It didn’t, however, mean that I could get over him. Nor did it stop me from staring at his number in my weaker moments, imagining what it would be like to bring things back to the way they were.
“Hey gorgeous,” Oliver came up behind me. “Isn’t Rodrigo delicious?” he asked. He saw my troubled face. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about him again?”
“Oliver! I—”
“I’m not asking you to defend yourself. Just make a decision and move on.”
“I have, only it’s a bit hard considering he’s my soulmate,” I snapped.
“Is everything okay?” Caleb had wandered over and was now looking between Oliver and me.
“Everything’s fine,” I said, smiling reassuringly.
“Good.” Caleb tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering, before he pulled me into a hug. Over his shoulder I saw Oliver shaking his head.
“Congratulations again—about joining the Politia,” Caleb whispered into my ear.
A member of the department had visited me while Caleb and I were still in the hospital and offered me a position on the secret supernatural force. Apparently they’d been scouting me for weeks, and my role in the deaths of dozens of vampires and the rescue of Caleb—who the Politia was grooming to become their star enforcer—had convinced them of my qualifications.
“Thanks,” I whispered back into his ear. He’d made it sound like an honor, but I’d only reluctantly accepted the offer, using the logic of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. I didn’t trust the Politia. The supernatural community didn’t like vampires, and the Politia represented and enforced the community’s values. But perhaps getting to know me would change their minds.
I moved my lips away from Caleb’s ear and made the mistake of breathing in. The heady smell of his blood, pulsing just under the skin of his neck, caught me off guard, and I felt my canines extend. I pulled back quickly and turned away from him.
“I think I need some fresh air,” I said, my back to him.
“Is everything alright?”
“Yes, yes,” I mumbled, already moving away from him. “I’ll be right back.”
Thankfully he didn’t try to follow me as I left Peel’s ballroom and walked outside. The fierce wind grabbed at my hair and my gown, beckoning me towards the edge of the castle grounds. I leaned against the ancient stone wall, which ran the perimeter of the school. A hundred feet below, the surf crashed onto the rocks.
“It would be so easy to jump,” a voice beside me said. “A swift fall and a quick death. Hundreds of students have done it over the centuries.”
My head whipped to my side, but no one was there. I looked around me. Thirty feet away the man in a suit leaned against the castle wall, blending into the shadows.
I put a hand to my chest. I hadn’t seen him since the night he’d taken me.
“What, thought I was gone? Not after the night we spent together.” He winked at me. I felt sick to my stomach; I still didn’t know what had happened to me that night.
“I know who you are,” I said. That much Theodore had helped me with. The man in the suit wasn’t a figment of my imagination. No, it was much worse. He was the devil, Lucifer, the most beautiful angel who’d fallen from heaven.
“I guess the jig’s up.” He pouted. “And I was having so much fun convincing you that you were insane.”
My hands were shaking from his nearness, and I bit the inside of my cheek to hold back the scream that wanted to bubble to the surface. The delicate skin tore and I tasted blood.
“Having problems these days with your … cravings?” he asked.
“Of course not,” I said, my elongated canines contradicting me. Not to mention that I was no longer on speaking terms with my mentor, the one person who might be able to help me control my urges.
“You know, it seems interesting to me that the Politia still haven’t found the hired hitmen who tried to kill you.”
“They’re working on it,” I said, doubt creeping into my voice. Somehow he knew my fears and exploited them.
“Of your attackers, I especially find the shapeshifter interesting. Did you know that’s a hereditary ability? Would be awfully problematic if your boyfriend’s father was the one who tried to murder you.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Oh right. That title belongs to Andre, the cold-blooded killer. Pass along my thanks. I had many new arrivals that night.”
“Just leave me the hell alone,” I said. I began walking back towards the ballroom.
“Never.” His voice was a whisper in my ear. “Enjoy your night. I’ll be watching you.”
To Be Continued …
Keep a lookout for the sequel:
The Coveted
Coming in 2014
Laura Thalassa lives in Santa Barbara, California with her boyfriend, Daniel Ricchiazzi. The Unearthly is her debut novel. When not writing, you can find her at www.laurathalassa.blogspot.com
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