Solasta Academy: All Hallows Eve

Chapter Twenty One

The club returned to Calia's dormitory disheveled and bruised but alive. She was relieved, to say the least, but the hollowness in each of their eyes made her want to destroy everyone who ever hurt them, starting with Coach Gideon. The others were quiet as she and Arzhel sat them down in the living area, which did not help Calia's nervousness. She sat on the couch side with her arms crossed over her chest, and in the corner of her eye, she saw Arzhel stare at her cleavage. Clearing her throat, she set her arms on her knees and began speaking. "I don't need to ask who is behind this, do I?" she inquired. "Gideon was behind all of it. They did this to you?"

None of them spoke for a few minutes. Until Lottie clenched her jaw and nodded once, which was answer enough. "It was him. He...uh said he planned to hurt us before Blackwood killed him."

"Fuck," Arzhel swore under his breath.

"I don't care if he's a ghost or not. He's going to regret putting his hands on each of you. You have my promise he will get what he deserves...again." Calia breathed as if it was her last day on Earth.

Lottie smiled sadly at her; for a moment, she could see the real her. The one she likes to hide from everyone except for those closest to her. Lottie was the type of girl who was kind to everyone, albeit a bit on the wild side, but she wasn't a bully. Somehow, when she was taken by a group of Vampires and forced to do unspeakable things, she changed. Why wouldn't she? Calia didn't care much about what Lottie did when she was first changed, but she liked Lottie now, which was good enough. And Torin...well, he was curled up in the corner like a child, and her heart broke into a million pieces at the sight. Gone was the confidant yet lazy boy she grew to love over the past few months. One hour of being tortured by Gideon brought him back to the time those Vampires used him, and that hurt the most because she knew that kind of pain. They all have similar experiences but survive despite it.

When she glanced at Elliot, it looked like he was ready to pass out from lack of sleep. He was staying strong for all of them, but she could tell he was exhausted and needed a lot of rest—just like Jade—who was already dozing off on the couch. Her short black hair was messy, and she slowly moved over to where Elliot sat and placed her head on his chest. He stilled for a few seconds before slouching down and petting her strands. Jade sighed at his touch, and Calia quickly looked at the ground. She felt like she was interrupting an intimate moment between them.

Arzhel stood up and walked beside Calia, placing his blood-stained hands in her own. "We are going to let all of you rest up. If you're feeling better, you can still come to the party tonight. After the circumstances today, you don't have to."

"We're going to the party, Koen," Torin whispered with quiet authority.

The boy next to her nodded once. "Okay. Get better, or I'll kick your ass on the field. Same with you, Whitlock."

Elliot curled his lips into a mock smile. "I'd like to see you try."

Goddamn males, Calia thought.

Arzhel barked out a laugh before waving them goodbye. He gently pulled her out of the dormitory, and she waved at her friends before turning around again with a puzzled look. "Where the hell are we going? Shouldn't we be with our injured friends?" Calia asked as she furrowed her brows.

"They'll feel better once we get out of their hair," he confessed. "All of them don't like fussing whenever they're hurt." At that, she nodded in understanding. Of course, each of them would hate her fussing over them or healing their wounds. The other group members survived on their own for years so that they could handle a couple of bruises and cuts. Even so, Calia worried for them. She always would since they blasted through her life like a strike of electricity, And she loved every minute of their wildness. "Now, what do you need?"