Slayers Read Online Free Page A

college credit.
    The college credit part had been new this year and had finally sold her parents on the idea. She had wanted to go to St. George for the last four summers, but every time she’d asked, her parents had sent her to a camp they deemed better. One with a wider range of facilities. A higher camper-to-counselor ratio. More exclusive clientele. Ones for horseback riders, ice skaters, or debutantes.
    But Tori had wanted knights, or answers, or perhaps magic. She had wanted a place where people understood her and her crazy dragon obsession, because then maybe she could understand herself.
    Tori looked from the dirt parking lot to the huddled log cabins and
gray trash cans. This place had nothing even remotely magical about it. Probably all she’d get out of the summer was a succession of sunburns, a few rashes, and a healthy appreciation of bug spray.
    Did any decent restaurants even deliver out here?
    And did any of these kids really have lice? None of the kids who poured past her seemed to be scratching, but if Aprilynne mentioned it, then it might be a real concern. After all, Tori had never even been to a public school.
    The thunking of her suitcases suddenly stopped, and the next moment she felt them lifted away from her.
    She turned to see two guys about her age hefting her suitcases off the ground. Both wore mirrored sunglasses, and both were tall, perhaps six two. One was blond, with muscular arms covered in a layer of dirt. The other guy had wavy dark brown hair, or perhaps it was just uncombed. His biceps were equally impressive, or at least they would have been if they weren’t holding onto her luggage. With the sunglasses hiding their eyes, she probably wouldn’t even be able to identify them once they made off with her possessions.
    Tori held onto her luggage straps fiercely. “There’s nothing of value in here—only my clothes—and if you don’t let go, I’ll scream.”
    The brunet set her suitcase down and turned to the other guy. “I don’t want her on my team. You get her.”
    The blond shook his head. “No way. It’s my turn to choose, and I’ve already got Lilly. You get this one, pal.”
    The brunet peered over the rim of his sunglasses at Tori. “We’re not stealing your luggage. We’re carrying them to your cabin—unless you want to drag these things across camp by yourself.” He picked up her suitcase again, moving it from one hand to another. “What do you have in here anyway, your lead collection?”
    Tori blushed and let go of the luggage straps. “Sorry. I didn’t know the camp had bellhops.”

    The blond groaned and walked past her. The brunet forced a smile in her direction. “We’re not bellhops. We’re campers who happen to be doing you a favor.”
    “Oh, sorry. I didn’t know …”
    He walked past her shaking his head, which she supposed meant that tipping them was out of the question. She followed after him awkwardly. He picked up his pace. Not only were these guys strong, they weren’t going to wait for her. She tried to keep up, but her platform sandals proved more decorative than useful, and pebbles and bits of twigs wedged into them as she walked. With every step, she fell farther behind.
    This was off to a great start.
    “Maybe she isn’t—,” the blond said to his friend in a voice low enough that most people wouldn’t have heard it. Tori’s hearing had always been exceptional.
    “Dr. B thinks she is. Why else would she be here?”
    If the blond had an answer to this question, he didn’t give it, which was too bad. Tori was beginning to wonder herself.
    The guys hauled her luggage into the lodge. Instead of setting her suitcases next to the front desk, where younger campers stood in noisy lines waiting to check in, the two went around the desk and down a hallway. The blond knocked on a door, only then glancing back to see if Tori had followed.
    A voice called, “Come in,” and the guys disappeared inside. Tori went in, too, taking off her