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  An hour later. I am thoroughly exhausted, all thoughts of jackets completely gone. In fact, I’ll be heading back to my dorm to have a cool shower.

  Rylan finally excuses me to get ready for classes as exhaustion starts to take over. I drag my feet all the way back to our dorm on extremely shaky legs. I’m about to push through my door when a stern male voice on the inside stops me dead in my tracks.

  “This is inappropriate behaviour,” the voice says. “You will stop this ridiculousness. You must speak with me at some point,” he growls. “Do you have any idea how damaging a fallout would be for my reputation?” Ahhh. It must be Jacinta’s Dad.

  I barge my way in, prepared to save Jacinta if necessary. “Mr. Cooper,” I smile. “How lovely to see you again.”

  He gives me a curious look a slight nod and turns back to his daughter with a scowl. “Is this where you have picked up your bad attitude?” he asks, indicating towards me.

  Whoa, hold up.

  “No, Dad. You don’t get to come in here, gun’s blazing, accusing my friends of having bad attitudes,” Jacinta defends.

  “I am your father and I will do as I please.”

  “No. I don’t think so. You may be my father, but you are not my family. You lied to me my whole life. I bet you even knew who Daniel was this whole time and just never said anything,” she says as a tear begins to roll down her cheek.

  His face turns a ghostly shade of white, confirming Jacinta’s thoughts. “You’re being absurd,” he snaps.

  “No, what’s absurd is you barging in my dorm room at 8 o’clock in the morning, being a rude and accusing jackass while I am trying to get ready for class,” she yells. “Now, if you want to fix things here,” she says indicating between the two of them. “Then that’s fine, but you’re completely going about it the wrong way. You need to give me space.”

  “Space?” he scoffs stepping towards her. “What you need is to pull your head together and stop acting like a brat,” he snarls, reaching forward and catching her wrist in his big hands.

  Hell no.

  I step between them and push him backward, forcing his grip on her wrist to release. “With all due respect Mr. Cooper. You touch her and I will lay your ass down,” I say. He gives me a horrified look, knowing that I am indeed capable of just that. “Now, if you don’t mind we need to get ready for class,” I add, indicating towards the door.

  He huffs down at me, then glances over his shoulder. “I will be waiting for you at the end of the day. We will discuss this then.”

  “Oh great,” Jacinta responds with sarcasm. “I’ll bring your son along, it can be a family reunion.”

  His face turns an impossible shade of red. “You will do no such thing.”

  “Well, reality of the matter, Dad, is I don’t feel I can be around you without the need of a bodyguard.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” he snaps.

  “It means, I don’t trust you.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” he scolds.

  “Dad,” she sighs. “I need to get ready for class. I will see you this afternoon, once you have calmed down.”

  “Fine,” he says, turning on his heel and stalking out the door.

  “Whoa… are you ok?” I ask, turning around to face Jacinta.

  “Yeah. I think so,” she says. “I can’t believe he just grabbed me like that. Like, what was he going to do?”

  “I don’t know,” I say, pulling her into a tight hug. “But maybe it is a good idea to take Daniel with you this afternoon.”

  “Ha, can you imagine his reaction?” she laughs. “I might just do that.”

  “Good,” I smile. “Now, we need to get ready before we’re late and get detentions.”

  Twenty minutes later I’m dressed and ready. We walk down to the cafeteria to get a proper breakfast before class when my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out to find a message from an unknown number.

  Unknown - Hey, Bianca, it’s Kaylee. I hope it’s ok I have your number. I kind of stole it from Rylan’s phone when he wasn’t looking ;) Anyway, I thought we could catch up, maybe the shopping trip on the weekend? Do they still do them? We could get manicures and have a girl’s day out. What do you think?

  Awesome. I think that’s just what Jacinta and I need. I save her number in my phone and hit respond.

  Bianca – Hey Kaylee, a girl’s day out sounds perfect. Hope it’s ok I bring Jacinta, she is definitely in the need for a little girl time. Saturday ok?

  Kaylee – Perfect, I’ll see you girls then.

  I share our new weekend plans with Jacinta while we gobble down our breakfast.

  “Geez. Are you ready to go back to the mall? Last time you had kind of bad experience,” she asks.

  “I’ll be fine,” I smile. “We’ll just stay away from dark alleys that are occupied by the undead.”

  “Oh, God, I can’t believe you’re joking about it,” she groans.

  “It’s better than crying.”

  ----------

  I wake on Saturday morning, excited about our Girls Day out. I get dressed up, well by dressed up, I mean, a nice top and skinny jeans, paired with some flat knee high boots, rather than my usual workout clothes.

  Jacinta and I each blow out our hair and put on a little makeup. Before we know it, it’s time to head to the bus.

  We dash out of our room with Jacinta demanding we stop at the boy’s dorm so she can say a quick hello to Trey. In other words, deliver Trey with a surprise make-out session.

  I finally drag her away, making our way across campus and to the bus, just in time. We jump up onto the bus, get our names marked off and find a seat.

  We are sitting patiently, discussing what our girl’s day out should entail when a familiar shape enters the bus. A smile creeps over my face as Rylan makes his way down the bus, clearly on chaperone duty today. His eyes find mine, a question in his eyes, but I’m far too busy focusing on his body wrapped up in his favourite leather jacket to notice.

  He smirks down at my reaction but continues on to his seat. “Oh Rylan,” I hear a perky voice call from behind us. I turn to see a suddenly very excited Ms. Layton, standing up in her seat, waving him over. Rylan groans as he passes us and shoots her a fake smile.

  Jacinta and I break into uncontrollable giggles, he arches a frustrated eyebrow at me and I know I’ll be paying for that later.

  Five minutes later the driver finally gets on, starts up the engine and pulls out of the academy so we can get started on our much-needed girl’s day out.

  “So, you never told me how you went with your Dad the other day?” I ask as the bus putts along.

  “Not great,” she says. “He really wasn’t happy when Daniel showed up.”

  “I bet,” I laugh.

  “He tried to kick him out, but when he realised Daniel wasn’t leaving he just got straight to the point, which pretty much is… If it is going to tarnish his image, then he doesn’t want anything to do with it.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She lets out a frustrated sigh. “That he doesn’t want anything to do with Daniel and if I am going to continue having Daniel in my life, friend or brother, risking someone discovering the truth, then he will cut me out as well.”

  “WHAT?” I screech. “Have you talked to your Mum?”

  “I tried calling her yesterday, but she said she was busy and couldn’t talk,” she sighs.

  “Or avoiding the topic,” I add.

  “Yep,” she agrees.

  “It’s ok, if I haven’t been shipped off by then, you can stay with me,” I smile.

  “Well duh,” she says as the bus comes to a stop.

  We all hop off, waiting for the teachers to give their usual spiel about safety and boundaries, which I notice has slightly changed since my near-death experience.

  Finally, we are freed.

  Jacinta and I head off to the mall, I take a quick glance behind me to watch Rylan stalking off with Ms. Layton scurrying to ca
tch up to him. I’ll have to put that woman in her place one of these days. We head deeper into the shops and begin looking around, knowing we have about an hour before we meet with Kaylee.

  We head into a lingerie shop, both of us wanting to find something special for our men. I pull out the sexiest little red set I can find and hold it up high for Jacinta to see. “What do you think of this?” I ask.

  Jacinta’s head snaps around at my question, she takes all of two seconds to inspect the little red number hanging from my finger. A grin creeps across her pretty face. Yep, she approves. At that precise moment, Rylan strolls by the entrance of the shop his eyes landing on me. He gives me a sweet smile that quickly turns into something else as he notices the lingerie hanging from my finger. Fire flares behind his eyes and I know, without a doubt, I will not be leaving today without my new favourite piece.

  Jacinta grins as she watches our exchange. “God, do I need to be on guard while you two get it on out the back?” she snickers to me.

  “No,” I laugh. “I can control myself,” I add, picking up a few more pieces.

  “Alright, I think I’ve got more than enough,” Jacinta says, dragging me along to the cashier.

  “Wow, Trey is a lucky boy,” I comment as I take in the pieces Jacinta is buying.

  “That, he is,” she agrees.

  After a few more shops and a crap load more training outfits, I receive a text from Kaylee letting us know she is just about to arrive. We head out to the bus and convince the driver to let us stash our bags, then head back inside to search out Kaylee.

  A few minutes pass as we search the huge area for Kaylee when I hear my name being called in the distance. “Bianca, over here,” she calls. I turn my head in the direction of her voice and find her. Once again, I am shocked by the similarities between her and her brother. Apparently, Jacinta is too when she comments they could be twins.

  “How are you?” she sings, coming right up to me and pulling me into a bear hug.

  “I’m good,” I squeak when she gives me some room to breathe. “How have you been?”

  “Just great,” she smiles. “Though, I’m happy to finally have a girl’s day, I’ve been needing this just as much as the next girl. This must be Jacinta?” she asks, turning towards the blonde bombshell beside me.

  “Sure is,” Jacinta says. “You must be Kaylee. Rylan’s sister.”

  “Indeed, that’s me,” she smiles. “Now, I need a coffee before we get this show on the road.”

  “Oh, thank God,” Jacinta says, Kaylee’s words being music to her ears. “You and I are going to get along just great.” she smiles, looping her arm through Kaylee’s and leading the way to our favourite coffee house.

  An hour later, we are as relaxed as physically possible as we each get pampered at the Nail Boutique.

  “This is so amazing,” Kaylee murmurs, sounding as though she is falling asleep.

  “I agree,” Jacinta says, in that same sleepy tone. Me. I don’t even have the energy to respond.

  A shadow falls upon us as an amused voice is cleared, trying to get our attention. We each jump as our eyes fly wide open, finding Rylan looking down on us with an equal mix of confusion and suspicion.

  “Baby brother,” Kaylee smiles, getting up and giving him a tight squeeze. He groans at her use of the word ‘baby’. “What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask you the same question,” he says, glancing towards me with a curiously raised eyebrow.

  “We’re having a girl’s day,” I say as if meeting with his long-lost sister is a non-event.

  Jacinta watches on in amusement as his eyes flick between me and Kaylee. “Ok…,” he says. “How come I’m just finding out about it now?”

  “Because it’s a girl’s day,” Kaylee deadpans. “But if you’re jealous, you could always grab a chair and join in, I’m sure there is enough time for you to get a Mani/Pedi.”

  A horrified expression crosses his face. “Uh… no,” he says. “Just come and find me before you go.”

  “Ok,” she smiles. He bends down and gives me a quick kiss on the lips then disappears out of the nail Boutique faster than a bat out of Hell.

  An hour later we make our way down to the food court for some lunch. Promising to get something easy so Kaylee still has time to meet up with Rylan before we need to head back.

  We stand in line at the salad bar when Jacinta is hit with the sudden urge to use the bathroom. She squirms and crosses her legs as she tells me her order. She runs off with me and Kaylee left behind in an uncontrollable fit of laughter at her display.

  We order our salads and wait patiently for the young girl behind the counter to put it all together. After an agonisingly slow 5-minute wait, she hands the food over. I reach up to grab it and see Jacinta out of the corner of my eye. Perfect timing.

  Kaylee and I start walking to meet her in the middle. Kaylee scans the food court for an empty table and I glance up at Jacinta as she approaches. A funny look crosses her face and almost immediately her eyes widen in fear.

  My eyebrows pinch together as I try to work out what could possibly be wrong when a dark shadow approaches from behind, hovering above me.

  I spin on my heel, seeing two men. I instantly push myself between the men and Kaylee, giving her a shove to get her as far away from these men as possible. I position myself ready for a fight, studying the scene before, preparing for whatever may come next.

  “Fairy Knights,” I hear Jacinta scream from behind us. I force my eyes to focus harder only to realise Jacinta is right. It is indeed Fairy Knights, using a glamor to hide their true identity from the humans.

  The Fairy Knights loom over us. They must be at least 8 feet tall and look more like a person made of the earth. “Get help,” I scream to Jacinta, thankful she is still too far away to be in any immediate danger.

  Trusting Jacinta to do as she is told, I launch myself at the closer knight, nailing my fist right into what I can only assume are his ribs, though seems to look more like tree roots. He grunts in pain as he blocks my next advance. “Make one more move and she is dead,” a sickening voice says from beside me, dread fills me as I glance towards the sound to find a petrified Kaylee in the hands of the other Fairy Knight. His large hand circling her throat, squeezing as his dead eyes gleam with pleasure.

  I immediately halt my attack and leap towards Kaylee when the other knight grabs my upper arm, yanking me back into him. The Knight presses his finger into his wrist as the world around me begins to blur then vanishes completely from sight.

  Chapter 16

  Rylan

  There is nothing I hate more than these damn shopping trips. I don’t know what possessed me to come along today, I wasn’t even on the chaperone roster, but the moment I heard Bianca had put her name down, dread filled me and I just knew I had to go.

  The last time she was here she ended up fighting against a vampire who had almost taken her life. I killed him a split second before he had snapped her neck, though she still ended up in the infirmary. Granted, she was put there because of my bullet. The image of her in the vampire’s hands is one that will never escape me, that day, I vowed I would do anything to protect that woman.

  So, I just knew, there was no way she was coming back here without me watching over her, though, I’d never tell her that, she’d probably say I was turning into some creepy stalker.

  I make my way through this maze of a shopping centre, trying my hardest to give the girls some space and not be the creepy stalker I am slowly becoming. I walk past the lingerie shop I saw her in earlier this morning, holding up the most amazing red lace thong and matching bra. God, just the memory of the cheeky smirk she gave while she was holding it does things to me no other woman could. I can only imagine how amazing it would be to actually see her strutting around in it, putting my hands all over her and tearing it off her silky skin.

  Far out. I’m in public. I got to get my head out of the gutter.

  I take a seat on one of those uncomfo
rtable little lounges that appear in the middle of the walkways, doing my best to pass the time as I wait for this boring day to pass. Men just weren’t created for shopping malls. I pull my phone out to check the time. 1.45. Is two hours enough time for girls to get their nails done? Surely. I start to get up to find them so I can spend some time with Kaylee before we have to leave.

  I jam my phone back into my pocket when the most frustrating voice comes up beside me.

  “Rylan! There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Penny aka Barbie as Bianca would call her, says, grabbing my arm and forcing me to sit back down as she squishes in on the couch beside me.

  “Here, I am.” I grumble. Hoping I don’t come across too rude, but seriously? This woman just doesn’t get it.

  I. Am. Not. Interested!

  “I thought we could do lunch” she suggests, placing her hand on my thigh. I glance down at it in repulsion. Geez. How the times have changed. Before I met Bianca, I would have jumped at this opportunity, I mean, the woman is attractive, but she’s got nothing on Bianca.

  “Ah. Thanks, but I’m actually meeting with some friends,” I say, removing her hand and getting up.

  Her face drops ever so slightly. “Oh, sure, maybe next time.”

  Doubt it. “Sure,” I say, walking away.

  My phone vibrates in my pocket and I quickly snatch it up, most likely Kaylee wondering where I am.

  “Yeah?” I answer, without looking at the caller ID.

  “RYLAN!” Jacinta’s panicked screeches. Deja Vu creeps through me and I know in an instant it's Bianca. “You have to help. She gone. They’re both gone,” she cries.

  Gone? What does she mean gone? Both? I hear the sound of air rushing past the phone and I realise she must be running. Where though? To me? “Where are you? Where’s Bianca and Kaylee,” I demand.

  “The food court,” she cries. “Please hurry, they’re gone. They took her.”

  I don’t think I have ever run faster in my life. I sprint through the crowds, knocking people out of my way as I go. I hear the frustrated protest of the people I pass, but I just don’t have it in me to give a shit. I make it to the food court in no time, to find Jacinta a mess on the floor.