Unearthly, The (4 page)

Chapter 4

Why had he
come looking for me? Couldn’t he take a hint?

Andre angrily stalked forward until he was more than comfortably close.  In a deceptively calm voice, he asked, “Did you forget we had a date tonight?”

Silence. Everyone was in the library was listening.

I lifted my chin. “A ‘date’ would suggest mutual interest. What you did was blackmail.”

For a moment, nothing happened. Andre just stood there frozen, as though he had not registered my words. Then, before I could react, he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

“What the
—
? Put me down, now!” Instead of putting me down, Andre began walking to the door, like any normal caveman. Students who had gawked at the scene now parted to make room for him. No one was going to do anything. In fact, they all looked a little frightened.

“Help! Please, someone! Andre, put me down!” I began to bang on his back with my fists and my book bag. I tried to wiggle off of him, but he had a viselike grip on me.

Now I began to scream. “Help!”

Andre pushed open the doors, and the night’s chill rushed over my skin. He didn’t stop walking until he came to a black Mercedes.

A man came out of the driver’s seat. “Sir?” He sounded concerned.

“Everything’s fine. Could you grab the door? Oh, and turn on the child lock.”

The man hurried to open the rear car door. I huffed. Andre was kidnapping me, and his driver opened the door for him?

Andre unceremoniously dumped me into the car and followed me in.

I scrambled for the far door. Grabbing the handle, I pulled. Nothing. I tried again.

“Damnit!” Fruitlessly I pulled on the handle a few more times, but nothing. I wanted to cry.

The driver got in, and the car pulled away from the curb.

“Sir, are we still going to the marina?”

There was a long pause, long enough to make me look over at Andre. He was assessing me with his eyes. “Yes, I think that would be best.” I attempted to put as much distance as I could between him and myself, leaving me squished into the corner of the car.

I sputtered, “You’re still taking me on the date? Are you kidding me? You can’t just snatch me up and
—
”

Midsentence Andre turned his attention to my books, which had miraculously made it into the car with me. In particular, he focused on a textbook that had slid partially out of the bag.

“
Living and Dying in a World of Wonder: An Introduction to Supernatural Beings
,” he read out loud. I let out an indignant huff and crossed my arms. “They’re still making students read this?” He pulled the book out of my bag and began flipping through it. “You know, this book is nearly as old as me,” Andre said.

I eyed the book, a cloth-bound, gold-leafed book that looked like it came straight out of Old Man Time’s library, and then looked at Andre, who appeared to be in his mid to late twenties.

“That book is nearly as old as you? That’s a joke, right?”

My words irked Andre; his eyes narrowed. “It’s a manner of speaking.”

“How old
are
you?” I asked. It was a rude question, but I had a right to know how old this guy was if I was being forced on a “date” with him.

“A little over seven hundred.”

Now I was thoroughly confused. “Seven hundred … years old? Wait. What? You’re actually serious?” All that is holy, please tell me I was not trapped in a car with a crazy person.

Andre’s mouth quirked as his irritation turned into wry humor. “You haven’t heard? I’m a vampire.”

***

“The man who wrote this textbook was a classicist. He ranked beings on a spectrum from good to evil.”

I was still reeling. A vampire? Either Andre was crazy, or he was telling the truth and he ate his dates. There was no good way to look at it.

“Hmmm …” He was preoccupied flipping through the pages. “‘Vampires: nocturnal, blood-drinking beings who, in exchange for their mortal life and immortal souls, are granted theoretically eternal lives, as they can only die from suicide or murder. Vampires are unequivocally the most evil creatures who once began life human.’ Well I’d say that’s a bit harsh.”

“I think it’s appropriate considering you’ve kidnapped me and will probably eat me and throw my remains into the water.”

“I do not ‘eat’ people,” Andre said. “And if I wanted you dead, I have far more practical ways of accomplishing that.”

Great. He just admitted he offed people.

He began paging through my textbook once more. “Oh, here’s your entry. ‘Sirens: grumpy birdlike creatures who badger men to their deaths with their incessant squawking.’”

“Give me back my book!” I tried to make a grab for it, but he moved it out of my reach.

“Ah,” he said, focusing his sharp eyes on me, all playfulness gone, “so you were fine ignoring our date, but now you’re not fine when your wishes are ignored?”

“I never agreed to the date. And how would you know whether I’m a siren?”

He gave me a once over. “I guessed. Sirens always were so annoying.”

I was a siren? Something else about his sentence caught my attention. “Sirens
were
annoying? Why the past tense?”

There was a moment of silence before he spoke. “They tend to live very short lives.”

I swallowed. That was a bad omen, especially now that I was trapped in a car with a vampire.

“And of course you agreed to the date,” Andre added.

“I did not! And while we’re on the subject, why don’t you apologize for carrying me against my will to your car
—
and for blackmailing me.”

“I will do no such thing. I would do it again if circumstances were similar.”

I wanted to scream. This man was unbelievably frustrating.

“Look,” I said, exasperated, “I’m assuming people kiss your ass for a living. And I’m assuming you come from a time when it might’ve been perfectly okay to throw an uncooperative woman over your shoulder. But, if you want to have any chance with me, then you have to give me some reason to respect you.”

I wasn’t planning on any future dates with Andre, but I could scrape up my pride with an apology.

Andre looked like he bit into something sour.

“Sorry,” he said flatly. It wasn’t an apology. Not even close.

I felt the car slow down before coming to a complete stop.

The driver opened my door
—
which I noticed was unlocked from the outside
—
and let me out.

I shivered as I stepped into the cold night air. The chilly wind brought goosebumps to my skin. I looked around. We were amongst rows and rows of docked boats.

Suddenly, Andre was there next to me, putting his coat around my shoulders.

I stepped away from him and let the coat slide off. It crumpled into a pile on the damp dock.

I looked down at it. “Sorry. I hope your coat wasn’t too expensive,” I said as I read the Armani label on the inside.

He laughed.
Laughed
. What was it going to take for this guy to drive me home?

He picked up the crumpled coat. “Fine Gabrielle. You don’t want the coat? We’ll see how cold you get before you ask for it back.”

***

How cold was it? Really effing cold. I sat shivering on one of the damp vinyl seats as Andre steered the boat. Of course, my being on the boat was the result of a series of events that culminated with me sitting on the dock, refusing to step onto the boat. Surprise, surprise, Andre dealt with the situation by picking me up
—
again
—
and carrying me onboard.

Now we were giving each other the silent treatment. And under no circumstances would I break that silence to beg for the coat. Even though I couldn’t feel my nose. Or my hands.

In spite of the frigid evening, I was able to enjoy the view. The castle was luminous. Strategically placed lights made the old stone walls glow a yellow orange. The city of Peel was no more than a cluster of lights along the dark landscape, becoming more infrequent as we moved away from the town.

As I stared out at the lights, I felt the heavy weight of a blanket placed on me. I looked up at Andre and, through chattering teeth, said, “Thanks.”

I wrapped the thick blanket around me, beyond caring that I was ever so briefly nice to him.

Eventually Andre turned the boat around and we docked. I ran ahead of him to the car and asked the driver to crank up the heat, where I sat
—
blanket and all
—
and allowed myself to defrost.

Andre got into the car a little while later, brooding. I guess most of his dates usually played out better than this. I bet he even thought I’d stay the night in the boat’s little cabin with him. Ha!

“James, take us back to Gabrielle’s home.”

We sat there in tense silence before he finally spoke. “So I guess that didn’t go as planned.”

“I think you owe the library money for the doors.”

“It’s already taken care of,” he said.

I took that in. “That was quick. I guess. Whatever.”

And those were the last words I spoke to Andre. I thanked the driver for the ride when he pulled up to my place. Grabbing my book bag, I scrammed. It was only as I entered my dorm room that I realized I still clutched Andre’s blanket to my chest.

***

“I am so sorry,” Leanne said before I could even shut the door behind me. “He was really scary. And he intimidated me. Kind of.”

I sighed. I now knew and had seen enough about Andre to understand that Leanne didn’t have much choice. The guy was pretty efficient at getting what he wanted.

“Don’t sweat it.” I walked over to my bed and dropped my stuff down next to it.

“I’m just glad you’re okay. I heard about the library. Someone filmed it and posted it on the Internet.”

I put my head in my hand. This couldn’t be happening.

“Oh my Lord, is that who I think it is?” Oliver called from the doorway. “How was your date? I saw the video. So hot. I bet he was so hard to resist.”

I turned, letting him take in my blue lips and unpleasant expression. “Andre is a prick.”

“Honey, what happened?”

I curled up on my bed and recounted my date to both of them, beginning with the library and ending with the awkward drive home.

Oliver fondly patted my knee. “He was definitely after your virgin treasure.”

Leanne nodded. “You dodged a bullet. Anything with Andre tends to end badly.”

I figured that, of course. But in spite of the terrible date, and Andre’s questionable motives, later that night, I fell asleep clutching his blanket and breathing in the ocean and him.

Chapter 5

At 6:00 p.m
. the next evening, Oliver, Leanne, and I, along with the rest of the new juniors, gathered on the grass outside Peel Castle.

Tables and chairs dotted the lawn between the dorms, and candles glowed from each table’s centerpiece. All set up in preparation for our Awakening.

An older woman ushered the three of us to a table. Immediately after sitting, my foot began to jiggle. Curious by nature, I couldn’t tell if I was more nervous or excited for the evening’s events.

Fifteen minutes later, the murmuring of anxious voices quieted as an older gentleman walked up to a makeshift podium on the far side of the lawn. He tapped the microphone a few times, and then his voice boomed over loudspeakers.

“Good evening.” He had everyone’s attention. “For those of you who do not know, I am Archibald Hazard. Welcome to Peel.

“You are here because each and every one of you is intensely exceptional.” His eyes moved over the crowd. “You have come from all over the world. Some of you are in the entertainment industry. Others have competed in the Olympics or made critical advances in science. And a few of you have been touched by great tragedy.” His eyes briefly rested on mine.

“But all of you are truly exceptional for a different reason. I’m sure at some point in your lives people thought of you as strange. Abnormal.”

His words struck a chord.

“Perhaps it was an ability to foretell events. Perhaps it was extraordinary strength or unusual beauty. Perhaps it was a powerful love of the forest, or a bone-chilling fear of fire.

“These are your birthrights. You are the result of generations of magic passed down across millennia. Tonight we will give you the opportunity to finally embrace your heritage. Tonight, we welcome you into our community and recognize you as a member.

“However, during this time of excitement, it is important to remember that you were chosen because we saw true and honorable characteristics in each of you. Empathy. Fairness. Sacrifice. Not all people born with your gifts are allowed to Awaken them.”

Leanne leaned in to me. “Then how was Doris not screened out?” she whispered. I bit back a laugh.

“Many of you come from schools where breathing incorrectly earns you a detention. You will not find that to be the case here. In the supernatural world, sixteen has always been the age of adulthood. The members of Peel Academy uphold this long-standing tradition and recognize your autonomy and maturity. As a reflection of that, we expect you to make wise choices as the young adults you are.”

I was considered an adult? The thought of legal freedom, which I hadn’t thought would come around for another two years, was intoxicating.

“While you will find few rules here, those rules that remain are taken very seriously. Danger is real, and we respond severely to any misuse of power.

“Remember that tonight we bestow on you all a great privilege and a great burden. Never forget that these new abilities of yours come with the expectation that they will be used to promote good and keep evil at bay.

“Congratulations on your great accomplishments, and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you. Enjoy your evening.”

Applause thundered from the crowd as we stood and clapped. And in that moment, I felt like I might actually be one of them. I might actually fit in.

After the speech, dinner was served. I barely touched my food. No one seemed to know what was going to happen tonight.

By the time our plates were taken away, the sky was a deep blue, and the lamplight illuminated our faces.

Professor Blackmore walked onto the podium, clad in what must be his usual tweed suit and bowtie. “Ladies and gentlemen, the moment has come. Men, please meet your patriarchs at the north end of campus. Women, please meet your matriarchs at the south. Let the Awakening commence.”

A solemn silence descended as the students were beckoned into separate clusters. Leanne and I followed the crowd to the south, where the “matriarchs” of the group then led us by torchlight
—
yes, torchlight
—
into the castle.

We passed through several stone halls lined with old tapestries and coats of armor. The path descended downwards, underground, through a twisting maze of chambers. Eventually we were ushered into a room.

It looked like a gentleman’s library. The room was spacious, filled with several couches. Books lined the walls. Low burning oil lamps sat perched on small tables. Here and there were marble busts of the Greek gods, miniature ships in glass bottles, a few globes, and several large Greek vases.

I thought it was pretty trusting of the school to put over a hundred excited women in a room full of breakable objects
—
but that was just my opinion.

Once we were all in the room, one of the matriarchs who hovered near the door cleared her voice. “Ladies, tonight marks the first night of the rest of your life. The women around you will become some of the most important people in your life. Take this time to get to know one another. As for tonight’s events, each of you will see us in a little while. Until then, good evening.” She inclined her head.

Those matriarchs who’d been standing in the room filed out. Once they’d exited, the woman at the door backed out of the room, closing the door with a firm click.

The sound echoed throughout the room. All was silent for a moment.

And then the moment was broken.

“What is going to happen to us?”

“How long are we going to be here?”

One woman tried the door. “The door’s locked. They locked us in!”

***

We didn’t hear from the matriarchs for an entire hour. When we finally did, a knock on the door interrupted our conversations. The door opened, and a severe-looking woman came in.

“Daisy McFallon!” she called out.

Murmurs blossomed throughout the room.

The girl standing next to me hugged her arms. She looked wide-eyed around at the rest of us. I guess this was Daisy.

“I’m sure everything’s fine,” I reassured her.

She nodded once to herself and took a deep breath. “That’s me,” she said, her voice carrying above the others.

“Please come with me,” the woman said.

The room had fallen silent, the crowd of girls parting like the Red Sea to let Daisy through. No one wanted to associate themself with her in case they’d get called away as well.

Slowly, reluctantly, Daisy walked to the door. The woman whispered something to her, and they both left. Once the door clicked closed again, the room let out a collective breath.

I thought I was right, that everything was fine. But I was wrong. Daisy never came back.