Waiting for Mercy (Cambions) (32 page)

Horror filled my mind.  I’d forgotten Sebastian mentioned that.  Why was this demon school pretending to be a school for wayward youths?  What did they do with the humans?

“Is he a full demon then, little half-breed?” he asked.  Double crap, did he know I was not the witch Sebastian portrayed me to be?

Standing there like a doe in headlights, I couldn’t think of anything to say.  I wasn’t used to this kind of suspicion.  “Look, Sebastian is helping me out because my step-brother came here to hook up with a girl.  Our parents will be pissed if they come home and he’s not there.  He’s in enough trouble as it is.”

Again, bits of the truth were thrown together.  I hoped it sounded good because I was really going to kill Flynn for putting me in this danger when I got my hands on him.

His smile grew pensive.  “Why would Sebastian lie?” he said thoughtfully. “Are you really Sebastian’s girlfriend or was that a ruse to get me to think it so?”

“You sound like you’re jealous,” I spit out. “Now what do you know about my brother?” I asked.

Anger flared in his eyes. “You first,” he said.

Apparently, we were not going to get anywhere unless this topic was discussed.  So I would give him what he wanted and hoped he would reciprocate.  “It’s complicated,” I said.

“Yeah,” he said. “You’ve still told me nothing.”

“You know,” I started, trying to figure something to say. “He’s a bit of a mystery.” He nodded in agreement. “I’m not sure I can trust him.  Now it’s your turn to admit what’s going on between the two of you.”

Ignoring my question, he said, “If your brother is the shining new toy the girls have been fawning over, I may have an idea where he is.”

I found myself moving towards him.  “Please tell me,” I said.  A flutter of hope passed through me.  Where had that come from?  My heart had lifted when I felt like I would find Flynn.  I shook my head trying to clear the confusion over my concern.  Of course I was worried.  He was my friend as odd as that sounded.  We had become friends despite his betrayal.  I would be lost if something bad happened to him.  That line of thought only brought my other friends predicaments closer to the forefront.  There was nothing I could do for any of them at the moment.  Fate would be their jailer or rescuer.  Luke.  Luke’s fate also hung in the balance, but I had no idea how I could help him.  Flynn was the only one I could conceivably help at the moment.

He wasn’t moved by my request no matter how sweetly it had left my lips.  “Our movements would be too conspicuous at the present time.  We have to wait for class to begin at nightfall,” he said.

Narrowing my eyes, I said, “But I thought classes were going on now?”  I questioned because that is what the Mistress had stated.

“Human classes,” he said. “Right now, everyone else is resting.  We would be caught roaming the halls and it would be reported.  Then the Mistress would start asking questions you aren’t ready to answer, like what you really are.”

I turned away and headed for the window.  Wanting to look out I stood on my tiptoe and reached for the heavy drapes.  I didn’t hear his movement only felt his hand as he wrenched me from the window and tossed me to his bed.  My head hit the wall with a loud thump and before I could cry out in pain and a resounding thump echoed from the other side of the wall.

Turning to him, he lifted a finger over his lips.  “Sorry, Dep,” he cried out speaking to the occupant of the next room.

Then turning his attention back to me, he said, “It is evident you know nothing about our world.”

The jig was up so to speak so I nodded in agreement. “Well, let me give you a hint.  Don’t open the drapes during sunrise in a vampire’s room.”

Curiosity took over at this point.  Despite the noise, my head didn’t hurt that bad.  So I pushed on to learn what I could.  There were many things I should be asking, but how often do you find yourself trapped in a room with a vampire. “So it’s true, you can’t walk in the daylight?”  He nodded. “But you feel warm not cold like a stiff,” I commented.

He chuckled still standing in front of the bed looking down at me.  I moved to sit with a little more dignity.  “Explain,” I said. “I mean we have time to pass.”

“I could be resting,” he said looking at me and the bed.  I didn’t quite understand his meaning.  Did he really mean sleep?  I mean, he was into Sebastian not me.

“Honestly, I doubt I could sleep,” I said.

He nodded. After a long sigh, he sank back into the desk chair that had moved further in the room when he tossed me so easily on the bed.  “Vampires aren’t dead.  A misconception passed through the ages.  We’re not luminous in the sunlight either.  We burn.  Wouldn’t the human population be extinct if we could walk the earth at any time of day?  Humans wouldn’t have a chance, even half breeds like you.”

My tongue let loose as if I harbored no control over it.  “Do you survive on blood?”

“Yes.  But don’t worry your pretty head, that’s what the stables are for.”

“Stables?” I asked.

He exhaled a short clipped breath. “It’s where the little human delinquents are housed and where people like me get human to feed on.  Mostly vampires, because we don’t have any incubi here.  We only have Sophia.”

Humans are treated like cattle or sheep.  And what had he meant about people like him? And was Sophie a succubus? If so, how did that make me feel? A part of me wanted to seek her out thinking she may have the answers I desperately needed.

“Your brother,” he said quirking up an eyebrow. “Has caused quite the stir around here.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen the females so riled up except when Sebastian is around.”

Gosh, what a buzz kill.  The information was intoxicating but once I knew that Flynn was the hottest guy on campus even here, I wanted to gag.  Man it was so annoying.  The last thing I needed was a demon girl fawning all over him as if his ego wasn’t big enough.   Adding to it, Sebastian was the man around here.  I had to wonder amongst all the perfection I’d seen thus far, what made Flynn and Sebastian the cream of the crop.  I felt like a shaggy dog.  I could only imagine that the population of demons here would also be stunners.  Wouldn’t they need to be in order to appeal to their prey? “Yeah, that sounds like Flynn,” I admitted.

“Flynn’s his name.  You two don’t look alike,” he said.

I nodded. “I did say he was my step-brother.”

“You did indeed.”  His eyes formed slits while he contemplated.  I grew overly concerned that the danger that lurked around me was growing. “What I don’t understand is why Sebastian would bring you here only to lie about who you were.  Why would he risk being re-trained for you?  He knew I would find out that you weren’t what he claimed you to be.  Vampires and Shifters have sensitive noses.  Yet here you are?”

I may have had a death wish because I made my way to the edge of the bed.  My fight or flight response kicked in.  Self preservation wasn’t a concern when I opened my mouth. “Why does it concern you what Sebastian and I are doing?”

He stood and met me at the edge of the bed.  My neck craned up to stare at his intense eyes. “Because I love him.”

His words were strong.  He didn’t seem to care if anyone around heard. “And?” I said matching his tone.

“He’s risking a lot by bringing you here and I want to know why?” he growled.

The sight of his elongated fangs had me faltering back on the bed cowering to the wall.  A hiss escaped his mouth as he stalked me.  Fear flooded every cell of my body.  I hadn’t thought he would react in such a way.  Sebastian said I was safe with him.

Swiftly, he was off the bed and against the wall.  It took me a moment to process that he hadn’t gotten there by his own will.  Sebastian had the taller guy pressed flat by his grip on the guy's neck.  I had the strangest thought on whether or not Rune need to breath.  But we hadn’t gotten to that in our conversation.

“If I ever catch you with even the slightest finger on her, I will rip your fangs out and use them to sever you from your balls. Got it?” Sebastian promised.

That was a visual I didn’t need.  Rune nodded and Sebastian released him.  Sebastian never took his eyes from the guy until he was firmly pressed in the desk chair he’d only moments before occupied.

Then casually, as if nothing had occurred Sebastian tilted his head in my direction. “Are you okay, Kayla?”

I nodded but said “Yes” ever so faintly.

“Why did you bring her here?” Rune said, speaking up almost defiantly. The frost that came from Sebastian’s icy stare before it focused on Rune chilled even my bones.

“It is of none of your concern,” Sebastian said.  “The lass belongs to me and that is all you need to know.”

The glacier that formed between them certainly confirmed that Rune’s love was unrequited. I almost felt sorry for the guy.

“I know she’s not who you claim her to be and I know about Flynn,” Rune confessed.

Sebastian’s glare came around my way again. “I” was all I managed to regurgitate before Sebastian spoke again.

“Where is he?” Sebastian barked.

“First tell me what’s going on.  Is she really worth it?” Rune asked.

Okay, I was offended but at the same time I heard the love that surrounded his words.  Rune was desperately in love with Sebastian.

“Don’t you get it?  We can only be friends.  There is nothing more I can offer you.  You are mistaking our friendship for more.  You’ve never even dated a guy before, you’ve told me this yourself.  In fact, your words were that you were somewhat of a homophobe in your human life.”

I followed the conversation with my line of sight. “Things change,” Rune said sheepishly.

“Nothing has changed.  Your vampire instincts are confusing you.”

Rune stared up with determination and certainty.  “That was two years ago and nothing has changed for me.”

My head snapped up to see just how Sebastian was going to do to respond.  This was better than reality television.  “Nothing has changed for me either. So you should move on,” Sebastian said. “Give Colby or Anna a try, if you haven’t already. Both would kill for some of your attention.”

Ignoring his comment, Rune stood and the tension level in the room hit a fever pitch.  “I wouldn’t have hurt her.  I just wanted to know why you were risking everything for her,” Rune said, then looked at me. “I’m sorry.”  Then he walked out the room.

McKayla

Sebastian left her without any answers.  He claimed he had to go find Rune and make sure the guy didn’t break our cover.  He also needed to get Flynn’s location out of him.  He told her to lock the door behind his departure and get some rest. 

But her body defied her mind. She’d been up for over twenty four hours.  Laying on Rune’s bed to process all that had happened was all it had taken.  Only for a minute, I heard her inner musing.  She promised herself she wouldn’t completely nod off. 

Too bad for her.  It took a little while, but it felt good to be in control again.  Her recurring wet dream of her boyfriend entertained me while I waited.  I had to admit the girl had imagination in full color.  Warring with her dream was her total lack of faith in him, thinking he was probably regretting the day he met her. 

Her dream was so familiar I could act out the part myself beginning with his touch. Now that the dream had faded and she sank into that deep sleep, I flooded her body with my essence before opening my eyes.

Lifting to my elbows, I was shocked to see that tasty morsel was back in his room.  I flash him a smile.

“Hey, you’re up.  Look, I’m really sorry about earlier,” Rune said.

Sitting all the way up, I give him my come hither eyes. “It’s fine.  I understand what you’re going through.”

He stares at me and I think I might have hooked him with my bait. His hand reluctantly comes up as if he might point to something, then he stops. “Your eyes.”

My grin widens. “You like.  It does that when I get really pissed.”

Confused he said, “Why are you upset?”

“Because that bastard doesn’t deserve you or me?” I said. “And you know why?”  He shakes his head. “Because he told me to come here and seduce you.”