She looked on the verge of tears. Afraid and alone and I couldn’t help myself.
“Hey.” Marching into their midst, I scowled. “You can be mean to me but not to others who ended up here by accident.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I heard Rina killed one of you ‘accidents’ a few nights ago. Can’t have you distracting Lucien Ashfall, now can we?” More snickers.
“Wait...” I swallowed hard. “Youkilleda girl?”
“So what?” A curvy woman smirked. “We came here for a reason, and we won’t let any of you lottery cards ruin it.”
“So what your blood got you in?” another girl with a thick brown ponytail muttered. “No matter where they found you, the idea that a bumbling, clueless idiot will attract Lucienis ridiculous. No, it’s worse than ridiculous, it’s downrightinsulting.”
“You’re all nasty pieces of work.” I glowered at them even as my headache turned borderline. “I suddenly have no sympathy for you if Lucien decides to remove the trash.”
The cattier girls sat upright and almost hissed. “Careful,accident. Your blood might be compatible, but it can still be drained.”
“Leave us alone.” Grabbing Laura’s hand, I dragged her away from the hate-filled picnic. The girl trotted beside me, wincing as the others whispered, not-so-quietly, about how we were taking up valuable resources and if Lucien didn’t kill us soon, perhaps it would fall to them to do something about it.
Goosebumps shot down my spine at the thought.
I probably shouldn’t have engaged with them.
I wouldn’t last long if the girls all turned on one another. I’d be slaughtered in my sleep and wouldn’t even know I’d been killed.
“Thank you,” Laura said softly as I let her go but kept walking. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know.” I gave her a smile, nausea from standing up for her making me pay a little. “But I couldn’t leave you there to be hounded. I don’t do well with bullies.” The faster the adrenaline of what I’d done wore off, the stronger my headache became.
God, couldn’t I be free from pain just for a little while?
Rubbing my temples, I grimaced.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Hiding my discomfort and hoping it would fade instead of getting worse, I slowed my fast pace. “You were caught up in this too?”
“Yep.” She sighed heavily, rubbing her arms even though the sun was surprisingly warm. “I was in London visiting the flea markets to furnish the studio apartment I’ve just moved into. Myex dumped me after emptying my bank accounts and...I’ve been feeling rather sorry for myself. So when a guy approached with an invitation and dangled the opportunity to enjoy a free spa weekend, I took it. Stupidly.”
“Hey, if you’re stupid, then I’m an idiot.” I smiled. “You just hoped this place would be something that could cure your grief and make you feel a bit better. Me? I was just greedy.”
She met my smile with her own. “I’m Laura Milay.”
“Rook Snowden.”
Her eyebrows rose. “That’s an interesting name.”
It’s better than my pseudonym.
I nodded. “My parents wanted something different.”
“Is it related to anything?” Her nose wrinkled. “The crow perhaps?”
“Who knows?” I shrugged with a smile.
I’d grown used to the way people reacted to hearing my name for the first time. Sure, I had jet black hair and matching dark eyes, but either naming me after an ominous bird or a castle-like chess piece, didn’t really make much sense.
Unlike Lucien...that’s a nice name.
I froze.
