Blood Dripping Fingertips - Meghan Escott (acx book reading .txt) 📗

tried to sit up but I got pushed back down and got told to rest by a stern voice. I rubbed my eyes and then felt my cheek for damage. When I touched it, the pain increased and I winced and so did Sam though he covered it up very well. I tried to sit up again and didn’t get pushed down this time.
I moved the pillow on my bed so I could rest my head against it. I opened my eyes after moving and saw everyone looking at me with worry in their eyes. “What happened?” I ask anyone who will answer. Josh ended up telling me what had happened.
“When you hit the floor, Professor made sure anything wasn’t broken then called Sam. He came straight away and said what you needed was blood and rest for a couple of hours then you would be fine. He carried you into here and then let you rest before we woke you.” He said looking anywhere but at me until the very end.
I read his thoughts and he was very worried about you especially since he urged you on in the fight. Tell me about that later.
“You need to drink now, otherwise you won’t be able to attend the dance this evening and you will leave Josh very upset.” Sam said and I looked from Josh to Sam. I nodded and Josh got up off my bed and went into the lounge where I could drink with a bit of privacy. I could read that he didn’t want to see me drink from anybody but that was just a part of my life for a couple of weeks then he would never have to see it again.
Sam held out his wrist and I bit into it and began sucking. This time the blood was hot and was burning the inside of my mouth instead of its normal cool taste but I kept on drinking because I could feel my cheek repairing itself. It was painful but necessary. I could see Sam wincing at my pain because he could feel it through my blood.
When I felt my cheek regain its normal feeling, I stopped sucking and healed the bite I had made in Sam’s wrist. He then left me and asked Josh whether he could take me through the rituals and things that I must do tonight. I heard a door shut and then Josh returned, on his own, into my bedroom.
“How are you doing Lucy?” He asked me looking me up and down, looking for cuts and bruises. “I’m fine now. Thank you for looking after me when Zorina knocked me down. What happens at this dance then, presuming you still want to come with me?” I said to him wondering what the answer would be. I would probably never get asked on a date again after the display of toughness I showed today.
“I defiantly still want to go with you. If you still want to go with me?” I nodded. “Right then, at the beginning of the dance, everyone must dance with their partner in a slow dance. That’s tradition. Then about halfway through the dance, we light a candle each and put it in a place around the room. The candles are magical and if your candle gets blown out during the evening, something horrible is going to happen in your life soon. We have only had one candle blow out since I’ve been here and she died, but that won’t happen to you. At the end of the dance, we have to go and stand behind our candles and pray to the Vampire Princes and the Head. That’s then the end of the dance and people are allowed to do what they like. You got everything?” I nod and that seems to satisfy Josh who gets off my bed and goes back to his own room to get ready.
I start to get out of bed and walk towards the bathroom to see what I look like. When I got there, I looked into the mirror to find my cheek is fine but I have bruises up and down on my right arm. Thank god I brought my concealer to this school. I walk out of the bathroom and back into my bedroom where I find my dress hung up on the outside of my wardrobe. I pull it on and then go into the bathroom to slap on some make up on my arm.
By the time I had finished my hair and make up, Josh was in my room and sat on my bed, waiting for me. He was wearing a black suit with a blue funky tie. When I walked out the bathroom, he stood up and held out his arm. I linked my arm in and we walked to the door, down the hall and into the dance hall.
When Josh and I reached the dance, people were already entering and taking their places on the dance floor for the traditional slow dance. Josh and I entered and took a place on the dance floor and began to dance with the slow, rhythmic music. When the music stopped, everyone cheered and vacated the dance floor.
Josh led me over to a group of people and introduced me to them. They were obviously Josh’s friends and he wanted me to meet them. There was five of them; Luke, Brad, Adam, Conner and Callum. They were all really nice to me and I stayed with Josh and his friends most of the evening.
When the dance was half over, the music came to a standstill. It was time for the candles to be lit. Me and Josh walked over to the table and picked up a white candle; White for first year, blue for second year, green for third year and black for fourth year, and went to the circle of white candles. We placed our candles next to our initials that were carved into the floor and lit them with the magical lighters. When everyone’s candles had been lit, everyone cheered again and went back to doing whatever.
I went with Josh and his mates and they talked about girls and stuff; typical boys! I pretended to listen to them but I was probing inside their heads.
If Josh wasn’t with her, I would ditch my girl and get off with her.
She is as beautiful as Josh says she is. I wonder if she knows what he really feels for her. He’s been on about her since the second she walked into this school.
When Josh is finished with her I’m having her.
She’s a weakling. You can see the scars on her legs and the bruises on her arms. She’s probably wacko. I’m not going to help Josh when she finishes with him. I’ve heard all about her human boyfriend and what he did to her.
She’s nice.
Most of the things they were thinking were really nice but when Conner thought about Tom and what he did to me, it made me want to cry.
“Where’s the rest room?” I asked Josh trying to suppress my tears. He could sense something was up because he trailed me to the toilet. “What’s wrong? Are you al right? Are you hurting from earlier?”I shook my head and tried to blink back the tears but they came spilling out anyway.
Josh took hold of my hand and pulled me out of the hall where he pulled me into his embrace and muttered words of comfort to me. I hugged him back and listened to his thoughts.
Don’t worry Lucy. I know your telepathic. You were listening to my friend’s thoughts. What did you hear that upset you?
“Conner. He was talking about my ex-boyfriend. I suppose you know what he did to me on the first day I was here.” Josh nodded and wiped tears away from eyes with a tissue he had produced from his pocket and then gave one to me. He pulled me in for another hug and I hugged him back again. He pulled back, kissed me on the cheek and then led me back into the dance.
He didn’t led me to his friends again but over to the candles where the teachers were gathered, inspecting the candles. Josh found Professor Buttercup and asked him to come to me. He did and then he explained what had happened to Zorina.
“As you can see, she is not here. She has been banned from all social events until the end of this month. She gave you quite a punch even thought I asked her to go easy on you. Are you al right though? I left your room when Sam left, I didn’t want to intrude any longer then I had to.” He said. I nodded in answer and opened my mouth to say something when a teacher in the white circle gasped.
Professor Buttercup turned around and ran over to white circle. Teachers had crowded round it in a circle so none of the pupils could see what was going on. Professor Buttercup dropped to his knees then got up again. He walked out of the circle and came over to me and Josh.
“Come with me Lucy. You can come to Josh if you wish.” He said and then walked back to the circle. I glanced at Josh and his face was petrified. I had no choice but to follow Professor Buttercup, past the pupils, the teachers and into the centre of the white circle.
As soon as I walked into the circle, I noticed warmth and heat on my face, arms and legs. Josh felt it too and let out a sigh. He closes his eyes. As I look around the circle, trying to find something wrong, I spot a gap in the light and warmth. I stare at it and start walking over to it. Josh opens his eyes and follows my gaze to the same spot. He lets out a gasp and walks up beside me as I squat.
I look at the candle that hasn’t got a flame flaring, dread filling me. I wonder why the teachers have asked me and Josh to do this instead of the persons it is. Josh squats beside me and holds my hand. I reach out my other hand to pick the candle to see whose it is when the candle next to it flicks out. Josh groans and now I understand why I’m here.
I pick up the second candle that has gone out and find Josh’s initials underneath it. I groan as the truth hits me.
I turn back to the first candle and pick it up. Sure enough my initials are underneath the candle.
‘L.D’


Chapter Eleven

Sam came running to my side and pulled me up. Josh’s mentor did the same with him and both of us got escorted out of the room and into the hallway.
“You both know what this means, yes?” Sam asked us both when we had got out in the hallway. Sam had let go of me