Free Souljacker by Kodilynn Calhoun Page B

I’d thought that
cyberhounds were just Faerie creations. Not a freaking human who
can turn into a beast. I wrap my arms around myself, the scene from
Saturday night playing through my head, a tape set on repeat. I
haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.
    I rub at the violet rings beneath my eyes,
staring at myself in the mirror. I tame my hair back into a loose
ponytail and add another layer of black eyeliner, as if that will
hide the exhaustion from prying eyes. I look like a raccoon. And my
back still hurts from my tussle with the cyberhound.
    My body buzzes with Need, tugging at me, a
pleading child. I just need to snag a little bit off Jale, enough
to get myself through the day. Not enough to hurt him.
    I shove through the doors, eager to get this
over with as I plop down in my seat. The class bustles around me,
chairs scraping on tile as everyone settles in for the lesson. I
watch the door from my peripherals. Jale’s seat remains empty.
    Mr. W. clears his throat and begins his
lecture. My heart twists, hope dropping out as the hour rolls past.
Jale’s not coming. My Need screams at me and I bury my hands in my
hair, tugging at the roots until the pain overrides the energy
gripping me. No. Not good.
    “Miss Swift?” My head jerks up at my name and
I zero in on Mr. W. What? I must stare at him blankly because a
couple of people chuckle, not even bothering to cover their
laughter with coughs or something. “Do you have the answer, or were
you zoning?”
    I feel heat creep up my neck. “Um…” I have no
idea what he’s even teaching today.
    He shakes his head and returns to the front
of the class. He calls on a girl with her hand raised and she
smugly answers his question. I still have no idea what he’s
teaching. I just know that there’s no way I can make it through the
day without a little soul.
    The bell rings and everyone gathers to the
cafeteria for lunch. My stomach lurches, but not because I’m
hungry. The girls in front of me are yapping away about who is
showing more skin today and I can’t help but brush up against her,
just the barest touch of fingertips to her arm, pretending to trip.
I feel the Need rip through me, dragging her soul into my body. I
only get a taste before she jerks away and glowers at me with
smoldering eyes. “Freak.”
    Still, that taste floods through me like a
drug and I feel a little stronger. If I could just touch one more
person…
    “Heya, Lucy!” I startle as a hand claps down
on my shoulder. Caddie bounces on her heels, lunch tray in hand,
and grins at me. “Guess who’s going to the salon today.” Her grin
is too white in the dim lighting of the cafeteria. “You’re coming
with, right?”
    “Uh…” The idea of being stuck after school
with Caddie, who just oozes with energy, makes me ache. I don’t
want to give up this friendship. I refuse to take from her. That’s
not how friends work.
    “C’mon. It’ll be fun. Besides, I’m a little
nervous. Haven’t you ever had girl time before?”
    “Sure.” I shrug, taking a lunch tray off the
counter. The hot meal of hotdogs and mac and cheese sounds
disgusting. “It’s just…it’s been awhile. Not since I moved
here.”
    She stops me, her fingers curling around my
arm. “Dude, why not?” Her eyes are wide and shiny with unanswered
questions.
    Because I’m a freak? I want to growl
back at her, but I keep my jaw clamped shut. She doesn’t let go, so
I sigh. “Doesn’t matter, really. I’m just not very social, that’s
all.” My heart skips in my chest. I don’t want to talk about the
past, about Sophia, about…anything. I turn away from her.
    I head to the salad bar, making a tiny salad
with chicken and ranch dressing. She seems to give up the line of
questioning and we sit down together at an empty table, Caddie
chattering my ear off as I crunch into my meal. It tastes like
something a horse would eat, but I force it down anyway. She
munches on a hotdog and tries to decide what color