Year One

11

“If you know what’s in your best interest, fear isn’t something you want others to smell.” Cole licked his lips and stared right at my neck. “It makes the predator in a vampire come out.”

Yeah, like that was going to make me feel better. I counted to ten and let my wolf surface a little more. I always felt stronger in that form.

“There you go.” Cole focused back on the road, and soon we were pulling out of the parking lot.

“Where exactly are we going?” Probably a stupid question, but I wanted to know.

“You haven’t even researched to find out the university’s location?” Rage’s voice was filled with disbelief.

“Honestly, no.” I glanced out the window, watching as my city passed by. “I never even considered Bloodshed an option.”

“This has to be a mistake.” Rage groaned from the backseat. “Tell me this is a joke and we aren’t taking her there.”

What happened to Mr. Nice guy? I shouldn’t have been surprised. Normally in my experience, muscular hot guys were always douches.

“No, it’s not.” Cole tapped his fingers along the wheel and glanced back at Rage. “I saw a glimmer of it, but nothing more than that.”

“You do realize I’m right here.” I despised when people did this sort of s**t. Greg and Ian did this to me all the freaking time.

“Have you done any research about the school?” Rage leaned forward, and his dark short hair was now in complete disarray.

No, I hadn’t at all, but I’d be damned if I were to admit it to him. “Yeah, it’s where all the alphas go.” One point for me.

“Gods, is that all you know?” Rage leaned back and threw his hands in the air. “She’s going to get herself killed. Let’s take her back right now.”

“Stop it.” Cole rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You’re being a drama queen.”

“Are you f*****g kidding me?” Rage huffed and crossed his arms. “Who found her?”

I clenched my hands together, trying to prevent myself from punching the guy. He had some nerve.

“What is wrong with you?” Cole’s forehead wrinkled as he messed with the air conditioning knob. “Here, let’s cool you off. It was Isadora who found her.”

“s**t. Okay.” Rage dropped his arms to his sides and sighed. “Then we need to school her before we get there.”

“Oh, how you’ve changed into such a caring recruiter all of a sudden.” Cole chuckled and glanced over his shoulder. “But yea, let’s help her out. I’d hate for her to get eaten on the first day.”

“Eaten?” Seriously. Please tell me he’s kidding.”

“Pretty much, especially if you can’t handle yourself.” Rage pulled out his phone and began typing.

“This school is so much more than what you think.” Cole pulled onto the interstate, heading South toward Chattanooga. “It’s about who is the strongest and smartest.”

“Yeah, like I said, alpha.” The description for the school was what an alpha was supposed to encompass.

“No, you can have a stupid leader.” Cole glanced at Rage. “I mean, look at him.”

“Bloodshed is a university like no other.” Rage leaned forward, turning his back to Cole and his face to me. “There isn’t a set date for your graduation. It’s a series of trials and tribulations. You either graduate or fail.”

“And in some cases, die.” Cole leaned over so he could see me and winked. “Let’s hope it’s not the latter for you.”

“What do you mean by trials?” No one had ever mentioned this before. I was beginning to think I shouldn’t have come.

“That, my dear, is something we aren’t allowed to tell you.” Cole reached over and shoved Rage back in his seat.

“Dude, not cool.” Rage grumbled and crossed his arms. “We can’t tell you what you’ll go through. Each student has their individual needs, and no one student is the same.”

“Think about it. Do you think vampires have the same strengths and weaknesses as any other shifter?” Cole placed his hands on the steering wheel and focused. “Now then, take it a step further. Do you think Rage has the same temperament, strength, and personality as you?”

When he put it that way, it made sense. I guessed there wasn’t a cookie-cutter way to each person’s development. “Still, we would have a few things in common.”

“Right.” Cole glanced at me and grinned. “But not everything.”

The farther away I got from home, the more uncertain I became. I wasn’t sure what to expect anymore.

T

he entire ride to Bloodshed went by both painfully slow and too fast for me. We continued to travel in silence except for when Rage grumbled that he was hungry and we had to run through a McDonald’s drive-thru for his sustenance. He had wanted me to eat some of the food too, but I couldn’t. My stomach revolted at the mere idea of food.

When we cruised through New Orleans, I wasn’t surprised. Even if I hadn’t looked into this university, it would make sense that it would be in a paranormal hot spot. What I wasn’t prepared for though was Cole pulling into Tulane University.

Even though it was dark, with my wolf’s eyesight, I could see clearly. It contained well maintained older buildings, a lot of trees, and an outside feeling all around. Was this some kind of joke? “I thought we were going to Bloodshed Academy.”

“You do realize there are humans that live here too, right?” Rage quirked an eyebrow at me, and humor-filled his eyes.

“Yeah, but …” I still wasn’t following what that had to do with supernaturals.

“Rage, she’s onto something.” Cole’s blue eyes lit, and a predatory grin crossed his face. “Why stay hidden when we could creep everyone out? Maybe we could put a statue of me out here and have blood dripping down my face.”

“Instead of acting like an asshole, you could just explain it to her.” Rage leaned over and punched Cole in the arm.

Despite Cole being smaller than Rage, he didn’t budge an inch. “Aw, did I hurt yours or her feelings? Right now, I’m having a hard time telling the difference.”

“I kind of agree with him.” I pointed to Rage and crossed my hands over my chest.

“Of course, you would.” Cole stuck his tongue out at me. “Shifters before misters.”

“That doesn’t even make sense.” Rage’s forehead creased, and he shook his head.