Drake Chronicles: 03 Out for Blood (7 page)

“Rubber bal . You?”

“Xena action figure.”

“That’s never a good sign.”

“I know. She loves that thing.” He frowned. “She’s al stressed out. I’ve never seen her like this.”

“She’l calm down. York spooked her with that dril . She’s afraid she’s going to fail the year.”

“Like she couldn’t break into his computer and change her grades if she wanted to.”

“Yeah, but her mom’s on her case too.”

“That woman is terrifyingly efficient. I like your grandpa better, even if he could snap my neck without breaking a sweat.”

“Yeah, he’s the best,” I said proudly.

Spencer snorted noncommittal y, then threw his arm across my torso to stop me so abruptly that I stumbled.

“
Ooof
. What is
wrong
with you?”

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly.

“And why are you staring at my boobs, perv?”

“Is that the medal ion you told us about? From the coronation.” I glanced down. The silver pendant on its long chain had fal en out of my shirt.

Spencer looked positively greedy. “Can I see it?” For some reason I didn’t want to take it off. I held it up but kept it around my neck.

“It’s not magic, Spencer, just a symbol.”

“That’s half of what magic is,” he said. “Symbology.” He ran his finger over the insignias. “I’d love to do some tests on this.”

I batted his hand away. “Forget it. It’l come back melted or smel ing like cheese.”

“One time,” he muttered. “One time I misread a spel and I’l never live it down.”

“You smel ed like cheese for a month.”

“Believe me, I remember. I stil can’t eat gril ed cheese sandwiches.” Satisfied that he was distracted from trying to steal my necklace, I looked up the long staircase and squared my shoulders. “Here goes nothing.”

“You’l do fine.” He snorted. “And pretty much no matter what you’l do, you’l be better than Courtney.”

That was comforting, at least.

Stil , there seemed to be fewer stairs than usual. I reached the top floor distressingly fast. It smel ed like popcorn. The common room looked the same, but there were plants in the windows. That was new. Homey.

“Courtney put those there,” Lia said, when she saw me looking at them. She looked more cheerful today, less like she was about to have a panic attack. She stil looked real y young though. “Hi.”

“Hi,” I said back. “You okay?”

She looked embarrassed. “Yeah. Sorry about that. I total y lost it yesterday.”

“It happens to al of us,” I assured her.

“I bet it’s never happened to you.”

She was right. But that was only because I’d been five years old when Grandpa had started my training. When I’d thought there were monsters under the bed, he taught me how to do a proper sweep to get rid of them.

“So are you settled in?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Pretty much.”

“And you know not to use the last shower stal in the back?” Her eyes widened. “Why not? It’s the cleanest one.”

“Let me put it this way: magic gone wonky plus a cranky ghost makes for ice-cold water. Or sometimes blood instead of water.”

“Okay. Gross.”

“Yeah, that’s why no one ever uses it. But they never put that stuff in the orientation manual.”

She shivered.

“Don’t let it get to you.” I smiled. “By this time next month you’l know every corner of this place.” I went toward the bul etin board, smiling at the two girls sprawled on the couch watching television. “Also, don’t eat the meatloaf.”

“I’m thirteen, I’m not an idiot.”

I laughed. “Okay, then.” I scrawled a note on a piece of paper and tacked it to the board. “Can you do me a favor and spread the word for me? Ask the girls not to bug my roommate or she’l send viruses to their computers.” Lia blanched. “She can do that?”

“Yup.”

“Cool.”

“She’s just as likely to throw something at you though. Anyway, I’l come up here once a week … say Thursdays after dinner, if anyone needs to talk to me.” Not that I expected they would, since they had Courtney, who was actual y supposed to be doing this, and what did I know about this stuff?

“Are you the new monitor?” one of the girls asked.

I nodded. “I guess so.”

“She’s my
assistant.
” Courtney sneered from the doorway to her room, which was decorated from floor to ceiling in purple. Her hair was in perfect hazel-brown waves to her shoulders, her eyes expertly lined and smudged with silver eye shadow. Her dress was real y pretty, with lace layered over silk. I coveted it instantly.

Which just made me cranky.

“Courtney,” I said evenly, counting to ten.

“You’re not the floor monitor,” she said defensively. “You’re my lackey. Your job is to do what I tel you to.”

“You wouldn’t need an assistant if you’d done your job properly in the first place,” I shot back. Like hel I was going to let her make me her minion.

She narrowed her eyes at me. “Excuse me, but it’s not my fault one of them was too slow. She had to pass the entrance exams like everyone else. She should’ve been fine.”

“She’s thirteen,” I said softly, since I knew everyone around us was eavesdropping.

Courtney blinked. “She is?” She frowned and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“Whatever,” she added, her cheeks pink. “York says I’m in charge.”

“He would,” I said under my breath.

“And if you don’t do your job, I’m supposed to tel him about it.”

“Fine,” I said through my teeth. “I already posted my hours so chil , already.”

“My family’s just as good as yours,” she snapped suddenly.

It was my turn to blink at her. “Okay.” I didn’t know what else to say to that.

“I mean it.”

“I’m sure you do.”

I was so glad we weren’t roommates anymore. I’d rather have Chloe throwing stuff at my head any day. I heard one of the doors creak open. “You, in room 403!” I snapped. “Always check for creaky hinges before you try to listen in on someone.

It’s a dead giveaway.” There was a gasp and the door slammed shut, fol owed by stifled giggles. I rol ed my eyes. “So’s that,” I muttered.

“Look, I don’t need your help,” Courtney insisted hotly.

“You need some kind of help,” I said, turning on my heel and going back downstairs. I was on the landing when my phone vibrated in my pocket as a text message came through.

Hel-Blar attack. Al 12th-grade students

to town line rendezvous.

I took the rest of the steps at a dead run.

Spencer was already in my room when I got there. Chloe was shoving a stake through one of her belt loops. She looked excited. She never looked excited about dril s and outright runs.

“You got the message?” Spencer flicked me a glance.

I nodded, reaching for my jacket. I secured the tear-gas pen, altered to hold Hypnos powder, in my cuff. “
Hel-Blar
on the outskirts of town again?” I asked.

“That’s twice in one week.”

“And enough of them this time to cal us al in,” Spencer added grimly as we thundered down the hal . The front door was already open. A cluster of Niners stood on the stairs watching the dorms empty of twelfth-grade students, armed to the teeth.

Courtney shoved past them, stakes lined up on her designer leather belt.

“Hunter,” she smirked at me. “Someone has to stay behind and babysit the girls, as you so kindly pointed out.”

I did not like where this was going.

“So you stay,” I replied tersely. “You’re the floor monitor.”

“You’re my assistant,” she strode past me. “So assist.” I grabbed her elbow. “You said you didn’t need help, remember?” She shrugged me off. “Let go. You’re the one who was al worried about them.” She jerked her head toward the lane, visible through the open door. “There goes York. Should we ask him?”

Crap.

“Why do you have to be such a bitch, Courtney?” Chloe snapped. “Is it your superpower or something?”

“Shut up.” She flounced out, hurrying to catch up with York.

“Sucks,” Spencer said. “Want me to stay?”

I shook my head. “Sounds like they need you.” My teeth were clenched so tight it was hard to speak.

Chloe made a face. “Sorry,” she said, shutting the door behind them.

I was left standing in the foyer under the dusty chandelier, covered in stakes, with night-vision goggles pushed up on my head like a headband.

Talk about being al dressed up with no place to go.

The Niners were whispering excitedly to themselves, a few brave ones coming down to press their noses to the windows. Jason, who was the boys’ ninth-grade monitor, turned to me sympathetical y. “You’re having a hel of a year so far, aren’t you?”

I had to grin, even if it was only faintly. “Maybe I should have Spencer check me for curses.”

“Wouldn’t hurt,” he said before turning to the nervous students. “Everyone back upstairs. Now.”

They went reluctantly, but they went.

“Did you tel them their common room windows have a better view of the vans leaving campus?” I asked, remembering how we used to sneak out of bed and cram ourselves into the window seats, jockeying for the best position to watch the official runs and middle-of-the-night dril s in the woods.

“No way,” Jason said. “I might lose my spot.” He slung an arm over my tight shoulders. “Come on, Wild, let’s go watch reruns of
Warriors
on the History Channel and wait up like little old ladies left out of al the fun.” I let him lead me up the creaky old staircase, dragging my feet a little.

“I can’t believe I’m missing the first real vamp takedown of the semester,” I said glumly.

The chandelier flickered once and then al the lights went out.

I whirled just in time to see a shadow pass by one of the front windows.

“Or not,” I amended.

Chapter 8

•

Hunter

Jason was already upstairs when the first
Hel-Blar
crashed into the foyer, shattering the glass. I was stil on the landing and the only one properly armed.

“Go!” I yel ed up to Jason. “Trip the alarms.”

He hesitated.

“Just go!” I insisted before leaping off the landing. I grabbed the chandelier and used it to swing forward, gaining enough momentum to catch the
Hel-Blar
in the chest with my heels. He was swept off his feet just as the chandelier chain snapped and dumped me in the center of the foyer. The crystal beads rained down on our heads, skittering into the broken glass from the window. The
Hel-Blar
didn’t stay sprawled on the ground for long. The smel of wet mushrooms was overpowering. He snapped his teeth at me, al pointed and needle-sharp. I shoved a stake through his chest and he crumbled into ash, leaving behind an empty pile of clothes.

I didn’t exactly have time to pat myself on the back.

Several more
Hel-Blar
came racing out of the woods, like blue beetles. There were thumps upstairs, a shouted curse. They must be on the roof as wel . The tenth and eleventh graders would have already barricaded themselves in their rooms or else gone for the secret passageways leading outside when Jason turned on their silent alarms. I should get back upstairs and help him corral the Niners. I kicked the ash off my boots and took the stairs two at a time, slipping in a pair of nose plugs.

It didn’t make sense. Vampires didn’t attack the academy as a rule, at least not in the last few decades, and the
Hel-Blar
never had even before then; why would they bother now? They didn’t have a leader or political aims, just an overwhelming hunger that usual y chose the path of least resistance.

Another beast came through the broken window and raced up the stairs behind me. I barely heard him, only felt the press of air ful of rotting vegetation and copper. There was blood on his chin.

I went low because he expected me to jump and leap out of his way. Instead, I dropped and swept my leg out, catching him in the ankles with the steel toe of my boots. I activated the tear-gas pen in my sleeve because he was moving too fast for the blade in my boot to be useful. Hypnos wafted out in a puff of white powder, like confectioners’ sugar. He was already leaning over me, his saliva dripping onto my shoulder, by the time I could bark out an order and be relatively confident there was enough Hypnos in his face to do the trick.

“Drop!”

He col apsed on top of me like a load of bricks.

I wiggled out from beneath him before his teeth could accidental y graze my neck.

There was nothing more contagious than the kiss of a
Hel-Blar
, no matter how doped up he was. His pupils were dilated, ringed with a tiny sliver of pale gray. His skin was tattoo-blue and mottled.

Grandpa would have told me to stake him then and there. He was
Hel-Blar
, after al , the most vicious of the vicious. But I couldn’t just take out a wil -less, unarmed opponent, even if he was dangerous, even if it was tactical y sound. It just felt wrong.

I shoved him away, making sure to use enough force to crack a few ribs. I might have more scruples than my grandfather, but I wasn’t soft. And I didn’t want him staying here to jump back into the fight after the Hypnos wore off.

“Go back to your nest,” I snapped. “And stay there. Don’t hurt anyone on the way.”

“I wil kil you, little girl—”

“And shut up,” I added.

He stumbled down the steps, making weird growling sounds in the back of his throat.

I knew the precise moment Jason reached the main alarm switch. The altered tanning-bed bulbs set al around the dormitory, from windowsil s to garden landscaping lights, seared through the darkness. It was high-powered UV light with the same toxic effect on vampires as sunlight. It wouldn’t make them burst into flames like movie vampires, which would have been a hel of a tactical advantage.

But it would at least weaken them considerably. And it should convince any other vampires coming this way to turn back.

I met Jason on the third floor, trailing students heading for the secret passageway door.

“You al right?” he asked.

I nodded. “Two down.”

“This is unbelievable,” he snarled. “They’re coming down from the roof too. There are at least three upstairs.”