Millwood Academy - First Term by Dawson, Tanya (i like reading txt) 📕

stairs, and I run as fast but quietly as I can. I keep going and don’t look back until I am at the very top.

“I’m going to bed, Uncle. I’m exhausted. Let me know if they come back.” Alexandra, yells back to him.

The hallway on the second level is almost as big as an apartment. It’s so long that I can’t tell where it ends in the darkness. There’s an old loveseat and chair along the walls and large oil paintings from the medieval times.

I can’t help but wonder where the boys' rooms were and how many girls had climbed these stairs with them over the years.

“This way.” Alexandra passes me and jogs down the hall into the darkness.

I reluctantly follow. The principal was downstairs. I had already made the decision to come to her when I answered her text. Most importantly, I’d do anything to find her brothers.

She stops in front of a large white oak door. I follow her in, and she closes it behind us.

It was a room fit for a princess - nothing was spared. It was undoubtedly the size of two classrooms combined. There was a separate sleeping area to the left, in the center of the room was a gilded vanity and to the right, a deep green velvet couch and winged back chair. The windows ran from floor to ceiling, with lace and velvet curtains. The high ceilings are covered in tin.

“Have you heard from them?” Alexandra stands within arm's length of me, her hands together as she waits for my response.

“No, I haven’t.” As soon as I said no, she falls apart in front of me. Her shoulders slump back, and her head hangs low. She was on the verge of tears.

“I told them to stay away from you. You’re the reason this is happening.” She changes from desperation to anger within a blink.

“Calm down,” I grab her by the shoulders and look her square in the eye, the only way she will see that I’m on her side.  “Where were they last seen?”

“Here. I saw them last night before I went out with friends.” Her eyes shift to the left to hide her fib.

My fingers dig into her arms unconsciously as an image of her and Hazen sucking face flashes through my mind. I loosen my grip and remember that the boys are missing. I must work with her, even though she’s probably fucking my very recent ex-boyfriend.

“What were they doing when you left?” I shook her, just a little, to bring her back to this room.

“Finley was gone. They didn’t know where he was. But, that’s not uncommon. He’s softer than the rest. Sometimes he needs his alone time. He’s different. Too sweet for his own good.” She stutters, then blinks away tears.

“They must have gone to look for him. He never came home?” I let go of her arms, now that we are on the same page.

“None of them came home last night. All their beds were made.” Alexandra, sits down on the couch wearily, as if her legs were about to give out under her.

“What about the blood? Was it theirs?” I sat down on the chair across from her.

“It’s vampire blood. They are testing it against mine and my uncle’s.” Her eyes drift off to the window.  “If I had just stayed home, this wouldn’t have happened.”

I let out a silent sigh and instantly hate myself for feeling sorry for her. Maybe I was seeing the real Alexandra now. “You couldn’t have known what was going to happen last night. Have you checked for notes? What about their cell phones?”

“Uncle has someone looking into it. He’s meeting with the vampire den now.” She wipes her eyes with the back of her hands.

I sit up straight at the thought of all the full-blood vampires’ downstairs. What would they do if they knew a hunter was among them?

“Good. It’s only a matter of time before they find them.” I lean over and touch her leg with my hand to comfort her.

She tenses up and shoots up from her seat, as if I had just thrown a pot of boiling water at her, “Everything changed as soon as you came here.” Her eyes were wide, and crazy Alexandra was back. I need to keep her quiet so the others wouldn’t wonder what she was upset about.

“Why do you hate me so much? From day one.” I blurt out, not regretting how dumb it was to challenge her in her own home, filled with full-bloods.

Her head swung my way, and she opens her mouth to likely tell me off, but she stops and just shakes her head at me. She walks over to her bed and paces back and forth.

“I was going to help you.” I flap my hands in desperation. I wanted her brothers back as much as she did. “I want to help you find them before something happens.”

“What makes you think I need you?” Her body language changes, her fangs lengthen, and her eyes narrow at me.

I’ve officially pissed her off. Shit.

“Why did you come here, Penelope?” She takes two steps toward me. Her fingers spread as her nails expand.

“You asked me.” I shrug and look toward the door. She notices and smiles, taking a few more steps closer.

“You being here pushed them into something they shouldn’t have been a part of. To protect the mutt.” Alexandra said, emphasizing that last word.

“I didn’t ask them to do anything for me. And this all started before I got here.” I wasn’t comfortable being alone with her, but I’d take my chances here than running down those stairs. If she was going to do something to me, wouldn’t she have done it by now?

“Why did you come here? Uncle had no idea until you showed up with that wolf.” She hisses at me.

“I thought you and Clark were friendly.” At least that was the impression I had.

“He’s been useful in the past.” She smiles and winks at me.

My skin crawls