I narrowed my gaze. It was a logical enough excuse, but as my eyes rose, I spotted a small cut on his forehead. “What happened there?” I asked, gesturing to the cut.
He lifted his hand, then winced. “I got hit by a fallen tree branch.”
“Hmm.”
“Why are you being so suspicious? Do you think I’m lying?”
“A student was attacked tonight out in the woods. She almost died.”
“And you think I attacked her? Just because I’m a new student doesn’t mean I’m some sort of psycho. I thought you were one of the few people at this school who realised that. Obviously, I was wrong.”
I fell silent then because the look on his face told me he was genuinely offended. Then I thought of how Angela was attacked and realised it couldn’t have been Ren. He was only a warlock. He didn’t have the ability to drain blood like a vampire. Hell, I was really off my game. I was just in so much turmoil over Angela that I wasn’t thinking straight.
I shook my head at myself. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be interrogating you like this. My head is just all over the place because the person who was attacked is my blood donor. I’m supposed to be the one keeping her safe.”
At this, Ren’s expression gentled, dark smudges of eyeliner running down his cheeks. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sorry your blood donor was attacked, and admittedly I do look like a hot, suspicious mess right now.” He cast me a beleaguered smile.
“Do you need a ride home? A bunch of cars just arrived outside.”
He nodded enthusiastically. “A ride home would be heaven.”
I stepped by him in the direction of the bathroom when he reached out and caught my wrist. I cast him an expectant look. “This might sound strange, but my grandmother made a prediction about my future, and I think it involves you.”
I stared at him, intrigued. Ren’s grandmother, Mrs Tanaka, was the clairvoyance teacher here at St. Bastian’s. Many of her predictions about the future had been proven to come true.
“Involves me how?” I asked.
“She said I’d one day save the life of a great ruler, a woman with golden hair, ocean coloured eyes and sharp white fangs. Sound familiar?” He arched an eyebrow.
I stilled, because the description did sound like me, but also because of the great ruler part. It sounded an awful lot like the prophecy my parents told me about. “That could be anybody,” I said, not wanting to analyse what it could possibly mean. I still had absolutely no ambition to rule. It wasn’t a future I aspired to.
“She said that the ruler would grant me a position of high command after I saved her life, and that I’d have a long and fruitful career by her side,” Ren went on.
“Sounds like you don’t have anything to worry about then,” I said, moving by him when I paused, glancing back.
“Ren?”
“Yes?”
“What really happened to your parents?” I asked in a gentle voice.
At this, a sad smile graced his lips. “If we ever become true friends, maybe I’ll tell you.”
I sensed his grief as I nodded then continued my way to the bathroom. When I emerged, he was still there waiting for me, but thankfully he didn’t bring up his grandmother’s prediction again. I had enough pressing issues in the present without preoccupying myself with the future.
Ren and I went to the teacher’s lounge, where he promptly explained to everyone what happened to him. A few minutes later, we were all being bundled into vehicles. I noticed Peter had drifted away quietly. I wondered if he teleported to that little storage room and unhappiness gripped me. I hated him sleeping there in that cold little box with no home comforts.
“Can we drop Nic off at his house?” I asked my dad as we climbed into his car.
“Actually, I’d like to come with you to the hospital to see Angela.”
“Oh, were you two friends?” Rebecca asked from the front seat.
“Not close friends, but we did share some classes,” Nic replied.
I was surprised that he wanted to come since he and Angela were hardly close. They only knew each other casually. Then I noticed the shy look he gave me and wondered if he was sticking around because of our kiss. I hoped he didn’t want to talk about it. I wasn’t in the right state of mind to tell him that though it was an excellent kiss, my affections belonged elsewhere. Nic had no idea what had transpired between Peter and me in the library.
It was almost three in the morning when we arrived to visit Angela. Since she was a witch, she could be treated at a regular human hospital. If she were a vampire or a shapeshifter, however, she’d have had to be brought to one of the city’s supernatural clinics. Though, obviously, a vampire would be on hand to compel away any questions about her unusual injuries. Having one’s blood drained from a single bite mark would likely raise suspicions.