“Can I help you?” I said, a little more harshly than I meant to, but they were really invading my space. That wasn’t something I ever enjoyed.
Gabriel from Were history class stepped forward. “It’s you we want help. Can I carry your tray for you?”
He’d been a jerk to me in class and now he wanted to help me. Why? Because he thought I’d turned down Dastien? Yeah. That was so not going to work for me. “Thanks, but I’m fine.”
The guys formed a wall when I tried to go to the table. Why were they being so weird? “Excuse me,” I said, trying to get them to move out of my way.
“You didn’t get enough red meat. You’ll need more.” Gabriel chimed in again.
A redhead that I didn’t recognize from any of my classes stepped forward. “Allow me.” He started to pile more food on my plate.
“Okay, I think that’s good. I’m going to go sit down now.”
They cleared a path for me. By the time I got to the usual table, Meredith was laughing so hard tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Laugh it up, roomie.” I dropped my tray onto the table, rattling the silverware. “What the hell is going on? Where are all the girls?”
She kept on laughing. I shot her what I hoped was a mean look. She put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I had to wait and see your face. Word got around about how you refused Dastien in class, and well, you’re fresh meat now.” She started cracking up again.
Refused Dastien? “What?” I gave Chris a pleading look.
“When you got between me and Dastien, you turned him down and opened yourself up to new claims.” He took a bite of his roast beef. “The girls are pissed.” He said the last word in a high pitch squeal. He was enjoying this. The bastard.
“Let me get this straight. All the girls hate me now and the guys want to see if they have a shot?”
“Yep,” he said.
“Great. Just great.” How did I always manage to get myself into the worst situations? “But you’re not mad?” I said to Meredith.
“It’s too funny to get mad over. Plus, I happen to think you’ll end up with Dastien.”
Chris frowned. “You don’t know that.”
I pushed my tray away and put my head down on the table.
Someone tapped my shoulder. “You should really eat, Tessa.”
I swirled in my chair to see Gabriel standing behind me. I gave him my best scowl and he took a step back. “How come they’re not like this with you?” I said to Meredith.
“Long story.”
I waited for her to say something else, but she stayed quiet.
The guys backed off after I started eating. I found that eating slowly was key. If I ate too fast, then I’d feel full, but it wouldn’t last for more than a few minutes. It took me forever to actually fill up, but hopefully that would be enough to keep myself from Hulking out for now.
Meredith and I walked to the dorms together after dinner. The air had cooled. The cicadas’ song soothed me as we strolled. By the time we got to the dorm, the girls were already huddled around the TV watching the news.
“What’s going on?” Meredith asked.
Imogene glared at us. “Shut up.”
I truly despised that girl.
The reporter on screen had hair teased into a big lump on the back of her head, making her look a little alien-like. The banner said her name was Rebecca Nunez. “…have been tracked by the FBI since they crossed the Oklahoma–Texas border. If they continue at the same speed, the killer or killers could be in the Greater San Antonio area in days. Victims have been brutally murdered, throats ripped out and their bodies drained of all blood…”
Nikki leaned into her sister. “So they were right? They’re coming here.”
Wait a second. Drained of blood? They couldn’t be talking about what I thought they were about. Could they? “A vampire?”