Page 29 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 3

I suppose you could say I was sleeping before he returned as well , Ryder agreed. I’m so glad you’re here, Julian. Not here in this space, but, you know, here in this existence. We needed Daemon back and he needs you.

Julian’s purple eyes fixed on his face. And he’s glad to have you back as well, Ryder. You share a lot of the same traits, you know? He understands.

Julian gently patted Ryder’s shoulder. Ryder just nodded, a feeling of gratefulness flooding him.

Depending how things go, what about tomorrow to begin your shifting lessons? Ryder asked.

Julian immediately perked up. Hell, yeah! I hope I’m like a wolf or something. That would be cool. Daemon can turn himself into 100 wolves. Watch, I’ll be a kitten. That would be ridiculous, right? No one is like a baby animal, are they? I mean I know we talked about this, but I have to be sure…

Ryder’s mouth curled into a smile at the look of sheer terror in Julian’s eyes that he would be a kitten or puppy though his eyes really did remind Ryder of a baby animal’s at that point.

Don’t worry, Julian. Your spirit animal will be your compliment in all ways , he assured the younger Vampire.

I’m definitely going to be a kitten, Julian deadpanned, but then laughed. Hey, at least, Balthazar will be pleased. He loves cats.

So I’ve heard and seen , Ryder remarked dryly. In all seriousness, Julian, your animal will be spectacular, I’m certain. You might have more than one since Daemon does.

Julian nodded and sighed. I’d be relieved to have one!

You should have seen it when we tried to shift together last time.

We got naked. Which is always fun. But like nothing happened.

Nothing! Well, Daemon finally became his wolf army so I could snuggle with them, but nothing else happened. It sucked.

That sounds adorable. And I would have never thought that of Daemon before , Ryder admitted.

Julian beamed. Yeah, he is. And so much more. But then the young prince shook himself and said, But we’d best get back to it. There’s Christian down the hall.

Ryder urged Julian to go on and enjoy himself. He saw Julian meet up with his best friend, Christian. Christian smiled at him and waved as well.

Caemorn says that he’s not spotted any suspicious behavior out back, Ryder , Christian sent to him telepathically. You?

Caemorn is outside? We have the Ashyr and Fiona’s people outside, Ryder pointed out. Not to mention, Demos and Siban are stalking the grounds in their animal forms.

He felt more than saw Christian’s lopsided smile. He’s not a fan of crowds. Or parties. Or people. Living people.

Ah, yes, Ryder nodded.

Besides, most people are scared of him. He’ll have a dampening effect wherever he goes, according to him that is, Christian added the last part.

You and Balthazar don’t seem put off by him at all, Ryder pointed out.

No, we aren’t. He’s just… Caemorn. I can’t explain it. Julian feels the same. It sounds ridiculous that we want to protect him. He’s so powerful, but he’s fragile too, Christian sent.

Madness runs through his veins like cracks in marble , Weryn murmured.

He is lucky to have all of you, Ryder said generously.

It’s good to have people you can trust when you’re different, Christian told him and it felt like there was more in that statement than on its face.

Yes, it is. Ryder mentally cleared his throat. I’m going to head down to the second floor. I’ll leave you two to patrol here.

Christian made a nod and ended their connection with a mental wave. Ryder headed down the stairs.

I haven’t seen any sign of trouble. Have you, Balthazar?

Ryder asked. He worried that he was becoming desensitized to all around him as nothing was happening.

Well, nothing criminal in any case. My nose is filled with the scent of sex and a myriad of other things.

But no pain or fear or iron determination.

You can smell determination? Balthazar sounded surprised.

Ryder frowned. Yes, can’t you?

Clearly, not! What does it smell like? Balthazar was intrigued.

Ryder drew in a deep breath and filtered all the scents again.

The musky, earthy smell of sex. The acidic, sour smell of sweat.

The sweet fading scent of perfumes and colognes as they were sweated off.

The metallic scent of blood. Not too much of that last one.

And then, of course, were the emotional scents.

Love and lust also smelled of roses and copper to him.

Determination had a hard, stony smell like an old mountain exposed to the elements.

Fear had an acrid, bitter scent that always coasted the back of his throat when he breathed it in. He explained all of this to Balthazar.

That’s absolutely fascinating! Your nose is a marvel! Are all Weryn Vampires able to do this? Balthazar asked.

Yes, to a certain extent. Our animal form–or in my case forms–seem to trigger this ability in us. We aren’t limited by those forms, but whatever heightened sense our animal form has, it is that much more heightened in us, Ryder said.

And because you have all the forms, every one of your senses must be heightened even beyond a normal Vampire's, Balthazar said.

Yes, it seems so.

He glanced down the long hallways to either side of him.

Most of the doors were open, allowing moonlight to flow into the corridor.

The Mirryr were most definitely exhibitionists.

Since they could shift into someone else in moments, he supposed, they never had to worry they’d do something that would shame them or cause them issues.

Again, he drew in a large draught of air.

No fear. No determination. Nothing. Just normal sex-smell stuff. He grimaced.

Where are you? Ryder asked.

Last door on the left. A couple just trundled in here and is blocking the door.

Oh, I’m sorry, it’s a threesome or–or a foursome.

Huh, interesting ways they have of contorting their bodies, Balthazar answered.

I wish Grayson was here to move them out of the way. He could do it without disturbing them!

Ryder snorted. Grayson could have easily done that.

He wondered what the young man was thinking.

Was Grayson yearning for him? Hoping that they caught the culprit early so that the two of them could retire to rare steak, red wine and each other?

But no, Grayson would want to question the potential killer.

He would be laser-focused on finding out what the Sect member knew, exhausting himself and beyond in the process.

He wouldn’t forget how they lost Jill and wouldn’t want to take a chance of losing another one.

Ryder sighed. It would be a long night and not in a good way.

I wish I knew what I was looking for, Ryder admitted. I’m guessing here that whoever is going to attack a student will be acting like a typical Vampire at a party, seeking to separate prey from the group and get them alone–

Which is what everyone is doing, Balthazar agreed. I’m monitoring the chatter in people’s minds. But I’m not hearing anything that would identify our Sect members.

Balthazar sounded quite aggrieved. Ryder couldn’t blame him. For someone like the Eyros Vampire who was used to knowing people’s secret motivations to be so stymied like this must have seemed like being blinded for the first time in one’s life.

If it wasn’t for the information Jill gave us, I wouldn’t believe anything was happening tonight, Ryder confessed. Are all the students accounted for? No one’s missing, right?

They are all here. They’re required to come to every Bloodline party, and we made sure that they were on the premises tonight, Balthazar said, pointing out how one rule had been followed at least.

It would have been an easier task for the Sect member to kill them off premises and pose them here, perhaps, Ryder mused as he strode down the left hallway.

True. But everyone is seemingly accounted for. So the Sect member is here. They have to be. This is where the prey is, Balthazar answered.

Ryder glanced into almost every room and found plenty to see.

He made sure the groaning was coming from willing mouths and that the thrusting, banging sounds were sex and not throttling.

Well, not throttling that wasn’t wanted.

Every single body he saw–lying supine on a bed or riding another person or climbing their partner like a jungle gym–had him thinking of Grayson more and more.

His fangs ached as he imagined biting into Grayson’s throat as he pumped his cock inside of the young man.

He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to push down the lust that was causing his cock to twitch in his pants.

I’m heading to the first floor, Ryder said. All clear up above.

And you need to clear your head, Balthazar laughed. Your imagination is screaming at me with lurid images.

Wonderful. I thought you were just listening to the words I am intending to send you, Ryder growled.

Usually. But I have to have my mind far more open to keep track of everyone. You’re all talking at once! Balthazar chuckled.

You sound very proud.

I am most excellent at what I do, Balthazar purred.

Ryder saw Fiona standing at the bottom of the stairs. She wore a sheath-like dress of silver and black. Her hair was down and undone. Silver sparkles adorned her cheeks and lips. She leaned back against the wall and smiled at him.

“No news, I take it?” She cast her voice very low so that no one could overhear them as he leaned against the wall beside her.

“None. Just a lot of very happy students.”

She chuckled. “Just wait until tomorrow and see how happy their heads feel after whatever concoction the Mirryr gave them wears off. Luckily, it’s an off day from class and other activities.”

“Balthazar really did think of everything.”

Fiona flashed him a big smile. “He’s been a little manic about all this, but I have to admit he really has stepped up and taken charge in ways I didn’t think he had in him.”

“You remember him as Eyros?” He lifted an eyebrow.

“No, I remember him from this life.” She shook her head. “But perhaps my characterization of him wasn’t fair back then either. Though he would call himself a dirty, rotten scoundrel.”

“I can see it, but I can’t.”

“I know.” She nodded as both their eyes followed students and Vampires filtering before them. “But I always imagined what it must be like to be his friend. To be accepted. To be part of a big party of people who want you to be there like I imagined he had all the time.”

“And is it as good as you hoped?”

She nodded. “It is. Actually, it’s a bit better than that.”

Ryder! Fiona! Balthazar’s voice was sharp. Grayson has felt a structure! It’s someone in the basement. They’re going up the back set of stairs.

“We’ve got it,” Fiona said as he placed a hand on Ryder’s forearm.

The teleportation was always a little unnerving to him and he stumbled a little when going from one set of stairs to another. In that moment of discombobulation, he used his other senses than sight. And that was when the scent came to him.

Like a long ago memory.

Of a bitter mistake.

Legion , Ryder identified the smell with the person. Legion is here!