I scanned the guys, mentally assessing my options. As Colin was coming to, they gradually brought their attention back to me. I could’ve handled one Trainee, two even. But a whole gang? Even if I could’ve taken them down, I had no idea what the repercussions would be. All these cute, floppy-haired boys, and every one of them was a killer.
“Check out her bug eyes,” Danny shouted. “You scared, D?”
Yasuo whispered in my ear, “You should be. ”
My eyes sought Trainee Toby. He was on the outskirts, a witness but not a participant. Not yet, anyway. Great. The one guy in this gang I needed to kill happened to be the last one I wanted dead.
Someone called, “Is the little girl scared?”
Well, yeah. I was frightened out of my wits. I thought of my dream, of breaking into the castle and spying on the vampires. This was just a handful of Trainees, and I couldn’t stop them. What would happen if I was caught in the keep? Who knew how many dozens of vampires awaited me inside? But I knew not to show my fear. I wouldn’t be daunted. I wouldn’t fail before I even began. I could handle this.
I pinwheeled my arm, breaking Yasuo’s grip, then pivoted and jogged a quick few steps back. “Scared? You’re a bunch of lame-ass douche bags. ”
“Language,” a voice called in half laughter, half warning.
I spun, momentarily startled and confused, then spotted Priti, jogging toward us on the path, a handful of older Guidons following dutifully behind. I never thought I’d be so thankful to see such a thing.
“Be more creative,” one of them said as she passed, and the girls’ laughs and the easy thump-thump of their pace began to neutralize the tension of my situation. “Yeah,” another added, “call them apes instead. ”
The last girl in the caravan turned and jogged backward to address me. “Boors,” she said with a smirk. “Call the boys boors. Vampires dig the old language. ” She spun around again, continuing on the path toward the dorms.
Was she scared of the Trainees? She sure didn’t seem it. With enough blood, could I be stronger than these guys? I knew I could never beat a vampire, but could I beat a Trainee? Watching Priti and the Guidons head down the path, something told me that, yes, I could.
I’d figure out how to spy on the guys. I wouldn’t be afraid—I just needed to get stronger. Be more wily.
I broke into a dash before the Guidons shrank too far in the distance. Who’d have guessed I’d ever race toward the older girls? But, I decided, I’d choose whatever evil hazing they could dish out over Yasuo’s gang any day.
The guys grumbled something; then I heard Toby say, “Leave it. I want to get dinner. ”
Good old Trainee Toby. I couldn’t kill him in a million years—I was screwed.
Yas shouted at my back, “We’re not done. ”
I raised a hand in a wave but didn’t turn around. He was right: We weren’t done, not by a long shot.
I dug deep, knowing what I had to do. I’d get back to the dorm, but it wouldn’t be to lock myself in and hide for the night.
I needed to hit the gym.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Leaving the dining hall so early meant I had extra time to work out, plus I had the gym almost to myself. Normally, I would’ve liked that…though, normally, I wouldn’t have just come from being accosted by a boy gang led by my former best buddy.
Before I’d headed back out, I’d given myself a moment to wallow. Frost was at dinner, and having the room to myself was too irresistible. Besides, now that I was alone, I couldn’t shake this trembly feeling, like my insides had turned to Jell-O. I told myself it was because I’d changed into thin workout clothes in our chilly room, but after that showdown with the guys, I couldn’t help but wonder, Where’s Carden?
I wasn’t sure whether I should worry or be mad. Surely he’d felt me freaking out. So why hadn’t he come? Even if he hadn’t sensed my alarm, usually he would’ve found me by now, simply to say hi. To steal a kiss.
Just the thought had me putting a hand to my mouth. The guy had some kiss—not that I had a lot of experience in the matter. There’d only been Carden, plus the one time with Alcántara, if you counted being touched by his cold, precise lips a kiss, which I hated to.
It wasn’t like my vampire not to pursue me. I missed it. Missed him.
My eyes went to the book he’d given me for my birthday, and before I could tell my hands otherwise, I was pulling it from my shelf. All the better to feel sorry for myself, right?
I flipped through, straight to the secret compartment in the back binding, and pulled out the photo of my mother. I’d shown it to Carden—was that why he was upset with me? It was probably lame of me to open up so much. Had it been too much too soon? Maybe he’d panicked.
If vampires were immortal, it sure put a different spin on relationships. Like, forever really was forever. Maybe he wasn’t ready for the sort of commitment implied by pictures of one’s dead mother.
With a sigh, I put away the picture and pulled out the rubbing I’d done of runes found in a cliffside cave. Viking graffiti—how cool was that? It was such a human thing, looking at it often made me feel better. Like, maybe I wasn’t al