Part 19 (1/2)

I rubbed the whistle around my neck with my thumb, ready to blow it at any second.

”Relax. I'm not going to hurt you.”

”Surely you can smell me.”

”Oh, I can smell you; it's the sweetest, most delicious scent I've ever smelled in my life, but I won't hurt you.” He brushed an index finger along my arm. ”Don't be scared. You can trust me.”

I hope so. I wanted to head back to the house now. I wasn't even a full vampire and I had craved Eli's and Tay's blood. I couldn't imagine what my blood was doing to Hunter. Every time he swallowed hard or bit his lip it put me on edge. Who knew when he was going to snap?

”Can I ask you a question?”

”Shoot.”

”The night I saw you, after an animal jumped out in front of the car ... Your skin was normal. I know that means you killed a G.o.ddess or G.o.d.”

”I did.”

I flinched at his words.

”But they were elderly, one was in a coma.”

”That doesn't make it okay...”

”I know.” A sadness filled Hunter's eyes. ”Lucian made me do it, he said it was the only shot I had at making you comfortable enough to talk to me.”

It was obviously less scary talking to a pale Hunter with black eyes than it would be talking to his real self ... with the translucent skin and pulsating veins. Hank's face flashed through my mind and my spine rattled in fear. At least he was gone now.

”Can we head back?”

”Sure.”

We strolled back through the garden and into the house. Immediately, I locked eyes with Eli, who was leaning against a wall with a drink in hand as Liam stood in front of him, chatting and laughing away. Eli walked away from Liam, his intense eyes burning into mine. He definitely wasn't happy with me.

”Ruby, can I speak to you for a minute, please?”

Hunter winked at me and disappeared into thin air.

”Are you crazy?” His voice was low and stern.

”What are you talking about? You told me to be more of a friend to him.”

”Yes, I did, but I didn't expect you to run off into the darkness with him.”

”I didn't run off. I needed to get some air.”

”What you did was stup -” His words caught in his throat as his eyes fell onto my neck.

”Did he do that to you?”

”Do what?” I asked, rubbing my neck.

I couldn't feel any kind of bite. I winced in pain; it felt like I had a bruise.

”What happened to your neck?”

”It's no big deal.”

”Did Hunter do that to you?”

I shook my head.

”Tell me who did it, Ruby. Who are you trying to protect?”

”I'm trying to protect you. Lucian did this ...”

Eli turned abruptly and I grabbed at his arm desperately until he turned to face me. ”Let it go, we'll deal with it later.”

Eli ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation.

”Why are you so on edge?” I asked.

”C'mon.” Eli pulled me back out into the garden.

A sinking sensation filled my stomach. It had to be something bad if it had Eli so on edge.

”Are you okay?” I asked him. I don't think I'd ever had the chance to ask him that before. It was always the other way round.

”Aleksandrov is going to help us.”

”What? When? How?”

”When we leave for our first a.s.signment at Gerald Harbor in three weeks... Aleksandrov, other wizards, and half of the school's guardians will be there.”

Hope, excitement and happiness filled my stomach.

”He's doubled up on charms to protect the school. If we can make it back there, we'll be safe. However, we can't risk it. We need to draw Lucian away from his minions. We need to kill him, just to be safe.”

I was worried that if I spoke, it would be in a high pitched excited squeal, so instead I nodded.

”There's something we need from you as well.”

”Anything.”

”You need to be able to use all of your elements and your sun power. You're our secret weapon, Ruby.”

I nodded again.

”Let's go back to the party.”