Nightworld Academy: Term One(Nightworld Academy #1)(10)

"Just stories. No facts." Ash pulls out his laptop too. "I have research I started in a document on here—I'll send it to you. At least that'll give you a head start."

"What exactly is the project—" I begin.

"Werewolves." Andrei leans across the table so we're almost nose to nose. "Grr."

"You're hilarious," I say sarcastically, refusing to move my face.

He runs his tongue along his bottom lip as he stares at me, and a shiver trips down my spine. "I'm telling the truth, blondie."

That insult. I tense and move back, riled by his moniker for me. "Sure, you are, Mr. Oh-So-Edgy."

Jamie laughs to himself as he taps on some keys. "Werewolf trials."

"You mean he's serious?" I ask, annoyed by Andrei's smug expression. "That's insane. How can that be allowed on the curriculum?"

Andrei snorts at me. "This isn't a normal school, Maeve. Or didn't you notice?"

"We work for a different qualification than A levels," adds Jamie.

"Like the IB? Nobody told me this." I've friends who attended expensive private schools that taught the International Baccalaureate program, but nobody mentioned that this academy did. That would explain the off-campus side of the education, but not the weird teaching hours.

"Kind of," says Ash. "Andrei. Have you done any research at all?"

He looks back to his phone. "What do you think?"

Jamie grits his teeth. "You're a selfish prick. No wonder you're a failure."

"Shut the hell up, nerd," he growls back.

"Why couldn't he be grouped with Katherine and his other bunch of losers?" Jamie continues.

"You love studying. I thought you'd be happy to take control of the assignment. If I'm such a loser, my research wouldn't meet your standards anyway."

Fed up with the sniping, I shove my chair back and stand. "Tell me where to find the books I need. If you're helping me, I need to contribute."

Jamie pulls out a sheet of paper from his bag. "I printed a list. Here. Can you find one on the Bavarian trials in 1848?"

"Bavarian werewolf trials. Right." With a shake of my head, I leave the trio.

I follow the length of the shelves until I reach the end. This darker part of the library is filled with a musty old book smell. Finding answers in books is new to me—my usual research is online.

And not bizarre historical subjects.

The first book on my list is titled ‘Garmisch Partenkirchen Trial'. I can't even pronounce that. Worse still, the text inside is tiny. I place the book on a window sill at the end of the stack and rub my eyes. I've never heard of werewolf trials, just the Salem witch trials, and most of that I only know from movies.

"What's next?" I mutter to myself as I flick through the pages. "Vampire executions in Transylvania?"

"Maybe," says Andrei, and I startle at how close he's moved without me noticing. "Nasty business."

I ignore him and continue to leaf through, but something about Andrei's presence lifts the hairs on my neck. Sure, he's an attractive guy, if you're into his moody face and his deliberate attempt to look menacing in his black clothes, but this isn't a reaction to that. Andrei unnerves me and I cannot place my finger on the reason why.

Andrei pulls himself up onto the window sill beside me and cranes his head to read my book. "What do you think of the academy, Maeve?"

"It's only my second day and my first one with lessons," I reply.

"Don't you think the students are odd?"

"Yes. Some of them in particular." Licking a finger, I flick over a page.

He ignores my pointed comment. "Take Ash, for example. Big guy. Powerful. Incredible rugby player. I can't believe how fast he can move."

The thought had niggled me too, but I ignore Andrei's words.

His knowing smile grows. "Also, did you see anybody leave or return from their off-campus activities today?"

"What are you trying to say?" I ask him, holding a finger to mark my place on the page.

"Nothing. But I'd be careful who you trust, if I were you." The intensity in his dark green eyes scares me. Is this guy dangerous? My temples throb, and I panic that a vision could be starting. A different sensation grows as if someone is digging their fingers into my scalp.

I wince and close my eyes; the feeling drops away.

"Weird," mutters Andrei. He jumps down from the window sill and edges closer. My pulse hikes as his body almost touches mine. He inhales. Omigod is he sniffing me?

I look over to where Jamie and Ash chat at the table a few feet away, eager to join them and get away from this weirdo.

"Maybe you should be part of the advanced program," he says.

"Because I smell nice?" I retort and pick up my book.

His mouth tips at one corner. "You're not to my taste, blondie."

"Bite me," I snap.

Andrei chuckles then leans in to whisper, "I said, I don't think I'd like how you taste."

I tense as his hand moves towards me. Eyes fixed on mine, he grabs a book from a shelf above my head, then steps back, smirking at my discomfort. Without another word, he heads over to the table where the other guys work.