Free Vampire Lies (Blood and Snow Season Book 1) by Rashelle Workman Page B

worried. In fact they appeared to be right at home.
    Sydney b ounced over. “Hey, who are those two?”
    “More new kids .” I glanced at Sydney. “Their names are Peter and Zoe.” I studied them.
    “Oh. Cool.” She took me by the arm. “Come with me. I want to introduce you to everyone.”
    “Wait.” I searched the noisy cafeteria for Abby or the guy I met earlier, Cam. I couldn’t find either of them in the sea of faces.
    “What? Let’s go , Jack.” Sydney pulled me through the tables and throngs of students carrying trays of food until we reached double glass doors. “We like to sit outside. The smell isn’t so overwhelming.”
    I took a deep breath. It was cool outside but smelled much better.
    Sydney led me over to a table filled with people laughing, joking, and basically having fun.
    “Hey guys. I want you to meet Jackie. She’s new to the school. I’ve had the chance to get to know her a little and she’s totally cool.”
    Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned. It was weird suddenly having a dozen sets of eyes taking in my appearance, judging me.
    I lifted a hand. “Hi.”
    They all greeted me, some more friendly than others. Then they went back to their lunches and horsing around.
    “Sit here,” Sydney said, grabbing an empty chair and patting it.
    “Thanks.”
    She sat in the chair next to me and started talking to a girl with curly brown hair. “Lynn, Jackie has the coolest set of wings tattooed on her back.”
    “Oh, let’s see it.”
    A couple of the others stopped talking and turned to focus their attention on me.
    I shook my head, uncomfortable. “It’s…”
    Sydney interrupted. “It’s huge. It takes up nearly her entire back.”
    One of the guys pawed my shoulder. “A tattoo, huh? You must get a thrill out of pain .” His eyes raked over my body. “I can do things to you that’ll hurt so good.”
    “Shut up, Drake.” Sydney glared. So did Lynn.
    All I was thinking is I’d like to see him try.
    “How do you know she has a tattoo? Been hittin’ that?” Drake asked.
    “I take it you haven’t met your ass quota for the day?”
    Lynn laughed at Sydney’s joke.
    “Not yet.”
    “Gosh, if you must know I saw it when we were getting ready for gym.”
    “Oh.” Lynn forked a piece of fruit and popped it in her mouth.
    “Well now we all want to see it,” Drake continued, squeezing my shoulder. “Take off your shirt. I dare you.”
    I placed my hand over his and twisted. Pain and surprise swirled over Drake’s features. I let go and he rubbed his hand.
    “Damn, what kind of freak are you?”
    My face burned.
    “Did you see what she did? No girl is that strong?”
    Lynn threw a strawberry at Drake. It smacked him in the cheek and then landed on the table.
    “ Skank,” he said. Picking up a napkin, he wiped the juice off his face.
    “Douche, ” Lynn fired back.
    I really didn’t want to show them, but decided I should. So I stood, pulled my shirt from my skirt and unbuttoned it.
    The guys started whistling and laughing.
    I held my head high and gritted my teeth. When all the buttons were undone I pulled my hair to one side and turned around as I lowered my shirt.
    “Whoa.” Drake said, his hand immediately forgotten.
    “That’s freaky.”
    There was that word again. I wasn’t a freak. I wasn’t.
    Abby and Sydney had asked to touch it, but as everyone gathered around me now I felt random hands.
    “Isn’t it the freshest thing you’ve ever seen?” Sydney stood on her chair so she could look over the crowd. I kept my head down and didn’t say anything. As a princess and the only vampire with wings, I’d been the center of attention on many occasions. Over time my uniqueness wore off. I hoped the same would happen in the human world.
    “I want one.” I thought that came from Lynn.
    “There’s a fight in the cafeteria. Some guy is fighting Troy.”
    “Why?” Troy seemed really nice to everyone. Who would want to fight him?
    “Probably