Page 48 of Ava: Part Three

The flashing stopped, and he looked back at her. His eyes were full of everything he couldn’t say now that they were out of the basement, but she understood. He was as angry as she was. The only difference was that he had a huge wolf he had to keep control of.

“I’ll see you later,” she whispered.

She was about to open the door when he pulled her back and planted his lips on hers. His kiss was deep and desperate, full of all the rage he was feeling, yet it calmed a part of her.

“I don’t know what they will do today, but I’ll be right next to you,” he whispered when he released her.

She nodded and fixed her hair before she got out of the car and walked towards her block.

The moment she walked in, she felt the heaviness in the air. The grief. She may not have liked Emily, but that wolf had been there longer and had made some connections. People parted as she approached, and she saw the looks on their faces. She knew they were blaming her for Emily’s death because she was blaming herself. She couldn’t look any of them in their eyes as she walked towards her first class.

“Ava.”

Her eyes widened as she saw Jared standing in the doorway of an empty classroom. She pushed him into the room and closed the door.

“You can’t be around me. I don’t know what the Council is doing, but I don’t want to give them any more targets,” she whispered.

“I just wanted to check that you’re okay after what happened yesterday,” Jared said.

“I’m okay. But please, stay away until they’re gone,” she whispered and then quickly left the classroom.

She had only gone a few steps when she saw the vampire who had killed Emily leaning against the wall, his eyes on the door to the classroom. He would have heard what she had said to Jared.

“Miss Morgan,” he said with a nod.

“Sir,” she answered, lowering her gaze.

She felt ill to the pit of her stomach. Seeing his face brought the images of what he had done back to the forefront, and now she had to worry that he would mess with Jared, too.

“Call me Andrei. I feel that what we shared yesterday brought us a little closer. We have a bond now, like survivors of a terrible accident,” the vampire said as he pushed himself off the wall to stand in front of her.

The hallways were completely clear now. The students would know to stay out of his way.

“I can’t call you by your name, sir,” she whispered.

“Oh, don’t tell me that was all it took to get you back in line,” the vampire chuckled. “I had such high hopes for you.”

She remained silent because she didn’t know what they wanted from her.

“Tell me something, Ava. You seemed very eager to return to Isolation yesterday. How did you come out of there without a scratch the first time?”

She felt his allure as if he could turn it on and off whenever he wanted. It was so strong she had to step back as she tried to resist him.

“Come now, Ava. Tell me the truth. You can trust me.”

And she felt like she could, even though, in her head, she was screaming at herself to snap out of it. She looked up at the monster’s beautiful face. At his perfect skin and striking hazel eyes.

“That’s it,” Andrei whispered. “Tell me how you did it, and I will make sure nothing happens to any more of your friends.”

The councillor stepped closer, but she didn’t step back. She had to crane her neck to keep looking at him.

“You don’t even smell human anymore. Do you know how curious you’ve made me?” the vampire asked.

He took a deep breath and then smiled at her, showing his fangs. It was the sight of those fangs and remembering how Emily’s blood had dripped from them that brought her to her senses.

The vampire brought his hand to her face like his girlfriend had done yesterday and trailed a finger down her cheek. She had expected him to be cold, but he was warm, and his touch tried to pull her back under his spell. She felt the pull as she kept eye contact.

“Let me in, Ava,” the vampire whispered.

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