Initiation (27 page)

We watched him head over to a table in the corner where another student was already seated.

“Who is that?” Martha chirped. “Crazy hot! Who’s going to introduce me to him?”

“Jagger,” I replied without thinking.

“No, I don’t mean him!” Martha laughed. “Not that he isn’t cute. I meant the guy he’s sitting with. Look at that ripped body, gorgeous green eyes, and pert a–”

Faustine erupted in giggles. “How can you tell that from here? I can’t even see it!”

Martha flicked her blond curls. “Well, honey, what else do you think those abs could be attached to? Yum, I want. So, who is he? One of you oldies must know.”

Oldies? Martha was just way too sassy. “Totally ignoring your oldies reference,” I said, glaring at her. “I don’t know. Sienna, Jewel, have either of you come across him before?”

They both shook their heads.

“I think I’d have remembered a hottie like that.” Jewel pursed her lips. “Gotta be an Initiate, unless he’s a vamp. I didn’t get a good look at last year’s vamp intake at all.”

I assumed that it must be Jagger’s brother Ryker, but I didn’t want to share that. He might not have told Jewel, yet, and it would totally piss her off if he’d told me and not her.

“O-M-G! He’s like totally checking me out.” Martha giggled, fluttering her lashes at him.

I stole a glance. He was staring right at our table, his face expressionless, as if he were in a trance. He wasn’t staring at Martha, even though she was waving at him with a big goofy grin plastered across her face. He was looking past her, to her left. Right at Faustine. I watched her in rapt fascination. She was in the same trance-like state as the hot guy. I nudged her elbow.

She blinked and looked over at me, her face flushed. “Yes?”

I just smiled. She was totally crushing on the new guy. That could be a problem, especially since Martha seemed to have laid claim to him.

“For the love of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, someone introduce me to him,” Martha whined. “What about you, Jewel? You’re friends with Jagger, right? Come on.”

“Spaghetti Monster? Who the heck’s that?” I asked.

“Ugh, don’t you keep up? Pastafarianism? Probably just a U.S. thing.” Martha sighed. “Anyhow, never mind that. Jewel, do you mind?”

“Martha, I don’t have a clue who that is, and I don’t think we should just butt in. They seem like they’re having a serious conversation.”

“They do, but they surely won’t mind a brief interruption by a southern belle? I’m sure they wouldn’t. Come on.”

Demon hormones. Sheesh. “I’ll take you,” I offered. I wanted to know if the guy was Jagger’s brother. “Excuse us, ladies,” I said to the others. “We’ll be back in a moment, unless you all want to come?”

“And incur the wrath of the southern belle? I think not,” Jewel said, grinning at Sienna and Faustine. “I think I speak for the three of us. We’ll plan our next shopping trip while you’re gone.”

I could almost hear the unsaid words…
while we can get a word in
.

Martha puffed out her chest as we approached Jagger’s table. Not that she needed to; those double Ds bounced plenty.

Jagger looked up as we approached the table, and thankfully, he smiled. I’d hoped that he wouldn’t be annoyed at being interrupted. “Ladies, what’s up?”

“Well,” Martha drawled in her version of sexy, “Jagger, I was hoping you’d introduce me to your charming guest.” She batted her eyes and twirled her hair through her fingers.

I fought the impulse to totally crack up laughing by biting down on my lower lip. I noticed that Jagger had the same problem.

The hot guy stood up, and then leaned forward in a deep bow, one arm across his front and the other behind his back. He then straightened, wearing the most disarming smile ever, his green eyes glistening mischievously. I nearly keeled over, trying not to jump him myself. Jagger pulled me down in the chair beside him.

“Why, it’s indeed my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’m Ryker.”

“I’m Martha the fabulous!” She giggled. “Are you an Initiate?”

“I am indeed. And you?”

“Yep, me, too, which is very convenient. I can allow you to escort me to the Initiates’ dance on Friday…”

“It would be my pleasure–”

“Awesome!” I stood up. “We really should get back to the girls. I could tell that you were in the middle of something important.”

“Nothing more important than pretty ladies,” Ryker said, looking past me, clearly still entranced by Faustine.

“Oh, I’m Cordelia, by the way.”

“Pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise. See you later, Jagger?” I asked, dragging my eyes away from Ryker.

“Yeah.” He sounded annoyed. Maybe even… jealous? L-O-L, after what he’d said to me before.

I giggled. “
Really
?”

He shrugged, avoiding my eyes.

I couldn’t help feeling a little smug as Martha and I rejoined the girls.

“So?” Jewel asked.

Martha’s mouth was running even before I could open mine. “His name is Ryker. Isn’t that the most awesome name? Isn’t he the most drool-worthy specimen of… darn it! We forgot to ask him what he is. What do you think he is, Cordelia?”

She didn’t wait for a reply. “Strike demon–no red eyes. Strike vamp–no red eyes, and besides, all the Initiate vamps are confined. Shifter? Ugh, yuck. I don’t think I could deal with that, no matter how tempting. Oh, maybe a quick roll in the hay, so to speak, but…” She sighed tragically. “Tell me he’s not a flipping shifter, Cordelia.”

“Gee, I don’t know.” I laughed. “He could be a faery, a troll, so many possibilities, plus add hybrid to that.”

“Faery.” Martha looked pleased. “I can cope with that.”

“Cope?” Jewel laughed.

“Oh, you know what I mean.”

“Actually, no. I don’t. What do you mean?”

“Oh, never mind. Not important. Let’s just say that I’d take that faery any day. He asked me to the Initiates’ dance, you know.”

Faustine tensed. That was a bit weird. Martha was fifteen, so I would have expected that reaction from her. Faustine was way too young to be into someone, especially so instantaneously. Maybe those teen human hormones were working overtime. Or was it the teen demon hormones? Probably just a potent combo.

I touched her hand under the table. “Hey, you okay?” I whispered.

She shrugged. “I guess. Can we get out of here?”

“Sure.” I stood up, pulling her up with me. “Faustine and I have plans; we’ll see you guys later.”

“Sure. I’m going to stay here a bit longer to enjoy the view,” Martha said. “Sienna, Jewel, you guys staying?”

They nodded, and I waved at them and over at Jagger before we left.

Once we got to the hall, I tackled Faustine. “So, you seemed a bit somber in there. Everything okay? I am sorry I haven’t been around.”

“That’s okay. Quinn was great, but it’s been a long day. I’m ready to hit the sack.”

“What did you do in class today?”

“History of vampires in human literature. Really interesting.”

“Yes. That’ll be even more fascinating when you get taught real vampire history. Quite different from that told in human literature.”

“Awesome. I’m starting to like history again. All that colonial stuff I had to learn at home was a snooze fest, but this paranormal stuff is way interesting.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. I couldn’t relate to history at school, either. So one-sided and flawed.”

“Reading about vamps today made me wonder why the Initiates are kept to themselves. Do you know, Cordelia?”

“Yes. The new vamps are too dangerous to let roam the school. They snack at random, with no appreciation for the rules. I guess, to be honest, it’s not like they have a choice. They just do what comes naturally.”

“Are they even more dangerous than the shifters?”

“They’re dangerous in a different way.”

“How?”

“Well, paranormals like me, faeries, and the shifters are born into it. We sort of know what to expect. The vamps, on the other hand, are created. And they are created in fear and a lot of pain. So, they start their vamp life full of angst and hunger. Their hunger is powerful and all consuming, and they stop at nothing to feed. The shifters are dangerous, but in a more calculated way. They can restrain themselves, but sometimes choose not to. It’s very rare here at the Academy, but it does happen.”

“Is that what happened to us? Did those shifters who attacked us do it for fun?”

“I’m not sure yet. There may be more to it. I’m going to try to find out tonight.”

“How?”

“Jagger, Quinn, and I have a plan. We’re not going to involve you, though.”

“All right, but if you need me, I’m happy to help.” Her expression had changed to one of sadness again. I hated seeing her like that.

“Faustine? What’s the matter?”

“I guess that means that I have to sleep over with Martha and Chun.”

“Yes. That would be good.”

“Can I stay over with Sienna and Jewel instead?”

“Why? I thought Martha and you got along really well.”

“I’ll puke if she drones on about dreamy Ryker all night.” Faustine batted her eyes and flicked her hair. She tried her best to try to be funny about it, but I could see that she wasn’t kidding. Her eyes were cold and hard. Martha had better beware.

“Yes, she was a bit over-the-top about him.”

“No kidding. And he asked her to the dance.” Her chin quivered a bit.

“Actually, she practically forced him into it,” I said, hoping that would make it easier. The little girl really had it bad for him.

“Figures. I’m not going to go anyway,” she said defiantly.

“Faustine, you have to. It’s a school rule. No one really has a date to the dance. It’ll be a lot of fun. It’s the first time all the Initiates–apart from the vamps–will get to socialize. There will be good food, music, and organized games.”

“Are you going?”

“Yep, I’m one of the chaperones. Quinn, Sienna, Jewel, and Dax will be there, too.”

“What about Jagger?”

“I guess so. He hasn’t mentioned it, though. Anyhow, guess what’s the most fun about it?”

“What?” Her eyes brightened.

“We don’t have to wear our school uniforms.”

“But I don’t have any dresses with me. The instructions said that we weren’t allowed to bring any.”

“Yes, that’s right. We get to borrow dresses from the fashion depository.” I winked.

“What’s that? I’m not really into borrowing stuff, especially clothes.”

“I know what you mean, but these clothes are out-of-this-world fabulous, and very well laundered. They’re clothes worn by famous people through the ages. I wore one of Marie Antoinette’s dresses to my Initiation dance.”