Page 10 of Just One Bite
The thought snaps my rigid muscles into play. I need to find her. Now.
“You were looking for her,” I say. His jaw tenses, but his mouth stays tightly shut.
Of course. Cane has connections on campus. He’d known she was coming. There’s no way she knows the danger she’s in. With eyes like that, the werewolves have likely already made plans for her, and they won’t leave her alone. It shouldn’t be my problem, but it is. Because if she needs help, there aren’t many people here who will.
I say nothing to Cane before leaving. He knows my threats by now. It’s implied, and he’s not a fighter.
“You’re fine, Finn. Fuck Cane.”
“What about school?” he says as we walk back toward the path.
“If he does anything, tell me and I'll handle it.”
“Is everyone here like that?”
“No, not everyone.”
When we walk into the light, his eyes widen upon me shedding my mask. “You’re Parker Owens.”
I smile. “Yep.”
He opens his mouth, and I suspect a string of pleasantries and compliments, but I don’t have time.
I pat him on the back. “See you around.”
Moving to track her scent, I smell my fingers where her sweetness lingers and let it marinate till my head is full of elation. There’s no safe place for anyone who smells like that, but especially not at a place like Doxlothia where the most prestigious families send their vampire and werewolf sons and daughters. Blood like that is valuable. And anything of value here can be exploited. Throughout history, sweeter blood is sought after by vampires and werewolves alike. Now in modern day, you need to be careful till you’re in The Donor Program.
Surely, she and her sisters are in The Donor Program, and I’m worried for nothing. Still, I need to check—werewolves are natural protectors of humans.My heart is pounding so hard, nausea takes over when I smell blood. Why am I so worried? There are no chances of murder at Doxlothia. The smell of blood is normal here. She’ll be fine. But the thought of anyone touching her is enough to make my skin tingle like I’m going to shift.It would be faster.My tracking skills are better in that form, but the loss of clothes during a school event could be a problem.
The sweet scent of blood gets stronger.Fresh.
I find her in the clearing, stumbling forward, and jet toward her. She buries her head into my chest when her legs give out. With one arm, I hold her up.
“It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe. I won’t hurt you.”
For some reason, she believes me, and she leans into me so long I think she’s smelling me.
“Let me look at you.”
She blinks a few times as I move the hair from her face. Touching her is like being electrocuted. There’s a bite on her neck with smeared blood. Vampires have so much practice biting humans they don’t typically leave blood trails. She must’ve run.
“My … sisters … I have to …”
I don’t like how cold she is.
“Don’t worry. I’ll fix you up.” I hoist her over my shoulder and head toward the entrance of the maze. It’s not much farther if I run.
The Central Lawn is buzzing with activity and students, but no one pays us any attention as I move so she can sit on the grass. The glow from the lawn lanterns highlight the gold and lilac in her eyes. She’s beautiful.
Surveying her again, I smell her to see if I can figure out who did this.
I have a guess, but it can wait.
“My sisters,” she says, with more strength this time.
“I didn’t see them, and I don’t smell more blood, so I think they made it out.” If Zant chased them out, they’ll be fine. He is likely showing them around. He can be an ass, but he’d never hurt them. “They’re safe with Zant.”
She grumbles as I hold her upright.
