Page 12 of Killer of the Bells
Doesn’t sparkle, my ass. What a drama queen.
Chapter
Five
ECHO
After mere moments, we arrived at a secluded bench in a park near the school. While my brain tried to deal with the speed at which I’d just been relocated, Vale deposited me on the ground like used laundry.
I was on my hands and knees, trying not to retch, when I heard a dry voice say, “We don’t treat innocent witnesses this way, Vale.”
“Maybe you don’t,” Vale retorted. “There’s nothing in my contract stating I can’t.”
There was a heavy sigh, and the stranger said, “I was told to bring food, but you don’t look like you’re in any shape right now to eat it.”
I shook my head and held up my index finger in the universal gesture forjust give me a minutewhile I panted and focused on the ground in front of me.
“Don’t worry about Vale,” a familiar, cheerful voice joined in, and I saw a pair of small, stylish shoes in my peripheral vision. “He’s only like this on days that end in Y. It’s not personal.”
“Shut up, Apple,” Vale said, but it was without heat. It was like being rude to the man was from habit, rather than malice.
“Apple?” I asked and looked up, feeling steadier, but all my joints still felt loose and jittery.
“You know me?” Apple asked, eyes wide with merriment.
I snorted. Everyone who wasn’t living under a rock knew Apple. He and his giant trash fire boyfriend were impossible to miss. Our campus was big, but not big enough to miss those two fucking their way across it. Even if it had been, Apple was still a legend all on his own.
“Vale said we’d need a translator, but he wasn’t specific about which language. Then he told Gareth to just bring me, so I’m guessing you’ve got something really interesting going on. They only bring me in on the really interesting stuff, so come on, spill the beans. What do you have for me?”
I stared blankly at Apple, trying to formulate a response when, in the distance, I saw a short young man with dark hair enter the park. I could faintly hear him say, “I don’t know, Haruka. I just wanted to take a walk tonight. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Apple gave a short laugh of surprise. “Oh, this is going to be beautiful. It might almost be worth leaving Adam alone for an hour.Almost, Gareth. I said almost. Don’t get any ideas about dragging those two in on our operations just to get my attention. It won’t be worth it.”
“You don’t need to tell me that,” the stranger—who I now knew to be Gareth—said in the same dry tone as before. “This is less than ideal, Vale. What did you bring to me?”
“Don’t blame me. This is clearly Apple’s fault,” Vale responded indolently.
The moonlight touched his face, and I realized his eyes were an earthy shade of hazel. They suited him. It was the first time I’d been able to see him properly, and I was dazzled. His long, dark hair was pulled back into a messy bun, making him seem atouch feral and untamed. I wanted my hands in it. I wanted my hands all over every part of him.
“Haruka? Are you coming or not?” The short, young newcomer’s voice called out, shaking me from my reverie.
“You’re supposed to be lucky, you little shit,” Vale griped.
For a second, I thought Vale was talking to me, but when Apple sputtered in offense, I realized I was an NPC in the situation. No one there gave a shit about me at the moment because everyone’s focus was on the tall Asian man joining the stunningly beautiful young man walking toward us.
I recognized both of them easily. Haruka and Eli, another campus sensation that I’d have to be dead not to know about. Rumors abounded about the two, but none of them could be real, right? If Haruka was half as dangerous as they’d made him sound, he’d never be allowed to stay on campus… Right?
“How many?” Gareth asked.
Vale responded, “Twenty-seven.”
“Only twenty-seven? He must be having a good night. Let’s make sure he continues to have one,” Gareth said.
“Gareth, you’re not scared of him… are you?” Apple asked like the concept was absurd.
“Using caution around him isn’t fear. It’s common sense,” Gareth said vaguely.
I had no fucking clue what was going on, and I didn’t have a single word in my arsenal to spare in order to find out.
