As promised, she let us out right away. When I saw that she was eyeing me rather intently, I made sure to leave as fast as I could. There was no way I could join math team, especially now.
Sam and Nadine had promised they would wait for me outside Trig (they were still insisting on being my bodyguards), but none of us had counted on Mrs. Jackson letting us out early. I made a mental note to call them and apologize later.
On second thought, I could just send them a text message so they would know that I hadn’t set them up.
I took out my brand new comm and began to type a message when someone roughly yanked the comm away.
“Hey!”
It was Lydia. She was flanked by three other girls. All of them were eyeing me like they were starving wolves and I was a helpless rabbit. I then realized that the hallway we were in was deserted since everyone else was still in class.
“Ohhhh.” Lydia examined my comm, turning it over and back again. “This a new one, little rich whore? What, the last one wasn’t good enough for you? Does Daddy buy you a new one every week?”
“Look at her clothes,” one cronie sneered. “Her parents make, like, a bazillion dollars a year and she dresses like she’s from some poor crack house.” A malicious grin. “Maybe she is. Maybe that’s why she’s rolling in the dough. You from a family of crack whores, rich bitch?”
“Are there any messages from Taylor on there?” one of the other girls whispered.
“Maybe,” Lydia mused. She raised the comm to eye-level. “And maybe her diary is on here, too. Wonder how much Taylor will be impressed when he finds out you were born without a uterus.”
I was angry and frustrated, but not because Lydia had my comm. Shadow needed me. I needed to get out of here right away, but I knew I would be delayed even more if I started a fight.
“Lydia, give it back. Please.” My tone was polite but very grave.
“You want it back, little rich bitch?” a brown-haired girl sneered. “Why don’t you take it back?”
“I don’t want any trouble,” I insisted. “Please, just give it back.”
Lydia suddenly frowned. “Why the hell can’t I open her files?”
“They’re encrypted,” I told her. “Unless you know the password, you’ll never get in.”
“Then tell us the password,” another girl demanded.
I smiled. “Why don’t you guess?”
The brown-haired cronie stepped forward. “How about the password for your pretty nose?”
When I didn’t answer, and she swung at me. I ducked. She aimed another punch at my stomach, and I moved back. She continued to aim clumsy punches and kicks, and I dodged every one. Those Aikido lessons my mother made me take were very useful in situations such as this. Aikido was the type of martial arts that trained you to avoid a fight rather than add to one.
Finally, she lunged at me, aiming to grab me around the middle. I jumped, did a mid-air split, put my hands on her back and pushed myself forward. I flew harmlessly over her while she toppled to the ground.
“Rich whore!” she bellowed and leaped to her feet.
“Is there a problem here?”
It was Taylor, dressed in a black shirt that hugged his muscular torso, and jeans that emphasized his slim hips. Slowly, he sauntered forward.
“I said is there a problem?” he repeated with deadly calm.
Looking like a deer caught in headlights under those cold brown eyes, Lydia took a step back.
“Hey, Taylor!” she said breathlessly as she struggled to regain her dignity. “No, there’s no problem. No problem at all. We were just talking, just—”
“Does that comm belong to you?”
“What? I…”
“If it doesn’t belong to you, then you need to give it back to its owner.”
Face going a shade of red to match her hair, eyes darting between Taylor and I with rising outrage, jealousy, and humiliation, Lydia just stood there, shaking.
“Lydia.”
Taylor didn’t need to shout. The authority in his voice was unmistakable.
Gritting her teeth against the tears, Lydia held out her arm without looking at me. I took my comm back. As if she were suddenly hit with the knowledge of her defeat, Lydia started shouting at Taylor.
“Why are you defending her!? She’s just a rich whore! An ugly, selfish, rich wh—”
“She’s the most beautiful girl in this school,” Taylor declared. “More beautiful than you could ever hope to be.”
I bowed my head to hide the flush that crept up my cheeks. I knew I wasn’t beautiful, but hearing Taylor call me beautiful so fervently almost made me believe it.
Tears streaming down her face, Lydia turned on her heel and stalked away with a furious, humiliated snarl along with her cronies. When I finally looked up again, I saw Taylor smiling at me.
“Thanks,” I whispered.
He waved a dismissive hand. “No problem. I saw that you’re quite capable of taking care of yourself, but I didn’t want to see anyone get hurt, least of all you.”
“Well, the only thing that really got hurt was Lydia’s pride,” I said, smiling.
Students began filing out of their classrooms. Taylor walked beside me as I headed for the exit.
“I tried calling you a couple of times over the weekend, but I guess you were really busy.”
“No, I was sick, actually,” I said, hoping my voice sounded convincing. “Just needed some time to recover.” I began to walk faster.
“Hey, where’s the fire?”
“I’m sorry, there’s something very important that I have to take care of!” I said urgently. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”
***
Shadow
“Ah, my Harijan. You’re looking well.”
I kept my eyes on the floor as I always did when kneeling at the bastard’s feet.
“Remarkably well.”
My expression remained blank as stone.
“A bit too well.”
I said nothing.
“Who gave you aide, Harijan? Who would be so bold and so idiotic as to risk my wrath for the likes of you?” Xavier’s voice was casual and thoughtful. “Was it Brandon? I know you two are quite close. Was it your pet Evanescence? Perhaps. How long do you believe they will last in the Lazarus Pit?”
Fear gripped my heart. The Lazarus Pit was the worst nightmare of anyone, mortal or immortal alike. It was a pit a mile deep and filled with infant Evanescence. If a vampire was put in there, they would be able to fight, but they would also be slowly eaten alive. There was no escape from the Lazarus Pit.
“Oh, no need to fear, Harijan. It was merely a question in passing. I don’t particularly care for punishing those who cross me with the Lazarus Pit. I prefer more personal revenge.” A strong hand gripped my jaw. “Who helped you, Harijan? Just tell me, and you will be spared punishment. In fact, I will give you my word that you will never need to fear for your life again. Tell me who helped you, Shadow.”
The vile sensation of Xavier’s touch suddenly vanished when an image flashed in my mind. Mercedes on my bed, her eyes burning with defiance.
And the will to live.
I looked right into Xavier’s eyes and gave him my answer.
“Never.”
Xavier smiled.
“As you wish.”
He signaled with his hand and I was knocked unconscious. I awoke to loud cheers that echoed all around me. Getting to my feet, I looked around. I was in a large arena, and countless elites were in the barracks. They jeered and hissed at me for several minutes, but then fell silent.
“My fellow noble elites!” Xavier’s voice echoed through the arena. “This Harijan that you see before you does not appreciate it when his hard work is rewarded. He has served me well, brought countless criminals to justice, so I decided to reward him. I granted him a genuine Bloodless card!”
This was met with several gasps of outrage and incredulity.
“I thought he would be grateful.?
?? Xavier’s tone took a sorrowful edge. “I thought he would enjoy privileges his kind has been denied for hundreds of years. And what was his reply? He spat on my generosity, fellow nobles! He took the Bloodless card only to snap it in half and throw it in my face. He then said ‘My pet Evanescence will lay you to rest in both this life and the next!’”
“Liar!” I bellowed.
I needn’t have bothered. The elites were now howling for my blood. They effortlessly drowned me out.
“I am very touched by your indignation on my behalf, fellow nobles, but the Harijan’s pet Evanescence could never hope to surprise me. For one thing, it would have to get through my pet Evanescence first.”
An enormous metal door at the end of the arena began to open. I braced myself. A low growl emitted from the darkness. A mere second later, a huge Evanescence leaped forward. It opened its mouth revealing teeth as long and sharp as katanas, and roared. The sounded made the walls shake.
It lunged for me, and I leaped back. This Evanescence was about thirty times bigger than Blackhole. Silver veins bulged and writhed under its dark flesh, emphasizing its vast age and strength. The second time it lunged for me, mouth opening wide with the intention of swallowing me whole, I ran around to avoid its jaws and extended my claws. They tore a gaping wound into its side. Unfortunately, the pain only seemed to increase its strength. With a shriek, it whipped its tail and walloped me on the leg. I was thrown back, but managed to twist in midair and land on my feet. Before it could regain its balance, I crossed the distance between us and slashed at it again. I rolled under it before it could bite me and emerged on the far side of the arena.
My enemy was hurt. Oily blood flowed from its wounds, staining the ground. I knew Xavier had put this one through unspeakable torment. It was the only way to purge an Evanescence of anything resembling rationality let alone a conscience. There was more emotion in its gaping maw than its rabid eyes.
I eyed that maw, feeling a very familiar hunger rise in me. I could kill it. Not only that, I could die with it. There were very few vampires skilled enough to kill an Evanescence as powerful as this one. Its death would earn me legacy forever, even if I were an Untouchable. Not even Xavier would be able to take that away from me. Here was my honorable death.
Handed to me right on a silver platter.
Xavier. Of course. He knew what I wanted. Loathe as I was to admit it, he knew me better than anyone. He knew how much I desired to abandon my unattainable dream. More importantly, he knew I was unable to.
He was dangling my heart’s desire…my second heart’s desire right in front of my nose. Dying with the Evanescence, I would be free from my impossible, torturous dream. I would be free.
Fangs bared, I readied myself to jump.
“Do you fear death? Are you a coward?”
“Only if I give up. I love my life, and I love the people in it. I’m not throwing everything away just because there’s a chance I may die soon.”
I would be free.
And all it would cost was the pain and suffering of a lowly human girl. A lowly human girl who had saved my life. A lowly human girl I had sworn to protect to the best of my ability.
A lowly human girl named Mercedes Strand.
The Evanescence grew bored with my lack of movement and went for me. For a moment, I just stood there. Just as it was about to swallow me, I rolled under the creature and plunged my arm into its belly, ripping through skin, muscle, and bone until I found the heart. I leaped out from under the creature before it could collapse on me.
I stood there, my left arm coated in blood and bits and pieces of ruptured organs. The Evanescence emitted a pitiful moaning sound before breathing its last. Its heart dangled from my fist by the thin arteries protruding from the top.
Perseus slaying the Gorgon.
The crowd was utterly silent. I raised the heart above my head and roared to the heavens above. The elites joined in a moment later. But unlike last time, the sounds they made were of ones who had just consumed a gluttonous amount of rich blood. Satisfaction, but no praise. I did not care.
“Congratulations, Harijan.” Xavier’s voice rang through the arena. He sounded incredibly pleased. “You have earned your life today. Hopefully, you will continue to earn it.”
He was correct. I did not leave empty-handed. I left with my life, and I left knowing what his plan was: he wanted to break me. He would continue to dangle a death more honorable than the last in front of my nose. He hoped I would go insane from fighting against my desires, all for the safety of the one who had rescued me.
Mercedes…
When I returned home, I felt a sudden longing to see her. To see if she was still safe. It was illogical and humiliating, but the longing remained. Blackhole felt it through our bond and grew more restless as the hours passed.
“I apologize,” I told him. “It is not my intention to cause you distress.”
He circled around me, yipping. He wanted to tell me something. I knelt down and put a hand on his head. I closed my eyes and opened our bond.
Ease your distress, friend. Ease it.
That is easier said than done, my friend. What I feel when I see her face—when I remember that fire in her eyes…
You are afraid.
I could not hide from Blackhole.
I am afraid.
Ease your distress, friend. For both of us.
***
Mercedes
“Mercedes, I do wish you would return to your regular routine of walking into your room instead of running. It’s far safer. A few seconds will hardly make much difference.”
“A few seconds makes all the difference, Lulu,” I said. I absentmindedly rubbed the knee that collided with my desk thanks to my haste to get back to work. “I told you already, I’m not letting him fight alone.”
Yesterday, unable to help myself, I had spilled to Lulu everything about Shadow. Fortunately, I was also able to swear her to secrecy.
“Judging from what you told me about his disposition, he may be quite reluctant to let you fight by his side.”
“I didn’t mean literally,” I said. “But I can still be useful.”
“That you can. For his sake, I hope he accepts your aide. He would be a fool not to.”
“He’s not a fool,” I said firmly. I pictured his dark eyes in my mind. So beautiful, so wild, yet containing an intelligence that surpassed countless humans.
I continued to work. Time passed in a blur.
“Mercedes, it’s passed your bedtime.”
“I know,” I muttered. “Just a few more minutes.”
“To you, minutes means hours.”
“Lulu, please, I…Ahhh!”
“Mercedes! Are you all right? Shall I call--?”
“No,” I said sharply. My hand was pressed against the scar on my neck, which all of a sudden had grown very warm. “I’m fine.”
I quickly got up and went into the bathroom. Looking at my neck, I saw that the mark Shadow had carved into my flesh, very faint before, was now fully visible. It consisted of four dragon-like heads, each one placed inside the V section of an X. The scar was about the size of a silver dollar, but the detail was so extraordinary, it looked more like a tattoo than a scar. I could clearly see the details of the dragon heads. Two were white, but the other two were black. The X was black as well. I wondered if X’s and dragon heads were prominent cultural symbols in vampire society.
Or maybe they were simply marks of slavery.
I noticed that the skin surrounding the mark looked rather flushed. It didn’t hurt, but it had been very surprising. Why would it grow so warm all of a sudden?
My blood froze when realization dawned on me.
Shadow.
He was signaling to me, letting me know he was near.
He wanted to see me.
Breathing slightly labored, I hugged myself in an effort to calm my now racing heart.
“Mercedes, you must tell me why you appear so distressed or I will
be forced to call the doctor.”
“I’m fine, Lulu,” I said. My hands gripped my elbows. “It’s Shadow. He’s outside.”
“He desires you to meet him?”
I stared at the floor. “Yes.”
“What will you do?”
I bit my lip. My decision was already made. “Lulu, can you make sure the security cams don’t see me?”
“I will if you give me your word he can be trusted.”
I nodded fervently. “I trust him.”
“Then I will ensure you both remained hidden.”
“Thanks, Lulu,” I whispered and raced downstairs.
As I neared the back entrance, my scar, which had begun to cool down a bit, grew warmer. I opened the back door and stepped out into the cool night air. Looking around, I only saw the patio and the trees swaying in the wind on our five-hundred acres of land. Thanks to the patio lights, I could see just fine, but up ahead in the trees, there was only pure darkness.
“Mercedes.”
It was as if the wind itself had whispered my name.
“Don’t be afraid. Come to me.”
The voice was coming from the trees. From the darkness.
I flicked on a dim comm light and stepped off the patio. I walked very slowly into the trees, and weaved around them. I followed both the growing warmth of my scar and the whispers of the darkness.
I was nearly a quarter mile in when he emerged from behind a tree. I gasped in surprise, but didn’t drop my comm.
At least he’s fully dressed now, was my first thought, and I winced inwardly at how dumb it was. His clothing reminded me of both a ninja and a knight from outer space; all black, complete with light, but spiky armor on his arms and legs. It wasn’t fitted against his form, but no amount of armor or clothing could hide the powerful physique underneath. His boots made absolutely no sound as he approached me. Or at least no sound my limited hearing could detect. He stopped in front of me. No feature escaped me, despite the dimness of the comm light. In that moment, I was certain I would be able to see his beauty in the darkest night. It took my breath away. All I could do was stare.
“Are you afraid?”
His voice was low. Melodious.
“I’m…nervous,” I admitted.
I heard him sigh. “I gave you good reason to be terrified.”
“Will you threaten me again?” I asked, my voice low.
“I will not,” he said. He took another step forward. “I owe you an apology for before. Terrifying or hurting an innocent human is one of the most dishonorable things I could do. Especially one I swore to protect. I ask your forgiveness.”