by Tl Reeve
He had a point. However, she wanted the position. “I don’t need any time. I want the job. I’m just surprised you’re giving me a chance.”
“Don’t be,” Keiji said. “You’ve got the determination to learn, and we’ll help you.”
The way he said we’ll almost sounded like I’ll to Natasha. “So, when do you want me to start?”
“Do you have your schedule with you?” Taichi inquired.
“Yeah, I’m actually on my way to class next.” She opened her backpack and reached in to grab her folder. Natasha placed it on the table then opened it. There on the inside cover lay her itinerary along with dates and times. She went to school four days a week with Friday through Sunday off. She turned the folder towards Keiji. “Here.”
He stared down at the list. “Weekends are actually important to the station. It’s also when we need someone here.”
“Serendipitous then, huh?” She gave him a small smile as she closed the notebook.
“I’d say so.” He winked, lounging back into his chair. “You’ll start this weekend.”
Natasha nodded. “Sounds great.”
She cleared her throat while putting her notebook away. Is it hot in here? Sure feels like it is. All three of their gazes were on her, and, if she was honest with herself, it made her uncomfortable. Not because they were leering at her. No, in fact, it warmed her. It made her feel as though she’d been wound too taut, from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. Even her scalp tingled with some kind of expectation.
“What’s your next class?” Taichi brought her out of her thoughts.
“Statistics,” she answered. “With Jacobson.”
“I’ll walk with you,” Keiji announced, exchanging a look with Taichi and Maël.
“Sure, I’d like that,” she replied.
Natasha stood. She said a quick goodbye to Maël and Taichi, then joined Keiji at the door. Their walk across campus was quiet. No rehashing of the kiss they shared or the fact they’d been caught. She didn’t exactly have an answer as to why she licked his finger, or if it had been the right thing to do at the time, however, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She’d be remiss if she hadn’t hoped it would happen again.
“So …” Keiji stated. “The other night.”
Oh no, he hated it. “Yeah … Weird huh?”
He snorted. “Not even close to weird.” He pulled her to him and before she could protest or ask for an explanation, he kissed her again. His lips were warm and demanding. The soft moan he gave when she allowed him to deepen the kiss, excited her.
A rush of heat and desire flowed through her, sensitizing her body. Natasha wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him as he devoured her. The nervous clash of teeth from the last time had been replaced by a confident man on a mission. A bit of her shifted deep within, and the out of sorts feeling returned. She couldn’t explain the sensation, other than bit of her awakened within his arms. It called to the dormant half of her psyche—something she didn’t know had been there until now.
When he stepped back, she took a shuddered breath. She’d been left a little off balance and also a bit unfocused. It was weird. She blinked a few times, trying to clear the fuzzy haze cover her eyes. She shielded her eyes from the bright lights illuminating the quad. Her heart raced. Her breath came in soft pants. What the fuck is wrong with me? I’ve heard of being fucked stupid, but being kissed blind? Great, she’d only been at school for a couple of days and she was already having a breakdown. She wouldn’t go so far as to call it a nervous breakdown. She took a step back and Keiji was there, grabbing her arms to steady her. Her sight fluctuated from clear to fuzzy each time she blinked until they finally cleared.
“Natasha?” Worry filled his tone. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I think …” She licked her lips. “I think your kisses are potent.” She gave a shaky laugh, though her mind raced, trying to figure out what the hell happened.
Keiji blew out a breath. “Is that all?” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and guided her towards the bench. “Do you need to sit?”
“I think it might be a good idea.” She worried if she blinked again, she’d go blind. Stupid really, but the irrational fear consumed her. She’d never had this kind of reaction to anything before.
“Can you tell me what happened?” Keiji pushed a lock her hair behind her ear.
“I thought I was going blind from your kiss.” Okay, it sounded just as insane when she said it out loud.
Keiji laughed. “What an ego boost.” He bussed his lips across her temple before tipping her chin up. His gaze locked with hers and if there was anything wrong with her eyes, he didn’t say anything.
What the fuck? She glanced to the left as black figures shifted between the trees and along the brick walkway heading to one of the three libraries located on campus. It went between a black mist into a corporal figure. “Uh…”
Keiji turned his head to see what she did. “What?”
“What are those things?” She pointed in the direction of black things.
Keiji cocked a brow. “Shadow demons?” He returned his attention to her. “Natasha, didn’t you see them the other night?”
She shook her head. “No. I mean, I felt this uncomfortable presence. Like, someone was watching me, but I couldn’t figure it—wait. Why am I seeing shadow demons? I get vampires, demons like you, or shifters and fae, but a shadow demon?” They were the invisible beings of the unseelie court. Only those who were supernatural or other could see them. But, I’m human. She scrubbed her face. “None of this makes sense. Did you do something to me?”
He held his hands up. “No way. I believed you from the beginning. I don’t mettle in the affairs of humans. If you say it, it must be true, right?”
“Yeah. Right.” She frowned. “I’m going to be late.” Natasha stood. “I have to get to class. It wouldn’t look good for me to miss my first statistics class because my eyes are funky and I see shadow demons.”
Keiji was at her side in an instant. “I’ll walk with you. It’s the least I can do after … You know.” He gave her a coy smile, causing her to laugh.
“Thank you.” She followed the path towards the math department, still not completely sure what happened to her. However, the more she looked around, the sharper her sight became. As weird as it sounded, she could penetrate the darkened corners. Whole groups of students were gathered together sitting at tables she’d never seen before. Others were spirits. It was as though Keiji unlocked some ability inside her. Don’t be ridiculous. There is a logical explanation for it...this. She’d grown up with others and a town filled with shifters. Perhaps she’d been so used to everything, she ignored them.
“You don’t have to thank me.” He took her hand. “Listen, there is a really cool event coming up, called the Daímonas Festivál. You should check it out. I think you might enjoy it.”
“What is it?” She’d never heard of the particular festival.
“You’ll see.” Keiji stopped in front of stairs leading to her class. “If you say yes.”
“Where is it?”
“It starts by the tower. Three days from now,” he answered.
She stared at him for a second. What the heck? It’s not like you’re doing much. Plus, it might be fun. “Sure.”
“Great.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “I’ll be here when you get done to walk you to your next class.”
“Uh…how do you know when my class is over?” She quirked a brow.
“Duh, I saw your schedule.” He laughed. “Have fun, Natasha.”
****
“I’m sorry Natasha, but we’re not allowed to go.” Bell appeared a bit uncomfortable as they stood in the kitchen talking. It’d been three days since she left Keiji at her door with a promise to join him for the festivities. But she wanted to make it a group thing. All of her housemates had been amazing since she arrived. So she invited her friends to the festival, hoping they could h
angout as a group—give her a second to think without Keiji obliterating her concentration. “It’s in the rules.”
“Yeah, it’s only for demons. It’s not for hu—er not even Joy can go.” Zoe pointed to their resident water sprite, part of the seelie court.
She supposed they were right, and there were rules just in case. The school didn’t need fights breaking out in the middle of the school grounds. Plus, from living in Blue Creek, she realized there could be some resentments between the groups. It made sense, however the way Zoe and Bell stared at her made her a bit uncomfortable. Ever since she returned home from school, they’d been giving her a bit of space. Or, it could be she was being paranoid.
Bell stepped up to her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She frowned. Had it been so obvious something happened? “What do you mean?”
“Your eyes are a little red,” Zoe replied.
“What? Huh?” Were they really? Why hadn’t Keiji said something? Had he noticed? “Oh …” she waved them off. “It’s nothing. I think I got something in my eye earlier. You know how it is, when one hurts, the other waters up too.”
Bell and Zoe exchanged another look before Zoe spoke, “In your irises?”
“What?” She ran from the kitchen up to the second-floor bathroom. After flipping on the light, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Sure enough, small tendrils of red circled her pupils contrasting the blue of her irises. When did that happen? Duh, when you sucked face with Keiji. “Oh no.”
Bell came up behind her and laid her hand on Natasha’s shoulder. “Are you sure of who you are?”
Natasha spun on her. Anger flared within her. The irrational emotion aided in sharpening her vision. Whoa. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Bell sighed. “Nothing, but your eyes didn’t just happen without a reason.” She wrapped her arm through Natasha’s and pulled her out of the bathroom. “You know I’m a lion, right?”
“Yes. I investigated every part of this school before I enrolled. Zoe is a panther, right?”
Bell nodded. “Yes.”
“What’s this got to do with my bloody eyes?” Natasha was out of sorts. She didn’t understand how or why any of this was happening to her. She was human. Her mother was human. The only supernatural beings in her life were those she grew up with in Blue Creek. She’d repeated that mantra several times over the last few days when people continued to give her strange looks. However, it would seem those around her knew different, which didn’t set well with her.
Bell gave her a sad smile. “You don’t have bloody eyes. They’re just different is all. But, it still begs the question, are you sure you’re 100% human?”
Natasha sighed. “If you would have asked yesterday or three days ago, I would have said yes.”
“Now?” Bell hedged.
“I don’t know.”
“It’s not the end of the world,” Bell replied. “It means there is something different about you. I could smell the hint of it, but I wasn’t sure what I’d been scenting.”
“What about Jackson,” she said, remembering how Bell’s mate had acted around her the day she arrived. “Do you think he might have any clues as to what I am, or if I’ve ‘become,’ something because of Keiji?” The chance was still there, even if it sounded lame.
“You can ask,” Bell assured her. “But he and Christoph are in Window Rock for a couple of days helping my dad with some stuff at the orphanage.”
“It can wait.” She stepped into her room. “Besides, I’m not going to let it dampen my night off, right?”
“Right,” Bell agreed. “Are you sure you want to still go to the festival?”
“Yeah,” Natasha answered. “Maybe Keiji can help me too.”
Bell giggled. “You like him.”
“Yeah, I mean, I guess so. He’s cool. His friends are nice too. He’s the first one, in all of my classes, to treat me like a person and not like an oddity.”
“He’s a great guy. I heard he’s a formidable demon as well. I wish we could go with you,” Bell said, frowning.
“I’m sure there will be some kind of thing we’ll be able to do later.” Natasha grabbed her satchel. “Don’t wait up, okay?”
Bell rolled her eyes. “For that, I will. Then I’ll give you grief for coming home at such a late hour.” The girl laughed as she followed Natasha out of the room.
“Oh God.” She groaned. “You and my grandmother would get along great. Are you sure you haven’t talked to her or received an email filled with rules for me?”
Bell laughed. “No, but rest assured, if they do show up, I’ll put them on the refrigerator.”
Natasha made a pained noise. “No. Please no. My grandmother did the same at home too.”
“What does your grandmother do?” Hayden asked, meeting them in the living room as she walked through the door.
“Hang rules on the fridge,” Bell answered.
“Oh wow.” Hayden placed her bag on the couch. “That’s horrible. Why would she torture you?”
Natasha shrugged. “She’s a mom. Anyway, I’ll see you guys later.”
“Better have some juicy tidbits,” Bell hollered as Natasha closed the door behind her.
*
Last night, she’d watched as the areas around the tower were roped off. In one spot, a giant fire pit had been created. In another, a stage, and in a final area, a fighting arena. She didn’t understand why they would need a fighting ring. It didn’t make sense to her, but she went with it. When in Rome…
As she grew closer to where the festivities were to begin, she saw the flicks of flame. Small lanterns illuminated the whole area surrounding the fire pit giving it an eerie ambiance. She walked through the opened area in the rope. The air around her snapped and crackled along her skin. She’d felt something similar back home. A ward is what Miss Georgia used to call it. They could be made to keep people in or to keep those not wanted, out. So which was this?
Well, since you’re in, it must not be one to keep people out. Or maybe she’s not the certain people they meant to keep out. Ugh…don’t think. You’re here, have fun.
Fun.
Again, she spotted the shadow people along with several different types of unseelie fae. It was as if the area exploded with life. Those she’d never seen—those who’d been whispering behind her back. How is this possible? What did you do to me, Keiji? Her mind wouldn’t stop turning. Or maybe couldn’t. This is so stupid. She contemplated turning around when Maël approached her. Vampire. She didn’t care if he was one, but how did she know? Sure, she lived with them, but him, it wasn’t like he broadcasted it either. He lifted his hand and waved at her and she returned the gesture meeting him half way.
“Hi,” she greeted him. “Fancy seeing you here.”
He tipped her chin up and stared down into her eyes. “Ah … There you are.” He released her then held out his hand. “Walk with me?”
“Uh, sure.” She took his hand. “What did you mean by, ‘ah, there you are’?”
“Well, Keiji said you were human. I tended to agree with him because you didn’t have bodyguards and you didn’t strike me as someone who is vampire.” He led her over to where a group of people were waiting near the fire pit. Several of the students threw wood onto the pile while another person stood to the side with a giant book in their hands.
“What is this?” She’d been momentarily distracted by the activities surrounding them. “Er, I mean, what kind of bodyguards? Do all vampires have bodyguards?”
He shook his head. “Nu. Only the most powerful have them. Your last name, Nemescu, you should have them.”
She pulled a face, confused by his answer. “What’s wrong with my name?”
“Nothing, only the most powerful in the Romanian vampire clans. You are a princess.”
“Bull. Shit. There’s no way. I mean, hello, I can go out in the sun.” Duh…she’d never had an allergic reaction one to light. Not even after the first time she kissed Keiji. Not e
ven after her eyes went buggy.
He smiled, tucking her closer to him as a crowd formed around them. “I didn’t say you were a vampire.” He tapped the end of her nose. “I believe you are a …” He leaned to her, so only she would hear him. “Dhampir.”
“A what?” She arched a brow. She’d never heard of dhampirs. Vampires couldn’t procreate, so how did she come to be?
“Dhampir. It is a cross between vampire and humans. They...you” —He tapped the end of her nose— “Are envied by our kind. You have all the abilities of a vampire. Extended life, increased strength, superior hearing and sight with none of the downside, like aversions to sunlight, only surviving off of blood. You can eat. Taste food. I’m getting jealous just being in your presence.” He growled, grasping her chin. “You shouldn’t fear me, Natasha. My job is to protect you.”
Uh, sure. Like she could believe anything he said while he held her like he wanted to eat her and fuck her at the same time. She inhaled his dark and dangerous scent. It wrapped around her, the spicy hints lolling her into a sense of calm. Her heart slowed. The anxious edge of trepidation she felt moments ago disappeared. “What...” She licked her lips. “What are you doing to me?”
He grinned. “Relaxing you. I could hear your heartbeat. You were panicking, even if you didn’t realize it. It’s a lot to take in. I will answer every question you have.” He pulled back, releasing the invisible tether holding them together.
She let out a shuddered breath. “Sure... I think.” Her hands trembled, and she clenched them into tight fists. “You’d think after living so long with vampires, I’d be used to this.”
“I came on strong. You’re tempting. However it’s my fault. Forgive me.”
She bit her bottom lip, staring up at him. “There’s no need. I think I’d like to learn more about these dhampirs.”
“Ah...” Maël slipped his hand into hers. “They’re very rare. You and your brothers are the first I have heard of in over a hundred years.”
“Wow. So, how did this happen?” Had her father been a vampire and somehow... What? It didn’t make sense.