Fang And Claw (Nocturne Academy 2)

The chilled human blood went down smoothly enough…but then it came right back up again. I barely had time to get back to the toilet before my body rejected it—violently.

“Oh dear!” Megan was wringing her hands in agitation. “This is bad, isn’t it? What does it mean that she can’t drink human blood either?”

“It means,” Griffin said smoothly, “That her system is still upset. We need to take her back to the Norm Dorm where she can rest and relax before she tries to drink again.”

“If you think I’m letting a sick student out of my office—” the Healer began but Griffin cut her off.

“Excuse me, Healer, but while we value your knowledge and healing ability, I think I am a better judge of Nocturne constitution than you. I can tell you right now that Kaitlyn’s system is simply overloaded.” He gestured towards me. “Her body has only just adapted to process blood as its main source of nourishment and it was forced to get rid of the wrong kind of blood only a moment ago. Before she can try again with the right kind of blood, she will need to rest and let her body settle for some time. The best place to do that is somewhere she feels comfortable and safe. Which is why we need to bring her back to her dormitory.”

“Well…” The Healer frowned deeply. Clearly she was considering what Griffin had said.

“Please,” I whispered, pleading with her. “I just…I just want to go home.” Then I realized that the home I meant—the home where little Allegra was—was now closed to me. Bloody tears started leaking down my cheeks again and I brushed them away with trembling fingers. “Please,” I repeated.

At least I still had the Norm Dorm. At least I still had my friends.

The Healer sighed deeply. Putting her hands on her hips, she studied me for a long moment, then nodded.

“All right,” she said reluctantly. “You can go back to your dorm but only if you all promise to come get me if her condition changes or worsens in any way.” She pointed at Megan and Griffin and Avery who all nodded solemnly.

“We promise,” Megan said earnestly. “We’ll stick to Kaitlyn like glue—won’t let her out of our sight.”

“All right then. Go.” The Healer made a shooing gesture. “And don’t forget to take the blood,” she added, speaking to Griffin. “She’ll need it when she starts to feel better.” She shook her head. “What a mess. I don’t know what the Headmistress is going to say about all this when she gets back from her conference. I wish she hadn’t chosen this week to be gone!”

I didn’t know either but at the moment, I was too gutted by despair to even think of it. With Avery supporting me on one side and Megan on the other, I made my way out of the Healer’s office and back to what was now the only place I could call home.

32

Kaitlyn

“I could feel how eager you were to get Kaitlyn out of the Healer’s office and back down here where it’s private,” Megan said to Griffin, as soon as they had arranged me on one of the old blue sofas in the Norm Dorm common area. “Why was that?”

He sat the chilled glass of blood down on the coffee table, ran a hand through his thick black hair and sighed.

“Because,” he said at last, “If we are to keep Kaitlyn here with us at Nocturne Academy, it must not be known that she cannot drink bagged human blood.”

“But I thought you said her system just needed some time to adjust,” Avery protested.

He had been fussing around me like a mother hen, tucking a faded quilt around my shoulders and making sure I had plenty of pillows. He had also managed to find a box of tissues which I used to blot my still-leaking eyes. The bloody stains my tears left on the white Kleenex were mute evidence of my new condition.

“I lied,” Griffin said grimly. “If she was able to digest bagged blood, her system would have welcomed it immediately. Her body’s rejection of the small amount she drank makes it clear she can’t take it.”

“I still don’t understand,” Megan said blankly. “What’s going on with her?”

“Yes…” I cleared my throat, trying to pull myself out of the depths of despair. “What’s wrong with me?”

Griffin sighed. “I’m afraid you’re one of the rare Made Vamps who can’t drink anything but fresh blood. Which means we have to find you a donor.”

“A donor?” I stared at him blankly. “You mean I have to bite someone and drink their blood? I can’t do that!”

“If you cannot then you will die,” Griffin said bluntly. “I’m sorry, Kaitlyn, but there’s no other way for you to survive now.”

“There must be a way. I really think I could drink the bagged stuff if I just tried.” I reached out a hand for the glass. “Let me try again.”