Page 50 of Creatures of Chaos

The warning bell rings, signaling we’d better get to class soon.

“See you at lunch?” Ensley asks, and I start. Between Becks and Talon I’d actually forgotten she was still standing there.

“Yeah,” Becks says distractedly, twisting to look down the hallway in the direction Talon went.

“I’m off,” I say with a wave to Ensley, and turn to head toward my first class.

“Wait up,” Becks says and catches up with me quickly. “I’ll walk you to class.”

“Oh, okay.” That’s different.

All eyes are on Becks and me as he walks me to class. It makes me uncomfortable to suddenly have so much attention. He drops me off, and then after class lets out he’s waiting for me again with his shoulder leaned up against a locker on the other side of the hall. I have no idea how he got out of class early to meet me, but Becks is a natural charmer so it’s not too surprising. The rest of the day goes similarly, with Becks taking me to and picking me up from each and every class, and lunch as well. When I ask him what he’s doing, he just shrugs and says he feels like it.

But Becks’ sudden overly attentive behavior isn’t the only weird thing about the day. The phenomenon in the parking lot with my classmates continues with creatures coming up to me at my locker, asking to sit near me in classes, and staring at me with smiles and curious eyes rather than hate-filled scowls.

Well, that’s how most of the students act. I catch Jules glaring at me in the hallway between fourth and fifth period. Since I’m with Becks she doesn’t say anything or make a move against me, but her stare is like a burning brand on my back as I shuffle through the crowded hallways, reminding me that I might have bested her once, but she wasn’t going to let it happen again. I know Jules well enough to know she’s not going to let a slight like this go unpunished. And outside the cages she still has a giant advantage over me. Magic.

By the time my last class lets out, my head is throbbing with the start of what I fear will turn into a monster headache. I’m not used to having to interact with anyone other than Ensley and Becks throughout the school day, so I’m on overload. That’s at least my excuse for the temporary insanity that prompts me to slip into the underground tunnels when Becks isn’t waiting for me after class. I just need a few moments to myself.

I haven’t set foot in the tunnels since my run-in with Jules several weeks before, and for good reason. They’re just as dangerous to me now as they were then, but desperation overrides my logic, and I can’t bring myself to be sorry for it. The silence is a balm to my soul, and my headache starts to subside as the tension leaks from my muscles. Hopefully Becks will understand that I needed a few minutes to myself and won’t be mad at me for not waiting for him.

I’m about halfway to my destination when an overarching sense of foreboding drips down my spine, like wax sliding down a lit candle. Turning, I strain my eyes in the low light, trying to see if anyone else is here, and then drop into a defensive pose when the crunch of rocks beneath someone’s feet echoes off the walls.

With my arms up in front of me, ready to strike out, or run if need be, I wait for the attacker to show themselves, silentlycursing myself for my stupidity. A shadow moves farther down the tunnel, and I swallow a scream.

“Whoa there, I come in peace,” Talon says as he emerges from the darkness with his hands raised in mock surrender.

My body sags in relief, my muscles untensing as I drop my guard. “Don’t you know it’s rude to creep up on someone?” I ask tartly, embarrassed that I’d reacted so fearfully in the first place.

“Sorry about that.” He swipes his knit hat off and runs a hand through his hair before placing it back on his head. Is Talon . . . nervous? “I saw you slip into the tunnels after class. I was hoping to talk to you without your guard dog.”

“My guard dog?”

One side of Talon’s mouth quirks up in a lopsided grin. “Oh, yeah. Why do you think your pal Becks has been trailing you all day if not to keep me away? If I even look in your direction he growls at me.”

I roll my eyes. He’s exaggerating. “Becks isn’t my guard dog.”

Talon chuckles, the sound vibrating off the stone enclosure and resonating in my chest. I shift, slightly uncomfortable with the shiver that trails down my spine and the goose bumps that pop out on my arms.

“You might want to tell him that,” Talon says, oblivious to my internal conflict. “Whenever I see him near you, he looks about two seconds away from pissing a circle around you to claim his territory.”

I scrunch my nose at the unwanted image of Becks peeing.Ew. I could have lived a lifetime without that imagery.

“Did you really have to go there?” I ask, and Talon’s grin grows.

“You’re picturing it, aren’t you?”

Rather than answer, I brush past him and another round of deep laughter bursts from Talon. I tense up rather than allow another involuntary shudder to take me over again.

So I think the sound of his chuckles are a little sexy. So what? Lots of guys have attractive qualities. It doesn’t mean anything.

Silent footsteps bring Talon shoulder to shoulder with me. “Seriously though,” he says, his voice far more reverent than it was a moment before. “I wanted to make sure you were okay. You know, after the trials last night. I feel really bad about what went down. I hope you know I never wanted to hurt you.”

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. Most of his face is hidden in shadows, but I can make out the frown on his downcast face. He’s either an extremely good actor or truly sorry. Out of nowhere I start to wonder what creature he is. I still haven’t figured it out, but I suppose it doesn’t really matter.

I wave a hand in the air. “You were just playing the game. It is a competition after all.” I don’t hold anything against Talon, so there’s no need for his apologies.

He nods, looking relieved that I get it.

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