“Blue Bell is more than just fine. It’s the Cookies ‘n’ Cream. Trust me. I’m a connoisseur of all things ice cream.”
I pulled off the top. It looked like ordinary Cookies ‘n’ Cream to me. “If it’s so amazeballs, why haven’t I heard of it before?”
“Because you’re from California. They make it in Brenham, Texas and they only deliver it themselves to locations that they can easily get to in their refrigerated trucks. Although when I’ve lived other places, I’ve had it shipped to me from the factory. Costly but necessary.”
I shook my head. Dude was out of his mind. I took a bite and moaned. “Holy shit. This is good.”
“Told you.”
“So you and ice cream, huh?” It made him more of a real person, instead of this odd authority figure.
“Food. All kinds. When you’ve got to eat so much of it, you get to know the difference between good, bad, and excellent.” He pointed to the ice cream with his spoon. “This is excellent.”
“So do you cook too?”
He nodded. “Most wolves do. Especially those my age.”
That made sense. I wanted to ask him how old he was, but he beat me to the next question.
“Can you cook?” he asked me.
I shrugged. “Mexican food, for sure. With a recipe—anything else.”
We got into a conversation about Mexican food, most importantly the differences between Mexican food among the border states.
A pint of Blue Bell Cookies ‘n’ Cream later and I was feeling better.
I stared down at the empty carton. “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.”
Mr. Dawson laughed. “I can. You’ve got to eat more. And you’re about to burn all that off, so it’s not even going to do you any good. Let’s go.”
I patted my stomach. “Just when I thought I had a nice food baby going on, you gotta ruin it.”
As we walked to class, I was more relaxed. Everything felt a little more okay.
But then again, it could’ve just been an ice cream high.
Chapter Twenty-Six
That evening we were watching the news on Meredith’s TV. It’d become a nightly habit. Every time we huddled around and waited to see how close the vampires were, but this time there was no mention of the “killers.”
“Maybe the Cazadores finally found them?” Meredith said as she muted the sound.
“We would’ve heard,” Shannon said. “Yesterday they were only fifty miles away from here.”
“But they won’t come here, right?” I said.
“I hope not, but they must be close.” Shannon sighed. “If the Cazadores are having this much trouble the school will have to relocate again.”
“Again?”
“It moved in the fifties,” Meredith said when Shannon didn’t answer. “It was in the Northeast, but the town got too big. It’s never had to move because of vamps finding us. You’d almost think they had help.”
I chewed on my lip as I thought. Maybe from the rogue Mr. Dawson had mentioned when I overheard him talking? But what if Mr. Hoel had something to do with this?
My imagination was taking my dislike for the Hoel’s and turning it into some crazy plot against St. Ailbe’s. I clearly needed more sleep. “I’m going to bed.”
Shannon ignored me and Meredith said good night. They whispered theories as I got ready for bed, but I tried not to listen too much. Just because I had great hearing didn’t mean I should use it all the time. People still needed privacy.
I was on the verge of sleep when St. Ailbe’s version of a siren—a modulating low-pitched hum—cut thorough campus.
Howls echoed through the night. Answering ones came from the dorm.
What the hell was going on?
The smell of rotten eggs filled my room.
“Oh my God.” I heard Meredith say from her room. “They’re here!”
Everything was still for a moment, before doors in the dorms slammed open. Girls were shouting in their rooms.
I ran to my window. At least thirty people were running though the courtyard.
No. Not running. Gliding.
“Vampires.” I whispered to myself as I pressed my nose against the glass. The cold bit into my skin but I couldn’t look away. Both werewolves and vampires moved silently, but this kind of silence turned my stomach. It wasn’t natural.
How were they moving like that?
I gasped as one of the dark figures stepped into the light. It swirled around, and then stopped. It was searching for something in the windows. Meredith yelled something, but I couldn’t make it out.
Its gaze pierced me—red eyes called to me.
Everything slowed. I could hear my heart beat and count the time between each thump-thump.
A voice in my head ordered me to open the window, and I did.
All I could see was red. It filled my vision as it got closer, larger.
Cold wrapped around me and I floated to the ground.
“Tessa!” Meredith shouted from far away.
The sound stirred something in me, but it was quickly shoved aside.
Red eyes stared out from the darkness of his hood.