Void(20)

“And what about my brother?” Gritt demanded. “What will you do for him? He lost his animal! To a shifter, that’s worse than death. Our animals are a part of us.”

“I was developing a plan before you stormed in here,” Judge Braxton fired back. “We’re working on understanding her new powers. We will try to get your brother’s animal back, but in the meantime, try not to piss off the vampire community. You have to work alongside each other,” he said, looking between him and Render.

Gritt put his eyes back on me, flicking down once only to give my amulet another passing glance. Then he turned on his heel, shoving past Render, and stormed out of the room. I slumped slightly as soon as he was gone, letting my hand trail over the spot on my neck where his claws had cut into me.

I didn’t even get to catch a breath for longer than a moment, because Judge Braxton was already barking for the guards to get back inside, issuing orders to them. “Get a car. I want her at a portal to take her to the academy within the hour. And get the headmaster on the phone. We’ll need to bring in Selik on this,” he said, casting me a cursory glance.

“Banner Selik?” my mother shook her head. “The headmaster would never allow it.”

“Headmaster Torne has no choice,” the judge snapped before looking back to one of his guards. “Make the call.”

“Yes, Judge.”

The guard walked out, and I blew out a puff of breath. Everything was happening too fast, but it was all out of my control. Once again, other people were determining my life because of my powers. I forced myself to drop my hand from the punctures Gritt had left behind, rubbing the wet blood against my fingertips. Render’s eyes zeroed in on the movement, and I watched his throat bob.

“I’ll escort her there,” Render said to the judge, without looking away from me. I had a feeling he wanted me to stick around for more than just the blood dripping from my neck.

“I will too.”

We both turned as Quade strode into the room, looking annoyingly pompous.

“I’m not going anywhere with either of you,” I said, shaking my head. “If you’re so worried about others learning about me, why not send me back to Coxcomb’s while you figure it out?”

Judge Braxton tugged at the hairs on his chin, shaking his head. “Out of the question. We need to harness this new power of yours and get you trained immediately. That can’t be done hiding away with humans.” He said the last word like it was something dirty. “You two are due to return to the academy anyway,” he said, looking at Render and Quade. “You’ll both escort Miss Cainson.”

“But—”

My words were cut off when my mother and the judge turned away and began talking quietly amongst themselves as if I wasn’t even there anymore. I swallowed my argument, and Quade raised his arm, motioning toward the door. “Pretty sure that was your dismissal,” he said.

My shoulders slumped. There was no use trying to say anything. That rare attention that my mother had given me wasn’t really for me. It was for this newfound edge to my power. I walked out the door and into the hallway, feeling both Render and Quade following a step behind me. My life suddenly felt derailed, the train traveling way too fast and due to wreck any second.

“Cheer up, Devicka,” Quade said smoothly. “You’ve always wanted to go to Thibault. Now you are.” His bright teeth looked menacing, despite his cheeky grin.

Not like this, I wanted to say. I didn’t want to be accepted into Thibault like this—as another pull of a puppet string.

I hadn’t even been given the time to sort through the shock of what I’d done, and they were already shipping me off. I didn’t even know if I could do it again, because I didn’t understand how I’d done it in the first place.

“I don’t need you to babysit me,” I said to them over my shoulder. I was feeling weak, and now my neck hurt like a bitch. Blood was still dribbling from the shifter’s punctures on my neck, even though the Void was healing me. I lifted my hand up again, trying to staunch the bleeding, but I managed to pull the skin, making it worse.

Render cursed behind me. “Fuck.”

Just as I was about to turn the corner in the hall, strong hands grabbed hold of my arms, and Render shoved me against the wall. No sooner had my already sore head smacked against it than Render’s mouth was at my neck, lapping up the droplets of blood on my neck. His tongue was hot and wet, and when he closed his lips over the wound and sucked, something happened to my body. Sparks of pleasure went down my limbs and settled in my core, and a moan slipped from my mouth, unbidden. If he heard it, he didn’t say anything. His teeth scratched at the puncture, heightening the entire experience. I felt a hot desire pool between my legs, and I wrapped my hands around his back before digging my nails into him.

Fuck. Why did this feel so damn good?

I snapped open my eyes, horrified that I’d just stood there, moaning and melting against him like some human blood tramp. I shoved at his chest, my cheeks flaming with arousal and embarrassment.

His mouth pulled back, but instead of moving away, his soft tongue danced along my skin, his teeth scratching my sensitive neck as he moved. I could feel him everywhere, and it made my entire body buzz with need. Each flick of his tongue along my pulse had me whimpering for more, and he smiled against my neck like he enjoyed making me into this puddle of lust.