dry and I wished I'd at least packed some provisions for the walk. I'd have tried my hand at hitchhiking, but no cars came down the road. It was as if the world didn't even know the school existed. Though, there was a street leading to it as well as a sign I passed on the way out.
Fallon Academy for the Gifted.
I scoffed when I'd seen it. Really? They couldn’t have been more creative? And academy for the gifted? Yeah, right. Cursed more like.
If I was really gifted, I could make someone stop and give me a ride. Someone right now. I paused on the street and closed my eyes tightly, focusing with all my might. Come on. Come on. Come on. Some nice old couple come down and see this poor defenseless girl walking on the side of the street. And they just have to give her a ride. It's dangerous to be walking alone at night.
I peeked an eye open. Nothing. Nada. I sagged with a heavy breath. Fuck.
I didn't exactly expect it to work but one could dream.
Kicking the ground as I walked, I grumbled to myself about everything that had gone since Officer Rhoades had shown up on my doorstep. I almost went blind when a set of high beams blasted me in the face.
I threw my arm up to cover my eyes and stepped back as the car blew by. I spun around and flipped it off. "Fuck you too buddy!"
To my shock and horror, the car stopped. It slowly backed up and with each foot, I started walking again. Crap. The one time I prayed for someone to pick me up and someone almost runs me over. Now they were coming back because they missed.
Unfortunately, the car was faster than I was, and I found myself staring into the tinted passenger window a black sedan. I frowned and watched the window buzzed as it slid down revealing my dad's disappointed face.
Shit.
“Eleanor.” My dad’s voice came out neutral, but I could sense the anger he was holding back as he stared at me. “I have to say I am surprised to see you, out here, past the barrier, in the middle of the night, alone.”
“I say it is quite a surprise to me as well.”
Of course, fucking Azazel leaned over the center console and peered at me through my dad’s window. Double shit.
“Well, you know. It’s a nice night and I thought a long walk would do me good. You know clear my head after everything.” I tried to play it off like it wasn’t a big deal as I began to walk again.
Sadly, they didn’t take that answer well. The car stopped completely, and the passenger door opened. I didn’t quit walking even when my dad’s presence was right behind me.
“Eleanor.”
“Elle.” I corrected him again, not even bothering to look back at him as I glanced down at my phone. Not even halfway there before I got caught. Damn.
“Elle, I don’t know how I can make you understand the danger of you being out here on your own. I’m not even thinking about how you even got out.” He muttered something under his breath that sounded like a curse but didn’t elaborate further.
“I’m going home.” I shot over my shoulder. “You have no right to keep me here.”
“I have every right. I’m your father.” He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me around.
I jerked back from him. “No. You might have donated your…seed.” I threw a disgusted hand at him. “But you didn’t raise me. Mom did. You only came around when we were convenient.” I tried to stalk away but his latched onto my elbow keeping me in place no matter how much I pulled. He was stronger than he looked.
“I know I wasn’t there for you but there were extenuating circumstances. Ones that I will not go into here,” his eyes grew worried as he scanned the area around us. “We are not safe, Elle. The block I put on you and your powers is almost faded. I can’t put a new one on until its completely gone. I’d prefer it to be behind the school’s barrier.”
I stared down at the mark on my hand and then glowered at my dad. “I don’t know exactly what this does, but I know I’m not letting you do anything to me here or back at your mutant school.”
“Nephilims. Not mutants.” My dad rolled his gaze to the heavens before placing his face in his hands.