11. Corvus

11

CORVUS

I watch Adelaide hurry out of the dining hall, her long black hair swinging behind her as she runs away from us. Part of me wants to give chase, to corner her, and, well, I'm not entirely sure what I'd do next. This girl has me tied up in knots. But I can't go anywhere. Zephyr's firm grip on my arm keeps me in place. He is stronger than me. Slightly, but still. It frustrates me, and it's not something I will ever tell him; his ego is large enough for that. So, I give him a superior glare and shake him off me. He lets go with pursed lips.

"What the hell, Zeph? We had her right where we wanted her."

Zephyr's eyes meet mine, a seriousness in them that I rarely see. "No, we didn't. We scared her, Corvus. And not in the fun way we usually aim for. It doesn't sit right with me."

I snort. "Since when do you care about scaring people? Isn't that kind of our thing?"

"It's different with her. There is something… I can't quite put my finger on it. It's there, but it's like trying to keep hold of water."

"What?" I snap, getting pissed off with his bullshit.

Zephyr sighs, looking exasperated. "She's touch averse, you arsehole. And not just in the ‘oh, I don't like strangers touching me' way. It's deeper than that. When I touched her earlier, I didn't feel it. I grasped something I took as fear for the entire situation, but no, it's more than that. Her words and her emotions just confirmed that."

I frown, thinking back to Adelaide's reaction—the fear in her eyes, the way she yanked her arm away from me as if my touch burned. "You being an empath takes the fun out of everything," I mutter, but he's got me intrigued. "I don't like playing nice, especially when the Dollie is perfectly malleable."

He grins, some of his usual mischief returning to his eyes. "Oh, trust me, I know exactly how you feel. But this is one case where we tread a little lighter."

"Be more devious, you mean," I snicker.

"Something like that."

With that, he turns and saunters out of the dining hall, leaving me to ponder his words. I shake my head, still not entirely convinced, but willing to play along. For now.

I grab a cup of synthetic blood, and frown at it. I have never tasted the stuff, but Adelaide had one, and I want to know what she is tasting when she drinks it. Taking a sip, I nearly choke on it. "Blergh," I mutter, but I'm hungry and needs must and all that.

Leaving the dining hall and heading back to my room in the East Wing where most fourth-year students are housed, at least the more dangerous ones, I reach my room, a spacious suite that befits my status as one of the strongest vampires, strongest creatures, on campus. The decor is dark wood and deep reds, all very clichéd, but we've had this conversation before. I flop down on the plush sofa, kicking my feet up on the coffee table.

Status. The noble house of Sanguine is one of the oldest and most respected vampire bloodlines. Usually, I revel in the darkness of my world. The strength, the speed, the ability to bend others to my will with just a few words, but the political side, the endless posturing and backstabbing that comes with being part of vampire high society, is something I could do without.

That's part of why I'm here at MistHallow. Officially, I'm here to further my education and prepare for my future role in vampire society. Unofficially, I'm here because it's the farthest I could get from my overbearing parents without actually leaving the country.

I close my eyes, letting my senses expand. I can hear the heartbeats of the creatures in the nearby rooms and smell the lingering scent of blood. But underneath it all, that strange, intoxicating scent that clings to Adelaide. Not quite vampire, but something more.

I stand up, suddenly restless. Maybe a flight would clear my head. It's the vampire ability that gives me the biggest kick - the power to transform into a bat at will. There's a freedom in it that I can't find anywhere else.

Walking over to the large window that takes up most of one wall, I push it open. The cool air rushes in, carrying with it the scents of the forest beyond the campus. Without hesitation, I step out onto the ledge and let myself fall forward.

The transformation is instantaneous. One moment, I'm plummeting towards the ground, the next, I'm soaring through the air on leathery wings. The world looks different like this: sharper, more defined. I can see every leaf on every tree and hear the scurrying of small animals in the underbrush.

Losing myself in the simple joy of movement, I head higher, past the canopy of the trees. As a pureblood, I'm not as affected by sunlight as turned vampires, but I still prefer the night. It's when I feel most alive.

Ducking and dicing, weaving through the air, I grow bored sooner than expected. Adelaide Black and her mysterious nature bug me in ways that I'm not used to. Flying back to the window, I flutter inside and change back into my human form. Patience has never been my strong suit, and Zephyr's plan to play the long game isn't going to work for me. I need action, and I need answers.

I walk over to my desk, pulling out a leather-bound journal. It's where I keep track of all the interesting titbits I've learned about my fellow students - their strengths, their weaknesses, their secrets. Information is power, after all.

I flip to a fresh page and write "Adelaide Black" at the top. Under it, I jot down what I know so far:

- Vampire… of sorts.

- Randall Black's daughter

- Touch averse

- Easy to compel

- Smells amazing

It's not much to go on, but it's a start. I tap my pen against the paper, thinking. There's so much more I want to know. What are her abilities? How strong is she? Most intriguingly, why has she been hidden away all this time?

A knock at my door interrupts my musings. I close the journal, sliding it back into its hiding place.

Crossing over to open the door, I see a familiar face. Ignatius, the fire elemental who hangs out with Zephyr, Zaiah, and me, stands there, that wicked grin on his face. "Miss me, jerkface?" he says, his amber eyes glowing slightly in the dimness of my room as he runs a hand through his scarlet hair.

"Like a hole in the head, Ig," I drawl, stepping aside to let him in.

Ignatius strolls into my room, his presence immediately warming the space. Literally. The temperature rises a few degrees as he flops onto my sofa, propping his feet up on the coffee table as I had earlier. I keep my distance. His skin can't burn me to a crisp, but it stings and even though I love pain as much as the next vampire, pain by fire is a cutting it too close to the bone.

"So," he says, fixing me with a knowing look, "word on the street is you and Zeph had a little run-in with the new girl. Adelaide Black, right?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "News travels fast."

He shrugs, a mischievous glint in his eye. "What can I say? I've got my ear to the ground. Or, in this case, to the whispers in the fire." He snaps his fingers, and a small flame dances on his palm which I eye warily. "So, spill. What's she like?"

I hesitate, unsure how much to reveal. Ignatius is a friend, but he's also unpredictable. Like fire itself, he can be warm and comforting one moment and destructive the next.

"She's interesting," I say finally.

Ignatius leans forward, intrigued. "Interesting?" he snorts. "That's one word for it. Black's vampire daughter has got to be more than just interesting. What aren't you saying?"

Staring at the fire in Ignatius's hand, I pause, not quite sure what to say. But it suddenly hits me with all the force of a realisation that has been in front of my face this entire time. I know exactly what she is. Smiling slowly, secretively, I fix Ig with a bland stare. "Nothing, mate. She is an enigma."

But one I've actually just figured out.