Read Online Balthazar by Claudia Gray - Free Book Online

you to get to and from school safely. No more wandering out on the road.”
    Embarrassed, Skye said, “It seemed safe at the time.”
    â€œI realize that. I didn’t mean to make it sound like—”
    â€œLike you thought it was stupid.” She folded her arms in front of her, trying to make a point, but then it occurred to her that this T-shirt was a little tighter than she’d remembered. Without a bra—yeah, the arms in front felt more comfortable. Definitely. “Which it was.”
    â€œYou didn’t yet know they were after you specifically.” When he wanted to be reassuring, Balthazar’s voice became so warm. Almost soft. Coupled with his imposing, broad-shouldered frame, it made for an intoxicating combination.
    â€œI knew vampires were on the loose in town, which is bad news … no offense.”
    â€œNone taken.”
    â€œBut I still rushed out of school, just because I wanted to be alone, and I wasn’t thinking. Obviously I can’t make any more mistakes like that until—until we get this taken care of.”
    But what did that mean, in this context? How were they supposed to get the vampires to leave her alone? Kill them all? She remembered seeing vampires lying on the grounds of Evernight, stakes buried in their chests, and wondered if that was what they’d have to do. Skye had never asked herself if she could kill anyone or anything except for Eb, in some nightmare scenario in which he’d broken his leg.
    Maybe she wouldn’t have to attack anyone. Balthazar would keep her safe. After seeing him today—swooping in just when she thought she was dead, wiping the floor with that vampire, smashing through that wall to get her to safety—Skye could believe that there was nothing he couldn’t handle.
    Her phone dinged one more time, signaling a final text from Clem: Use protection .
    As Skye silenced the phone, hoping desperately that she wasn’t blushing, Balthazar said, “Why did you want to be alone?”
    â€œHuh?” She had to backtrack past her overheated thoughts about Balthazar to remember what they were actually talking about. “Oh, this afternoon. My first day back at school just—it wasn’t good. Although now that I compare it to getting repeatedly attacked by vampires, it doesn’t seem so awful.”
    â€œWhy was school so rough?” He frowned, looking genuinely concerned, like bad times at Darby Glen High could possibly compare to the situation they now found themselves in.
    Then again, she was going to have to go back tomorrow, wasn’t she? Unless she was dead by then. Skye sighed. “Someone died in my anatomy classroom.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œNot today! Long ago, I mean. But I can still see it.” The horror had been buried under the sheer panic of the afternoon, but now it welled up again, cold and bright. “I’m going to have to watch this guy die of a heart attack every single day.”
    â€œCan you transfer out of that class?”
    â€œMaybe. I’ll have to check.” Evernight Academy hadn’t allowed transfers; she had no idea what the rules were here.
    â€œThe effect could stop over time, or lose power, maybe.”
    â€œMaybe,” Skye said doubtfully. “I’ve been avoiding every … death place I’ve found, so I haven’t tested that. It feels like it’s always going to happen. You’re right, though. I don’t know. I guess anatomy class is where I’ll find out.”
    â€œWe might still figure out a way for you to manage your—psychic gift.”
    â€œThat would help,” she admitted. “But it’s not the worst part about school. The rest sucks, too. I mean, I fell out of touch with most people back here while I was at Evernight. Now they all think I’m some kind of stuck-up snob who doesn’t want to have anything to do with Darby Glen.”
    â€œThey’ll see