Marking Time by April White

Author:April White
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: paranormal, victorian, time travel, jack the ripper
Publisher: April White

Self-Defense

Mr. Shaw looked me in the eyes and then said with a perfectly straight face, “It’s a useful skill to have. What makes you think I know how to do that?”

I shrugged. “Your prowess and strength? You’re the coolest teacher I know? I’m totally desperate?”

He laughed. “I’ll take ‘prowess and strength’ for my ego and ‘totally desperate’ for the truth. Can I ask why you need this information?”

I winced. “Depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether you’ll try to stop me?”

He regarded me for a moment. “Fair enough. How about this. Tell me the truth and I won’t try to stop you. I will tell you if I think you’re being an idiot, and I’ll be angry if you ignore my advice, but I won’t stop you.”

I thought about it. “Will you get other people to stop me?”

“Do you want to be stopped?”

“No.”

“Then no, I won’t.”

I took a deep breath and told him about traveling to 1888, and about seeing my mom and being chased by the Ripper through Whitechapel. I told him a little about Archer, but not that he was a Vampire now.

At some point during my recital, Mr. Shaw got up and locked the door to his classroom. He gestured for me to keep talking as he started pacing the room. I told him how I’d gone back to 1888 again, and what I’d overheard between Archer and Silverback – about Jack the Ripper, and about Will Shaw.

“Is there anything you want to know about him? I mean, I can ask Archer next time I go back.”

Mr. Shaw’s distant expression came back into laser focus on my face. “About that …”

“If you’re going to try and talk me out of it, don’t bother. I have to go back there and get my mom. I’m the only one who can.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but failed.

“I wasn’t going to talk you out of it. Of course you have to go. As you say, there seems to be no alternative.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me. I’m sure your mother wouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I am going to give you some tools that will put you squarely in the path of a serial killing Vampire.”

We agreed to meet in his office before dinner, and he told me to wear comfortable shoes for walking outdoors. I shot him a raised-eyebrow look and he grinned. “You don’t think you’ll be safe in the woods with a Bear?” He teased.

“Actually, it’s those Hunters and their crossbows I’m more worried about.”

Mr. Shaw scowled. “You’re right to worry about the Romanians. They’re very bad news.”

“So how come they’re here?”

Mr. Shaw looked me straight in the eyes. “Because apparently St. Brigid’s has a resident Vampire, and they’ve been contracted to find him.”

I dragged my eyes away from Mr. Shaw’s so he wouldn’t see the truth on my face. Which was that I knew where that Vampire slept. Mr. Shaw let his next class in and they filed in past me with curious looks. Someone poked me in the ribs.

“Hey, stranger. First the

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