Mr. Shaw looked me in the eyes and then said with a perfectly straight face, “It’s a useful skill to have. What makes you think I know how to do that?”
I shrugged. “Your prowess and strength? You’re the coolest teacher I know? I’m totally desperate?”
He laughed. “I’ll take ‘prowess and strength’ for my ego and ‘totally desperate’ for the truth. Can I ask why you need this information?”
I winced. “Depends.”
“On what?”
“Whether you’ll try to stop me?”
He regarded me for a moment. “Fair enough. How about this. Tell me the truth and I won’t try to stop you. I will tell you if I think you’re being an idiot, and I’ll be angry if you ignore my advice, but I won’t stop you.”
I thought about it. “Will you get other people to stop me?”
“Do you want to be stopped?”
“No.”
“Then no, I won’t.”
I took a deep breath and told him about traveling to 1888, and about seeing my mom and being chased by the Ripper through Whitechapel. I told him a little about Archer, but not that he was a Vampire now.
At some point during my recital, Mr. Shaw got up and locked the door to his classroom. He gestured for me to keep talking as he started pacing the room. I told him how I’d gone back to 1888 again, and what I’d overheard between Archer and Silverback – about Jack the Ripper, and about Will Shaw.
“Is there anything you want to know about him? I mean, I can ask Archer next time I go back.”
Mr. Shaw’s distant expression came back into laser focus on my face. “About that …”
“If you’re going to try and talk me out of it, don’t bother. I have to go back there and get my mom. I’m the only one who can.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but failed.
“I wasn’t going to talk you out of it. Of course you have to go. As you say, there seems to be no alternative.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me. I’m sure your mother wouldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I am going to give you some tools that will put you squarely in the path of a serial killing Vampire.”
We agreed to meet in his office before dinner, and he told me to wear comfortable shoes for walking outdoors. I shot him a raised-eyebrow look and he grinned. “You don’t think you’ll be safe in the woods with a Bear?” He teased.
“Actually, it’s those Hunters and their crossbows I’m more worried about.”
Mr. Shaw scowled. “You’re right to worry about the Romanians. They’re very bad news.”
“So how come they’re here?”
Mr. Shaw looked me straight in the eyes. “Because apparently St. Brigid’s has a resident Vampire, and they’ve been contracted to find him.”
I dragged my eyes away from Mr. Shaw’s so he wouldn’t see the truth on my face. Which was that I knew where that Vampire slept. Mr. Shaw let his next class in and they filed in past me with curious looks. Someone poked me in the ribs.
“Hey, stranger. First the mean roommate, and now you’re hanging with the toughest teacher in school? You have a thing for punishment, huh?” Olivia grinned at me.
“Mr. Shaw’s a good guy.” He didn’t need me to defend him, but I liked Olivia and felt she should know that.
Her voice dropped conspiratorially. “Of course he is. It’s all these idiots who don’t do their homework who get the rough and gruff stuff.”
“See you at dinner?” she said as she went into the classroom. There was so much smile packed in that little voice it made me happy just to hear it. I nodded and waved goodbye as Mr. Shaw closed the classroom door behind Olivia.
I wasn’t sure what to do next. I couldn’t go to Archer to warn him about the Hunters, and I had no idea where the twins were. The library was my best bet for filling in the blanks that I couldn’t learn anywhere else.
A couple of small study groups were working there, but no one I knew, so I went back to the genealogy books I’d found earlier and settled into a relatively empty corner of the room to read.
I pulled out the Shifter Family tree and realized what I’d missed the first time I saw it. Connor’s mom was Mr. Shaw’s sister. Connor and Logan Edwards shared their father with Alexandra Rowen, so it looked like separate branches of the tree.
Someone blocked out my light and my head jolted up to see Adam standing over me. “What are you looking at?”
“Shifters. I met this kid, Connor Edwards, today.” I pointed to his name then slid my finger across the page to Alexandra’s name. “You must have known his half-sister when she was here, right?”
Adam slammed the book shut and threw it onto the pile of other books. “Come on. Ava and I are leaving and we need to talk first.”
“Where are you going?”
“The parentals suddenly decided we needed a family weekend. They’re already on their way from London. We leave in an hour.”
He walked away without a backward glance for me. I was annoyed, but I followed him anyway. He led me out a side door that put us near the conservatory, and I took off running. Adam gave a shout and came after me, but I had enough of a head start to stay in the lead.
The old apple tree was one field over, so I ran up the stone wall and across the top like I was part cat. Adam swore under his breath behind me as he tried to keep up.
I finally got to the tree, plucked an apple off a branch, and dropped down to sit on the wall. Adam skidded to a halt beside me. “I hate it when you do that.” He really was mad, but that only made me defiant.
“Yeah? Well I hate being ordered around by a surly Seer.”
Imagine my shock when he actually apologized. “Sorry. I don’t know why my parents suddenly felt the need to yank us from school and I really don’t want to go. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
“Why so agro when I asked about Alexandra Rowen?”
Adam looked me directly in the eyes and spoke very clearly, as if making sure I heard every word. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Wow. Major touchiness, which of course meant I wanted to know everything about her. But I somehow managed to bite my tongue and change the subject instead.
“Your note said you wanted to meet out here?” That caught him off guard. “Your note. In your stash?”
His eyes narrowed. “Damn. You found it?”
“Of course I did, you amazingly arrogant piece of work. I told you over-confident people don’t hide things well. Right outside the Seer Tower? Seriously?”
He finally cracked a smile. “And here I thought I was being really crafty. I guess that means I don’t get the kiss?”
“Not a chance in hell, big guy. But it does mean you tell me whatever you’ve Seen about me.”
“What if you don’t like it.”
“It’s not for you to decide. We had a deal.”
He grinned. “Okay fine, I’ve seen you naked in my bed.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You are such a liar.”
“Like or don’t like?”
I bopped him on the head with my apple. “The truth. That’s the deal.”
He laughed. “What makes you so sure that’s not the truth?”
“Because I have no intention of ever ending up in your bed, naked or otherwise.”
“Ow, that hurts.”
“Deal with it.”
He was still chuckling, and I had to admit it made him pretty cute. But every fiber of my being knew better than to ever fall for a guy like Adam. “I’m waiting.”
His expression got serious. “It’s really not a good idea for us to tell what we See.”
“I’m a big girl, Adam. I can take it.”
He took a deep breath and studied me for a moment. It wasn’t the kind of look a guy gives to a girl he likes. It was the kind someone gives when they’re about to reveal bad news.
“I Saw you in London, somewhere by the London Bridge.”
Interesting. “What was I doing?”
“Looking for someplace to hide.”
“From who?”
He shook his head. “I never Saw who. But I Saw someone step out of the shadows and follow you.”
That could be anyone. Archer maybe? Or Slick? “That’s it?”
“You went underground or in a tunnel or something.”
I nodded. This could be useful. “Can you describe the entrance or anything around that I could identify?”
“It was definitely under the bridge because there were pillars nearby. I think it was near some steps or something like that.”
“Cool. Thanks.”
“Thanks? Why?” Adam asked.
“Saves me having to look in the wrong spot.”
“You want to go there?”
I shrugged. “I’ve been looking for my own stash spot. Someplace hidden that’s been around for a couple hundred years.”
“You mean for when you go back? But how can you leave something for yourself?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet.”
“What would you hide there?”
“I don’t know, food, medicine, weapons …” I shrugged my shoulders because I truly didn’t know what I might need in the past. I just hated feeling unprepared.
Adam shook his head. “You’re so … not a girl.”
I scoffed. “First you’re talking smack about me naked in your bed, and now you say I’m not a girl? You’re a very confused boy, Adam Arman.”
He laughed. “I mean you’re not like any girl I know. You’re fearless, and smart, and much faster than me.” The twelve-year-old boy was back. It was my favorite version of Adam because he lost the cool arrogance that put me on edge around him.
I shrugged. “I do what I have to do to survive. I’ve done it my whole life.”
“I’m sorry.”
I bit back the clever retort and took a deep breath. “Yeah, me too. I look at you and Ava and think you guys are so lucky you have each other, and two parents who love you.”
“They’re going to be here any minute, and Ava wants them to meet you. Come on.” He stood up on the wall and held his hand out to help me up. I tossed my apple core down and took his hand. When Adam pulled me up, he shocked me by kissing my forehead. “You’ve got me and Ava, whether you want us or not.” He took off across the wall at speed, and I was so surprised, I didn’t catch him the whole way back to the school.
The Armans were in the main entry hall chatting with Miss Simpson when we arrived. Ava was already downstairs with an overnight bag, and she grabbed my hand. “Thanks.”
I was surprised. “For what?”
“For meeting them.”
She nodded at Adam who slipped quietly up the stairs before their parents could say anything. There was a pause in the adults’ conversation, and Ava stepped forward. “Mum, Daddy, I’d like you to meet our friend, Saira. Saira, these are my parents.”
Mr. Arman was tall and looked like the grown-up, conservative version of his son in a cashmere sweater and slacks. Mrs. Arman was exquisitely elegant in that way rich women are, all the way from her simple pearl earrings down to pointy-toed boots under dark jeans. I had to work my confidence up just to shake her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Arman.”
When Mrs. Arman took my hand, her eyes widened and her friendly smile faltered for the barest fraction of a second. Then suddenly her smile grew warmer and she clasped my hand in hers. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Saira.”
Ava and her father both had slightly odd looks on their faces as Mrs. Arman kept my hand in hers. “Will you walk with me?” Mrs. Arman’s voice sounded musical with a vaguely French accent under her crisp English.
“Sure.” How anyone could refuse this woman anything was beyond me. She looked back at her husband. “James, please ask Adam to bring his leather bag. The canvas one he’s packing is disgusting.”
Adam was clearly nowhere in sight, but she must have been able to See what he’d be bringing. It was disconcerting to hear her speak so directly about being able to See the future.
Mrs. Arman kept my hand in hers as she led me down the front steps. There was a new black Mercedes-Maybach parked in the driveway, with a driver standing beside it. It was the kind of luxury car that came with optional bullet-proof glass. These people had serious money.
“Thank you for walking with me, Saira. I don’t want Ava to overhear us.” She stopped and faced me, and I realized all her height was in her boot heels. I suddenly wasn’t quite so intimidated by her.
“My son will get over his crush on you soon enough to make a useful ally. Unfortunately, he has learned how vulnerable he is, but the walls he has in place are good for you both.” She was knocking the wind out of me with each word and I was scrambling to keep up. She barely noticed.
“Don’t let him follow you into the tunnels. He’ll want to protect you, but he can’t. Not yet. Not until he accepts that there’s someone else.” The blood rushed to my face and I was about to protest, but Mrs. Arman’s eyes went unfocused again, and then she gasped. “Oh! You can trust Tom, but his mother never told— Oh dear! I’m sorry, I have to talk to my husband.”
Mrs. Arman let go of my hand and started back toward the door. Right before she went inside, she turned. “I look forward to getting to know you, Saira. We’ll all figure out how to be there for you in the end.”
She rushed inside and left me alone on the path. Until Mrs. Arman spoke to me, I would have denied with every last breath that there could ever be something between Adam and me. And now, suddenly, I was sad that it would apparently never be anything at all.
The thing that had made Mrs. Arman go all nervous and flustery was a vision about Tom and his mother. I guessed she meant Tom Landers? And since Adam and his mom both saw me in the tunnels, I better be prepared for the London Bridge catacombs.
Ava came outside to find me. “Hey. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m just processing.”
She looked concerned. “Anything you want to talk about?”
Whatever I said to her would get back to Adam, so I sidestepped. “Adam once mentioned that he dated a ballerina. Was that Alexandra Rowen by any chance?”
Clearly I’d hit something raw with that question. “I can’t talk about that. That’s Adam’s story to tell.”
The front door to the school opened, and the driver exited with Ava and Adam’s bags over his shoulder. I noticed Adam’s was a leather bag, so his mother had won that round. Ava whispered fiercely. “Please don’t mention Alex to him. It isn’t fair.”
I searched her eyes for some clue to what she meant, but there was only pleading in them. “I won’t say anything.”
She gave my hand a squeeze and palmed my coin to show me she had it. “If we go to Chelsea, I’ll try to change your money.” Then she raced off to join her family at the car.
Adam was watching me curiously while his parents loaded into the fancy vehicle. I tried to smile at him but none came, so I just waved instead.
“Goodbye, Saira. Bring your sweater to London this weekend; it’s going to rain.” Mrs. Arman’s voice rang out clearly, yet with a genuine friendliness. Adam looked sharply at his mother, then back at me with a question in his eyes. I suddenly got defiant. No Seer was going to determine my fate. That job was mine, and mine alone.
I blew Adam a kiss, watched just long enough to see shocked expressions land on his family’s faces, and went inside. I laughed when the door shut behind me, more from nerves than humor.
Miss Simpson stepped out of the library. “That was interesting.”
I don’t know what astonished me more, that she’d been spying or that she admitted it. “Which part?”
“Well, I didn’t hear what Camille said to you, of course, but I imagine it had to do with her son.”
“Why does everyone think there’s something between me and Adam?”
She sighed. “You remember the history I told you? About Jera and Goran?” I nodded, suddenly acutely aware that I was speaking to the headmistress of the school. “Then you also remember that the Immortals declared there could never be another mix of Families.”
“Mrs. Arman wasn’t bothered that Adam might like me. Doesn’t that seem like things might be changing?”
“Well, as I can’t begin to wonder at her motives, I can only tell you that the Armans are powerful allies to have. They are also playing a game of Family politics, and therefore ultimately, have their own best interests at heart.”
“So how much weight should I give to what she said then?”
Miss Simpson smiled. “If Camille offered insight or assistance, take it. If she offered advice, take it with a grain of salt.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“I’m still working on a class schedule for you, dear, but I understand you’ve been sitting in with Mr. Shaw.” I nodded. “Please continue to do that. I believe you’ll find him to be most instructional.”
I was relieved. “Thank you.”
“You can thank Mr. Shaw. It was his request.” She turned to head back into the library.
“Miss Simpson?”
“Yes?”
“What happens if Descendants from different Families do get together?”
She looked at me for a long moment. “It doesn’t happen.”
“But what if it did?”
“Their Families would shun them, they’d be cast out, and they’d be prevented from having children.”
“Prevented? How?”
“It hasn’t happened in decades.”
“How would they be prevented from having kids?”
She looked me straight in the eyes. “It used to be death. Now there is a medical procedure.”
I was horrified. “That’s insane!”
Her eyes didn’t leave mine. “Until a precedent has been set and the laws can be changed, the threat of barbarism seems to be enough.”
“What are they so afraid of?”
Miss Simpson sighed. “The medical excuse is blood, since Family branches can’t transfuse blood into other branches. The thought is that mixed-blood children would be aberrations. But in reality, everything in this world comes down to power; who has it and how it’s used. The day when love is stronger than fear is the day we’ll begin to discover our true power.”
The bell rang and she left me with her words still ringing in my ears. The front hall was suddenly swarming with students, and I found myself being carried along with the tide toward the dining hall. Of course I was starving. My meals lately had been so erratic that I either ate like a pig when it was in front of me or I dealt with a growling stomach all the time.
I loaded up a plate with some sort of meat and vegetable pie and slid onto a bench next to Olivia. She looked around. “Where’s your handsome prince?”
I scowled at her. “If you’re talking about Adam, I’m leaving. There’s nothing going on.” She laughed at my expression and took a huge bite of her food. It was disconcerting to see so much food go into such a tiny human. “I can’t believe you can actually fit all that food in your mouth.”
Olivia’s eyes twinkled and she swallowed. “I’m growing.”
I smirked. “About time.”
She stuck her tongue out at me and we both cracked up.
“Okay, I’m sorry about the handsome prince comment. I’m sure he’s really a frog in disguise.”
“Most good looking guys are. Didn’t you get the memo?”
Olivia laughed again. “You seriously don’t fancy him?”
I shook my head and it kind of felt like a betrayal. “Adam’s a friend. Actually, you and the twins are my only friends here.”
A voice popped up at my shoulder and I almost dropped my fork. “Not true. You just don’t know me well enough yet.” Connor dropped into a seat across from us and grinned. “Hi.”
He reminded me of Ringo, with the mischievous look on his face. I turned to Olivia. “Do you guys know each other?”
Connor immediately stuck out his hand. “Hi, Olivia. I’m Connor.”
She looked startled. “How do you know my name?”
“I was just waiting for the right time to meet you, and since you’re sitting with my friend Saira, I figured now’s the time.”
Olivia looked from me to Connor. “You guys are friends?”
“Connor’s a science super-freak with an ‘in’ to Shaw. I’m sure he’d be available for tutoring help if you needed it.”
Connor’s grin expanded. “At your service.”
I could tell Olivia was charmed despite herself. She kept the skeptical look on her face though. “You’re what, like, fourteen?”
“Yes, but I’m tall and smart for my age.”
I laughed. “And arrogant and charming and big trouble when you get older. Get in with him now, Liv, before he gets unbearable.” She finally laughed too, and we spent the rest of dinner chatting about random, entertaining stuff that had nothing to do with the Families and all their stupid intrigues.
Connor was really adept at avoiding all Family topics of conversation. I’d almost forgotten that Olivia wasn’t a Family Descendent even though I was pretty sure she knew about them.
I thought about Gosford, the fisherman I’d met in 1888, and I wondered if it were possible that his Sanda and Millicent’s housekeeper could actually be related?
“Hey, Liv? Where’s your family from originally?”
“From Wales. A place called Gosefordsich.”
“Any chance Sanda is related to a fisherman named Gosford?”
“She’s my great-aunt actually, and I think her grandfather was a fisherman named Gosford.”
My jaw dropped open and I snapped it shut before anyone noticed my resemblance to a fish. There was no way Sanda was born in 1888. “Liv?”
Olivia was already standing up to clear her plate. “Yeah?”
“Do the people in your family …” How was I going to say this? “… live a long time?”
Shockingly, Olivia just shrugged. “I think it’s a Pict thing.”
Connor stared. “You guys are Picts?”
“Not full-blooded, of course. Our family mixed with Gaels after the Romans sacked everything. But there’s apparently enough old blood for us to age in line with Saira’s Family.”
The casual way she mentioned something that sounded like it was out of a fairy tale left me practically gasping.
“I have to run. I have a micro-economics test tomorrow, and if I get anything less than ninety percent, the Rothbitch will have me ‘removed’ from her class.”
Connor leapt to his feet. “Sorry, I can’t help you there. She hates me, and the feeling’s mutual.” He bowed to both of us. “Ladies, thank you for the lively conversation.” He grabbed Olivia’s plate before she could clear it herself, and then said with a grin, “I look forward to our next one.”
Olivia sort of included Connor in her gaze. “I’ll see you guys later.” She grabbed her books and left, but not before I caught her smiling.
I got up to clear my own plate and Connor waited for me. “So, do you think she’s actually a ‘Pixie’?” He cracked up at his own joke, and I looked at him sharply. “You want a chance with Olivia you’ll never joke about her size again.”
To his credit, he sobered instantly. “Do you think she likes me?” The bluntness of his question was surprising, but his honesty was so disarming I didn’t hesitate to answer.
“I think she liked your attention. She’s fifteen though.”
He shrugged. “So? It doesn’t matter that she’s older if I’m confident enough. I learned that from watching Adam.”
“Adam Arman?”
“He got Alex interested, and she’s two years older than he is.”
Ah hah! “They dated? I didn’t think they could.”
Connor suddenly veered away from a group of Ungee kids standing in the food line. He spoke under his breath as we put our dishes in the bins.
“We can’t. But they did.”
I stared at him, the gears clicking into place in my brain. “What happened?”
“I’m guessing they got caught.”
The blood drained out of my face. “And …?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Alex graduated early, and Adam suddenly started dating a bunch of girls from town. At least that’s what I heard.” Connor waved at a group of young guys across the room. “I’m not really friends with Adam, so I don’t know the details. Alex moved into London where I think she’s teaching ballet and waitressing in some dive in the city to support her ballet habit. She doesn’t really come around anymore, so my info is all second-hand.”
I thought I might know that dive where Alexandra Rowen worked. I flashed back to the coffee shop conversation I’d had with the striking waitress who moved like a dancer.
“Is her mom black?”
He looked at me like I should know. “Yeah, she was Jacqueline Rowen, a super famous ballet dancer.”
Wow. I might have met Alex. She’d been generous with me in a way most people aren’t with strangers and I thought I might even owe her one for her help. If that had, in fact, been Adam’s ex-girlfriend, it was interesting to realize she was a Shifter.
Connor grinned before heading off toward his friends. “Thanks for the intro to Olivia. Put in a good word for me, would you?”
I checked the clock on the wall and realized I needed to run to make it outside to meet Mr. Shaw. I waved to Annie as I bolted through the kitchen and out the back door. The sun was just going down behind the kitchen garden when I got there, and I spun to find Mr. Shaw coming up behind me. “Did you hear me that time?”
“No.”
“You just ‘knew’ I would be there?”
I shook my head. “I told you, I feel it when you approach. I don’t know how else to describe it.”
His tone was still serious. “What else can you do that normal people can’t?” We’d had this conversation before, but there was something different about his tone. Something that said I needed to be totally straight with him.
“I can free-run. And see pretty well in the dark.”
“Show me.”
I looked Mr. Shaw in the eyes. “Are you going to teach me how to defeat a Vampire?”
He nodded. “I want to see what I have to work with.”
Fair enough.