Chapter 15

VALERIA I stifle a scream, holding my hand to my mouth as my fear crescendos in my throat. I watch in horror as Celeste leans closer, at first staring at the blood, then slowly opening her mouth. She looks up in my direction. “Who’s there?” My whole body freezes. Can she see my face? I stay motionless there for a few moments, too scared to move and too cowardly to run, even though I know that if I make a break for it, she won’t catch me in time. Even though I know that if I stay here even a bit longer, she might just catch me. And who knows what she would do? She narrows her eyes and continues to peer at my general direction, then she gives up and focuses back on her kill. I take the chance to slink back behind the tree, releasing the breath I’ve been holding. But then I hear her calling out again. “I know you’re in there.” “Fuck,” I mumble, sweat trickling down the side of my face even though the air is cold. I lay myself against the tree as flat as possible, hoping the trunk would just absorb me and spew me back in a different place. As though things can’t get any worse, I hear Celeste getting to her feet, the dried leaves rustling as she takes careful steps towards me. My pulse is racing in my ears, and as her steps get louder and louder, I knew that the only thing I can do now is wait for her to catch me. However, a flash of light suddenly beams out of nowhere, accompanied by a stern familiar voice that says, “What are you doing here?” “Auric?” Celeste sounds surprised. “I should be asking you that.” He lets out a soft laugh that doesn’t sound like it came from humor. It’s bitter. “You’re not going to pull that on me.” “Neither can you.” Her footsteps slowly retreat, and I peek out from behind the tree, watching them face each other. Celeste is smiling up at him for no reason, and I can’t help but gasp internally when she puts her hands on his shoulders and tries to pull him closer to her. He pushes her hands away. “We’re not together anymore, and we haven’t been for a year, so you better conduct yourself. Don’t touch me.” My eyes go wide. So that’s why she hated me from the beginning. I knew it, there was something off about the way she gave me the stink eye the moment I walked into the amphitheater with Auric. They were together before, and she must have thought I was trying to steal him away or something. It makes a lot more sense now, and it’s one more reason to avoid Auric. She huffs, taking a step back. “So, why are you here then?” “Because the student council asked me and the lacrosse guys a favor,” he answers briefly. “We are patrolling the grounds, trying to catch Mr. Murdock’s murderer.” “You’re looking in the wrong place,” she mumbles. Auric’s entire demeanor changes from dismissive to pissed off. “Not you spreading rumors again. This is why I couldn’t bear to be in a relationship with you. All you do is make shit up about people who don’t do anything bad to you.” She opens her mouth to speak, but he holds up a hand to stop her. “Now tell me, why the hell are you here and what are you doing?” He motions to the dead deer on the floor and I can almost see Celeste blanching, but her tone is perfectly innocent and convincing when she says, “I was out on a walk and I found this.” My stomach flips. She’s a liar. I saw her take down that thing and hurt it. I definitely saw her bending down to it like she wants to consume it. Like some sort of a vampire. I wait for Auric to see through the lie and confront her about it, but he just nods. “Very well, then. You should go before someone else sees you.” She hesitates like she wants to say something, but in the end she just nods and leaves, thankfully going to the other direction. I exhale in relief, standing still behind the tree. Now I just have to wait for Auric to leave before I escape on my own... “I know someone is there.” My throat closes up. I can almost feel him looking at the tree against my back. Still, I hold my breath and try my best to blend in as much as possible, but then I hear his footsteps approaching me. Closing my eyes in horror, I slowly sink into my knees to hide in the bushes, but a hand closes over my shoulder. “There you are.” He pulls me to my feet and basically drags me from behind the tree. I expect him to be his usual easy-going self, but right now he looks properly pissed off. “I’m sorry,” I stammer. “I was also taking a walk and I—” “So you heard my conversation with Celeste too.” He exhales sharply through his nose. “Great. Now please, go before I get tempted to report both of you.” The last thing I want is to have another rumor made up about me or actually get into big trouble, but I find myself unable to move. I just stare up at him, remembering every single thing that I have seen so far tonight. It might just be nothing, but what if it’s not? I know what I saw, and I know that it’s not normal. Auric stares at me expectantly, motioning at the spot where Celeste vanished as though shooing me away. But I stand my ground, meeting his gaze. “What is Celeste?” I blurt out. He frowns at me, but he answers, “She’s a siren. Water creature, can also be on land but has to take a human form for it. Kind of like you, in a way. Wolf and human. But she’s not a hybrid.” “Right.” I swallow hard. “You sure she’s not a vampire?” “What?” he splutters, then he lets out a disbelieving laugh. “What are you talking about? Vampires are not allowed in the premises of the Society, much less the school.” I nod slowly, then my gaze falls on the deer who’s just lying there motionless and bleeding. Its stomach is still rising and falling, indicating that it’s still alive, but barely. I feel so sorry for it, and I strongly believe that it shouldn’t have suffered like that. “But she took down this deer,” I say, my voice going lower with every word. “I saw her. She hunted this deer and she got close to it like she wanted to drink its blood…” Auric clucks his tongue impatiently, then he sighs deeply. “Look, Valeria. I know things haven’t been good for you in this school lately, but there is no need to invent some silly stuff to get back at Celeste.” I look up at him in outrage. “What? I’m not making this up! I saw her with my own eyes!” “Valeria.” He puts both hands on my shoulders. “Please. Just go back up and I will tell no one about this. Understood?” I open my mouth to reason with him, to convince him that what I saw was a hundred percent real, but when I meet his eyes, I know that he’s firm on what he believes. There’s no convincing this man. Without saying anything, I turn around and find my way back to the dorms. By the time I get back in my room, my resolve is whole. I have to investigate Celeste.