Page 71 of Blood Day

I prepared for the day, took another sip of the water in case I wouldn’t receive any other bottles today, and headed to breakfast.

Where I was given a larger ration than my usual.

Instead of one scoop of eggs, they gave me three. Just as I received a full piece of toast, not half of one. And they gave me an orange instead of a celery stick.

As well as another bottle of water.

I didn’t say anything, my face carefully neutral as I accepted my plate.

But inside I was alive with questions.

Why had they changed my food regimen?

I cautiously ate all of it, my gaze darting around to others to see if anyone else was eating more than usual. Except it was hard to judge because I rarely paid attention to the food portions of others.

No one appeared surprised, though. They were likely masking their emotions just like me, making it impossible to know if any of them were experiencing these abnormalities.

I remained vigilant throughout my first class, searching for signs of anything out of the ordinary. But everyone acted the same as always.

Today’s assignment revolved around maid services, specifically in the bedroom. We were timed on how fast we could make a bed in the particular ways Master Clarissa had shown us the other day.

I found my steps moving quicker than usual, my hands more efficient, and my confidence higher.

Perhaps because of Master Cedric’s blood still flowing through my system. Everything was still heightened. Or maybe it was from the increase in food.

Regardless, Master Clarissa gave me high marks and stated the others in the class needed to be more efficient—like me.

I didn’t react to her praise. Instead, I focused on keeping my expression vacant as she began a new tutorial in bedroom-cleaning etiquette—how to handle soiled linens. She demonstrated on blood-soaked sheets that were likely fresh from a kill.

My stomach churned at the sight of it, my mindwandering to Master Cedric’s bite.

He hadn’t been cruel so much as sensual.

But I wasn’t naïve enough to consider that to be a normal experience.

Actually, nothing about Master Cedric could be described asnormal. He was an enigma that I didn’t understand.

An enigma that I intended to face off against tonight.

That was the thought that followed me throughout my evening, lurking in the back of my mind through each lecture and activity.

My blood practically thrummed with nervous excitement when the time for his class neared.

Except he wasn’t the vampire waiting for us in the classroom.

A dark-haired male with turquoise eyes stood in his place, his black jeans and matching T-shirt stretched tight across a body made of solid muscle.

Lycan, my mind guessed immediately as I dropped my gaze to the ground.

He introduced himself as Master Khalid and promptly reorganized the pairings in our class. He placed me with a male closer to my size—my former female partner was notably missing—and put the two massive men together again.

Then he went into a lesson without any comment as to Master Cedric’s absence.

Not that I expected an explanation. I was a human, not an equal. But it took every ounce of willpower not to ask.

Maybe this is temporary, I thought.Maybe he’ll be back tomorrow.

Except he wasn’t back in the next class.