by M Guida
I could still taste him on my lips.
“Well for your information, Gunnar kisses Nora all the time.”
I blinked and I opened and closed my mouth. She had to be lying. Gunnar said I was his first kiss. But what if I wasn’t?
“He told Nora that he wanted to kiss the Golden Phoenix’s daughter to see if you kissed half as good as her.”
Bull’s eye. A sharp pain stabbed at my heart.
She gave me a smug look and crawled back into bed.
I slowly took off my pants and slipped under the covers. What should have been the happiest moment of my life had just turned completely sour. I hugged my pillow and tears slid down my cheeks onto my pillow.
Morning came too soon. I didn’t want to face the music. When I woke, Victoria was gone. Crap, that wasn’t good.
I kicked off the covers and slowly got ready for my day. I applied my makeup super carefully today, not wanting anyone to see I’d been crying—especially Gunnar.
When I opened the door, Rusty was already waiting and had a scowl that made me want to run right back up to my room.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Rusty grabbed my arm. “Too bad. We’re going to.”
“Let go of me.” I tried to pull my arm away, but his steel grip held me in place.
He gritted his teeth. “You and your horns can be as pissed as me as you want. Do you know what your father plans to do if he finds out you and Gunnar have been fooling around?”
“I don’t know. Send me home?”
“Not even close, Little Ms. Devil. He plans to send Gunnar to the Hollows.”
Shock shot through me like a lightning bolt. The Hollows? My dad wasn’t kidding around. The blood drained from my face and I shook my head. “Seriously? No. He wouldn’t do that.”
“Yeah, he would, Princess. He’s just looking for a reason to get rid of Gunnar. Who, I might add, doesn’t have any friends right now. I’m busting my ass to keep him out of there.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t…I didn’t know.” My soft voice was so small that I wasn’t sure he heard me.
He slowly released my arm. “Just stay away from him until Anton changes your dad’s mind. Gunnar would be enemy number one in that place and I don’t think he’d make it out alive.”
Confusion spun in my mind, but maybe there was some hope. According to Raven, Anton could sometimes work magic in difficult conditions. I touched my forehead with my shaking hand. “I can’t believe my dad wants to do this. He’s wrong about Gunnar.”
“Yeah, I know he is. You’re not the only one who’s concerned. Armond’s nearly out of his mind with worry. It takes everything I have to keep him from doing something stupid.”
Great, I didn’t want Armond to be pissed at me to add to my troubles.
“Come on, let’s go eat. I’m starving.” He cast an appreciative gaze over me. “You took long enough getting ready. Getting all dolled up for Gunnar?”
I folded my arms across my chest and looked down at my shoes. “He’s not into me, Rusty. He’s into Nora.” I don’t know why I told him that. Rusty hated any kind of emotion. He wasn’t exactly Mr. Sympathetic.
“If you think that, then you’re not as smart as thought I you were.”
I stared at his broad back as he left, walking ahead of me. I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but I saw Nora and Victoria standing near the cafeteria, waiting to ambush me.
For the first time, I was glad I was with Rusty. He waited for me and gave Nora and Victoria a you’d-better-keep-your-mouth-shut-or-else glare that made them wilt like two violets.
But I knew I wasn’t out of the woods yet.
Rusty and I dropped our stuff at the usual spot. I pretended not to notice the Royal table, especially Gunnar. Had I really been the first person he ever kissed? Or had it been all a lie?
I put a cinnamon bagel, some strawberry cream cheese, and a cup of coffee with cream on my tray and then headed back with Rusty behind me, grumbling that they were out of breakfast burritos. I don’t know what he was complaining about. He had a chicken fried steak and scrambled eggs smothered in gravy and a big glass of orange juice.
Ignoring the Royal table, I smeared the strawberry cream cheese on my bagel and took a bite. My stomach rebelled. I don’t know what was happening. I usually loved bagels and cream cheese.
“Rusty, I’ll be right back.” I picked up my tray.
He was busy chewing on his steak but his steely eyes said don’t-piss-me-off. I hurried away and got in line to grab something else. I needed protein, something rare. Something bloody. I don’t know why.
The cook smiled. “Back so soon, honey? What can I get you?”
I looked around for what I wanted. “Could I have a rare steak? Like really rare?”
“Rare?”
“Just a seared a little on each side, please.”
She gave me a strange look, but put a small steak on the grill nonetheless.
“Hi, Ebony,” a husky voice said behind me.
I closed my eyes and thought about my sizzling steak. “Gunnar, I can’t talk to you.”
“Meet me in the girls’ locker room after practice.”
I turned to argue but he was gone. Was he crazy?
“Thank you,” I murmured to the cook and turned only to bump into a wall of muscle.
Rusty put his hands on my shoulders. “You’re testing me, little girl. Stay. Away. From. Him.”
I gripped my tray tighter and broke free of his hold. He followed right on my heels. I didn’t look at the Royal table again. Back at my seat, I cut into my rare steak, licking my lips at the red stream of blood. What was wrong with me?
Rusty returned to his plate that was almost cleaned. He glanced at me. “Steak for breakfast?”
“Why not? You had chicken fried steak.”
“Whatever.”
I put some of the steak on half of my bagel still smeared with strawberry cream cheese and savored the taste. I could feel the juices rolling down my throat and my stomach practically jumped for joy. I had no idea why this was happening.
Between my weird change in appetite and Gunnar telling me to meet him in the girls’ locker room, I wasn’t sure what to think.
Evan was watching me. “Girl, you eat the strangest things.”
I shrugged but didn’t answer him. As I was returning my plate with Rusty right behind me of course, I turned and Dr. Greenwood’s blond head caught my attention. He was handing some tea to Anton. I hadn’t even thought about him until now, since I was so caught up with Gunnar.
I glanced quickly and noticed that at the Royal table, Gunnar was watching Dr. Greenwood intently.
Rusty came alongside me. “What’s wrong?”
I tore my gaze away. “Nothing. I’ve got to get to class.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
Rusty walked me to class and made sure in first period I didn’t sit next to Gunnar who was still sitting with Nora and Victoria. Nora mouthed to me silently, ‘He’s mine.’
I just grabbed my Supernatural book and flipped to our assignment.
Cadye slid into a seat next to me. “Hey. Gunnar told us his suspicions about Dr. Greenwood at breakfast.”
“He did?”
I hated not sitting at the Royal table because I missed all the info with The Sentinels.
“Yeah.” She pulled out her supernatural textbook from her backpack and glanced over her shoulder to where Gunnar was sitting. “Do you believe him?”
“I do. I think there’s something off about him. Dr. Greenwood, I mean.”
“What do you think we should do?”
“Watch him. Anton doesn’t believe Gunnar, but he might listen to us. But first I think we need to get into the infirmary to see how Phoebe is doing, and then meet at the library.”
She gave me a sympathetic look. “Are you sure you can get away from your bodyguard?”
I shrugged. “I’ll just tell him we’re going to study in the library.”
<
br /> She shook her head. “Somehow I don’t think it’s going to be that easy. Rusty isn’t stupid and I doubt he’ll buy that we’re studying.”
I didn’t argue with her. I had a sinking feeling I’d have to tell Rusty about Gunnar’s suspicions, but I wasn’t even sure if he would believe it.
Next up was Dragon Magick. My most dreaded class.
Victoria was talking with Zayne, but when he saw me, he left her immediately and came over to me. I’m not even sure he said goodbye to her. Her death glare told me everything. I was dead meat.
Zayne greeted me with a big smile. “Hey, I’ve got something for you.”
“Really? What?”
“My dad gave your sister a locket that helped her control her fire. I have a similar medal my mom gave me.” He handed me a gold chain with a red medallion. “I thought it might help you call upon your dragon.”
Victoria was watching us like a hawk and I could practically feel her talons ripping my eyes out.
“Oh, Zayne, that’s so sweet. Thank you, but I couldn’t.”
He slowly closed fingers around my palm, holding the medallion.
“I won’t take no for an answer. This is from the Draco Kingdom and I bet it will call upon your stubborn dragon that refuses to show herself.”
I bit my lip, torn. Part of me wanted to say no, but I desperately needed to shift and I was ready to try anything. Maybe, just maybe, this would help.
“Okay.”
He gently took the necklace from my hand. “Let me put it on you.”
“Thank you.” His fingers brushed over my skin, making me shiver. The necklace was warm, but I didn’t feel any power radiating from it. Maybe it took a while.
Professor Tuamma had us break into our color dragons and then we stripped. Victoria saw the chain around my neck and gasped.
The others shifted and practiced controlling their different levels of fire, and I clasped Zayne’s medallion and closed my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I drew on my power.
Please, dragon, come forth. I need you.
No image.
No tingles.
No sensations.
Nothing.
I opened my eyes and dropped my arm, trying not to cry. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how hard I pleaded with my dragon to come forth, my dragon remained incognito.
Professor Tuamma cast me a sympathetic look and then placed her hand gently on my shoulder. “Can you change into fog again?”
I braced my shoulders. “I’ll try.”
Please, allow me to turn into fog.
Coldness blew around me and then turned wet. The same tingling sensations glided over my skin and once again, I shifted into fog. I moved around the room, slowly at first, then faster and faster.
Once again, I couldn’t shift, but I could easily change into fog.
And I could change speed. I guess that was something.
Chapter 16
Rusty was once again waiting for me and walked me to Potions. I clutched at my medallion, wishing it would do something, anything, and stared at the ground as we walked.
He gently clasped my arm. “Is anything wrong?”
“Yes. I still can’t shift. What’s wrong with me? Zayne gave me this dragon medallion to help and everything, and still nothing’s happening.”
“Can you change into fog?”
“Well, yeah.”
He stepped in front of me. “Okay, let me ask you this. How many people can do that?”
“Well, no one else.”
“Then stop bitching. Just like your sister, you’re different than anyone else. And last I heard, your sister’s one of the most powerful supernaturals in the world.” He grabbed his nuts. “I’m betting my family jewels you will be, too.”
My eyes widened. Rusty never gave compliments, and that’s as close to one as I’d ever heard from him.
“Come on, I’ve got to get you to class.”
When we arrived at Potions, I headed toward where Cadye was already sitting at our lab bench.
Professor Griffith immediately came over to me. “Ebony, I would like a word with you.”
“Yes, Professor?”
He drew his thick eyebrows together and put his hands behind his back. “Is it true that you used the sleeping potion last night on your roommate?”
Victoria and Nora were sitting at their table whispering and snickering. I couldn’t believe Nora was there. For some reason, she had been released after shooting Phoebe, but why?
I braced my shoulders back. “Yes, it’s true, sir. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I must report this to the Headmaster, and you’ll have a talk with him. We don’t cast spells on students. Do I make myself clear?”
I lowered my head. “Yes, sir.”
I hurried back to Cadye, but not before I caught Victoria and Nora giving me the-ha-ha-I-got-you-in-trouble look. I wished I could turn into fog and freeze their faces.
I plopped onto my seat, knowing my stupid horns gave away my feelings.
Cadye leaned closer and lowered her voice. “What happened? Are you in trouble for the candle?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I muttered, glancing warily over my shoulder. “Not here.”
Professor Griffith ended up punishing the whole class by making us read about the ethics of conjuring spells for the next hour. I felt so guilty and could feel every student shooting daggers at me for breaking the rules. Score a huge victory for Victoria.
My nerves were wound up and I tapped my foot nervously throughout class. I kept waiting for Anton to magically appear to cart me off to his office, or at least send a summons, but none ever came. That was so weird. Whenever something strange happened to Raven when she was here, or when I couldn’t shift, he’d been there right away.
After class, students brushed past me as I was putting away my book. Boy, was I popular. Not.
“Thanks a lot.”
“Real swift, Ebony.”
Someone even muttered, “Bitch.” But I wasn’t sure who it was. I didn’t think it was either Victoria or Nora.
Cadye rubbed my arm. “Don’t let them get to you.”
“Yeah, well, I think I just became public enemy number one here.”
She shrugged. “Maybe. They’ll get over it.”
Rusty was waiting as usual outside, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. “Hey, why did everyone have a stick up their ass when they came out of class?”
I shrugged and didn’t answer. I was too busy holding back tears and swallowing the I-feel-sorry-for-myself lump stuck in my throat.
Cadye blurted out, “Griffith made us read all period on spell ethics and I guess people were mad at Ebony.”
He studied me. “Did those assholes say something to you?”
I cleared my throat. “I deserved it. I shouldn’t have used the spell on Victoria.” My shaky voice sounded like I was jumping around on a jackhammer.
“I don’t care.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “She’s a fucking bitch. She’d better shut her trap, or she’s going to wish she was never born.”
I glanced at him. “Don’t do anything. Please.”
He maneuvered me away from the door and Cadye fell into step walking at our side. “You know that’s not my style. You’re one of my pack and I protect what’s mine.” He winked at Cadye. “Don’t worry. So are you.”
We all headed toward the cafeteria together. Victoria and Nora and some of their friends were laughing.
Someone in the group said in a loud voice, “I can’t believe she did that. What a bitch.”
Rusty stiffened and dropped his arm. “Go inside. I’ll be there in a minute.”
I glanced nervously between him and the girls. “Rusty, no—“
He narrowed his eyes. “I said go.”
Cadye clasped my arm. “Come on. You know you’re not going to change his mind.”
It was true. Rusty was more stubborn than a donkey refusing to move. I relu
ctantly followed her, hoping, he didn’t make things ten times worse for me.
I thought about sitting with the Royals but that would be like waving a red flag at a charging bull, so I put my things where I usually sat. Cadye dropped hers off at the Royal table. Gunnar was already there sitting next to Armond, but I avoided looking at him or even smiling. There was an empty seat next to him and I couldn’t help but wonder if that was saved for Nora.
I inhaled the smell of barbecuing meat and hunger flooded over me in waves. We got in line and I grabbed a tray as usual. One of the cooks had just dropped some chicken onto the grill.
I blurted out, “I want those pieces.”
The cook frowned. “But those are raw, my dear. You’ll get sick if you eat that.”
I licked my lips at the pink chicken. “I don’t care. That’s what I want.”
She picked up some barbecued chicken, dripping with sauce. “You can have this instead.”
“No, I want the raw chicken.”
Cadye elbowed me. “Ebony, what’s wrong with you? She’s right. You’ll be sicker than a dog if you eat bloody chicken.”
Desire pushed inside me at the thought of the blood running down my throat. “I told you, I don’t care. I want it.”
“Well, you’re not getting it,” the cook said sternly. “I won’t be responsible for a student getting sick from something I served. Dr. Greenwood would never forgive me.”
She gave me a plate of cooked chicken, along with potato salad, corn on the cob, and coleslaw. My stomach revolted but I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t even know why I was craving raw chicken. I’d never eaten it my whole life. What was wrong with me?
Cadye clasped my arm. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I guess Potions class just got to me. I’ll see you later.”
But I wasn’t fine. Far from fine. It wasn’t just rare meat I wanted blood. I’d had those cravings before school started, but they were getting worse, much worse. And I was too ashamed to tell anyone. Was that why my dragon wouldn’t appear? She was ashamed of me, too?
I sat at my seat and picked at my food, more mixing the potato salad and coleslaw together rather than eating it.
Evan was sitting across from me and looked as good as ever. Why couldn’t I just have a crush on him like everyone else? “Ebony, aren’t you hungry?”