The Keep (The Watchers #4)

“You tracked in snow,” she said, not turning around. She was sitting at her desk, acting completely entranced by what appeared to be some ancient primary text.

Did I look that smug when I studied? “How can you even tell?”

“Take off your shoes,” she said impatiently.

I grumbled, but still, I leaned over to free myself from the knee-high winter boots. They looked cool, especially when paired with my new Initiate’s uniform—most things would probably look cool paired with a navy blue catsuit—but all those laces were a supreme hassle, and it did feel good to slide the things off.

Wriggling my toes, I decided to annoy my roomie. “Whatcha reading?”

She gave a tormented sigh. “The Poetic Edda. You probably haven’t heard of it.”

As hard as I tried to break the ice, Frost insisted on being a little snot with me. Emma had been her roommate—Emma who’d been nice to everyone, including Frost—and Frost begrudged me her death. Did anyone not hate me for that?

Actually, there were two on this island who knew I’d done my best, who didn’t think I was the raging homicidal teen I appeared to be. Ronan, and of course, Carden.

Where was Carden? I needed him, and it wasn’t just the urge to feed. I needed to lean in to him. To shroud myself in the feeling I got when we were together, the sense that I could finally relax and stop looking over my shoulder for just…one…second.

“The Edda is the premier source for information on Norse myth and legend,” Frost went on. I hadn’t responded to her earlier ding, and apparently she was anxious to make sure I got how smart she was. “I’m currently working through the Niflung Cycle.”

“Already read it.” I couldn’t resist my reply. Frost’s real problem wasn’t that Emma had been killed—it was that she wasn’t the only smarty-pants on this island.

“You read it”—she deigned to turn in her chair to peer at me—“in translation. I’m working from the original Old Norse. I imagine that’s too advanced for you.”

I imagined I wanted to smack her upside the head. Instead, I mused, “Dagursson helping you with that?” The creepy old Viking vamp had chosen her as his teacher’s pet, and I couldn’t resist any opportunity to goad her about it.

“Master Dagursson says I’m the best student of Old Norse he’s ever had.”

“Master Dag would say anything for a little female attention,” I snapped back. Fine, so maybe I didn’t want to admit that possibly it killed me how she was better at the Norse stuff.

I swung my legs over and began to pull my damp boots back on. “I’m heading back out.” If Carden wasn’t going to come to me, I’d go in search of him.

“But it’s almost curfew,” she said.

I rolled my eyes. The girl really needed to learn to relax. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll be back.”

Her body stiffened, freezing into a weird position in her chair. “Don’t call me that.”

It wasn’t an easy task relacing wet, knee-high boots, and as I did, I wondered what nerve I’d just hit. “Not big on the family thing, huh?”

I thought of my own mother, as I so often did. She’d died when I was very young, leaving me with nothing but an abusive father and a tattered old photograph of her younger self. I’d fled the dad part of that equation but treasured my picture, currently hidden next to a rubbing I’d done of some old runic graffiti. The vampires had confiscated the photo once already, but somehow Ronan had stolen it back, giving it to me at the end of last term when I was at my lowest. I wouldn’t lose it again. I had the feeling that neither the photo nor I would survive if the vampires were to realize it was back in my possession, not to mention its existence was probably a danger to Ronan. Enough people had suffered for their kind gestures on my account.

As for my graffiti rubbing, I didn’t know how vampires felt about personal belongings, and I didn’t want to test the notion, so I’d tucked that away, too, though I needed to do a better job of hiding my stash. I had plans to build a secret panel behind one of my dresser drawers. It was just a matter of getting Frost out of the room so I could construct it.

“I have a new family now,” Frost said, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Good luck with that.” I’d thought I could create a new family for myself, but my friends had all either died or, in the case of Yasuo, turned from me. So many people I cared for had disappeared from my life—one day there, the next…poof.

I stood. I needed a friendly face. I needed Carden. The wet suede of my boots was cold and uncomfortable, and I stomped my heels into place. I had to get out of there.

But then I flung open the door, and there he was. My glorious, beautiful vampire. White crystals glittered in his strawberry-blond hair, like he’d hiked through snow-covered trees to reach me. He wore a black wool peacoat that did epic things to showcase those strong shoulders, making him look extra manly, like he was ready for some action down by the docks.

I practically sagged with relief. Something I hadn’t known was tensed, loosened. I shuddered in a sigh, realizing only then how shallow my breaths had been. How tense my chest and neck.

I breathed his name. “Carden.”

CHAPTER FIVE

I stood frozen—how to react? I wanted to fling myself into his arms, but I felt Frost’s presence vibrating at my back. I couldn’t let her discover that Carden and I had bonded. I opened my mouth to say…something, when I heard my roommate’s chair scrape along the floor.

“Master McCloud.” She’d hopped to her feet, and the words snapped from her, crisp and formal. “How might we serve you?”

I snorted, then quickly covered my mouth to turn it into a cough. How might we serve you? Je-sus.

I looked to Carden, wanting to share a bemused eye roll, but his attention was pinned on Frost. The irises of his eyes had widened, and when he spoke, his voice was a hollow rumble. “You will don your coat.”

Uh…okay. I was just about to ease this weird tension with some humorous crack when Frost got a peculiar look on her face.

“I’ll don my coat,” she repeated, and her tone of voice made it sound like this was a revelation, like she’d just had the brightest idea ever.

“You will run three laps around the quad,” he instructed.

She gave a firm nod. “I will run three laps around the quad.”

I gasped, then snapped my mouth shut when I realized my jaw was hanging open. Frost had set about donning sneakers and coat, her movements stiff and systematic like she was on autopilot. I knew vampires had power, but this Jedi-mind-trick stuff was something I’d never seen before.

“Acari Drew needs the use of this room,” Carden said. “Privately.”

The word gave me a shiver.

Frost’s face was a blank. “Privately.”

“This is awesome,” I whispered. I’d automatically edged around to stand at his back, not wanting to get in the path of whatever mojo he was currently busting out. “I like Robot Roomie.” I knotted my hands in the stiff wool of his coat and gave a playful jostle. “Tell her I’m smarter than she is,” I added with a giggle. That’s what Carden did to me—he made me do things like giggle and feel playful, like I was just a teenaged girl, not this cold, trained killer I’d become. “Tell her…tell her she should make my bed every day. That she serves me.” I was really getting going. I could’ve gone all night.

“You will return two minutes prior to curfew,” he said instead. He may not have told her any of my stuff, but I’d heard a smile in his voice, and that was better than anything. “If anyone inquires as to her whereabouts, you will inform them she is attending to work that is not of your concern.”

My shoulders fell a little. I had work?

“Say good-bye to your roommate,” Carden said.

Frost turned to me, her movements stiff. “Good-bye, Acari Drew.”

I watched, mesmerized, as she made her way to the door. “I could get used to this,” I muttered. But then, as the door clicked shut, I turned and gave him a deflated pout. “So, what’s this work?”

“Hush, love.” He tilted my chin up to face him. A slow grin spread across his face. “I’m the work, aye?”

“Oh.” I gave him a tentative smile. I still didn’t fully believe that there was a guy out there who’d seek me out simply for the purpose of spending time together. “Really?”

His low, husky laugh reverberated through me. “Really. I thought you’d have deduced it by now.” He slipped his hand under my hair, sliding warm fingers along the back of my neck, cupping it gently. “I’m purely a man of sport and leisure.”

I let my smile broaden. “That sounds”—he leaned down to nuzzle my neck, and my breath hitched—“good.”

He nipped at my ear, his breath tickling along my tender skin. “I had to see you.”

I shivered, contented. Safe. “I knew you’d come.”

“Always.” He tugged me closer. Tighter. “I felt you. Losing heart.”

“Sounds serious.” I tried to laugh it off, but it came off lame, so I began to confess. “I guess I’ve been kind of…” But I trailed off, not trusting my voice.

“Kind of…?” he prompted.

This contact, this closeness, it made me feel raw, split open. As though I might finally let go, only I wasn’t sure that I wanted to lose my armor—who knew what would happen if I ever did that, what feelings I might discover hiding beneath my shell?

He pulled from me and cupped my face. He was a creature of infinite power—as a man, he’d been a warrior, and as a vampire, who knew? I was still just beginning to grasp the full extent of his strength and abilities. And yet here he was, his hands cradling me tenderly, his touch so gentle on my skin. “Tell me, love.”

There it was…the sound of my armor cracking.