Awakening (Covenant College Book 1) Read online

  “I was impressed.”

  Well, I wasn’t expecting that.

  “Not many people would put themselves in harm’s way to save a girl they don’t know.”

  “That’s more of a commentary on the apathy of our society than me isn’t it?” I don’t know what I was expecting, but the turn this conversation was taking was even more uncomfortable than I initially predicted.

  “Yes, it is,” Professor Blake agreed. “Still, you showed great courage in what you did.”

  “I didn’t really think about it. I just reacted.”

  “Yes, but most people would have reacted by running in the other direction. You ran into danger.”

  “I didn’t really consider him that dangerous.”

  Professor Blake looked surprised. “Why is that?”

  “He’s just another mealy-mouthed and pouty virgin. He thinks he’s owed something by society. I’ve found the easiest bullies to bring down are those that get off on hurting women.”

  “You’ve faced a situation like this before?”

  I hedged. I wasn’t sure how to answer that. “I don’t know what you mean?”

  “You’ve intervened when a man was beating up a woman before?”

  “Just my aunt. She was getting beat up by her husband.”

  “You mean, your uncle?”

  “Not by blood. No. Plus, this was her second husband and she’s on her third now. He wasn’t around all that long. And, trust me, no one misses him.”

  Professor Blake smiled a little at my answer.

  “Zoe, I’m curious, what do you think about the essay I assigned?”

  “I think it was retarded.” No reason to lie at this point. He seemed to want to hear the truth.

  “And why is that?”

  “This is journalism. We’re dealing with facts here. We shouldn’t be focusing on lame vampire fiction. I can do that in my English literature class.”

  “I see,” Professor Blake seemed to be scrutinizing me a little more than I was comfortable with. “And what if it was true?”

  “What if what was true?”

  “All of it.”

  “All of what?”

  “Vampires. Werewolves. Ghosts. Witches.”

  Professor Blake said it with absolutely no guile. I couldn’t help but look around to see if I was being caught on some candid camera show.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Looking for the camera.”

  “What camera?”

  “The one for whatever stupid reality show this has to be a set-up for.”

  “There’s no camera.”

  “So, you’re just randomly crazy?”

  Professor Blake didn’t seem offended by my disbelief. “Just because someone has different beliefs from you – that doesn’t mean they’re crazy.”

  “Believing in vampires does.”

  Professor Blake seemed to dismiss my statement with a wave of his hand. “No one believes at first.”

  “At first? You’ve told other people this? And you still have a job?”

  “Zoe, are you telling me you’ve never seen anything that defies explanation?”

  “Just Ashton Kutcher being paid millions of dollars to act,” I responded in my usual snarky way. I felt the conversation warranted it. “Oh, and Justin Bieber being considered a musician.”

  Professor Blake ignored my sarcasm. “Nothing else?”

  “Nope.” I was being flippant now. I was also trying to figure out the quickest way out of this classroom and away from this situation.

  “What about the Dog Man?”

  “The Dog Man? You mean the Bigfoot legend up at home?”

  “Yes.”

  “No, I’ve never seen Bigfoot.” Even as I said it I hesitated. The truth was, on my way to work at the local resort this past summer, I had seen something. It was 6 a.m. and I was supposed to have opened the golf course deli fifteen minutes earlier, so I was in a hurry. I was also hung over and – truth be told – maybe still a little stoned from the night before. In an effort to shave time from my commute, I’d taken the back roads that no tourist could ever find, but residents of the area knew all too well. They were windy and dangerous roads – none of which were covered in concrete – but which also shaved ten minutes off my commute. As I rounded one of those curves I was forced to slam on the brakes. There was a large animal in the middle of the road -- and he was staring at my car. I thought at first it was a bear – but there was something off about the animal’s dimensions. This animal had a much more pronounced snout and – when it raised up on its hind legs – it was much thinner than any bear I had ever seen. And, I swear this is true, when the animal walked into the trees to disappear, it actually swaggered a little bit.

  Professor Blake must have seen my mind working. “So, you have seen Bigfoot?”

  “No, I’ve never seen Bigfoot,” I scoffed. “I saw a bear once.”

  “But, even now, you’re not sure it was actually a bear?”

  I didn’t know how to answer him – so I didn’t.

  “What if I told you that the area you grew up in was a stronghold? Not for Sasquatch, though, but for Lupins."

  “What are Lupins? I mean aside from the professor in Harry Potter?”

  My pop culture reference seemed to have initiated an involuntary tic in Professor Blake, because he winked and then scowled. “Lupins are werewolves.”

  See, I should have seen that coming. “You’re so full of shit. Werewolves?”

  “Why are you so dismissive of the possibility? All legends start somewhere.”

  “Every saga has a beginning,” I muttered.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Just repeating the introduction to one of the Star Wars movies.”

  “Well, that seems helpful.”

  I glowered at Professor Blake. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “I think you came here for a reason.”

  “And what reason is that?”

  “To join the fight.”

  “What fight?”

  “Against evil.”

  “You mean werewolves?” I just knew I was being punked.

  “Not just werewolves,” Professor Blake said gravely.

  “Oh, vampires and ghosts, too.”

  “And witches.”

  “And witches,” I nodded enthusiastically. “And elves and fairies and trolls and gnomes. It’s just like Charmed.”

  Professor Blake frowned at my mock enthusiasm.

  “This is not a joke. Covenant College is at the center of a war – a war that has been waging for centuries.”

  “Between werewolves and vampires?”

  “Yes.”

  “Like Underworld?”

  “Not everything is a movie.”

  “Right.”

  Professor Blake took a step toward me. In my panic to get away, I knocked the desk over as I stood and moved a step back.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” he admonished.

  “Good to know.”

  “I’m trying to recruit you.”

  “For what?”

  “There are some of us – a very few – that have formed a group to fight these monsters that are taking over our society.”

  “Really? That’s great.” I was now convinced this guy was off his rocker. “So, you’re trying to form a group to fight the evil. Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

  Professor Blake looked like he was about to lose his cool.

  “It’s not like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This is serious. I’m serious. There are real evils out there.”

  I’d had enough.

  “I’m sure there are but, here’s the thing, I’m not interested in fighting evil. I’m not even interested in acknowledging evil. I just want to get a degree, go to a few parties and maybe smoke a few joints here or there.”

  I moved across the room with a purpose now. I wasn’t going to let him scare me into staying.

  “Quite frankly, Professor Blake, I’m not interested in
joining your freaky little Dungeons and Dragons group.”

  “You’re saying no?” Professor Blake looked incredulous.

  “Yes, Professor Blake, I’m saying no. The Avengers will just have to get along without me.” Then, with as much dignity as I could muster, I threw open the door dramatically and stomped out. Professor Blake wisely opted not to follow me.

  Eighteen

  I wanted to discuss what had happened with Paris when I returned to the dorm room, but I decided to let it go. I figured Professor Blake was just a nut and I should pretend the whole conversation had never happened.

  When I entered the room, though, it was absolute pandemonium.

  Brittany and Tara were both standing toe-to-toe with Paris, and it was obvious they were in the middle of something. I had heard yelling when I was walking down the hall. I just didn’t realize it was coming from my room.

  “What’s going on?” I was fully prepared to back Paris – whatever the argument was about.

  “We were just discussing some things,” Tara said bitterly.

  “What things?”

  “The problems we’re having in this room,” she said.

  “And those would be?”

  “You two,” Brittany piped in.

  “Us?”

  “Yes, you two and how you act like you’re so much better than us.”

  “When do we do that?”

  “Every day.”

  “You want to be more specific?” I took the opportunity to look Paris up and down. She was standing in front of Brittany and her fists were clenched at her sides. This wouldn’t end well if I didn’t defuse it quickly.

  “You make fun of me for being a virgin.”

  “No one makes fun of you.” Well, at least not to her face.

  “Yes, you do.”

  “Fine,” I blew out a sigh. “You’re a virgin. It’s hilarious. Let’s call CBS and see if they need a new sitcom.”

  “Making fun of me because I’m a virgin is wrong. It’s a form of bullying.”

  Oh, good grief. I was in this now. “Really? And you don’t sit around and call Paris and I sluts because we’re not virgins?”

  “Of course not!” I’d noticed Brittany pause before she answered, though.

  “Really? Be honest.”

  “I don’t think you’re sluts,” she said. “I think you’ve made a mistake and maybe you want to rethink your take on life.”

  “And I think you’re uptight and maybe you ought to rethink yours.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that one good orgasm might knock that stick right out of there.”

  Paris smirked.

  “See!” Brittany was practically screeching now. “You think you’re better than me because you’ve had sex!”

  “I’m a narcissist. I think I’m better than everyone.” Suddenly I was tired. I was tired of this whole thing.

  Brittany apparently didn’t know what to say to my admission, so she ignored it. “I think we need to come up with some ground rules.”

  “Really? And what would those be?”

  “You and Paris have to stop bullying me.”

  “Fine.”

  “What?” Paris was incensed with me now.

  “I said fine. We’ll stop bullying her about being a virgin – when she stops whining about every little thing we say or do.”

  “I don’t whine.”

  “You totally whine.”

  “I do not! Tara do I whine?”

  Tara had found something interesting to focus on behind Paris and I. She didn’t appear to want to answer Brittany’s question.

  “I’m done with this conversation,” I announced. “I’m going to the library.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Paris said.

  I grabbed my book bag and regarded the room for a moment. “I’ll meet you out by the front door.”

  Paris nodded and disappeared into the bedroom to gather her stuff. I turned on my heel and left the room without saying another word. Whoever said your college roommates would be your best friends for life was a filthy liar.

  Once outside the building, I took a couple of deep breaths to calm myself. I was still keyed up – but I didn’t feel like hitting something anymore.

  I looked around and realized that the front of the building was completely deserted. This didn’t actually surprise me. The five towers of the dorm each had a separate exit. The exit I’d chosen to go out of was on the far side of the building – the one away from campus. There was really no reason for anyone to be out here.

  I figured Paris wouldn’t look for me outside this door. After a few minutes of quiet, I turned to go back into the building. I figured I’d have to go to the door we usually went out for her to find me.

  When I started moving back toward the building, I noticed some furtive movement out of the corner of my eye.

  I swiveled quickly to see what it was. All I saw was a grouping of bushes. I narrowed my eyes as I inspected them. Even though I couldn’t see anything – I swear I could feel something watching me.

  I was still for a full minute and … nothing. I had just convinced myself that I was seeing things when I saw the bushes move – and not like a breeze was blowing them. I froze again – this time in fear. I could feel imminent danger – and yet I couldn’t seem to move.

  My eyes were glued on the grouping of bushes for what seemed like an eternity. My muscles were locked and I was mentally ready to run – if I could just unlock my muscles.

  Then, it happened. A shadow slowly detached from the bushes. A shadow the size of a mid-sized man. A shadow that was furtively heading in my direction.

  I wanted to scream – but no sounds would come out.

  I wanted to run – but I was devoid of the ability to move.

  I wanted to wake up – but I was suddenly sure this wasn’t a dream.

  The shadow made a hissing noise as it stepped closer. There were no lights in my general vicinity – but the moon was bright and I could see some pale skin under a mess of black hair. For a second, Professor Blake’s odd conversation popped in my head. Then I realized – this was all some hoax on his part.

  Suddenly I could move. And boy, was I pissed.

  “You had me for a second,” I laughed bitterly.

  The shadow kept coming toward me.

  “Tell Professor Blake his little ploy isn’t going to work. I’m not going to play his game.”

  Still nothing. The shadow was getting closer.

  At the last second, still believing it was a prank, I lifted my bag and swung hard. The figure seemed surprised by my movements and staggered to the side.

  That’s when I caught a glimpse of what looked like some overly white -- and overly long -- teeth poking out from the guy’s mouth.

  “This isn’t funny.”

  The truth is, despite myself, a little nagging part of me believed that this all could be real. I wasn’t ready to give into that little part – yet.

  The shadow took advantage of my indecision and jumped me. He moved so fast I didn’t have a chance to react.

  I hit the ground hard – my breath momentarily knocked out of me.

  I didn’t lose my wits, though. I brought my knee up from my prone position – trying desperately to hit that one spot on every guy that incapacitates him. I missed.

  The shadow was incredibly strong and he pinned me to the ground with relative ease. I kept trying to buck and kick to give myself some leverage – any kind of leverage. I was getting nowhere, though.

  Face-to-face, I could see that the shadow was incredibly pale and those teeth – which I hoped I had imagined – were not only real but also terrifying.

  The shadow had made very little noise up until this point. Then I heard him make a sort of slurping sound. Well that was just disgusting.

  Without even thinking, I felt my fingers brush upon something on my right side. It was a large rock. Without even stopping to think what I was doing, I brought the rock up
instinctively and bashed the shadow in the head.

  The shadow made another sound – this time a groan of pain – and I took advantage of the situation to shift his weight off me and slip out from under him.

  I regained my footing relatively quickly – but my wits were still scattered.

  I realized I was in a life or death situation here – and yet I was still hoping there was some sort of rational explanation for what was going on.

  The shadow had regained itself and was coming toward me again.

  I glanced around, looking for anything I could use as a weapon. My gaze settled on a rake that was propped up against the building. It was my only hope.

  I scampered toward the rake – even though I could feel the shadow getting closer to me. When my fingers closed around the tool, I didn’t stop to think. I didn’t tell myself that I could kill my attacker. I just swung. I swung hard.

  There was a sickening crack when the rake hit home. I thought for sure the sound I heard was his skull cracking open.

  When I turned, though, I realized the sound I’d actually heard was the handle of the rake breaking off. All I was left with was two feet of wood and nothing on the end to protect myself with.

  I grabbed the handle and started wielding it like a knife. I knew there was only one thing left to do. As the shadow advanced on me I plunged the handle down into my attacker’s chest.

  I was shocked with the ease in which it entered his body.

  We both froze.

  The shadow met my gaze for just a second and then … poof. He was gone.

  I don’t mean he disappeared in thin air. I mean he disintegrated in a pile of ash that fell at my feet.

  I was stunned. I’d just killed someone. And, yet, I’d left no body.

  The world was swimming in front of my eyes and I sat down hard on the pavement. That’s where Paris found me five minutes later. I think I was still in shock.

  “What happened?” She looked panicked.

  “He lied,” I mumbled.

  “Who did?”

  “It was totally like Buffy.”

  Nineteen

  It took Paris a full twenty minutes – and a Slurpee -- to get me to focus on her.

  “What happened?”

  Here was the conundrum: How could I possibly explain what happened without Paris thinking I was crazy.