Free Furious Flames (Elemental Book 3) by Rain Oxford

why have you been following me around?”
    It wasn’t her smile that changed but a subtle tone in
her eyes that made her appear absolutely serious. “Maybe getting shot multiple
times, called a monster, rejected repeatedly just because I’m not human, and forced
to hide from the sunlight in a dumpster is worth it.”
    “Tell me you didn’t come here just because of me.”
    “No. I actually have a real job to do here. Some of
Stephen’s information was leaked to an enemy coven in Canada. He took a lot of
damage from it. We were able to track down communications, not to a person but
a place. We’re pretty sure it’s a student here.”
    “Do you need help?”
    “This is nothing I can’t handle. It does mean I’ll be
sticking around here for a while. Would you flip out and shoot me again if I
suggested we go get something to eat together?”
    “You can eat human food?”
    “You’ve known me for over twenty years and now you
ask me.” She walked away and I followed after a moment.
    My instinct didn’t warn me of danger, despite the
fact that I was walking alone in the woods at night with the single greatest
predator to ever exist on land. This made me wonder how a vampire would fair
with a great white or a box jellyfish.
    “I can eat food, but I don’t need it,” she said,
unaware of the battle going on in my head. “I eat it for the taste mostly. Some
vampires can’t stomach it at all and some just want the sensation of chewing.
I’ve also heard of the disgusting synthetic blood they have here.”
    “You didn’t try it last time?”
    “I didn’t need it. I heard there was going to be a
supplier of chewing gum, cigarettes, and gummy bears.”
    “I know. Darwin is the supplier.”
    We arrived at the dining room just as three of the
teachers’ assistants started passing blood cups out to the vampires. As I got
my food in the buffet line, I heard a vampire mention that they should have
tomato juice for the non-vampires to feel included.
    Astrid sat in my usual seat, so I sat next to her and
Darwin sat down on the other side of me a few seconds later. Henry sat across
from us, not at all concerned with Astrid’s presence. Astrid was scowling at
her cup, while Darwin began examining his food for any unexpected ingredients.
    “So, are you here as a student?” Henry asked.
    Astrid shook her head. “Officially, I’m here to make
sure my coven is behaving appropriately, not being given special treatment or
being treated unfairly, and that their curriculum is appropriate. The treated
windows are a huge plus. The distribution of blood needs work. A non-vampire
could easily get one.”
    “Dr. Martin said it would work as an unpleasant
sedative on non-vampires,” Darwin said. “Does it taste as bad as they say?”
    She grimaced, and drank it. “Worse,” she said with a
shudder.
    Darwin started talking about foods of different
cultures that were delicacies in that culture and considered revolting in
others. This made Henry and me a little nauseated. Astrid, on the other hand,
went very pale. She suddenly got up, threw her cup in the trash, and then threw
up in the trash.
    The woman next to the trash screamed before asking
Astrid if she was okay. Astrid said she was fine and sat next to me. “That
blood isn’t going to work.”
     
    *          *          *
     
    Intermediate Alchemy and Potions was my first
class on Tuesday morning. I had to use the map to find the room. It was one of
the more normal rooms; it had a flat floor, large windows against the south
wall, and had six round tables instead of desks. Professor Barton was an
average-looking wizard in his mid-fifties.
    I approached his desk before class started. He
stopped organizing pages and smiled up at me. “Hello, Mr. Sanders.” He stood
and reached out his hand to shake mine. “I have heard a lot about you from
other professors.”
    “It’s nice to meet you, Professor. I was just
wondering if the classes are random