My boots crunched on the gravel walkway as I made my way outside. The green shrubs lined around various statues. Many of them following the school’s theme. Angels fighting other angels. A single angel with a wings that spanned so far out I had a hard time wondering how anyone could move the thing. The whole place was creepy in general. The creepiest were the weeping angels. Their hands over their eyes as if they were waiting for you to turn your backs on them just so they could attack.
I shivered and made sure to keep them in my line of sight. Never could be too careful.
I moved over to the gate. Briefly I wondered if I could climb over it. Then I remembered I wasn’t good at athletic things and gave up on that idea. My hand reached for the bars but they bounced right off. Frowning, I tried again. I couldn’t even touch the bars? What was this a freaking prison?
Letting out a long groan of annoyance, I stomped back to the courtyard. Finding a good place to stand so I could keep watch, I pulled my first cigarette from my pocket. I set it between my lips and reached for my lighter…only to come up empty handed.
“No.” I groaned, pursing my lips around the butt of the cigarette as I frantically searched my pockets. “No. No. I did not fucking forget it.”
I pulled the cigarette from my lips and held my arms out to my sides as I screamed at the heavens. “Why? Why now? Is this all a joke to you?”
“Not particularly.” A rich deep voice answered me.
“Jesus Christ.” I jumped away from the voice and the person behind it, dropping my cigarette on the pathway. Black hair curled at the nape of the guy’s neck. His square jaw went well with the strong nose and bow curved lips. His white tee, dark washed jeans, and black boots already put him in the not so bad category compared to all the preppy kids I’d already seen here in angel school.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” The smirk on the guy’s lips told me he wasn’t really sorry.
“Yeah, well you did.” I gave the guy a side eye as I shoved my hair behind my ear to bend down and pick my cigarette back up. Who knew when I’d be able to get more? I wasn’t about to waste it on a little dirt. I looked at it longingly. The likelihood that I’d get back to my room for my lighter and back out here before Ayden came looking for me was not good.
“Need a light?”
My eyes swiveled to the guy prepared to tell him to fuck off, but the finger held out to me with a flicker of flame on the tip stopped me. I stared at it with a mixture of caution and curiosity before nodding.
Placing the butt back into my mouth, I leaned in and let the mystery guy light it. Taking a deep inhale as I moved back, I closed my eyes in pleasure. Ah. That hit the spot.
“Bad day?” the guy asked, making crack one eye open to glance at him.
I held my cigarette in one hand crossing my other arm underneath it. “You could say that.”
“You’re new here.”
I rolled my eyes at his clear pick up line. “Oh, wow. You must be a mind reader. Congratulations on your astute observation.” I sucked on my cigarette once more, tapping the end to shake off the ash.
The guy’s lips curled up even further. “Actually, I am.”
“Am what?” I arched a brow.
“A mind reader.”
I cocked my head to the side. “I thought you were one of those elementals.” I waved the hand holding the cigarette at him.
Crossing his arms over his well-defined chest, he mimicked my head tilt. “Can’t I be both?”
I shrugged. “How should I know. Like you said, I’m new here.”
We went silent for a moment. I tried to keep my mind blank. The idea that someone could peek into my mind without permission kind of rubbed me wrong. I supposed the same could be same for my ability. Not that I did it on purpose. I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to experience what I did.
“Dex.”
“Huh?” I jerked my head in his direction.
“My name. You were clearly thinking what could this handsome guy’s name be?” He smirked and scrubbed his hand down his jaw where a five o’clock shadow had begun.
I snorted and shook my head. “You’re a horrible mind reader.”
Dex took a step toward me. I took one back. “I won’t bite. I just wanted to show you that you could relax.”
“Why?” I stared at his outstretched hand. No way did I want to see how this hottie died. I’d like to keep him unblemished for the time being.
“I can’t read your mind without touching you.” He reached for me again and I backed off once more, holding my hands up. My lit cigarette pinched between two fingers.
“No offense but I don’t touch.”
He dropped his hand and frowned. “Ever?”
I took another drag of my cigarette before dropping it. I ground it beneath my boot and said, “Not if I can help it.” I turned my back on Dex and started back toward the school.
“Hey, you didn’t tell me your name.”
I turned and walked backward as I smiled slightly. “No. I didn’t.”
“At least tell me what you are.” Dex called after me once more.
I pretended not to hear him as I headed inside, muttering to myself, “I’m not sure what I am anymore.”
Chapter 6
Dinner at the Fallen Academy wasn’t much different than in high school cafeterias. Except that the occasional outburst of magic from one student or another interrupted the otherwise normal meal.
“Not that I’m complaining, but where are the teachers?” I glanced around the dining hall not seeing any kind of grown up in charge person around. “You know the guard dogs?”
Joash laughed through his mouth full of potatoes. “Like they would deem us worthy enough to come down to watch us eat?”
My brows drew together in confusion.
Ayden groaned beside me. “What doofus here is trying to say is that we are being watched.” She gestured around us, but I didn’t see anything. “Some of the teachers are high level mentals. They don’t need to be in here to know what’s going on.”
My mouth formed an o-shape as I took in what she said. That was a bit creepy. It made it hard to think that I wasn’t being watched all the time. So much for my plan to ditch this place and head back home. With my luck Azazel would be alerted and then I’d have to deal with my dad all over again.
No, thank you.
“But don’t think they’re invading your privacy.” Zephyr pointed his fork with a piece of chicken on the end at me. “They aren’t perverts or whatever. At least, I hope not.” He gave me a shit eating grin that made me think he was doing way too in his free time.
Ayden scowled at Zephyr. “You’re just gonna freak her out now.” She reached to pat me on the hand, but I withdrew it before she could touch me. She frowned but didn’t comment. “What they mean is they only listen for trouble. I don’t know exactly how it works but it’s not like they are listening in on your every action and thought. Believe me, no one, not even them want that.” She gave the guys a pointed look of disgust.
They laughed as if to punctuate her point.
“Did you get your class schedule yet?” Coral sat down on the opposite side of the long table between the twins. The way she gave each of them a flirty smile made me wonder if she weren’t dating both of them. Or at least fantasizing about it.