ADRIA’S POV.
The kind of rage filling me was like none other. It was such a rage that drew tears to my eyes instantly. My fingers balled into fists, and my nostrils flared as I looked at the sad atmosphere in the class.
“She didn’t come home last night. Her parents said that… that was unlike her. She never spent a night out, even when invited. She…she also wasn’t home this morning, so her mother came to school this morning to ask the teachers, and some of us who were around if… if… if we saw her.” Stacy said, trying to hold her tears.
My lips quivered, and my vision was blurred as large tear balls formed.
What wrong did Halsey do? She was just quietly living her life. She never upset anyone or got into fights. Angry tears fell down my eyes, and I couldn’t help the flow of emotions I was feeling.
“She… she was reported missing a few minutes ago.” Stacy concluded, and my breath came out shaky.
“Excuse me.” I managed to say, and stormed out of the class.
Damn Derek! Damn him! How dare he? How dare he??
I never knew Halsey personally, but why? Why another victim? What did they ever do? To think that I was once like that was so disheartening. Why did I ever join him?
Just then, a hand grabbed me, and I was pulled into the corridor leading to the male toilet. It was Lucien.
We went through a door, then into a stall.
“Halsey’s missing.” I managed to say through my rage.
“Your claws.” Lucien hissed, holding up my hand, and I saw dark claws extending out of my fingers. “You have to be careful.”
“I’ll find him. I have to talk to him.”
“It’s a trap.”
“Halsey could still be alive!”
“You know very well she’s not. She was taken last night. What do you think she was taken for? Captive? Or as bait? You know very well she was taken for Derek’s dinner. I’ll take care of it.”
“He can sense your presence from afar. He’ll never show up. How do you want to see him?”
“I’ll think of a way.”
“Damn it! Halsey’s dead. I have to see that jerk…”
“Would that bring her back? Keep your cool, and remain level-headed, Adria.” He said, then after a few moments, hugged me, as large tears fell down my cheeks.
When I had saved Asha the previous night, I had been so happy, but being unable to save Halsey, even when it wasn’t my fault, and I hadn’t known she had been taken, was devastating. It was worse than being sad.
It seemed like it was tearing right through my heart.
I cried hard in Lucien’s arms, and I didn’t think I would be able to stop crying. I choked on my tears, and buried my face into his jacket to muffle my cries, which had become too loud.
After crying for a while, I went back to the class, and stood in front of everyone.
“For weeks now, people have been going missing. Girls, particularly.” I started, and they all stopped what they were doing. “This doesn’t mean boys are safe. We never know when the culprit might switch preferences.
“I… I want to ask you all to be more careful. For weeks, girls have been reported missing, and they haven’t been found yet. We all know they’re dead, and… and… and Halsey probably is too.” My voice broke, and I began to cry again. “Please… can we… can we all stay in our homes?
“The cops have been searching for the bodies, but haven’t found them. Let’s… let’s put night activities on hold for now. Please…” I begged earnestly, and someone else began to cry.
It was a girl who had tried to get closer to Halsey. Seeing her burst into tears made others cry too, and Stacy came to give me a hug, which I clearly needed.
~
Later that night, I stormed off to the forest in anger, ignoring Lucien’s words.
I ran as fast as I could to our moonlight spot, and when I got there, he was waiting for me, and in his fingers was a bracelet—a bracelet that was always seen on Halsey’s wrist.
He twirled it around his fingers slowly, and smiled at me.
“Welcome.”
“Damn you!” I shrieked, rushing to him, and holding him by the collar.
“Wait, wait, wait… You need to calm down.” He said, with a nasty smile on his face. “Remember, Humans kill animals to survive, and we kill humans to survive. Don’t be so hypocritical. Just until a few days ago, you were tearing these humans apart…”
“Shut it! Shut your crazy mouth up. Touch my classmates once more…”
“I’m the one giving the warnings, not you.” He cut in, throwing my hands off his collar, and his expression changed. “There’s still a chance for you, Adria. Come back to me, to us, to our hunting, and I’ll stop attacking your course mates.” He said, and just then, he looked up, then off into the distance. “Shit.” He spat, and pushed me away, before running off.
He had probably sensed Lucien. In anger, I hit the ground hard, but what could that possibly help. It only gave me pain that felt like my wrist breaking.
~
The next day, at school, I felt really sad, and couldn’t even say much to Stacy. Not that she was saying much too. She was also down.
Just then, Lucien walked into the class, and we all straightened up in our seats. He began to take the attendance.
“Lucy Warder.”
“Here, sir.”
“Jayne Clayton.”
“Here, sir.”
“Will Stone.”
“Here sir.”
“Jamila…” He began to call, but stopped.
“Jamila hasn’t shown up to school.” A girl named Carly piped up, and Lucien sighed.
“Jamila was also reported missing this morning.”
“Jamila loves to party. She can’t be missing. She’s probably crashing at a friend’s place.” Stacy said, getting up from her seat.
“Jamila went to get urgent cooking ingredients for her mother late at night, and didn’t return. Her phone was found on the floor near the woods.” Lucien answered, and it felt like my world was crumbling.
What was I to do? If I didn’t give Derek all he wanted, would I have to sacrifice all my course mates?