Kylie

re alive with

an blood saw to that,but it still felt strange. Like walking through a dream. Everything smelled to

going anywhere. I wa

I saw

hey walked in a tight little group, laughing about something one of them had said. Their voices were light, carefree. One gi

dow and let them pass, then casu

lest girl glanced back

voice to sound less... preda

ked. "Uh

ch o

ike, five minutes f

. "Somethin

and kept walki

-

nd rows of maple trees. The building itself was old but well-kept-red brick,

High S

in years, gave a strange little lurch. The students trickled in, on

ves. They b

ul

sign that today w

. The sign above the double doors looked like it hadn't been cleaned since ages, and the parkin

ery eye that passed over me, but none lingered long enough to notice the oddity. That was the power of suggestion-vampire co

r student. To me, I was a half-bloo

e lo

-

ugh the crowd until I found a small sign

sat at a curved desk, flipping through

here it w

was cold and quiet, like dipping my fingers into still water. My

sk and let the power

ing," I sa

up. "Do you have

ltered as I

ush

laying a warm, heavy blanket over her thoug

word with compulsion. "My name is Kylie Wren. A transfer stude

owly. "Brinford..

ened t

My transcripts. My ID. You ju

witched towar

t your schedule," sh

everything ten minutes from now. Too weak and sh

she slid a paper

're in homeroom B3 with Mrs.

, pulling the hoodi

used, like she'd just

she could remember

-

ack jeans, fitted top, combat boots-but it blended well enough. Students buzzed around m

s. Loud, cha

f the forest, where the only sounds were wind and the o

he room and scanned the students pouring in. None of them paid

e walk

Car

o recognize the scent of surprise t

oulder, that same cocky smirk half-formed on his lips. His eyes locked onto

ed awa

-

Josh

that

licking toward the classroom she'd walked into. Kylie Wren. The girl from the warehou

ll was she

g or what?" Marcus cal

step beside him. My mind wasn't on Chemistry

a scary-but not in a bad way. The kind of scary you wanted

needed

-

Kylie

like a weight ti

ers, hormonal teens. The lessons were simple, mind-numbingly so. I

sat thr

be human-or at least blend i

far corner. Solitude was easier. I didn't need conversation, didn't crave

if I

. Of course

Car

s-like he was trying to solve a

ren't in the sam

ulling out the chair. "But

dwich like this was the mos

you wan

ust lunch. Maybe convers

r definition of

ead. "You know, most peopl

t most

kidd

us. He didn't seem uncomfo

d finally. "Last time I saw you, you look

efore I coul

quietly. "But

-

Josh

terious as hell. But there was something else now-

fingers were pale, her nails perfectly clean. Everything abou

like someone who wants to make friends, but

she said. "Abo

r' wo

t... this place. Human

ing. But I

e

-

Kylie

rted ways. He had

osh had asked more questions with his eyes than his mouth, but

t let tha

he urge to correct her several times. Vampires didn't just pass down bloodlines-we

lik

te slid on

ere a human thing.

ened

Not in a creepy way.

bag, lips twitching into somethi

-

Josh

er again until

they weren't playing music. There was a rhythm to her steps

he wanted to hurt anyone. She

oing to be easy.

d to ca

ysterio

't stop

ou a note

it," s

it cr

derl

entirel

then final

ond, the sun caught her irises j

been t

't follow me

y n

what yo

ything. I just...

the pr

-

Kylie

One look into his eyes, one flick of my po

I di

't kn

hiding. Tired of being a shado

t was jus

. "Don't get t

fter now. "What

lked away befor

ruth was... I