Page 49 of Wicked Dove
“WhereisThe Vale, exactly?” I mutter, glancing around my surroundings as if the answer awaits me there, but Ocean sighs.
“Somewhere else entirely. A pocket created by the fae.”
“That’s elusive and slightly scary.”
“That’s The Sanctum. None of us know where we are. All we know is that beyond the boundaries lies nothing.”
“Nothing,” I repeat, and she sighs.
“It’s a land created just for this purpose. The Sanctum can then control who comes in and out.”
“And what is it we’re supposed to be learning, exactly?”
Another shrug. “General academics,” she answers, but there’s something in the way her breath catches that tells me there’s more.
“And?” I cock a brow at her, and she rolls her eyes in defeat.
“And build strength to fight against the rebellion,” she admits, and my steps slow as I recall Professor Grimm mentioning a rebellion earlier.
My intrigue fizzles out, my mind a swirl of information, but nothing sticks. Asking anything else is only going to cause me more unnecessary stress with no gain.
As we approach the double doors, the thought of collapsing on my bed spurs me on, but shadows cast over us from the left, bringing my steps to a halt as four people approach us. Ocean’s breath catches in her throat before she snarls, and my hands ball into fists at my sides, anger rearing its ugly head immediately at the sight of Willow.
Flanked by three others, two guys and a girl, she walks with an air of arrogance that could rival Kael’s. No wonder they were together. Jealousy tingles down my spine but I brush it off, reminding myself I want nothing to do with him.
“I promised that you would pay for this morning,” Willow threatens, tossing her red hair over her shoulder with an unnecessary level of sass.
“Maybe that was your karma for being a bitch to begin with,” I retort, attempting to act bored while my muscles clench tighter.
“That’s nothing in comparison to what I’m going to do now, and there’s no shadow fae to save you this time,” she warns, and Ocean cackles.
“I’d like to see you try that move for a second time,” my roommate snaps, taking a step forward, but Willow is distracted by the girl at her side tugging at her arm,
“But Kael warned us that no one could touch her,” she mutters, making Willow turn back to me with a deathly glare.
I don’t know when he said that, but he had no right. Not that I’m going to tell them that.
“No one tells me what to do, especially a guy who thinks he can cheat on me with some skank,” Willow growls, her eyes flashing a rich amber, and my jaw falls slack.
I opt not to correct her on the whole cheating part. Instead, I sigh, but Ocean speaks before I get a chance.
“How about you just piss off, Willow? Nobody gives a shit,” she snaps, and Willow’s gaze slowly turns to Ocean, a sinister smile curling her lips.
“Although, Kael didn’t say anything about leaving Ocean alone,” she murmurs, and the two guys standing behind them snicker with delight as they crack their knuckles.
If Ocean is scared, she doesn’t show it. If anything, she rolls her shoulders back, standing taller despite the odds being against us.
“Do the honors, Tiran,” Willow orders, and the blond-haired brute steps forward. He’s shorter than me, but broader than anyone I’ve ever seen. The darkness in his eyes shows his true identity, and I instantly don’t like the malicious air around him.
“My pleasure, Princess,” he whispers in promise, pressing a kiss to her cheek before turning his sights on Ocean.
I’m frozen in place, horror clinging to me as his features shift. His eyes darken with the eerie promise of what’s to come as his teeth elongate, just like Kael’s.
Vampire.
He moves lightning fast, too fast for Ocean to get her words out as she lifts her hands in the air, but whatever she planned to do never comes as he knocks her to the ground and she screams.
I don’t think, I just move.
