Blood and Snow Volumes 1-4: Blood and Snow, Revenant in Training, The Vampire Christopher, Blood Soaked Promises (24 page)

Nervous flutters pirouetted in my tummy. “Yes. I think so. Thank you Professor Pops.” For some reason Christopher’s face appeared in my mind. He wouldn’t be in chemistry or at lunch or track practice. I swallowed sadly. He’d become my ally, my friend, the only person I wanted to be around.

Yeah, there’s something wrong with that, my inner voice shouted.

“Of course.” He stood, and I followed. Rubbing my shoulders, he said, “Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. I’m sure of it.”

We made our way back into the kitchen. The guys were mostly done eating, and were packing up to leave. I searched for Gabe, but he’d gone.

“Dorian, will you give Snow a ride to school?” Professor Pops asked.

“I’d love to.” Mischief twinkled in his eyes. That’s how Gabe used to be. I thought of the night Gabe helped me up after I fell in the parking lot at Warehouse Video. He’d told me that
one day
I’d feel for him the way he felt about me. That wasn’t very many days ago—five? It felt like a lifetime. As I followed Dorian to the garage, and got in his beefy black mustang, my thoughts turned to Cindy. “Did you ever hear back from Cindy?” I asked as he started the car, and it roared to life.

Distress, or sorrow crossed his face, but was gone immediately. “Yes. She’s fine. I believe a dude was involved, like everyone thought. No biggie.”

Dorian was lying. Why? The teardrop gem warmed under my shirt, and I grabbed a hold of it.

“Really?” I asked, not sure how to call him on the lie. “You heard from her, her actual voice?”

“I’ve talked to her, Snow.” His voice betrayed the sarcasm that’d oozed with his words.

His heart pounded—steady. Was it faster than normal? I wasn’t sure. Taking a deep breath, I caught a whiff of his aftershave. He smelled good. Clean. Appealing.

His blood sang to me, a sultry song. My mouth watered.

I’ll be fine, I told myself, covering my nose and mouth with my hand.

“You alright,
Snow
?” He glanced at me, his eyes full of concern.

“Yes,” I mumbled.

Illumination dilated his eyes. He knew what I needed, what I wanted. The way the muscles in his thighs and shoulders tensed told me he knew.

My face flushed the color of candied beets. “Dorian.” 

“Snow, I told you if you ever needed blood, I’d gladly let you take from me.” He quickly pulled over. And before I understood what he intended, he leaned toward me. “Go ahead,” he said, his voice soft. He turned his face so that his neck was fully exposed. Warm. His pulse quickened, as did mine. Mesmerized I watched the blood throb. My canines grew.

“Dorian.” I heard the word leave my mouth, but didn’t recognize my voice.

His hands came up to either side of my face. “Please,” he begged, his voice hoarse with emotion.

I breathed in through my nose, enjoying the appealing scent of his skin. He smelled differently than Christopher. Simple. Earthy.

A human’s blood, my inner voice cooed.

Before I realized what I was doing, I slowly licked his neck. Tasting. Dorian moaned, which sent a lightning bolt of lust low in my belly. My lips touched his neck, and Dorian pulled me closer to him.

“Yes. Oh, please. Yes.” He cradled me in his arms. His scent was heady, intoxicating. Professor Pops said I’d drink from a human. And Dorian was begging me to. How could I resist? Why?

I grazed my canines against his neck, and a red light shot between us, separating us. We both jumped.

Dorian’s eyes were glazed over. He cleared his throat, shaking his head. “What was that?”

“I’m not sure,” I responded, pressing my back into the seat, clutching my hands into fists. “We’d better get to school. We don’t want to be late.” I worked to calm my desires.

“Okay, but remember. I’m here if you need me.” He put the car in drive, and pulled back onto the road.

“Thank you, Dorian.” I leaned my head against the seat and caught sight of someone in the side view mirror. Dressed like a hunter in fairytales—brown trousers, brown leather boots, a forest green shirt opened at the collar. Around his hips was cinched a leather belt. Another strapped over his shoulder. The face was hidden in the shadows, but the way he held himself seemed vaguely familiar. My first thought was of Christopher, but I brushed that thought aside. It couldn’t be him.

Had he seen what I’d almost done? Would he have tried to stop me? Panic glided up my spine.

Dorian gave me a sidelong glance. “I’ll be training you after school today.”

“Cool,” I said, forcing my lips to a smile. No sense telling him I’d actually be training with Kenmei. He’d find out soon enough.

Chapter 4

D
orian was right. When I walked into chemistry class, Cindy was sitting in her seat. She glanced up as I ambled past our table.

“
Kon’nichiwa
,” she said.

My eyebrows lifted in question, though for some reason I understood she’d said hello—good afternoon specifically—in Japanese.
Ohaiyogazimasu
meant good morning. My heart lurched with apprehension.

Maybe the pendant?

Or you’re a nut job. My inner voice sounded smug.

“That means hello in Japanese,” she said, her face filled with pride. “I’m
soooooo
over French. The language is,” she paused and shrugged, before continuing, “boring.”

I hid a smile. Once the newness of a language wore off, and started to get difficult, she moved on. “Hey yourself” I responded. “What happened to you yesterday? I was worried.”

She looked irritated a moment, but waved it off. “I had some stuff to do.”

I snorted. “Flirting with a boy kind of
stuff
?” I asked, pulling out my binder, and book, and flopping them on the table.

She twirled some of her blond hair in her fingers, and winked. “So what’s going on with you and
Charming
?” She nodded toward his empty chair, and my heart dropped into my stomach. He’d left. I didn’t know where, but he’d said he wasn’t coming back for a while.

“Nothing.”

Cindy let out an exasperated grunt, and rolled her eyes. The girl was way to perceptive.

“Fine, I like him, but nothing big.” I felt for the gem hanging under my shirt, and wrapped my fingers over it.

I crave his blood, that’s it, I thought.

It’s more than his blood, my inner voice chided. 

Cindy made a face, and I laughed nervously. “Have you seen
Chri
—Chace?” Figured I might as well pretend I didn’t know he’d left.

“No.” She shook her head for emphasis. “Haven’t seen him.” Her voice caught as she spoke the words. She was lying. Before I could control my expression, my eyes scrunched together, accusing. “What?’ she said. “ I-I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” Cindy turned away, fiddling with the ragged edges of her notebook paper.

The bell rang, and Mr. Wallace, ever the timely teacher, walked in and started class. He passed out an assignment, and began talking, but I wasn’t listening.

When the bell rang Cindy was out of her seat, and at the door before I’d picked up my backpack. Taking a deep breath, I walked out of class.

***

At lunch I sat in my usual spot. The guys made their way over. Gabe and Cindy entered the cafeteria together and got in the lunch line. They were talking, their words and gestures animated. Cindy blushed. I gripped my plastic fork so tight it snapped in two. The guys, who’d been talking randomly, glanced at me.

“What’s up, Snow?” Dorian asked. When I didn’t answer he turned to see what made me so upset. Clearing his throat, he said, “Don’t worry about them.”

I nodded, and tried to focus on the mandarin orange cup I’d chosen for lunch. It wasn’t right to be jealous. I knew that. Christopher—even thinking his name punched a hole in my gut—and I was secretly doing things that didn’t make it right for me to be green-eyed, but I was.

Gabe brushed Cindy’s hair from her face, and that was the last straw. My mind zeroed in on Gabe, like a stalker with binoculars. Adjusting my senses, I listened to his rapidly beating heart. Smelled the scent of his body wash, the decadent aroma of his blood, his skin. I heard him talking.

“Want to come with me to Warehouse Video after school? We could grab a coffee, and talk,” Gabe said to Cindy.

Cindy giggled. The one she used when she flirted. “Okay. My shift at Bertilinis ends at seven. Can we meet after?”

He smiled. My heart broke.

“Sure. I’ll pick you up.”

Cindy nodded. “Great.” She selected some food, and scanned the room, her eyes finding mine. I heard the intake of her breath, and could only imagine the emotion plastered on my face. Anger. Fury.
Possibly avocado—the shade of sick jealousy.

Gabe must’ve heard her because he glanced up before following her gaze.

“Snow, chill. Really. You don’t understand,” Dorian said, squeezing my hand.

I yanked my hand away. “No. I understand completely. And it hurts.” I picked up my tray. “See you later.”

I heard Cindy call my name, but couldn’t answer. Fury like I’d never experienced boiled in my veins. The lunchroom turned hazy. Every heartbeat pounded through me, hundreds of harmonized drums. The intoxicating scent of the blood of every person in that room packed my veins, but most especially Cindy’s. I knew somehow it was hers, and I wanted to drain her—not in the way I’d thought about drinking from Dorian. Not even close. I wanted her blood to be mine.

I wanted her dead.

That knowledge rocked me with guilt, with fear, but mostly with exhilaration.

Professor Pops’ words entered my thoughts.
“The more blood you drink, the more like a vampire you’ll become. It’s like anything in life, if you work to keep yourself as human as possible, that part of you will remain, will be the strongest. If you consume human blood, the way a vampire does, that part of you will become the strongest.”

I knew if I drank from Cindy I’d kill her. I wouldn’t stop.

She’s your best friend, my inner voice retorted horrified.

I had to get out of there.

Someplace quiet.

The library.

I went inside and found an empty table in the back.  I dropped my backpack on the table, fell into the chair, crossed my arms, and dropped my forehead on them. Hot tears spilled.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed away the desires for Cindy’s blood, my desires to hurt her. She’d told me she liked him. Plus, she’d been my best friend a long time, and she was a good person.

I should be angry with Gabe. He’d caved, broken his promise, because I’d been bitten. That wasn’t my fault. How could he be so cruel? I needed him—at least his friendship. Not the cold shoulder he gave me. And Christopher. Seeing Cindy with Gabe would’ve been a lot easier if he’d been there.
If he hadn’t left.

Everyone leaves, my inner voice scolded.

I swallowed a sob.

And heard a high-pitched cough. Lifting my head I saw Pava, the periwinkle blue pixilette I’d met in Sharra.

“Pava?” I whispered.

She fluttered to my arm, and bowed. “Snow. You are in danger. Watch the shadows, and tell no one you have the pendant Christopher gave you. Never take it off. Promise.” She fell to her knees.

“What’s wrong,” I cried concerned.

“Promise,” she wheezed, falling forward.

“I promise.” Carefully, I lifted her into my hand. No longer blue, she’d become dingy, like a dirty, wet sock. A wing fell off. Paper thin, I watched the veins turn from blue to grey to white.

She patted my hand.

“Pava,” I whispered, and heard the desperation in my voice. “What can I do? How can I help?”