Midnight crossing

Chapter 15

A massive thunderstorm hit the academy at midnight. The wind howled through the stone towers, and loud thunder shook the heavy glass windows of the executive building.

I was on the fifth floor, carrying a plastic bucket and a cloth. My shift was finally over, and the entire tower was dark and empty. The elevators were turned off for the storm, so I had to use the grand stone staircase to go down to the lobby.

The air in the stairwell was freezing cold. Every time lightning flashed outside, long, scary shadows stretched across the marble walls.

I was halfway down the stairs when my body suddenly failed me.

A sharp, blinding heat exploded deep inside my chest. I gasped, dropping my plastic bucket. It rolled down the stone steps with a loud clatter, spilling soapy water everywhere. I fell against the cold stone wall, gripping my ribs as a wave of intense agony rushed through my veins.

The heavy atmospheric pressure from the storm was pushing against the tower, and my hidden royal magic was reacting violently. It felt like liquid fire was burning me from the inside out.

"Not now," I whispered desperately, my teeth grinding together.

I looked down at my arms. Even in the dark, I could see the dangerous golden light pulsing brightly beneath my skin. The golden threads were spreading rapidly up my wrists, moving toward my neck. A thick pool of hot copper flooded my tongue. I choked back a loud cough, quickly pressing my hand over my mouth and swallowing the blood down.

My vision turned blurry and black at the edges. I couldn't move. I was completely trapped by my own power in the middle of the dark stairs.

Suddenly, a heavy, familiar scent filled the air, rich cedar wood and a deep winter storm.

A massive shadow stepped out of the darkness at the top of the stairs.

Alistair Vance walked down toward me. He wore his long, dark wool coat, his broad shoulders completely blocking the pale moonlight from the window. His amber-golden eyes were glowing slightly in the dark, and his powerful Alpha aura rolled down the stairs, heavy and suffocating.

He stopped right in front of me. He looked down at my trembling body, his jaw tightening into a hard line.

I tried to step back, but my shoulders were already glued to the cold stone wall. I quickly shoved my glowing hands deep into the pockets of my oversized grey maintenance jacket, keeping my head low so he couldn't see the gold light fading from my eyes.

"Principal Vance," I whispered, my voice shaking from the intense pain. "I am sorry about the bucket. The stairs were slippery."

Alistair didn't look at the bucket. He took a long step forward, completely crowding my personal space until my chest was almost touching his dark coat. The heat radiating from his large body was incredible, cutting through the freezing chill of the stairwell.

He reached out, his large, scarred hand firmly gripping my shoulder, pinning me gently but tightly against the marble pillar.

"You are pushing your body to the breaking point, Evangeline," Alistair said, his deep, baritone voice vibrating right through my bones. He leaned down, his face inches from mine. His advanced wolf senses were tracking my frantic heartbeat. "Every time I find you, you are covered in shadows and smelling of fresh blood. What are you hiding from me?"

The pressure of his dominant aura was immense, making my head spin. The dark, possessive look in his amber eyes made it hard to think, but I forced myself to stay strong. I looked straight into his frozen face.

"I am hiding nothing, sir," I lied softly, my simple English steady. "I am just trying to survive in your school."

"You are playing a very dangerous game with my family," Alistair whispered, his eyes narrowing as his gaze drifted down to my lips, checking for the trace of copper. His grip on my shoulder tightened slightly, not to hurt me, but as if his wolf was instinctively trying to claim my space. "My sister is watching you. My son is losing his mind over you. And you are wandering through my dark corridors like a ghost."

"Are you going to stop me, Principal Vance?" I asked, lifting my chin high, refusing to look away from his terrifying, beautiful eyes.

Alistair stared at me for a long, breathless moment while the thunder roared outside. The silence between us stretched so tight it felt ready to snap and destroy the entire tower. His thumb subtly brushed against the side of my neck, a brief, hot touch that sent a violent shiver down my spine.

"No," Alistair murmured coldly, slowly releasing his grip and stepping back into the shadows. His perfect marble mask locked back into place. "But if you fall, Miss Cross, do not expect me to catch you. Clear this mess and go back to your dorm."

"Yes, sir," I whispered.

He turned on his heel and walked away, his dark cloak disappearing into the upper floor. The moment his pressure left, I slid down the wall, gasping for air. The golden light in my veins slowly went dark. I had survived the first part of my plan, but as I looked up the dark stairs, I knew my connection to the Sovereign Principal was becoming a fire I could no longer control.