Sweet Deceit (Privilege 4)

“Ana Covington,” she replied, briefly grasping his hand. “Of the Texas Covingtons,” she added in a slightly mocking tone.

He held her gaze for a long moment—so long that Ariana felt a blush rise to her cheeks. She started walking again.

“I’ll stay up and study with you, if you like,” Jasper said, matching her pace.

“Thanks, but I’m good,” Ariana replied.

“I’ve no doubt you are,” Jasper said in a teasing way. “But the offer remains just the same.”

Ariana pursed her lips. There was nothing that disgusted her more than a double entendre from a boy she barely knew. But when she looked up at Jasper to tell him off, there was no leer in his eyes, just a joking spark.

“Maybe another time,” she said. “Right now I’d like to get some sleep. I’ll wake up early and study then.”

“Suit yourself. Me?” he said with a smirk as they reached the door to Privilege House. “I’ll have this thing memorized by first light.”

Jasper waved his electronic key in front of the lock and held the door open for her. Ariana paused. There were a thousand comebacks on her lips, but for some reason she didn’t feel like dropping them. Maybe she was just exhausted from the scavenger hunt. Or still thrown from Adam’s unceremonious fall. Or frustrated by Kaitlynn’s refusal to trust her. Whatever the case, she felt thrown and off her game. And suddenly all she wanted to do was get away from Jasper as quickly as possible and put this whole exasperating night behind her.

“Thanks,” she said as she slipped past him into the dorm.

“Pleasure’s mine,” he replied with a grin.

COWS

Something was after her. Something lurking in the woods. Ariana heard a crack, a creak, a moan, and then something reached for her in the dark, its cold and slimy fingers trailing over her bare shoulder. Stifling a scream, she ran. She ran as hard and as fast as she could, feeling the thing gaining on her in the pitch-black night. Breathing down her neck. Panting hot and wet and evil. She tried to run, but her legs wouldn’t move. They were too heavy. Impossibly heavy. She looked down at her feet and they were mired in muck. Ankle-deep in muddy, rocky sludge.

And the thing kept gaining. Fear gripped Ariana’s heart. She held her breath and struggled forward. Pushing and pulling and grasping and straining until finally she pried her feet free. With one glance back over her shoulder, Ariana flew forward and slammed right into the side of . . .

A cow?

The huge brown animal looked back at her, sniffed in a bored, indignant way, and let out a loud moo.

Ariana sat up with a start, her hand on her chest. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute, but she was safe. Safe in her bed in Privilege House. There was nothing coming for her. At least not right now. It had all been a dream.

Then Ariana heard another moo. She glanced over at Kaitlynn, who was lifting her head out from under her pillow.

“What the hell was that?” Kaitlynn asked, blinking rapidly. Her blond hair stuck up straight from her head with static.

“It sounded . . . like a cow,” Ariana replied, wiping the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes with her fingertips.

She flung her sheets and blanket off her legs. As she tiptoed over to the door, there was another moo, this time unmistakable, followed by a crash. Then Tahira screamed and Kaitlynn was out of bed like a shot, gripping Ariana’s arm.

So much for every man for himself.

The door across the way slammed. Ariana put her hand on the doorknob.

“What’re you doing?” Kaitlynn whispered.

“We have to see what’s going on, don’t we?” Ariana whispered back.

“No,” Kaitlynn replied. “I say we just get back into bed and let someone else handle it.”

Ariana looked at her roommate over her shoulder, raising one eyebrow. “Oh, so suddenly you’re no longer up for taking matters into your own hands?”

Kaitlynn rolled her eyes. “Fine. Whatever. But I’m staying behind you.”

Typical.

Ariana took a deep breath, held it, and yanked the door open. The flank of a spotted cow stared her right in the face.