Nightworld Academy: Term One(Nightworld Academy #1)(54)

"I'm warning you, shut up."

She stands and straightens her blazer sleeves. "You're wasting your time. You all are. She's playing with you all. Maeve might not be a lamia, but she's using how you all feel to get what she wants."

"Screw you," I mutter beneath my breath.

Katherine bends down, in full view of Clive, and brushes imaginary dirt from my cheek. "You know you only have to ask me, if Maeve is frustrating you," she murmurs, lips almost touching my ear.

I jerk my head away from her. "Don't touch me. How many times do I have to tell you I don't like your type?"

Katherine places both hands on the table. Although she's standing, when she leans down, we're still almost face to face.

"What will you do when your shifter nature takes over, Ashley? It won't be long now until we all see what you are." She moistens her lips. "That primal energy will need channelling somewhere, or someone might get hurt."

I'm an ounce of self-control away from pushing Katherine in the chest, but my ingrained belief that I'd never hurt a female stops me. I'm not playing into her hands. Clive appears at her side, as expected, and looms over me too.

I've seen his expression before: that of a guy prepared to start a fight with somebody he sees as a threat, like wild animals fighting over a mate. Katherine smirks. She loves this.

Seriously? Clive can keep her for as long as she'll allow him to, because the girl is a lamia—she'll get bored and move on.

My concern is Maeve, Jamie, and whatever will happen at Halloween.





Chapter Thirty





MAEVE



I startle as somebody knocks on the door to my dorm room and almost drop the bright red lipstick I’m applying.

Amelia urgently waves a hand at me to indicate I should walk into the bathroom. She hasn't begun changing yet, but I’m in costume. I decided to select maximum humour for myself and bought a witch costume. A real witch costume would be me in my academy uniform. In reality, I wear a black dress that reaches my ankles, a cloak, and pointy hat on top of a black wig.

Those who celebrate Samhain look down their noses at how humans have hijacked their festival, others take advantage of the situation to mingle unnoticed. I shudder to think how many real vampires surrounded me, at past Halloween celebrations.

For those who know the human Halloween celebration, it’s obvious I'm dressed for a different party to the Samhain celebrations happening in the academy grounds today.

Amelia and I will need to avoid people on our way out.

"Who do you think it is?" I whisper.

She shrugs.

Please don't let it be Jamie.

I'm trying to keep a normal relationship with him, but things are strained. Even though we spoke to others about the vision, he’s still annoyed I refused to tell him sooner. Jamie is jumpier too. Spends more time in the library and less time around the group. After arguing about tonight several times, I persuaded Jamie he should stay in the academy, because the vision I have happens elsewhere.

He's safer on campus, and he knows.

Jamie's sense of humour that helped me settle in the early days slipped away since he discovered my secret. The secret that remains between us and the two professors.

But the secret isn't between us—Andrei and Tobias know something. I steer clear from both, apart from lessons. Sometimes I catch Andrei watching me and the group; occasionally he hangs around the edges, but I shut him out. How can I be friends with a guy who attacks humans and drinks their blood? One who has no remorse for his behaviour?

Over the last week, Jamie joined me for the extra divination teaching as we join Sofia and try to get to the bottom of my visions. But his presence does nothing to help. Even though he’s forgiven me, the distance between us emotionally impacts on the connection that helps when I scry. If anything, his distance holds the images at bay and I’m headed backwards.

I’ve seen nothing more—of him or Tessa. Not when I’m in the extra lessons, or when I’m alone. The frustration led to arguments between Jamie and me, followed by apologies that we’re trying our best. But are we? Sometimes I see fear in Jamie’s eyes, at other times sadness. He’s guarded against me, as if I’m the one responsible.

I'm nervous about walking back into my own world for the evening, especially as I'm not allowed home. I begged my parents to tell the academy I needed to take a break, but they refused. On the occasions I've spoken to Mum and Dad on the phone, I've had to field questions about how my life at the academy is and morphed into the sullen daughter sulking about them sending me. They told me that the Headmistress and the teacher responsible for my pastoral care advised against it.

Of course they did.

My anger about this affected my ability to focus which led to frustration for everybody—myself, Jamie and Sofia.

They don't understand how strongly I need to do this. Jamie is annoyed I won't let him come with us, but his worry about what might wait for him stops him pushing harder against our decision.

Amelia isn't dressed in costume yet, and I listen as she talks to our visitor. A girl's voice. I relax. Jamie isn't renewing his attempt to come with us.

She ends her conversation and pokes her head around the bathroom door. "That was Danielle. She asked if we were headed to the Samhain celebrations. I told her you weren't ready to be involved, and I'm staying with you."