How to Cure a Vampire Bite without Losing Your Mind
Chapter 8

Raechel’s jaw dropped. “He actually didit?”

“Yes.” And then I proceeded to abuse Orcus in as manylanguages as I knew, which actually happens to be quite a number. Raechelwasn’t a bit miffed at my outburst. It was how I’d reacted in the alcove thathad her flummoxed.

“But why would you do that?”

“Because I didn’t wantit.”

“I thought you said he was good,” she protested.

“He was,” I admitted. “I still didn’t want him to actually kiss me.”

Raechel huffed. “You should have thought of that,shouldn’t you?”

I explained about my mother’s phone call and Orcuswanting to know what she’d said, and the ultimatum he’d given me in the alcove.She wasn’t as much miffed by the physical harassment as she was the fact that Ididn’t appreciate it.

“And you didn’t take him up on it?”

“I was debating whether or not to answer. I mean, itwould piss off my mother, but at the same time I live to be his nuisance. He was wonderful, but it wasn’t a mutuallyconsented . . . thing. I mean – ”

“But you enjoyed it?” she interrupted.

“Yes, but that’s not th—”

“Do you want him to do it again?”

I hesitated. “Erm. . .well – ”

“You do,” Raechel said definitely. “You enjoyed it, you’ddo it again, and I told you to snog him a monthago; this is all your fault.”

“He cornered me!” I insisted.

“You went into the alcove first.”

“I was trying to hide.”

“You knew he was trying to catch you up.”

“Stop victim blaming, Raechel,” I snapped.

“You know I’m right,” she retorted. “And you’re alsoright, that was shitty of me, and I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.”

“I still think you should roofie him and just get it overwith.”

We were in the safety of our dorm room, thankfully, sothis conversation was private. About as private as it could get, anyway, withSebastian sitting in the room; he didn’t look very happy.

“You’re supposed to be a trained assassin,” he groused. “Youcouldn’t have fought back?”

I looked at him quizzically. “What’s got you in such astate?”

“Nothing,” he snapped. “What state?”

I rolled my eyes. “Never mind.” Picking up a book, Ithrew it at him and said, “Read.”

“I don’t want to.”

“If you’re going to last any length of time here, you’vegot to learn to read.”

Sebastian huffed and opened the book, the unhappy scowlpainted even more deeply on his face. “He already had his week.”

I almost groaned. Seriously? That was his issue? “Why are you worried?” I sniped. “It’s not likeyou’ll get any closer.”

Sebastian stared angrily at me a full minute before hethrew the book away, wrenched open the window, and jumped out.

Raechel and I exchanged glances, and then bolted to thewindow just in time to see him land in the quad and start off in the directionof the river – Orcus’ general hang-out spot. Raechel and I were frozen for agood moment, the looks of many stunned students imprinted upon our minds. Andthen we jolted back to life and ran out the door, down the stairs, and throughthe quad, following Sebastian as close and as quickly as we could. For reasonsunbeknownst to me, Raechel made a detour through the cafeteria, but caught upin no time. Being shorter than the vampire wasn’t helpful, but we were betterfit and lasted much longer. Even so, by the time we were close to catching him up,he’d approached Orcus.

The latter was surrounded by his posse, and even if hehadn’t been, the look of pure confidence on his face wouldn’t have been anydifferent. Orcus didn’t need seven other boys to protect him; he did just fineon his own, I was evidence of that. Personally I’m convinced that most peoplewere subconsciously terrified of dying a slow and painful death should theyattempt to harm him; combined with Orcus’ natural charm and intelligence,Sebastian didn’t stand a chance.

We slowed to a fast paced walk, and the closer we got themore distinct the words became.

“Why,” Orcus was saying, “should I sacrifice my time foryou?”

“It is an important issue,” Sebastian replied stiffly.

“Importance is relative,” Orcus rejoined lightly.

Even as far as Raechel and I were, I could seeSebastian’s jaw muscles working. “It is in regards to –”

“Sebastian!” I shouted. “Stop!”

He wheeled about, face contorted in rage. “No.” He turnedback round to face Orcus, whose face had gone from gently amused to aware and alittle furious. “A word,” Sebastian growled as Raechel and I shuddered to ahalt next the group.

Orcus stood slowly. “Very well. This way then,” His gazelanded on me. “No, Tourney, you may not accompany us.”

“I wasn’t going to ask your permission,” I returned.

Orcus eye twitched. “Your attempts at interference willbe pointless and futile.”

I snorted. “That’s all you know.”

Orcus did know. He knew very well I was a lost cause. Hetried often and valiantly, for whatever reason never giving up hope, but in hisblack hole of an ego, he knew it wasn’t worth the fight. At least, I’d beentelling him so for years. Didn’t mean he believed me; as he says, it’s allrelative.

Orcus nodded once to Owens, and then motioned Sebastianto follow him. As they stalked away, about fifty feet or so, Owens pushed meand Raechel down into the position previously occupied by his boss. I watchedthe boys keenly, hoping against hope that they wouldn’t break into a fight. It’dbe impossible to moderate if they got going, and Madame Ghost still didn’tknow, let alone the Head or the Director. It was Raechel’s secrecy andMichelle’s desire for Orcus that kept it quiet. Orcus himself was too secretiveto entrust anyone with anything if it didn’t have some benefit for him.Personally, I was notorious with the staff for objections to their disciplinarypolicies, and, in any case, the deal with Sebastian was too precarious andstill too mysterious to allow authority figure involvement. Owens had likelybeen silenced by Orcus, and probably a good thing, too. He had a tendency,Owens did, to let loose, especially where his tongue was concerned. If he wasshutting up it was because his boss had put him on the straight and narrow andwasn’t letting him off it.

The boys in the distance were both rigid and formal, thearrogant look on Orcus’ face, his trademark, now beginning to reassert itself.Sebastian’s shoulders were sagged, and he turned away. Orcus moved to followhim, but Sebastian suddenly veered about, his fist slamming into Orcus’ cheek.

I was almost overcome with anger. The flap-mouthedpopinjay! I wanted to hit him! Whodid he think he was? He couldn’t just steal my chance at satisfaction! Well,obviously he could, as he just had, but I’d wanted to score that punch!

Orcus obviously hadn’t expected it, and had reeled underthe impact. He was recovering now, and he looked like an angry bull. Sebastianappeared very much aware of the fact he’d made his rival quite angry, as he wasspreading his feet, planting himself in such a manner that he was ready to box.I knew that was the furthest thing from Orcus’ mind.

He feinted a swing, which Sebastian attempted to block,and then delivered a blow to the vampire’s stomach that caused the latter todouble over. I made to intervene, but Owens caught me about the waist and heldme fast. My arms were pinned to my sides, but I wasn’t completely useless. Ibrought my right foot down on his instep, my left foot down on his knee, andwhen he buckled, my elbow cracked his mouth. Raechel, who is the best back upto be found anywhere, helped to depose the other six boys, and then we wererunning to Sebastian’s aid.

Orcus had him on the ground and was doing what he couldto make Sebastian into a decent clinic case, so there was really nothing elsefor it. I tackled him and we ended up sprawled a few feet away. It wasn’t muchbut time for Raechel to pull Sebastian to his feet. Orcus pushed me aside withease and was up on his feet in a second. If only the delay hadn’t given Sebastiana much-needed advantage: He charged Orcus and tackled him again, this timesending them both rolling downhill towards a bit of marsh.

“That didn’t exactly go the way it was supposed to,”Raechel observed. I rolled over onto my stomach, watching as the boysdisappeared down the hill.

“Come on!” I grabbed Raechel’s arm, and launched to myfeet, giving chase to the two squabbling morons.

The embankment was slippery, more so than I’d recalled,and very soon Raechel and I were sliding our way to the bottom. The boys wereat it already, Sebastian this time having the upper hand. It was, as I’ve said,a fight with Orcus; invariably Sebastian had to lose. And he did.

The vampire’s arms were tight around Orcus’ throat, butthe school sociopath was slippery at best; he elbowed Sebastian’s wind-pipe,and when the hold around his neck had loosened Orcus wriggled out of thevampire’s grasp and began to pummel him again. I was making my way as fast as Icould towards them and just as I was getting close the sounds and shouts thatusually accompanied authorities reached my ears. In the next moment severalthings happened in very rapid succession.

First, Sebastian pulled together one last bit of strengthand sank his teeth deep into Orcus’ bicep. Normal people would have howled outof, not only pain, but fear. Normal people would have panicked and tried tofree themselves. Normal people wouldn’t have picked a fight with a vampire inthe first place (although Sebastian did start it). Then again, I suppose normalpeople are not Orcus Locke.

The second thing to happen was Orcus’ act to free himselffrom the jaws of what was likely a very hungry vampire. The look on his facebespoke death and destruction, but Sebastian seemed to get off lucky. One fellblow of Orcus’ fist to the vampire’s jaws resulted in immediate release of theappendage. And then Orcus was on his feet and releasing a hard, decisive kickto Sebastian’s face.

The third thing to happen occurred at this point: Irugby-tackled Orcus. We hit the soft ground with a thud, and Orcus quicklyrolled away.

“What is wrong with you?” he bellowed.

I said nothing, simply straddled him and began to rainblows down on his head and shoulders. As valiant as I’m sure I must have felt,and even as embarrassed as Orcus later was, it was a victory short-lived. Orcustook hold of my wrists and flipped me onto my back, pinning me to the ground.His face was livid, but that was nothing to the look on his face when he wasbroadsided by a savage kick from Sebastian.

Orcus rolled with it, and used the generated force toland himself on his feet. It wasn’t enough; Sebastian didn’t seem terriblyfazed by the pedal blow to his face, and he was moving with a fluid motion. Hewas swinging and Orcus was blocking as well as the best of them, renderingSebastian’s onslaught quite pointless.

I was beginning to feel a bit hopeless, when Raechelsuddenly broke between the two of them, pushed Orcus away, and flung somethingin Sebastian’s face. Both boys stopped immediately, obviously confused.Propelled by said confusion, I meandered over to inspect it, and found myselfmore than a little baffled.

“Raechel, these are sunflower seeds.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you throwing sunflower seeds in a fist fight?”

“It’s supposed to be a distraction.”

I looked between the two idiot boys. “Yeah, I’d say we’reall pretty distracted now.”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s supposed to distract vampires;they’re supposed to be obsessed with counting things.”

I blinked. “Oh.” I looked at Sebastian, who just lookedconfused. “I don’t think it worked. He’s not counting.”

It was Sebastian’s turn to roll his eyes. “It would behelpful if I knew how to count.”

Raechel and I exchanged looks. “Hadn’t thought of that,”she admitted. “But the point here is he is still distracted. Confused, probablyvery disturbed, and a bit miffed, but still distracted.”

“You imbeciles!” someone shouted; Orcus and Raecheldidn’t pay much heed. Mr. Prime, our Head, was muscling his way through thecrowd of onlookers. He stopped when he saw us at the bottom of the hill, tired,very muddy, and an absolute bloody mess. “My office!” he roared. “Now! And noback-talk, Tourney!”