Initiation Read Online Free Page A

looking at us wide eyed.
    “It’s totally changed! I wasn’t expecting this.” I scanned the space that had once been an old-fashioned hall with banquet tables. “Boy, they totally redesigned this room! It used to be filled with long oak tables with backless benches. Five-foot chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and the stone walls were covered in candelabra sconces. We had ten of those twenty-foot tables, with the one reserved for the staff running perpendicular to the others. The food stations were over there.” I pointed at a door at the far end of the room. “By the smell of things, it’s still there. Let’s get some food.”
    We walked through the brand new Starbucks-inspired seating, a mix of tables for four to eight and cozy sectional sofas with coffee tables. Gone was the old institutional ambience, replaced by a modern airy space. I wondered what had been behind that decision. The rest of the school seemed to have been restored to its former shape.
    I wasn’t sure I liked the change, but couldn’t quite assess it at the moment. My stomach roiled with hunger. I didn’t even have to show Faustine where to go; she strode ahead of Quinn and me, her nose leading her straight to the meat station. Plates with thick, rare meat–without any unnecessary garnish–were sitting ready, sizzling on the counter. We grabbed a couple of plates each and went back to the dining area, plunking ourselves down on the first available chairs and diving into our food. As usual, no one spoke until we finished eating, a universal custom within the paranormal community. Dinner chitchat was a purely human thing, so it was interesting that Faustine didn’t say anything either while we ate. Once we were done, we sat back in our chairs, satisfied and happy.
    “That has to be the best steak ever,” Faustine commented. “Mom always gets the best cuts of meat, but they don’t compare to this. I’m going to have to get the recipe before I go back home.”
    Quinn laughed. “And a plane to transport some cows home with you.”
    Faustine drew her eyebrows together in confusion.
    “Faustine, the meat is so delish because of the way the cows are bred. They’re farmed right here on the property. I can take you to see them, if you want,” I offered.
    Faustine squirmed. “Blech, no. I like eating steak, but cows freak me out.”
    “Why?” Quinn snickered. “You’re a demon! A demon princess. Why would a domesticated animal freak you out?”
    “I don’t really want to talk about it. A bad cow-tipping incident,” Faustine murmured.
    I snickered. “Come on! Tell us the story.”
    “No, maybe later.”
    In that moment, she looked much younger than her twelve years. Thirteen almost, as it would be her birthday very soon. Just for a moment, her memories must have caused her to let her guard down, and her full innocence shone through.
    My protective instincts stirred, and I put an arm around her. “It’s okay, Faustine. No worries. All that matters is that you can eat them.”
    “No kidding.” Quinn chuckled. “A vegetarian demon would suck.”
    I threw Quinn a venomous glance. “Put a sock in it.” He could be such an ass at times.
    He immediately drew back. “Sorry, princesses. I was just kidding.”
    “No worries,” Faustine reassured him. “It is a weird phobia. I’m scared of spiders as well. Aren’t you scared of anything?”
    “Well, mostly of Cordelia.” He grinned.
    “Ha, ha.” I glared at him again.
    “And that’s the cue for me to go and unpack.” He stood and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Later, ladies.” And with a wave, he was gone.
    The cafeteria was pleasantly quiet, which would change the next day. I sat back and checked out the other students in the room while Faustine did the same. Two other groups sat at the other end of the hall. I vaguely recognized some of them. The first consisted of three vampires, who occupied one of the comfy sofas as they quietly sipped their red beverages. I noticed