's eyes narrow at Ivor. Neither spoke.
I slid my arm around Ivor’s, afraid of what could happen if I didn’t. He moves us forward, away from his brothers and leans into my body. “Finley has a thing for you.”
My cheeks flush, but I wasn’t surprised. “I’m not interested in dating.” I blurt out. There’s no way I’d ever be with a vampire. No matter how attractive they were. I was here on a mission, what that was I didn’t fully understand yet, but it wasn’t to fuck vampires – as hot as that would be.
“I bet I can change that.” Ivor winks at me, and his eyes drift to my lip as I bit it.
This conversation somehow turned into something I wasn’t expecting. Was Ivor flirting with me? It would be dangerous to come between them. I didn’t know much about vampires, except how to hunt and kill them.
“I doubt that.” I look forward, determined not to look at Ivor again. I lift my chin up, to look more confident. I wouldn’t give in no matter how tempting it would be.
“That’s a challenge I except.” I could hear the smirk forming on those red plump lips.
We walk along for a while, not speaking. The opening to the dorms seems farther away than it had seconds ago. Each step not bringing us any closer. The heat from his body warmed my cheek closest to him. I feel my muscles clench at the thought of Finley and Hunter’s eyes on me from behind.
“Are there any other mixed breeds on campus?” I ask, knowing I was the only one. Dumb question but I had to break this awkwardness.
“Just you.”
I nod and lengthen my steps, I’ve never wanted to be in a dorm more than I did now. I wanted to rip this uniform off and be alone on a comfortable bed binge watching some dumb show and eating ice cream.
A blood-curdling scream from the dorms brings all this play to a halt.
Chapter 6
Ivor beat us back to the dormitories. I come to a screeching stop as soon as I see a body on the ground. Ivor is standing over it, and motions for us to come over. Finley and Hunter don’t hesitate, but I can’t move forward, even if I want too. My feet seem to stick to the ground. My legs are frozen. It’s not like I had never seen death before, or even caused it. I just wasn’t expecting to find it here on the campus.
I watch as the brothers’ talk to other students who had gathered around. There is something about how they are reacting that is different. They don’t seem as scared as the bystanders. Ivor quickly takes control of the scene and begins to push the other students back. Arthur stands next to the body, but he’s searching the crowd for something or someone. Hunter appears detached as he walks back and forth. Finley is staring straight at me. When our eyes meet, he walks over to me.
“Are you okay, Penelope?” Finley asks, as he nears me.
“What’s going on?” I feel the coldness in his hand as he touches my arm.
“Th
ere’s something we need to tell you.” Finley avoids my gaze. He stumbles on his words as he looks back to Ivor.
I can almost hear Nelly’s voice in my ear, pointing out the signs that I should be looking for. I can feel my heart begin to pulse harder at the thought that one of the brothers could be involved with the murder. Arthur was here when it happened. Was it him? Were they covering for him? Was this the reason why I was sent here? Why people warned me to stay away from them. I felt dizzy as my thoughts ran rampid.
“Well, there’s no better time than the present. I don’t think any of us are going anywhere soon.” I stand there and unconsciously fold my arms. I’m sure the look on my face isn’t as inviting as he’d wish.
“It’s happened before,” Finley said. His eyebrows lower as his lips form a firm line. His hands fall to his side, and I can’t tell if he’s going to continue or wait for my reaction.
“Penelope.” I hear my name being called, from the direction of the dormitories. At first, I don’t want to look, but whoever it was, is persistent.
As the person gets closer, I smell their scent in the air and know that it’s Clark. I roll my eyes and let out a massive sigh. I’m not in the mood for another lecture about who I can and can’t talk to.
“What are you doing with him?” Clark doesn’t mince his words as he approaches us. His fists are drawn tight, and his shoulders are wide. He’s ready to change within seconds.
“I was just on my way to the dormitory after class. I can’t dictate where everybody else is.” I turn my head away as I can’t control my next colossal eye roll. There are more important things to figure out right now than why I’m standing next to, Finley.
“I’ll leave.” Finley raises his hands in peace, then nods at me just before he walks away. A reminder of his invitation to their den.
I can’t help but feel annoyed at Clark. I barely know him, and now he could interfere with my mission and getting my freedom back. He was clearly jealous of the Stanton brothers. But he would never admit it.
“I told you to stay away from them.” Clark grabs my arm and pulls me off to the side as he glances back to where all the students are.
For once, I’m glad to be around people. I close my eyes for a moment and calm myself, this wasn’t my way. I’ve always been the levelheaded one in my house, something I pride myself on. I had seen where being overconfident can lead you to. Clark was protecting me in his way – even though I didn’t need him too.
“I told you I was going to find my dorm. I can’t make them stay away from me.” I force my arm out of his grip. I didn’t need to answer to anyone, let alone a wolf.
“What do you mean them?” His intenseness was next level, as he steps in closer to me. Then his eyes soften. He’s concerned, not trying to boss me around. “Were they following you?”
I need to choose my words wisely and not cause him to go off on them. He was no match for four vampires even if he thought he was. “Are you not more worried about the body lying on the ground over there?” I wave my arm in that direction, hoping to change his attention to the more dire situation.
“It’s not the first.” He blurts out, his voice low and unconcerned.
I grab his shirt and pull him close to me, “What do you mean? Not the first?” I was tired of not being told anything. I still had no idea what I was supposed to be doing here, besides staying away from everyone I seem to meet.
“We’ll talk about this somewhere else.” Clark said, as he tries to pull away from me.
I tighten my grip and pull him in closer. Our bodies are snug, and I hate that he seems to like it, “You’ll tell me now.”
Clark’s lips begin to form a smile as he pushes me back a few steps against a tree. He lowers his head, and for a moment I worry he’ll try to kiss me, because I have no idea if I’d let him. “You’re in over your head, Penelope,” Clark said, breaking the awkward moment. “You’re not here to entertain a bunch of horny vampires.”
I can only stare him down. He’s right, but I’m not about to admit it. My team is back at Nelly’s house, probably moving on with a new hunter. “I’m sure this is part of the reason I’m here.” I keep my eyes trained on him, but nod to where the body is.
His jaw tightens, but eventually, he backs off. His eyes never leave me. But for a second, I feel insecurity in them. Something I’m sure he didn’t want me to see. I push myself off the tree and pass him, having to brush past his stomach. I didn’t need to imagine what those abs looked like – or any other part of him. My cheeks grew red thinking about it.
I walk toward the gaggle of people, aware that all four Stanton brothers had watched the exchange between Clark and me. Their eyes were all on Clark, ready to protect me, I guessed. Given how unimpressed they looked.
I turn back to Clark, “Are you coming?” Maybe this was a dumb move, openly choosing Clark over them, but I had to remember that I was working for Clark’s father. I had a bigger goal than growing feelings for some boys – vampires.
Clark nods for the choice I made as he walks past me. He doesn’t wait till I follow. What an Alpha. I wait till he’s a good ways in front of me, and slowly follow him.
As I pass by the body, I see that the crowd has grown larger. I push through them to see the who it is. I recognize him from class earlier. He had been sitting in the front row, and I had pegged him as a teacher’s pet, not someone who would be found dead.
“Clawed to death.” Someone said from behind me. I turn to see Una, who wipes tears from her cheeks.
“Did you know him?” I hug her, feeling like I should do something, even though I had just met her.
“From around. He was a nice kid. He didn’t deserve this.” Una said, tangling her arm around mine, “Promise me you won’t go out alone.”
I nod, unsure if I will or not. I’ve never been one to back down from a fight and figuring out mysteries had always been a talent of mine. Which was likely why I had been chosen to come here. “They’ll find who did this soon.”
“You should listen to, Clark. It’s easy to get mixed up in all the attention of being the new girl, but things can get dangerous around here very quickly.” Una whispers in my ear. Her tone surprises me with its hint of a threat.
“I’ve done fine these past twenty-three years on my own.” The sharpness of my voice surprises Una who pulls back from my side. Immediately I regret how abrasive I can be. She was just trying to warn me, but I hate it when people tell me what to do. Which was happening all to frequently here.
“You’re not a hunter in here. You’re the hunted.” Una pushes past me through the crowd, and I lose sight of her almost immediately. As I scan the group, I notice several eyes that point in my direction.
Most noticeable are the Stanton boys then a close second is Clark. I move through the crowd to try to lose them but end up bumping into Alexandra – hard. In fact, I almost knock her off her feet. She is the one person that manages to bring instant fright to me. I mumble some sort of apology and continue walking. I hurry along and feel more at ease as her scent fades.
As I reach the outer edge of the crowd and break out into the open, it becomes easier to breathe. The stale stench of death lingers in the air. It’s a smell I’ve become accustomed to, whether I wanted to or not. It’s a mixture of stale mustard and rotten meat. It can take hours for it to leave your nostrils. The kill was fresh, but the body was put there for people to see. There would have been more blood if this was the murder scene.
I keep walking to the dormitories, determined to find my room and my own space away from people. I was use to being alone and preferred it that way. I had a feeling that would be very hard here. I’ve made more friends today than I have in a lifetime - and that wasn’t of my own choice.
As I enter the dorms, there are students everywhere talking about the murder. My head is all jumbled with the pieces of conversation I hear as I walk down the hall. I work fast to put distance between us. My quick getaway is about to be squashed. Ivor stands in the do
orway, leaning against the stone door frame. He looks like he’s about to get his picture taken for a magazine. How can he be so stunning? Then I remember he’s a vampire. It’s part of their charm.
“You don’t seem fazed by your welcome gift.” Ivor’s eyelids slowly lower as he looks down at me from the steps.
“I’d rather a school T-shirt.” I stop to keep distance between us.
“I’m afraid they were out of those.” He shoves his hand inside his black leather jacket and pulls out an envelope. “An invitation. Just for you. No entourage.”
Ivor steps down and pulls me off to the side of the hall. He unbuttons my uniform jacket and slides the envelope into the inside pocket. He closes my jacket and buttons the front, running his fingers along the front seam. All I can focus on is his lips, how plump and red they are. I didn’t move and didn’t want him to see the effect that he was having on me. When he was done, he walked past me to the door.
I stood there, shaking. It couldn’t have been them. They were too busy stalking me in the woods. My hands began to feel numb and tingly. Then suddenly, someone pushes me from behind. I stumble forward but catch myself before I fall face-first into the steps. I turn around and braced myself, uncertain as to what I’m going to come face-to-face with.
It’s Alexandra.
“If you know what’s best for you, you’ll stay away from my brothers. This is your last warning mutt.” Alexandra’s eyes practically glowed; she was so angry. I was betting she had never had anyone ignore her threats.
She only stayed long enough to spew those few words at me. Then she was gone.
“Are you okay?” Una’s eyes did a quick glance over my body, looking for wounds I guessed.
“I’m fine.” I straighten my jacket and hair, but my eyes remain fixed on the door where Alexandra had just left.
“I’d take her threat seriously,” Una said, as she ushers me in the dormitory. “She never loses a fight.”
Millwood Academy - First Term Page 4