Chapter 48-Jealous

Chapter 48: 48-Jealous

Everyone eventually began filing toward the buses, and the courtyard slowly transformed from a chaotic gathering place into an organized procession of uniforms and blood-colored coats.

Professors stood between the rows, calling names, checking lists, and directing students toward the buses assigned to their bloodlines.

The whitebloods had their own immaculate carriage-like bus that was rarely used and was packed inside the academy.

The blackbloods gathered around their dark vehicle, bluebloods around theirs, and the mixedbloods and redbloods were directed toward their respective buses.

The student council bus, however, remained noticeably different from the others.

It was larger, more luxurious, and heavily protected with ancient runes etched around its doors and windows. It was soundproof, attack proof, and heavily protected since it’s the bus the princess travelled in.

Its dark exterior reflected the moonlight, while the crest of the student council was carved above the entrance. Only members of the council and those personally invited by them were permitted inside.

Which was precisely why the sight of Maisa and Sapphire climbing aboard had caused an uproar of envious whispers among the other students.

Maisa tried desperately not to notice. She had followed Zolani toward the back of the bus, keeping her eyes lowered as several students watched her with barely disguised resentment.

Sapphire, on the other hand, looked as though she had just been granted access to the royal treasury. Even though she had been scolded by Luan, her excitement couldn’t die down.

Every few minutes, she reacted as though they had just boarded the bus at thar very moment.

"Do you understand where we’re sitting?" she whispered excitedly, again.

"Yes, Sapphire. I understand," Maisa answered for the umpteenth time, keeping her voice lowered to not disturb the others.

"The student council bus!" Sapphire wS filled excitement for the hundredth time.

The privilege of riding in the same bus with the best of each bloodline felt fresh in her, every other second. She could barely contain herself and wanted to scream at the top of her lungs for the whole world to hear.

She still had no idea what Maisa’s connection with them was to keep receiving their kindness, but at thar moment, she didn’t care. She just enjoyed the privilege that came with being Maisa’s roommate and only friend outside the fiery four.

"I know," Maisa let out, hoping that her friend would calm down.

The princess and the bloodlord duke’s heir next to her seemed to be in their own world, chatting the moments away without caring about their presence.

Addessa seemed focused on the view outside, but Maisa could tell that she was listening in on Varitreya and Kayden’s conversation while pretending she wasn’t. She thanked the heavens for that because she would have been the second to complain about Sapphire.

Lumi was deeply in her book to hear Sapphire’s unending happiness, and Zolani didn’t mind it, probably because she understood what they were feeling because she had once been in their shoes.

"We are sitting with the student council," Sapphire whispered, as though if she didn’t repeat it again and again, then it would turn out to be untrue.

"I know, Sapph."

"With the princess!" Her lowered shriek sounded so heightened in Maisa’s ears that she looked up to see if any other vampire was taking offence to her.

Maisa sighed when she found none of them were looking at them. Not even Luan said a word. He simply laid there with his eyes closed, but his tense shoulders told Maisa that he wasn’t asleep.

"And now with another whiteblood, Kayden Krauss of all vampires in the academy," Sapphire added, barely containing herself. "I still can’t believe this."

At that moment, Maisa noticed that Luan stirred. She wrapped her hand over Sapphire’s mouth to contain her friend. She didn’t know what about that statement ticked him off when he had been unmoving the other times.

Zolani laughed softly at the seat beside them. "You’re going to make yourself sick if you keep staring at everyone like that."

"I don’t care!" Sapphire let out after shaking Maisa’s hand off. "I could get sick, and it wouldn’t matter because I have truly lived!"

Maisa shook her head, unable to stop the tiny smile that tugged at her lips. For a few seconds, she allowed herself to enjoy the normality of it.

Then she felt a gaze lock on her. It was cold and sharp. She looked toward the front to find the pair of eyes that were digging into her skin.

Kayden had paused his chat with Varitreya. His silver eyes were moving across the bus, taking in every person inside. They paused when they reached Maisa and Sapphire, and his expression changed almost imperceptibly.

He leaned toward Varitreya. "Why are there redbloods on our bus?" He asked. The way he said "our" sounded so intimate and suggestive that it made Maisa’s skin crawl.

Varitreya’s shoulders stiffened. Her eyes briefly moved toward Maisa before returning to Kayden.

"Don’t ask."

Kayden raised an eyebrow. "That sounds suspicious," he immediately said, eyes focusing more deeply on Maisa.

Maisa felt like her skin was being peeled off under those eyes and that Kayden was slowly pulling apart at her soul and would soon discover her secret. She lowered her eyes.

"Tell me, why shouldn’t I ask?"

"It is complicated,"

"Then explain it," he insisted, urging Varitreya to spill and keep him in the know.

"I can’t."

"Why?"

Varitreya’s jaw tightened. "Because I can’t tell you the truth, Kayden, and I won’t lie to you, so just drop it."

That answer silenced him. Kayden studied her for several seconds before finally leaning back. "Fine," he accepted the answer without another question, but his eyes remained thoughtful.

He had known Varitreya long enough to recognize when something was being hidden from him, and whatever this was, it involved the redblood sitting at the back of the bus.

Kayden’s gaze drifted across the seats again. This time, they landed on Luan and didn’t focus on the two redbloods anymore.

Luan was sitting beside Lumi, one leg crossed over the other, looking thoroughly unimpressed by the world around him.

Kayden’s lips curved. "Is the class heartthrob comfortable?"

Luan’s head snapped toward him. His expression immediately darkened at being given attention by him. "None of your business."

Kayden smiled. "Everything seems to become my business eventually."

"Not this, KAYDEN."

Their eyes locked. For one brief second, nothing appeared unusual, but then Luan felt something slide through his mind. It was cold, precise, and very much uninvited. His body went rigid.

Kayden’s voice suddenly appeared inside his thoughts. ’During this trip, I intend to make you my business, Luan, so... Brace. Your. Self.’

Luan’s breath caught. His fingers tightened around the edge of his seat, and a shiver travelled down his spine. He couldn’t hear Kayden anymore because the link vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Kayden simply leaned back, looking perfectly relaxed like he hadn’t just stirred up trouble.

Luan stared at him. "What the hell..."

Lumi glanced at him after his outburst. "Are you alright?"

"I’m. Fine," he answered through gritted teeth, his eyes cutting into Kayden’s back.

"You don’t look fine."

"I’m fine," Luan insisted, unable to shake off the worry of what Kayden meant.