Page 37 of Vampire's Vixen

A moment later, Astra called me. “What the hell happened?”

I winced, trying to hold the phone so that the thorns in my arms didn’t hurt. “I got attacked by a ferandal, and while it didn’t catch me, I had to crawl through a bramble patch. I have thorns embedded in places I didn’t know existed.”

“Oh good heavens. Are you driving?”

“No, my classmate is taking me. We’re in my car, and then he’ll take a taxi back to get his.”

“Tell him that if he’ll drive you home, I’ll drive him out to his car. Let me know if there’s anything you need. Call me if you’re going to be at urgent care for a long time, or if they want to send you to the hospital.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll tell Kyle.”

As I hung up, my entire body hurt. I would never have been able to drive myself. I was extremely grateful for Kyle’s help, and I wouldn’t forget it.

Ninety minutes later, Kyle and I arrived at my home. He helped me out and into the house, where Astra was anxiously waiting.

“Lunch is on the table. I made enough for you, Kyle, as a thank you for helping my niece. I hope you can stay?”

“Thanks, I have time. And it was no trouble,” Kyle said, flashing Astra a wide smile. “You should have seen her getting away from that ferandal. You would have been so proud of her.”

“I need to call Crystal,” I said. “Then…lunch would be good, though I’m exhausted.”

Kyle followed Astra into the kitchen, while I pulled out my phone. I put in a call to Crystal. I didn’t feel up to texting. She answered on the second ring.

“Hey, how did class go?”

“It didn’t. Listen, I need to cancel plans this afternoon, unless you’re willing to come over. I had an adventure that I’d really rather have skipped, and I’m…covered in bandages and on antibiotics.” The antibiotics were specially formulated for witchblood, but they were still antibiotics.

“Um, I’ll be over. Two-thirty?”

“Can we make it three-thirty? I need lunch and a little nap, if I can.”

“I’ll be there. Oh, by the way, I thought you’d like to know—I passed the test. I’m to be initiated at next Saturday’s meeting! I’m so excited,” Crystal said.

“Well, that’s one spot of bright news in a day filled with pain,” I said. “I’ll see you this afternoon. We’ll celebrate with homemade mochas and cookies. I’ll ask Astra if she’ll bake.”

“You don’t have to do that—I can bring some from my shop. I made oatmeal cranberry bars,” she said. “I know you love those.”

Happy with that thought, I said goodbye and called Ginger.

“Hey,” I said. “I feel so guilty, but I was hurt today and I can’t make dinner. I’m not blowing you off, I promise.”

“What happened?” she asked.

“I went on a field trip up to Hollow Hill and was attacked by a ferandal.”

“Hollow Hill? What the hell were you doing there?”

“Hey, it was my teacher’s idea,” I said. I told her about all the puncture wounds.

“Let’s reschedule. Your teacher’s an asshole. He should know that’s not the place to take anybody who isn’t prepared.”

We rescheduled for the next Friday, and she told me how lucky I was and that I should report my teacher.

After that, I went in the dining room for lunch. I wanted to get to know Kyle better, and to find a way to thank him. He’d been a rock for me today, and without him, I would have been in a lot worse trouble. Jason hadn’t helped until things had already gone south.

“I’m thinking of dropping cryptozoology,” I said, settling into my chair. “I don’t trust Jason any farther than I can throw him. Ginger thinks I should report him to the school for negligence.”

“You have a point. I don’t think he was prepared at all today,” Kyle said.

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