Hunted

Chapter 43

My parents stand with their suitcases in hand, and in-between them, slouches Aiden in a police officer's uniform, a smile creeping up his face. Skin isn't peeling away like it always is in my dreams, but it looks like it's about to. He must have covered it up with my blood.

My instincts finally catch up with my fear and I draw my stake. My fangs quickly click in with my talons. All my teeth take on a sharp edge from my fox.

"Let's not get all defensive here, Miss. Embers." Aiden's slick voice carries across the death quiet room.

"Aiden!" I screech before I lunge at him. He barely has enough time to raise his hands to try and block me before he's on the ground with an angry Vampire pointing a stake at his heart.

"Elizabeth! Get off of him!" Ms. Keefe's shocked voice snaps me into reality. I blink a few times in confusion. Aiden's face transforms into a softer one with blue eyes and blonde hair. A terrified face stares up into my eyes.

I quickly jump off the police officer and step backwards a few times, completely horrified at what I'd just done. I run into Ms. Keefe who puts her arm around me protectively.

"What did you see?" She whispers in my ear.

"A-Aiden." I sob out. I fall to my knees and cover my face with my hands. Fear laces through my body and mixes with the adrenaline, creating a very emotionally unstable Vampire. I almost killed that man because I thought he was Aiden. I almost killed that man because I thought he was Aiden. I almost killed that man because I thought he was Aiden.

My bloody tears leak through my fingers and onto the tiled floor. My sobs eventually fade to hiccups, but I refuse to take my hands away from my eyes, afraid that I'll see another fake Aiden.

"You let a child carry weapons on campus?!" I distantly hear the police officer yelling at Ms. Keefe.

"Sir, I don't think you understand our program." Ms. Keefe impatiently explains how the school runs.

"You kill Vampires?! But she's obviously one!"

"She's not rogue for one, and for two she was bitten on a Hunting." Ms. Keefe snaps back.

"Alright, I'm not here to investigate the school. I'm here to put this... Child in the hands of her parents." He growls and changes the subject.

I take my hands away from my eyes and stare at the police officer. His face is red and his hair has been mussed up as if he's run a hand through it. Mom and Dad still stand by the door, frozen in shock.

"And anyway, this doesn't seem like a safe environment for such an unstable student." He points out.

"You don't know her story, so don't accuse!" Ms. Keefe almost yells and the man shirks back.

"I can't leave." I rise to my feet.

"You have to. If your parents want you to, you will." He barely even glances at me.

"I can't leave." I repeat. "Aiden's going to come and kill everyone and I won't be here to stop it." I mumble and stare blankly ahead, my vision going black again.

"Who is Aiden?" He finally turns and his eyes widen as he takes in my eyes.

"A boy who took my blood and injected it in himself, causing him to be even more powerful than me. I went and tried to kill him but..." I trail off and the blackness disappears.

"What?" He shakes his head. "Just never mind."

"You can't let her leave! Her parents have no idea how to take care of a Vampire!" Ms. Keefe begs.