I just stared at him, heart pounding.For a moment, I even forgot to breathe. But then my lungs started to burn from the lack of oxygen and I hastily turned away from him to gather my wits and took a deep breath. "It looks like they're finally about finished with the running." I commented as I stood up.It was a good thing that everyone was just about done. It gave me a good excuse to break away from those darn blue eyes of his that seemed to be able to see through anyone's heart. I wasn't used to having someone look at me like that and whenever he did I didn't know what to do. I just didn't have the mental defence against him. It was worse when he did it on purpose just to make me flustered."Everyone, pair up with someone you've never paired up with before." Joe commanded. "And you five are not allowed to pair up either," he added, gesturing at the royal quartet and me.The five of us glanced at one another and sighed. I looked around as people began to get into pairs and my eyes ca
I woke up feeling tired and hungry. I had hardly slept, waking every two hours almost. It was exhausting. I didn't know what was wrong. I shouldn't have been that on edge. After all, this place was a resort where royals frequented which meant that there was plenty of security here. And yet for some reason I was still feeling high strung. I couldn't shake the feeling that something really bad was going to happen at some point on this trip.There was something or someone dangerous here.I was sure of it.But was it a danger to everyone here. Or was it a danger to a select few people here. That I didn't know."Oh wow… you look worse than when Els first wakes up." Roxy commented in surprise. "Are you alright, Kai?""I'll be fine after some food and coffee." I told her reassuringly. "I just didn't get much sleep last night.""You have about ten minutes before we're supposed to be at breakfast." Ingrid informed me as she gently tugged me out of bed and shoved me into the bathroom.I got rea
I was a little late in getting to the music room. Trying to find my way around was harder than anticipated. I'd tried to memorise my way around last night during our tour using the pictures and various details on the walls to help my navigation of the place but it wasn't so easy after all. By the time I reached the music room my head was hurting from trying to find my way around."I was beginning to think that you'd reconsidered spending a full hour with me, chick.""It is an absolute nightmare navigating this place." I complained as I closed the door behind me. "I do have a name you know. Chick isn't going to cut it.""I rather like that term until I find a more suitable nickname for you.""Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like whatever name you come up with." I sighed in exasperation, throwing my hands up. "We're going to set some rules for the next hour. No unnecessary invasion of my personal space, you get five strikes before I walk out on your ridiculously flirtatio
The guardians on duty informed us to start calming down about two hours after the dancing began. That gave us enough time to wind down before heading back to our rooms and get an early night in preparation for the task the guardians had prepared for us. If I remembered rightly, the task was a shorter version of the Senior year 'protect-your-charge' task where we would have to protect the charge assigned to us for a certain amount of time. It was a practical test to allow the students to know what the job entailed and what the task of protecting a charge would mean.Before the night was over and as some students went back to their rooms first, Quinn took over the piano completely and Axel took the lead for a dance. I could tell after having danced with various other students tonight, that the way Axel held me occasionally had a much more mature feel to it. It was in the way he touched, the subtle teasing strokes of his fingers, the way his eyes could do crazy things to the body, and th
Once we reached deeper and deeper into the woods, Sarah seemed to be more aware of her surroundings and stopped stumbling around everywhere. Travis and Sarah appeared to work quite well as a pair. Perhaps the fact that they've probably known each other for a few years already helped with their cooperation. Either way, I was glad that she wasn't being difficult. From the way that she had spoken earlier about how it would be a given that I protect her, I was scared that she might be someone really tough to handle, but so far things seemed to be going rather well and we had already managed to obtain three stamps within half an hour. Judging by how difficult everyone made this exercise sound, I would say that getting three stamps within that time slot was normal.We had until dinner time to try and collect all ten.That meant we had another three hours to try and collect the other seven. But it would only get harder as the afternoon wore on. We would grow wearier from each fight against t
My parents formed a perfect team. Almost anyone who knew them was aware of that.The fact that they were a shadow-kissed pair probably helped with that. But it wasn't just that. I could remember Aunty Jules telling me stories of back when they were in school together and how even back then there seemed to be something that bound the two of them together. Call it fate. Call it chemistry. Whatever it was, it made my parents a fluid fighting duo, never getting in each other's way.I could remember Maria sharing her stories of how the two of them were always just so in synch with one another.They were also amazing parents.They never spoiled me too much. But they weren't unfairly strict with me either. They always seemed to maintain the perfect balance in life.They did what they had to do to protect family.No matter the cost."Raymond, the others need to know. We have to tell them.""Amelie, what are we supposed to say? That the Strigoi who killed you all those years ago wasn't just fr
The phone hardly got through the second ring when the line went through."Before you go into some kind of a rant, I need you to take a deep breath, Ali."There was a pause. Then I heard him take the breath. Then he released it. I could almost see the tension leaving his body just a little bit."Better?""A little," he told me. "How are you, little sky? You have no idea how much I wanted to come straight to where you are when I heard about what happened.""Oh? What kept you away?" I asked teasingly, purposefully adding a lilt to my voice. Not that I would have ever expected to wake up to see Ali, but the thought of him being the first face I saw after the situation I'd just faced calmed my anxiousness a lot."Jules threatened to cut an entire year's wage if I took off.""A whole year? That sounds a bit much, even for Aunty Jules.""Well... she started with a week and continued to keep adding until I stopped walking towards the vans."I whistled. "Gosh, it took them a lot to keep you aw
"Excuse me?" I spluttered.I'd expected a dozen other questions to come out of his mouth but definitely not that. I tried to lean back as his hand reached out towards my waist but soon realised my mistake. He'd set himself up perfectly so that I couldn't run away. He basically had me against the wall."Please?"I was startled by the sincerity in his voice. He really wanted my permission for some reason and soon enough I realised the true meaning behind his words. He wasn't really asking if he could touch me. Not in a sensual way. No. He wanted a confirmation of his suspicions the same way that Drew had that time he burst into Martin's office.Our eyes connected when I stared at his face. There was no judgement and no sense of menace. He simply wanted to know. But more than that, he wanted my permission to know. In our current position, he didn't have to ask for my permission. He could've easily pulled my shirt up and seen the Ivashkov mark. His earnest respect for my privacy in turn s