won’t tell anybody, but you need
to never go out there again.”
She looked worried, but I couldn’t help but
add, “He touched me, held my hand and I’d wanted him
to.”
It would have sounded stupid to the average
person, and if it had been anyone but Alex, I would have kept my
mouth shut.
As little as I’d told her, Alex’s mouth
popped open. “No lie, touching? You willingly placed your hand in
another? Like actual skin contact.”
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t tell her
what really happened with the fairy-boy. It was weird, admittedly
not weirder than the vampire slumbering in my wardrobe, but still
pretty messed up. Even if I tried to tell her the boy was a fairy
she’d take me to get my head checked. If I said the word ‘vampire’
she’d probably hit the klaxon as a reflex.
“Only you could make a demon friend,” she
said, and to my amazement sounded jealous.
I placed a finger on my lips and shot her a
look. Did she want the whole world to know?
“Keep it down, I was safe.” She peered at me,
seeking the truth and I composed my face to blank. It wasn’t a lie
per se. I just didn’t divulge all details that no doubt would
horrify her. “I guess you could call him a friend,” I said slowly.
“I don’t think he’d ever hurt me in fact he helped me out of a
pretty tight jam. I only told you so much because it was odd, and
you would’ve bugged me until I told you something semi
believable.”
I shrugged to give the impression of
nonchalance.
She was not convinced, and her pinched face
told me so. “You gonna get yourself dead. I told you to forget
about that damn hole. I should’ve made you tell a Cleric.”
My voice was flat when I replied, “Whoever he
was, he’s long gone.”
Drumming her nails on the table she shrugged.
“Say-so. Let’s move.”
She went to grab my hand but I flinched.
Rolling her eyes, she grabbed my blazer lapel instead and dragged
me behind her.
Half way down the hall the morning bell rung
and the corridor filled with bodies.
I gripped the strap of my bag tightly. I knew
I had a class, I’d spent all morning trying to get back in time for
it, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember what. “What we
dealing with first period?”
“Demon Theory,” Alex shot over her
shoulder.
A jaw-cracker of a yawn took me by surprise,
and I shook off a little sleepiness. Damn straight I was on my way
to class even after my pre dawn drama. I could not skip class; the
punishment was not worth it. I was pretty much good at everything I
tried and took eight classes instead of the six most Disciples
preferred; Martial Arts, Explosives, Subterfuge, Entomology, Demon
Theory, Equestrianism and Alchemy. I was tired, and could feel a
grump coming on, but I vowed to keep it together a few more hours
for the sake of maintaining. My plan was to get through the day
with my head down, deal with the dead thing in my closet then sleep
and wake up to everything being back to normal. Rather, as normal
as they were before.
Alex caught my yawn. “That must have been
some run.”
I nodded faintly. Someone pushed past and
bashed my shoulder. I winced. I got another shoulder bash after two
more steps and became freaky alert. I hated walking the halls
during period changes. Usually I’d be early or late to class and
avoid the masses, but Alex liked to be on time.
I hung my head and lowered my voice. “The
next person to touch me is going to be in a world of pain.”
She sent me a consolatory look then shrugged.
There wasn’t much of anything you could say to make someone like me
feel better.
I’d always had problems with getting close to
other people. Physical contact made my skin crawl. I could only
bear to be a more than a foot close for a few seconds before some
peculiar reflex took over, and this horrible hissing noise started
to break from my throat. It was embarrassing and practically a
disability. As I child my blood had been tested a gazillion times
because the Sect
to never go out there again.”
She looked worried, but I couldn’t help but
add, “He touched me, held my hand and I’d wanted him
to.”
It would have sounded stupid to the average
person, and if it had been anyone but Alex, I would have kept my
mouth shut.
As little as I’d told her, Alex’s mouth
popped open. “No lie, touching? You willingly placed your hand in
another? Like actual skin contact.”
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t tell her
what really happened with the fairy-boy. It was weird, admittedly
not weirder than the vampire slumbering in my wardrobe, but still
pretty messed up. Even if I tried to tell her the boy was a fairy
she’d take me to get my head checked. If I said the word ‘vampire’
she’d probably hit the klaxon as a reflex.
“Only you could make a demon friend,” she
said, and to my amazement sounded jealous.
I placed a finger on my lips and shot her a
look. Did she want the whole world to know?
“Keep it down, I was safe.” She peered at me,
seeking the truth and I composed my face to blank. It wasn’t a lie
per se. I just didn’t divulge all details that no doubt would
horrify her. “I guess you could call him a friend,” I said slowly.
“I don’t think he’d ever hurt me in fact he helped me out of a
pretty tight jam. I only told you so much because it was odd, and
you would’ve bugged me until I told you something semi
believable.”
I shrugged to give the impression of
nonchalance.
She was not convinced, and her pinched face
told me so. “You gonna get yourself dead. I told you to forget
about that damn hole. I should’ve made you tell a Cleric.”
My voice was flat when I replied, “Whoever he
was, he’s long gone.”
Drumming her nails on the table she shrugged.
“Say-so. Let’s move.”
She went to grab my hand but I flinched.
Rolling her eyes, she grabbed my blazer lapel instead and dragged
me behind her.
Half way down the hall the morning bell rung
and the corridor filled with bodies.
I gripped the strap of my bag tightly. I knew
I had a class, I’d spent all morning trying to get back in time for
it, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember what. “What we
dealing with first period?”
“Demon Theory,” Alex shot over her
shoulder.
A jaw-cracker of a yawn took me by surprise,
and I shook off a little sleepiness. Damn straight I was on my way
to class even after my pre dawn drama. I could not skip class; the
punishment was not worth it. I was pretty much good at everything I
tried and took eight classes instead of the six most Disciples
preferred; Martial Arts, Explosives, Subterfuge, Entomology, Demon
Theory, Equestrianism and Alchemy. I was tired, and could feel a
grump coming on, but I vowed to keep it together a few more hours
for the sake of maintaining. My plan was to get through the day
with my head down, deal with the dead thing in my closet then sleep
and wake up to everything being back to normal. Rather, as normal
as they were before.
Alex caught my yawn. “That must have been
some run.”
I nodded faintly. Someone pushed past and
bashed my shoulder. I winced. I got another shoulder bash after two
more steps and became freaky alert. I hated walking the halls
during period changes. Usually I’d be early or late to class and
avoid the masses, but Alex liked to be on time.
I hung my head and lowered my voice. “The
next person to touch me is going to be in a world of pain.”
She sent me a consolatory look then shrugged.
There wasn’t much of anything you could say to make someone like me
feel better.
I’d always had problems with getting close to
other people. Physical contact made my skin crawl. I could only
bear to be a more than a foot close for a few seconds before some
peculiar reflex took over, and this horrible hissing noise started
to break from my throat. It was embarrassing and practically a
disability. As I child my blood had been tested a gazillion times
because the Sect
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