Page 8 of Mortal Blood
“Nope, sorry.”
I flopped my head back into my arms. “Naturally. Stupid supernaturals with their stupid, warped priorities. Did I tell you the council were going to lock me up just because they thought I knew what my father was? Like, even thoughIdidn’t do anything wrong?”
“Yes. Three times.”
“Yeah, well. It’s ridiculous.”
I stood up and stretched.
“You know what? I think I need some air. Actually, I need to go and see Domina Astor.”
Ling looked faintly alarmed. “I don’t think you want to do that.”
I canted my head and frowned. “No, I mean, Ineedto. I can’t explain it.”
“Well then, I think you definitely don’t want to do that. Compulsion is a fae trick, and I’m guessing you haven’t forgotten a certain fae prince who likes using that particular trick to wind you up?”
I waved her off. “He’s not back until this evening. Besides, he’s only ever been able to compel me using his voice. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Why exactly do you know his schedule?”
“Er… I’ve really gotta go. Catch you later?”
“Go. I’ll keep searching the books.”
“You’re the best!”
I flashed her a grateful smile then hurried from the library, the door swinging shut behind me, but not before I caught her calling out,
“Try not to die!”
Seriously, why did everyone assume I was going to die all the time? I shook my head as I hurried along the vast—and still almost entirely deserted—corridors until I came to a daunting oak door, with symbols carved into every inch of it. And no-one tried to kill me along the way. I made a note to rub that in Ling’s nose…once I got through this without Astor killing me.
I lifted a hand to tap once.
“Come,” a voice commanded from within before the echo of my knock had died. Guess she’d been waiting for me. Uneasetingled at the back of my neck. Joking aside, had there been something supernatural about my urge to come and see Astor? Checking in with her had seemed like the logical thing, but I’d abandoned my research—my sanctuary—to hurry over here, and, well, that just wasn’t like me. But vampires didn’t have compulsion powers. I, on the other hand, clearly had superior powers of paranoia. All the jokes about my untimely death were getting to me. Or maybe it was my run-in with the council and Brennan’s not-so-subtle threats.
“Come.” I started at the voice’s irritated sounding repetition. Right. Best not to keep Astor waiting. Sucking in a breath, I opened the door and stepped inside her cavernous office, finding the academy’s leader in her customary crimson red apparel, sitting behind her stone desk wearing her usual expression: one of deep disdain.
“Sorry to interrupt you, Domina Astor,” I began, because when faced with a vampire who held the power of life and death over you, I always found a little courtesy went a long way.
She waved my apology aside and I snapped my mouth shut.
“You took your time,” she said.
“Er…” Did she mean in coming to her office, or coming inside? “Sorry.”
“Yes, so you’ve said.” She held me with her piercing gaze, and I fought the urge to recoil. There was no room for weakness at Darkveil.
“Did you, um, want to see me?” I ventured. Ugh. Get a grip, Cali. So much for ‘no room for weakness’. I could barely even get a sentence out.
“Yes. And in future, I would appreciate you attending myrequests in a more timely manner.”
“I didn’t think vampires could compel people,” I blurted, before my brain caught up with my mouth. I gave a mental shrug. Showing my ignorance was hardly going to be the worst thing I did inside these walls.
“Drink enough fae and you begin to develop their powers,” Astor said…and I wouldn’t have liked to bet my blood on whether or not she was being serious.
“Right. Well, s—” I caught the apology before it could slip out of my mouth, and straightened my shoulders. “What can I do for you, Domina Astor?”
