Blood: An Affinities Novel (The Affinities Book 1) Read online

  “Oh, weeds—that’s soon,” Ackerly breathed as he frantically flipped his notebook open on the desk. With her arms still crossed and her notebook lying in her lap, Adara merely rolled her eyes.

  “Affinities or superpowers as some like to call them, derive from an extra pair of chromosomes that some humans are born with,” Dr. Wright began as she changed the slide.

  The screen now held an amount of words that, judging by her gaping mouth, Adara found obscene, but Ackerly was copying each letter with brisk precision, as was Tray. When Ackerly had a moment of respite from the writing, he peeked over Tray’s head to see Seth watching the screen like a movie while Kiki chomped obnoxiously on a wad of gum.

  “We will delve deeper into the subject of genetics later this week,” the teacher pressed on, “but you should know the extra pair of chromosomes is the 24th pair.”

  “The two extras are autosomes, right?” Tray asked without raising his hand. Dr. Wright nodded, and he quickly jotted down the fact.

  “Where the hell are you pulling these words from, Nerdworm?” Adara mumbled, eyeing his half-full notebook page with distaste.

  “Autosomes are non-sex chromosomes, Stromer,” he replied without glancing up from his notes. “We learned this in biology last year, in case you’ve forgotten.”

  Adara proceeded to mimic Tray’s voice as their teacher continued her lecture.

  “These chromosomes have the ability to quickly evolve and adapt according to your life experiences. Since I, as a child, was hyperopic, these chromosomes evolved to turn my weakness into a strength. Instead of merely compensating and giving me normal vision, these chromosomes gave me the ability to see better than anyone—well, anyone I know of, so far.”

  She gave the class a clever smirk before switching to the next slide, which revealed pictures of three pairs of chromosomes. Each was a blurry, thick strand, shaped in different ways.

  “Your two copies of chromosome 24 begin as two straight lines that morph depending on the Affinity you’ve acquired. Those with a Mental classification have chromosomes shaped like the first picture, Naturals the second, and Physicals the third. This is how we were able to determine your class before discovering your actual Affinity. Each of you has a power inside you—one that is budding but needs development.”

  “What class is your Affinity in?” Tray prompted, scribbling ceaselessly.

  “Physical, like you, Tray.”

  “Then why are you wearing purple like the Psychos?” Adara questioned, motioning at Kiki specifically.

  “Can you really imagine me wearing orange?” Medea countered as her purple eyebrows shot up.

  Kiki hummed, shaking her head. “You would look ugly.”

  The teacher smiled tautly at the girl before speaking. “The color you wear has no scientific ties to your Affinity’s class, anyway—all of the chromosomes are colored the same. The training school thought it would be easier to identify students based on Affinity if they wore colors according to class. You can imagine Mr. Leve is not too fond of the fact that I prefer purple over orange.”

  “Fraco’s not too fond of anything,” Seth agreed, inducing snickers among the students.

  Dr. Wright appeared ready to give a witty response when a hand shot up toward the back of the room. “Yes, Kathryn Clark?”

  “You said your Affinity formed because of your farsightedness. Do all Affinities form based on our weaknesses?” the girl asked, fidgeting slightly in her seat with so many eyes on her.

  “I was just about to get to that, actually,” Dr. Wright said as she switched to the next slide, Formation of Affinities. “Those who have the extra chromosome pair are inclined to acquire a new ability based on some part of their past—a weakness or a strength. My Affinity formed due to a weakness, but the chief of Naturals, Miss Smith—her Affinity formed due to a strength. In her youth, Miss Smith had always enjoyed planting, caring for, and studying flowers, and this passion caused her chromosomes to adapt and give her the ability to control the growth of flowers.”

  Ackerly was practically blushing at this point, since that was exactly how his Affinity had formed, too; Tray, throwing his pen onto his notebook, didn’t seem as smitten.

  “I just don’t get how that’s possible. How can chromosomes give a person that ability? How can chromosomes adapt?”

  “Does there have to be a reason for everything, Nerdworm?” Adara questioned at a volume everyone could hear. “Why can’t you just accept that things happen and no one knows why?”

  “We may not know specifically yet,” Dr. Wright said warily, “but there are many theories as to how some of these Affinities are scientifically possible. Most theories must be specific to the ability, however, making the research difficult. We will discuss some of the broad theories later in the year.”

  “See, Stromer,” Tray muttered as the teacher lectured on, “there are reasons for everything.”

  “Hm, like there’s a reason I find you to be the most irksome nerd in existence?” Adara offered, though Tray was now ignoring her as he plowed on with his notes.

  “For those of you who haven’t yet discovered your Affinity, thinking of its potential origin could be a good way to start,” Dr. Wright said. “If you were strong or weak as a child, you may have an Affinity for strength. The Affinity chromosome, at its core, is there for survival. It evolves according to what you need, whether you know that need or not. Because of th—” Her sentence was cut short when her eyes fixed on the room’s entrance.

  Ackerly turned to see what had caught her eye, and it was instantly apparent why the sight had frightened her so. The man standing in doorway at the top of the stairs was pale in skin tone but dark in demeanor with a broad, imposing stature and acute facial features. His eyes were narrowed, but even from a distance, they were clearly the same color as his unruly hair: the pinkish-red of raw meat.

  “Mr. Periculy,” Dr. Wright greeted rather formally as she dipped her head. “What…brings you to our classroom?”

  “That’s Angor, the principal,” Adara whispered as she repeatedly slapped Tray’s upper arm. “He looks like a badass—damn.”

  “Shut up,” Tray grumbled as he focused carefully on the way the man’s shrewd gaze surveyed the hall. Ackerly almost cowered in his chair when the principal’s eyes grazed their row.

  “I am here because I wish to speak to one of your students,” he informed her in a chilling voice as he took a few steps down the stairs. “Is Hastings Lanio present?”

  Whispers filled the air as students peered around to see which student would claim himself as Hastings. Ackerly, along with everyone else in his row, peered at the red-eyed boy while he stared ahead rigidly.

  “Well, you’re screwed, Blood Boy,” Adara commented as her eyebrows jumped sinisterly. “Have fun with the king of the Wackos.”

  “Hastings,” Dr. Wright prompted, looking directly at him as he stood wordlessly from his seat. Like a robot, he exited the row, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. His dark red hair veiled his expressionless face as he boldly approached the principal.

  “I’ll only need to speak with him for a few moments,” Mr. Periculy assured Dr. Wright before spinning on his heel and waltzing back up the steps. Hastings trailed behind him without question.

  Once the door to the lecture hall closed, Dr. Wright exhaled a breath of relief and her posture relaxed.

  “That was…Principal Periculy, everyone. He is the founder of this town and school,” she said stiffly before rubbing her forehead.

  “You doing okay up there, Bug Eyes?” Adara questioned as she lounged back in her chair again.

  “Bug Eyes?” Tray sneered before their teacher could muster a response. “Are you aware, Stromer, that insects have worse vision than the average human?”

  “Are you aware, Stark, that you’re boring me with your technicalities?”

  “Miss, uh…Dr. Wright,” Ackerly stammered over their bickering, “what were you going to say before the principal came in? I
have, um, ‘Because of th—’ and that’s it.”

  “Oh—yes, yes,” she started, collecting herself as she glanced between him and her notes. “What I was going to say won’t be on your quiz, but it is a fact worth remembering. Since your Affinities form from your life experiences, you will all find that many of the people in Periculand—and many Affinities in general—have had some awful pasts. Many of you in this room, even, have probably endured some sort of trauma—something your body had to adapt to. With that in mind, it’s best for all of you to be open and accepting to one another. We’re all here together now, but not everyone has lived a fortunate life, and quite frankly, some of you have probably endured pasts the rest of us wouldn’t even care to fathom.”

  “Dr. Wright is a fine teacher,” were the first words Angor Periculy said to Hastings as they exited the Naturals Building. The air had turned humid in the short time Hastings had been in class, and the sun was strong enough to blind him when they first emerged. Angor did not even squint.

  “The science of Affinities is intriguing,” the principal continued as the two strolled down the campus walkway. “The ways in which scientists discover the knowledge, though…I am certain that is not explained in the curriculum. You, however, as an Affinity in a prison—you must have heard of some of the ways in which they test their theories.”

  Hastings maintained a blank expression as he stared ahead, waiting for him to go on with his speech. When he did not, the boy reluctantly replied, “Are you asking me if they did experiments on me while I was in prison?”

  “I was assuming they did, actually,” Angor replied as his pinkish eyes studied the Residence Tower before them. “Did they not?”

  “No. They were all too afraid of me.”

  “Within reason,” Angor agreed, though his tone indicated he was mildly disappointed with the answer. “You did manage to acquire a rather lethal power, didn’t you?”

  A mild breeze cut through the humidity, whisking strands of Hastings’s hair out of his face as he contemplated the correct response. Finally, with an itch of resentment, he asked, “Why did you remove me from the detention center?”

  “Were you happy there?” Angor questioned with a scoffing chuckle. “You certainly did not seem so delighted by your circumstances the few times I visited you.”

  Hastings pressed his lips together, staring off at distant trees as he mulled over the unknown. In his years at juvie, no one had visited him—no one except this man, Angor Periculy. He had never said much to Hastings, nor had he shown any desire to develop a real relationship; he must have had an ulterior motive. Hastings just had no idea what it could have been—or what it was now.

  “Why did you choose to bring me here over any other Affinities in prison? I’m sure you know there were others there with me.”

  “I’m aware,” Angor said, his lax posture stiffening. He agitatedly brushed a strand of his meat-colored hair out of his face as though it had suddenly appeared there. “Other Affinities, however, aren’t as unique as yours. You are a smart boy—you must know I am not the only human to find interest in your Affinity. The difference between me and others is that I am ambitious—I take what I want before anyone else can even consider the possibility of it.”

  “You brought me here to use me, then.”

  For the first time, Angor’s head pivoted toward him. “I have no malicious intentions, Hastings. I do not bring Affinities here to exploit them; I bring them here to free them. The Regulars think us monsters—Wackos. It will not be long before all Affinities are imprisoned by the government. I built this town and this school to ensure the safety of our kind—”

  “Our kind,” Hastings repeated with a snort.

  Angor’s lips curled downward with chagrin. “We are our own sub-species of human, I believe—one that has taken survival of the fittest to a new level. We adapt to our environments in a way the Reggs cannot. They will feel threatened, and they will retaliate—and, of course, they will use our own kind against us. They would use people like you against us.”

  Hastings’s lips remained sealed, his eyes lingering on the Mentals Building they were gradually approaching. The campus was relatively empty with the students in class, and it was curiously quiet in the town beyond without any cars or traffic. Walking freely in the light of the sun was surreal, but the lack of noise was not eerie to Hastings, who had spent much of his time in solitude. It was Angor’s presence that disquieted him—the tranquil manner in which he spoke of such serious topics.

  “You are different from the others,” the principal went on, his words unsettling Hastings in a way that he normally did not experience. Angor’s mood had shifted from grave to fervent, but with a manic sort of enthusiasm. “You have harnessed your Affinity well already, I can tell, but I would like to help you, regardless. I would like, personally, to train you to ensure a power such as yours does not fall prey to the hormones and emotions that afflict teenagers such as yourself. I am asking, if you have not assumed”—he paused dramatically to give Hastings an empty smile accompanied by animated eyes—“to be your mentor.”

  10

  Increased Attractiveness

  Now filled with all of the primary students, the History of Affinities lecture hall appeared to be identical to the Science of Affinities hall. Tray had even chosen to sit in the second row again. For some reason, the group that had been trailing him since they’d met in the van the previous day had followed his lead, despite that he would have rather had the entire row to himself. He almost wished there were assigned seats, so he wouldn’t have to endure Seth cuddling with Kiki at his right or Adara complaining on his left. Sadly, even if they had been placed in alphabetical order, he’d probably still be wedged between the two unintelligent beings.

  The only major difference between this hall and the last was that the white walls in this room were plastered with various posters of sights around the world. After Adara rather rudely asked what the posters were about, their history teacher explained that he had collected these posters upon visiting each place. Adara couldn’t seem to find a retort for that, so she waited until Hastings finally showed up to open her mouth again.

  “Well, this is surprising,” she noted as the boy wordlessly slid down the aisle toward the empty seat beside Eliana. She smiled when he, as expected, chose to sit next to her, and Tray tried not to stare too long. “I was convinced the King was going to behead you.”

  Lavisa stopped picking at her fingernails to glance up and say, “I wouldn’t have let Hastings or anyone accompany that man if I’d thought him dangerous.”

  “Because you’re such a brave protector,” Kiki sneered, sending a brief but cautious glance in Lavisa’s direction before nuzzling into Seth’s shoulder.

  “So, what did the mysterious man want?” Adara questioned as she peered around Tray to look at Hastings. “Are they sending you back to prison?” The red-haired boy shot her a caustic glare but chose to stare ahead and bite his nails instead of respond. “Of course, he cut off your tongue.” Disappointed, Adara slumped back in her seat. “Won’t make much of a difference, really…”

  “Good morning, class,” their teacher greeted before Adara could make any more annoying comments. Tray remembered the man from the assembly in the lounge, probably because his hair was the same shade of brown as his own. His skin was as dark as Adara’s, and he was fitter than Tray would ever be—fitter than Seth, maybe.

  “I am Dr. Than Floros, your History of Affinities teacher, although my PhD is not only in history but also in theater and marine biology—fascinating stuff. Did you all know dolphins are beginning to acquire Affinities?” Everyone stared at him, dumbfounded into silence. “Of course, you young people have no care for that. Right… Well, I will pass out the notebooks and then we’ll begin, shall we?”

  “How do you have three PhDs?” Tray asked skeptically as Dr. Floros passed notebooks to their row. “Aren’t you a bit young to have had time for that?”

  “I have much more tim
e than you might assume, young one…”

  “You have an Affinity for not needing sleep,” Adara concluded.

  “Ah, now that would be unfortunate—very unfortunate,” was all the teacher said before he sauntered up the stairs.

  “Hastings,” Tray heard Eliana muttering on the opposite side of the row. Eavesdropping wasn’t really a habit of his, but since the options were to listen to Adara grumble obnoxiously or listen in on a quiet conversation, he gladly chose the latter.

  Hunching forward as if to begin taking notes, he discreetly glanced over to find that Eliana was coyly tapping Hastings’s arm. Lavisa, flipping through the empty pages of her notebook, was obstructing most of his view, but Tray noticed Hastings’s menacing eyes flicker in Eliana’s direction.

  “I brought your notebook from science,” she told him as she slipped it onto his desk. “And, um, I was just wondering…what did Mr. Periculy want?”

  “He just wants to be my mentor.”

  “Mentor for what?”

  “To help me control my Affinity, teach me how to be emotionless—”

  “You seem to do a pretty good job of that already,” she noted, bringing a faint and brief smirk to his lips. “So…when will you start?”

  “He showed me his office just now,” Hastings explained with a tone of indifference. “Told me we could meet a few times a week there to practice.”

  “Practice what?” she pried, but his only answer was another shrug. Biting her lip, she finally asked the same question Tray had been wondering. “Why you? Why did he…pick you?”

  “I’m a criminal—and not for petty crimes. I’m dangerous, and Periculy wants to keep his town safe. The only way he can really do that, though, is to get rid of me.”

  Eliana’s eyebrows creased with concern, but she didn’t get to speak again before their teacher had reached the front of the room.