Chapter 7

We've been driving in silence for over an hour. Z and I keep exchanging glances every so often. The atmosphere isn't unpleasant, but I feel a sense of loneliness wash over unexpectedly.

Kian's expression is dark. He hasn’t said much of anything other than 'let's go' all morning, and had avoided looking at me. It didn’t come as much of a relief at all, despite how I'd always wanted him to stop.

"So, tell me about these nightmares."

It was the first he'd spoken directly to me all day, yet, he had to dive directly into the sore spot.

"There's nothing to tell."

He sighs, annoyed.

"There obviously is," he says. "What are they about?"

"It's none of your concern."

"Like hell it is!" he snaps.

I jump in shock, and even Z seems surprised by his outburst.

"Just leave it," Z says.

Kian looks like he is about to say more as I see his eyebrows raise in the rear-view mirror. I feel the fear rise again and begin curling in on myself.

When had my fear left?

I had been scared of him ever since I could remember.

Had it been the moment we'd shared this morning? The feel of his arms around me as he'd tried to comfort me?

"Now's not the time."

Thank you Z!

Kian's eyes shift to me.

"We will be talking about this."

Why couldn’t I keep my mouth shut? Curse this stupid courage that reared its head back home. I should've stuck to the silent treatment; it had worked better for me.

***

It takes a few more hours to reach the Academy, and we stopp for lunch briefly. This time, I opt for silence—how else can I protect myself?

Where Kian may usually ignore or dismiss my silence, I can now feel the anger rolling off him in waves that spike even more when I stop looking at him.

He seems vulnerable, and I can’t crack. I can't shake the feeling that this may be a way to get me to open up, and I'm not going to reveal my nightmares to him. His vulnerability may trick me into revealing my weaknesses.

This vampire wants something from me; I'm not about to let my guard down and let him break me.

Kian's voice snaps me back to the present.

"You'll be staying in the building over there Alex. Zero will be over there."

We pass by several, somewhat excessively, large buildings as we enter the academy's grounds.

Kian gestures with his hands but I follow Z's gaze instead. He nods, but sends a glare his way notheless.

I am relieved when we stop and get out to stretch my aching muscles.

While I look around, I can't help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu, like I've been here before. It feels familiar, yet our family didn’t travel far together.

Sure, mum and dad travelled for work. A lot. Especially as we become older, but we couldn’t have gone more than an hour away from home.

A cold tingle wiggles its way through my spine and I turn, to see Kian's gaze on me.

He doesn’t seem angry in this moment, more curious than anything else. And it's this that has me confused.

"What do you think?" he asks softly.

Z rolls his eyes at me and goes to get our things.

I cast my eyes over the grounds. It's covered in a blanket of snow.

There is a large, aging building that appears as though it has been converted from a mansion. The stonework looks old but is well maintained. The windows are new, probably changed to double glazing to preserve what heat is inside.

In the distance I can see the start of a treeline and fight an overwhelming urge pressing me to go to them.

Kian notices my interest.

"Does anything seem familiar?"

"Why would it? I've never been here before," I say, and clamp my mouth shut.

Why was it so easy to talk to him these past few days?

For now, I just want to get inside.

"Z," I call.

His head pops up.

"Yeah?"

"Can we go?"

"Sure. Let me just grab your stuff."

I move away from Kian, who has been edging closer, and am quickly beside Z to grab my suitcase and follow him up the stairs.

"You'd have thought it would be more access-friendly," I grumble, dragging my case up each step.

Z doesn’t appear to be faring any better.

"I didn’t see the need to ruin it. There's another access point around the side," Kian says, keeping pace.

I frown.

"What?"

"This used to be my family home," Kian says.

"You own this?"

"Yes."

When he does briefly turn to me, there is a deep sadness in his eyes. He must notice my questioning look, and I try not to seem so fascinated.

"This is the place I lost everything important to me. I haven’t been back for some time."

I look at Z. He's busy trying not to look as though he's listening by paying too much attention as he hauls his suitcase up the steps.

"This place was once very special to me. I thought it was just my parents I had lost, but it turned out to be so much more."

"I didn’t know about your parents…"

This is awkward.

"I never told you," he says.

His face tightens.

"This is the person your parents want you to see."

On the top step, a woman, perhaps a little older than our parents, waits.

"Mara," Kian greets stiffly.

I am shocked to see myself in her. She looks almost like an older version of me.

Her hair is wild like mine, even though it is tied back into a tight ponytail, and whips around her face as the wind picks up. Her eyes are similar, brown, though she has green tinges at the edges, and her body is not unlike my own, just more muscled, like mum.

"Al-Lexi," she corrects mid-sentence. "Pleasure to meet you."

I grasp her extended hand and feel a jolt of electricity shoot through me. She's another person in my ever-growing list of familiar faces and places, and, for a moment, I can see her much younger face smiling down at me.

I shake my head a little as I retract my hand.

"You're the shrink?"

I can't help my words and my brain-to-mouth filter fails. I'm feeling oddly exposed and I've no idea how to make the feeling go away.

Mara only smiles.

"I wouldn't exactly call myself that, but I've been around vampires and hunters my entire life. Part of my job involves damage-control for the unfortunate individuals who have bad experiences."

Z head snaps to her.

"Z?" I ask.

"Hunters?" he says.

Mara meets his eyes.

"Didn't think you were the only ones?"

"Hunters—"

"Mara," Kian's voice is a warning.

She turns to his scowl, though her face only hardens.

"We should get to your rooms. Zero you'll be staying over there."

Mara gestures to the same building Kian previously mentioned.

"Someone will be waiting to escort you."

Z looks around for a moment.

"I guess this is the part where I leave?" he says, hugging me. "See you later Lex," he whispers. "Call me if anything weird happens."

He gives me a long look, before making his way to his assigned building.

"I can take Lexi to her building," Kian says.

Mara raises her eyebrows.

"No need. She will be staying in the outhouse close to me."

"I don't think so."

"Don't argue with me Kian," she says as I wish for the ground to open and swallow me.

"She stays where I put her," Kian warns. "And I've put her close to me."

"Lexi, go inside for a moment please, you look cold."

I nod gratefully, and bolt, but I keep my eyes on them. They talk animatedly for a few minutes, before Mara's shoulders shrug and slump.

"Alex," Kian calls. "Let's go."

"What I f I don't want to go with you? "

"Alex," he warns.

He runs his hands through his hair.

"I don't know why you're so interested in me, but I know what you are. I don't want to be alone with you."

"Alex."

He isn’t happy.

Mara simply looks at him.

"Fine," he snaps. "But I will be coming with you."

I follow Mara, with Kian trailing behind, to the second accommodation building, across from Z's.

I find it old-fashioned that the genders are separated, though the Academy has some modern renovations, it remains an traditional-looking place.

It doesn’t take long to reach my room. I open the door to reveal a small living area.

"The bedrooms are to the left. You only have one other girl staying with you," Mara says. "She's nice and I think you'll get on well."

"You didn’t," Kian says sharply.

"Of course I did. I knew you wouldn’t allow my previous suggestion."

"I'm going to get some rest," I say, starting to closer the door after taking the key.

"Lexi, you should come and see me once you're settled in. Here's my number."

She hands me a piece of paper with her name and number delicately scrawled on it. She winks and leaves with a worried expression.

Kian remains where he is.

"I'm going," I say.

He shifts uncomfortably.

Finally, he sighs when I begin to close the door again.

"We will be having that chat, Alex."

I'm tired and irritable. All I want is to lie down and sleep.

"I'm not sure how you plan on doing that."

"Alex, Alex," he says. "I never said I was leaving. I'm attending classes here too."

And with that, he walks off.