Mom rolled her eyes. “Wedo.Ted Wraithmore, the phantom representative.”
“Oh, right.” I blinked, trying to remember him, but came up empty. I didn’t really socialize with the representatives of the council.
My parents had coddled me growing up. Honestly, it was all thanks to Tibby that I was able to attend entrance exams. He helped me emotionally blackmail Dad, after all.
Footfalls echoed against the cobblestone walkway, catching my attention.
My gaze locked onto eyes that reminded me of a polished bloodstone. Fates, they were deep, compelling, anddangerous. Not bright red, but deep red with measured intent. He wasn’t just looking back at me. He was peeling back my scales with that Fates-damned stare, folding through the layers of my soul as if they were pages in a book I never handed over. The man had to be 6’2”. The kind of height that invited obsession, the kind that made me want to walk right up to him just to tilt my head back and meet his gaze at a closer distance.
Two white fangs extended ever-so-slightly as he tilted his head, like a predator humoring his prey—too bad he didn’t know I was the predator here.
The fine black coils of his hair were pulled back but a few framed his face, falling to his shoulders in soft cascades. There was a white patch on the front, just above his temple that snagged my attention and refused to let go. It was as if the Fates had the moon itself kiss him and sink into the fibers of his dark hair.
My fingers itched to touch it.
His dark skin stretched over his slender frame, and ink blessed the exposed skin beautifully. “Trust” marked his left wrist and “Art” marked his right. A scar just below his jawline on his throat said more than anything else could’ve. It was ajagged tear. There was no mistaking that scar. It was distinct and violent. No doubt it was left by a siren who tried to mark him…I admitted that I was curious to hear that story. Another part of me was irrationally angry about it, too.
The wind picked up, sending the enticing scent of cinnamon and nutmeg toward me. This vampire was the kind of beautiful that came with warnings. I already knew I wanted to get to know him as soon as possible.
“Roo, you good?” Tibby blocked my view of him.
I wiped my mouth, noticing that my fangs had dripped venom as I studied the vampire. “Hot vampire to your six.”
“Good eye,” Mom agreed.
Dad and Pops gasped in horror before fawning all over her.
“What about me?” Pops gasped.
“Youmatedus!” A look of horror crossed his face. “You can’t think anyone else is attractive!”
“I don’t. I’m just supporting our daughter,” Mom giggled, pulling our dads in for a chaste kiss each. “You’re the only two that matter.”
That placated them well.
“Ew.” Tibby turned, taking a glimpse at said hot vampire, but it just made him catch my gaze again.
It was then that I noticed he had no family with him.
His red eyes dipped to my throat before he gulped.
“I want to try his venom.” I shook Tibby’s arm, making him shake from the force. “Oh my Fates, Tibby, make him my friend.”
“Absolutely not!” Dad and Pops shouted together.
“I forbid it,” Dad followed up, running a hand through his black hair.
“You need to make your own friends, Roo.” Tibby raised his hands, gagging.
“But I’ve never tried a vampire’s venom.” I pouted.
“And you don’t need to,” Pops decided for me.
The vampire pulled his gaze from me and rushed through the opened gates and toward the academy a second later.
“Looks like you scared your little friend away,” Tibby laughed at me.
I scowled back at him before my gaze caught the lava spilling down obsidian cliffs in the distance.
