The Young and Gifted

69. selfish

The hallways were decorated with blood and gore, screams echoing off the walls. Ric shuddered with disgust and horror because they never stopped. Not once. There was a much more terrifying revelation that crawled slowly under his skin and he was too scared to think about it longer. 

Rapid footsteps emerged in Ric's line of sight and Dorian stood there with a crossbow. "Where is he?"

Ric held his finger to his lips, slowly glancing around. And as he expected, a blurred figure flitted through the dark hallway, charging for Dorian. But just in time, Caroline appeared and collided against the vampire before he could reach him and the force of the impact made them crash against a window. She hissed and pinned him down to the floor. No matter how much MG struggled to break free, he had nothing on Caroline's years of being a vampire. She was much stronger than him. "Ric," she snarled.

He quickly ran to them, pulling out a syringe. Without hesitating, he injected the substance into MG's neck and before they knew it, he was out.

*

Jade had left the moment she discovered Ric was in the hospital. She didn't even bother telling MG. After the party, it seemed that MG was still hungry so she suggested the hospital, the hotspot for bloody humans. By the time they all returned to campus, the vibe at the school was off. The students could see it in the teachers but no assembly was called to talk about it.

Jade cleaned up, taking a long warm hot bath. She watched the trickles of blood sink down the drain and then stepped out into her room in a towel. She neared her bed, picking up the camera. She watched the clip she recorded and grinned at MG tearing an arm off before feeding on it.

The door burst open and she hid the device under her pillow. Kaleb growled as he demanded, "What did you say to him?"

Jade rose her eyebrows. "Come again?"

"I know you fucked something up. You literally give me crazy vampire bitch vibe so what did you tell MG?"

"I told him the truth because you couldn't. Is that so bad?" She cocked her head aside with an amused expression.

He scoffed and shook his head, pacing around the room. "Whatever. You screwed things up. Where even is he?"

Jade shrugged and tossed him the camera. "There's your virginal friend."

The clip played and never in his life did Kaleb think he'd be standing in this position. "What the fuck is this? That's not MG."

She snorted. "He flipped his switch. He was that angry at all of you. You guys must be shitty friends." Jade rolled her eyes and dropped the towel, wandering into her closet to pick out her clothes. "It was like taking candy from a baby. So easy to manipulate."

Kaleb huffed but didn't say anything as he turned on his heel and left the room.

*

MG woke up in one of the cells under the school but the one thing that was evident to him was the hunger. He tried to flit up but chains pinned him back. He began to restlessly yank at them but nothing ever moved.

"Nullifying chains," a voice said. "It doesn't just work on witches, it nullifies magic so you can't use your vampire strength."

He turned to her, eyes falling to the majestic being standing behind the bars. She had a radiant glow and he would have blamed it on the lighting but the basement was dim. She was gorgeous. He knew that even if she was soaked in blood, the statement would never change. "Lizzie." MG didn't realize it then but his switch had flipped back. That was how much power she had over him, that was how much he loved her. He couldn't see himself being a monster in front of her, despite what she did.