Page 25 of Marked By Moonlight

Stopping in front of Ray, an odd rush of warmth filled her as she leaned down. Her skin simmered, heated by the blood coursing beneath. Impossible as it seemed, she felt herself expand, growing larger and taller than her diminutive five feet two. With hard hands, she grasped the edge of his desk. The simulated wood creaked beneath the pressure of her fingers and she felt certain with only a little more force she could splinter the desk with her bare hands.

Lowering her head, she locked eyes with him and watched in satisfaction as the challenge faded and melted from the dark liquid pools. He dropped his gaze to the top of his desk, shrinking in his seat, the plastic chair creaking from the shifting of his weight. His cockiness evaporated on the air like a wisp of smoke.

His earlier words still ringing in her ears, she growled, “Care to repeat yourself?”

He shook his head, still avoiding her gaze. She reveled in his fear, could smell it, could taste it even, its warm, coppery sweetness flooding her mouth and filling her with a strange hunger. The hunger to hurt.

And that made her stop.

As if burned, she released the desk and looked around at the faces of her students. She read the shock in their eyes and bile rose thick in her throat. Her anger had moved beyond the walls of her parents’ house. Today she had an entire audience to witness her behavior. And this time, she hadn’t wanted to stop. She had wanted to push further, harder.Wanted to hurt.

Digging deep, she fumbled to recover the old, familiar Claire. The orderly, unassuming woman buried somewhere deep inside. The little girl with limp curls in her Christmas sweater. Where had she gone? And most important, how could she get her back?

In a crisp, businesslike tone she instructed the class, “Open your books to page four seventy-six.”

Claire sensed Nina’s approach, smelled the sweetness of her vanilla perfume even before she felt the slight pressure on her shoulder.

“Miss Morgan?”

She lifted her head from the desk located at the back of the room, where she had collapsed after the student exodus following the seventh period bell. Claire ran her hands over her face tiredly.

Nina stared down at her, the smooth skin of her brow creased in worry. “It’s all right.” Her fingers flexed on Claire’s shoulder in a comforting squeeze. “About time someone showed that jerk up.”

Claire briefly closed her eyes and shook her head, not botheringto voice her whirling thoughts. Nina was just a kid, a student. She had no concept of a teacher’s duty to treat all students with respect despite how they treated you. And it wasn’t Claire’s place to burden her with a lesson on professional responsibility.

She stood, the legs of her chair scraping the linoleum floor, chafing her already frayed nerves. “It’s after four. What are you still doing here?”

Hurt flickered across the girl’s expressive face, and Claire instantly regretted her sharpness. She had been a teacher for almost ten years now, and in that time certain students had undeniably touched her heart. Every year there were a special few, ones she never forgot—ones like Nina who sat forward in their seats with shining eyes, hungry to learn. Students like her were a gift and didn’t deserve coldness, even if Claire only craved solitude.

“I had dance practice,” she said in a small, wounded voice.

“Oh.” Claire glanced down at the shiny purple tights covering Nina’s slim legs. Softening her tone, she asked, “Aren’t you going to miss the late bus?”

“I got a ride waiting,” she replied, her golden brown eyes studying Claire.

“Hello, hello,” Maggie chirped as she strolled into the room, coffee cup in hand. Claire knew it had to be her twelfth cup of the day. Coffee was the only thing that kept her friend going until she could escape work for a cigarette.

Despite her cheerful tone, her eyes appeared guarded and uncertain as they assessed Claire. Nodding briefly to Nina, the concern in her probing gaze was unmistakable. Maggie knew about today. No surprise. Students talked and Maggie had a good rapport with the kids.

Nina picked up her backpack where she had dropped it on the floor. “I’ll see ya later, Miss Morgan.”

“?’Bye, Nina.”

Maggie waited until the girl left before asking quietly, “You okay?”

“Yes,” Claire lied. “Fine.”

Clasping both hands around her mug, Maggie gently announced, “I heard about today.”

“Figured you had.”

“Want to talk about it?”

Claire forced a smile and began straightening the papers on her desk. “Nope.”

“Hey, we all have those days. One kid goes too far, says the wrong thing, and bang.” Maggie snapped her fingers. “It happens to the best of us.”

“Right.” Claire snapped the day’s homework assignment she needed to grade with a large binder clip.

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