Demonic Vampires (Supernatural Shifter Academy #3) - G. Bailey Page 0,47

at me. “Where are we supposed to get more test subjects? I thought the whole point of the girl was to save ourselves the resources.”

“We’re just going to have to wait,” the assistant replies. “I know that’s not what you want to hear, but-”

“We are running out of time!” yells Hawthorne. I’ve never seen him lose his composure like this before. “Shifters everywhere are shaking us off. They’re mobilising. We don’t have time to wait for the fucking school board.”

“Then don’t,” I say quietly, a last desperate hope coming to me. It’s a gamble and I know it, but it’s like a light at the end of a tunnel, and I cling to it with everything I have.

Hawthorne turns to me. “Excuse me?”

I give him a humourless smile. “I happen to know four good shifters. And if I’m going to die here -- which considering how I’m feeling right now seems pretty likely -- I’d rather have them by my side.”

“You would send your boy toys to us?” Hawthorne laughs. “What makes you think I believe that? What makes you think they’ll even come?”

"They will," I insist, looking at him long and hard out of the corner of my eye. My body is weak, on the verge of giving out, but the anger I feel in me is enough to make my eyes flash just the same. I could almost swear I see Hawthorne look taken aback for just a second, caught off-guard by my sudden spirit. "They'll come because you have me."

Chapter 19

Silas

I was the first of their group to be taken by the Academy to be experimented on, so in some ways it feels almost appropriate that my cell phone is the one that rings. We head southwest, on a mission to get as far away from the city centre as possible. My heart leaps into my throat when I see that it’s Millie calling, and for one hopeful moment as I answer the phone, I wonder if she managed to escape after all; if anyone could do it, Millie could. Either way, we are going to find her and get her back. Nothing else is important. I know where she is and once we are out of the city, I’m building the biggest army of supes and raiding the fucking academy.

All hope is dashed when I put the phone to my ear. Gone is the musicality of her voice, gone is the touch of self-deprecating humour that sends my nerves into overdrive even as I laugh. She sounds like a shell of her former self, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to hear that she’s not well. “Hey, Silas.”

Just those two words are enough to sow the seeds of panic into my chest. “Boots! Where are you? What happened?”

At the sound of her name, Shade, Landon, and Hunter all stop dead in their tracks, whirling around to stare at me . Landon’s eyes flash with questions -- where is she? Who took her? Is she okay? -- while Shade looks like a live wire, dangerous and liable to explode at any moment.

For his part, Hunter is suddenly awash with emotion: regret, disappointment, worry, and fear flash across his features in the space of a few seconds. It’s like ripping the scab off a wound that’s only just started to heal, only to realise that it’s been infected since the beginning. He can’t help but blame himself for some of this, at least in part for everything that’s gone wrong so far.

I know Hunter wishes he could snatch the phone and tell her he’s sorry, tell her he was a fool to think himself worthy of her; he’s never been under any illusions of superiority. His abilities are pitiful in comparison with the rest of the group’s, and he’s unqualified to be receiving affection from someone so steadfast, so determined, so pure, in spite of everything the world has thrown at her.

When I put the call on speaker, holding a finger to my lips, her rasping voice comes through, and we all share the same emotion. Anger.

“...doing well,” she says. “Hanging in there, but I don’t know for how long.”

“Where are you?” I demand.

There’s a sound, followed by a new voice. “Nice try, Mr. Aconite. You will be brought here when you’ve met with our arranged contact.”

The sound of that bastard’s smug voice is enough to make me want to break the phone into pieces. It’s all I can do is remain silent, to not call the