My mouth parts. Why are the Blackwoods all obsessed by sex? "Who would you kill?"
Slowly running her tongue along her lips, Anastasia pauses until she detects my pulse quicken. "All of them," she whispers.
I'm too stunned to ready an answer, which would be pointless anyway, as Anastasia enjoys her dramatic statement, then turns and walks away, her dress trailing along the floor as she does.
Are the guys here already? Or does she have somebody inside the academy working for her? Whichever situation, Anastasia could snap her fingers and they'd be dead.
A girl passes, carrying a silver tray containing champagne flutes in the palm of her hand, and I reach out to take hold of one.
I need to leave this party.
No more magic.
No more mind games.
Chapter Nineteen
MAEVE
Taking advantage of the open patio doors at the far end of the room, I walk past the gauzy black curtains moving in the breeze and step outside. The hubbub from the guests talking over each other in the room dies and is replaced by murmuring voices from a group in the corner of the terrace. Vampires. Petrescu kids look semi-normal at night, but the shadows and light combine to give them eerie expressions.
I hold the glass of wine I don't intend to drink and move to a small, circular mosaic table with two round ornate metal chairs either side.
Placing the drink on the table, I take in the surroundings. In front of me, lawns stretch into the dark and the shape of the distant trees can be seen against the clear night sky. How long would it take to cross into the dark and run? Some guests looked at me with amusement when they saw my Converse poking out from beneath the blue dress. I didn't wear them intending to run, but is that an option?
I look over my shoulder at the walls above the doors. Unlike a normal home, security cameras and lighting are missing. Why would they be needed anyway? No, my biggest worry isn’t being caught in a security spotlight but slamming into a magic barrier.
I slump back and repeat to myself that I will get out. Someone, somewhere, must have a plan.
Otherwise I’ll be forced to access the energy Anastasia hints she can grow. My stomach clenches.
Is that what the Dominion want?
The sound of metal grating against stone pulls me out of my musing and somebody sits beside me. I ready myself to leave, especially if this is Nikolai.
“Too much for you, Maeve?” Anton places his glass beside mine and raps his fingertips on the table.
“Life is challenging right now. I’m not in a party mood.”
He nods. “Understood. The people here are overwhelming.”
I study his profile in the dark. He doesn’t look related to the other witches, reminding me a little of Jamie with his longer hair and friendly face. I’d worry this is deceptive, but he doesn’t give off an aura to match the Blackwoods.
“Do you live here?” I ask.
“At the moment. I’m learning magic—stronger magic, I mean.”
I slide across my chair away from him. “Blackwood?”
“Not their strongest—I don’t have any affinity to blood magic. That’s against my elemental teaching.”
I swallow. Is this what Anastasia and Nikolai have planned for me? The reality of containing Blackwood energy sends prickles across my scalp.
Blood magic.
"Don't look so worried," he says and he's the first person I've sensed genuine words from.
I look at my hands. "How can you say that? I don't know what will happen to me."
Anton falls quiet. I look up and he stares ahead chewing on the corner of his lip. Laughter behind startles me and I look over my shoulder. Two of the creepy vampire guys, one who's told a joke the other finds hilarious.
I wish I could find humour in this situation.
Anton's chair creaks as he leans across the table and I stiffen as his arm almost touches mine. "Maeve. I can help." His words are low and urgent. "I know people."
"What people?" My heart skips as a tiny light glimmers at the edge of the dark tunnel.
"On the outside. They know you're here. We can get you out."
The impossible words filter into my head. "Get me out?"
"Off the estate. You need to get away from the Blackwoods."
I stare at my beacon of hope. "How will you do that? Why would you?"
"Because if I don't, you'll never leave, Maeve." He looks behind me and sits back in his seat, eyes widening as he does. "Nikolai."
I twist in my chair. Nikolai stands, arms crossed, brow pinched with displeasure. "Anton. Are you trying to woo Maeve?" His old-fashioned word is loaded with malice that the man dare approach me.
He stands abruptly. "Apologies. We were just chatting about the differences between our academies."
"Ha." Nikolai takes Anton's chair and pulls it to one side to sit instead. "They'll be exactly the same soon. Non-existent."
"What are you planning to do to the academies?" I ask.
He sneers. "Destroy them, of course. What a ridiculous question."
Does he mean physically or through the insidious prejudice and hatred that's taking over at the moment?
"Good night, Maeve," says Anton with a smile. "Excuse me, Nikolai."
Nikolai watches Anton walk away and taps his forefingers against his lips. "Is that what you really spoke about?"
I throw up my mental barrier before he can touch my mind. Nikolai's mental magic powers aren't as strong as his sisters and he's hinted his skill lies elsewhere. "Yes."
"I think you're lying."
My chest constricts. "No, we—"
He runs his tongue across his top lip. "Let's hope you don't form any kind of relationship. That would upset me."
Oh, hell, no. The last place I want to be is sitting in the dark with Nikolai. "I'm tired."
As I stand, Nikolai grabs my wrist. "Please don't be rude to me."
"I'm not. I'm tired." Where he holds my wrist, the skins burns. "I need to sleep."
Nikolai turns my wrist over and rubs his fingers against the pulse point. "You're a brave girl. I'm sure many warned you that vampires kill witches, yet you allow them close to you.” My blood pulses against his fingers and he smiles. "I'm also sure you're told to stick with your own. A powerful witch like you needs a powerful partner."
“Anastasia said that she’ll teach me more.” I attempt to pull my arm away but his grip tightens.
“That’s not what I mean, and you know that.” He rises from his chair and yanks me away from the table. “How old are you, Maeve?”
“Nineteen.”
His lips twitch into a smile and I’m pulled further into the shadows. “You have a lot of power for somebody so young and who spent a life amongst humans.”
“Yes. And I’m prepared to use that power.” I attempt a warning tone as I look back to the group nearby.
“Are you?” he whispers.
“Yes.” Although my mouth dries and heart thumps, I hold back shaking to betray the fear. This is a test.
“Which one? I hear you have a few.”
I’d reach into Nikolai’s mind, but the pitch-black aura matches his sisters and every person in that room tonight, and I’m more scared by what I’d find in his mind than what he could do to me.