Page 7 of Rebel Fae
“Thank you for sharing so candidly, Tally,” Dr. Watts said. “Anyone else?”
Becca’s eyes rolled to the ceiling as she twirled a strand of red hair around her index finger. The others also avoided Dr. Watts’s inquisitive eyes as he peered at each camper.
“This is such a waste of time,” Regina said. “Isn’t it enough we have to be here against our will?”
Dr. Watts put on a righteous expression. “Ms. Taylor, if you’re here against your will, it is because actions have consequences. If you break the law, you lose your freedom.” He raised both hands and moved both of them up and down as if weighing something. “And youdidbreak the law, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t,” she snapped. “But no one listens to a vampire, do they? Not over a damn witch, anyway.”
“You… you’re a vampire?” Ronnie stuttered. He seemed to be the kind who got frightened easily and two vampires seemed enough to push him over the edge.
“That’s right,” Regina confirmed as black veins writhed around her eyes, and fangs slid over her lower lip. She suddenly looked hideous and capable of tearing anyone’s throat out.
This wasn’t good. Whose genius idea was to bring vampires and serve them pizza?
In response to Regina’s threatening behavior, Antonio’s face also morphed into a dreadful mask fit for scaring children on a Hallows Eve night.
Two vampires out of control. Great! Someone had really lost their mind. How were we supposed to survive the island with them here?
“Everyone, please calm down.” Dr. Watts took a step back, pulling on his tie and swallowing thickly.
Walking with firm, deliberate steps, Vaughn moved away from the wall and approached us. His presence, which had gone vastly unnoticed until now, was immediately felt. It was like a current of electricity, setting everyone’s hair on end. He was power and authority all wrapped into one, and I hated to admit it. I hated to admit how attractive he looked in his guard uniform, too, but I wasn’t in the business of denying the truth. I was fae, after all. I couldn’t lie—not even to myself.
Instead of directing his attention to the tall male, he focused fully on Regina. She gave off the same power vibe as Vaughn, and he picked up on it right away.
“Is there a problem?” His eyes flashed bright green, revealing to the campers he wasn’t a regular guard. He was also a Supernatural, like us, one who played for the wrong side and couldn’t be trusted.
“I’m not intimidated by you,” Regina hissed, baring her fangs and lifting clawed hands threateningly.
“Perhaps it’ll take a wooden stake and damn good aim, then.” Vaughn flexed his hands.
The vampire doubled down, hissing and growling like a rabid feline. She seemed like the kind who didn’t get intimidated by anything. This wasn’t a good start. Not at all.
What if Vaughn reacted violently and killed someone? Would Adaline blame me for it? She had told me she wanted me to be here because Meadow Song and Silver Bear had made a mess of things. Three of the campers had died under their watch, and Adaline wanted to prevent more deaths. But if that was the case, why was Vaughn handing out treats as if they were honeyed candy?
Something was wrong with this scheme.
“Please, there is no need for violence.” Dr. Watts’s voice trembled, making it clear that he was more suitable for the classroom and theoretical research than for any practical application of what he thought he knew.
Just as it seemed the group would unravel on the first day of “rehabilitation,” the door to the room burst open and a large male, nearly seven-foot tall, walked in, drawing everyone’s attention.
My heart stopped in my chest. The male was unmistakably fae, but he was a type of fae I hadn’t seen in a very long time. He had massive black wings like those of a crow. His hair was long and blue-black, the same as his wings. His skin was a pale shade of violet, and his eyes were pink like a white rabbit’s. Twisted black horns sprang from his forehead and angled upward.
My first instinct was to run. This male was a Khurynian, a warrior of fearsome renown. I had seen his kind once in Faerie when I was a child of five. A few Khurynians had come to Alanthyl to ask Queen Kiana for help. The Unseelie Court had been waging war against them for almost a decade, and they wanted peace. Their numbers had never been great, and war was quickly disseminating their kind. My aunt had refused to get involved in their “squabbles” as she called them, and in time, the Unseelie had exterminated the Khurynians. Or so I thought.
I could hardly breathe at the sight of him. One Khurynian warrior was said to be able to face one hundred soldiers without qualm or concern for their life. They had a reputation for viciousness and cruelty.
Now I knew Adaline and Alexander Habermann had no intention of allowing this round of campers to leave the island unscathed.
The Khurynian came to a stop. Everyone stared, their jaws unhinged. The vampires had forgotten about looking intimidating, and their fangs and claws had drawn back as if on their own accord.
The male’s massive wings caught my attention. One of them was crooked, bent at an odd angle, damaged. A shiver ran down my back at the thought of something like that happening to one of my wings.
He stood like a statue, staring straight ahead, without noticing us. His expression was slack, absent as if he weren’t here. He wore tattered pants and a robe that hung in strips on his shoulders, revealing glimpses of his muscled torso and arms.
“Crescent, you have arrived,” Dr. Watts said. “And I see you’ve managed to subdue the brute. Good job!”
A woman walked through the door, trailing after the Khurynian. The first thing I noticed about her was the black blindfold she wore around her eyes. The second thing was the cane she tapped in front of her as she tentatively moved ahead.
