Page 43 of Deadly Alliances

Finally, we reached the colossal stairs, and I trudged up them between Adam and Thomas. My legs were screaming at me to stop, but I had to keep going. If I just made it to the top, maybethen I could finally find some reprieve. Although, I knew that was unlikely. My mission had only just begun.

As I entered the enormous doors—which were even bigger than they’d appeared to be—my spirits sank. The interior was just as black as the rest, making the vibrant red accents pop. Banners flanked the room, bearing the Heritage Prep logo, a single drop of blood dripping between the words. I could almost appreciate the darkness of the whole setup—if I wasn’t already so nervous about the vampires this place housed.

There was a loud sniff and a sigh of satisfaction. I whirled to see a young woman with long golden hair framing a pale face leaning toward me, her eyes heavily lidded.

“Ah, fresh blood. I love new recruits.” She sniffed again, and her brows crinkled. “But now’s not the time for them. And something about you smells different.”

“Hey, Ann, what do we have here?” asked another young man, also pale and blond, though nearly a foot taller than Ann. He sniffed the air, too. His eyes snapped open and zeroed in on me. “You’re a witch,” he hissed.

I took a step back, the hair raising on my neck. Of course. That was how Julian had figured me out. He’d been able to sense the magic in me. I’d just walked into a den of creatures that could smell my magic. Great. Maybe I could mask my scent? It might buy me some time.

I began to mutter the spell under my breath, but something struck my face faster than I could brace against the excessive force.

I hit the floor with an “oof,” my head spinning. I tried to suck in air, but failed, my lungs burning.

“Don’t you say a word, witch,” the male vampire hissed again.

I shook my head and held up a hand. “I just want—”

But I was interrupted again, this time by the asshole pulling me into the air and pressing me against the cold black stone. A heartbeat later, he was clamped down on my neck, oblivious to my kicking and screaming. He placed a hand over my mouth, stifling my cries.

My will was seeping from me. The pull of venom tried to lull me into complacency. I wanted to give in, but I clung to my purpose. I bit down on the hand over my mouth with all my might, and the hand flinched back in surprise, though the teeth seemed to tighten their latch.

“Daywalk,” I croaked.

There was a clamor in the room, something I hadn’t fully noticed in light of the attack. It buzzed and droned, and I knew I was the epicenter of the excitement. But the venom was working, and I relaxed against the wall and sighed.

“What did she say?” came a shrill voice.

There was a crack, and the teeth braced on my neck unclamped, the body in front of me yanked away.

I fell to my hands and knees, gasping for air, though it wasn’t my lungs that needed replenishment.

“What the hell were you thinking?” It was that voice again, less shrill now, though the feminine tones still held a hardness that exuded authority. “Who is this girl? What’s she doing here?”

I looked up into a face so angelic, I could hardly breathe. The woman’s pale skin was offset by blood red lips. Stark white curls framed her petite face.

“She’s a witch,” spat the vampire who had bit me, but my eyes were still locked with the woman in front of me.

“What did you say about daywalking? And no magic, or I’ll be forced to let Todd finish the job.”

Todd smirked, but I ignored him. “I have a spell. For daywalking.”

“Where? Tell me,” she demanded.

“In my grimoire. Which I’ve hidden by magic.” Though despite that fact, I still felt panicked that my bag was currently in Thomas’s grasp.

She narrowed her thickly lashed eyes at me, puckering crimson lips with suspicion. “And why bring such a thing here?”

“I want to be admitted to the school,” I said, my eyes dropping to those ruby lips. I had no idea why they were suddenly so attractive, but under the influence of the venom, I meant every word. I needed to be here, with these beautiful people. It was my destiny, my calling, my path.

The beautiful vampire paced in front of me, the sway of her hips mesmerizing me. “And why would a witch want to go to a vampire school. You could never be turned, not without losing your magic.”

“The shifters won’t have me,” I said, all the disappointment I’d felt for months coming out in those few words, coloring my voice with bitterness.

The angel in front of me smiled. Her gaze went to Todd, and she snapped a finger. “Get Hadrian. He’ll want to see this.”

Todd nodded, though he wore a brooding frown. I guessed he wasn’t happy about this new development, but he didn’t voice anything to the woman, just darted off in a blur.

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