Unfamiliar (Unfamiliar Series #1)

Chapter 48

A dozen or so paces away Diana steps out from behind a large, white obelisk and starts toward us, her footsteps soft across the grass. She's in full police uniform, her badge glinting from its place on her chest and her gun pointed in the headmaster's direction. Her eyes remain trained on him as she quickly makes her way across the graveyard.

"I'm not here for anyone but you," she calls as she shakes her head, her eyes flicking to me before they return to him.

"Ah, but that's where you've made your first mistake," Hallewell says as he turns around and readjusts his coat.

Diana's feet are suddenly swept out from underneath her, like a giant hand has grabbed her as her eyes go wide and she's abruptly flung into a nearby headstone. There's a sickening, heavy thud as she slams into the granite, her skull hitting it hard before she slides to the ground, her head lolling to the side like a ragdoll's as her eyes flutter shut.

"Diana!" I yell as Tessa darts out a hand and grabs me around the wrist to keep me from running forward.

"Don't worry, I'll credit you for her death too," Hallewell comments lazily as he turns to face us.

"You're a monster," I spit as I clench my hands into fists, a crackle of electricity zipping across one of my knuckles.

"You are the monster, Kara," he counters, "if you hadn't gotten her this involved, she would get to live," he says as he gestures toward Diana's motionless form. 

I lash out then, summoning Eleanora's tiger with every ounce of strength that I've got. The white tiger shakes its head as I pull it into existence several paces away behind the gathered students, the large beast baring its teeth threateningly. I unravel the control that Eleanora has, like unwinding a ball of thread as I direct the tiger's attention toward the headmaster. The tiger's blue eyes widen as it growls low in its throat and prepares to spring as its legs tense.

"Smart, but not quick enough," the headmaster scolds as he seems to sense that the tiger is there and he lifts a hand and waves it like he's shooing a fly.

The tiger stops moving as Eleanora makes a quick hand motion, the connection I had with it fading as I struggle to hold onto it. But it's like trying to remember a dream after waking up and having it flicker and disappear before I can fully know what had happened.

"You don't think that we've come up with ways to resist the evil influence of an Unfamiliar?" Headmaster Hallewell says as he takes a step toward me and I skitter backwards.

Tessa draws in a sharp breath as she looks to me, her eyes widening. Maybe she's hoping that I'll come up with a plan, or a way out.

But I have none.

"Why do you want to kill Unfamiliars?" I ask him in the strongest voice that I can muster as I slowly get to my feet, Tessa doing the same as she stands beside me.

"It is my birthright-," he begins to say, but I shake my head.

Surely Diana had called for backup or something, if I can just keep him talking..., I think to the others as I hope to keep them calm.

"No, why do you want to? What makes you want to kill me?" I urge him as I look from him to Eleanora.

The young girl looks serene and unfazed by the fact that her father is prepared to murder me even though I had begun to consider her to be a friend. Something twists deep in my gut at the realization, like a violent stomach bug has overtaken me as I swallow back the urge to vomit.