9. Corvus

9

CORVUS

"Move," I snap at Asher, who is standing in the way of the synthetic blood refill station.

He looks up at me with a smirk, I want to punch off his face. "Synthetic for the pure blood. Interesting."

"Fuck off out of my face, you pathetic arsehole," I growl, seriously in no mood for him and his idiot sidekick, Lucian.

Asher's grin only widens as he leans against the blood dispenser, deliberately blocking my access. "Now, now, Corvus. Is that any way to talk to a fellow student? A fellow House Captain? I'm just making conversation."

I clench my fists, fighting the urge to slam him into the wall. "Move. Now."

"Or what?" Asher taunts, his eyes gleaming with malice. "You'll sic your little half-breed on me? I heard she kicked Christos in the balls earlier. My kind of girl."

Red clouds my vision as rage surges through me. I slam my hand against Asher's chest, pinning him against the wall, my other forearm pressed against his throat. "If you so much as look at her, I'll rip your fucking head off," I snarl, my fangs dropping. "Just give me a fucking excuse, prick."

Asher struggles against my grip, his eyes wide with something close to fear, but this fucker just doesn't get it. He thinks he is untouchable because he thinks I won't commit murder on Academy grounds. He is sorely fucking mistaken.

Asher's eyes dart nervously between my face and my arm pressed against his throat. For a moment, I think he's finally going to back down. But then that infuriating smirk returns.

"Touchy, aren't we?" he wheezes. "What's the matter, Corvus? Afraid someone else might get a taste of your little blood pet?"

With a roar of fury, I lift Asher off his feet and slam him into the wall hard enough to crack the plaster. His head bounces off the surface with a satisfying thud.

"She's not a fucking blood pet," I growl, my face inches from his. "And you're going to stay the fuck away from her if you want to keep breathing."

He tries to speak, but my hand is cutting off his air supply. Good. Maybe if I choke him out, he'll finally shut the fuck up.

"Corvus," Lucian says warningly, taking a step closer. "Let him go. You don't want to do this."

I ignore him, keeping my gaze locked on Asher's reddening face. "I've wanted to do this for a long time," I growl.

Just as Asher's eyes roll back, a firm hand grips my shoulder.

"That's enough," a familiar voice says, and my insides wither at the tone.

I release Asher, who slumps to the floor and I gather my wits, plastering a sycophantic smile on my face as I turn around. "Dad."

"Corvus," he says, eyes narrowed. "I hear there has been some commotion today. Fill me in on your side."

I glare at Asher, who is rubbing his neck and making a slashing motion at my throat. I can practically hear Dad's eyes roll, but I ignore him as I fall into step beside him. I am the same height as him, and we look like we could be brothers. The only difference is the swaggering attitude that only a thousand-year-old vampire can have that can never be replicated.

I follow my father out of the dining hall, aware that I'm bloodless and will have to come back for Adelaide after this discussion. I just hope she is okay in the meantime. I've stashed the flask in my room, knowing the temptation will be too much for her.

But how the fuck do I even begin to explain everything that's happened?

"Well?" he prompts, his tone deceptively casual. I know better than to be fooled by it.

"There was an attack on the academy," I start, deciding to go with the most pressing issue first. "Strix. Dozens of them."

My father's eyebrows raise slightly. "Strix? Here? That's unusual."

"Yeah, no shit," I mutter, then wince as he shoots me a disapproving look. "Sorry. It gets weirder. All of the senior staff, bar Blackthorn, disappeared right before the attack."

"So, I hear." He is livid. Absolutely fuming. If he were Ignatius, his head would be on fire right now, but only someone who knows him, as well as his only son does, can tell.

"Hmm."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What else?"

"You already know."

"Humour me."

Damn him.

"Fine. The Strix were after Adelaide Black, Randall's daughter. They got her, abducted her, Randall did a ritual, and opened some funky portal, which Blackthorn is being super suss and shady about, and Addy is now a full vampire. Anything else?"

He chuckles. "Nicely recapped for the ancient vampire, Corv."

I give him a stiff smile. He is playing nice vampire now. Why? What the fuck does he want?

"So, Addy , hmm?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"You are interested in her?"

"I've claimed her. She's mine."

He blinks. "Really?" I can see the wheels turning. "This could be advantageous."

I bristle at his tone. "She's not a pawn, Dad. She's mine to protect."

He raises an eyebrow. "Calm down, Corvus. I'm merely considering the implications. This is unprecedented. She is potentially very powerful."

"No potentially about it, and she's off limits," I growl. "To everyone."

My father studies me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to my surprise, he smiles. "You're in love with her."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I? I've never seen you this protective over anyone."

"This is different," I mutter, but I know it sounds weak. I've inadvertently put Addy in my father's crosshairs, which is never a good thing.

"Is it?" My father's voice softens slightly. "Love isn't a weakness, son. It can be a strength, if you let it."

"It doesn't matter. What matters is keeping her safe. There's something big coming, Dad. Something that's got everyone on edge."

"And that is why I'm here," he says, getting back to business. "The board will convene for a meeting tomorrow."

I nod. "Look, I need to get back to Adelaide. She needs blood."

He turns his nose up. "The synthetic kind, I presume."

"Unfortunately," I mutter.

"Go," he says, with a nod of his head. "And keep that girl safe, Corv. She is more important than you can fathom."

"I know," I murmur and turn back to the dining hall, glad that this meeting with Dad wasn't as bad as I was expecting.

Yet.