CHAPTER THREE

I stare at the list of books, all of them checked out by Rachel.

My heart is beating like a drum inside my chest.

What does this mean?

Why would Rachel even be interested in who I was?

Rachel’s interactions with me had been hostile at best. Not only had she been interested in getting Jesse, her ex-boyfriend, back from me, but she had also tested me over and over again, putting me in perilous situations. At the time, nobody had believed me except my friends. It was only when I recorded her laughing confession had Director Yearwood believed me. That encounter had ended with her revealing that she had imprinted on Jesse, being a half-genie and all. The only thing I’m happy about was that I managed to wound her left eye.

As my eyes scroll down the list, I notice something.

One of the titles has the status: misplaced.

Something strikes me, and although it might be useless, I check the shelf number and hurry over to where the books should have been. Climbing on the ladder, I poke around but see nothing. Disappointed, I’m about to climb back down when something catches my eye.

There’s something stuck in the back.

Parting the books, I reach my hand out, straining to grab whatever it is. It takes me a couple of tries, but I manage to latch on to what looks like a raggedy cover of a book. I draw it out and nearly sneeze when the movement jolts the dust off it.

I slide down the ladder, holding the book close, and then settle down at the table to take a look at it.

It’s an old book, and when I open it, I see that a majority of the pages have been torn out.

I flip through the pages that are still attached, looking for any mention of the Blood Moon Hybrid. According to what the Director told me when she revealed what I was, there are only a few Blood Moon Hybrids in existence right now. Born under the full Blood Moon, I am a powerful combination of half-vampire and half-werewolf.

So far, I’ve only seen my vampire side manifested. However, my blood is powerful, powerful enough to awaken Abigail from her coma, something which should not have been possible for a fledgling vampire.

As a Blood Moon Hybrid, the Director predicted that, like the rest of my kind, my personality will become very volatile and prone to self-isolation, that my powers make me dangerous.

However, what I find written here is nothing of the sort.

It’s a darker version of what the Director told me.

Although I can just find paragraphs and mentions here and there, the writer pertains to the twisted nature of the Blood Moon Hybrid. My toes curl in growing fear as he details the growing insanity that I am expected to experience, the darkness that is meant to be second nature to me.

This can’t be right.

I’m not some monster. But the kind of detail written in here speaks of someone who has experience.

I slam the book shut, my heart racing, not wanting to read more.

“I’m not insane,” I say loudly to the empty room, my voice uneven. “Right?”

It’s a rhetorical question meant for no one, so when a voice answers from behind me, “I don’t think so,” I nearly fall off my seat.

Kathleen is standing behind me, beaming. “I was wondering why you were heading towards the restricted section.”

I try to conceal the book from her, but it’s a little too late.

“The Blood Moon Hybrid, huh?” Kathleen remarks, peering over my shoulder. “That’s a strange topic to be interested in.”

I just stare at her and then she smiles, a tiny curving of the lips. “But then, perhaps not for you.”

I freeze. “What is that supposed to mean?”

She just shrugs, a knowing look in her eyes. But instead of answering, she looks down at the book before me and blinks in surprise.

“C. J. Lowenstein? Isn’t he the hermit who lives somewhere on this island?”

“What?” It’s my turn to be shocked now. “I thought this place was only for students and counselors?”

Kathleen shrugs. “I mean we were never told this specifically. I actually came across Rachel just before she attacked you, a week before, perhaps? She was talking to the librarian, demanding to know where Lowenstein was. But Mrs. Heevan told her that not even the Director knew. But that he just lived somewhere deep in the marshes. You do know there are chunks of the islands that are still unexplored, right?”

“Really?” I frown. “But they’re so small—”

“They look small from the outside, a mirage, if you will.” Kathleen shrugs. “But I can see through any mirages. They’re actually massive. I guess that’s why we’ve been told not to venture too deep into the forests.”

I look down at the book, a tiny ember of hope springing up inside of me. There might be a chance of finding this writer. Considering the fact that he has written so many books about the Blood Moon Hybrid, he must know a lot about them. And what better than to get the information directly from the source.

“By the way,” Kathleen glances at me surreptitiously, “if you are planning to sneak that book out, don’t bother. No book can leave the premises without being detected. It’s some kind of weird magic thing here.”

I look at the book. It’s got too many pages torn from it to be considered useful.

“I had no such plan.” I get to my feet, returning the book to its rightful shelf.

Kathleen just trails after me, and when she opens her mouth, I quickly say, “Let’s not discuss this.”

On seeing the reluctance on her face, I say tightly, “Ever.”

Fortunately, Kathleen just nods and smiles and follows me out of the room. However, there is a niggling sense of fear within me. Does she know?

It seems like it.

And if she does, why isn’t she running for the hills like Jesse did?

***

I’ve experienced enough surprises for a lifetime, I would think. Which is why I just want these next few months to pass by peacefully. No more attacks, no more wandering the tunnels, no more people trying to reveal what I am. I just want to live quietly for a while.

However, “quiet” isn’t in my blood.

That night, as we head back from the mess, tired and sleepy, we see the lights in our barrack turned on and the door open. Assuming the worst, as I’m prone to doing, I rush forward, the others, including Quill, right on my heels.

“I hope this isn’t some break in!” Quill hisses. “I swear, crime is everywhere!”

Ignoring his statement, I burst inside, only to see a tall, bearded man standing in the middle of the barrack, next to a younger girl. I recognize Counselor Levi, but I’ve never seen the girl before.

She’s a head shorter than me, with brown eyes and brown hair, an unremarkable appearance overall, but with striking features. Her hair is tied up in a loose ponytail, and she looks warily at us.

“Ladies,” Counselor Levi begins, “this is Isabel Smith, your new roommate. She’s just joined the camp, so she doesn’t know much about this place—”

“Wait,” I say, studying the slip of a girl, “she just joined, and she’s already a Level Two?”

Levi raises a brow. “Is that a problem?”

“Well,” I begin and shrug, “I mean we went to the pits of hell to make it this far, so it’s a little strange. That’s all. I thought Levels One or Zero were the only places someone could start off.”

“Well, Isabel had a little accident, and we had to bring her here. She knows what she is, and her grip on her abilities is a little too strong for her to receive Level One training.” Levi narrows his eyes, his tone suspiciously pleasant, “Is there anything else you’d like to ask me?”

I know that tone. It spells trouble if I take one more step out of line.

“No,” I say slowly.

“Good.” He turns to Isabel. “I’m going to leave Beth Lee in charge of you. She’ll tell you about everything you need to know.”

Isabel nods, holding on to her duffel bag with both hands.

“She’s new here, so I expect you to look after her, Beth.” Levi turns towards us, and Beth nods.

“I will.”

Satisfied, Levi walks out of the barrack, having effectively dumped his responsibility on another student.

Quill grins, saying in a hushed whisper, “She’s kind of cute.”

“Go to your own barrack, Quill,” I roll my eyes at him, but he’s a step ahead of me, walking past me, and offering his hand to Isabel.

“I’m Quill. Nice to meet you. I live in the barrack next to yours.”

Isabel hesitates but then shakes his hand, a small smile on her lips. “Isabel.”

Susan makes a gagging sound when Quill says, brightly, “If you need any help, you can always come to me.”

Kathleen laughs quietly.

“Alright, Quill.” I grab him by the back of his shirt, using my vampire strength to drag him away. I have to, considering he’s quite strong and has no qualms about pushing back. “Out you go.”

“I’m not done talking yet!” he protests, but I just push him out, my hand on the door.

“Talk tomorrow. We want to sleep.”

He mutters a nasty word which makes me narrow my eyes at him. “You want to say that again?”

He stares at me, consideringly, almost as if weighing the pros and cons of repeating the word, before muttering, “No.”

“Night.” I slam the door in his face.

Knowing him, though, he’ll be lurking around the window.

So, I draw down the blinds.

Beth is helping Isabel settle in the meantime. “So, where are you from?”

“South Dakota,” Isabel replies, looking around at us.

“So, you’ve always known what you were, or did you find out in an accident like the rest of us?” Susan asks, curious.

Isabel shrugs. “Both my parents are vampires. I knew for a while, but I never manifested ‘till a month ago. My mother sent me here. She didn’t want me going through all the hassle of the basic stuff, so she taught me how to control my powers.”

“Which is how you became a Level Two then,” I murmur, feeling a little annoyed at this girl.

“Yeah.” Isabel gives me a cool stare.

There’s something about this girl that rubs me the wrong way. Deciding to let her be entirely Beth’s problem, I turn around, about to head to bed when I see Kathleen staring at Isabel.

“What is it?” I glance at her, my voice low.

Isabel is talking to Beth now, so she doesn’t notice as Kathleen shudders. “I don’t know. There’s something about her. It’s like a thick fog is surrounding her, and I can’t see through.”

Definitely creeped out by her hushed words, I glance over at Isabel.

Maybe this one warrants keeping an eye on.