Chapter 3
Chapter three
Jack
Thankfully, the walk to the cafeteria was an uneventful one. Most people were either already there or getting ready for classes to start. Either way, I stayed close to Xinyi, hoping her bubbly personality would shield me from unwanted conversations.
No such luck.
“Jaquelynn, isn’t it?” A bleach blonde tall, slender woman stopped in front of me, a shy smile on her face.
“Jack,” I corrected her, forcing myself not to scowl in response to being stopped.
She bobbed her head. “Right. Sorry.” She chewed on her lower lip and glanced between me and Xinyi before blurting out, “I just wanted to tell you how much we appreciate your parents and everything they have done for the supernatural community.”
I grimaced.
This was what I was afraid of. My parents had made massive changes in the way that supernaturals interacted and lived amongst humans, making it so that it was easier to be out in the open and not be hunted down for what they were by the Hunter’s Guild.
Since my parents tended to keep to themselves or a few close confidants, their fans would no doubt look to me to be their proxy. Something I do not want or need.
Xinyi, bless her, noticed my discomfort and stepped in.
“I know we are all appreciative of the Durand family.” The smaller woman stepped forward, not quite between us. “I know I can’t believe the things they are saying about Jack already. Shameful.”
The blonde gasped, a hand to her mouth before setting a determined look on me. “Well, be comforted in knowing you have friends here. We won’t let anyone badmouth you.”
I nodded, not quite sure what to say.
Xinyi linked her arm through mine and smiled at the blonde. “We need more people like you around. But Jack needs to get to breakfast before class.” She ushered us around her, calling out as we passed. “Can’t keep the supernatural community safe on an empty stomach.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” the blonde muttered, thankfully not following us down the hall.
When we were no longer within hearing distance, I sagged.
“Thanks. I’d rather have them threatening me than fan-girling. I never know what to say.”
Xinyi squeezed my arm. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.
I’m used to maneuvering fans. My family ran a very successful hostess club back in China, so we had all sorts showing up in the club, behind the club, trying to catch the hostesses when they’re not working.
” She shook her head, sighing. “You’d be surprised the lengths some of them will go to get close to their idol. ”
“I’m no one’s idol.” I winced.
“But your parents are, and that means you are by affiliation.” She gave me a grim smile before bumping her hip against mine.
“Cheer up, maybe you can benefit from this. Get some of these fangirls to do your homework or even…” She wagged her eyebrows.
“Finding some gorgeous love slaves to meet your every need.”
My nose crinkled up as we stopped before the open cafeteria door.
“What?” Xinyi glanced up at me. “Not into noncommittal hookups? That’s okay. More for me ahhh—”
A tanned, slender hand shot out, grabbed Xinyi by the back of the neck, and jerked her up against the curvy body of its owner. Xinyi grinned, tilting her head back to peer up at her vampire lover.
“Oh, Iris, I didn’t see you there.”
“I’m sure you didn’t, brat.” Iris leaned down and kissed Xinyi passionately before turning her attention to me. “So you’ve decided to greet the masses?”
I grimaced, glancing over her shoulder. “How is it in there?”
“You’ll be fine.” Iris gave me an encouraging smile. “I’m sure they won’t even notice you.”
Sucking in a deep, cleansing breath, I stepped through the cafeteria doors.
Everything stopped. The whole room, full of witches, werewolves, vampires, and human servants, went silent. Their eyes all locked on me.
Suddenly, they were coming toward me, all talking at once. My feet stumbled back, the desire to run roaring its ugly head. Thankfully, Xinyi and Iris were there to manage the situation.
“Get back,” Xinyi snapped, holding her hands up to ward off some of my deranged fans. “Ow, did you just step on my foot? These are Jimmy Choos, I’ll have you know! How would you like it if I stepped on your face?”
Unfortunately, Iris ended up having to hold Xinyi back from causing a scene, leaving me on my own. There were so many people talking at once, I couldn’t make out what any of them were saying. Something about my parents. A new era. Study groups? It was getting a bit overwhelming.
I smiled and nodded to each of them, my hand creeping to the hidden pockets of my pants, my fingers curling around the hilts of my daggers.
A warm, large form pressed against my back, and the familiar scent of pine filled my nose. My eyes closed briefly, breathing him in. The effort it took not to lean back into Tate was more than I wanted to admit.
“Alright, everyone!” His voice went deep and growly, like it did when he’s about to do something particularly spicy in bed. “I’m sure Jack wants to eat her lunch without everyone screaming at her. So, go back to your tables. Act like the immortal beings you are.”
There was a collection of groans and then, slowly but surely, the crowd dissipated. Iris had Xinyi in a princess carry, the little woman trying to kick the head off a rather large werewolf. When Xinyi saw Tate, she tapped Iris. “Why don’t we give them a minute?”
Iris nodded before Xinyi called out, pointing a finger. “To the table, servant!”
Iris rolled her eyes and smiled, carrying Xinyi away from us.
Not turning to face one of the very people I was avoiding, I took another deep breath. Which was a huge mistake. It only resulted in me breathing in more of the delicious aroma, which spread warm tingling feelings throughout my lower extremities.
“You okay?” Tate stepped around me, his hands on my shoulders as he looked me over.
Not knowing how to act around him, I brushed his hands off. “I’m fine. I didn’t need your help.”
Tate arched a brow, his silver stud in it glinting in the light. “Sure looked like you did.”
“Well, I didn’t,” I reiterated, pushing past him, hoping he’d leave it at that.
He didn’t.
His presence pressed down on me all the way to our usual lunch table. “What were you going to do if I hadn’t come? Slice them up?”
I shot him a glare.
“I saw you reaching for…” His eyes slid down my form, making my body heat as they landed on my concealed pockets. “Are those daggers in your pockets?” His lips twitched. “What were you going to do? Poke them?”
“No,” I grumbled, throwing one leg and then the other over the bench of the table.
I’d told the truth… kind of. Ever since I’d announced who my parents were, I’d felt more eyes on me than normal, an almost menacing presence, so I’d taken to wearing my daggers everywhere I went.
While I didn’t plan on using them unless I was in actual danger, just touching them made me feel better.
“Uh-huh.” Tate slid onto the bench next to me, one leg on either side, his elbow on the table like he always did. Except… we weren’t together anymore, and having him here, in my space, was making it hard to remember that.
“What do you want?” I sighed, keeping my eyes on a spot on the wall rather than meeting those puppy-dog eyes he no doubt had zeroed in on me.
His fingers found the ends of my hair and twisted my dark curls around them. “Can’t I just want to spend time with you?”
“No.”
Those fingers released my hair and pressed against my chin, forcing me to turn my face toward him.
“Jack, please. I’m dying over here. You have to give me something.
Anything. One day, we’re together and the next…
” His shoulders sagged, that delectable mouth of his turned down in such a sad curve that I had the urge to kiss the look off his face.
I placed my hand over his and slowly removed it from my face. “Look, Tate. I know it’s hard. It’s hard on me, too.”
“Then why can’t we be together?” Those big brown eyes of his peered into me like a hand fisting around my heart.
Jerking my eyes away from his, I stared over his shoulder at the blank spot where Kyren usually sat, my voice going low. “You know why.”
“If this is about Kyren—”
“You know it is,” I snapped, irritation filling my chest. “He’s not the only one who was betrayed here. In fact, I was the one who was wronged. Not him.”
Tate’s brows furrowed. “I know that, but you have to understand—”
“No.” I smacked the table. “I don’t. He’s holding me responsible for something my parents did because of the wrong his sire did to me. I did nothing wrong.”
“I mean… you did sort of lie about who you were.” At my glare, Tate added on, “For good reason, of course, but you could see how Kyren feels betrayed by that.”
I snorted. “I hardly think Kyren cares about me hiding my identity. He’s dead set on punishing me for my parents killing his sire.”
“Aren’t you doing the same thing, though?”
“What?” I stood abruptly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Tate grabbed my hand, keeping me from leaving as he stared up at me. “I know what happened to you was traumatizing,” he said in a quiet tone, “and you have every right to be mad about it. But just like you aren’t your parents, Kyren isn’t his sire.”
I suddenly realized all eyes on us, our voices carrying easily to their supernatural ears. My shoulders sagged, suddenly tired. “I know that, Tate. But does he?”
Without another word, I stalked away from him, passing Xinyi and Iris on my way out.
“I’m suddenly not hungry. I’ll see you later.”
Once out of the cafeteria, it felt like a heavy weight had lifted from my chest. I leaned against the stone wall, pressing my forehead to the cool surface. Tate hadn’t followed after me.
I didn’t know how I felt about that. I felt as if I was being torn in two directions. My loyalty to my family on one side and my love for Tate and Kyren on the other.
I didn’t know how things would play out in the future. Only that if something didn’t give soon, I was going to get ripped apart in the process.
“Miss Durand!” an unfamiliar voice called out to me, and I groaned.
Turning to face the new person, I tried to school my face into something resembling… not a scowl. A tanned female and a few others flanking her sides approached me. A quick sniff of the air told me they weren’t vampires or werewolves. They scent of them stung my nose with some unfamiliar herb.
Witches.
“How can I help you?” I tried to come off polite, but I’d already come to my limit today on ex-boyfriends and fangirls. All I wanted to do was hide away in my bedroom. Maybe I should call Mom and see if I can come home for a few days.
No. I wasn’t a coward. It was my idea to expose myself to the school.
If I ran at the first inconvenience, then what did that say about me?
Besides, I still had a job to do. Those opposing my family were still sneaking around, making secret plans to take the supernatural community back to the dark ages.
I couldn’t leave and let them get away with it.
The leader of the little group stopped in front of me, her big eyes blinking up at me. I startled. Her irises were mismatched, one black while the other a bright blue. I’d never seen anything like it before.
Witches had a natural affinity for spells and potions.
Some thought their powers came from nature.
Others, a far more sinister place. I hadn’t known any witches well enough to ask for certain.
Though the mismatched eyes of the witch before me did feel unsettling in a way, as if it weren’t just her looking back at me but someone else behind those curious eyes.
“Miss Durand… Jack. Can I call you Jack?” she began, a small smile on her lips, her arms holding her books tight to her chest as if guarding against me.
I almost laughed at the sight. As if she had any reason to be afraid of me. She could turn me into a bug and step on me without a second thought. I should be the one wary of her.
I nodded in answer, letting her get what she needed to say out.
“Now that you have come into the light so to speak, we…” She glanced at her fellow witches behind her. “We were wondering if we could ask you some questions… I mean, if you have the time.”
I sighed. “I’m sorry. I don’t know anything about my parents’ plans for the council—”
“No! No.” She cleared her through, her eyes dipping down to the ground before coming back up to meet mine. “You misunderstand us. We want to know about you.”
“Me?” I frowned. “I’m nothing special.”
“Oh, but you are!” The witch’s eyes lit up, her hand reaching out for me before dropping it.
“You’re the first child of two human servants.
Which is a miracle in itself, but the fact that you aren’t merely a human or a human servant bound to your parent’s master but something more is something of a magical and scientific marvel. ”
My brows furrowed. “I guess.”
“We would just like a moment of your time to ask some questions, maybe run some tests.” She glanced back at her fellow witches who nodded in agreement. “So that we can document and maybe explain the phenomenon that you are.”
Being called a phenomenon made me feel squeamish. Almost like I was some freak of nature they wanted to lock in a cage and study. Of course, I also didn’t want to piss off a bunch of witches by saying fuck no.
“Can I think about it?” I offered up instead. “I’ve got a lot on my plate right now.”
“Oh, yes. Of course. We understand,” she quickly reassured me. “I’m Tabatha, by the way, my friends call me Tabby. I believe we have History of Vampirism together.” She paused as if waiting for me to confirm.
I had no idea, so I just nodded.
“So just find me in class and let me know.” Tabby grinned broadly and then waved to her friends to follow her as they walked past me and into the cafeteria.
I stared after them unsure what exactly had just happened. Voices started coming my way, and that sudden urge to run and hide came over me once more. Xinyi had clearly shown it was easy to find me in my new room.
Hopefully, no one else was as resourceful as the small woman, and I could finally get some peace and quiet.