Delinquents Turned Fugitives - Ann Denton Page 0,67

because it wasn't really logical for me to feel that way. But I did. I wanted to wade into Andros’ pain and dive down deep until I was surrounded by it. I wanted to drink it up.

My eyes seared his and I think he saw my longing.

I didn't say any of that aloud. I felt crazy as shit for even thinking it. But his hand came up and his huge palm cupped my cheek.

"We practice for the worst and after each time, I'll give you a secret of mine in exchange for one of yours."

I nodded slowly, enjoying the rasp of his skin against my cheek. "You'll have better ones."

His fingertips traveled down to trace the side of my neck and he lingered on the scars that Claude had left there. He lightly touched one. "I doubt it."

Then he stepped back, leaving me feeling breathless and vulnerable, and utterly filled with anticipation as he walked away.

22

I woke up the next day full of nervous energy, so I got dressed and—like the crazy idiot Coach Lundy had turned me into—I decided to go for a run. To my surprise, most of the guys said they wanted to join. We were all feeling the pressure. Things weren't theoretical anymore. We were officially criminals and fugitives. And we still had another job to pull off, one that I'd made infinitely more difficult.

"I can't go. I'm expecting a delivery," Gray explained, when he tossed me a water bottle as he padded through the kitchen in bare feet. "But have fun. And be safe, kids." His eyes roamed the rest of the group.

I gave him a one finger salute. "Yes, Dad."

“You can call me Daddy, not Dad,” he retorted.

“Ew,” I uncapped my water and flicked a little at him. “Gross.”

He just laughed as he followed the rest of us down the stairs to the front door.

"Run in pairs," Gray instructed, still on his authoritarian kick. "I've got a couple guys scouting the streets, but I don't want you all seen together. Different paths too. None of this staring at Hayley's ass nonsense."

"Boo. Then I'm out." Z shook his head before he turned and stomped back up the steps. "I'd rather sleep."

"Lazy!" Andros called after his cousin.

But Z just flipped him off and disappeared around the corner, a loud yawn trailing behind him.

I stifled a laugh. Of course he was only in it to get some ass. Typical Z.

Evan and I paired up to run together. Malcolm and Andros did the same. I didn't expect anyone to recognize me in Connecticut, but we could never be too careful. Medeis Academy students lived all around this part of the country. Anyone who knew me would most likely know Evan, so it made sense for us to run together.

We set off with one final wave. And then it became the scuff of our sneakers against the pavement, the puffs of our breath in the air, the sounds of songbirds who didn’t worry about vampires. I tossed in my earbuds and flipped over to the news.

The broadcast was already in progress and I only caught the tail end of it. “—due to the mayor’s foresight to issue a curfew, only sixteen deaths were reported last night. But the latest breakout has lawmakers on both sides of the wand talking. Solutions are being evaluated while outcry from the anarchist group Superstition has people marching in the streets, claiming the Pinnacle hasn’t done enough. Sources inside the Pinnacle, who wish to remain anonymous, state that Superstition members are under investigation for possible involvement. The reality is that the source of all these vampire breakouts is unknown. Here’s vampire expert, Professor Derby Wolfe, who’s studied the topic in detail for over a century. Derby?”

“Thank you, Charles.” Derby’s crisp British voice resonated in my ear and for a second, I was brought right back to Academie Metamorphose. He continued, “Yes, since the establishment of Institutes as a humane alternative to euthanizing vampires, there has never been a breakout of this magnitude. It’s historically unprecedented.”

“What do you, as a vampire expert—with twelve published books on the subject, suppose is the cause behind this?” Charles asked.

“Now, that would be speculation on my part. But, I can tell you about an Institute in Japan that was damaged due to a massive earthquake twenty years ago. Similar attacks happened when several vampires escaped.”

“And how did Japan deal with this problem?”

“Euthanization.” Derby didn’t even get to the second syllable of that word before a chill ran up my