Gabriella Poole - Blood Ties (Darke Academy)

through a scarlet filter. She registered the shock on Ranjit’s face, and knew he was staring at her.

She could see the glow of the girls’ spirits too, shining from their chests. They were all strong, particularly Katerina’s, but she found she

didn’t care. Her own aura of power shrouded her, invisible but irresistible – and Cassie suddenly knew she could do anything she liked

with this power, using nothing more than the force of her mind. She was entirely still. She didn’t move a muscle.

And she lifted Sara’s body clear into the air.

The girl took a breath and screamed. Her legs kicked the air, arms flailing in hopeless resistance, abject terror on her face.

Cassie enjoyed that. It was like feeding: the buzz, the thrill that went through her. She could almost taste Sara’s fear in the air. It tasted

good. So good.

She smiled, coldly fascinated, as drinkers around them backed away, silenced but for an occasional gasp or cry. Even Katerina and her

cronies stood back, aghast.

‘Cassie!’ shouted Ranjit. Blood pumping through her ears seemed to drown his voice out, along with Estelle’s fevered cries.

Kill her! KILL HER!

Yes. She was tired of the pathetic girl, trailing after Katerina like some kind of handmaiden.

She called us an abomination!

Kill her!

Yes! Kill her!

‘Cassie, no!’

People in the bar stumbled away, frantically forcing their way out of the secluded Members’ area. Cassie ignored them, laughing as she

watched Sara flail. The girl’s face! Ridiculous! She laughed again and, still without lifting a finger, flung the screaming sixth former across

the room.

The girl shot backwards, slamming hard against the far wall. Katerina howled with rage, and the other girls screamed – but they seemed

rooted to the spot, unwilling to challenge Cassie. Afraid of her.

As well they should be. We should have thrown her further! Hold her!

Cassie studied Sara. It was a fine sight, the girl struggling to get to her feet. Yes, Estelle was right. Hold her. She must hold her. Just like

this. By the throat.

‘Cassie, stop!’

The dear boy. But such an irritant! Don’t listen .

Shaking her head free of Ranjit’s cries, she tightened her mental hold on Sara’s neck, squeezing. The girl was purpling, fighting for

another breath, kicking violently, tearing at her own throat and the invisible grip around it. Odd noises came out of her. Gagging, choking,

strangled sounds.

‘CASSIE!’

She felt arms lock around her waist, and suddenly someone was struggling with her, trying to pull her away. She took a breath to give a

contemptuous laugh, and raised an arm to brush them away. But the hand that seized hers was just as strong as hers.

Ranjit!

The shock of his touch brought her back to herself, and she realised where she was. Who she was.

What she was doing.

‘STOP IT!’ Ranjit’s snarl was inhuman, catlike, but she understood it clearly.

Besides, she’d already stopped. In the silence of the emptied Members’ Bar, watched only by monsters like herself, Cassie stared at

Sara’s limp form as it crumpled, sobbing, to the floor.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Oh yes, you could run in Jimmy Choos. Really, really fast. Cassie shoved through the crowds in the foyer, the bewildered ones who hadn’t

been in the bar to see what had happened. Outside, the cold air hit her like a slap as she bolted across 57th Street and Central Park South,

into the dark safety of the park itself.

She went on running until the high heels began to – not hurt her, but annoy her. Anger again. No. She mustn’t get angry. Stumbling to a

halt, she tugged off the shoes and ran on barefoot, her breathing hard and ragged, the straps of the stilettos hooked into her fingers.

Something soft and cold touched the skin of her face. And once more. Halting, she stood uncertainly for a few seconds. The coldness

turned to wetness as it brushed her cheek.

Snow. The flakes drifted faster and thicker across the city’s lights before vanishing in the dark oasis of the park. Her bare feet were

freezing. She was freezing. She could see only scattered pools of light on whitening patches of grass, and the ominous shape of trees. She

wrapped her arms around herself, shaking with terror. Oh, God!

A dark shape moved behind her, and she gave a sharp cry of fear.

‘Cassie.’

His voice was quiet, and the animal ferocity was gone. She turned into Ranjit’s arms with a desperate sob of relief.

‘Come on, Cassie. Let’s go.’