by J. E. Cluney
Of course those were his first words towards me as I strode right up to his mahogany desk and stood opposite him.
“Well, I’m not here to talk family. I have a question in regards to a student with unknown powers,” I started, ignoring his remark.
“You should’ve just called,” my father sighed as he finally dragged those dull blue eyes off his paperwork to look at me.
His greying hair was slicked back as per usual, and I could see mother was still making sure he kept his beard trimmed neatly.
I wondered if I’d see her while I was here.
“Would you have answered?” I retorted with a knowing smirk.
My father sighed as he clasped his hands before him on the desk, watching me with slight frustration.
Right. That’s all I was to him, a pesky nuisance, a tarnish to their reputation, their outcast son.
Whatever.
“Well, what is it?” he indicated for me to get this meeting over and done with.
I hated that I’d had to come to him for answers. I hated needing him in my life at all. But I’d told Ally I would, and she needed answers.
Annoyingly, he was the only one I knew who might.
“There’s a girl at uni, with powers. She has bonded with a vampire through a dream, they’ve learned everything from one another, and the magic I felt when this happened, I’ve never felt it before,” I said, not wanting to disclose that she was living with me.
“It was probably a bonding spell,” my father waved it off.
“No, that’s the thing. It was random, no spell down, just happened. They were both asleep and they shared the same dream, becoming somehow bound together, bonded,” I struggled to explain.
“What is she?” my father sighed.
“Supposedly a pixie wolf, but obviously there’s more,” I murmured, hating that bored look he had.
“Well, I can’t say I’ve heard of any such thing. I honestly just think you’ve been duped and that it’s a spell,” he shrugged.
I bristled as I stared hard at him. Why I thought this was a good idea was beyond me right now. He could care less.
“Is that all?” he raised an eyebrow at me.
I muttered in annoyance as I turned away from him.
I’d be better off getting answers elsewhere. Hell, if my great-grandfather was still around, he’d know. He’d been a big member of the supe community, studying family trees and learning everything. He knew of some of the rarest supes out there, and my grandfather’s book collections had come from him mostly.
My mind moved to Emma, the psychic witch Ally had befriended. Maybe she could help me ask him.
Yes. That was a better plan than trying to ask my father. I was nothing to him, not even worth taking seriously.
I was pulled out of my frustrating memory when Ally joined me. We shared a moment, but I’d also learned Emma was here. Perfect, saved me the trip I was planning to make once I’d finished studying.
I now sat in my Mercedes with Emma in the passenger seat.
“So, thanks for offering to drive me home,” Emma said as she hugged her messenger bag closer to her stomach.
“That’s all right, I actually needed to ask for your help,” I admitted as I turned the corner at the end of the street.
“Oh yeah?” Emma turned her head to me, those grey eyes curious as she arched an eyebrow at me.
“I need to talk to my great-grandfather about Ally, he used to study all sorts of supe family trees, and he knew so much. I’ve got Ally’s family tree, and I’ve been investigating it, but nothing has turned up outside of Fae and werewolf lines. And pixie, of course,” I sighed in frustration. I’d spent hours looking into each relative in hopes of answers, but had found nothing yet.
“Okay, I take it he’s deceased and that’s why you’re asking me,” Emma said as she toyed with her pentagram keychain on her bag.
“Yes, but I know it’s not as simple as asking,” I murmured. Sometimes you needed something that belonged to them in order to summon them.
“Got something of his?” she asked, confirming my thoughts.
“Yes, an old pocket watch,” I murmured. “I’ll have to get it, but do you need to get it all ready or something?”
“Yeah, how long ago did he pass?” she asked.
“Does that make a difference?” I frowned out the windscreen.
“Yep, annoyingly. The longer they’ve been dead, the harder it is to summon them.”
“About twenty years I think,” I shrugged. I’d met him when I was baby, but he’d died not long after.
“Okay, I’ll need to get some stuff sorted. What day would suit you best?” she asked.
“Wednesday afternoon?” I suggested. I needed to get my pocket watch, which was at the old mansion, of course. I just needed to figure out a way to get it. Because waltzing back in there was not something I was overly excited about.
“So, this reading thing with Ally has her pretty freaked it seems,” I mused.
“Yeah, my mom can’t even remember doing it, as I’d love to find out a bit more,” Emma said in frustration.
“That’s weird,” I agreed.
“When they were touching, I felt a magic flare up in Ally, because she was scared. I’ve never felt anything like it before,” Emma said softly. “Makes me wonder just what she is.”
“I know, there’s more to her than even she knows, and I want to help her get answers,” I nodded as I pursed my lips.
“Well, fingers crossed your grandfather knows something,” Emma sighed.
“Yeah, I’m more worried about whatever is hunting her. Marcus saw a memory of hers from when she was a child, we believe it was a wendigo that killed her parents, and quite possibly her uncle figure. Which means it’s been around her for some time. I’m thinking it might be what’s hunting her.”
“My reading gave off an uneasy feeling about her being watched, and mom said she was being hunted. But wendigos don’t exactly lock onto someone, they just hunt for food. Why would it be following her and hunting her?” Emma shook her head, baffled.
“No idea. Don’t tell her I told you this, she’s already pretty unnerved as it is,” I said as I glanced over at her.
“Yeah, don’t want to freak her out any more than we have to. Besides, if she’s got someone with her always, then I’m sure she’ll be fine. We don’t even know what the deal is, if this wendigo is hunting her right now or maybe in the future,” Emma murmured, but I could tell she was unsettled by it.
“Yeah, I’ve spoken to the boys, we’re planning on keeping someone with her at all times. At least she’s got Ollie in most of her classes.”
“And me in her pixie classes.”
“It’s work where she’ll be alone, but Henry and Gina will look after her. I might see if Skip can go with her tomorrow anyway, just to be sure. I’d hate for anything to happen,” I said, my voice dropping at the thought.
When she was at home with us, she was safe. The University was relatively safe too, but work was different. Sure, it was public, anyone could walk in there, and she’d be none the wiser.
We continued the drive in silence, both stuck in our minds about Ally and the mystery surrounding her.
15
Marcus had to bail on me partway through our shower due to him remembering he had classes. Typical.
So I took my time showering and smiling stupidly at myself after our little bit of fun.
But as I stood alone in the shower, the darkness of my mind began resurfacing.
I was being hunted by something.
That much I knew for certain, as well as my parents death not being an accident. I know I was putting a lot of faith into the words of someone I barely knew, but even Marcus believed what she’d said to be true.
I also got the feeling he knew more than he was letting on.
I shivered despite being under the warm water, and cast a wary glance at the frosted window that was opened a little.
Why would something be a
fter me? Did it have something to do with my parents too?
I shut off the water and climbed out, sighing as I realized I had no clothes with me.
I wrapped a towel around me and dried off, my mind frantically running through questions. But I had no answers. Not yet.
Hopefully my aunt would know something. I needed to message her again.
I headed out into the hall, trying to remember where my phone was. Not in my pocket, so I must have left it downstairs with my laptop bag. I’d go back for my clothes in the bathroom shortly once I was dressed, as I’d have to hang my towel up to dry anyway.
I squeaked in surprise when Skip met me in the hall, smirking as he loomed in front of me.
“I like how horny our little pixie gets,” he murmured as he cocked his head at me. Those bright sapphire eyes were drinking me up, and I clutched the towel to my chest as he stepped closer.
“Why do I get the feeling all three of the others have had their fun with you?” he smirked, caressing my bare arm with one finger. I shivered at his touch, my body reacting to the devilish way he was looking at me.
“They haven’t,” I murmured, unable to draw my eyes away from his.
I was yet to have Lucas, he’d done something, in some way.
The image of me inside Lucy’s mind as she rode Skip seared into me, and fire tore down to my nether regions as I bit my lip.
Skip’s eyes darkened as he caught my scent, and the next thing I knew, his lips were against mine, so hungry and hot. I moaned softly as he pressed me against the wall, his hands running down my arms and sending electric tingles through me.
God, how I wanted to know what he was like in bed. What that two pronged penis felt like.
I wanted him naked and in my room.
“It’s not fair, I know they’ve all kissed you, and Marcus has had you. Ollie too, right?” he smirked as he moved to kiss along my jaw.
I barely managed a nod as he drew in a sharp breath.
“There’s something about you, Bee Sting,” he purred, his erection pushing into my hip through his board shorts.
What would he be like? Would he be as perfect as he felt in Lucas’s memory?
I lolled my head to the side as he kissed down my neck, and I spied the ginger and white cat sitting in the hall watching us.
I clenched my jaw, tensing up and causing Skip to pull back in uncertainty.
“What?” he murmured, but then followed my gaze to Ollie.
I reached out mentally to him, the same way I felt him last night when our minds linked in their strange way.
He was jealous and confused about his standing with me, but also turned on. Something he couldn’t help considering my scent was in the air.
Skip sighed as he stepped back, giving me a sheepish smile, but the look in his eyes was agonizing.
“I think I need to take a shower too,” he said before he brushed past me, leaving me looking after him in confusion.
I looked back to where Ollie had been, but he’d disappeared back down the stairs.
Why were they all so tempting and frustrating?
Ugh.
I needed to figure other things out, not my housemate dramas.
I continued into my room, dressing and then heading downstairs to collect my phone. Since Skip was in the shower, I’d have to get my clothes later. For now, I had to find out if my aunt had found out anything yet.
I shot her a quick message as I returned to my room and climbed onto my bed.
Ollie and Skip were the only ones home with me now. I wondered when Lucas would get back from dropping Emma off. It wasn’t really that far, but maybe he’d decided to go out afterwards.
No matter, I had some studying to do. Both for uni and for myself.
At least Ollie didn’t have class tomorrow either. I hoped Lucas would get home in time to do a relaxation spell on him.
I picked up a textbook from the pile beside my bed, followed by a history book on supes. I nestled against my pillows as I settled in for some reading.
I found myself immersed in the paragraphs, and I jotted down notes for future reference.
My phone sounded off after some time, and I checked it to find that my aunt had gotten ahold of her mother, my grandmother, and she wanted to see me in person to tell me what she knew.
Weird.
Why couldn’t she just tell me over the phone? But Natalie said she was flying in on Thursday and they would drive down to visit me with her.
Guess that was something.
But I hated waiting.
I shot Nat a text back to see if my grandmother had told her anything useful, but her reply informed me my grandmother was being tight-lipped.
It wasn’t like I was being hunted or anything.
The thought that snuck into my mind chilled me, and I lost my focus as I tried to continue my reading.
What was after me?
I shivered as I glanced at the window behind me, the navy blue drapes pulled shut.
Why would anything be after me? I was just a halfling, nothing special. No awesome powers apart from this weird binding thing with the boys.
And making food come alive. And pencils go on chaotic sprees.
Did it have something to do with my unknown magic that had everyone concerned?
I eyed the other window over my desk, hating how the curtains were open.
I chewed my lip as I closed my textbook and glanced at my phone.
I was getting hungry anyway, I’d get up and close them when I got some food.
“Hmm,” I mused as I wondered what I should have. Hell, baked beans on toast sounded good tonight.
And I certainly wasn’t going to be shouting Ollie pizza in his state. Not to mention the pizza place was closed Mondays.
After another few minutes of staring at the open window, my chest tightening in uncertainty as my mind pictured someone staring up from the backyard, I leaped up and headed out my bedroom door.
I shook my head as I halted at the bathroom, reminding myself to grab my clothes off the floor.
I was just scaring myself, that’s all. Sure Teresa said that I was being hunted, but was I really going to let that keep me on edge all the time? It was terrifying to think, but maybe, just maybe, she was wrong. Sometimes people got things wrong, right?
I grumbled as I snatched my dirty clothes from the floor and strode back to my room, tossing them into the corner on my gym bag.
I’d get a hamper later on this week. Maybe after work tomorrow. I’d done washing Sunday night, having to resort to using the dryer since I’d wasted my daylight hours. Not that Lucas cared as he showed me how to use them.
I headed back out and down to the kitchen, where Skip was frying up some eggs and a steak.
“Hungry, Bee Sting?” he asked as I stepped into the kitchen in just my heart patterned pajamas.
“I’ll have baked beans,” I stated as I spied Ollie over in the corner nibbling on some wet cat food. He even had a ceramic bowl with the name ‘Oliver’ across the side in gold cursive writing.
“I can cook you up a steak and eggs too?” Skip offered as he looked back at me.
He was wearing a navy singlet after his shower with black and white boxers. Damn, those legs were fine as hell.
‘Do you seriously check us all out, all the time?’
My eyes flicked to where Ollie was watching me curiously as he licked his lips.
‘Am I missing something?’
I squeaked as I looked at Skip, who was frowning between us.
Right. He could talk to Ollie in this state too. Which meant he could hear what he was saying. But only Ollie could hear the thoughts I wasn’t projecting.
Skip’s mouth tugged up in the corner as he looked back at the frying pan.
‘I can’t help if he can hear me too,’ Ollie said absently as he turned back to his food.
Little shit. Now Skip knew I was checking him out.
Was hard not too, considering how deliciously toned and hot he was
, standing there cooking, smiling at himself.
And since he’d shifted that afternoon, I couldn’t get the image of his tempting dick from my mind.
‘Seriously?!’ Ollie recoiled from his bowl.
‘Don’t pry so deep into my head,’ I snickered, knowing full well he’d seen that dick I’d been picturing.
“Now I need to know,” Skip demanded as he served up his meal and turned to stare between us with his plate in his hand.
“Nothing,” I shrugged innocently.
“Have you been checking me out?” Skip smirked as those gorgeous blue eyes rolled over my form, and I shivered as I imagined him undressing me with his eyes.
“Not at all,” I said sweetly as I moved around the kitchen to brush past him and reach into the pantry. I found the can of beans I’d bought, and then moved to the fridge for my frozen bread.
“Was she checking me out?” he turned to Ollie, who had his ear turned back and eyes narrowed.
‘Wouldn’t you like to know,’ came his devious little reply as he began licking a paw.
I just grinned to myself as I popped a piece of frozen bread into the toaster and emptied the small can of baked beans into a bowl. I stuck it in the microwave and put the bread away before grabbing myself a glass of orange juice.
At least they’d eased the worry I’d been having.
I felt Ollie go to say something in my mind, but then he decided against it.
“So you’ve got work tomorrow?” Skip asked as he sat down at the table in the adjoining dining area.
“Yeah, nine to three tomorrow,” I nodded as I watched the seconds click down on the microwave.
“I’ll come and study while you work,” Skip stated, and I cocked my head at him strangely.
“Why?”
“Why not?” he shrugged as he began digging into his meal.
I rolled my eyes as the microwave sounded off and I pulled my bowl out. The toast popped almost exactly the same moment, and I buttered one side of it before sitting it carefully in my bowl and joining Skip at the table.
“Did Marcus tell everyone about my reading with Emma’s mom?” I asked, but I instantly knew the answer. This link with Marcus was both annoying and useful.
“No,” Skip said quickly, and I just grumbled.