Crossroads (Crossroads Academy #1) (28 page)

“Yes. The students are being questioned now.
Faculty and staff as well.” She pauses, listening. “I told you.
Anyone who went off campus that day is going to be questioned. No
exceptions.” Another short pause. “No, she’s safe. Pratt is putting
the school on lockdown today. It will be announced at dinner. No
one gets in or out.”

There’s a long break in the conversation
before Anya speaks again.

“My contact is sure. The only good news is
that none of them will be waking up. It hasn’t been in the news,
but all of the heads were removed. He’s cleaning up after. I
haven’t told Pratt anything, but if this goes on much longer he
will call the Linkuri, and no amount of reasoning from me will be
able to stop him. You know how he is about this school. Hell, it’s
a wonder New York hasn’t sent anyone yet, with all the press this
is getting. Keep stalling them. I need more time.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Is Anya
complicit in all of this? And why is she keeping information from
Pratt? If these really are vampire attacks, why wouldn’t she want
the Linkuri here? This is what they do. They hunt and they kill.
They’re professionals.

“I don’t think this is a secret that should
be kept,” she says vehemently to the mysterious party on the other
end of the line. I wish I knew whom she was talking to. “It’s going
to come out eventually and then what? How are you going to explain
it away?” Anya pounds her fist on the desk. I jump in the hall,
startled by the sound. It’s so rare for her to display overt anger.
“She has a right to know.”

She lowers her voice so that I can barely
make out her next words. “I am trying to do the right thing. People
are dying every day. This is an unnecessary risk. You’re too
involved. You don’t see things clearly when it comes to her.”

I turn and run. I don’t need to hear any
more. I don’t stop until I’m locked safely in my room. It had to be
Aldo on the phone. What is going on? What doesn’t he want me to
know? I think back to my last real conversation with Anya. She was
trying to tell me something, but I wouldn’t listen. The dreams
stopped, and I didn’t think about it anymore. That was right before
Damian disappeared. Right before the killing started.

It can’t be a coincidence. I refuse to
believe it. I pace the room trying to put the pieces together in my
mind. Both Anya and Aldo are always interested in my dreams.
Wanting details, wanting to know how I interpret them. Why?
Because, I reason, the dreams have significance to them, even if
the meaning is unclear to me. What do they know that I don’t? If
what Anya insinuates is true, then my dreams must be connected to
the deaths in Rutland. Could I have stopped this, I wonder?

“Focus!” I order myself. “Think it through.
What do they know that I don’t?” I stop and lean on the desk,
placing my hands on it palms down. “What do they know that I
don’t?” I repeat it like a mantra as I try to work through all of
the ill-fitting pieces of this puzzle.

My desk is a mess. There’s a dirty mug which
is actually pretty gross, some laundry that hasn’t been put away
and a pile of homework assignments. On top of the stack of papers
is a steno notebook. I haven’t opened it in weeks. It’s the one I
took to the library when my computer was stolen. I reach for it
slowly, my hand shaking.

“What do they know that I don’t?” I flip the
cover back warily. I make myself read over the notes I took that
day. The truth hits me hard. Its crushing weight drives me to the
floor. I sit there numbly for a while, allowing it to suck the
remaining life out of me. It takes some time for me to accept the
truth. Eventually I reach for the phone. Aldo answers on the first
ring. Maybe he’s been expecting my call.

“You knew, didn’t you?” My tone is bitter,
accusing. I refuse to feel guilty about it though. There are many
things on my conscience, but my anger won’t be one of them.

“Katia. It’s not what you think. Please calm
down, child.”

“Child? You want to talk about children?
Let’s talk about Damian Thomas!” I scream. “What about him?” I
wonder if Aldo even knows his name. If he even cares.

“This is just like before! That boy is
feasting his way through the local population. It’s not a
coincidence, and we both know it.”

“I didn’t know until today,” he tells me. “I
suspected, but I couldn’t be sure. I was trying to protect you. I
didn’t want you living in fear, always looking over your shoulder.
I will not apologize for that.”

“I can’t stay here! These people are in
danger as long as I’m here. I have to go.”

“NO!” Aldo is upset. I imagine him sitting in
his study at home frustrated at his inability to control this
situation as it unravels thousands of miles away. “Katia, you must
stay at Crossroads. You are secure there. The Pazitor will keep you
safe.”

“I can’t in good conscience sit here and do
nothing!” My protests fall on deaf ears. “Innocent people are
dying. More will die if I stay.”

“You will stay put. That is an order!” he
barks, letting his emotion get the best of him.

“I appreciate your concern, but I have to be
able to look myself in the mirror.”

I end the call and take a deep breath. I’m
done taking orders, and I’m scared to death. But I know I have to
get out of here. I go to the closet and grab a duffle bag. I
quickly stuff it with the essentials: my computer, some clothing,
toiletries, and my wallet. I don’t know where I’ll go, but anywhere
is better than here. I have to get away.

I check the hall and see that it’s empty.
Classes have let out for the day, and everyone is probably in the
dining hall for dinner. I must’ve sat on that floor much longer
than I realized collecting my courage. I head straight for the
garage.

**********

I skip the lights as I let myself into the
garage. I don’t plan to be here long, and I don’t need them anyway.
I can see well enough. I turn into the row where the Audi is parked
and stop short. Blaine is sitting on the hood of my car.

“I knew you’d run,” he says simply, crossing
his arms.

“Get the hell off my car,” I demand, refusing
to let him impede my escape. I approach slowly and unlock the
doors. I open the drivers’ side and throw my bag on the passenger
seat.

“Where are you going to go, Kate? He’ll never
stop searching for you.”

My blood runs cold. It was Blaine. He’s the
one who stole my computer. I’ve heard he’s a computer whiz. He
could’ve easily hacked my security. It wouldn’t have taken him
long. He probably only returned it to avoid being caught with the
evidence. It’s a sickening feeling, but I can’t deny that my
situation has just gone from bad to worse.

“What’s wrong, Kate?” He spits my name with
contempt. Just hearing it roll off his lips pisses me off. “Cat got
your tongue? Did you really think you could fool everyone? Did you
really think you could fool him?”

“Is that what this is really about?” I ask
icily. “Your stupid little crush on Nikolai? This is so much bigger
than you or me or Nik. People are dying!”

“Don’t you dare try to put this on me!” he
shouts jumping to his feet. We stand toe to toe. I will not back
down. Not to him. “This is your fault! You’re the liar! You brought
this mess down on all of us.”

“No, Blaine. It was you. You led him here,
didn’t you?” Rage boils up within me. I can’t believe this is
happening.

“That was never my intent. I just wanted to
get the truth. To expose you for what you really are: a
half-breed.”

The lights burst on and we both freeze. Nik
and Anya have come to join the party. Great, just what I need.

“What the hell is going on?” Nik demands as
he storms toward us. He’s got confusion written all over his face.
Anya, on the other hand, looks relieved. She’s probably gotten
orders from Aldo to keep me at the school.

“Why don’t you ask your half-breed
girlfriend?” Blaine snickers. “I’m sure she’d love to tell you all
about it.”

“What is he talking about?” Nik asks, turning
to me. Anya puts her hand on his arm. I shake my head in disbelief.
She can try all she wants, but there’s no amount of comfort in the
world that’s going to soften this blow.

“It’s true,” I tell him. There’s no point in
denying it anymore. Blaine has the evidence.

“What’s true?” He looks at Blaine and then
back at me. He’s not following. It sucks being the last one to
know.

“I’m de sange amestecat,” I tell him simply.
“I’m of mixed-blood.”

“I don’t believe you,” he argues shaking off
Anya’s touch. God, he’s stubborn. I’m pretty sure there’s not a
vampire on the planet that would lie about being of impure blood.
It’s not exactly a desirable status.

“Believe it or don’t. It doesn’t matter to
me, but I have no reason to lie.” I might as well show him the
proof. I have nothing left to lose. I push up my sleeves and remove
the cuff bracelets on my wrists, revealing my scars. They’re faint,
but I know he’ll see them. No pureblood would have such marks. “I
was born a human.”

“I don’t understand. None of this is making
sense.” Anya touches his arm again, trying to console the brother
she loves so much. It backfires though and Nik turns on her. “You
knew? You knew, and you didn’t tell me?”

I empathize with him. I know what it’s like
to have your whole world wrenched out from under you and turned
upside down.

“Don’t be angry with Anya,” I tell him
quietly. “It wasn’t her secret to tell.”

“But Aldo vouched for you. You’re his
niece.”

“No,” I say shaking my head sadly. “My name
was Kate Osborne. I grew up in White Plains, New York. I had two
wonderful parents and played forward on my high school soccer team.
I was on the Homecoming court. I was the girl next door. Then my
parents died, and I threw it all away.” I hold up my wrists again
to make my point. I can’t say the words. They’re too painful.

“I didn’t ask for this, to be a vampire, to
be part of this world,” I tell him honestly. “It was forced upon
me. I’ve never even seen my sire’s face. But he’s here now looking
for me. Thanks to Blaine.”

Blaine snarls at the mention of his name.

Anya steps forward. “You can’t leave, Katia.”
Does she really think she’ll be able to keep me here against my
will? I won’t let that happen.

“I have to go,” I tell her heatedly. “More
people will die if I stay.”

“You don’t know that,” she argues. “Stay. We
can help.”

“No, Anya, you can’t. No one was there to
help when he did this to me. No one was there to help when he
haunted my dreams using the Vampiric Nexus. He was stalking me, and
you knew it. You and Aldo both knew, and you didn’t tell me.” I’m
on a roll now. It’s all coming together, and I don’t care who
knows. I feel as light as air. Getting the weight of this secret
off my chest is liberating. I’m tired of hiding, of lying.

“He took Damian because of me. He saw Damian
in my dreams and he knew it would hurt me. He turned that boy and
let him loose on Rutland to draw me out from behind the gates of
the school. It’s exactly what he did with me. And still you did
nothing.”

“We didn’t know at first,” she pleads. “I’ve
been trying to track him. Just give me more time.” It’s the same
argument she gave Aldo earlier, but it holds no sway over me.

“I’ve made up my mind.”

“Pratt has the school on lock down. You’ll
never get past the gate.” I know she’s telling the truth. It’s the
only card she has left to play.

“I’ll find a way.”

“Let her go. We’ll all be safer if she goes.
It’s Kate he wants. If she leaves, he’ll pack up that little devil
child and go.”

“You brought this monster here?” Nik turns on
Blaine. His eyes have gone dark, shifting to a fierce shade of
blue. Anger rolls off of him in waves. I’ve never seen Nik like
this. It’s actually kind of frightening.

“I told you. It was an accident,” Blaine
explains, shuffling his feet nervously.

“How do you accidentally unleash a monster
like this?” Nik’s tone is dangerous now, his entire body fraught
with tension. Blaine senses his precarious position and does his
best to diffuse the situation.

“I didn’t really know what I was doing. I was
angry that you were spending so much time with her. I just wanted
you to see that she wasn’t who she claimed to be. I wanted you to
see that she’s a liar.” He shoves his hands into the pockets of his
jeans, looking appropriately ashamed of his next words.

“I got my opportunity when she left her
laptop in the library. I took it, I hacked it, and I found the
proof.” He looks to Nik for understanding but gets only disgust. He
ducks his head and continues.

“There were family pictures on her computer
and links to old newspaper articles. I did a little research and
put two and two together. I went to White Plains to see for myself.
It wasn’t hard to figure out, but I wanted to be sure before I said
anything. I never should have bothered. The proof was right there
on her laptop.”

“You went to White Plains? You went to my
house?” I can’t believe it. I haven’t been back there once. It’s
too dangerous for me.

“Yeah. I guess that’s how he found me. He was
having the place watched. He said they always come back.”

“Who?” I ask. I want to know his name.

“Your sire. Luka. He contacted me after I got
back to Crossroads. He was looking for confirmation of your
location. I didn’t know who he was at first. I swear. I didn’t know
what would happen.”

“You went off campus to meet him, didn’t you?
That’s why Pratt called you into his office today? He wanted to
find out why you left campus the day of Damian’s disappearance.”
His story gets better and better. What a slimeball! “What did you
tell him?”

“Nothing. I lied. Pratt thinks I was at the
mall buying a new pair of jeans.”