I dialed Bruno’s number even as I broke into a run. I left him a message and then e-mailed Connor, just in case. Isabeau was unreachable in the caves and Christabel was far too new a vampire to be able to safely negotiate the current murky political undercurrents. Not to mention that she wasn’t answering her cell phone. Even Spencer, who I considered conscripting, was off somewhere, feeding. It wasn’t far past dusk, after all.
So there was no one else.
Except me.
And I couldn’t wait. Every moment lost was one more second which might get Nicholas killed.
I had to find Hunter. I had to get off campus. I was so distracted I crashed right into Tyson and we both went flying. He helped me gather up my books, brushing snow off a hardcover volume that fit in the palm of my hand.
He read the title. “You’re doing the homework I gave you.”
“Yes, and it’s the best homework ever,” I shouted, letting him help me up. “And you are the best tutor in the entire world.” I kissed him enthusiastically on the cheek. His dark skin flushed red. I was too busy hurtling off toward the gym to find Hunter to tease him about it. She wasn’t even there. I texted her, darting back to the dorm to get my stuff. She must have texted Jenna and Chloe because all three were waiting for me by the school van, armed to the teeth.
“You look like you’ve been mainlining espresso,” Jenna remarked. “Are your eyes supposed to be that big?”
I just grinned at her, proving her right. I felt a little manic, both thrilled and grim, as if I was going into battle. My hands shook slightly as Chloe shoved something under the back of my shirt. She climbed back into the van and started to mutter at her laptop.
Hunter checked all my weapons and the GPS Chloe had just clipped on me. “You know you’re dumb, right?” Hunter asked. “And so am I for helping you out. Got your Hypnos?”
“Of course.”
Chloe tapped away on the keyboard and tossed us a smug smile. “GPS is locked in. I’ve got your signal.”
“You guys don’t have to do this,” I said, as Hunter slid the door shut and Jenna started to drive. There was a miniature crossbow on the dashboard in front of her.
“I think Hunter already established that we’re all dumb. So yeah, we kinda do.”
I caught her eye in the rearview mirror. “The last time you helped me you got knocked out.”
She actually bared her teeth. “Which is why I’ll wait in the damn van, instead of going in for a little payback.”
I checked my stakes, hanging snugly on the strap across my chest. I knew the guards would take them away. I was counting on it. If they were focused on the obvious weapons, they might not think to check the soles of the specially rigged boots Hunter lent me. They were only a little bit too big. And the retractable stakes and metal spikes were worth the blisters.
“Got your walkie-talkie?” Hunter asked as the van rattled down the country roads.
I patted my jacket pocket. “Yes, Mom.”
She ignored my sarcasm. Quinn probably inured her to all distractions. If she could resist his pretty face and his smart mouth, she could resist a nuclear bomb during exams and still pass with honors. “Got your whistle?”
“And my flare gun,” I assured her. “All in my bag and none of which they’ll let me keep.”
“You need to show more boob,” Chloe tossed over her shoulder.
“It’s freezing out there,” I complained, undoing another button on my blouse. “How is pneumonia sexy?” I frowned down at my cleavage. “Plus, I should have worn a push-up bra.”
“Bloodslaves are supposed to show a lot of skin,” Chloe insisted. “It was on the exam last year.”
I sighed, twisting my hair up into a scrunchie. It was barely long enough, but Chloe was right, I needed to show more skin if I was going to be convincing. And a bare neck would do wonders toward pleading my case. I pushed up the sleeves of my blouse, under my fake-fur vest to display Nicholas’s fang marks on the inside of my elbow. They were nearly healed now and barely visible. I rubbed them viciously, until they chafed and looked raw. It would have to be enough.
“Are you sure I can’t talk you out of this?” Hunter asked.
“If it were Quinn, would you go?” she muttered under her breath in response. “Exactly.”
“I’m a better fighter,” she pointed out, but I knew it was a last-ditch attempt.
“I know,” I said. “But I’m nearly immune to vampire pheromones even without nose plugs and you’re not. Which is the point. He needs more of my blood specifically.”
“Shouldn’t we, oh, I don’t know, actually prove your theory before you go off all Buffy?” Jenna asked as she pulled the van into the woods and drove as far as she could, until the trees grew too close together.
“No time.” I met Hunter’s gaze. “We’re both dating Drakes,” I said. “Between us, we can handle anything.” We smiled grimly at each other.
“Ready?” she asked finally, wearing what I called her “vampire hunter” face.
I nodded and she slid the door open. She traded seats with Jenna, who pulled herself up onto the roof with her crossbow. The moon was full enough to make the trees look silver and lonely. I held up the phone Chloe had given me, already set with a blue blinking dot that was me and a red blinking dot that was the Bower. Connor would be proud of all the gadgets currently stuck into every fold of clothing, including my underwear.