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That’s what she said his name was.

Raiden the vampire.

Setting my fork down, I stare up at him as he continues to look down on me, not reiterating whatever his threat was yesterday that the lovely vampire beside him so eagerly mentioned.

“Can I help you?” I mentally high-five myself for keeping my voice calm and my heartbeat steady. The last thing I want any of these fools to think is that I’m afraid of them.

Far from it.

“Can you help us? Do you hear yourself?” the girl remarks with a scoff, tossing her brown curls over her shoulder with a sense of sass that I really can’t handle this early in the morning.

“I didn’t say us, I said you. I was talking to him,” I retort, keeping my eyes on the dark and devilish vampire piercing me with his deathly stare. He keeps his lips pressed firmly together, but I’m certain there’s the smallest flicker to his top lip. It happens too quickly for me to be certain, and before I can press the matter, the sass queen beside me continues.

“Do you even realize who you’re speaking to? I’m Vallie Drummer. Highly regarded within the vampire origin, and you’re…a lowly fucking fae who is only here because The Council had to include you, even though we all know you will never get your hands on the crown again.” She slams her hands down on the table, anger getting the better of her as I repeat two words on a loop in my head.

Calm. Collected. Calm. Collected. Calm. Collected.

My fists are balls in my lap, refusing to relax despite my little mantra, but at least my facial expression remains intact.

“I’m going to take your silence as confirmation that there is, in fact, nothing I can help you with,” I state, tilting my head as I ignore her little tangent and hold the stare of the vampire who really, really shouldn’t look this good.

Ignoring her fuels the fury consuming her, just as I expect, but despite her lightning-fast moves, I still anticipate the action and grab her wrist before she can wrap her fingers around my hair.

This is exactly why I braid the damn stuff to my head, so it isn’t so easy for bitches to get their hands on in times like this.

Pulling my stare from Raiden, who has yet to say a word, I use my hold on Vallie’s wrist to yank her toward me, making her stumble forward with a yelp of surprise while sending my other hand toward her face, punching her straight between the eyes.

The second I connect, the throb dancing along my knuckles, all hell breaks loose.

We tumble to the floor, arms and legs swinging for contact as we both try to gain the advantage. With a swift jab to her gut, followed by her fists smashing against the side of my head, I manage to dig my elbow into the weak spot between her shoulder and chest to place myself above her.

The second I do, arms band around my waist, and I’m hoisted in the air. I brace my leg, ready to strike out, while lowering my chin to my chest so I can throw back one hell of a head butt when the time comes, but all of that is halted when I recognize the voice of the person behind me.

“That’s enough.”

I freeze, heart racing wildly in my chest as I pant with every breath when I turn my head to see Professor Fairbourne over my shoulder.

Fuck.

Of course it’s the professor for the fae breaking us apart.

Glancing toward the screeching that still sounds out from Vallie’s red lips, I find it’s Raiden who has gotten a hold of her in a similar grip, but his eyes are firmly fixed on me.

Fairbourne is trudging away in the next breath, with me still in his grasp, and I smile wide as I offer a one-finger salute to the vampire who seems happy to bring disarray to my life for the whole two days he’s been in it.

I keep my mouth shut as he marches down the hall and out onto the grounds, but the second the fresh air hits me, so does the ability to use my tongue again.

“You can put me down now,” I grumble, and to my surprise, he does just that.

“What the fuck was that?” he barks, pointing behind him like I don’t know what he’s referring to.

I straighten my cloak and run my fingers over my fitted top and pants. “Me losing my cool. It won’t happen again,” I admit, scrambling for the words to remind myself that I need to have a more positive outlook.

“It fucking better.”

My gaze darts to his as I frown. “What?”

His shoulders relax as he looks me over before folding his arms over his chest. “You’re not like the rest.” I tilt my head at him, lifting a brow for him to expand upon his observation, but it only earns me a smirk. “Yeah, definitely not like the rest.” He takes a step back, swiping a hand down his face, and I take note of his eyes fixating on my ears for a moment before he meets my gaze again. “Something tells me I’m going to have my hands full with you.”