Page 37 of A Dusk Of Stars

I get in his face, watching the smile slide off his face. He keeps staring at me and now his nostrils are flaring and his chest is heaving and I’m snapping out of it, urging myself to back the fuck off and not get myself into actual trouble, the notebook be damned.

Then, just like that, he gives it back, but he doesn’t stop staring at me.

Feeling exposed like never before, I don’t even make the conscious decision. I just turn on my heel, grab my tote off the desk and move to get the hell away from him.

But just as I’m about to reach the door, all the lights in the room go out and I find myself in complete darkness.

My heart pounding, I stumble back, bumping into something hard.

Just as I spin around, wondering what the hell is going on, the lights go back on and I find him standing in front of me, so close, I can only see his eyes. All of a sudden they shift into those pitch-black animal eyes with fire burning in them.

My breath catches, the presence stirring inside me again.

“You can’t keep hiding from me like this, Miss Novak,” he warns in a low, tense voice. “Not if you want to succeed.”

“Oh yes I can and I most definitely will,” I snap. “Why don’t you worry about whatyoucan and can’t do?”

He just looks at me for a moment. Then he grits his teeth. “You’re right,” he says, taking a step back. “What Ican’tdo is teach a lost cause, and I should just make peace with it,” he tells me forcefully, not letting me look away. He waves a hand around. “I mean, a shifter who doesn’t evenwantto be a shifter is bad enough. But one who’d rather flunk all her exams than accept anyone’s help? Well, let me make it easier for you, huh?” He jabs an angry finger in the air between us. “From now on, you truly are on your lonesome. I’ll be showing up for these classes because I absolutely have to, which goes for you too in caseyou thought you could wiggle your way out of it. But I won’t be lifting a finger to help you, smartass.” He folds his arms, his face twisting in anger. “How doesthatsound?”

This overwhelming rage floods me.Are you really going to let him talk to us like that?the voice inside my head demands.

“Shut the fuck up,” I snap at it.

“Perfect,” I tell Bane through gritted teeth.

“Perfect,” he echoes.

At that, I just throw daggers at him for a second and then storm out of the classroom.

Chapter 14

Lost cause, he told me I’m a lost cause. Dejected like I haven’t been in a long time, I have to fight not to groan out loud as I march down the hallway leading back to the Entrance Hall.

It’s just as I turn the corner at the intersection that Raven appears in front of me, making me double back.

I catch the movement just as she puts another one of those sticks in her bag. A smile tugs at my lips, until I see her peer into my eyes with concern in hers. “You don’t look so well, Anna.” And there’s this spark in her eyes as she asks, “Do you need help with anything?”

For a second, I just look at her. Sheisa shifter and it’s shifting that’s my biggest problem, but I shake my head. “It’s just one of those days, Raven.”

“Which days, Anna?” she asks, tilting her head at me in confusion.

I blow a soft laugh through my nose. “Bad ones,” I say, I give her an awkward pat on the shoulder and walk past her, adding,“I’ve got to run now, but maybe I’ll see you later and you can tell me what kind of criteria you have for sticks that go in the bag?”

This seems to take her by surprise. “Of course, Anna,” she says with a determined nod and the slightest smile.

And I’m already putting distance between us, hearing her soft little footsteps going in the opposite direction, when it hits me.

Frowning, I turn on my heel and start going back, following her straight into the Junkyard, where I find her sitting in the usual alcove with Alaric reading something to her out loud.

I come to stand in front of them. “Hey,” I say with a suspicious little squint, their eyes snapping up to me. “Shouldn’t you two be on your way to Foundational with me?”

Alaric makes a face. “I found this book,” he says as he lazily leans back. “It’s kind of interesting, so I’m taking it as a sign that we shouldn’t go to class today. We should stay here and enjoy this beautiful day.”

This makes me laugh. “Really?” I glance around. “The weather couldn’tbemore crappy than it is, and a book that’skind ofinteresting…”

I reach out my hand and he gives me the book. “The Unabridged History of the Development of Pull Chambers,” I read. “Do you really find this more interesting than the vampire wars or the nature of Divine Magic?” Which are the things that will be in the tests.

“I do,” he says a little defiantly.

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