Hunting Season (Aurora Sky by Nikki Jefford Read Free Book Online

friendships worth investing time and emotion in were with other vampires.
    Fane had no trouble befriending humans. He was a social king among society’s rejects.
    I still remembered the group of misfits that flocked to him at Denali High—Goth kids who all looked the same. At some point Fane added grunge to his repertoire of followers, as Zeke colorfully demonstrated.
    The point was, he didn’t let everlasting life bum him out. He had fun and thrived. It made me flush to think that out of his hordes of adoring groupies, he’d chosen to fixate on me. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t suck my blood. He didn’t care whether I was human or vampire. I suspected it made him happy I’d live forever… in theory.
    Even when I pushed Fane away, he loomed at the edges of my life like a shadow—backing me up one minute, gone the next.
    I frowned. The gone part was the current problem.
    Suddenly we weren’t vampire and hunter. Suddenly I knew why he’d bitten Noel at the palace. The playing field had evened out. The game changed. But where did that leave us? As teammates? A high-five, good job, see you at the next meet?
    You’re just lonely , I tried telling myself.
    Loneliness was worse than being drunk.
    I glanced sideways at my nearest neighbor, a young woman with blue streaks in her auburn hair. Her stockings were ripped—on purpose I was pretty sure—beneath a tweed skirt and tank top. A snakelike Chinese dragon was tattooed over her arm.
    Nobody talked to her. I should have made an effort to strike up a conversation. Instead, I stared at her tattoo and wondered how much it had bled.
    I opened my textbook over the desk to prevent a finger burn if I continued to rub away at the surface.
    A guy wearing a UAA Seawolves baseball cap sat down in front of me. He leaned back. Sure, why didn’t he shove his neck in my face?
    My eyes darted back and forth between my textbook and the few inches of skin between his shirt collar and cropped hair.
    I rubbed the bridge of my nose.
    Why did I have to walk over so early? This was turning into the longest five minutes of my life. What was I even doing at university? I didn’t belong here. I wasn’t on campus to make friends or date or pursue a career. I was only fooling myself.
    I got up. I had to get out of there.
    Inside, my heart raged, but nobody noticed the vampire in torment. After stuffing my textbook, notepaper and pen inside, I grabbed my backpack by the top loop. The moment I walked out of the classroom, I felt instantly better. Free.
    My feet carried me quickly down the hall, past corkboards papered in fliers, students walking in pairs, and professors headed to teach class.
    I practically ran down the stairs until I pushed through the double doors leading into an open courtyard. Students sat at picnic tables and sprawled out across the lawn while the weather still permitted. Everyone around me looked like they belonged there.
    Meanwhile, I felt like a dowager at a rock concert.
    I was an old soul. That was the problem. Even though I was from this century, I had trouble relating to my generation.
    I took my phone out and dialed Fane. Instantly, I felt less alone with the promise of someone to talk to. Better yet, he answered after the first ring.
    â€œIs this a mission related question or do you just miss me?” Fane asked in a devious voice.
    â€œI’m having a problem,” I said.
    â€œWhat is it? What’s going on?” Fane asked, instantly switching his tone. “Where are you?”
    â€œI’m on campus. I was in class, but I walked out. I couldn’t sit there anymore. My classmates were starting to look like walking, talking blood sacks.”
    The line went quiet. Suddenly Fane laughed.
    Once he’d regained his breath, he said, “Welcome to my world.”
    â€œThe underworld,” I said sarcastically. “What about you? How do you fill the void now that you’re no