Chapter 1
“Erickson!”
Daniel Erickson snapped awake, sitting up straight in his chair so fast that his writing pad slid off his desk and hit the floor. He blinked for several moments, confused about what had jarred him from his sleep.
“Erickson!”
“Yes, sir!” Oh yeah, he was in class, Professor Brewer’s philosophy class, at that. The man was a terror, not only because he talked in a constant monotone that made Danny want to jab his eyeballs out with a pencil, but also because the professor flunked anyone at the drop of a hat. The only reason Danny was taking the class was because he needed a philosophy credit to get his degree.
“The dean of students wants to see you in his office.”
“Yes, sir.” Danny reached down and grabbed his pad off the floor and laid it on his desk. He could hear a few small titters of laughter around him but chose to ignore it. One, he was used to people laughing at him, and two, he was already under Professor Brewer’s evil eye. He didn’t need to add to it.
“Now, Erickson.”
Danny’s eyebrows shot up. “Now, sir?”
8
Stormy Glenn
“Now, Erickson.”
“Yes, sir.” Danny quickly gathered his things and shoved them in his backpack. He could hear the laugher around him increase when Professor Brewer sighed deeply. God, he so wasn’t going to pass this class. He had nightmares about taking the professor’s class over and over again until his hair turned grey.
Danny grabbed his bag and swung it over his shoulder then ran up the lecture hall steps to the door. He heard the professor go back to his monotone lecture that would make the dead fall asleep, as the door closed behind him. Danny had no idea why the dean wanted to see him. He tried to stay under the radar as much as possible.
Danny was breathing heavily by the time he reached the other side of the university campus where the dean’s office was located. While he knew there were only a few steps up to the front of the building, they felt like a hundred. Working two jobs and attending the university full-time was starting to take their toll on him. He was exhausted. His feet felt like they were weighted down with cement as he climbed the steps.
He let himself into the building then walked down the hallway to the dean’s office. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Danny opened the door and walked inside. He smiled at the receptionist and stopped in front of her desk.
“Hello, I’m Daniel Erickson. I was told to report to the dean’s office.”
“Please have a seat, Mr. Erickson,” the receptionist said as she reached for the phone. “I’ll inform the dean that you are here.”
“Thank you.”
Danny heard the receptionist talking on the phone as he turned and walked over to one of the two chairs situated along the wall by the door. Before he could even sit down, the dean’s door opened and a man in a very expensive blue suit walked out, his eyes searching the outer office until they settled on Danny.
Blood Contract
9
“Mr. Erickson,” the man said as he held out his hand to Danny.
“I’m Dean Phillips.”
Danny stood straighter and locked his legs into place. His knees felt like they were going to buckle. “Hello, Dean Philips.”
“Please, come into my office where we can talk.”
Trepidation filled Danny as he followed the dean into his office.
As far as he could remember, he was passing all of his classes. He didn’t even have any absences. Why did the dean want to see him? He wasn’t too sure he wanted to know the answer, yet he was overly anxious to find out.
“Please”—the dean waved his hand to a chair in front of his desk—“have a seat.”
Danny felt a lump form in his throat as he sat down. He wiped his sweaty palms on the front of his jeans as his heart beat out of control.
“Am I in some sort of trouble?”
“Oh my, no. I just wanted to check and see how you’re doing.”
“Doing?” Danny was so confused. He didn’t even know the dean knew who he was. He’d never met the man. Why in the hell would the man want to know how he was doing? “I’m doing fine, I guess.”
“Having any problems in any of your classes?”
“Not that I know if.” Danny frowned. “Why? Is there something I should be aware of? Did I miss an assignment?”
“Not that I am aware of.” The dean smiled broadly. “I’ve heard nothing but good things from your professors.”
Shit! The dean was talking to his professors? Danny gripped his backpack straps tightly in his hands. “I don’t understand. If I’m doing okay and I’m not in trouble, why did you call me here?”