“Keep it. Your mother would want you to.”
Words fail me. I can only nod as I slide the picture into my pocket and stand from the chair. The exhaustion pulling at my bones is overwhelming. I so desperately want to ask him all the things, but he’s right. We have the rest of our lives to make up for lost time.
I leave his office and follow the signs for the dormitories. After Kallias shows me to my room, I find Murie draping her favorite blanket over the foot of her single bed. She rushes over when she sees me and grabs me by the shoulders.
“What’s wrong? Did Hades annoy you again? I swear to Poseidon, I will bitch slap him with all six of my tentacles.”
“It wasn’t Hades.” I show her the photograph, my heart racing despite the smile curving my lips. “I just met my real dad. He’s the headmaster.”
Chapter Three
“I can’t believe it,” Murie says for the one-hundredth time. “Mr Knightford is your dad.”
“Tell me about it. First, I get attacked by a loco cutie, then the headmaster says he’s my biological dad and it’s not even…” I glance at my watch. “Six-thirty. Way too early for this shit. But that does remind me. Food?”
Murie stares at me like I’ve grown another head. “How can you think about food at a time like this?”
“How can I not? We haven’t eaten in like two hours.”
“Has it been that long already?” She grasps her stomach in mock horror.
“Come on. Let’s see what food this prison—I mean, academy—has to offer.”
I drag her by the hand out from our room. Much to my surprise, once we finally reach the canteen after only two wrong turns, the variety of food isn’t half bad. We grab some burgers and look for a place to sit. My gaze lands on Hades who stands only five feet away from me, his knuckles blanched white as he holds his dinner tray. He takes one hard look at me before turning on his heel and marching off.
That guy is going to cause me trouble. I’m sure of it.
“Zee, over here,” Murie says, nodding at the only vacant table in the cafeteria.
We set our trays down and dig into our food. It’s the first chance I get to assess my fellow students and I’m amazed by how normal they all look. Sure, some of them are staring at me like I’m an unusual commodity, probably because I had a fight on my first day, but they look harmless enough.
Well, as harmless as any other young offender can look.
I lift my veggie burger and go to take a bite. That’s when I notice the shadows in the corner of the hall. I can just make out a pair of legs, and a hand resting on the table. A crimson ring on his finger gleams in the light and so do the eyes hidden in the darkness.
“There’s someone staring at us,” I say to Murie, putting my burger down.
She looks around the hall, wiping the ketchup off her upper lip with her tongue. “Almost everyone’s been staring at us after you knocked Hades on his ass.” Her gaze lands on the shadows and she frowns. “Oh, him. I heard about him from Kal.”
“Kal?” Now it’s my turn to frown as I look at her. “Who’s Kal?”
“Kallias, our year head. He helped carry your luggage up to our room and we saw the Shadow Boy on our way. I thought Kal was gonna slug him one.” She lowers her voice and leans in, and I notice she’s dropped ketchup onto her shirt. Typical Murie. “Apparently, everyone blames him for the death of a girl who died here last year.”
“That’s horrible. Did you catch his name?”
“Dracula.”
“As in the Dracula? Prince of Darkness? Vlad the Impaler?” I glance at the boy, but he’s no longer there.
“Not the Dracula. It’s his son,” Murie answers, swallowing the last of her burger. “Got sent here for trying to take over his father’s castle in Transylvania.”
“Actually, I’m afraid you are mistaken,” a soft, velvety voice whispers, making me jump in my seat. “I was sent here for another reason entirely.”
We turn to see Dracula standing behind us. My breath hitches as I realise he’s the vampire I saw earlier—one of the Head Boys. A grin slides onto his lips and he runs a hand through his short wavy hair, flashing a series of black hoops hanging off his pointed ear. He’s much taller than I expected and paler. His black coat slides around his knees, the intricate patterns are a vibrant blood-red, just like his eyes and the ring on his finger. There’s now no doubt in my mind who this vampire is.
“I’ll give you a hint,” he says, winking at me. “InimÄ mea.”
“Is that Romanian?” I ask, loving his sexy accent.
He nods and wiggles his eyebrows at me. “The most romantic language in the world.”
Murie snorts and shoves a handful of fries into her mouth. He looks between us with an amused smirk on his face.
“Now let me guess why you two are here.” He places his hands on the table in front of me and peers into my eyes. His glowing red ones search mine as though he’s reading my thoughts. “Ah, I thought as much. You were sent here because you turned someone’s wood into stone.”
We stare blankly at him, though I struggle to keep the smile off my face.
Dracula huffs at his lack of applause. “Come on, admit it. That was hilarious.”
“Ever heard of personal space?” I push back in my chair, my smile getting the better of me. “And it was hilarious. But you clearly heard me talking about it on the ship.”
He holds up his hands with an even cheekier smirk. “Guilty as charged.”
“Stalking your prey already.” Loki sets his tray down with ours and glares at Dracula. “I’ve heard about what you do to the fresh meat around here.” He holds two fingers to his lips, mimicking fangs.
Dracula’s playfulness vanishes as he straightens off the table. A shadow drops over him like a veil of darkness. “It’s soon to be Count Dracula to you.”
“Do you mean Cunt Dracula?” Loki scoffs, his eyes narrowing into emerald shards. “Because that fits you more.”
Murie and I gape at each other. While this exchange is entertaining, it seems like Loki is being a complete jerk to Dracula for no good reason. Then again, he was a jerk to me earlier. Maybe he’s just a jerk.
“Funny,” Dracula spits out. “I don’t see you with a legitimate title, Loki of Assgard.”
“It’s Asgard, and you shouldn’t be here after what you did!”
Loki snaps his fingers, and a gold scepter materialises into his hand. As quickly as the weapon appears, Dracula grabs the blade and pushes Loki back. His blood permeates the air as Loki pushes the blade as hard as he can, but Dracula doesn’t so much as flinch when it cuts him.
“This is no way to act in front of ladies,” he says in a deceptively calm voice. “And you’re right. I am famished and your throat is looking rather tempting.”
Just as his fangs extend, and he leans forward, a familiar voice bellows behind us.
“That is enough!” Knightford stands between them, his face twisted in anguish. “Retract your fangs and put your weapon down immediately!”
The entire cafeteria has come to a halt now, gathering around to witness the scene. I’m just glad it’s not me they’re ogling at this time. After a long, strained moment, Dracula’s fangs disappear and Loki’s scepter vanishes into thin air.