8. Adelaide

8

ADELAIDE

Professor Blackthorn leaves me alone in the library and I take in the place with wide eyes and an excitement that thrills me. This place is magnificent in every sense of the word. The ceiling soars high above, supported by ornate columns that seem to twist and move when I'm not looking directly at them. Rows upon rows of bookshelves stretch as far as I can see, filled with tomes of all sizes and colours. As I stand in the marble-floored bullpen and look up, I see seven more floors above me. I take a deep breath, inhaling the scent of old books and ancient magick. It's intoxicating. Realising I'm still standing in the middle of the foyer like an idiot, I get a grip and walk towards the stairs. Professor Blackthorn said the vampire section was on the top floor, and in usual MistHallow fashion, there is no lift in sight. Plus side? I guess you'll be able to bounce a fifty-pence coin off my arse by the time this year is out.

As I climb, I marvel at the sheer variety of creatures I see studying at tables or browsing the shelves.

I try not to stare, remembering Blackthorn's advice to act like this is all normal. But it's hard when everything is so fantastical.

Finally, reaching the top floor, it is cooler and darker than the rest of the library. The curtains are pulled closed and lit with candles, magick ones, I hope, with all these books around. The dark wood and plush, deep red carpet fly in the face of the rest of the classical marble, and light wood look down below. I scan the shelves, but I don't really know what I'm looking for. I decide to start with ‘V' for vampire, hoping there is a tome tucked away in here that gives me the rundown on these creatures of the night.

I have no idea where to start. I dump my backpack on a table, and Orby goes back to sleep on top of it while I browse through the hundreds upon hundreds of books. Overwhelmed, I huff out a breath and turn on my heel to try a different section when I see a man staring at me from across the table. I hadn't even heard him approach. He smiles, but it isn't friendly. It's sinister and sends my blood spiking in fear, which I realise is a big mistake when he closes his eyes and breathes in deeply, his smile growing wider.

I take advantage and move quickly in an effort to unblock myself from the corner I'm boxed in.

His eyes snap open. "Be still," he murmurs, his shockingly bright blue eyes fixed on mine in an intense way that muddles my brain and roots me to the spot. "Better." His voice is melodic and quiet. It washes over me and soothes the panic that had reared up at his stealthy approach. He moves in closer until he is standing in front of me. He is tall, and he towers over me as he looks down at me with those hypnotic eyes. His dark brown hair flops over his forehead, but in a stylish way, not unkempt in the least. He is wearing a midnight blue suit and matching tie, loosened slightly the collar of a crisp white shirt. My gaze is drawn to his neck, where a pulse beats gently.

He smirks when he sees where my gaze lands, showing me the tips of his fangs. So, vampire… check. But a pulse? That's a new one for me. I guess I really do need to do this research.

"Who are?—"

"Shh," he murmurs, placing his finger to his lips.

Against my will, I shut my mouth, my eyes widening as it appears he has complete control over my actions. My heart thumps wildly again as the realisation that I'm totally helpless right now surges through me, and my palms start to sweat.

He drops his hand to his side, and he leans in closer, sniffing me like I'm a tasty treat. Who knows? Maybe I am to him. "Pretty," he murmurs.

"Playing with your food again, Corvus?" a low voice murmurs.

I shift my gaze, my eyes seemingly the only thing I can move right now, to the doorway where the impossibly gorgeous man from the Rolls Royce stands, leaning against the frame as his eyes find mine and hold my gaze. I'm unable to lower it as he stares at me, and I swallow, feeling true fear for the first time in my life. If I thought running from Wesley was bad, this is a hundred times worse. I'm a sitting duck.

The vampire named Corvus, chuckles and steps back as he turns his head. "Zephyr. What are you doing this high up?"

"Checking on the new girl," he purrs, his gaze still boring into my eyes. "Word travels fast around here."

"Doesn't it just," Corvus mutters.

Zephyr joins Corvus in front of me and finally moves his gaze from mine, but only to lower it to my cleavage. He licks his lips and reaches out to run the back of his cool finger down my neck and into the collar of my shirt. He tugs gently. "Skin like alabaster," he murmurs. "Just like a porcelain doll… beautiful and breakable."

Revulsion at his touch hits me hard. I hate people touching me. I try to move, but I'm held in place by whatever spell Corvus has dropped over me.

"You do realise that is Randall Black's daughter, don't you?" A third male voice says, almost with amusement, as Zephyr steps back a bit with a slow smile that makes me pant a little. He is fucking gorgeous, but so is Corvus. They are both incredibly strong creatures, but while I know Corvus is a vampire, I don't think Zephyr is, so that begs the question of who and what he is.

Corvus hisses and glares at me as if I'd withheld this information on purpose. "Is this true?"

"Yes," I croak.

"Hmm." He steps back and drops whatever spell he had over me, making me breathe out in relief.

It was like a vice around my soul.

When he moves away, I see the third speaker. A really cute looking guy with pure white hair and white eyes, dressed in black combat pants and a black tee, grins at me and appears way more friendly than these other two aloof and menacing creatures in front of me.

"Hurry along now, boys," he says. "You don't want to get on Randall Black's bad side by messing with his daughter, do you?"

Corvus and Zephyr exchange a look, then move fluidly away from me as if they were made of water or the very air around them. The relief I feel makes me lightheaded.

"My apologies, Miss Black," Corvus says smoothly, though his eyes still gleam with predatory interest. "We were merely welcoming you to MistHallow."

"Some welcome," I mutter, finding my voice at last.

Zephyr chuckles, a low sound that sends a skitter of pure lust through my veins. "We'll be seeing you around, Miss Black," he purrs, before both he and Corvus saunter out of the library.

I let out a shaky breath, my knees feeling weak. The white-haired guy approaches me. "You okay there?" he asks, genuine concern in his voice.

I nod, still a bit shaken. "Yeah, thanks."

"Don't mind those two. Their bark is worse than their bite." He guffaws at his own joke.

"Well," I huff. "Excuse me if I don't believe you."

"Yeah, probably better that you don't. Corvus and Zephyr are both dangerous and ambitious, along with a good old dose of trouble. But then, aren't we all?" His smile turns more malevolent when he says that.

"And you are?" I snap.

"Zaiah. At your service, mi'lady." He bows low, and something about this entire interaction is creeping me the fuck out. He looks up with a wink. "Don't you wish you were stronger so next time you could shake off the compulsion?"

"Compulsion," I murmur. Is that what Corvus was doing to me? Compelling me.

"Hmm. Don't you?"

I frown. "Don't I what?"

"Wish you were stronger?" He blinks at me.

"What are you?" I ask suspiciously.

He grins again, all friendly-like. "Okay, you caught me. I'm a djinn. Dude has to try, you know?"

"No, I don't know. And don't do that again. I don't wish anything, and I never will."

"We'll see," he says with a laugh and snaps his fingers, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

"Fuck," I mutter after this encounter that has left me rattled but more in need of information than ever before. I turn back to the bookshelves, only to find that the stacks have rearranged themselves, and I'm now even more lost than I was. One thing is for sure. I need to get up to speed and with Flash-like abilities before Corvus or Zephyr comes at me again. Next time, I don't think I'll get off so lightly.