Page 26

AVERY

S aint gave me the silent treatment all day—only showing up when a Drake, (or often, a group of Drakes)—threatened me. Once he backed them down, he went to the back of the classroom and just sat there, ignoring me, while I tried to get on with my work.

As you might imagine, it was a very tense day.

All day long, people were staring at my new Mark—and the ever-darkening hickey on my neck and I swear I could feel them judging me. I couldn’t have felt more conspicuous if I’d been wearing a big scarlet A pinned to my chest.

If only Saint would sit with me , I couldn’t help thinking. If only he’d show some affection—hold my hand or even just sit close enough to brush his leg against mine—I wouldn’t feel so all alone. So outcast.

I’ve tried very hard all my life not to give a damn what anyone thinks of me.

Being LGBTQ in the magic world means developing a thick skin at an early age.

But having people know you’re gay is one thing.

Having them staring and pointing at you and whispering behind your back and giving you disgusted looks non-stop is something else again—a whole new level of hell.

Still, I refused to let anyone see it bothered me. I kept my chin high and brushed my hair off my forehead so my new Mark was clearly visible. I was damned if I’d let anyone think I was hiding it and I was stubborn enough to keep going all day.

But finally, after Supper that night, I’d had enough.

Enough of the stares and the disgusted looks and the jeers and the whispers.

Even though Saint had been following me around and threatening anyone who dared to come after me, I still felt as though I had been basically alone all day in the cruel crucible that is high school life.

I wanted to go straight to bed and sleep and try to forget the awful day I’d had, but I didn’t want to go while Saint was still awake.

So I waited until he went into our room and then sank down, exhausted, on one of the worn but comfortable sofas in the Norm Dorm common room.

After a few minutes, Megan and Griffin came and sat on another one.

“Hey Avery, are you all right?” Megan asked timidly. She and Griffin settled on the couch across from mine and Griffin put his arm around her. He was stroking her long, auburn hair idly with one hand.

The easy affection between my Coven mates made me ache inside with longing.

Why couldn’t I have something like that with Saint?

We had Marked each other, damnit! Other couples who were Blood Marked couldn’t keep their hands off each other but not us.

We could barely even be in the same room together!

“I’m fine,” I said listlessly. An obvious lie, but I didn’t have the strength to dissemble anymore. I was completely drained—emotionally worn out—and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so blue.

“A hard day, was it?” Griffin asked with sympathy.

“Going around with another male’s Mark on my head and his hickey on my neck while everyone stared at me and said nasty things under their breath?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. “Yes, you could say that.”

“I can understand,” Griffin said quietly. “I know what it’s like to be an outcast—a pariah.” Before he had become Blood-Bonded to Megan, he had been framed for murder and Censured by the Council of Elder Others. He probably did know how I felt.

“Thank you,” I said, nodding at him.

“Yes, and we both know what it’s like to be Marked by someone you’re not supposed to be Marked by,” Megan put in. “People are still talking about Griffin and I being Blood-Bonded, even though we broke the power of the Edict.”

The Edict had been a special magical law that kept different types of Others from dating and marrying each other or from Blood-Bonding to each other for that matter.

When Megan and Griffin had gotten together, they had broken the Edict all to pieces and now Others of all kinds were able to be together.

That didn’t mean that people liked it, however.

The older generation still didn’t approve at all and to them, the Edict remained the law of the land, despite the fact that it was now only a concept and had no magical power over anyone anymore.

“That’s right,” I said dully. “Not only have I been Marked by another male, I’m also breaking the Edict. Thanks for reminding me, Megan. My parents are just going to love it when they find out—especially my dad.”

“Avery, you know that’s not what I meant!” she protested. “I just want you to know you’re not alone in this.”

“Yes, I am though!” I exclaimed, sitting up on the couch. “Megan, I am completely alone because the man who Marked me doesn’t want anything to do with me!”

“How can that be?” Griffin asked, frowning. “He accepted your Mark as well—that must mean he wants you, Avery.”

“No—it just means his Drake wants me,” I said tiredly.

“I’m pretty sure Saint’s just going along with the Marking in order to keep him happy.

The same way you’d do or say anything you had to in order to appease the crazy lunatic who had moved into your house and might start killing people at any minute. ”

“But I thought the Drake’s feelings always reflected his person’s feelings?” Megan objected.

“Not in this case, I don’t think,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s not how it seems to me, anyway.”

“Maybe you should just talk to him about it—try to get to the bottom of things,” Megan suggested.

I ran a hand through my hair.

“I don’t think it will do any good. He doesn’t seem to want to talk to me, or touch me, or be seen with me except when some other Drake that his Drake considers a threat comes up.

That’s the only time he comes around me—to warn them off like a dog growling at other dogs to keep them off his favorite bone. ”

Griffin raised his dark eyebrows at me.

“May I say, Avery, that you are full of colorful metaphors tonight.”

“Thanks,” I said glumly. “I’m glad something is colorful about my dull, gray life.”

“Wow—you are really getting in deep, here.” Megan gave me a concerned look. “Why don’t you go to bed early? Maybe a good night’s rest will help things not seem so grim.” She frowned at the hickey on my neck. “I have a feeling you didn’t get as much sleep last night as you should have.”

“You sound like my mom,” I grumbled. “’Go get a good night’s sleep, honey, and everything will seem brighter in the morning.’”

“Well, it will ,” Megan said. “Just try to get some rest.” Her face brightened. “Do you want me to whip up a sleep charm for you?”

“Er…no thanks,” I said, remembering how the disastrous Good Manners spell had gone.

Megan had incredible power, but until she worked on her “little magic” a bit more, I didn’t want to be a guinea pig for her.

She might put me to sleep for a hundred years and I’d wake up with a long white beard like Rip Van freaking Winkle or something.

Griffin seemed to have the same thought because he murmured, “Darling, perhaps it would be better just to let Avery go to bed and try to rest naturally.”

Megan frowned at him.

“I just want what’s best for him!”

“I know,” Griffin said dryly. “So do I.” He looked at me. “Good night, Avery. I hope your night is restful.”

“Thanks.” I got off the couch, still feeling like crap. Hopefully Saint was asleep already so I could avoid the cold silence he’d been giving me most of the day. That way I could go to sleep and try to forget what had—and hadn’t—happened between us.

I was pretty sure that was the best I could hope for.