Red Dawn (6 page)

“What? Can’t handle the pressure?” I ask, giving him my most dazzling smile. He’s not fooling anyone. Nik likes a challenge.

We take seats in the middle of the bus and watch as more students file aboard. I look up just as Jade ascends the stairs with Trey in tow. She spots Nik and heads toward us, rudely evicting the girl sitting across the aisle so that she can take her seat. Evidently Jade’s not worried about looking like a bitch in front of the new guy. Maybe he’s already seen that side of her. Or maybe her willingness to provide regular whorgasms free of charge is enough to make him look the other way. Either way, I suspect we’re in for an eventful evening.

Jade gives me a dirty look as she settles into the newly vacated seat and I wonder if she can read minds. Wouldn’t that be just my luck? Not that I care if she knows what I think of her anyway.

“I don’t think we’ve met?” Trey asks, reaching across the aisle to shake my hand. He’s not unattractive and I can see why Jade would be drawn to him. They’re two of a kind. His sandy blonde hair is styled in a blowout not unlike any number of teen pop singers and he’s got the whole too-thin-emo thing going on. He definitely puts off the bad boy vibe, but I doubt he’s really dangerous. His is the look of someone used to getting what he wants and who knows that daddy will always be there to clean up his messes. If Jade has a heart, he’ll undoubtedly break it.

“We haven’t, but your reputation precedes you,” I reply, shaking his outstretched hand. As a matter of fact, Trey’s all Jade ever talks about anymore. It’s a relief when she sits with him to feed so we don’t have to listen to her obsessive babbling. “Katia Lescinka. And this is Nikolai Petrov.”

“Lescinka?” he asks, looking surprised. I guess Jade doesn’t talk about us when she’s with him. No great loss. “Any relation to…”

“Yes, he’s my great uncle,” I cut in before he can finish the sentence. The look of interest on his face doesn’t escape Jade’s attention. She tries to hide her irritation, but her jawline hardens noticeably, giving her away.

“Nikolai is quite the maze rat,” Jade tells Trey, ending any further discussion of my lineage. Unconcerned with the lack of privacy, she curls up against him and begins rubbing his thigh. “If you want to win, you’ll have to finish quickly.”

“That’ll be a first,” Trey smirks. He tilts his head at Nik as if to say ‘you know what I mean’.
Gross
.

I throw up in my mouth a little bit and Nik looks equally disgusted. Not only is Jade’s new boyfriend a troublemaker, he’s a pig too. Yep. Definitely going to be an interesting night.

**********

Nik and I enter the maze side by side, but once we’re in he takes the lead. I don’t protest. I just grab Nik’s hand. My game plan is simply to keep up with him, which I hope to do by holding on tight. Moving as quickly as we dare in view of the humans, we cut through the maze without a backward glance.

It’s a crisp New England night. I greedily suck in the country air, enjoying the rawness of it all. Although the moon is waning, the sky is filled with brightly twinkling stars which provide ample light for our keen eyes. I try not to think about the fact that I’d rather be hunting and pocket my flashlight as we trample through the maze, squashing the remnants of corn that were cut down to clear the path.

The walls of the maze are even taller than I’d remembered and I recall how easy it is to become disoriented since everything looks the same. I’m thoroughly impressed with Nik’s ability to correctly chart the way. If I were in the lead here, we’d have had to turn around about a hundred times by now.

“How’re we doing?” I ask. Left, right, left, left, left, right. I’m utterly at a loss. It’s impossible to tell if we’re making good time, but I’m pretty sure we are.

“We?” Nik asks, glancing over his shoulder at me. He’s been so focused he’s barely noticed my presence. It’s quite obvious I’m just along for the ride.

“Just because I’m bringing up the rear doesn’t mean I’m not an equally important part of this team!” I challenge him.

“Of course you are.” He grins and tugs me around yet another corner. Why people enjoy these mazes is absolutely beyond me. Seriously, what is the point? “Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, you might be the most important member of this team.”

“Oh? How do you figure?” It’s obviously not due to my stellar sense of direction. He’s probably mocking me. Again.

“Proper motivation. You don’t kiss losers, remember?” Nik turns around suddenly, stopping only when our mouths are inches apart. My breath comes out in small puffs, mingling with Nik’s in the cool night air. He kisses me softly on the lips. “For good luck.”

“Tease.”

“Don’t worry, Katia. There’s more where that came from, but first…”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I return, sighing loudly. “Maze first.”

We continue through the maze at a breakneck pace. Right, left, right, right, wrong turn, left. Before I know it, we emerge on the far side of the maze. I can hardly believe my ears when Professor Lynch gives us our time: seventeen minutes and forty-one seconds. I wrack my brain and recall that it took Shaye and me nearly an hour last year, and that doesn’t even count the time we spent fighting with Jade at the halfway point.

“Congratulations, Nikolai!” Professor Lynch says, clapping Nik on the back. “That’s a new record for you! I have a feeling you’ve just put another victory under your belt.”

“Here’s hoping,” I respond, studying Nik’s face. He looks pretty pleased with himself and why not? He clearly enjoys the challenge. At least one of us does. This whole maze thing doesn’t do much for me. I’d much rather be punching something, but to each his own.

“I knew you were good luck.” He picks me up and spins me around victoriously. It’s totally out of character. For both of us. I don’t really think of myself as the kind of girl who guys spin around. I’m more like the kind of girl who dropkicks those guys. But maybe I could get used to this. For Nik.

We hang around for a while, watching as other groups exit the maze and collect their times. I think Nik is secretly waiting to confirm that no one has beaten his time, although he’ll never admit it. I’m getting restless waiting around. And a little hungry. It’s hard to ignore the sweet smell of human children as they bounce out of the maze pushing and shoving. Not that I’d ever harm one, but still, I have to admit they smell yummy. I jerk my eyes away from the maze and do my best to tamp down my hunger and redirect my thoughts. I wonder how Shaye’s feeling and hope we can wrap this up soon. I’m anxious to head back to Crossroads so that I can check on her.

Lost in thought, I don’t pay much attention when Jade and Trey exit the maze. Not until Lynch calls out their time of sixteen minutes twenty seven seconds anyway. I curse quietly under my breath. I can’t
freaking
believe it! A quick glance at Nik confirms that if I hate losing to them, he hates it more. Damn stagger start. It’s hard to know where you stand until everyone finishes.

“I can’t believe it,” Nik says, shaking his head in disgust. “We made record time and they completely blew us away.”

“It looks like we have a new champion this year!” Lynch calls out good naturedly. “And with a record time!”

“Better luck next time,” Trey taunts as he drapes his arm over Jades shoulder. They both look quite smug. It’s not a good look.

“Time to go.” I grab Nik’s hand and drag him away before either of us can say anything incendiary. Nik looks pissed and I’m already on work detail. I’m not looking to extend my time in the kitchen filling blood taps and clearing tables. Actually, I’m kind of proud of myself for exercising such restraint. Any other day I might’ve wiped that look right off Trey’s face. With my fist. It occurs to me that I may have a problem with anger management.

“I don’t understand it,” Nik bitches. A stormy look settles on his face as he vents his frustration. “How did they do it so fast?”

“Beginner’s luck?” I suggest, trying to lighten his mood. No sense dwelling on it. I’m surprised it’s bothering Nik so much. It’s not like him to let such a little thing get under his skin. Unlike me, he’s usually cool and calm.

“Doubtful.”

“Never pegged you for a sore loser,” I tease, wrapping my arms around him. “You’re not going to let this ruin your night, are you?”

“Of course not,” he responds grudgingly. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Chapter Eight

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” I ask Shaye doubtfully. She’s fully dressed and determined to attend the masquerade downstairs. “Three hours ago you couldn’t even leave the room.”

“Miraculous recovery,” she tells me as she applies a garish red lipstick. I watch as she runs a comb through her sleek hair one last time before putting on her wolf’s ears. I’m not buying the miraculous recovery, but she’s putting on a good show. “You’re just stalling because you hate costumes.”

She’s not wrong about that. I hate the idea of wearing a costume. For me, every day is a masquerade. For better or worse, pretending to be something I’m not has become a way of life. I only agreed to go to this stupid dance because I figured Nik was likely to finish the maze in first place and the winners are required to attend. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I look down at my costume and groan.

“What the hell was I thinking when I agreed to this?”

“What? We look great!” Shaye reassures me as she spins around to show off her own costume.

In keeping with the tradition of irony, Shaye’s talked me into going as characters from Monster Academy. As if it’s not bad enough that I’m dressed as Draculissa, she’s also managed to get me into some very clunky platform shoes that are not at all designed for comfort. I miss my flat, knee high boots already and we haven’t even left the room yet. Naturally, Shaye’s going as Clawdette Wolf since they both have a deep love of fashion. I wouldn’t tell Shaye, but I’m pretty sure Clawdette is the better dresser.

“I’m chalking this one up to temporary insanity,” I tell her as I reach down to buckle my too shiny shoes. Thankfully, Shaye’s love of pop-culture isn’t contagious. Still, despite my looming humiliation, it’s a relief to see Shaye is feeling even a little better.

“Whatever. If you don’t like it, you could have gotten Nik to dress up with you,” she returns.

“Yeah, I don’t think Nik and I are the matchy-matchy kind of couple.”

“So you admit that you’re a couple?” she giggles looking pleased with herself. Huh. I walked right into that one.

“No!” I begin to protest, but one look at her and I abandon the effort. I’m not going to win this one. “Well played, Shaye. Well played.”

We head down to the dance and I’m again impressed by the job the staff has done at transforming the school. It’s hard to believe this haunted house with all of its cobwebs and candelabras serves as an institution of learning by day. I hope the staff is reusing the blood fountain from last year. It may be gaudy, but I’m famished and need to get my hands on a pint.

“The staff’s really outdone themselves,” I comment as I dodge a screeching bat and duck into the dining hall where the party is already in full swing.

“I know, right?” Shaye shouts in response.

When I glance back at her, she’s hopping on one foot while adjusting the shoe on the other one. She looks ridiculous. Only Shaye. Her next words are lost in the pulse of the music. Blaine’s spinning again this year and techno music fills the room, reverberating off the walls and drowning out the need for conversation. Not that the student body has much need for words, judging by the scene around us. The hall is packed and everywhere I look there are bodies writhing to the music. I’m not much of a dancer myself, but Shaye doesn’t share my inhibitions. She begins bopping to the music as we cut through the crowd and I have to suppress a smile. Smooth dancing is not an inherent vamp trait. Shaye’s movements are jerky and unnatural looking.  It’s quite possibly the most awkward vamp dancing I’ve ever seen and that’s saying something.

“Thirsty?”

Nik’s words are barely audible, but the glass he offers speaks for itself. I grab the goblet eagerly and devour the contents. It has a gamey flavor and I’m guessing it came from a recent hunt as opposed to the school livestock collection.
Yum
. I don’t bother to wipe the trickle of blood that runs down my chin. Any other day it would be unsightly, but I figure it’s appropriate tonight. After all, I am Draculissa.

“Nice costume,” Nik says, eyeing my patent leather shoes. His eyes linger on my legs and I feel a telltale blush heating my face.

“Don’t ask,” I reply menacingly, as I shift from one foot to the other trying to relieve the incessant pinching of my toes. New shoes are the worst, not that I have any intention of ever breaking these in. They’re going right in the trash when this thing is over. “And why aren’t you dressed up? It hardly seems fair!”

“But I am dressed up,” he responds, hooking his thumbs in the pockets of his boot cut jeans. He hasn’t changed since running the maze. Not that I’m complaining. He looks good in the fitted navy sweater. It brings out the blue in his eyes. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Not so much,” I shout, narrowing my eyes questioningly.

“I’m a Crossroads Academy student, sans uniform.” He smiles and the dimple in his cheek melts away any lingering embarrassment from my own ridiculous costume.

“Pre section 8B? Clever. Why didn’t I think of that?” I grumble as he pulls me onto the dance floor. I glance back at Shaye and decide she’s perfectly content with her spastic solo dancing. Besides, if I know anything about her, she’ll be tracking Keegan down soon anyway. All members of the staff are required to help serve at school events. I make a mental note to hunt him down and say hello myself. I don’t get out to the stables much with my busy schedule and it’s been a while since I’ve seen him.

As we lose ourselves in the sea of sweaty bodies, I’m relieved to see that Nik’s forgotten about the whole maze thing. He’s focused entirely on me and the longer we dance, the more difficult it becomes to suppress my longing for Nik. Our bodies synch up, moving in rhythm with the music and with one another.