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“What?”Coach Vasquez demanded.“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the fact that your employment at Nocturne Academy is hereby terminatedimmediately,”Headmistress Nightworthy snapped.“Take your things and go.I willnotbe giving you any kind of a reference either, so please don’t bother to put my name on any future applications.”

“What?But I’ve worked here for years!”Coach Vasquez’s nasty little eyes had widened with surprise.“You can’t fire me just like that!”

“I can and I have.And if you’re thinking of appealing my decision, please remember that you admitted to putting a student in harm’s way and allowing him to be attacked by other students because of your hateful views,” Headmistress Nightworthy said sharply.“Now pleasego.I have nothing more to say to you and the very sight of you sickens me.We are here to teach the next generation—not judge and abuse them.You sully the name of ‘educator’ with your despicable actions.”

The coach didn’t seem to know what to say about that.She simply glared at the Headmistress with hate in her eyes and I had the feeling that if she’d had a Drake of her own inside, she definitely would have let it out at that point.But since she didn’t, the only thing she could do was stalk angrily out of Headmistress Nightworthy’s office—presumably to collect her things and move out.

Maybe she could find a job somewhere else where they didn’t mind student abuse and homophobia.We were in Florida, after all—it might not be too hard for her, I thought.I just felt sorry for the students wherever she landed.

But then, just as she was about to close the door behind her, Coach Vasquez turned back.

“You know you’re harboring a cursed Drake, don’t you?”she asked, pointing at Saint.“That thing inside Santiago is a killer.It’s killed before and it will kill again if you let him keep roaming your halls.”

This was news to me.Kaitlyn had hinted darkly about my roommate’s past, but she had ultimately told us his story wasn’t hers to share—which we all respected, though to be honest, I was burning with curiosity.I stole a look at Saint, who had his elbows on his knees and his face bowed.I couldn’t see much but I thought his cheeks were flushed with shame.

But though the ex-coach’s words surprised me, Headmistress Nightworthy took her words in stride.

“Yes, I am well aware of Mr.Santiago’s past,” she said coolly.“I do not allow any student to matriculate here until I have run thorough background checks.Thank you, Dolores, you may go now.”

It was a clear dismissal and Coach Vasquez knew it.Her face darkened again and she slammed the door behind her—or tried to, anyway.No matter how much she grunted and tugged on it, it refused to close the final inch.Only when we heard her angry footsteps stomping off down the hall did it quietlysnickshut.

I let out a long, relieved breath.Well, aside from the scary revelations about my roommate’s past, things had ended much better than I could have hoped for.Instead of Saint or myself being expelled, it was Coach Vasquez who had gotten the proverbial boot.Things were definitely looking up, I thought.

Then Headmistress Nightworthy turned her sharp blue eyes on the two of us and frowned.

“Don’t look so pleased, Mr.Connor,” she said.“We’re not done yet—not by a long shot.”

6

SAINT

Itook a deep breath as the Headmistress turned her piercing blue gaze on me.So she knew about my past?About the ones my Drake had murdered?

I had never felt so low.Not only had my secret been revealed, but Avery had heard it as well.I was afraid to look at my roommate now.What must he think of me?

My Drake was upset too.He thought that Avery would fear him—I could feel his misery pushing into my mind and twisting my stomach with dread and unhappiness.

“Youshouldbe upset!”I told him silently.“Look what you’ve done!Ofcoursehe will fear you now.”

I generally try to avoid aggravating the cursed thing that indwells me, but this time I was just too upset to help it.I knew it shouldn’t matter what another male thought of me—a male who wasn’t even a Drake or an Alpha—a male who loved other men.

But I couldn’t help it, Avery’s good opiniondidmatter to me—it mattered greatly.And now I was afraid he would hate and fear and avoid me.He would probably ask me to move out of the room we shared in the Norm Dorm and how could I blame him?Who would want to share a room with a killer?

I don’t think you have to worry about that,a pessimistic little voice whispered in my head.I’m quite certain the Headmistress is about to expel you from Nocturne so you’ll be going back to the Sky Lands and you’ll never see Avery or anyone else from this school again.

“Mr.Santiago,” Headmistress Nightworthy said.

Mentally, I braced myself.All right—here we go.

“Yes, Headmistress?”I forced myself to look up at her, though I still couldn’t bear to turn and see the expression on Avery’s face.

“What assurances can you give me that this willnothappen again?”she demanded, frowning at me.“From what I have heard, this isnotthe first time your, er, ‘cursed Drake’ has threatened to come out.How can I trust that I am not putting all the other students under my care in danger by letting you stay on at Nocturne Academy?”

“Oh, er…” I didn’t know what to say—how to reassure her.My Drakewasdangerous—that was an undeniable fact.And I couldn’t in good faith promise that he would never come out again because, as the encounter in the gymnasium proved, I was barely holding him in check.

“Mr.Santiago?”she asked again.“I’m waiting for an answer.”