Page 15 of Forged in Blood

I glare at him.Fuck you!

He licks his lips, and I look away, refocusing on Axl and his speech to the new pledges.

“We are the Ruby Dragons. The strongest society on this campus. We remain undefeated after seven decades. Do not let this be the year we fail.” He points at them. “Do not be the weak fucking links. Because there is no fucking place for weakness here. If you feel even a little uneasy about what you’re about to go through, there’s the door.” He points toward it, but they all stare at him in silence.

He gives a similar speech every year, but never once has anyone walked out. They all think they have what it takes while they’re sitting here, but half of them won’t be lucky enough to make it to the final Hunt, and only a quarter will prove themselves worthy of being turned.

After giving the recruits a few last instructions, we step outside into the sunshine. “So, you guys wanna”—Jay runs her tongue over her bottom lip—“hang out?”

I suppress a sigh and glance in the direction of the library, wondering if Ophelia is still there.

“Nah. I have shit to do,” Axl replies coolly, making my head swivel in his direction. I’ve never known Axl Thorne to turn down a blowjob, because that’s surely where theirhanging outwould be headed.

“Aw,” she purrs, before turning her attention to Xavier. “You’re free though, right?”

He smirks. “No can do.” He throws an arm around my neck. “Kai and I have some stuff to take care of.”

Well, I fucking do. And her name is Ophelia.

“Besides, you’re going to be busy teaching the new recruits the fundamentals of the Trials,” Axl reminds her.

Jay rolls her eyes and flashes me a smile. “You want to help me?” She’s obviously open to fucking any one of us, which isn’t unusual. If they’re not mate bonded, most vampires will—and do—fuck anything that moves. But I’m not most vampires.

“I just told you he has plans with me,” Xavier says, and warmth flares in my chest at the possessiveness in his tone. I love belonging to him and Axl.

“Fine. I guess I read the room wrong.”

“I guess you did. Now, back into the house and deal with the fresh meat, little girl,” Axl says, not even bothering to look at her. His gaze drifts toward the library also.

“Fine, I’m going. Just wanted to burn off a little energy first. I’ll find someone else to scratch the itch. Catch you guys later.” Jay heads back to the house, giving us a casual wave over her shoulder that belies the sexual frustration rolling from her in waves.

“You two feeling okay?” I ask with a smirk. Horny female vampires are ordinarily a weakness for both of them.

Axl scowls. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

I suppress a snicker and shake my head.

Xavier gives a disinterested shrug. “He thinks we’re into the cupcake as much as he is.”

“Into fucking with her as much as possible.” Axl’s scowl disappears, and wicked intent makes his eyes twinkle.

Xavier grunts his agreement, and I press my lips together and say nothing. There’s no reason to refute their claims when I know their thoughts and feel their emotions. And I know that they think about our little pink-haired problem as much as I do.

Chapter

Nine

OPHELIA

My stomach growls at the scent of my burrito drifting out of the brown paper bag I have clutched in my hands as I take the stairs up to my dorm room. It was my hunger that forced me out of the solace of the library.

Libraries have always been special places to me. Not only a portal to another world, but the library was the only place I felt like I could hide from the pitying stares and rumors.There goes that loser, Ophelia. The girl with no friends who peed herself in front of the entire school when she was seventeen.I didn’t. I mean, I know it looked like I did, but I didn’t. However, high schoolers aren’t exactly renowned for getting their facts straight before spreading rumors. Nor did I burn the school down in a fit of rage after, but nobody seemed to care about the truth regarding that either.

I push open my door and toss my backpack onto the bed with a sigh. A burrito and a shower, and I’ll call it a night.

“You’re home late, pyromaniac.”

I let out a shriek so loud that I almost burst my own eardrums and toss my burrito at his head. Axl ducks, and my dinner flies out of the window. I clutch my chest as though it might stop my heart from beating right out of it. “What the hell? How did you even… You almost gave me a heart attack.”

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