Half Blood Rising novel Chapter 4

She had spoken in a perfect Ukrainian accent, but I suspected she wasn’t from around here. Humans or even supernaturals in the city didn’t look like her, and they didn’t use that kind of language. Panic settled in, but I was trying to stay calm, at least on the outside. She wouldn’t dare do anything to me in front of the waitress. I had one knife on me, but my hands were a little stiff.

Right now, I wasn’t in the best of shape, and she was staring at me with curiosity. Her aura didn’t seem frightening, so I calmed down a bit.

The coffee assistant mumbled something in Ukrainian and left. A bead of sweat ran down my face as I stared at my unexpected guest. I understood a few words in Ukrainian: the orders and basic pleasantries, but I normally struggled to have a conversation with someone in the language.

“Hello, Jaymin, it’s nice to finally meet you,” the woman said, smiling at me. “You don’t have to be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”

This time, she spoke in a perfect English accent. She was definitely from the United Kingdom; I was certain of it. She was also very beautiful, with short red hair, but I had no idea what she was now that I was seeing her up close—fae maybe, or a shifter. She couldn’t possibly be a vampire, because of the way her skin shone in the light. Her makeup and clothes were immaculate: it all fit perfectly. I knew I would never look like that.

“Who are you, and what the hell do you want from me?” I asked, maybe a bit too abruptly. I had done it again. My little problem: I had a big mouth.

“My name is Catherine Oldman, and I have been watching you for quite some time,” she introduced herself, reaching out her hand and expecting me to shake it. “My school is interested in someone like you.” She had a nice manicure, too. Magic rose from my tiptoes, and I was too shocked to shake her hand.

The waitress brought our drinks. I was so damn thirsty that I didn’t wait for her to offer it to me. I grabbed the glass and drank half of its contents. The lemonade was delicious and very refreshing.

After I was satisfied, I felt a bit embarrassed as she was watching me, amused. I seriously needed to watch my manners from now on.

“Lady, I have no idea what school you’re talking about, but I’m not interested,” I said quickly. She said she had been watching me for quite some time, but I’d been careful. This wasn’t something I wanted to know. In the past few weeks, I’d witnessed many strange individuals around the city.

She lifted the glass and sipped from it gracefully. I caught the scent of my own blood as it wafted in the air around me. I really needed to have a shower; the smell bothered me.

“We are preparing vampires and other creatures for Saint Kilda Elite Academy. We only select students if we see potential in them. One of my contacts has been in this city for a long while, and he told me about you. We believe that you have what it takes to pass the trials for the Elite. Obviously, getting into Kilda isn’t going to be easy, but while in our school, Moonlight Academy, you will gain all the necessary skills to acquire a job in any supernatural firm afterwards.”

Shock riddled me speechless for a long moment. She couldn’t be serious. No one from the street could get into Kilda. Most of the time, supernaturals needed to come from a wealthy background. That school was only for the elite, the best of the best, and I had no idea that any other academies existed at all.

“I’m sorry, Miss Oldman, but I’m a rogue. I follow my own rules. I don’t think any school would be a good fit for me,” I said, finishing the refreshing lemonade. I was afraid that this may be a trap, that the council members would possibly barge in here at any moment, and I’d end up in prison.

She only smiled, then placed her hand on my arm, and I instantly wanted to pull back. Her magic calmed me down, though. Damn it, I’d never felt better; the anxiety was fading away quickly. Melody had the same sort of skills, but this was even better. Oldman had incredible talent. And yes, she was definitely fae. I could sense it by her energy.

Most humans, as I’d read about in a hidden library, had no idea that this other world existed, that there were vampires, witches, fae, and other creatures on Earth. We just blended in, and if a human learned of our existence, his or her memory would normally be wiped away by one of the council members. I learnt that part the hard way.

“You have killed many dangerous fugitives, and you have quite the reputation amongst the council members,” she said. “No one knows who you are—well, no one until yesterday, right?” My heart began thumping louder inside my chest as memories of Tristan and the werewolf floated through my mind. She couldn’t have known about the werewolf. By that time, Tristan was supposed to have disposed of the body. “The council has your profile and they want to bring you in. I am your only chance to get away, to make them forget about your existence, at least for now.”

I pulled my arm away, breathing hard, and trying to think straight. I hated being manipulated, but she was making me feel vulnerable. The truth was, I had no plan. She was partly right; I was done in Lviv, there were only so many places I could hide. The council member had seen my face, and Tristan, well, that gig was up. I was unemployed and still homeless. I dragged my hand through my greasy hair.

“What’s the catch? I mean, there must be one if you’re just offering me a place there. What do I need to do in return? Kill someone, maybe kidnap a person?” I asked, wanting to know upfront what I was signing up for. Over the past four years, I’d been dreaming of an opportunity, or even a job offer. I’d taught myself everything I knew, and I didn’t believe in charity. There was always a catch—nothing ever came for free.

“You’re right, for now we require your commitment. There may be certain tasks that you might be required to do in the future,” she added, “but everything will be outlined in the contract that you would have to sign. Let’s say, a disclosure agreement between you and the school.”

“A contract? How long is the contract?” I asked, truly not convinced about this whole thing. But then again, I would have a roof over my head and food in my belly every day. No more homelessness, and no more killing in order to survive. This sounded so much better than the alternative. I had nothing: no plan, or direction.