The Hunt (By Kiss and Claw #2) - Melissa Haag Page 0,4

served as a reminder of how capricious her affection ran.

“You know what? Think what you want. You will anyway.”

I left the kitchen and jogged upstairs to get ready for school. My quick shower included a very thorough face-scrubbing and a breath-defying two-minute gargle while I washed my hair. The mouthwash still didn’t help. Like the glowing stain between my breasts, Piepen’s taste was determined to stay.

With a growl of frustration, I decided I could ignore it. Mind over matter. I would not let one more thing control me or my life. However, my resolve broke by the time I’d finished dressing.

I rushed to the bathroom and poured myself another capful of mouthwash. I tried letting it sit on my tongue longer to burn away the taste. While swishing, I used the blow dryer, then styled my hair.

The taste didn’t wane, but I found myself less distracted by it, which caused me to panic. I didn’t want to get used to it. I wanted it gone.

I gripped the counter as anger painted my thoughts dark. I should have killed the insignificant creature. At the very least, his persistent invasions should have been stopped. With one word from my lips, he would have ripped off his own wings and eaten them.

The horrid thought brought me back from the sinister place I’d gone.

Blinking at my black-eyed reflection, I took a calming breath.

“You are better than this, Eliana Magdalene Margarete Howland. One annoying brownie will not turn you into the monster of your father’s nightmares,” I muttered to my reflection.

After a few more breaths, my eyes turned back to their normal brown. Grabbing my things, I headed downstairs once more and let thoughts of Ashlyn further distract me from Piepen. The druids had to be at the Academy today. Adira would never allow students to be gone more than a week without a very good reason.

As soon as I found the trio, they could reverse whatever went wrong in their spell and bring Ashlyn back. Then, I could finally focus on Megan’s return and spend my hours daydreaming about how she’d deal with all the insufferable adults meddling in my life.

I strode into the dining room and stopped short at the sight of Adira sitting at the table. She turned her head, disturbing the cascade of hair that fell over her shoulders and down her back. Her ice blue gaze pinned me as she smiled.

“Good morning, Eliana.”

My morning had been far from good, and I highly doubted it would suddenly become pleasant with her visit.

“Good morning,” I answered politely, keeping my thoughts to myself.

“Please, sit.” She gestured to the chair across from her.

“No thank you. I don’t want to be late.”

She considered me for a moment.

“Your mother said you fed from Fenris last night.”

Adira’s strategic pause would have drawn out a stammering explanation from a student less familiar with her ways. I maintained my silence and wished I had been fast enough to stop Mom from talking to her. I had no doubt the ice giant would use this news to make my life hell in some way. Her next words confirmed it.

“You look tired, but not well-fed. I’ll rearrange Fenris’s schedule so your preferred meal is nearby.”

“Please don’t. Is there any update on Ashlyn?”

“Don’t worry about that. Focus on feeding.”

“Ashlyn’s been missing for a week now. How long do you think one human can survive on her own in Uttira? She’s running out of time, and so are you. Megan will be home in two weeks and won’t be happy about a missing human.”

Adira gave me a measuring look.

“Let us worry about Megan. Now that you’re feeding, I want you to visit the Roost nightly.”

And there it was.

In the past, I’d gone along with most of Adira and the Council’s demands or tried to find compromises because I’d been raised to respect my elders, and, in general, I disliked conflict. But, I knew the time for compromise was at an end in Adira’s eyes. And mine, too.

“And if I don’t want to?” I asked.

“It would be in your best interest to do so, regardless.”

Her calm, veiled threat speared through my rational thoughts and sent them into a dire spiral.

She would feel what it’s like to be manipulated. She would dance until her feet bled, all the while loving the feel of it. I would feed on her until every shred of every emotion she ever felt belonged to me. She would—

“Are you hungry?”

I blinked at the unexpected question, then noted the crystalline threads