Bearly Awake (Providence Paranormal College Book 1)

by D. R. Perry

  “I’m cool with no sugar, but iced? Seriously?” I shook my head. “It’s in the teens out there, snow higher than your head all over everything, and you Yankees drink iced coffee?”

  “Yup.” Blaine eyed my cup. “It’s New England. If it was in the twenties, I might have worn shorts. Flip-flops, even. But not with socks. I do have some taste, you know.” He grinned at my shudder. “If you’re not going to drink that, give it here.”

  “No, I’ll drink it.” I took another pull on the straw and felt my eyes squint reflexively. It was that weird. Anyone who’d grown up in a subtropical climate would agree with me. “When in Rome, and all that jazz.”

  The coffee wasn’t bad, just strange, even though I drank it in a heated building. I pictured Blaine in shorts and flip-flops, drinking one of these while smoke trailed behind him from his nose in the snow. So much was different here from back home, but just like the coffee, I went along with it.

  Different was good. It meant I was awake and thinking instead of sleeping in the basement or a snowbank. No matter how good that sounded, I had to resist that desire. I looked over at Lynn. Now there was one temptation I could pursue. My bear wanted her enough to shut up about sleep for a while.

  “Okay, it’s done.” Henry had his hand in the middle of the table between us, the coin on a string sitting flat in the center. “Just put your hand over mine like we’re doing a secret handshake or something. Then repeat the first and last phrases I speak after me.”

  I nodded, then clasped his hand. It was the same temperature as the air in the room. The coin was cold, though, in an invigorating way. Henry gripped my hand in his, harder than I expected. Vampires have extra strength, but not as much as the bigger shifters. Maybe his psychic powers had something to do with that. He closed his eyes again.

  “Tempus fugit, non autem memoria.” I mimicked him, then let him continue. “One time, for one hour, Bobby Tremain will remember things that keep him awake when he invokes this amulet. No other memories are stored in here, and once used, it crumbles. Pulvis memento est.”

  “Pulvis memento est.” The coin warmed against my palm as Henry opened his eyes. He turned our hands until mine was on the bottom, then let go.

  “You’re all set.” He rubbed his temples with his fingertips. “When you want to use it, just say that last bit again—pulvis memento est.”

  “What’s that mean?” I thought I should know, but couldn’t place it. I put it around my neck.

  “This memory is dust, basically.” He shrugged, cutting his eyes away so no one at the table could meet his gaze. “I don’t know Latin. It’s just what they told me to use as an apprentice.”

  “But it’ll still work, right?” Blaine elbowed me. “Sorry if that was rude or whatever, Henry.”

  “It’s cool. Exact words don’t matter for Psychics. It’s all about the focus, and words in a language I don’t understand let my mind do its thing without distraction.” He smiled but stopped almost right away when Lynn gasped at the sight of his fangs. “Now it’s my turn to apologize.”

  “No, it’s okay.” She took a deep breath, then let it out. “I’ve just never seen them before. I’d better get used to it.”

  “She’s the first human majoring in Alternative Therapies.” I patted her shoulder, watching her face for a reaction. She blushed a little, then smiled.

  “Oh, wow.” Henry blinked. “I knew there was one, but I never thought we’d actually meet. It’s a big step, you know. Means a lot in the circles I used to run with that someone like you cares enough to want to help Extrahumans.”

  “Yeah, Lynn’s got a big heart under all that sarcasm. No one else wanted to help a sleepy bear shifter pass an exam.” A trail of smoke rose over Blaine’s head. “Well, except for my nosy roommate.”

  “I’d love to stay and chat with you more, but I have another amulet to work on. It has to last the whole inter-session. It’s taking a ton of preparation, and I need to get back on it. You can meet me at the Nocturnal Lounge later if you need help to stay awake tonight. I’ll be working the whole time, but at least your friends can get some shut-eye. Good luck with your exam, Bobby. Looks like you’ve got it in spades everywhere else.” Henry didn’t seem like the type to wink, but he did.

  “Yeah, I am. And thanks. I’ll probably take you up on that offer of some company later.” I watched Henry leave. “Blaine, how much did this thing cost you?”

  “Oh, I got a terrific deal.” He smiled like the cat who caught the canary. “I just owe him a favor sometime.”

  “I don’t have to tell you to be careful with that, right, Blaine?” It was Lynn’s turn to yawn. "Faeries are scarier about their favors than vampires, but--" She shrugged.

  “No. I’ll handle it when the time comes.” He peered at her. “How long was your nap?”

  “Like an hour.” She yawned again, folded her arms, and rested her chin on them.

  “You go get some sleep.” Blaine thrummed his fingers on the table. “I will, too. Henry really seems to like you, Bobby. The Nocturnal Lounge is exclusively for the Night School students. They can only bring in one guest.”

  “You shouldn’t be surprised, Blaine.” Lynn lifted her head and rubbed her eyes. “He’s a likable guy.”

  “That he is.” Blaine flared his nostrils but no smoke wafted out. “You’re not walking back to the dorm alone, Lynn. It’s not safe in the dark with the ice and how tired you are. You’re shorter than the snowbanks.” Blaine’s smirk was pretty weak, but I figured he was tired, too.

  “I’ll walk her all the way back to her room and meet you in the lobby later, Blaine.” Standing, I closed her books and put them away in her backpack.

  “I won’t let him fall asleep.” Lynn rubbed her eyes and reached for her bag. I offered her my arm instead. She took it, blushing again. I could get used to that. “Dragon-Scout swear.”

  They chuckled together as they linked pinkies. I looked over my shoulder, expecting Blaine to drop a wink. He didn’t. Instead, his gaze locked on a spot to the left of Lynn’s head. He looked more worried than I’d seen him since the time his parents announced a visit. I shut out any speculations and focused on being with Lynn. I could ask Blaine what had him spooked later.

  Chapter Ten

  Lynn

  When the elevator doors closed in front of us, I almost expected Bobby to pull away. He didn’t, instead, wrapping his arms around me and leaning forward to put his forehead against mine. Behind me, he reached a hand up and stroked my hair. I barely dared to breathe, wondering whether he’d kiss me again. I wasn’t sure he would but decided not to care about it for now.

  “I need to ask you something, and I don’t know how without sounding like a cad.” Bobby’s mood couldn't be deciphered by looking into his eyes, but they were too close for me to do more than try not to go cross-eyed. Maybe that was his intention.

  “Don’t worry about how you sound to me.” The left side of my mouth tilted up. “I dish out so many plates of fresh insult and injury, I’d better learn how to take it. And for the record, I can’t believe someone in the twenty-first century actually used the word ‘cad.’”

  “Okay, then.” He took a deep breath. “I want to try to find my mate.”

  “Get your hands off me, or whoever she is will think you’re taken.” Bigmouth strikes again. Filterless Frampton was out in full force.

  “That’s the thing, Lynn.” He blinked slowly, then stared into my eyes. “Ever since we met, I can’t stop thinking about you. That hasn’t happened to me ever. I want to see if you’re my mate.”

  “I thought you said the only way to find out for sure is in a dream.” There was no way I’d let him sleep, big blue eyes and sweet talk or no. He had to know that.

  “It’s the way my mom’s side of the family knows, yes.” He cleared his throat.

  “But it’s not the only way.” I didn’t need to ask. I’d been studying ahead and already knew. Any shifter’s animal would come forward and try to claim a potential m
ate in the throes of passion. “You’re propositioning me, then.”

  The elevator dinged, its doors shaking slightly as they opened on the fourth floor. A girl with white-blonde hair and wide amber eyes blinked at us, her hand covering her Cupid’s bow mouth and beaky nose in a gesture too fast to be human.

  “Hoo, boy! I’ll take the stairs.” She backed away from the elevator, then turned on her heel. The last thing I heard before the doors closed again was a muffled “Sorry,” punctuated by the stomp of her booted feet.

  Bobby threw his head back and let out a laugh. I joined in, unable to help myself. He leaned against the wall behind him, and I stumbled into his chest. I turned my head, laughing so hard tears that squeezed out of the corners of my eyes. Laughing like that felt very good; I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d shared that kind of mirth with another person.

  There was no way I could be Bobby’s mate. He was much too special for the likes of me. But then I looked up at him through bleary laugh-tears. He was right there with me, sharing the moment fully. That heart-killer had me by the throat. Of course, I’d want to give in to it here in Rhode Island, where the state motto was the word “Hope” all by itself. I was a nerd, so I also knew where the motto came from. Maybe “Hope we have as an anchor of the soul” wasn’t just another phrase in the Bible. I let it in.

  When the elevator opened again on my floor, we staggered out like a couple of sailors on dry land after months at sea. Bobby escorted me to my room, our laughter mingling all the way. My hysterics made it almost impossible to unhook my keys from my backpack. After I fumbled at them for the fourth time, Bobby picked up my entire pack, put the key in the lock, and turned it along with the whole heavy bag.

  “You’re gorgeous when you laugh.” He pulled the key out of the lock. “All the time, actually. When we’re alone, it’s hard to resist touching you, even though I know all elevators open eventually.”

  “That’s the last time we embrace in an elevator, then.” I held out my arms, and he gently placed my backpack in them. “We shock too many people.”

  “Oh, but Olivia always looks shocked.” Bobby held his still-shaking sides as though girding himself for another bout of hysterics. “She’s an owl shifter.”

  “Wait?” I almost dropped my bag as I wheezed with more laughter. “She’s an owl shifter? And she actually said ‘Hoo, boy’ to us?”

  Bobby rubbed one hand down his face as though he could literally wipe the grin and the giggles off it. He nodded, cheeks reddening so much I thought he might be unable to give me a verbal answer.

  I could watch him laugh all night, and laugh with him all night, too. I felt better about myself just then than I had in years. Reaching out, I opened the door to my room, pushing it wide and stepping through. I dropped my backpack on my chair, then turned around. Bobby had his back to me, one foot raised to walk down the hall.

  “Wait, Bobby.” I leaned in the doorway like I had at Mr. Watkins’ lecture hall. “We have a conversation to finish.”

  When he turned, his face was almost back to its normal hue, except for some red over his cheekbones. He didn’t speak, just let his gaze roam up and down my body. Eventually, he stopped at my eyes, staring at them as though he couldn’t look anywhere else. His eyes weren’t exactly blue anymore, but brighter and lighter. I realized that meant his bear was coming forward.

  “No shifting.” I tried to sound as stern as I had while laying the ground rules for the weekend on Friday. It came out in a breathy, needy tone I hadn’t heard myself use before.

  “Just so we’re clear, I know what you’re trying to do.” I swallowed past the lump that had suddenly formed in my throat. “If you feel the urge to claim me, resist it. I like you, Bobby Tremain. I like you so much, I don’t want you chained to someone like me unless you’re sure.”

  “So you’re letting me in?” He licked his lips.

  I had about a million innuendo-laced answers to that question, but only one counted. I lifted my hands off the doorframe, feeling their slight clamminess as the air met my palms. It would have been so easy just to step back and nod or brush one of his fingers with mine, but Bobby deserved something more definitive than sarcasm and coyness. Maybe I did, too.

  “Yes.” I put one hand on either side of his face, thinking I’d pull him in for a kiss. The moment I touched him, he surged forward, mouth on mine as he literally swept me off my feet.

  I wasn’t sure how Bobby managed to close and lock the door behind us, but he did.. His kiss was hot and hungry, and completely different from the questioning exploration in the elevator that morning. His eyes silvered over in a hue that could only mean his inner bear was close to the surface. He was utterly gorgeous. I thought I’d melt into a puddle the next time he touched me, but I didn’t. And he’d been right about not much talking going on.

  Afterward, I expected him to roll out of bed, put his clothes on, and leave. Bobby did no such thing. Instead, he turned on his side next to me, throwing his arm across my body to cup my cheek in his hand. He turned my head toward him, fixing me with his gaze again. I didn’t want to look away as I watched the silvery hue leave his eyes, replaced by that gorgeous blue. He ran his thumb just under my lower lip gently.

  “I’m sorry, Lynn.” He sighed.

  “Wait, what? Why?” I blinked. “Believe me, you have nothing to be sorry for in my book. I don’t even have one word of snark to throw.”

  “I’m not apologizing for everything that happened, just the end.” He brushed a wisp of hair off my cheek.

  “It’s okay, Bobby,” I smiled, covering his hand with one of mine. “I’m on the pill.”

  “Oh.” He breathed out another sigh, this one more relieved than the last. “Well, that’s not all I meant."

  “I’m not sure we could have handled much more of that tonight anyway, lover-boy.” I dropped him a wink. “We got no sleep last night, remember?”

  “Well, you should get some while you can.” He bit his lip, face going brighter red than should have been possible right after sex. “Oh, jeez, that’s not what I meant either.”

  “I will, thanks, regardless of how you meant it.” I couldn’t have stopped my smile even if I’d wanted to. “You can’t, though. We probably shouldn’t even be cuddling. Too risky in the snooze department for you.”

  “I know.” He sat up, giving me a nearly monolithic view of his torso. “Cold shower time for me, then it’s hanging with Henry and the other Night School people.”

  “Hey, I wonder if Henry’s the one working on Maddie’s amulet for the inter-session.”

  “Wait, who?” Bobby scratched his head as he adjusted his own memory amulet.

  “Maddie.” I pointed at the whiteboard with my forgettable roommate’s name. “Schrödinger’s roommate, remember?”

  “Barely.” Bobby looked down at me. “You’re not just the smartest and most gorgeous woman I’ve met, but you’re also amazing, Lynn. That’s from my bear and me.” He pulled on his jeans, then found his shirt in the pile of clothes. “I don’t like leaving you after something so intense.”

  “I’m a big girl Bobby.” Smiling, I enjoyed the view even more from the new perspective. “Thank you.” I yawned.

  “You’re thanking me?” He raised an eyebrow as he lowered his shirt.

  “Yeah.” I rolled onto my side, curling one hand under the pillow. “I thought sex was kinda boring before. Also, you make me feel like this place isn’t so bad. Like maybe I’m not so bad.” I yawned again. Was Bobby’s hibernation contagious?

  “I’ve never thought you were bad, not even by reputation.” Bobby stepped into his boots and shrugged on his coat. “Intimidating, yes. Your roommate liking you speaks volumes, even if you don’t remember her much.”

  “Really?” I blinked, trying not to fall asleep while he was still here.

  “Yeah.” Bobby pulled the sheet and comforter up over me, tucking me in. “Magi of any type sense bad vibes. If you were a bad person, the other half of the room woul
d be empty. But of course, you know that, Study Master.” He changed the “y” sound at the end of study so it rhymed with Jedi.

  “Find some balance in your wakeful Force tonight, bear Padawan.” I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. “I’ll see you tomorrow for more Ecology cramming.”

  “Sleep well, Lynn.”

  I heard the tap of his bootheels as he paced toward the door. I also thought I heard him say something under the sigh of the hinges as the door opened, then closed. Two syllables, maybe, but I couldn’t make them out.

  Before I could think about it anymore, I fell asleep.

  Chapter Eleven

  Bobby

  I stopped by my room for a quick cold shower. My bear didn’t want to sleep. He wanted me to go back upstairs and let him put a claiming mark on Lynn immediately. My mind and body wanted to go back up there, too, but not for claiming. If I gave in to those urges instead of making myself presentable for Henry and the other night denizens, I’d snooze until spring for sure.

  Water pressure in the dorms was mostly a joke when you wanted a hot shower. Cold was another story. I’d taken the ice-bucket challenge back during high school, and this was almost as much of a shock to the system. Cold showers in Louisiana were tepid compared to the water blasting through the cold pipes in the old basement and walls. We had buildings down there as old as the ones up here, but the surrounding temperature made one devil of a difference.

  I left the dorm with wet hair, feeling like I’d funneled espresso shots straight from the machine down at Blue State Coffee. Heading away from most of the campus, I went down to the old trolley tunnel off Thayer Street. I stepped inside, counted fifty paces, then rapped out a special knock. I smelled the change in the air that told me a door had opened, even if I couldn’t see it happen. Once I saw a faint light, I entered.

  The air changed again, losing that sour aroma tunnels in cities always seem to have. A much more pleasant scent of hot cocoa, coffee, and biscotti replaced it. The warm glow of incandescent lights rose slowly to just a touch above movie-theater dim. I walked up the stairs now that I could see them, all three flights.