Free Drake Chronicles: 03 Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey Page A

I shrugged. “We’ve only started using it recently. One of our history teachers is into that stuff.”
    “You’re kinda scary, Buffy.” He winked, then looked suddenly thoughtful.
    “What?” I asked.
    “I was just wondering if you’d consider teaching Lucy some moves.”
    “Lucy? Your sister’s best friend?”
    He nodded. “She needs some extra tricks up her sleeve. Our family is proving to be a bit of a liability and she’s only human.” He flicked me a glance. “No offense.”
    “None taken,” I returned drily.
    “You know what I mean. She’s vulnerable. And her parents wil be back soon and she’l go home. We’re just a little worried.”
    He smel ed like smoke and incense. I probably shouldn’t be noticing that. What was wrong with me? I wasn’t usual y the type to get al flustered over a good-looking guy. Even a really good-looking guy who kind of resembled Orlando Bloom. Plus, he saw me as a fel ow soldier. I’d been fighting next to guys long enough to know the look. I tried not to sigh. It would have been a total y inappropriate reaction. I was a hunter. I was supposed to be cool under pressure.
    “So, would you?” he asked again.
    “What?” I gave myself a mental shake. “I guess it would be okay, if the headmistress approves.”
    “Do you always do what you’re told?” he drawled.
    I snorted. Flustered or not, I was stil me. “That’s what storybook vil ains always say to the girls to get them to do something stupid.” There was a pause before he chuckled, as if the sound surprised him. “I’l just take that as a yes.”
    “I’m sure you usual y do.”
    His grin widened and he nudged my shoulder companionably. “I like you, kid.” I tried not to groan out loud. I was as bad as Lia.
    I had total y developed a crush during a vampire raid.
    And he saw me the same way Kieran saw me—as a little sister.
    I didn’t exactly have time to analyze the fact that I was crushing on a vampire.
    Besides, anyone with eyebal s would crush on Quinn Drake.
    Right now I was far too busy running up the stairs toward the screaming. Quinn was at my heels, cursing. “Hunter, wait. Let me go ahead.”
    “Not a chance.” I ran faster. He was quicker, of course, being a vampire and al .
    In fact, he was practical y a blur of color streaking past me. It didn’t seem fair. I worked my ass off to be as fast as I could, I ran, I practical y lived at the gym most mornings, and I had to put up with York. Al Quinn had to do was die.
    Not exactly a viable option for me.

Chapter 9
    •
    Quinn
    When I got to the common room, where the screaming had originated, it was quiet again. I waited for Hunter to catch up.
    “So not fair,” she muttered, gasping for breath.
    Kieran stepped into the hal way, grim-mouthed. “Man down. Wel , boy, anyway.”
    “Is it bad? What happened?” Hunter brushed past him to see for herself.
    The room was bright considering al the light reflecting through the windows. It was getting warm, too. Definite drawback to those UV bulbs; the students might be sunburned by morning. While they’d no doubt trade a peeling nose and heat blisters over getting eaten by a Hel-Blar , I, however, was feeling like I might cook right through. Sunlight wasn’t good for us. I wouldn’t burst into flame or anything dramatic like that, but I’d get weak and pass out.
    In a school ful of vampire hunters.
    No thanks.
    I put on my sunglasses and flicked up the col ar of my shirt. The back of my neck already felt tender. In the center of the room, the students were huddled around a couch where a very skinny student was moaning. There was blood soaking his white T-shirt. I tried not to lick my lips. I didn’t think it would go over wel .
    “Wil ,” Hunter said. “Shit. Was he …?” She trailed off, wincing. His shoulder looked bad, his shirt torn.
    “He wasn’t bitten,” Kieran went to stand beside her.
    I stayed by the door, watching the shadows in the hal and trying not to be distracted