Thirst day
By seven forty-three on Monday morning, Charlotte Maddox had already told three of her children to hurry up, confiscated Mason’s second outfit choice from the ironing pile and discovered Lily was missing.
Again.
“She’s at Mrs Bennett’s,” Nova said, eating cereal at the kitchen counter.
Charlotte stopped. “You know that how?”
“I saw her through the window.”
“Right. Fine. One problem solved.”
Lacey came downstairs fastening an earring.
“Is everyone ready?”
“No,” Charlotte said.
“Yes,” Mason called.
“Nearly,” Elijah shouted from upstairs.
Charlotte sighed. “So, no.”
Mason appeared in the kitchen wearing black jeans, trainers and a hoodie he’d apparently spent half the morning selecting.
Lacey looked him over.
“You changed.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“You were wearing grey.”
“Grey looked dead.”
“You’re fourteen.”
“And you’re seventeen. What’s your point?”
Elijah finally came downstairs, backpack over one shoulder and phone in his hand.
Charlotte saw the screen.
“No.”
“I haven’t said anything.”
“You’re looking at the computer again.”
“I’m comparing specifications.”
“It’s £900.”
“£899.”
Mason pointed at him.
“If he gets that, I want Jordans.”
Charlotte picked up her keys.
“You’re not getting Jordans because Elijah wants a computer.”
“Why?”
“Because those things aren’t remotely connected.”
“They are financially.”
Elijah opened the front door.
“I actually do things on a computer.”
Mason followed him.
“I do things in shoes.”
Lacey laughed and grabbed her bag.
Chewy appeared from nowhere the moment Charlotte opened the fridge to put the milk away.
“No.”
The fat tuxedo cat stared at her.
“You’ve eaten.”
Chewy meowed.
“Don’t start.”
Merlin remained asleep on the windowsill, completely uninterested in the family crisis.
Nova was still in her pyjamas.
Lacey grinned at her.
“Enjoy maths.”
Nova smiled sweetly.
“Enjoy public humiliation.”
“Love you too.”
“Try not to get expelled.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?”
Elijah glanced at her.
“Pattern recognition.”
Lacey shoved him towards the door.
For seventeen years, the Maddox siblings had learned at home.
Same house. Same lessons. Same people.
Today, Lacey, Elijah and Mason were starting Grimmwood High.
Nova still had another year of homeschooling before she’d join them.
Lacey expected to be nervous.
She wasn’t.
For the first time in her life, she was going somewhere that didn’t already know everything about her.
She couldn’t wait.
Grimmwood High was enormous.
Dark stone buildings rose behind black iron gates, their pointed roofs and tall windows making the oldest part of the school look more like a castle than somewhere teenagers complained about homework.
Newer buildings spread behind it, surrounded by sports fields, training courts and woodland.
And the students—
Lacey couldn’t stop looking.
Vampires. Werewolves. Witches. Fae. Demons. Shifters.
A boy with black horns stood near the entrance drinking an energy drink. Someone across the courtyard made sparks dance over their fingers. Two vampires sat on a wall drinking blood from refrigerated bottles while arguing over a phone.
Nobody cared.
Nobody hid what they were.
Mason leaned forwards.
“This is sick.”
Elijah was staring elsewhere.
“Is that a robotics lab?”
Lacey followed his gaze.
“How can you possibly know that?”
“It says Engineering and Technology.”
“I can’t read that from here.”
“Skill issue.”
“Prick.”
Charlotte parked.
“Right. Phones on. Stay on school grounds. If anything happens, call me.”
“Mum,” Mason groaned.
“And don’t disappear with strangers.”
Lacey looked at her.
“Why are you looking at me?”
“I wasn’t.”
“You absolutely were.”
Charlotte smiled.
“Just go.”
For a few minutes, the three siblings stayed together.
Through the gates.
Across the packed courtyard.
Into the main building.
Then they reached a junction.
Mason checked his timetable.
“Supernatural Studies. That way.”
Elijah pointed upstairs. “Registration.”
Lacey’s first lesson was in the opposite direction.
It was strange.
They’d spent practically every day of their lives together.
Now they were splitting up without knowing when they’d see each other again beyond lunch.
Mason shoved his phone into his pocket.
“Cafeteria at lunch?”
“Yeah.”
Elijah nodded.
“Don’t get expelled, Lacey.”
“Get lost.”
He grinned and disappeared upstairs.
Mason vanished into the crowd.
Lacey stood alone.
Hundreds of strangers surrounded her.
She smiled.
Finally.
Fifteen minutes later, she was lost.
“Brilliant.”
Lacey stared at the map on her phone.
Room 214 apparently existed in another dimension.
She’d somehow ended up outside behind the sports buildings.
There was another building through the trees.
Shortcut.
A sign stood beside the path.
AUTHORISED—
Lacey barely glanced at it.
Five minutes later, there was no building.
Just trees.
Something cracked behind her.
She turned.
A huge dark wolf stood on the path.
Lacey froze.
The wolf watched her.
“Hi.”
Its ears twitched.
“I’ve obviously gone the wrong way.”
It stepped closer.
“You can stay there.”
The wolf huffed.
Lacey narrowed her eyes.
“Did you just laugh at me?”
Another huff.
“You’re a dick.”
The wolf shifted.
Fur disappeared. Bones changed.
Seconds later, a teenage boy stood in front of her.
Naked.
Lacey spun around.
“Oh my God!”
He laughed.
“You called me a dick.”
“You were a wolf!”
“Still me.”
“Yeah, well”.
“You’re in the shifting grounds.”
“I realise that now.”
“There was a massive sign.”
“It wasn’t very clear.”
“It literally says WEREWOLF SHIFTING GROUNDS.”
“Could you put some bloody clothes on?”
“Hang on.”
Rustling.
Lacey stared determinedly at a tree.
“Done?”
“No.”
“You’re taking ages.”
“Sorry. Forgot to pack trousers inside my wolf.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Done.”
Lacey turned.
Jeans. Black T-shirt. Dark hair.
And, annoyingly, a very attractive face.
He noticed her looking.
Then she heard it.
She’s new.
Lacey’s eyes narrowed.
His mouth hadn’t moved.
Definitely new.
Her telepathy had picked up his thoughts, she deferred from telling people about her mind-reading capabilities, people tending to run for the hills when they new, hard to make friends when people think your digging in their brains, which i didn’t, unless i had to but sometimes some are louder, especially when they are about me. But people didn’t understand that.
“Stop staring.”
He blinked.
“I wasn’t.”
“You were.”
“So were you.”
“I was making sure you had clothes on.”
He smiled.
“Obviously.”
Lacey hated that smile already.
“Which way is the school?”
He pointed.
“That way.”
She walked past him.
“Read the signs next time.”
“Try wearing trousers next time.”
“This is a shifting ground!”
She kept walking.
Then another thought reached her.
She’s mental, well hot though.
Lacey turned around.
He looked confused.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She smiled and walked away.
Mason was trying to work out whether B14 meant basement fourteen or building fourteen when someone walked straight into him.
A stack of papers went everywhere.
“Shit.”
Mason crouched automatically.
The other boy did too.
“My fault,” he said. “I was texting.”
“Clearly.”
The boy looked up.
“You’re new.”
“Is everyone going to know that?”
“Probably. Grimmwood hasn’t had new students this week.”
Mason handed him the last sheet.
The boy glanced at Mason’s timetable.
“Supernatural Studies?”
“Supposedly.”
“You’re going the wrong way.”
“Of course I am.”
“Come on. I’m heading there.”
They started walking.
“Riley,” the boy said.
“Mason.”
“Species?”
Mason looked sideways at him.
“You ask everyone that?”
“Only people who don’t smell human.”
Mason laughed.
“Vampire.”
“Werewolf.”
“Should we hate each other now?”
Riley considered it.
“Probably. Seems like effort, though.”
“Yeah. Can’t be bothered.”
“Good. We’ll postpone the ancient blood feud.”
Mason laughed again.
Riley held out his wrist.
“Thirsty”.
Mason shoved him.
“nob head”.
That was pretty much it.
By the time they reached the next corridor, they’d discovered they both liked football, both thought Grimmwood’s formal uniform was ridiculous and both had older siblings who believed being older automatically made them superior.
“My brother’s seventeen,” Riley said.
“So’s my sister.”
“Pain in the arse?”
“Massive.”
“Same.”
Mason held out his fist.
Riley bumped it.
“See? Vampires and werewolves can achieve peace.”
“Yeah, i blame twilight”.
A teacher walking past looked at them.
“Keep moving.”
Riley waited until she’d gone.
“She’s a demon.”
Mason looked back.
“Seriously?”
“No idea.”
Mason shoved him.
Riley laughed.
Yeah.
Mason could work with this.
Elijah found the technology wing before registration.
That was more important anyway.
He was staring through the glass at robotics equipment when a voice beside him said,
“Don’t touch the silver machine.”
Elijah looked over.
“Why?”
“Last person who did lost both eyebrows.”
Elijah looked back at it.
“What caused the explosion?”
The boy laughed.
“Not even slightly concerned about the eyebrows?”
“What does the machine do?”
“No idea.”
“Interesting.”
“Theo.”
“Elijah.”
“You build stuff?”
“I made a rover last year.”
“Kit?”
“No.”
Theo stared at him.
“We’re going to be friends.”
Elijah smiled.
“That easy?”
“Do you game?”
“Yes.”
“PC?”
“Yes.”
“Sorted.”
Elijah’s phone buzzed.
He checked the cat camera.
Merlin was asleep.
Chewy sat directly in front of the lens.
Theo leaned closer.
“Why is your cat staring into your soul?”
“He does that.”
“I like him.”
“You wouldn’t.”
By lunch, Mason and Riley were sitting together like they’d known each other longer than four hours.
Riley had introduced him to Benji, Hallie and several others whose names Mason was already struggling to remember.
“Friday,” Riley said. “Dylan’s having a party.”
“Who’s Dylan?”
“You’ll meet him.”
“Good enough for me.”
“You coming?”
“Obviously.”
Then Lacey appeared beside the table.
She looked around.
Then at Mason.
“How?”
“What?”
“You have an entire friendship group.”
Mason shrugged.
“Natural charisma.”
“You’ve been here half a day.”
Riley looked at her.
“You must be Lacey.”
She frowned.
“How do you know my name?”
“Mason’s complained about you.”
“Traitor.”
“Everything I said was true.”
Lacey was about to answer when she saw him.
Wolf Boy.
Across the cafeteria.
Fully dressed.
Thank God.
He looked up.
There she is again.
Lacey immediately looked away.
Then—
She actually managed to find her way back.
She glared across the room.
He grinned and waved.
Riley followed her gaze.
“Oh.”
Lacey looked at him.
“Oh what?”
“That’s my brother.”
Her head snapped around.
“What?”
“Christian.”
Mason looked between them.
“You know Christian?”
“No.”
“Yes,” Riley said at exactly the same time.
Lacey glared at him.
Across the cafeteria, Christian looked delighted.
Then three girls approached.
The girl in front was stunning.
Perfect hair. Perfect makeup. Perfect uniform.
And she carried herself like half the school belonged to her.
She looked directly at Lacey.
“You’re new.”
“Apparently.”
“Sienna.”
“Lacey.”
“I know.”
Sienna’s eyes moved towards Christian.
Then back to Lacey.
So she’s the girl from this morning.
Lacey’s expression barely changed.
Then another.
She better stay away from my boyfriend.
Oh.
That was interesting.
Lacey glanced at Christian.
Boyfriend.
Christian was still watching her.
Sienna noticed.
Her smile tightened.
Why is he looking at her?
Lacey looked back at Sienna.
“Your hair’s lovely.”
Sienna blinked.
“What?”
“Your hair.”
Lacey smiled.
“Really pretty.”
What the hell, what is her game?
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Lacey walked away before she laughed.
She’d survived exactly half a day at Grimmwood High and had apparently already annoyed somebody’s girlfriend without even knowing she had a boyfriend.
That had to be some kind of record.
Nova was waiting when they got home.
“Well?”
Mason dropped his bag.
“I’ve got a new mate.”
“Name?”
“Riley.”
“Species?”
“Werewolf.”
Nova nodded seriously.
“Continue.”
“And there’s a party Friday.”
Charlotte looked up.
“No.”
“You don’t even know—”
“No.”
Mason sighed.
Elijah checked his phone.
“Cats survived.”
Nova immediately moved towards him.
“Camera password.”
“No.”
Lacey’s phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
UNKNOWN: You should really learn to read signs.
She stared.
Another appeared.
UNKNOWN: Would save you from seeing things you can’t unsee.
Nova spotted her face.
“Who’s that?”
“Nobody.”
Lacey typed.
LACEY: how did you get my number?
The answer came immediately.
UNKNOWN: Riley.
Lacey slowly looked at Mason.
He frowned.
“What?”
Another message.
UNKNOWN: Christian btw.
Then—
CHRISTIAN: Nice meeting you, New Girl.
Mason leaned over.
“Ohhh.”
“Get off.”
Nova appeared instantly.
“Who’s Christian?”
“Nobody.”
“Riley’s brother,” Mason said.
Lacey glared at him.
Nova’s eyes widened.
“What’s Riley’s brother got to do with Lacey?”
Mason grinned.
“Wolf Boy.”
“WOLF BOY?”
“There is no Wolf Boy!”
Her phone buzzed again.
CHRISTIAN: Still think I’m a dick?
Lacey looked at the message.
And smiled.
Nova pointed at her.
“She likes him.”
“I do not.”
“You’re smiling.”
“I am not.”
“You literally are.”
Lacey shoved her phone into her pocket.
She didn’t like Christian.
She’d known him for approximately five minutes, three of which he’d spent naked.
Besides, he had a girlfriend.
A girlfriend who already hated her.
Perfect.
One day at Grimmwood.
Mason had a new best mate and an illegal party invitation.
Elijah had found another computer nerd.
Lacey had found a naked werewolf, his girlfriend had mentally warned her to stay away from him, and somehow he’d still managed to get her phone number.
And Nova hadn’t even properly started at Grimmwood yet.
This was going to be a bloody disaster.
Lacey couldn’t wait for tomorrow.
Freedom at last.
