5. Corvus

5

CORVUS

Swooping under the eaves of the tower, I perch upside down and wrap my black wings around myself as I contemplate the female who just entered the North Tower. I wasn't expecting anyone to be in here. The North Tower is usually reserved for important guests and visiting faculty members, not students. Yet, everything about her screams ‘student'.

But there's something different about this girl. Even in my bat form, I can sense it. There's a power radiating off her, raw and untamed. It calls to the darkness within me, making my fangs ache with need.

Who is she? Why is she here? What is she?

Curiosity gets the better of me. I release my grip on the eaves and transform mid-air, landing silently on my feet at the base of the tower. My heightened senses pick up her scent - an intoxicating blend of human and something else. Something familiar yet foreign. I run my hand over my dark hair, straightening it after the shift, my blue eyes narrowed as I stare up at the tower.

From what I saw, she's stunning. Long black hair cascades down her back, her pale skin and dark eyes mesmerising even after only a second of seeing her.

"Who are you, beautiful?" I murmur, debating whether to follow her up the steps.

Deciding not to, I turn and walk away, edging myself with curiosity about this girl. I've never seen her before, and I've never smelt anything even remotely like her. That makes me wary, so sauntering up to her, as I typically would to the hot new girl, is not on the cards, right now as I'm unusually cautious.

Maybe this place is rubbing off on me after all.

I smirk. Not likely. I'm hot-headed and impulsive, and if that's not what a full-blooded vampire is supposed to be, then shoot me. Rounding the corner, I nearly collide with Professor Blackthorn, my Ancient Vampire Studies teacher.

"Mr Sanguine," he says, his tone disapproving as always. "I trust you're not causing trouble on the first night back?"

I plaster on my most charming smile. "Of course not, Professor. Just taking in the night air."

His eyes narrow, clearly not buying it. "Hmm. Well, do try to stay out of mischief. We have some very important new students arriving tonight."

That piques my interest. "Oh? Anyone I should know about?"

Professor Blackthorn's expression becomes guarded. "That's not for me to say. Now, if you'll excuse me."

He brushes past me, his robes swirling dramatically. I watch him go, my mind racing. Important new students? Could that mysterious girl be one of them?

I'm tempted to go back to the North Tower, to satisfy my curiosity about her. But something holds me back. If she's as important as Blackthorn implied, it is definitely wise to tread carefully until I know more.

Instead, I decide to head to the Blood Bar. It's the first night back, after all, and I could use a drink.

When I push open the door, the place is dead. And I don't mean in the vampire sense. It usually bustles with activity as live feedings are strictly forbidden on University property and are subject to an expulsion order, which is worse than it sounds. You are blocked, practically banished from the supernatural community. It's a harsh punishment, but if you are stupid enough to break the most mundane of rules in a place where boundaries are meant to be pushed, then you deserve to be shunted up the arse by a wooden cross in the real world. They say MistHallow is the making of oneself, and they are not wrong. It's an interesting place. Many come here to learn about focus and discipline with their powers and abilities, but some, like me, are here simply because it is a place of containment for those misfits who are more trouble on the outside than they are worth. My parents decided MistHallow was the best place to keep me out of trouble and learn some discipline. Little do they know, I've found plenty of ways to push boundaries here, too. Just more discreetly.

I saunter up to the bar, nodding at the bartender. "The usual, Grim."

Grim, a hulking creature with ashen skin and glowing red eyes, grunts in acknowledgement. He reaches under the counter and pulls out a bottle of crimson liquid.

"First night special," he rumbles, pouring me a generous glass. "O negative, fresh from the source."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh? And who might the source be?"

Grim's lips curl into what passes for a smile on his skeletal face. "Let's just say we had a very generous donor. But keep that between us, eh?"

"Always," I murmur and take a sip, savouring the rich, coppery taste. It's definitely high-quality, healthy virgin blood. It's a cliché, but clichés are clichés for a reason, right?

As I'm enjoying my drink, the door swings open again. I turn, half-expecting to see the mysterious girl from the North Tower. Instead, it's Lucian and Asher, two of my more aggressive enemies at MistHallow.

"Corvus!" Lucian calls out, his golden eyes gleaming with malice. "Starting early, are we?"

I take another sip of my drink, deliberately slow, before turning to face them fully. "Lucian, Asher. Lovely to see you both. I'd offer to buy you a drink, but I'm not sure they serve hybrid bottom-feeders here."

Asher, the taller of the two vampires, bares his fangs in a snarl. "Watch it, Sanguine. We're not here for your pathetic attempts at wit."

"No?" I raise an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "Then do enlighten me. What brings two parasites like yourselves to my favourite haunt?"

Lucian steps forward, his movements fluid and predatory. "Just checking in on our loathsome troublemaker," he says, his voice dripping with false sweetness. "Making sure you're not planning anything disruptive for the new year."

I keep my face carefully neutral, even as my mind races. They're fishing for information, but about what? "Is that so? And here I thought you two were too busy kissing the professors' arses to care about little old me."

Asher leans in, his eyes darting around as if checking for eavesdroppers. "We know you're up to something, Corvus. You always are. This time, we're going to catch you in the act and make sure you're booted out of life. Permanently."

I can't hide my amusement at this. "My, my, aren't we paranoid? I hate to disappoint you, boys, but I'm just here enjoying a quiet drink. No nefarious schemes tonight, I'm afraid."

Lucian's eyes narrow suspiciously. "You expect us to believe that? Please. You're always plotting something."

I grin, all teeth and fangs. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. That's for me to know and you to, well, never find out."

For a moment, edginess crackles in the air between us. I can see the desire to start a fight burning in their eyes, and part of me welcomes it. It's been too long since I've had a good brawl.

But I'm not about to let these two idiots provoke me into swinging first. Not now, not ever.

"As much as I'd love to continue this delightful conversation," I say, draining the last of my drink, "I have better things to do with my evening than trade insults with you two morons."

Lucian's eyes flash dangerously. "This isn't over, Corvus. We're watching you."

I stand, straightening to my full height of six feet, one inch. Even though both vampires are bulkier than me, not many match my height or my pure-blood strength. It would take two or more weaker hybrids, those who have been turned rather than born of vampires, to take me down, but these two didn't seem to get the memo. Unless they're hiding something, I'm unaware of. "Watch all you want," I say, dropping my voice to a low and dangerous pitch. "But remember, not all shadows hide secrets. Sometimes, they bite back."

With that, I brush past them, ignoring Asher's muttered threats. My mind is racing as I step out into the cool night air. Something's going on, something big enough to have Lucian and Asher on edge and looking to blame me for it. Part of me wonders if it's connected to the girl I saw earlier.

I need to know more—not just out of curiosity now but out of necessity. If trouble is brewing at MistHallow, I need to be prepared. Whether to avoid it or dive headfirst into it, I'm not sure yet. That all depends on the players.

I start walking with no particular destination in mind. The campus is quieter now, most students either still settling in or already tucked away in their rooms. But I can feel an excitement in the air, a sense of anticipation. Something big is coming, and I have a hunch that mysterious girl is at the centre of it all.

As I pass by the North Tower again, I pause, looking up at the illuminated windows. Is she up there now? What is she thinking? Does she know the stir she's causing just by being here?

I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I'm getting ahead of myself.

One thing is for certain—wherever this girl goes, I'll be watching. And waiting.

After all, what's university life without a little bit of stalking?