*Two weeks
later*
He was
skulking in the shadows.
He'd been
doing a lot of that lately, hiding where the sun refused to fall, disappearing
into the whispery night. And maybe he'd become a shadow of himself. His golden
eyes were bruised, as if he had trouble sleeping. Not the truth, but he let
everyone who knew that Tierney had been his soulmate think otherwise.
The
undisguised hatred had even disappeared from Adrien's eyes on the rare occasion
he met his gaze. He simply looked through him now, as if he didn't even exist.
Raquel's face hardened every time she saw him, but sorrow left the emotion
curiously shallow. As if her bravado was merely that -- a show.
The only one
who eyed him with more than passing acknowledgement was Jihn. Byron's cousin
watched him with unconcealed malice anytime they were within sight of each
other, her green eyes narrowed suspiciously. Something in the way she watched
him made him think she knew what really happened instead of the fabricated
story he'd given the police and Tierney's parents.
And what a
good liar he was. The anguish coating the spinning gold helped validate his
story, along with the haphazardly disheveled golden spikes. Strands stood on
edge like he'd run his fingers through it nervously, where the warmth of that
strangely magical air had plastered it into its own icy sculpture and then
melted it away.
I couldn't
save her... Even now, the words tasted sour on his lips. The niggling voice at
the back of his head whispered coldly in his ear, a nagging reminder that he
hadn't tried. An even colder voice rasped that it wouldn't have mattered
anyway.
But that
he wanted to save her... Now that was the most startling thought of all. He'd
realized the truth of it in the midst of all his other lies, the adults around
him calculating and analyzing his every word. She'd brought him nothing but
trouble, from the first minute he'd set eyes on her until now, when he would
never look at her again, except maybe in his memories.
He hadn't
realized how much he'd come to count on her presence at the back of his brain,
her smoky aura teasing at his consciousness like a slithering snake. Even now
the memory flickered hazily. Without her, all he felt was an awning absence, a
cavern growing ever larger each time he realized she was gone. He prodded at
the space uncomfortably, but it refused to diminish, only swelled and ripened
like days old fruit. And even though he'd like to pass his feelings off with
that simple thought, he knew there was something more to it.
Of course,
whatever it was didn't bear examining. He ignored it in his shadowed corner,
shadowed world, shadowed life. Shadows dipped in ice, like the palest strands
of her hair, murmuring across his skin. Even in death, he swore that he could
hear her. She sang like a mermaid sunning herself on a faraway rock. A flicker
of light and water, and she was gone.
Ironic
that even in death she would not leave him alone.
If he were
honest, he'd admit that he missed her. Before, the thought would have made him
cringe, but now... Now he had no one to lie to, no reason to hide the fact that
she'd stolen a part of him no matter how much he'd tried to prevent it. After
all, they'd been connected in some unfathomable way.
Missed
her, yes. Loved her, no. His full mouth twisting under its shadow of deformity,
he stared blankly into the darkness of the chalkboard in front of him. That
distinction seemed stupid now, but it was a necessity. Maybe he missed the part
of him she'd taken with her, maybe he missed the part she changed when she
touched his life. Still, in some small way, it was her absence that affected
him.
He shook
himself out of those thoughts slowly, only to realize that the entire class was
staring at him. Blinking them into focus, he scowled ferociously at the nearest
student. It had started working so much better since Tierney changed him.
Changed
him...
"Mr.
Drache?" the teacher prompted coolly. Obviously his lack of attention
wasn't winning him any points. And maybe sometime in the next millennium, he
might care.
Instead of
responding, he stared emotionlessly at the woman, letting just a shard of his
lion roar at the edges of his aura. He could see how she shrank back slightly,
the corners of her eyes widening in fear. He smiled sharply and ran his tongue
over the razor-like teeth.
Mrs. Byrd
-- was that the substitute's name? -- cleared her throat twice before she
managed to get the rest of her sentence out. He didn't miss the unease wafting
from her, the scent of it as heady as fresh blood pouring at his feet.
"Report to the office."
Blankly,
he didn't move from his slouched position in the uncomfortable wooden chair.
"Why would I do that?"
Her face
tightened, recovered from that brief moment where she'd somehow sensed the
untamed beast lurking inside. "Because they called your name over the
loudspeaker twice now. *Go.*"
He almost
considered ignoring her, but he didn't want to sit here anyway. At least
reporting to the office would give him something to do. Really, authority
wasn't all that bad when it coincided with your own desires. He smiled acidly
at her and gathered his books, relishing the alarm that made her shrink back,
though she tried to hide it. Around him, students avoided his gaze, dropping
their eyes to the books in front of them or finding something -- anything -- to
keep their attention away from that piercing golden stare.
The
anxiety drifting from the room was almost palatable and he fed from it. The
animal inside was clawing, tearing to get out, demanding to unleash the fury
he'd been so careful to dampen in these last days of lies and resentment. Some
of his frustration leaked into his eyes, shining like iron ore baking in the
sun, the golden hunger warning, always warning. If they knew what was good for
them, they'd stay away.
Striding
out of the room lazily, he reveled in the sudden flurry of movement, the way
the humans shivered away from him. For a few weeks, Byron had almost had him
convinced that they could be tolerated as something other than a food source.
Whatever lies he told himself, Dare knew he could easily have found a way
around subjecting himself to their whining company.
Humans
were food, and half-breeds little better, if not worse. The thought sent his
lips sliding into a sneer, baring his teeth at some unsuspecting female in the
middle of the hallway. She fell back against her locker, but he was already
gone, sliding down the hall like a shadow in the darkness. Stealthy, silent,
and deadly, he slipped away like a hunter stalking its prey.
Mrs.
Shumaker sat behind the office's glass protection and peered imperiously at
him. As he neared the enclosure, her expression grew steadily more disapproving.
He didn't let it bother him, just let it sink into his skin like every other
emotion he encountered at this off-limits buffet they called a school.
"Can
I help you?" Her voice oozed displeasure.
Something
inside him snapped. Dropping the books onto the desk, ignoring the picture that
crashed to the floor and her gasp of outrage, he slammed his hands down against
the wooden surface. He leaned down until his eyes were level with hers, the raw
craving in his eyes as silencing as a gun set to the forehead, safety off.
"You called me to the office."
She leaned
back as far as the chair would allow, which in truth, wasn't very far at all.
"I didn't call you to the office," she snapped. Though her voice was
as waspish as ever, her skin was white and bloodless.
Good, he
thought, she should be afraid. "Someone did," he responded silkily.
He eased away from the desk, his cheeks hollow in his misshapen face, and
glanced at the intercom. No one else was in the office. Mrs. Shumaker was the
only one who used the intercom, so it had to have been her. She had no reason
to lie about it.
"Go
back to class," she said. Her voice was huffy and disgruntled. He could
hear her heart racing beneath the papery sheet of skin, blood pounding in her
thin veins. She probably tasted as sour as she sounded.
With
barely leashed violence lining his movements, he snatched his books off her
desk and stalked out of the office. Her sigh of relief -- subtle though it was
-- followed him out the door. He got halfway down the hall to see two figures
blocking his path. One he didn't recognize, while the other was far too
familiar. Her green gaze cut as sharp as knives across his skin.
He slowed,
walking toward them leisurely. For some reason, he thought of the prey
ambushing the hunter, but that was ridiculous. Prey was not that smart, and
neither of these two smelled like prey anyway. He let disinterest show clearly
on his face. "What do you want?" he snarled.
The taller
of the two figures stepped forward. "Charming as ever, Dare," Jihn
said smoothly, her body sliding like a snake about to strike. As always, her
face was utterly unreadable. "We'd just like a minute of your time."
Superiority
wound its way through his muscles, relaxing them against the onslaught of animosity
emanating from her. "I don't have a minute," he said flatly. The last
thing he would do was spare time for this vampire who had so staunchly
supported his soulmate. She could wait until the last human on earth dropped
dead before that would happen.
Jihn's
face betrayed no emotion at his words. "Next time I won't be so polite. I
said, 'we'd like a minute of your time.'"
He started
to respond negatively, but then he changed his mind. It wasn't like he was
really going back to class... and maybe he could find out exactly what she
knew. Know thy enemy. And he didn't doubt Jihn was anything but an enemy. He
nodded succinctly at her, gesturing with mock chivalry to the empty classroom
at his right.
With only
a flicker of wariness shimmering on her face, she motioned the other girl
inside, careful to keep herself between their two bodies. A good idea, he
admitted to himself. If he were going to attack, the stranger would be the one
he went for. Something told him she was a lot more harmless than Jihn.
When they
were all ensconced inside the shadows at the back of the classroom, Jihn turned
to him, as cool and as apathetic as ever. "I know what you told the
police," she stated, sweeping a somehow critical gaze over him even though
nothing changed in her expression. "And I know that you were lying."
"What
did you want me to tell them?" he asked lazily. "My soulmate screwed
up a spell and accidentally killed herself?" He laughed, the rough purr of
his voice sliding through the air. "It was easier to tell them that she
slipped and broke her neck."
Now her
face tightened. "Odd, isn't it, how her neck really was broken."
His
answering response was cool. "There's nothing like authenticity to make a
story ring true."
"Somehow
I didn't expect even you to be that callous."
Her dainty
features wore the shadows like a veil, melding and twisting into her pale hair.
In that dimness, her eyes burned. The green seared into his skin, branding him,
and raked forth secrets he didn't know he had. Still, she knew nothing about
him. "Just a body," he shrugged. "She wasn't around to feel it
anymore."
Those
green orbs leapt like flames, but the smaller girl placed her hand on Jihn's
arm and stopped her from doing anything drastic. Tension radiated from Dare as
he waited to see if she would follow through. He was spoiling for a good fight.
But to his disappointment, she smiled and relaxed.
"This
is Miranda," she said, amusement creeping into the child-like curl of her
mouth. She seemed to know exactly what he was feeling. "She has a few
questions for you."
"What
if I don't want to answer them?"
He
expected her to lose the smile, but instead it tightened. She shifted closer to
him, until he could smell the sweet scent of revenge clinging to her shoulders.
He almost choked on its acid texture. "You don't want to find out."
For some
reason, he believed her. While she didn't scare him, he was just raw enough
that dealing with her wouldn't be a good idea. Not until he filled the gaping
hole pulsing in his core. "What questions?"
Miranda
sat uneasily on the top of a desk, the dusky atmosphere melting around her with
a subtle sort of glow. Though Jihn disappeared into the shadows, her silky
blond hair should have contrasted sharply. Miranda, whose long, auburn hair
trailed at her waist, should have been swallowed in their depths. Strange how
neither fit the mold.
"What
*happened* when Tierney did the spell?" she asked hesitantly, her eyes an
odd color between blue and violet. The color of the sea, but some of the waters
splashing under the noonday sun and others lost in sunset. "Did she cast a
circle?"
His lashes
fell like a sweep of cinders against his cheeks. Had she cast the circle? Oh,
yes. Tierney had been far from incompetent. But when he looked at Miranda, he
only shrugged, as if he were unsure. "I think so," he replied. The
hesitancy in his voice was textbook perfect. "She used incense and
water... then she carved a circle in the rock."
Those
searing blue eyes snapped to his face. "Did she use any candles? A torch?
Fire?"
His
expression went blank while his mind raced for an appropriate answer. Then he
thought, Why not tell the truth? Omission wasn't exactly a lie.
"Yeah," he said finally. "She put a ring of candles in the sand.
But one fell."
"During
the spell?"
"During
the spell," he repeated, confirming her question in a voice that was both
patronizing and spiteful. "So what?"
Jihn edged
closer like a raptor about to strike, but Miranda simply sighed. She spoke
before Jihn had a chance to pounce, her eyes regretful. "The circle
centered the magic. It was kind of like..." she paused, chewing on her
bottom lip while she searched for an appropriate simile. Shrugging, she tried
again. "Let's say you have a mirror. That was you and Tierney. The spell
creates a sort of magical pressure on the mirror, but the circle keeps it
distributed evenly. If that pressure concentrates in one place, the mirror
shatters. When the circle broke, it caused all the power to gather in the
center and explode."
"I
repeat," he said, "'So what?'"
This time
Jihn came so close he could see the clear amber veins in her eyes, and they
weren't pulsing happily. She smelled like peaches and vanilla and childhood
memories gone painfully wrong. When she opened her mouth, her canines gleamed
wickedly. "How did the candle fall?" she asked softly, the easy
menace in her voice not so subtly threatening.
Her
intimidation tactics amused him. He tilted his head and met her eyes directly,
silently letting her know that it wasn't going to work. "I don't know. I
was across the circle when it happened."
One slim
golden brow rose in question. "Somehow I find that hard to believe."
"I
don't remember it being my responsibility to convince you," he responded
flatly. He didn't move when her lips peeled back from her teeth and her pupils
sucked the color from her eyes, leaving only two awning black orbs. Her blood
pounded in her veins as loudly as thunder rumbling through the sky.
"Tierney's dead. Harassing me isn't going to bring her back."
Jihn
rested a moment in her intimidating position, then the flame in her eyes dimmed
and she stepped back. "No, it won't," she concurred. The smile that
crept across her face was stunning and cold. "But it might make me feel
better, and killing you would only be an added bonus."
"Save
the threats for someone who will be intimidated by them," he suggested. He
swept a critical gaze over her slight frame, towering at least seven inches
over her silky blond head. Then, rolling his eyes, he pushed past her toward
the door. "And don't mention her name to me again."
He didn't
wait for either of them to respond. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see
Miranda's wide-eyed stare as she huddled protectively against the desk. Not surprising.
He and Jihn weren't exactly harmless, and the tension singing through the room
felt ready to burst. Ignoring the outrage swelling from the vampire, he exited
the room.
Two weeks
later, and still she haunted him.
***
He missed
her.
Every day
at lunch, Julien would stare at her empty seat, wondering what had really
happened. No matter what Dare said or what story he told, Tierney's words the
day after prom weighed on his mind. /He isn't a good person./ And something
told him that whatever lies Dare spun, they were far from the truth of what
really happened.
Walking
down the shadowed corridor with the hall pass clutched loosely in his hand, he
tried not to linger as he passed by her locker. The outside was decorated with
flowers and pictures people had taped to the flat metal surface, and he hated
the memories they invoked. All they managed to do was remind him that she was
gone.
He kept
his eyes fixed firmly ahead as he walked. It was easier than pretending he
didn't care.
For the
last two weeks, everyone had treated him with more deference than usual,
murmuring condolences as they moved by. No one, himself included, knew what had
really happened. Only that she had been with Dare, and that she was dead.
Descending
the stairs at a leisurely pace, he headed for the guys' locker room. With any
luck, he could hide there until the end of the period. He wasn't in the mood to
sit through any more classes today. Tierney filled his thoughts, not chemical
equations or Spanish verbs.
But when
he entered the locker room, he found he wasn't alone. Sneering back at him was
Dare, who apparently had the same idea he did. The other boy glared coolly at
him, as if challenging him to say something. Julien was just angry enough to
oblige him.
"What
the hell are you doing here?" he snapped, staring at Dare from an equal
height. His shoulders tensed, wary, and adrenaline rushed through his senses.
His body was clamoring for a fight.
Dare took
the opportunity to obstinately lean against the wall and make himself
comfortable. "Avoiding class. If you have a problem with it, you can go
away." He smiled, showing dangerously sharp teeth. "I *was* here
first."
Julien's
gray eyes narrowed into slivers of silver. "I'm not going anywhere."
Shrugging,
Dare leaned his head against the wall and let his eyes slide shut, completely
relaxed. He apparently didn't find Julien to be a threat at all. The latter
kept a watchful gaze on him, but walked across the locker room and sprawled
across one of the wooden benches.
His mouth
twisted angrily as he stared across the room at the chipped green lockers. Just
Dare's presence was chafing on his nerves. Maybe he wouldn't let himself be
ignored. He turned his head to look at Dare, who hadn't moved even a
millimeter.
"Why
was Tierney with you when she died?" It was hard to keep the accusatory
edge out of his voice, especially since he already knew the answer. She had to
have been doing the spell. Still, he was interested to know how Dare would answer.
Dare
lazily opened one golden eye, like a cat that had been nudged out of the sun.
"We were taking a walk."
And,
exactly as he expected, Dare was evading the truth. "She hated you,"
Julien answered flatly, his features hardening. He leaned back against the wall
calmly, but his body was still tense.
Both eyes
opened this time, and the expression coating their amber depths wasn't
pleasant. "The feeling was
mutual."
Something
about the way Dare said those words told him Dare was lying. They lacked
conviction, even while emotion was absent from each drawn-out syllable. And
something about them made Julien angry. He stood, walking over to where Dare
slouched carelessly across the wooden bench. "I don't believe you,"
he said.
"I
really don't care."
Those
words sounded almost amused. Anger spiraled through Julien as he reached out
and wound his fingers into the material of Dare's shirt, lifting him off the
bench and thrusting him against the wall. Shock wiped the laziness from that
cold and apathetic face.
"I
know something happened when she went to do the spell," Julien stated, and
Dare paused in the process of reaching for Julien's neck. His hands fell to his
sides, but Julien ignored him, lifting him higher against the wall. "And I
know whatever happened it was your fault."
Lashing
out, he caught Julien off guard, causing him to release Dare's shirt. As Julien
stumbled back, he purred, "Prove it."
"I
don't have to," Julien responded. He eyed Dare coldly, dislike hovering
between them like a thick barrier. He took a step forward and pushed Dare
roughly back, knocking him back into his seat. "I loved her," he said
bitterly and flexed his fingers as though he was preparing to do damage.
"She died because something went wrong, which makes you indirectly
responsible. So I'm going to say this once. Stay away from anyone Tierney cared
about, or I'll make sure you don't have a choice."
He didn't
wait for the shock to disappear from Dare's face before he turned and walked
away. If he stayed, he might kill the bastard, or die trying.
God, he
missed her so much.
***
When he
saw her trudging down the hall, Dare merely groaned. Everyone else had accosted
him today; why would Raquel be any different? His mouth tightened, Julien's
empty -- though he was sure Julien didn't know this -- threat echoing through
his mind.
And sure
enough, as soon as Raquel noticed him, she stopped. He continued leisurely down
the hall. The hatred shining through her bruised violet eyes stabbed at him
even halfway down the hall, but even now he could smell the sorrow she felt.
He kept
moving, slowly and purposefully, expecting her to say something with every step
he took in her direction. But she said nothing. Her eyes held his, the hatred as glaring as the midday sun, while
she stood silently in place. He moved past her and still she didn't say
anything to him. Her hatred prickled over his skin like fire ants swarming ever
upward.
When the
doors to the staircase were in front of him, he glanced back down the hall,
already knowing that Raquel was still standing there, not moving, and that
heated anger filled her gaze. Shrugging, he pushed through the double doors and
bounded up the stairs.
Odd. He
would have expected her to throw empty threats like the rest of them, not
simply let him walk by. Strangely, her pain hurt him enough, raking across his
body and taunting him with what he'd done.
He'd once
told Tierney that if it were necessary, she would pay in blood. Instead she'd
paid with her life. Somehow he'd gotten caught up in the difference between the
two. Fate was making him pay. And as much as he hated to admit it...
He
deserved every little bit of what he'd gotten.
Fin.
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][Epilogue]