Tainted Blood (43 page)

I slid the door open and found that all of the stainless steel water bottles that had been tossed into the closet—the ones that had been mixed with the dirty laundry—were gone. However, the laundry remained and on top of the pile I found one of Oliver’s black hoodies. I tentatively reached for it, unsure if I should touch it. Then I quickly gathered it in my hands and pressed it to my face, breathing deeply. God, it smelled like him. I dropped to my knees and hugged his sweatshirt like it was my last lifeline.

“Let’s go, Laney!” Carter called from the front door. I stuffed the sweatshirt into my backpack and hurried after my friend.

We had a new topic for the week, but Mr. Morgan wouldn’t divulge what it was until we completed a short test to see what vampire information we had retained. It was very similar to the quiz we’d taken the previous week and I was certain I’d aced it. Professor Amber, who had changed into a more conservative dress, collected our tests and took a seat behind the desk with the pile of papers while Professor Morgan leaned against the front.

“Our topic for the week, students, is the werewolf, also known as Lycanthrope, or more commonly the Lycan,” Professor Morgan told us with some enthusiasm. He rubbed his hands together and continued, “Just as we did last week, I would like for all of you to take a short quiz to assess your knowledge on this subject.”

He grabbed a stack of papers from the corner the desk. Amber glanced up at him briefly and then returned her attention to grading our vampire tests. Mr. Morgan, our demon-halfling teacher, passed out the werewolf quiz and we quietly got busy answering questions.

The questions were rather similar to those on the vampire quiz. Like the first one, it asked how many types of werewolves there are.
Is there more than one type of werewolf?
I wondered. My answer was “One” but I was now very curious if this was correct. The next question asked if werewolves were shape-shifters. I answered “Yes.” I wasn’t feeling overly confident with my knowledge of Weres, and I’m sure it reflected on my quiz.

The last of the questions asked if there was a cure for a werewolf bite. I glanced over at Carter, who appeared to be working confidently. Then I returned my attention to my own quiz and wrote my answer. “No.”

Once our allotted time was up and all of the quizzes had been turned in to Mr. Morgan, he passed them on to Professor Amber. After we all collected our notebooks, he began his lecture, and the class jotted notes as he spoke.

Professor Morgan told us about the different types of werewolves (there were four) and what elements weakened or killed them. He told us that werewolves mate for life, just as vampires do, and he also told us that werewolves date
far back
into history.

He paced as he spoke, gesturing with his hands as he told us about Lycans and it was hard to focus on the subject at times knowing that Mr. Morgan was half demon. I didn’t even know what that meant. Did demons come from hell? Was there really a hell? If there were demons, did that mean that angels existed, too?

Professor Morgan took up a spot on the corner of the desk as Amber busied herself filing the tests and quizzes away, and I wondered when we would get to see our results.

“You know,” Professor Morgan continued. “It is said that Zeus was known to disguise himself as a wolf—”

“Professor Morgan, must I remind you of your own rule not to speak of Greek Mythology?” Amber said from the filing cabinet.

An amused smile touched his lips and he cupped his hands together. “I do apologize for my own indiscretion.” After rubbing his hands together again, he pushed away from his desk and continued, “I thank you for listening so intently. I will now leave you to study for the remainder of our scheduled time.” He nodded to the class then took his leave.

Amber watched him go, then her eyes fell on Carter and me. “Miss Alexander. Mr. Thomas. Would you mind helping me pass out the texts for this evening?” She gestured to a crate of books on a table against the wall.

We gathered armloads of thin, gray books, and while I took one half of the room, Carter covered the other half. After we passed out the last of the books, we took our seats.

“Your main text is beneath the table there,” she pointed under the table where the crate of werewolf books had sat. “You are welcome to review the text from those as well, but I assure you that everything you need to know on the current subject is covered in the volume in front of you.” She took her place behind the desk once more and busied herself.

I figured Carter was learning nothing new; he was flipping the pages with very little enthusiasm. I
,
on the other hand, was learning plenty of new information about the Lycanthrope species. For instance, I hadn’t known there were four types of werewolves, whereas vampires only had three. Werewolves had purebloods and half-bloods, after that they considered the line to be diminished enough that they weren’t pure anymore. That didn’t make much sense to me but I continued reading. They also had something similar to a mixed-blood vampire. A mixed-blood werewolf was one that had been bitten, but unlike the offspring of a mixed-blood vampire, a mixed-blood werewolf offspring has all the same restrictions as their parent.

As our two-hour class was coming to a close, Mr. Morgan returned and took his place in front of Professor Amber at the desk once again. “I trust that you had plenty of time to absorb the information you needed for the evening?”

The class murmured, and Professor Morgan continued but I missed what he said because at that moment Carter leaned toward me and whispered, “Hey, Lane. Do you think zombies exist, too?”

I stared at him for a moment, thinking about it, and then whispered back, “I really hope not. That would suck.”

“No kidding,” he replied in another whisper.

“I’m sorry,” Professor Morgan said very sarcastically, and our attention immediately turned to him. “Is my teaching getting in the way of your talking?” He was directing his question to me and Carter.

“No, sir,” Carter responded, and I shook my head in response.

“Perhaps I should separate the two of you, again?”

Crap!

“Do either of you have a question?” he asked us.

I said no, but Carter said, “Well, actually, I was wondering…” he trailed off and glanced at me for support. I gave him none.

“Wondering what, Mr. Thomas?”

“Are zombies real?” he spit out.

Without missing a beat, Mr. Morgan said, “Zombies are always a possibility.” Troubled murmurs filled the room. “Settle down,” Professor Morgan called out. “There is nothing to worry about. We have a Zombie Outbreak Response Team on standby at all times.” Carter and I shared a look. The fact that
they
felt the need to have a response team on call at all times was actually not very reassuring.

Carter asked nothing more, and Mr. Morgan carried on. “I will be in the classroom for the next hour if anyone is interested in staying. A few of you may benefit from the extra time, and knowledge. Other than that, I will see you Thursday.”

The class began to file out. We stayed seated and Carter leaned toward me. “You wanna stay, don’t you?” he asked.

I nodded and said, “Is that okay?” He grinned sideways at me and I took it as a yes.

I snagged a book from under the table, the one that was full of many different creatures, and returned to my desk. I opened to the section on demons and quietly showed Carter. He then got up and retrieved a book for himself.

The info on demons was pretty short. The first sentence stated that demons lie and that they enjoy telling tall tales. It then said that demons were often known as evil angels. Well,
that answer
ed
that question.
I continued reading,
soaking in all the information I could. A demon was a fallen angel who had failed to complete the task bestowed onto him. Then I found a little info on demon-halflings.

Unlike their cousins, the Nephilim, demon-halflings have no supernatural abilities and tend to be bitter, vengeful creatures.

Nephilim?
I wondered.
What the heck is a Nephilim?

“Carter,” Professor Amber called in that delightful voice she had, and it drew our attention away from the book. “Would you mind helping me take a few of these boxes to my chambers?”

Carter and I shared a look. Carter had been right about Amber living on campus. She told him it was just down the hall and that it would only take a moment. They left a few minutes later, leaving me alone in a small, windowless room with a demon-halfling.
A bitter, vengeful creature.

I focused on my book, holding it up far enough that Mr. Morgan wouldn’t be able tell what section I was reading. I kept my finger on the werewolf page just in case I needed to flip to it quickly.

I’d finished reading the demon information and was trying to slyly turn to the section on angels for more information. After I read about angels I planned to find out what a Nephilim was. But I wasn’t going to get a chance to read either.
“You seem to have a real knack for this, Miss Alexander.” He said my last name in a weird way, like it hurt him to say it or it tasted bad, but I blew it off.

I looked over the top of my book at him. “I’m sorry?” I said in the hopes that he hadn’t seen me jump when he’d spoken.

“I was saying that you seem to have a knack for the paranormal. I was just going over your test and your
quizzes
. You are doing exceptionally well. I am especially impressed with your written answers.” He stood and rounded his desk, resting against the front of it. I flipped to the werewolf section. “Have you ever considered teaching, or maybe writing?”

I set the book down on my desk, werewolf section up. I really hadn’t put any thought into either of those professions. Honestly, I hadn’t put much thought into what I wanted to focus on as a career. I’d always felt lost in that department, and it wasn’t that I didn’t have the drive. I loved to learn, and I learned quickly when it was something I was interested in, but I just hadn’t found anything that captivated me. Until now.

I wasn’t sure teaching was for me. Kiera was in the works to becoming an elementary teacher and that seemed to suit her. I didn’t think it was for me. Writing, on the other hand, seemed more interesting. But what would I write about? My life? Who would want to read that?

“Well,” I began, “I’ve never put thought into either of those professions.

He smiled and I wondered if he was lying about me really having a knack. “I think that you would be very successful at either one,” he continued.

“Thanks,” I said and returned the smile. I wanted to believe him. I was a bit excited about this new prospect. Even though I wasn’t quite sure what I could do in the paranormal field, especially as a writer. The books were already written. It wasn’t like that needed to be done.

“We’ll talk more about it later,” he told me as Carter and Amber returned.

“Talk more about what?” Amber questioned.

“Oh, I was just telling Miss Alexander that she seems to have a knack for paranormal studies.”

“I see,” Amber said with an air of curiosity. She turned her focus to me. “Is this something that might interest you, Delaney?”

I felt like I was on trial. Why were these people so curious about my future, about my interest in this subject and what I could do with it? Then a thought occurred to me.
Mr. Niemus, the academic counselor
.
He’d gotten to them
.
I guess that’s what I get for blowing off his
list of goals assignment
.

I stumbled over my words a little as I responded, “I-I might be.” I didn’t like all of this focus on what I would do with my future. It was mine to do with as I pleased.

Professor Amber took a seat in the desk next to mine, sitting elegantly with her ankles crossed and her knees to the side so that she was facing me. “Dear, if this is something that you are serious about pursuing I would be glad to instruct you.” I was almost certain that I heard a hint of excitement in her voice.

“Oh!” Mr. Morgan exclaimed. “What a delightful idea! Professor Amber is an expert in paranormal studies, among many other things,” he boasted.

“That is quite enough,” she said with a smile and turned her attention back to me. “I have had plenty of time to focus on the things that interest me.” She turned away then rose from her seat. “I believe our time is up here.” she said, then went about putting things away around the classroom.

Carter and I reluctantly returned our books. I was slightly irritated that I hadn’t gotten a chance to read the section on angels and the other creature. On the other hand, I was a little excited about talking to Amber about a life in
paranormal studies
.

Mr. Morgan wished us a good night as he slipped on his blazer. He tucked an old, ratty-looking book under his arm and the book caught my eye.

“What is that?” I asked.

“Oh, this ol’ thing?” He glanced at the book under his arm. “Nothing that would interest you,” he said with an uneasy smile. He grasped the handle of his briefcase and headed out the door.