by Celia Kyle
Language.
But she was too angry to heed her good sense as she blurted out, “Despite what you may think, I have powers. I controlled a vampire without even trying. That’s got to count for something!”
If Aurora had expected them to be impressed, she was sorely mistaken. Her brothers dropped their gazes to their food while her parents exchanged a look. Finally, Wisteria broke the tense silence.
“Yes, we heard about that little fiasco,” she said calmly, setting her fork down gently, which could only mean she was angry. “Vampires are undead, Aurora, so no, it doesn’t count for anything. Other than being a bad friend. You really should apologize to the poor fellow, you know.”
As gentle as the tone was, it caught Aurora hard in the throat. Even though Wisteria made an excellent point—Aurora was still trying to figure out a way to make it up to Nathan—her mother’s scolding shut her down, just as it was meant to do. She stared at her plate as if her gaze might split it in half and swallowed nothing but her voice until she was finally able to go home.
Five
Eager feet carried Aurora away from her parents’ house and through the center of Othercross on her way back to Hollow House. Her silence for the rest of the meal had been profound in her ears but seemed completely lost on the rest of her family. Her obstinance had only served to make her feel more at odds with the world.
However Duval had managed to hector her into going, her presence had been superfluous to the point of agony. There was no question she loved her family, but Aurora vowed to herself that she wouldn’t darken that door again until she had something truly dazzling to share.
Whenever that might be.
Safely across her own threshold, she felt the house breathe a sigh of relief at her return. At least someone wanted her around, even if it was a creaky old building. All she wanted to do was sail up the stairs, yank the covers over her head, and count the seconds until she finally succumbed to sleep.
But other obligations tugged at her. The floor fairly vibrated under her feet with Nathan’s presence. She owed him an apology, just as her mother had said. To be fair, she’d already given him several, but he was clearly still pissed off. Obviously, more prostration was in order; now she just needed to find out how much.
Crossing through the kitchen, she pulled open the door and looked at the stairs petering down into the darkness. She’d only ever engaged with her vampire roommate in the common areas, so the prospect of violating his privacy felt very real. Still, maybe meeting him on his own turf was just what was required.
Gulping down a deep breath of the dank basement air to steady herself, she padded down the stairs and into his domain.
“Incoming,” she called softly but loudly enough to be heard.
“Oh. Hey.”
Ryan Glittermist was just coming out of a door when she caught sight of him. He looked surprised to have company. He couldn’t have been more surprised than her. Suddenly all those mysterious, knowing glances thrown around between him and Nathan cracked open to her.
“Um, hi,” she offered. “Hope I’m not intruding or anything?”
“Nope, your timing is perfect. I was just leaving.” He pulled one of his fabulous jackets over his shoulders, flapping his wings to get everything settled just right.
“Honey,” he called through the open door behind him, “put a cauldron lid over your junk or something. You’ve got company.”
“Oh, yeah?” Nathan’s voice was guarded.
Ryan gave Aurora a shrug, squeezed her arm, and headed for the foot of the stairs. A couple steps up, he turned to her.
“Hey, thanks for the show last night. I’ve never seen him cut loose like that. It was fun.”
“I’m still paying for it,” she groaned.
“Oh, whatever. He’s not as scary as all that. Plus, I’d say the debt has been paid.”
He waved his fingers at her and flitted up the stairs. Aurora stood for a moment in the dim of things and then looked at the door leading to Nathan’s inner sanctum.
“All right,” he called. “I’m decent. Which one of you is it?”
“One guess,” Aurora said, stepping into the doorway.
He lay sprawled back across his bed, the sheets pulled haphazardly across his waist. In another time, she might have been scandalized, but so little about him excited her in any genuine way. Sure, acres of well-sculpted man flesh was a sight to behold—if only she could work up any actual attraction to him. Not that mattered, obviously.
Nathan made no effort to move or even smile. The deep reserve in his face told her she was still on the very outskirts of his good graces; inasmuch as anyone ever entered that sacred realm. Beyond Ryan, that is.
“I just wanted to apologize again. I’m not exactly sure what happened.”
“You made me dance around like an idiot in front of half of Othercross. That’s what happened.”
“Yeah, um…” She shifted uneasily from foot to foot. “What I mean is, I don’t know how I did it. It wasn’t intentional. I swear. I’d really like to find a way to make it up to you.”
Nathan’s eyebrows shot up, suddenly interested in what she had to say. “Make it up to me? And what exactly do you propose?”
He had her there. Beyond an apology, she hadn’t really considered what she might do. Caught without an answer, she stood under his gaze until he huffed out a breath and sat up.
“Turn around.”
“Excuse me?”
He looked at her with an eyebrow raised. “Turn around unless you want a show.”
“Oh!”
She turned her back so he could get out of bed and slip into some clothes. Given how much time he spent in a state of partial undress, it hadn’t occurred to her that he might actually have a shred of modesty. But at least he’d warned her before just standing up in the buff.
He rustled around behind her, but she knew better than to turn before being told to. The last thing she wanted was for things between them to become even more awkward, if that was possible. Nathan sidled up beside her, holding a small, coffin-shaped box in his hands. Something in his energy was different than she had ever felt—almost...vulnerable.
“This is Reavis.” He opened the box, and inside lay a small, withered bat. “He died last week and, um…” There was the tiniest catch in his voice. Aurora was dumbfounded. “He was my favorite.”
“Are you asking me to bring him back?” She looked into his face, and he nodded lightly. “You know it’s only temporary. Right? It won’t last.”
“I know. But I never got to tell him what he meant to me. Get a proper goodbye. You know?”
This wasn’t some uber-cool vampire tossing out quips. This was the real Nathan. It was the most affection she’d ever seen him show, and Aurora knew the trust it took for him to let down his guard.
“May I?”
She reached into the tiny coffin and scooped the fallen bat into her palms. It weighed almost nothing, and she cradled it with the utmost care. Closing her eyes, she conjured that ball of white light in the very center of her being. Focusing, she let it grow brighter and warmer, coaxing the life force to full power. Then, when it reached its peak, she let it flow up to her shoulders and down along her arms. Pooling in her hands, it suffused through her skin and into the little body. She felt a slight jerk, and then the bat in her hands unfurled.
Shaking its head from side to side, it rolled onto its stomach and stretched its wings, blinking up at Nathan. He let out a small laugh and peered at his friend.
“Hey, buddy.”
With a sudden snap of his wings, the revivified Reavis lifted off, circling the chuckling Nathan in wide arcs. The vampire’s face glowed with a kind of joy she never could have imagined him capable of. He held out a finger, and after another celebratory circle, Reavis fluttered back to settle on the perch.
Taking her cue, Aurora stepped out of Nathan’s room to let them have privacy. However long the little fella was going to stick around, she figured they
should have the time to themselves. Crossing the dim of the basement, she had just reached the bottom step when a tingle froze her in place.
It was the same prickle she had felt the night before during the party. Like a teeny, silvery call inside her, telling her the stranger was close by again. The pull of it drew her to a window high on the far wall.
Dragging a box to stand on, she peered at the glass. It was covered with black paint. Of course, a vampire like Nathan couldn’t have the sunlight streaming in all day. The dark of the basement was his best refuge. Unhooking the latch, Aurora opened the window just enough to peer into the open.
Just a few yards away, a gorgeous gray wolf circled the lawn, sniffing everything within reach. Searching the grass, it made its way along the edge of the house and then lifted its nose to scent the air. Everything about it was majestic, and Aurora was captivated by its every move.
It was the hot guy from the party.
She had no idea how she knew it, but the fact was as certain in her heart as her own name. The night before, he had been the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on, and now he was a large, sinewy wolf prowling around her yard. Her skin went hot all over just watching him.
“Can I fucking help you?”
Aurora started at the sound of Ronun’s voice. He was in full gargoyle mode and came flapping down from above. The wolf was caught out but didn’t run. It turned in place and lowered its head, assuming a defensive posture. Its hackles rose, and Ronun landed to square off against the stranger.
“I’m not looking for trouble, but I’ve never said no if it came looking for me. I’d think twice, if I were you, wolf.”
The deep growl coming from the wolf relented, and he shifted into his human form. The sheer perfection of his naked body almost made Aurora cry out loud. She had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp. At the same time, she was cursing the corner of shrubbery that prohibited her from seeing all this man had to offer.
But she was right. Even only being able to see his profile, she knew it was the man from the party. Everything about him sang inside her, igniting a level of desire she didn’t know she was capable of.
“Sorry,” the werewolf said. “I didn’t mean to growl. It’s just that you startled me.”
“Yeah, well,” Ronun stayed in his gargoyle form and held his ground. “What’s with sniffing around our house? And who are you, exactly?”
“Dane Hensley. National Ruling Circle Enforcer. I was at your engagement party last night. I’m stepping into Neil Bedlow’s post while he’s away.”
Dane Hensley. Aurora repeated the name over and over again, tasting it in her mouth. It seemed the perfect fit for this intoxicating creature. Ronun looked less impressed. However, he shifted into his human form, so at least they were on a level field. Now she was grateful for the shrub blocking her view, because as secure as Kelly was in her relationship, she probably wouldn’t want anyone else peeking at Ronun’s goods.
“Yeah, I remember seeing you at the party. But it still doesn’t explain why you’re snooping around my lawn.”
“A woman was at your engagement party. I’ve been trying to find her.”
“What does she look like?”
“I don’t know actually.” Dane ran a hand across the back of his neck, abashed. The gesture drew Aurora’s eyes on his muscular shoulders. “I didn’t actually see her. But her scent got right to me. She smelled like decaying stargazer lilies, mixed with a hint of Chanel No. 5. It was…” He shook his head, clearly overwhelmed by the smell.
“Don’t think I can help you, man.” Ronun still had his guard up. “A hundred people had to have passed through this house last night. I didn’t exactly smell every one of them, so I don’t know what to tell you.”
“I understand. Sorry to bother you.” Dane shifted back into his wolf form, his head hung low.
“Good luck, dude. Wish I could help.”
As the wolf slunk away, Aurora’s heart ached. She longed to call out to him, but stopped herself. A tiny war broke out inside her chest, and a moment later, a cry from Nathan’s room startled her.
Running back to look through the doorway, she saw Nathan hunkered on his bed, shielding his head from the dive-bombing Reavis. All the elation at their reunion was gone, and the little bastard dove at Nathan over and over again. Just as it was coming in for another swoop, Aurora called back the life she had given. Curling up midair, the little bat thumped down to the mattress, dead as stone.
“What the hell was that?” Nathan let his hands drop, and it looked for all the world like he might have been laughing.
“I don’t know. I’m so sorry.”
He just waved her off. “We got our goodbyes in. It’s all good. Thanks for that, actually. It was pretty great until about two seconds ago.”
While she couldn’t be entirely certain, Aurora felt a twinge at the timing. Just as she was getting emotional about the handsome wolf slinking away, Reavis had gone berserk. She wasn’t certain yet, but she suspected there might be a connection.
“Aw, come on! Are you kidding me?”
From the sound of things, Ronun was on the porch tugging at the doorknob, but the house wouldn’t let him in. The pretty door knocker Louie had given the house echoed all the way downstairs. By the time Aurora made it up to the kitchen, Kelly was already hustling blearily from upstairs.
“Open up,” she commanded. “Just let him in already.”
At Kelly’s command, the door flew open and Ronun stomped in.
“This fucking place, always playing pranks. There’s a time and a place, man.”
“What were you doing outside, anyway, babe?”
“Nothing. Some werewolf was out there saying some shit about rotten flowers. Didn’t seem dangerous, but I told him to scram anyway.”
Aurora hung in the shadows, eavesdropping. Hollow House hadn’t been playing a prank on Ronun. She was certain of it. The house had been protecting her. Something about that wolf terrified her and excited her at the same time. Regardless, her emotions were right on the surface when Ronun got locked out. And when she’d made Nathan dance. And when the mouse had pooped on his head.
There must be a connection.
Shaking herself, she did what she could to banish Dane from her mind. She had no room in her life to get twisted up over some guy. Honing her powers and proving her family wrong was all that mattered.
At least for now.
Six
“Smart money says it’ll get thrown out.” Percival shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose and leaned over a densely typed legal brief. He was forever straying from the work at hand and ferreting into other files. Aurora bent hard over her own notes and tried to shut out the rest of the juniors.
“Like hell it will.” Dion laughed. “They’ve got too much on the old goat. At least one of the charges will stick.” There was a general rumble of assent, and Aurora burned that she seemed to be the only one even remotely interested in the particulars of the work they had actually been assigned.
“Hey, you said money, Percy. What do you say we actually make this interesting?” Eric loomed over the reedy little fae, using his shifter heft to put the pressure on. He had been captain of his high school football team and lived like he was still some kind of star.
“None of us are really making much money…” Squirming slightly in his chair, Percival was looking for any way out of this.
If she had been in a more generous mood, Aurora might have met his eyes or even piped up. They weren’t even talking about the potion theft case they’d been working on. She’d been so wrapped up in her own work, she hadn’t even heard how the whole mess started.
With the exception of Aurora, the rest of the room was watching to see how the scene would play out. Seven sets of eyes watched as Eric flexed his imagined might over the milky little sap, who was bound to buckle any second.
It’s a wonder anything ever gets done around here.
Nine junior investigators were wedg
ed into a bullpen that would have been crowded at half that number. To make matters worse, they seemed far more interested in horsing around than preparing the briefs for the DA to take to court. Aurora felt sick at the thought that she might be perceived as one of these ragtag jokers.
Just when she thought she might despair, the door swung wide, and Paul strode into their midst. Usually, he barely registered the juniors, but now he surveyed their faces as he crossed the room. His eyes flickered when they finally landed on Aurora, and she swallowed hard.
“You,” he jabbed a square-tipped finger at her. “Office.” Without missing a step, he crossed the room and thumped through the door.
Aurora’s breath became shallow and her knees trembled slightly as she stood. A chorus of low snickers rippled through the air as each of her compatriots took silent pleasure in her being called out. In an instant, her pulse shot through the roof, and she did everything she could not to betray her anxiety.
Smoothing her green tweed skirt over the tops of her thighs, she arranged her work into a neat pile as quickly as she could. More than anything, the little activity gave her a second to center herself. If she was going to be rebuked, she might as well catch her breath first.
Was she about to be fired? Ticking through the files in her brain, she strained to figure out what it could be for. Maybe because she was a necromancer who hadn’t raised a human yet? While she couldn’t fathom what that might have to do with her job at the Judiciary, it was the only genuine failing she could find in herself.
Maybe that lapse showed a weakness in her character. After all, how could she be expected to handle herself in this world if she couldn’t fulfill the calling of her kind? How terrible would it be for her mother to be right after all?
Tapping lightly on Paul’s door, she cast a look back over her shoulder. Every expectant face carried a nasty little smirk, none more than Heather Shelley. Once she was the only woman left in the pit, it would be even easier to stand out.