by Alicia Fabel
18
Mimi and Addamas left shortly afterward. They needed some time to adjust to the idea of becoming parents. Vera still couldn’t wrap her mind around those two as a married couple, not that they were a normal couple. She couldn’t wait to find out the details of how that came about. Then again, they did argue like an old married couple. Kale had said he’d get Vera home later, once they’d had some time to figure things out. Mimi was doing some silent-communication-thing with Kale just before she left. Now it was just the two of them, standing in opposite sides of a room.
Kale cleared his throat. “Want something to eat?”
“Pizza?”
“Bacon and pineapple, right?” Kale cut a face and turned to open the cupboard.
“Shut up. It’s delicious.” Vera sat on the couch with her legs curled beneath her. “Oh, and siracha-honey dipping sauce.”
Kale held up a dish he’d already summoned. “I didn’t forget.” He set a pizza box on the table and sank into the sofa beside her.
Vera snagged a piece from her half. “And you think my pizza is nasty.” His half was pepperoni and jalapeno.
“It is.”
“You’re a million years old. What do you know about deliciousness? Did you even have fire to cook your food back then?”
“Hilarious.” Kale stole the last couple of bites of Vera’s slice from her hand, popped it into his mouth, and grimaced. “Still awful. How can you eat that?”
“Easy.” Vera bit into another slice and savored it dramatically.
Kale shook his head, but his lips quirked up.
The two of them made quick work of the pizza. Vera tossed her last crust back into the box and leaned back. Kale snatched it and polished it off.
“Did they feed you?” she asked.
“Other than the poisoned eitr? My stomach wasn’t really up for much else.”
“Sorry.” Vera tipped her head against the leather so Kale could see the apology in her eyes. “Who do you think sent eggtooth poison to Kuwari?”
“Since it’s only found in Summartir, I’m guessing a witch.”
“You’re thinking it’s the witch Liah told us about? The one hiding among the other witches? The one we never identified?”
“That’s the one.”
“ But I thought that witch was supposed to be a good guy. She—or he—was trying to stop Mother and save Earth, just like us.”
“Maybe we got it wrong. We assumed that’s what the unnatural army was for, but I don’t know anymore,” he said. “Whoever it is, though, they have an agenda I do not understand, and it makes me nervous.”
“So far, you’re the one they like poisoning. Which is stupid since you can’t die.”
“But I can be incapacitated long enough to get you trapped somewhere far from Earth.”
“You think that’s the goal? To get me away from Earth?”
“Possibly. Which means all this traveling across the realms to unlock your magic may be a very bad idea.”
“Yeah, but it’s the only way to save Mimi’s baby.”
“Which is why I’m pretending I’m okay with the whole thing.”
“Stop picking at your thumbnail.” Vera put a hand over his.
Kale looked down like he hadn’t even known what he’d been doing.
“You’re coming with, right?” asked Vera. “So how much trouble can I get into?”
“We are talking about you and your legendary relationship with Lady Luck.”
“There’s no such person.” Which ticks me off.
Kale raised an eyebrow. She’d probably said that with more anger than strictly necessary.
“If there’s no Lady Luck, then there’s no one for me to punch. It’s what kept me going all these years.”
Kale started laughing. Vera frowned, but he only laughed harder until she cracked a smile too. He leaned his head back on the back of the couch, angling to face her. His eyes sobered and flicked toward her lips.
And then he stood abruptly. “I should get you home.”
That stung a bit. Vera hopped up, not meeting his eyes, and headed for the door. Kale didn’t stop her. He followed her across the meadow while she did her best impression of looking unaffected. What’s there to be disappointed about anyway? Nothing. It was just a kiss. A nothing kiss that happened because we’d just been through a lot together. It didn’t mean anything… Except I am disappointed. Which makes me a special kind of stupid. A stupid, stupid-head who’s been crushing on the most unavailable man in the entire world for months. What is wrong with me? I told myself I was not going to kiss any sexy men while I was in Nibiru and now look at me. Epic fail, Vera. Epic fail. At least I can’t fall for him. That’s a silver lining, right?
As they crossed the tree line, Kale grabbed her arm. He spun her around and pressed her back against a tree.
“I think we’re in trouble,” he said, his voice low in his throat.
“Why?” Her eyes dipped to his mouth.
And there was that pained groan from the man again. He only hesitated a moment before ducking to claim Vera’s lips. And by claim, holy butterflies, he claimed them. His tongue slid against her bottom lip. Heart pounding, Vera shifted to get closer as the nerves fired off through her body. Kale’s hands restrained her, and then he pulled back slightly. He kissed her slowly, sweetly. Once. And twice. When he rested his head against hers, both of them breathed unevenly. The flare of Vera’s hair bathed them in red.
“You should call Noah when you get home,” Kale said.
Vera froze. That was not what she’d expected or wanted to hear just then.
“Mimi said he’s been calling. I think he’d be good for you.”
“Are you joking?”
“No.”
“Then why did you kiss me?” Why the hell did you kiss me?
“A mistake? A moment of weakness?” Kale shook his head. “I’m not right for you.”
“We’re already to the it’s-not-you-it’s-me talk? I thought that would come later.” Vera tried to keep her tone light and teasing, but the hurt rising in her chest showed in her eyes.
“I’m an overbearing, controlling jerk,” he pointed out.
“Yeah, but you’ve grown on me.”
“Vera, I can’t do this,” he said. “My life is here, and yours is there. I can’t do my job if I’m distracted by you. And I don’t want our friendship to get messed up if you fall…” Kale sucked in a breath, as if what he was saying had sunk in.
Vera reared back like she’d been struck and scrambled away from him. She blinked furiously to hide the tears shining in her eyes. He was afraid she’d fall for him and complicate things? Well, no worries about that. But she wasn’t about to beg him to keep her around just because her heart was off the table. “Take me home.”
“Vera, I…” He tried to touch her, but Vera moved away. The more he touched her and looked at her with pity, the worse the rejection felt. “I just didn’t want you to think there is something between us that’s not.”
“I get it. It was just a kiss. Whatever. You don’t have to worry about me messing anything up by falling for you. Even if I still had a heart.” Vera tucked her dark hair behind her ears, and strapped on her mask of indifference. “You are not as irresistible as you think you are.”
Vera tapped her eraser against her desk, not hearing a word of what professor Eldrid was saying. The girl in front of her turned around, glared at the pencil, and then shot Vera a dirty look. Maybe she’d been a little tap-happy. Vera slouched back. Mimi wrote on her notebook and angled it so Vera could see it, What’s up? Vera shook her head. Mimi scribbled some more. What happened last night? Again, Vera shook her head as if to say, nothing. She didn’t want to talk about it. Based on how Mimi was eyeing her, that was not going to be possible unless Vera figured out how to work miracles.
“I have your papers graded. Make sure to log onto the class portal and read any notes I left. And try to get some sleep. You all look like zombies. There’re still a
few weeks until finals. You can’t quit yet.”
Vera felt like the man was talking right at her. When she looked up, his gaze bored into her. Maybe he is talking to me. The professor looked away, but Vera noticed him throwing her furtive glances and started getting uncomfortable. Now that she was paying attention, the professor seemed a little more subdued than usual too.
“Dismissed,” said Eldrid finally.
Vera and Mimi joined the flood of students in the mass exodus. Several students did look half-out-of-it. Just like Eldrid. If Vera didn’t know better, she’d wonder if they’d also spent spring break battling for their freedom from a village of unicorns.
“Did professor Eldrid seem strange to you today?” Vera asked.
“He seems strange every day.” Mimi turned to look over her shoulder, but the professor was already headed out the door that led to the staff wing. “Polka-dot bow tie, red suspenders, and socks with sandals. Did I miss something else?”
“It’s probably just me,” Vera said.
Vera and Mimi shielded their eyes from the sudden onslaught of sunlight as they walked into the courtyard at the center of campus. A few students were taking advantage of the rare warm day. Some had curled up to catch a nap on the grass. Vera shivered and reached around to tug her gloves from her bag. A week in Nibiru’s heat, and the chill seemed to have magnified for her. And she ran right into Noah. Much to Mimi’s amusement.
“Hey, how was your break?” he asked. “You look like you got some sun.”
“I’m glad to be back,” Vera answered honestly.
“I know you’re just getting back into things, and you’re probably busy, but I wondered if you wanted to get a coffee or a smoothie or ice cream?” He said it all without taking a breath.
Vera’s first impulse was to think up an excuse to say no, but Mimi watched her like a hawk. Probably for any sign that something was wrong. At least a date would get her out of an evening playing twenty awkward questions. “I’d like that. Tonight?”
“Yeah,” Noah grinned. It was extremely cute. “I get off at six.”
“Great, I’ll meet you at the student union after that?”
“I’ll be looking forward to it.” Noah tapped the book in his hands. “I’d better get back before they think I took an extended lunch break.”
“A little light reading?” Mimi nodded at the thick tome.
“It’s actually from one of the Professor’s private collections. He’s loaning it to the library.”
Vera scanned cover. “A History of the Mu?”
“You can read it?” asked Noah excitedly. “What language is it?”
Vera glanced at Mimi, but she lifted a shoulder and said, “I’ve never seen that language before.”
Vera forced a laugh. “No, sorry. I was just making stuff up.” Her head throbbed. “Just me being dumb.”
“Well, it sounded legit to me,” said Noah.
“Which professor is it from?” asked Mimi.
“Professor Eldrid,” he answered. “You know him?”
“Yeah,” Mimi said with an undercurrent in her tone.
“A little bit of an oddball, right?” asked Noah.
“You can say that again,” Mimi agreed.
“Well, see you tonight, Vera.” Noah took off for the library.
“You really could read that, couldn’t you?” Mimi asked.
“You really couldn’t?”
“Not a word.” A crease formed between Mimi’s brows.
“I thought you had a magical way of understanding all languages.”
“Unless it’s a language my scholars have never come across before.”
“Does that happen often?”
“Never. They even know Kale’s language, just not what it’s called.”
“It’s probably demas,” Vera suggested.
“Demas?”
“Yeah, the language Kale speaks. I bet it’s demas.”
“They’re extinct, so that would make sense how I never figured it out,” Mimi said. “Not to mention they didn’t leave behind a lot of written records since they lived underwater.”
“Oh, they’re not extinct. Kale thought they were too, but they’re not. We met one in Nibiru.”
“Demas aren’t from Nibiru,” said Mimi.
“Long story, but that’s where they’ve been hiding out for about a thousand years, I guess.”
“Is Kale demas?” wondered Mimi.
Vera realized that Kale had never told Mimi and Addamas where he was from. She was reluctant to tell his story when he obviously hadn’t wanted to share it himself. A face flashed in her mind. The woman she’d seen on her birthday in Kale’s memories, while he’d healed her cheek. Vera had only seen the woman for a second. Her and a bird made of water, which the woman had sent flying into the air, to Vera’s delight. Which meant it had delighted Kale. That must have been one of Kale’s last moments of innocent joy. A speck of bright among a sea of black. She wondered if he even remembered it. Her heart squeezed. Somehow, this new understanding dulled the ache of her hurt feelings. No, she wouldn’t share his history.
Instead of answering Mimi, Vera shrugged and changed the subject. “Do you think professor Eldrid knows what language that book is?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to figure out a way to ask him.” Mimi made a face. “After I get food. I swear if I don’t eat every hour, I feel horrible.”
“Ask, and you shall receive.” Addamas held up a grease-stained paper bag.
“Where have you been?” asked Mimi.
“Um, getting your food.” Addamas shook the bag for emphasis.
“What is that?” asked Mimi.
“A chorizo and egg burrito.”
Mimi put a hand over her nose. “It reeks. Get it away from me.”
“But you love these.” Addamas sighed and tossed the bag into a trash bin. “Something else sound good?”
“Nacho-flavored chips and sour cream.”
“Nasty,” said Addamas.
“Don’t knock it til you try it,” Vera piped in.
“You did try it once,” Mimi reminded her. “And you hated it.”
“Yeah, but I tried it,” said Vera.
“And you think I haven’t?” asked Addamas “She’s been eating that mess for years. Almost as long as I’ve been trying to woo her.”
“You’re supposed to woo a girl before you marry her.”
“How long have you two been married?”
“Four years.”
Vera couldn’t hide her surprise. “How old were you?”
“Seventeen,” answered Mimi. “He was twenty.”
“You were eighteen the next day,” said Addamas quickly. “And I didn’t touch you for weeks. Even though you were pretty handsy back then, it’s like they say: Once you’re married—” Mimi punched him. “Ow.”
“I can’t believe I never saw it,” said Vera.
“Saw what?” asked Mimi.
“How all that arguing is just foreplay for you two.”
Mimi looked appalled. Addamas coughed and turned to hide his laugh before he got punched again.
“Look, they installed a new doorknob.” Addamas opened the door for Vera and Mimi with a flourish. “Ladies.”
“Elevator’s out of order again,” mumbled Mimi, veering for the stairs.
“Probably for the best,” said Addamas. “Thing’s a death trap. And the exercise is good for you right now, Memes.”
Mimi swung around. “I swear if you say a word about how wide my rear gets, you will never have another moment of foreplay in your long, horny life, got it?”
Addamas swooped in and planted a kiss on her forehead. He expertly backed away before she could lash out. “Wouldn’t dream of it, wifey.”
“Do not call me that,” Mimi hissed.”
“All right. Whatever you say,” Addamas said happily.
Mimi gritted her teeth and stalked up the stairs to the third-floor landing.
“Besides, I think your cu
rves are sexy as Persephone.” Addamas winked and sprinted up the next flight of steps toward his floor before Mimi could respond.
Mimi growled an inhuman growl. Her K-9’s were sharper and longer than a human’s. Vera checked to make sure no one was coming up the steps.
“Mimi?” She waved a hand to get her attention. “You can’t kill him.”
“I know. I tried a few years back.”
“Whoa. I just meant, your baby would need a dad.” Vera laughed.
“I don’t want to kill him anymore. Just make him bleed.”
“You guys have a weird relationship.”
“Speaking of relationships,” said Mimi, seeming to forget all about Addamas. “How are your relationships going?”
Frigging crap. That didn’t take long.
“I have no relationships.”
“Do you know you’re a terrible liar? Like, really. You flinch. Every. Single. Time.”
Crap, crap, crap. “I do not.” Vera struggled to get their door unlocked. And flinched at the lie.
Mimi followed her inside once she got it open. “Girl, I love you. Now talk.”
“You left the door open.”
“I’m feeling claustrophobic,” Mimi said. She always felt claustrophobic in their room when her lion was close to the surface. Addamas better wait a bit before he popped in or he might lose something important.
Vera flopped onto her bed to check the student portal for her grade. Mimi sat next to her, waiting expectantly. She already had a bag of nacho-flavored chips in hand. It would be a contest to see who was the most stubborn. Vera was determined it would be her. She frowned. Where her grade should be was a note. Vera tapped on it and read, Miss Katz, I would like to discuss your paper. Please call my TA and set up an appointment at your convenience. Professor Eldrid, Director of Human Studies.
“Do you think I need to be worried?” Vera turned the screen toward Mimi.
Mimi tapped the screen a few times. “Go ahead and set up the meeting for the end of the week. I’ll have Addamas do some more checking on Professor Eldrid. Knowing my name, having that book, trying to get access to you—I don’t like it. Plus, he just seems off. I’m wondering if his official records will hold up with a closer look.”