“Not today. Just relax.”
The entire school stood in the chilly night air. Waiting.
At the south-western corner of campus, hidden in the trees, was the Culling Arena. The structure was reminiscent of the old Roman fighting pits. Stadium seating rose in a semi-circle around the large, empty space in the middle. At the far side stood the Culling Gate that would open to the woods beyond when the time was right.
I shivered, hugging my coat closer. Jaxon and May sat on either side of me, their expressions schooled to hide emotion.
Jaxon reached over to take my hand in his. I wasn’t sure if it was to comfort me or him. Perhaps both, since we both felt guilty over what was about to happen. This was our mistake, and my fellow students were going to be prematurely offered up to the Tromara because of it.
I shuddered. Jaxon squeezed my hand. Seated beside him were Liam and Angel. Liam’s face wore a deep frown. I wouldn’t want to be him right then, feeling everyone’s emotions. That would be overwhelming. It must suck to be a fae at times.
Angel’s usually intense eyes were dull—distant. Like he was mentally checked out of the situation. I wished I had that capability.
A door to one side of the stadium creaked open. Six students were shoved into the open space by three large men I’d never seen before. I swallowed hard. Several of the sullen faces I recognized from the Culling Club party. One in particular I recognized from History class—the goth vampire girl.
Like the other five, she was dressed in a long black robe that cinched at the waist. Her feisty, tough-girl persona had vanished. Already she seemed like a shell of her former self, as her sad eyes scanned the audience who would witness her sacrifice.
Dean Wright held a loudspeaker in her hand as she addressed us. “We offer this sacrifice to the Tromara to preserve the Truce. The Truce is a blessing for us. Given to us by the gracious generosity of the Tromara. We are grateful for the peace in our lives because of this agreement, and we will always strive to uphold it.”
The three men who’d ushered the students out, retreated back through the side door. A moment later, the Culling Gate began to slide open. It creaked and groaned, usually only being opened once a year.
A cold sweat broke over my skin. Beasts, like the big, nasty vampire who smelled of blood and death, the one who’d attacked me, were coming for them. Yet, none of the students cried out or tried to escape. They stood in the middle of the arena, staring beyond the gate. Were they drugged? No one could face death, or worse, that stoically. Could they?
Once the gate had fully opened, ten forms in long trench coats strode in. The area was lit well enough to see their greasy hair and feral eyes. They weren’t humans or supernaturals. They were monsters. I instinctively leaned closer to Jaxon.
The large vampire who’d attacked me in Isabella’s garden was among them. His gaze scanned the audience until he found me. His eyes locked with mine, like a promise that he would finish what he’d started a few months ago.
Five of the students were hauled over the Tromara’s shoulders and taken away. The last one, the vampire girl, was approached by my attacker. She whimpered as he took her face in his beefy hands. He tilted her head to the side, bared his teeth, and ripped open her neck.
She screamed as the pain cut through whatever drug had rendered her docile. Blood flowed to the packed-dirt floor. He held onto her, feeding as she weakly struggled.
I stared in horror. My body rigid, stuck in place as I watched the Tromara vampire drain my schoolmate. Her body slumped, and he let her slide to the ground. Two other Tromara, who’d been watching, lifted her corpse between them and walked out into the woods.
With one last glance at me, the vampire followed them out.
I sat petrified. My gaze fixed on that pool of blood as the gate noisily slid shut. They’d taken her body. Were they going to eat her flesh next? They were cannibals.
How could this be okay? I glanced around the arena at the other students and faculty members. Several were crying, but most had taken the experience in stride as if it were a normal occurrence. This was normal to them. I couldn’t wrap my brain around that.
I knew the history. I knew about the wars, the dwindling supernatural numbers, and the forming of the Truce. But this couldn’t be the answer for a peaceful existence. This was bullshit!
Anger warmed my insides. I pushed it down. Even now, I couldn’t get angry or bad things might happen. I felt like I was going to explode with rage at my own helplessness.
I caught Liam studying me. He knew how I felt. I was sure he could correctly guess why too. I clenched my jaw, wanting to scream, and cry, and rain down destruction on the Tromara. Though the supernaturals were also to blame. They’d agreed to this, accepted it, and embraced it. I wanted to slap the shit out of them!
I pulled my hand free from Jaxon’s. He was one of them. He accepted this world and the terms that went with it. Was I the only one who thought the Truce should go to hell?
Jaxon frowned down at me, but didn’t say anything. Surely, my anger showed clearly on my face.
“I need to get back to my room.” I stood, shoving past everyone in that row. Jaxon followed. He insisted on having someone with me at all times. Aimes was still in the hospital, but MacTavish and Bennett were wandering free—for now.
We strode in silence to my door. Jaxon caught my shoulder and turned me to face him.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
I bet he was. They were all sorry. But no one had the guts to speak up and change anything. I nodded curtly.
He brushed his lips against mine. When I didn’t kiss him back, he straightened, stepping back. His gaze searched my eyes, then dropped to the floor. “I’ll see you later.”
I let myself into the room. Madison hadn’t returned yet, which I was grateful for. I needed space, and time to myself. Six people had just lost their lives—whether they were dead or slaves to the Tromara, it amounted to the same thing. Six students would now sink into the Culling Club to take their places. This was my fault.
Whether it was burning down my foster families home, or getting six innocent people killed, I was a walking disaster. Even Jaxon wouldn’t be in trouble, and feeling horrible about himself, if I’d never come into his life.
I had to leave. I had to get as far away from the supernatural community as possible. So far, my dragon-shifter abilities included collecting seashells and seducing hot men. I could totally blend into the human world. No one would need to know that I was different. I could go to college with Elena…except the Tromara would probably hunt me down. I had to go far away. To Europe.
My gut twisted. Would the Tromara kill Isabella if I left, even if she didn’t help me leave? Could they take out the Council Queen? If I left, it would also open up a spot in the Culling Club. One more death would be on my head.
I sank down to the edge of my bed. This was hopeless. Everything was hopeless.
21
Caprice
Two nights later, Liam knocked on my door. My mood hadn’t improved, so I narrowed my eyes up at him. “What do you want?”
He steadily held my gaze. “May wants to see you in her office.”
I didn’t want to see anybody else, but I couldn’t refuse May. She’d been nothing but kind to me. I grunted, stepping into the hall. “Fine.”
We walked side by side across the lawn. All the students had returned from their holiday break to witness the Culling, and since the new term started after the weekend, most had decided to stay on campus. The place no longer resembled a ghost town.
“I can tell something’s eating away at you. What is it?” Liam asked.
“You can’t guess?” Maybe I’d overestimated his emotion-reading abilities. And his intellectual level.
“The Culling of course. I know you blame yourself. Is there anything else bothering you? That’s what I was asking.” His shoulder brushed mine. He quickly jerked away, but I caught the movement.
“That’s it. There’s n
othing else on my mind.”
“You’re angry at me. Why?”
I sighed. “I’m not angry at you. I’m annoyed at all your emotion prodding. Just leave me alone. I’m fine.” I sped up the pathway.
“Yeah, you seem fine,” Liam said under his breath.
I twisted my head around to glare at him.
We stepped into May’s office. She was chatting with another woman, who I didn’t recognize.
“There you two are,” May said, coming to greet me. “Caprice, this is Nalea.”
I shook the woman’s hand, admiring her black mane of super curly hair.
“Nalea is one of the shifter teachers,” May continued.
“Oh?” I glanced at her with more interest.
“I’m a lion-shifter. May thought I might be able to help you.” Nalea’s smile warmed her deep brown and gold eyes.
May trained her gaze on me. “Have you figured out how to let that inner shifter out? Any progress over the past two weeks?”
“Uh, no, not really.” Too much other crazy stuff had happened, that I’d nearly forgotten I was supposed to be working on unblocking my abilities.
“That’s okay,” May said. “I’ve arranged for Nalea to give you private instruction at the start of term. You’ll train with her after your classes three days a week.”
“So the dean still hasn’t approved me for shifter classes?”
May’s face fell. “No. You’re enrolled in witch classes again. But only until you can prove you’re a shifter.”
My heart sank. More witch classes. More failure.
“Thanks, May, for doing all of this.” I didn’t want her to think I was ungrateful. She’d been trying too hard to help me.
“Of course.” She hugged me. “Your new class schedule should be arriving later tonight. I’ll see you on Monday.”
I followed Liam out of the office.
“You know, I can help you with the mental blocks. If those are keeping you abilities locked up.” He sounded like he genuinely wanted to.
“No offense, but I don’t want you poking around inside my head.”
“Even if it could save your life? Get you out of the Culling Club?” His brow creased in confusion.
I sighed. “My privacy is more important to me at this point.”
“Is this because of you and Jaxon?”
“Partly.”
Liam was quiet for several seconds. “Jaxon is a good man. I’m happy for you both.”
“We’re not like officially together or anything. It was just that one time…”
“Really?” He frowned. “Well, you might want to clear that up with him then.”
“What? Why?”
“Let’s just say your relationship is a little more solidified in his mind.”
I blushed. “Oh. Good to know.” I hadn’t seen Jaxon since the Culling. My gut clenched, I hoped he was doing okay. Having sunk into my own depression, I hadn’t considered that he must be feeling equally as horrible. I should go see him. Or maybe I shouldn’t. I didn’t know what I was doing any more. About anything.
I watched Liam out of the corner of my eye. Those full lips still made my stomach flutter. Part of me was hoping I had a class with him next term, so that I could listen to his voice for an hour and daydream about naughty things. It would be a delightful distraction.
I still couldn’t believe I was feeling like getting this intimate with my teachers. After what Jaxon and I had done in his apartment, I was surprised that I didn’t feel weirder about it. Maybe I wouldn’t feel too weird about kissing Liam either.
How could I feel this way toward both him and Jaxon at the same time?
The whole dragon-shifter and multiple mates thing still freaked me out. That was fun in theory. But how could it work in the real world? People were innately jealous, right?
I figured I should prove that they were. In a particularly dark spot along the pathway, I gripped Liam’s bicep to stop him. “Are you jealous? Of Jaxon?”
His eyes widened. “No. Of course not. I mean, besides that one kiss, nothing has ever happened between us. I have no claim on you. But you and Jaxon—”
I pulled his face down, capturing his lips with mine. He froze for an instant. Then he kissed me back. Urgently. His tongue plunged into my mouth, seeking and caressing. For all of his gentleness in voice and manner, he was a savage kisser.
His lean, muscled arms wrapped around my waist, pulling my body fully against his. One hand moved down to palm my butt, then held me in place as he rocked his erection against my pelvis. Heat coursed through me. I moaned into his mouth.
I could feel this way about two men at the same time. I craved everything he had to offer. But I wanted the same from Jaxon. They were so different from each other, unique. And I wanted it all.
Liam broke his lips away from mine. “I can’t do this.” His voice was rough, tight.
“Because of Jaxon?”
“No. For other reasons. I can’t.” His hands gripped my waist, setting me arms length away from him. His chest rose and fell rapidly. I could tell he wanted me as much as I wanted him. But for some reason he was holding back.
“Do you think I’m a horrible slut?” My heart was still racing from his kisses.
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. “No. May told us about dragon-shifters. She wanted to give us a heads up. I’ve come to terms with your nature.”
I didn’t believe that for a second. “Then why?”
“I can’t tell you exactly why. All I can say, is it’s because of my father.”
“Oh.” I didn’t push for more. “I’m sorry.”
His lips twisted into a sad smile. “ So am I.” He wrapped my hand around his arm. “Let’s get you back to your dorm.”
Because of the end of term Culling, New Year’s was a depressing non-event. No one felt like celebrating. The holiday decorations disappeared over night. Then a day later, I received my schedule for the new term.
11:00pm - 11:55pm - Math - Gi Hall Rm 202
12:15am - 1:10am - Magic 102 - Aeras Hall Rm 100
Break
2:00am - 2:55am - Magical Ethics - Gi Hall Rm 317
3:15am - 4:10am - Potions 2 - Gi Hall Rm 201
Private Tutoring (M,W,F) - TBD
Dinner
All I saw in this was pass, fail, probably fail, fail, and probably fail. Today was Saturday and classes started on Monday. Not a lot of time to come up with a game plan.
I had to get out of there. The supernatural world was fucking insane. I couldn’t stop the Tromara from taking whoever they wanted. I couldn’t help anyone. Not even myself.
The deadly promise in that Tromara vampire’s eyes haunted my dreams and waking hours alike. No happily ever after was coming for me. Only slavery, endless fear, and probably an untimely death.
I wanted to believe those monsters wouldn’t hurt Isabella when I disappeared, so I convinced myself that it was true. My chest seized. This was a selfish decision. But I was going to go through with it anyway. I had to. I should have left sooner.
The Tromara had received their sacrifices just days ago, so hopefully they’d gone back to wherever they lived. I’d sneak out at dawn, which was only six hours away. Then I’d run as far as I could, hitchhike into Portland, and call my old foster parents Antonio and Vanessa. Luckily, I still had my phone checked-out from the dean’s office. During the winter break, they’d been more lax about letting us keep our devices, but only until tomorrow night.
I emptied my backpack of school books and started filling it with a change of clothes, my seashell collection, the gifts from Isabella, toiletries, and food from the common room. I dressed in warm layers, pulling on a pair of hiking boots that I rarely wore. I stowed my pack under my bed for later.
Thankfully, Madison had been spending less time in our room since I’d been moping about. She wouldn’t be back until close to dawn. I had several hours to kill before implementing the next phase of my plan. If I was going to be up all day, I sho
uld get some rest.
I managed to doze on and off for a few hours, fully clothed under my blankets. Near dawn, Madison came in, humming softly. She lazily changed into her pajamas, then settled into bed. I waited for her soft snoring to fill the room.
Quickly, I reached under the bed and grabbed my pack. I crept across the room, avoiding the squeaky floorboards. Slowly opening the bedroom door, I peered into the quiet hall.
Madison mumbled in her sleep and turned over. I froze, until she’d settled, then slipped into the hallway. Most people were asleep at this hour. The hall was empty, as was the common room downstairs.
Outside, the overcast sky was growing lighter in the east. I decided the best route out was the gate closest to me, behind Sorrentino Hall. It was also the furthest from the Culling Gate.
I approached it, surveying the high iron bars that joined the stone wall on either side. A thick steal chain secured the closure. Even bolt cutters would have a hard time biting through that. Climbing over it seemed like the only option. I eyed the spikes at the top. Lovely.
Taking a few steps back, I glanced at the stone wall instead. No trees grew close enough to it to climb and make it over. The stone itself was smooth, unclimbable. So the gate it would have to be.
I managed to get my backpack through the bars. It squeezed through after several full-body shoves. I tried to get my head and shoulders through, just in case it would work, but it didn’t.
I launched myself at the iron gate, scurrying up the bars. Luckily, there were crossbars at somewhat reasonable intervals. Keeping people out—or in—was the job of the spikes at the top. As I neared them, I began to doubt the wisdom of my decision. They were three foot long impaling instruments.
Clinging near the top of the gate, I evaluated my options. Either get back down and find another way, give up completely, grow wings, or somehow slide my ass through these things. There was a high chance that I’d get stuck trying to slide through. But it was better than all the other options.
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