Page 67 of Monsters Within (The Creatures We Crave 1)
Alexandra
Apparently even though my attack was in self-defense, it showed a lack of discipline, which Professor Potestas insisted required punishment. The hellhound, who I learned was named Carter, apologized profusely to me and claimed he’d never lost control of his other side before like that.
I was skeptical to believe that, but hell, I was all about a fresh start here, so I told him it was fine. After all, I’d given him a few burns in return, so we were even in my book.
His explanation, though, got him sent back to Professor Benignus to apparently work on a mental shield, as if I’d done something to cause his lack of control. I wasn’t quite sure how it was fair that I was getting blamed for that when I literally had never displayed any form of a power that fucked with people’s minds, but whatever.
My punishment was more old-fashioned, and I swore Professor Potestas smirked at me when I protested being sent to detention back in the pavilion like I was a child in high school.
“What?” I said in disbelief after Carter left the room and Professor Potestas gave me my orders to go get healed by the nurse and then report to detention in the same administration building. “How is that fair? My powers only surfaced in defense of him crossing the line and hurting me!”
Detention? Seriously? What college has detention?
Sitting on the edge of his desk with crossed arms, his one dimple flared on the left side of his face, making me narrow my eyes at his barely concealed amusement. “Play stupid games and win stupid prizes, Alexandra. You could have killed him with your recklessness.”
Shame smacked through me almost as hard as the girl who hit my cheek, which was still slightly stinging. Dropping my head, I whispered, “I know, I’m sorry. It isn’t an excuse, but I just found out I even have powers in the last few days. I promise I’ll work hard to learn how to control it.”
His tough exterior faltered for the briefest of moments at my words. Heaving a sigh and running a hand over the dark stubble on his cheeks, he admitted, “Look, Alexandra. I’m not here to be a dick, even though it may seem that way. I know this is probably really hard on you, but I have to set examples when students break the rules, or else no one will take them seriously.”
I could understand that, so I nodded my head in response before he continued on.
“My class poses the highest risk to students’ lives, and I take my role in keeping all of you safe seriously, while simultaneously training you to handle anything that comes your way outside of the safety of the academy. It’s a fine line I have to walk.”
He didn’t owe me any explanation, but I was grateful he gave one anyway, and when he finished, the gruff look returned as he ordered me out. I did as he said and found myself at the front of the administration building in the pavilion a few minutes later.
Walking up the steps and pushing the door open, the secretary at the desk pointed me to the infirmary on the second floor, which I hadn’t been able to explore yet. The nurse ended up being a witch that healed me up in no time and offered me a tacky DIA shirt to put over my now risqué top with holes in it.
After being cleared by her and feeling good as new, she sent me down to the detention room. When I pushed the door open and peeked inside to make sure I was in the right place, I found one other student with no supervision.
A stunning woman craned her head around to look at me, pinning me to the spot with her piercing red eyes that summed me up with one glance. Dismissing me, she waved a hand around at the empty seats and announced in a regal voice, “Welcome to my humble abode. Make yourself at home.”
Her feet were kicked up onto the desk beside hers like she didn’t have one fuck left in her to give. It showcased her knee-high boots that were attached with black garters to her leather shorts. She looked like an absolute badass, and I couldn’t help but feel a pull towards her confidence.
Her hair was as long as Alora’s but was a gorgeous combination of gleaming silver and black that fell in soft waves to her waist. I was also exceptionally jealous of the tan she had, because my skin simply refused to tan. I was either a lobster or Casper the ghost. There was no in between.
“So,” I hedged, taking a few steps into the room and looking around. “Where’s the person who is supposed to watch over us while in the naughty bin?”
Taking a seat at the desk in front of her, I sat sideways to be able to talk to her. Glancing back at her, she was drumming her manicured black nails onto the surface of her table with a smirk on her face. “The naughty bin? That’s an interesting take on this prison,” she mused.
Shrugging my shoulders, I explained, “Well, yeah. Detention is for students who break the rules.”
With a groan, she rolled her head around until it cracked, and she dropped her feet to turn directly towards me. “You sound like you do not belong here…” she trailed off, waiting for me to offer my name.
Sticking my hand out, I offered, “Alexandra.”
She may very well have been the most laid back person I’d ever met, and I found myself enjoying the low-key energy.
Pursing her lips, she glanced at my hand in what I thought was distaste, but as I frowned and dropped it back into my lap, she warned, “I don’t have a good grip on my bloodlust. I shouldn’t touch anyone with a pulse to be safe.”
I gulped in slight fear of her admission, and she let out a trill laugh. “Don’t worry, babe, despite being a filthy bloodsucker,” she all but spat, like she hated vampires, “I’ve strictly survived on animal blood since the transition.”
My shoulders sagged in relief, and she changed the subject quickly as her eyes landed on my cheek. “Is this a case of ‘you should see the other guy,’ or did you get bitch slapped as well as the shit end of the stick with punishment?”
With a roll of my eyes, I blew out a breath and muttered quietly, “I lost control of my powers and could have killed a classmate.”
Next thing I knew, her head was thrown back as she let out a body-shaking laugh. When she settled back down and wiped her eyes that were brimming with tears from laughing so hard, she cocked her head and gave me an approving smirk. “Okay, maybe you are meant to be in the naughty bin with me. I’m Alina Van Helsing, by the way.”
It was like she hadn’t meant to say that, by the way her eyes widened in alarm.
