Bloodlust (The Blood Series #1)

Chapter 22

Andrea has never been this angry with me. She wasn't even this mad that time I accidentally torched her entire collection of Malibu Barbie Dolls when we were five. At first she rants like a maniac for at least 30 minutes, then she leaves me at the school and drives home. Later on she bombards me with texts and when I stop responding she comes by my house to call me names and demand the truth. I don't give it to her though, I can't. I'm starting to have a new found sympathy for Nathan when I interrogate him.

At school she either ignores me or glares at me with her you're dead to me look. I hang out with Jody who I had apparently spend time with that weekend I ended up with Nathan. Jody is pretty nice and really chill but she's no Drea. I miss my best friend and wish I could tell her the truth. Besides Jody is one of those girls who isn't smoking just cigarettes. I can't come home from school smelling like weed so I basically just hang at home which sucks because my mom keeps bugging me about that therapist she is forcing me to go see. She has made the appointment for Thursday and I'm dreading it in advance. The things I'm currently dealing with aren't exactly typical teenage problems.

The week has been pretty crappy. The Andrea situation is putting my mood down enough but Nathan and I are also fighting. He insists on being overprotective idiot and won't even discuss the Oliver situation with me. As if all that wasn't enough our school that loves to throw parties and festivals is preparing for the Halloween Fest we are having next month. Everyone is gushing about their costumes and the entire school is being decorated. I'm not excited though. I've got enough going on with me without fuss at school too. By Wednesday I already feel like jumping up the walls simply for being in such a hyper vigilant state all the time.

Everyone in school has started to notice that Nathan and I are hanging out. Wherever we go, stares and whispers follow. I know I should be used to it by now since I've been pretty much the talk of the town for this month but it still bothers me. Nathan doesn't care, to him they are all just bystanders but to me they are more. They are the children of my mother's colleagues, or the neighbor's of my dad and Amy. They know me, they always have and I'm getting sick of hearing muffled conversations about my love life. Most people seem to think that I'm going through some kind of a phase. Once I hear two freshmen take bets on how long it will take for me to get my first tattoo. Needless to say I'm at my wits end.

I try to make up with Andrea but she's not having it. I find her in the school the next day and when I walk up to her, she starts gathering her things. "I gotta go, I'm meeting up with Oliver", she says without looking at me.

That completely railroads me. "What? Why?"

Drea casts a condescending look at me. "Well, when you transfer classes in the middle of the semester, there's a lot of catching up to do. Oliver was kind enough to agree to tutor me."

"I can tutor you", I offer too eagerly. The vision I had earlier is haunting my mind again. I cannot let Andrea stay alone with Satan himself in a small classroom after school. I'd be practically handing her over to Oliver.

Drea rolls her eyes annoyed. "Haley, you and I, we're fighting. I don't want to spend time with you until you tell me what the hell is going between you and Cal."

"I don't want to fight with you", I say truthfully but avoiding the question and she notices that. She lets out a huff and glares at me. Andrea does her famous close up line and tosses her hair.

"Well, you should've thought of that before you slapped my boyfriend so hard that his cheek is still glowing red."

She's exaggerating of course, no slap will be visible after three days but it's true that Callum's face still looks a little sore.

"Drea, I'm sorry..." I start to say but she's already gone. As I watch her go I wonder how am I going to save Andrea from Oliver when we are not even on speaking terms or better yet save her from her own stubbornness.

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I spend my free time in the library learning about demons and fallen angels and all that. Most of it seems like complete garbage. I mean, there is no way Oliver can levitate. I'm not buying it. There has got to be something still normal in this world.

"Hey", Nathan says as he sits down next to me. I'm as usual in the library, three huge books in front of me. "What are you doing?"

I slam the book I'm currently reading shut. "Nothing."

He raises his brows at me. "In all of the time I've known you I've never seen you do nothing. It's physically impossible."

I lower my voice and try to sound sexy and mysterious. "Let it go, Nathan. You don't want to know, it's too dangerous, I'm handling it with my connections to the dark side while super snobbishly ruffling my perfect hair", I huff.

At first Nathan just stares at me dumbstruck like no one has ever made fun of him before. Maybe no one has. Then he asks incredulously: "Are you trying to impersonate me?"

"Annoying, isn't it?"

He chuckles and kisses me. "You're insane, Roberts."

I smile at him lazily. "Right back at ya, Blood. So what's up?"

"Not much. I came by to see if you needed a ride home. I had a feeling you'd still be here."

I check the clock on my wrist. It's already six thirty. I'm late for dinner. "Yeah, I should probably get home", I agree and load my hands with my books. After I've checked out my books, Nathan and I walk out of the library. It's dark outside and I find myself missing for the warmth and light of summer. A cold breeze makes my hair fly in front of my face and while I push them back I miss the movement in the shadows.

"Where are you two love birds scurrying off to in such a hurry?"

Oliver steps out from the shadows. Oh crap, I think and when my brain truly registers what I'm seeing before me I feel even more worried. Oliver is dressed in a V-shaped black T-shirt and matching black jeans. But none of that shocks me, the two pitch black wings sticking from his back do. He is walking towards us with a crooked smile and I don't have to use my Seer insight to know that he's up to no good. He has never looked as much like a fallen angel as he does now.

Nathan shoves his car keys into my hands. "Haley, take the car and go", he commands.

"But..."

"Haley, car, now!" he barks.

For once in my life I just obey and make a run for it. I'm almost by Nathan's car when an excruciating pain hits me. My body is paralyzed and I drop to my knees screaming like I'm dying. Oliver has used his special ability on me, I recognize the pain from my nightmares. He's by my side and grabs me. Then I feel my feet dangling in the air. Oliver is flying - and he's taking me with him!

Just as I start to worry that he'll fly me over to an ocean and drop me there, the movement of his wings stop and my feet meet a solid ground once again. We are now standing on the roof of the library. Oliver's arm is around my waist and he has positioned me in front of him to stop Nathan from attacking from afar. To get me Nathan needs to get close to us, to Oliver's reach. He's luring Nathan into a trap.

"Nathan, don't!" I yell as I see Nathan starting to charge for me. "It's a trap."

"Of course it's a trap. And you're the perfect bait", Oliver laughs and I can feel him kiss my head to piss Nathan off. "I just might drop her. Or maybe I'll kiss her. Which will bother you more?"

Nathan yells something that I can't make of due to the howling wind around us but by his expression I can deduct that it's nothing friendly.

Oliver smirks. "It bugs you, doesn't it? That I'm all she ever dreams about. That I'm on her mind, not you. I bet she even moans my name in her sleep", he taunts Nathan and even this far I can see how Nathan's expression hardens.

"Motherfucker, I'm warning you", he growls through together pressed teeth. "Let her go."

Oliver makes a chiding sound. "Careful now, you don't want your precious Haley to see what a vicious killer you really are. Well, to not see it again. I've heard that your fix-it-all vampire is out of business for the time being and this time poor Haley would remember how you tore my heart out."

"That'd be hard to do since you don't have one", I point out quietly. My head is spinning. What is Oliver saying? Has Nathan killed someone in front of me? He has warned me that the truth is more gruesome than I can bear, is this what he meant? Or is this another one of Oliver's games?

Oliver's eyes flicker to me. "Always with the sharp comebacks. A smart mouth like that will someday soon get into a lot of trouble", he says seductively winking at me. I shudder without meaning to. There seems to be a double meaning in everything he says and for once I don't want to decode the mystery thrown in my way.

Nathan is shaking too, not with repulsion but rage. "If you touch her, I'll fucking kill you."

Oliver puts a hand over his mouth and his eyes go wide in a mock horror. "Okay, I won't touch her", he agrees kindly, lets go of my waist and I scream as I fall, my clothes and hair swaying in the air. Nathan curses at Oliver and does something that freezes me in mid-air like a bubble in a fishing bowl. Then I'm slowly put back to the ground. As soon as my feet are back on steady soil Nathan is next to me, pulling me to him. "You okay?" he asks and I nod but I know my terrified eyes are giving me away.

"Haley, let's go", Nathan says and reaches for my hand. His death grip nearly breaks my fingers but I don't complain because I understand that he needs to feel me close to him after what just happened. I'm still shaking too.

Right before we get into Nathan's car I hear Oliver's voice. "You should really hold tighter onto your little girlfriend. I've already got her in my arms once... How hard do you think it'll be to get her again?"

His cold laugh rumbles through the night, chilling me to the bone.