Nightworld Academy: Term One(Nightworld Academy #1)(58)

I smile through Tessa's grip and hug her back, holding onto this anchor to my human life. To the girl I feared would be hurt before I managed to find my way here.

Holding me at arm’s length by the shoulders, her eyes search my face. "You look tired. Are you okay?"

"Dark eye make-up. I'm so happy to see you."

She beams, before catching sight of my friends. "This must be Amelia. Hey."

Amelia nods at her but Tessa is intent on the guys as they walk over. "Are these friends from the academy too? The guys you talk about."

I elbow her and my cheeks heat.

Ash rubs a hand across his mouth as he examines Tessa's costume, before glancing at Andrei.

"I like what you're wearing, Tessa." Andrei's voice is soft and cajoling, one I've heard him use before. On me, when teasing.

Tessa's tall figure is covered in a slinky black dress with a plunging neckline that scoops beneath her full breasts and clings to her curves. Heavy makeup in blacks and reds, with spots of fake blood around her mouth, complete the vampire temptress look. White streaks her long dark hair, which falls below her shoulders.

"Thanks," she says brightly.

"I'm a vampire too," he informs her.

She wrinkles her nose as she sweeps a gaze the length of him. "Really?" Andrei flashes his fangs at her, but Tessa remains unimpressed. "I don't think you'd win any prizes for effort with your costume," she says and pushes my arm. "Will he?"

She giggles, and Andrei scowls. I guess his charm doesn't work on everyone. "Have you been drinking, Tessa?"

She holds her fingers up, a centimetre apart. "A little."

Oh, hell.

"Come on, you should catch up with everybody." Tessa seizes my arm and pulls until I almost lose my balance.

Right, because everybody misses the super popular Maeve.

As Tessa takes my hand in her hot one and leads me away, the others follow. Andrei's sour face amuses me—and Ash too, who claps him on the back. "Never mind, dude. Make more of an effort with the costume next year."





Chapter Thirty-Two





MAEVE



The dark, Halloween-decorated school hall wipes away all traces of the room I'm familiar with. The stage I performed Grease on (badly), aged fifteen, now contains a DJ and plastic gravestones. The polished wooden floor isn't visible beneath the choking dry ice and strobing green lights.

No wonder I didn't recognise the place in my vision.

I've attended Halloween dances at the school before, apart from a pause around age sixteen when we deemed it too 'uncool' to go. I'm surprised Tessa wanted to attend this year, but she has a new circle who are here tonight. Like I do.

Tessa's new friends watch with interest as we walk across the half-empty dance floor, and then enthuse how much they've missed me. Total lie. I don't remember half of them. What rumours followed me to the academy? The girls immediately lose interest in me when Ash approaches. He gives curt hellos before turning his back to the group to survey those around. I'm desperate to do the same. Where is the guy I saw?

We shout at each other above the music for five minutes before I make polite excuses and walk to a trestle table lined with plastic cups. Adults supervise plates of food beside bowls of fruit punch, and I smile wryly to myself. This never stopped people adding vodka to the bright green and red juices in past years—and the teachers know that.

Amelia follows me like a lost puppy and continues to stare around her as if she's landed on another planet. "This is amazing."

"I wouldn't go that far, Amelia." Has she been so sheltered in her life that she's never spent time around ordinary people? Amelia and others all look human, and sometimes I forget they aren't.

"Is this like in the movies? Will there be a prom queen and king?" she enthuses. "Please tell me there is!"

I splutter a laugh, but she's serious. "Amelia, this isn't a prom, just a yearly Halloween party."

Amelia's face falls. "I was hoping to get some ideas for when I organise the end of year prom at the academy."

"You have plenty of time before July." Do supernatural academies have proms? That place gets weirder. Nobody needs to guess who the prom king and queen will be—Clive and Katherine.

"Oh well." Amelia tiptoes to see over the growing swathe of costumed bodies. "I'm sure tonight will be fascinating."

"I'm sure it will be. As long as it's not violent."

We stand side by side, sipping our drinks, like two wallflowers nobody wants to dance with. I keep my sights fixed on Tessa. They're loud, even with the music drowning out most other laughter and chat, and they draw attention. Keeping track of Tessa and her drunk friends won’t be a problem. How long before I can persuade her to leave?

Ash stands in the doorway, alone. I shake my head at how conspicuous he is for somebody trying to hide. Sure, he’s in costume with his face turned into one where black skin hangs off and his cheeks are gouged, but he can’t hide the good-looking guy beneath.

Ash’s body is honed by years of playing rugby at a high level, and the ragged clothes don’t hide this. His T-shirt stretches across his broad chest, the torn sleeves revealing solid biceps. When will I finally admit that my interest in his rugby matches isn’t which team will win?