Chloe frowned. “Like steroids?”
Savannah nodded weakly. Chloe stared at me. “Hunter, these aren’t the pills I was taking. Mine were yellow and huge.”
“I know,” I answered, frowning back. “People don’t know there’s two different pills, I guess. Who told you they’d make you stronger?” I asked Savannah.
She glanced away, coughed again. I handed her the glass of water on her nightstand. “You won’t get in trouble,” I told her.
“Some guy was selling them out of the eleventh-grade common room,” she answered finally. She swallowed the water but her throat constricted violently, as if she was sipping from a glass of razor blades. She whimpered. “I don’t feel good.”
“There’s a nurse on the way. He’ll make you better.”
“I’m scared.” She clutched my hand. Her grip was pathetically weak and damp.
I didn’t know what to say. Chloe didn’t know either because she just sat there. “You’ll be okay.” I said it again for lack of something more convincing. “You’ll be okay.”
She closed her eyes, lips wobbling.
“I mean it, Savannah,” I snapped, terrified she was about to slip into a coma. She had to stay awake. She half opened her eyes. I smiled encouragingly. “Just stay with me. Okay? Stay with me.”
“I’ll try.”
Courtney and Lia rushed into the room. I’d never been so glad to see Courtney as I was right then. She had pillow creases on her cheek and she was blinking furiously as if she couldn’t focus. When she finally did, she gasped. She looked scared.
“Not again.”
I nodded gloomily. “Theo’s on his way.”
Lia shifted from one foot to the other. “She’s going to be okay, isn’t she?”
“Of course she is.”
“She looks kind of gray.”
Courtney took a deep breath and forced herself to stop staring at Savannah. She touched Lia’s shoulder. “Lia, why don’t you get her a cold wet cloth? And tell everyone else to go to their rooms and stay there.”
“Okay.”
We sat around Savannah’s bed in a silent vigil, listening to the harsh rattle of her breath. I couldn’t help but think of Spencer lying in quarantine. Chloe squeezed my hand, her eyes wet with tears.
“I know,” she said quietly. “But Spencer’s strong. And he didn’t … you know.”
She was right, Spencer was an accident of time and place. He wasn’t the type to take pills. He was going to be fine.
The three of us leaped to our feet when Theo came through the door. He looked capable and confident and I could have kissed him. He lifted Savannah’s wrist to feel her pulse.
“Is she lucid?” he asked.
“She was,” I confirmed.
“How long has she been like this?”
“I don’t know. Not too long, I don’t think. Her roommate came to get me just before I called you.”
“Okay.” He lifted her eyelids, felt her forehead. “We’re taking her to the infirmary.”
Another nurse wheeled a stretcher into the room. One of the doctors and a security guard pushed in behind her. The doctor’s mouth thinned when she saw Savannah.
“Let’s move quickly,” she ordered.
The room emptied in minutes and the guard stood in front of the door, arms folded. Lia blinked at him.
“But my stuff’s in there,” she said.
“The doctor said she wanted the room sealed off now, just to make sure it’s not contagious,” Courtney explained. “Come on, we’ll find another bed for you.”
Courtney led her away as Chloe and I hurried after the others. Students in pajamas gathered on each floor, craning their heads to see what was going on. Floor monitors tried to shoo them back. York barreled into the building and marched past us, blowing his whistle, practically right in my ear. “Everyone back to bed! NOW!”
The sound of scurrying feet echoed on every floor.
By the front door, I grabbed Theo’s arm. “Wait,” I said. “She took these.” I handed him one of the white pills. He scowled at it. “What are they?”
“I don’t know yet.”
He shook his head, slipping them into his pocket. “This year just sucks.”
Chapter 26
•
Hunter
Tuesday night
Most of Tuesday went by in a blur. I slept through all my early classes, but none of my teachers said anything. Everyone was subdued and solemn. Campus felt as if it were covered in ashes.
I loved this place and I loved the League. I’d been raised to think the League was better than Christmas and Halloween candy and birthday presents. And now I suddenly felt like a six-year-old finding out there was no such thing as Santa Claus. I didn’t know what to think; I just knew it felt awful.
I went to the infirmary after dinner with Chloe and Jenna, even though Jason had already been and told us they weren’t letting anyone in the door, especially with Savannah sick as well. Theo wasn’t there so we were stopped at the threshold. The doctor shook her head sternly at us. We might have tried to argue with her, but we could hear Spencer’s mom sobbing from behind the curtain so we slunk away. We kept to our schedule because there wasn’t anything else to do.
Then I went to the gym that Dailey had reserved for her first Guild meeting. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I was looking forward to being distracted, to have something else to fill up my brain. There wasn’t the usual chatter as we waited for her to arrive. It was mostly twelfth-grade students with a sprinkling of others from the eleventh and tenth grades. There were no Niners at all. We all smiled questioningly at each other, but no one had any answers.
“Good, you’re all here.” Ms. Dailey strode in with a welcoming nod. “We have a lot of work to do, so let’s get started.”
One of the students raised his hand. “Um, Ms. Dailey?”
“Yes, Justin?”
“What exactly are we starting?”
She chuckled. “I’ve handpicked you all as the best this school has to offer. You’re all honor students or well on your way to becoming such. And now, you’ll be even better.” She smiled at us. “We’ll cover fighting, of course, and weaponry and tactics, but also stealth and technology and other, newer ways to win the fight. It’s no secret that recently Hel-Blar have been crawling all over campus, Violet Hill, and even surrounding villages. If we’re to contain this new threat, the League will need more help. And my Guild will be first on call, before any other student group. I’m excited to get started.”
She gave us a list of books we needed to take out from the library and the password for the private Web site she was putting together for us. I left feeling better than I had all day. I had a purpose again, and options. And confidence in the Helios-Ra, despite recent evidence to the contrary. I waited until everyone else had cleared out.
“Yes, Hunter, what is it?” Ms. Dailey asked when she noticed I was still hovering nearby.
“Could I talk to you for a minute?” I asked awkwardly. “It’s … private.”
“Certainly.” She frowned worriedly. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s about all the sick students.”
“Oh, Hunter, that’s not for you to worry about. You’re a strong, healthy girl.”
“It’s not that. It’s …” I hoped I was doing the right thing. I was pretty sure Ms. Dailey would hear me out and not drag me to the headmistress or the school shrink. “There’s some kind of pill going around,” I told her. “I think it’s making people sick.”
She looked startled. “Drugs? Already?”
I blinked. “What do you mean already?”
“It’s only the first week of school. Usually the pills don’t start circulating until mid-terms.” She shook her head.
I smiled uneasily. “I don’t think this is that kind of pill.”
“Oh?”
“I don’t have the chemical breakdown yet, but this one’s dangerous. Really dangerous. And … vampires don’t like it.”
“Vampires?” she sighed. “Hunter, what have gotten yourself into?”
“Nothing good,” I admitted. “Will you help me?”
“After the speech I just gave everyone? Of course I will.”
Relief flooded through me and I had to swallow a nervous giggle. “Thank you, Ms. Dailey! The pills are little and white and have ‘TH’ stamped on them. Savannah was taking them just before she got sick and I think Will was too.”
White lines bracketed her mouth. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, Hunter.” She flicked the gym lights off. “Now let’s not say another word about it until I can do some research of my own. The walls have ears.”
I nearly skipped down the stairs. She winked at me before turning down the lane toward the teachers’ residence, heels clacking. Teachers like Ms. Dailey were rare. I hadn’t forgotten how she’d stood up for me when York busted me at the first drill. If it came to it, at least we now had someone on the faculty we could trust.
Bolstered, I was grinning when Quinn popped out of the edge of the woods and scared the breath right out me. I leaped into the air, shrieking.
So much for Dailey’s training.
Quinn laughed so hard he bent right over. I laughed too and pulled his ponytail. “Shut up.”
“Hunter, you’re adorable.”
“Excuse me, I am fierce and kick-ass.”
“That too.” He took my hand, his thumb rubbing over my palm. “And you’re cute in your workout shorts.”
I was suddenly aware of all my bare leg. I absolutely refused to blush. His grin widened.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him.
His hand moved comfortingly over my wrist and up my arm. “I’m here to take you on a date.”
I blinked. “A date?” I repeated as if it was a foreign word I’d never heard before.
“You know, where we go out, hold hands, cast longing glances at each other? It’s tradition. You might have heard of it.”
“But I have class.”
“Class?” Now he was looking at me as if I was speaking a different language. “But it’s ten o’clock at night.”
“We have classes until midnight.” I smiled pointedly. “The thing about vampires is that they kind of like the night. It’s tradition. You might have heard of it?”
“Oh, smart mouth.” He grinned back. “Sexy.”
He prowled forward, maneuvering me against the trunk of a tall pine tree. The branches started dozens of feet above us, spreading out branches like a green parasol. The ground was soft, carpeted in rust-colored needles.
“Can you ditch?” Quinn asked temptingly. “I’ve been up to my eyeballs in prep for the Blood Moon. All very political and hush-hush. You’d love it.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
“Can you be late?” he pressed.
“Well, I am interested in compromise between our people.”
“My people are grateful.” He captured my mouth with his. The kiss started slowly, turning deep and hot within moments. I was in a cocoon of feeling, of warm tingles, pale skin, and tree bark. Electricity ran between us. I half believed that if I opened my eyes I’d see sparks and forks of lightning licking at us. Further in the woods, ferns shifted. There were stars, crickets singing, an early autumn breeze, and a handsome young vampire kissing me.
It would have been perfect if my grandfather hadn’t interrupted us.
“Hunter Agnes Wild!”
Quinn, oblivious to the danger, pulled back, laughing. “Your middle name’s Agnes?”
“After her great-grandmother,” Grandpa roared. I winced, stepping around Quinn to shield him.
“Hi, Grandpa. What are you doing here?”
“I’m a guest lecturer,” he barked. “And what exactly are you doing, missy?” He glared at Quinn. I counted under my breath, one, two— Grandpa choked on another roar. “Vampire!”
Three. He must be really flustered at finding me making out to have needed three full seconds to register the unnatural stillness and paleness of Quinn. Not to mention his fangs, delicately dimpling his lips, brought out by our kissing. I shifted another step in front of him.
“Grandpa—”
“Hunter, stake him and let’s get to class,” he said impatiently.
I swallowed. “I’m not staking him.”
He raised an eyebrow disapprovingly. “Not prepared? Here, take one of mine.” He tossed me one of his stakes. I caught it out of instinct.
“Grandpa.”
“What are you waiting for?” He glared at Quinn. “And what’s wrong with this one that he’s just standing there?”
“Grandpa.” I sighed. “This is Quinn Drake. Quinn, my grandfather, Caleb Wild.”
“Vampire,” Grandpa spat again.
Quinn smirked. “Old man.”
I closed my eyes. This was going well. My boyfriend was an idiot and my grandfather was going to rip him into bloody pieces. Grandpa was built like a bull. And the only reason he hadn’t staked Quinn yet was because I was standing directly in the way. I was also pressing my shoulder back into Quinn, forcing him to stay where he was. Who knew dating was so dangerous?
“Hunter Wild, you get away from him right now.”
“No.” He goggled, turning so red so fast I thought he might be having a heart attack. “No, sir,” I added to appease him.
“I would never hurt her,” Quinn said, his smirk fading. “You have my word on that.”
“The word of a vampire? Pah.”
“The word of a Drake.”
Grandpa spit. Quinn growled. I slapped a hand on his chest.
“You can’t bite my grandpa.” I tossed a look over my shoulder. “And you can’t stake my boyfriend.”
Grandpa went gray. “Boyfriend?”
I cringed. “Quinn, you should go.”
“I’m not leaving you alone,” he protested.
“Please.” I pushed at his chest. “Please just go. I’ll call you when I can.”
He searched my face for a long moment before touching my hair briefly. “Fine. I won’t be far.”
“I know,” I said, relieved he wasn’t going to fight me on this. I had my hands full as it was. When I turned back to Grandpa, Quinn was already gone, leaving behind shifting leaves and the fleeting touch of his lips on mine.
“Please just listen,” I started as my grandfather struggled not to explode.
“I don’t want to hear it,” he ground out. “You’ll stop all contact with that boy, with all of the enemy, and we’ll pretend this never happened. Let’s go.”
“Grandpa, no.”
“You’re trying my patience, girl.”
“I’m sorry,” I said miserably. “But I have to do what I think is right. Quinn’s not the bad guy here. He might be cocky, but he’s also honorable and brave and loyal. He saved my life.”
“He’s one of them.” He looked older suddenly, as if all his years pressed down on him at once. “You’re my little hunter. Even when you were small you could hit a target with your stakes at thirty paces. You’re gifted.”
“I’m still a hunter,” I insisted. “Nothing’s changed, not really.”
“Everything’s changed!” he shouted. “You’re part of the Helios-Ra! The Wilds have been members for as long as I can remember. We kill vampires. It’s what we do.”
“I’m still Helios-Ra.”
“But you’re not a Wild,” he snapped. “Not if you behave like this.”
It felt as if he’d slapped me. “What? Grandpa, don’t. I know you’re upset but don’t.”
He pointed a finger at me. “You owe the League your loyalty.”
“It has my loyalty, but not my blind obedience. And anyway, the League has a treaty with the Drakes, remember? Plus, someone’s drugging students, Grandpa, someone in our precious League.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I have proof. Students are getting sick all over. Chloe’s own mother was giving her steroids. Have you heard about some operat
ion called the Trojan Horse?”
I was so relieved at his honest bewilderment that I could have wept.
“What are you going on about?” he demanded. “Hunter, leave League business alone. Leave it to the adults.”
“I can’t.”
“And stop seeing that … thing.”
“I can’t do that either.”
“Your mother would be ashamed.”
“I’m ashamed too.”
“As you should be.”
“Of your bigotry, Grandpa,” I finished quietly. “You know I love you, but I’m not you. You can’t force me to be. I agree with the treaties. I like what Hart’s doing with the League.”
“You’re young.”
“So? That doesn’t make me stupid. You didn’t raise me to be stupid. You raised me to be strong and independent and clever. Can’t you trust that?”
“I don’t even know you anymore, girl. How can I trust someone who willingly fraternizes with monsters?”
I took his big callous hand in mine. “It’s not that simple. But it’s still me. I’m still me.”
“I love you, girl,” he said gruffly. “You know I do. Now stop this nonsense. We have class.”
He’d raised me. He was the only family I had left. And he looked at me as if he couldn’t stand the sight of me. The only reason I didn’t let the tears fall was because it would have convinced him right then and there that I was no longer his granddaughter. I tilted my chin, straightened my shoulders.
And I let him lead me toward the gym where the Niners waited for a demonstration from one of the League’s most celebrated hunters.
Kieran was waiting for us outside the main gym. His hair was caught back in a ponytail, his cargos were perfectly regulation. He still wore his cast. Grandpa clapped him on his good shoulder.
“Glad you’re here, Black. Maybe you can talk some sense into my granddaughter.”
I waited stone-faced. Kieran looked wary.
“What do you mean, Caleb?”
“She’s dating a vampire!” he exploded.
Kieran winced. “Oh.”
Grandpa’s eyes narrowed to slits. “You knew about this?”
“Uh … yes, sir.”
I sighed. “Grandpa, leave him alone.”
“He’s supposed to look out for you.”