Crossroads (Crossroads Academy #1)

by J. J. Bonds

  “First of all, Shaye doesn’t know anything,” Anya insists, abandoning her desk and moving to my side at the window. “You need to calm down and think this through. What can she suspect? She can’t possibly know the truth. Secondly, you need more in your life than Aldo and Lissette.”

  “You’re wrong,” I tell her heatedly, turning to study her as I did on the first day we met. “You don’t understand. Aldo saved me. He brought me back from the edge. I don’t need anyone else. I owe him everything, and I would do anything for him. Anything,” I state emphatically, rubbing the cuffs on my wrists. Today they feel more like shackles attached to an invisible weight that only I can see.

  “You need balance, Katia. Shaye could be good for you.”

  “Good for me? I’m not so sure of that.” She’s not listening to me. This is pointless.

  “Shaye’s condition is delicate. She, too, understands the importance of discretion. She’s not going to say or do anything to jeopardize either of you.”

  “What do you know about her?” I challenge.

  “Enough to know that she would be a loyal friend to you. Enough to know that she will not pry where you do not wish her to.”

  “She’s sick.”

  “I know,” she returns quietly. “The faculty is aware of her condition.”

  “But she’s so young. I didn’t think it could happen. I thought the blood disease only attacked older vampires?”

  “A common belief,” she admits. “It is unfortunate. It’s easier to accept when the victim has had more time to experience the world. But I wouldn’t write Shaye off yet. A lot of research is being done to combat the otrava de sange. A cure may be closer than you think. You probably don’t know this, but two of the largest research and pharmaceutical companies in the world are owned by vampires.”

  There are a lot of things I don’t know. Still, the look on my face must convey skepticism because she launches into a more detailed explanation.

  “Don’t look so surprised. There’s big money in pharmaceutical research. Curing human diseases is not only beneficial to the survival of the species, it’s also profitable. Not to mention the fact that it provides direct access to fresh blood supplies worldwide.”

  She’s right. I probably shouldn’t be surprised. “I’ll keep that in mind. Are we done here?”

  Chapter Ten

  I’m running through the woods. The hour is late, and the waning moon is bright. Something isn’t right though. I’m not hunting. I’m being hunted.

  My body is sluggish and clumsy. It refuses to cooperate with my commands. My usual speed and dexterity have abandoned me. I know I have to move faster or he’ll catch me. The hunter. I can’t see his face, but I imagine his hot breath on my neck and his sharp teeth sinking into my skin. Given the chance he will devour my flesh and suck the life from my body.

  He’s close. I can feel him. He’s looking for me. I don’t know why, but I know he’ll never stop. Not until he has what he wants. Me.

  I crash through the brush making too much noise. My shirt catches on the branches that lash at my face and arms. Blood trickles down my forehead and into my eyes making it difficult to see. I don’t dare stop to wipe it away. I have to push forward. But to where? These woods are unfamiliar to me. I don’t think I’ve ever been here before. The terrain is as unfamiliar as the vegetation. These are not the alpine trees of the Green Mountains. These trees are twisted and barren like the land around me. Somewhere in the distance I hear the death cries of an indigenous animal.

  He’s stopped to feed. He’s confident that I am no match for him, confident that I will not escape. He’s toying with me. He wants the fear to build, blossoming in my chest until it becomes unbearable. That’s when he’ll attack.

  The wind cuts through me; its icy fingers catch me in their grip. I stumble over exposed roots and land face down on the floor of the forest. “GET UP!” I shout, ordering my body to obey. I’m back on my feet in a flash and racing forward once more. When I reach the edge of the forest there’s nothing but a wall of gray fog, thick and dense. Should I go back? What am I supposed to do now? I look around fruitlessly. There is no one to help me here. No guide to point me in the right direction.

  As I stand there debating my next move, a chalky white hand emerges from the fog. I’m paralyzed with fear. I know I should run, but what’s the point? I can’t outrun him. He steps forward, leaving the fog behind and reaches for me. A dark hood covers his face, but it cannot mask his beady red eyes. Those eyes are pure evil. A strangled cry catches in my throat and I wake up screaming. Again.

  I don’t even consider the time change before calling Aldo. It doesn’t matter what time it is in Romania. I need to talk to him. I turn on the bedside lamp and dial his number. I’m relieved when he answers on the third ring.

  “Katia? Is everything alright?”

  “Yes,” I murmur. Laying here now in the bright glow of the lamp and hearing his voice it seems silly to be calling. It’s just a dream. I’m too old to require comfort from nightmares. “I just… wanted to hear your voice.”

  “Shouldn’t you be sleeping my child? What’s keeping you up so late when you have class in the morning?”

  I glance at the clock and realize it’s three in the morning. I guess I should have been more worried about the time on my end of the line, not his. “Would you believe me if I said I’d been studying?”

  “It’s the dreams again, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  “When did they start?”

  “A few weeks ago.” His silence speaks volumes. I know he’s disappointed in me. “I didn’t want to bother you with such nonsense. I know you’re busy.”

  “You should have called,” he says sternly. “Tell me about them. What do you remember?” Aldo is always interested in my dreams. He seems to think talking about them will help me to manage my subconscious better and eventually free myself of the nightmares. I don’t really feel like it’s helping, but I oblige him anyway. After all, I did call him.

  “Tonight was different. There was no fire tonight,” I tell him, relief spilling over into my voice. “Tonight was about me. I was being hunted. Stalked like prey. I couldn’t see him, but I knew he was there. I could feel his presence all around me.”

  “Where were you?”

  “I don’t know. The woods.” I think hard wanting to be sure of my next words. “It wasn’t any place I’d been before. At least I don’t think so. I didn’t see any landmarks and I didn’t recognize the vegetation. It was cold. The moon was waning. The trees were bare. Leaves littered the ground making it difficult to move quietly. I was running. I was running so fast, but it wasn’t enough. Fear made me clumsy. I kept tripping.” My voice has taken on an uneven quality. It sounds weak even to my own ears and my cheeks burn with shame. I am ashamed of the fear these nightmares incite in me and ashamed at my inability to control my own mind.

  “It was only a dream, Katia. You are safe at Crossroads.” He gives me a moment to regain my composure before continuing. “Go on. What else did you see?”

  “Not much. Just… his hand and these horrible red eyes. I’ll never forget those eyes. They were unnatural. But the worst part was the knowing….”

  “Knowing what?”

  “Knowing that he would never stop searching for me.”

  **********

  I’m relieved when Shaye finally returns to Anatomy. I haven’t seen her since the day I forced my way into her room. I was starting to think she’d never come back. I have to remind myself that she’s only missed a handful of classes. Things have been so busy lately between school and the extra training sessions with Nik that I’ve kind of lost track of time.

  I stare out the window and realize that winter has officially arrived. Giant white flakes of snow float past, as they descend to the earth and coat the school grounds. The result is beautiful. Nothing like the dirty, slush-filled roads I remember from my childhood. On campus the snow remains virtually untouched, as we don’t g
et many visitors and the roads to the school see little traffic. The mountains surrounding the campus glisten in the sun; the trees laden with snow and ice.

  I’ll probably have to wait for spring to even think about riding lessons with Keegan. I don’t know where I’d find the time anyway. I’ve been training obsessively with Nik and using my own free time to practice as well. He’s pleased with my progress and has promised me we’ll start working with weapons soon. It’s something to look forward to.

  “Miss Lescinka.”

  “Huh?” I’ve been caught day dreaming again. “I’m sorry, Professor. Can you repeat the question?”

  “Anyone else?” Hooke challenges, dismissing me entirely, as though it’s going to hurt my feelings. Actually, I’d prefer he move on to another student, since I don’t have the faintest idea what he was talking about.

  Shaye raises her hand. She’s the only one. Leave to Shaye to come back to class better prepared than the rest of us, I smirk. Good for her. It must mean she’s been feeling well enough to keep up with her assignments.

  “If a vampire chooses to transfigure a human during feeding, toxin is injected from the fangs into the subjects’ bloodstream. The infection spreads rapidly while also creating a state of paralysis. During this process the human DNA is perverted, creating cells that mirror both human and vampire characteristics. Under a microscope it would be easy to see the difference, though.”

  “Correct,” Professor Hooke praises her before moving on. “The cell mutation is not natural, and so a mixed-blood vampire will never be physiologically identical to a pureblood. Close, but not identical.”

  “And that’s why they’ll never rule,” calls out one of my classmates. I think his name is Sean. He’s proud, proud of his heritage and a history that has nearly exterminated the lesser parts of what he believes to be a diluted gene pool. I’m disgusted. I hear the vestiges of an argument as old as time—an argument that has brought war, suffering, and death to all corners of the earth.

  This time I tune out the class discussion intentionally.

  **********

  “Mind if I join you?” Shaye asks brightly.

  She knows me well enough at this point to know that I enjoy my self-imposed isolation and normally sit by myself in the dining hall. A quick scan of the raucous room reveals that there are plenty of open seats, many with more desirable company than myself. But, as it is, I still owe her one for the invasion of her privacy, so I can’t very well say no.

  “Suit yourself,” I reply casually, sipping from the mug in front of me. She’s definitely feeling better if her clothes are any indication of her mood and overall well-being. Shaye’s clothes are generally unconventional, but I have never seen such a tribute to 80’s punk. Not in person anyway. I can’t help myself but stare. She’s wearing a red plaid skirt with black fishnet leggings and a t-shirt that’s so faded you can just barely make out the name of the band: The Ramones. If it weren’t for her vampire strength it would be easy to imagine her tiny body weighted down by the abundance of chunky bracelets clattering noisily on her arms.

  “You like? I can do yours too.” She laughs pointing at her hair. She’s added bright pink streaks which I would never in a million years copy. It works for her, but it’s a little too loud for my personal taste. I look down at my own outfit which is comprised of skinny jeans and a cropped sweater. As usual my clothes pale in comparison to Shaye’s.

  “Where do you even find clothes like that?” I ask, wondering what’s inspired such an attention grabbing look today.

  “The internet, where else?” she asks seriously, dropping into the chair across from me. “I had a lot of time to surf the web last week. I could only watch so many reruns of Jersey Seaside before losing brain cells.”

  “Oh.” What do I say to that? I’d probably lose my mind if I was confined to my room for more than a day, and she’s been in bed for more than a week. I just hope she’s joking about watching that trashy reality show. One episode would be sufficient to drop her IQ fifteen points. “Well, you look great,” I tell her.

  “Did I miss anything good?” she asks, sipping delicately from a straw. I watch as the red liquid makes its way up from the glass and into her mouth. She drains the glass while I contemplate.

  “Not really. It’s been quiet.”

  “Too bad. I was hoping for some good scoop. There hasn’t been much excitement in my life since Halloween,” she replies longingly. “I wish I could have been there to see the look on Jade’s face after you dunked her in the spring. Maybe next time.” She looks at me with a hopeful expression.

  “There won’t be a next time,” I tell her adamantly.

  “Oh well, I can dream, can’t I? Besides, she had it coming.”

  Maybe Anya’s right. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have someone to talk to once in a while, and it’s clear Shaye has decided a friendship between us is a worthy pursuit. What the heck.

  “I was thinking about catching a movie at The Palace this weekend if you’re interested?”

  “I’m down. It’s been a while since I’ve been into Rutland. It’ll be fun. Just promise me you aren’t going to invite Jade and Lexie too,” she teases. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that much excitement yet.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  **********

  “You need to concentrate. Whatever is going on in that head of yours today, you need to push it aside.” Nik is not happy with me. Rightfully so. I’m having difficulty focusing. The lack of sleep is catching up with me. I’ve been trying to compensate by feeding more frequently, but it’s not enough.

  “Sorry. I’ll do better. Can we try it again?”

  “Are you sure?” he asks, unconvinced. He doesn’t trust me to tell him the truth. He knows I’ll keep going until he hurts me or until I get it right, whichever comes first.

  “Definitely. I’m ready,” I tell him.

  “I told you it was a waste of time,” chides Blaine. He leers at me contemptuously from a row of chairs lined up alongside the sparring mat. His opinion of me hasn’t improved and he does nothing to hide his mounting feelings of loathing for me. “She’s not getting any better. It would actually be painful to watch if it weren’t so entertaining.”

  “Why don’t you go back to writing code, or playing Dungeons and Dragons, or whatever it is you cyber-geeks do?” I shout angrily, hissing in his direction. I seriously dislike that kid. Maybe not as much as Jade, but a lot. This happens every time we train. I know he shows up just to berate me. It’s hard to believe he doesn’t have better things to do with his time. Then again, he is kind of a creeper. Maybe he really doesn’t.

  “What? Can’t take the pressure? Well, you know what? There’s the door,” he snarls hooking a thumb over his shoulder as if to suggest I should just be on my way. God, he is such a tool!

  “Why is he even here?” I ask, whirling on Nik. “It’s not like his presence adds value. He hates me, and he’s a distraction since he can’t figure out how to keep his mouth shut!”

  “Katia,” he starts, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. He doesn’t want to get caught in the middle again.

  “Don’t bother,” I cut him off. “I’ve had enough of this. No amount of training is worth this hassle. I’m done.”

  “Katia. Come back,” he tries again, as I turn my back on him and storm off the mat. I ignore his pleas. I’m not going to put up with Blaine’s harassment for the sake of training. I’ll figure something else out. There has to be someone else who will train with me. Someone who doesn’t have a pathetic little entourage to interfere.

  I grab my bag in a fit of anger and head for the door, slamming it behind me as I leave. Alone in the hall, I lean against the cool stone wall and attempt to reset my bitch-o-meter. I close my eyes and breathe deeply, allowing my anger to dissolve. If I want to tame the bloodlust, I can’t think about Blaine’s asinine behavior, or how he always knows which buttons to push, or about how I want Nik to actually do something about it inst
ead of playing Switzerland all of the time.

  When I feel sufficiently levelheaded, I push off the wall and check the time on my watch. I still have some time to kill before my meeting with Anya, so I decide to head toward the dining hall. Might as well feed before I go. If my abysmal session with Nik was any indication, I’m in need of blood and lots of it.

  It turns out I’m in luck. The dining hall is pretty empty, so I move right to the front of the line. “Isn’t technology grand?” I muse admiring the fountain. Nothing around here is simple. Instead of the typical drink fountain which would be perfectly adequate, the dining hall has a towering brass fountain with eight ornate self-serve taps. It’s like a bar tap on steroids. Each of the ornamental taps is labeled with a cameo to reveal the contents. As much as I long for human blood, I always choose animal when it comes to the dining hall. It’s less satisfying, but safer for me. I pour myself two glasses from the dispenser. I watch mindlessly as the thick fluid fills the glasses. Today it will be horse blood and bear. It seems the staff has been hunting, and I find I’m green with envy.

  I continue through the line, pushing my tray ahead of me. I ignore most of the human food but at the last minute grab an apple as a nostalgic whim tugs at me.

  “An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Or so I’m told.” It’s Nik. He’s followed me. “I don’t have much use for doctors myself, but it’s good advice nonetheless.”

  “Don’t try and charm me,” I snarl. Maybe if I ignore him he’ll go away. I choose a table by the window and make myself comfortable. He follows, much to my vexation. I watch resentfully as he grabs the chair across from me and spins it around backward so that he can straddle it.