HUNTED-Chapter 404: Eavesdropping

"Up for Broken Fang tonight?" Keira asked, sneaking a glance behind her at Rex as she and Rhea stood in the hallway, waiting for Sora.

It was unusual for Keira to suggest it even if they’d already begun plans to go at some point. But with her failing grades and stress tensing her shoulders, Keira needed a night to be a little... reckless. That’s what all teenage girls do, right?

She’d prove Kodi wrong. She wasn’t some princess in an ivory tower! Well, she didn’t think she was.

"Hell yeah! But what should we do about your keeper?" Rhea whisper-shouted, eyes glimmering with mischief as though she had wicked ideas planned for Rex. Keira wouldn’t put it past her.

She internally shook her head. "I’m just staying round yours for a sleepover. What else?" Keira grinned just as mischievously, excitement coursing through her veins, especially when her friend mirrored that excitement.

Staying around Rhea’s wouldn’t raise any suspicion. Keira’s parents wouldn’t question the Vampire King’s security. If not on Silver Crescent territory, Rhea’s place was just as safe, possibly safer. There was no need for personal guards.

Rhea grabbed Keira by the cheeks. "I love it when you rebel!" She giggled and hopped from one foot to the other, a happy dance with a squeal before releasing her friend as the final bell rang, indicating the end of all lessons for the day—well, besides the vampires who still had their night classes.

"Oh, I need to grab my gym bag," Keira murmured as students rushed past, eager to leave to relax, party, or do other activities to relieve stress.

Sora arrived, looking between them. "Please don’t say you’re going to-"

Rhea placed her hand over their friend’s mouth. "Shhh. Wanna come along?" She wiggled her eyebrows at Sora.

Sora mumbled something incoherent before licking Rhea’s hand. "Eww! Bad birdy!" Rhea’s nose scrunched up and wiped her hand on Sora’s skirt.

"I’ll leave you two to it-"

"Nah-ah. You’re coming as well. Let loose with us! You’ve been away all summer doing Goddess knows what!" Rhea groaned as Keira began turning away. She could already tell Sora would cave in to the pressure especially since Rhea guilt-tripped her hard.

"We’ll wait in the parking lot," Rhea called after Keira, already strutting away, clutching Sora’s arm, and shimmying her hips and grinning like she couldn’t wait to dance the night away.

It wasn’t obvious at all...

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Sora looked over Rhea’s shoulder. "Help me!" She mouthed, eyes panicked as she tried and failed at getting Keira’s help.

Keira snorted and left to go to her locker. After getting an A- in her studies and dealing with Kodi, she really needed to let her hair down. She didn’t usually cave to such ideas, especially by going to a place like Broken Fang, but her shoulders were hurting so much from the pressure and stress of everything; it was a must.

After slamming the locker shut and throwing the gym bag over her shoulder, ignoring Rex’s attempt to take the bag from her, Keira’s steps faltered after rounding a corner and seeing Kodi with another scholarship kid. She was sure his name was Ash? He seemed closest to Kodi.

They were beside their lockers. Ash was grabbing some books and tossing them in his bag while Kodi was slouched back, arms crossed, and he seemed to glare at the ground, thick eyebrows pinched together.

Was there a time when the guy didn’t glare at anything like a menace?

Keira didn’t fancy bumping into them and started to turn around until she heard their discussion and the reasoning behind Kodi’s dark expression.

"She knows nothing about the world," Kodi scoffed. "Does she think it’s as glamorous as her life here?"

Keira flopped back against the wall, and pressed her finger to her lips, signalling Rex who stayed by the windows to stay silent. He did, but it wouldn’t stop the glare he shot at the scholarship students.

Peering over her shoulder, Keira observed Kodi and Ash.

Ash shook his head, still fumbling around in the locker. "Reckon they’re all like it?" He asked. "All the Cross children, I mean?"

"I fucking hope not. If they are, they’re useless," Kodi clipped, his tone icy.

Keira’s hand tightened on her bag strap.

"What’s worse is she victimizes herself," Kodi continued, returning to the topic that was clearly about Keira. "Oh, poor me the press follow me… Poor me, everyone adores me and insists they gush over me…"

Kiera wanted to storm around the corner and give this guy a piece of her mind!

But…

What if Kodi was right?

Her heart sank at the idea that this was how others saw her.

"Poor me," Ash continued the imitation, slamming the locker door shut. "I’m a rich princess wearing designer jeans with holes in… Although… She didn’t really seem stuck up to me…"

Kodi slowly turned his head to him. "Whose side are you on?"

"Yours, obviously." Ash threw his bag on his back. "I just think you’ve been a bit… grumpier since meeting her."

"How could I not?" Kodi grumbled, his eyes shimmering amber momentarily before his eyes flicked directly to Keira.

She gasped and immediately pushed away from the wall, dashing off in embarrassment. She’d been caught eavesdropping on them, and they had been talking about her!

Fortunately, she could not hear Kodi’s loud footsteps chasing after her. Why would Kodi if he was merely expressing so much hatred about her and seemingly all royals?

That did make him sound more like a rogue as the rumours said.

As soon as Keira burst through the double doors and out into fresh air, her heart’s thumping began to settle, her breathing regulated, and any panic and irritation she felt from what she had overheard vanished.

Was he correct? Was she victimizing herself?

All her siblings put up with the same BS and she never saw them struggle or complain. But they are perfect. You are not—her inner voice whispered and coiled around her like venom seeping into her mind further.

After taking a few more deep breaths, she tugged her phone out of her blazer pocket and called her dad.

"Twilight?! Is everything okay?!" Damon answered with his voice deep and full of worry.

"I’m fine." Honestly, it was the same greeting and answer every time. If she didn’t tell her dad everything was fine, he would send his men to her location. It has happened a few times, and she presumed it was because of an attempted kidnapping when she was much younger.

Keira doesn’t really remember it, and luckily, the media never found out.

Damon sighed in relief.

"Daaad," Keira began in a sweet tone that usually worked on her dad. "Can I please stay over Rhea’s tonight?"

"Oh, I thought we might have movie night. But I can do more work tonight and we can move it to tomorrow night," Damon adjusted. "You’ve been working hard, go have fun, but not too much. I know how Rhea can get."

"Sora’s coming as well," Keira added with a smile.

"Oh, thank the Goddess," Damon burst out in relief. He cleared his throat. "Alright, I guess you’re going straight to hers."

"Yep. I’ll say hello to Gabriel for you."

"There’s no need," Damon grumbled before hanging up.

Although it was a simple conversation, speaking to her dad made her feel better. "Rex, can you take my bags back home?" She handed her bag to her guard, strolling towards the parking lot. "I’m staying over Rheas. Also… Take the night off or something."

Rex smiled. "You know that’s not how this works. Have a good evening, Your Highness." He stayed on the path, still scanning his surroundings as Keira walked away.

A white convertible screeched to a stop in front of her. "Get in!" Rhea waved from behind the wheel.

Keira hopped in and clicked her seatbelt in place. Sora was in the back on her phone, sunglasses on, slurping a smoothie.

"Time to have some fun bishes!" Rhea screamed, accelerating with one of her hands up.