by Cali Mann
Greer frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. “He ran away, didn’t he?”
My thoughts whirled but I couldn’t make any sense. Just like it hadn’t made any sense when we’d had sex at the library. I liked Greer . . . well, not exactly. I was attracted to her, but somehow my common sense had been shredded and we’d fucked right there. My throat squeezed. “The girl?”
“The paramedics took her away,” Greer said.
“Good,” I said, nodding. She’d been in my arms, but now she wasn’t. Greer had just arrived and now she was eating the last of a plate of Sesame Chicken. Had I ordered it? I crossed to the counter and the bag was there, the same Chinese place I always ordered from. I opened the top, and inside was my favorite. “How did you know . . ?”
Greer didn’t say anything.
I didn’t understand anything that was going on in my life. I’d always sleepwalked, but now I was losing time during the day and apparently walking and talking when I did so. How was it possible? What was wrong with me? I must have started day-drinking or taking drugs or something because it didn’t make any sense, but I didn’t remember doing anything like that.
“Have I been drinking?” I leaned my head on my hands. “What is going on?”
Greer sighed and scooted closer to the edge of the couch. She laid her dish on the table and rubbed her arms. “Remember when I told you about the magic fuzzies?”
I stared at her. She was nuts! A complete wackjob. Here I was having a genuine medical problem and she was talking about magic.
“You’ve been cursed.” She sighed. “That’s why you’re losing time.”
“Cursed? Like Sleeping Beauty?” I snorted. “Magic isn’t real, Greer.”
“Yes, it is,” she said, folding her hands in her lap. Her gray eyes were sad as if she knew I wouldn’t believe her.
Damn right I wouldn’t. “Who do you think you are?” I asked, standing over her. “Some kind of witch?”
Greer chuckled. “Yes.”
“That’s ridiculous. Do you know how ridiculous you sound?”
“Sit down, Seb,” she intoned, waving a hand.
I backed up, almost as if I was going to do as she commanded, but instead I glared at her.
She groaned. “I must still be weak from healing that girl.”
“You’re insane,” I muttered. Or I am. Losing track of time? Being called by another name? I frowned. “Who’s Bash?”
“He’s you,” she said slowly. “The curse split you in two.”
I blinked. “Split me in two? Like I have another personality?” Had my sleepwalking actually turned into a dissociative personality? Was that even possible? Surely Mom would have said something about it if I’d been a different person. “I definitely need to see a doctor… or maybe a psychologist.”
“No, it’s not something you can therapy out of you. It’s from the curse. If we could break the curse, then you could merge back into one person again.”
Her mouth twisted a little at the end, like that might not be an entirely good thing. I guess she liked this Bash more than me. Good. She was a foolish kid, and I didn’t have time for her nonsense in my life. “Time for you to go, Greer.”
“You’re in danger, Seb,” she said. “Fiona—”
“How do you know about her?” I growled.
“You told me about her.”
I rubbed my head. I had, hadn’t I?
“And she’s the one who’s been leaving you those dead things and the girl. She’s a vampire—”
“Vampires and magic and curses aren’t real,” I said as calmly as I could. My brain was whirling with all the therapy and help I was going to need if I really had a dissociative disorder. I might have to check myself into a mental hospital. What would happen to my carefully laid plans? I wouldn’t be able to graduate on time.
“Seb,” Greer said. “I’m a witch and you’re a dhampir.”
“A what? Did you just make up that word right now?” I muttered.
“No, it’s a half-vampire.” She shook her head. “I’m not going to get through to you, am I?”
“I need you to go,” I strode to the door and opened it.
She gathered up the remnants of her meal.
“Leave it,” I said. “I’ll take care of it.”
After giving me those puppy dog eyes again, she walked out the door. I closed it behind her, then leaned my back against it. I needed help—real psychological help—not Greer’s hocus pocus. I was going to take a shower and head over to the health center right away.
Greer
After I left the guys’ apartment, I went straight back to the dorm and fell into bed. I slept all afternoon, blowing off my classes. When I woke, I ignored my roommate’s questions and pulled on a sweater and some jeans. I yanked my hair back into a ponytail. The chicken and the sleep had started to replenish my energy, but I was still weak magically. I needed more. I glanced at Ella’s kitten alarm clock and scowled. The dining hall was closed. I’d have to head up to town to get any food this late.
I grabbed my coat and headed up the hill to town. The sky was dark, a scattering of stars showing through the clouds. I kicked the leaves that swirled along the sidewalk. I needed to steer clear of both of them, Seb and Bash. What could I do against dark magic anyway? I was so weak from healing that girl. It would take me a while to recover as it was. My head down and my mind on my thoughts, I didn’t even see the blonde woman until I bumped into her.
“Watch where you’re going, little girl,” she snapped.
My arms wrapped around myself, I gazed up at her bleary-eyed. She was tall and classically beautiful. Her blond hair was piled on her head and she wore a little black dress, despite the chilly temperatures. She walked around me.
“The boys found themselves a little pet, did they?” she said.
My eyes widened. “Fiona.”
She laughed. “They have mentioned me then. Good to know I’m not forgotten.”
I tried to pull my power to me, but I was still drained. Saving a human life took so much that I was having trouble just standing upright. A pit of worry settled in my stomach.
Fiona pushed on my shoulder and I swayed. “What would my boys want with a weakling like you?”
“I’m not weak,” I muttered, pushing myself to stand strong and meet her dark eyes, their tell-tale red vampire rings mocking me. If I could just pull together enough magic, I could throw her off, but I was empty. I glanced around me, looking for something to pull on, some energy, but there was nothing- just dead leaves on dead grass. I swallowed, but glared and said, “And you need to stay away from Bash and Seb.”
She chuckled again. “It’s you, little witch, who needs to stay away from my boys. You don’t know what you’re messing with.”
I raised a hand, ready to cast something even with my weakened powers, and Fiona grabbed my wrist. Her nails bit into the tender skin and I held back a squeal.
Turning it over in her hand, she scented the vein and her fangs descended. “Sweet little witch, should I take a taste and find out why the guys are so attracted to you?”
“No,” I yelled, shoving the remnants of my power at her. The tendrils hit her like softballs, peppering her, but doing no damage. The pit in my stomach grew harder. I’d never felt so helpless.
She laughed, twisting my arm and I fell to my knees.
“You’re not even worth my time,” Fiona said. “Bash will succumb to my little gifts sooner or later, and my master will have him.”
I tried to say no again, but it came out more of a whimper.
“Just go home like a good little witch and stay out of my business,” Fiona snarled next to my ear. She wrenched my wrist backward, breaking it.
Pain spiked through me, and I couldn’t stop the cry that came from my lips. My vision narrowed to just my lower arm, and each bone seemed to radiate its own pain. I forced my breath under control with sheer will and turned my gaze back to Fiona.
Her eyes ran over me, enjoying the
ricochets of the pain she’d caused. “Stay away from my boys or you’ll regret it.”
She released me and strolled away, her heels clicking on the sidewalk.
I cradled my wrist against my body and tears fell from my eyes. I couldn’t even heal myself until my magic came back. But there was so much worse she could have done, other than break my wrist. Visions of being dragged off to a vampire nest to be feasted on, when I had no power to defend myself, ran through my mind. My heart sank. Who was I to think I could save Seb and Bash? I couldn’t even save myself. I cared about them, but I was being foolish. I didn’t need this—them—in my life.
Feeling just as pathetic as she said, I pushed myself to my feet and hurried toward town. I needed food and sanity in equal doses. Now.
I settled into the same booth that Papa and I had sat in at the diner and ordered a huge breakfast for dinner. I shoveled the food in and could feel my power seeping back. I never wanted to feel helpless like that again. Was that what Dad felt like when he faced Mom’s dark magic? I pulled my cell phone from my pocket, scanning through the numbers.
I should call Dad or Papa. They’d warn me off. Tell me staying away from Seb and Bash and Fiona and the whole mess was exactly right. That I didn’t need to be involved in dark magic or with these guys. It was too dangerous. That no matter what my heart wanted, I needed to protect myself.
My finger stopped on Mom’s name. I didn’t know I’d even had her number on my phone. We hadn’t talked in years. Would she know what to do, how to save Seb and Bash? Reverse the curse?
I shook myself, setting the phone down on the table. What was wrong with me? Hadn’t I just decided that it was too dangerous? That I wanted to help but I also didn’t want to end up a vampire nest’s dinner?
But Seb and Bash were cursed. They hadn’t done anything wrong. If he’d been united as one person, Sebastian would have had no problem fighting off Fiona or her master’s advances. He was a good person. Seb had thought I was a foolish freshman, but he’d still been willing to help me study. Bash had sensed my loneliness and had taken me out for a good time. And they’d wanted to save that injured student. Neither of them had wanted to hurt her.
I bit my lip. I was falling for them, wasn’t I? Damn. The sex had been amazing, but I hadn’t thought it had come to this. Now my feelings were all tangled up in my decision. How could I walk away and refuse to help the guys I was falling in love with? My heart ached thinking of Dad walking away from Mom. Sure, they hadn’t been together for a while by that point, but he’d still loved her. Yet, he’d wanted to keep me safe from the dark magic and he couldn’t do both—keep me safe and save her.
I finished off my pancakes and eggs and felt the ebb of my magic returning. Did I go and hide in my studies, ignoring their plight, or did I try to find out more about the curse and save Seb and Bash? I needed to stay away from them anyway, while I figured it out. It wouldn’t do any good to get even more tangled up if they chose the dark side. Or if I fell harder for them and the curse couldn’t be broken, what then? I’d be even more miserable.
I needed to stay away for a few days and get my feet under me again. I just hoped that Bash could hang on, even with Fiona and her “gifts”.
Seb
I went to the school medical center and asked to talk to a therapist. He’d told me I was overworked and stressed, and that I should consider taking the semester off. No signs of any dissociative personality or any hallucinations over the next few days, so I almost felt normal. Maybe it was just stress. I had been more tired than usual.
Greer hadn’t shown up for any of our study sessions, and I couldn’t help feeling a bit relieved. Maybe her crazy was rubbing off on me. But some other part of me missed her, her apple scent, her hand brushing mine, and I shook myself. I shouldn’t have slept with her. That had been a bad move on my part, and not one that I planned to repeat.
I threw myself into my studies, and Professor Cantrell said he was glad to see me back to my old self. Greer didn’t come to History of Celts anymore. I guessed she’d decided to take the poor grade, rather than tutoring with me anymore. I couldn’t blame her. I’d taken advantage and behaved poorly.
My guilt rode me hard, and I supposed that was why I must have looked so shocked to find her in my study room late one afternoon.
She looked up from her books when I opened the door, and a frown flitted across her features. “Sorry,” she said, reaching for her books. “The other ones were full, and I figured you were only here in the morning.”
“No, don’t go,” I said, gripping the door. “I’ll find another.”
“I don’t want to take your spot,” she said, her eyes on the floor.
“Greer,” I said, my heart in my throat. “I’m sorry I took advantage of you . . .”
She scowled at me. “Are you still worried about that? That’s nothing. Consenting adults and all that.”
“But you’re my student . . .”
“You’ve got bigger problems than that, Seb,” she said. “Are you still getting dead animals on the stoop?”
I grimaced. The blood had started to seep into the concrete and it stank every time I got to my door. Besides, I looked suspicious hiding the bodies all the time. At least there haven’t been any more students, but I didn’t know how to make it stop.
“She’s not going to stop, you know.” Greer made a face. “And you can’t stop Fiona until this curse is healed.”
“Magic again?” I snorted. “You know I don’t believe in all that nonsense.”
Greer glared, holding out her hand, palm up. She whispered a few words, and a green flame appeared.
My jaw fell, and I stepped forward. “How’d you do that?” I asked. “What’s the trick?”
“No trick. Magic.”
The flame burned merrily on her palm. It didn’t seem to hurt her or reach for any nearby kindling. I leaned down to study it and swiped my hand through it. It didn’t burn my hand, but it felt hot. “Why doesn’t it hurt me?”
“Because I don’t want it to,” she said, then she snapped her fingers and it was gone.
“Magic is real?”
“Yes, you doofus,” she muttered, punching my chest. “And you are under a curse. Dark magic has you in its grasp, and you need to be healed.”
I blinked. “Can you heal me?”
She shook her head. “It’s not as easy as that. I can’t just poof your dark magic away like I can the flame.”
“Why not?” I don’t know why I was asking. Magic couldn’t be real, even if that flame had seemed to come out of nowhere. There must have been some trick to it.
She picked up her backpack and pushed past me. “Because I’m a good witch, Seb.”
Then she was gone, and I stood gazing at the empty room. Her apple scent still pervaded it. I took a breath, taking it in. I sat down on the seat, still warm from her body. I’d missed her crazy.
I studied for a while, distracted by thoughts of Greer, and then I headed home. I finished off some Chinese from the fridge and remembered Greer eating her sesame chicken on my couch. What had happened that night? Had it really been magic, or had I just blacked out? The student had been taken to the hospital, and when I’d called to check on her later, they said she’d just been shaken up. No injuries. No blood pouring from her throat as I remembered. I bit the edge of my lip and winced at the pain.
Idiot. It had all been a hallucination.
The doorbell rang and I set my soda on the counter. My gut stirred with worry, remembering the girl falling into my arms. The metallic scent of blood hit my nose. I had never wished for a peephole, but I did now. I certainly didn’t want any more injured students at my door. Taking a breath, I swung open the door and found Fiona.
“Hey, Seb,” she said, flashing a smile. “Been a while.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What do you want?”
“Oh,” she said brightly. “Did I get lucky enough to get Bash tonight?”
Wasn’t that what Greer had called me? S
aid it was the name of my vampire half? Maybe I did have a problem if Fiona knew the name. I played dumb. “Who’s that?”
She pouted. “Too bad. I was hoping to know how he liked my little gifts.”
“Gifts?”
Holding up a sliced-up squirrel, she chuckled. “Like this?”
“Gross, get that shit out of here,” I snarled. “Greer was right, that was you? What the hell?”
Her smile twisted. “Your little girlfriend told you, did she?”
“Yes, and it’s disgusting. I’m going to report you to the police.”
She growled, her face darkening and her mouth opening to reveal fangs.
I shook myself. Was I hallucinating again? Fiona had always had nice, normal teeth. “What are you?”
Fiona glared. “Pissed off is what I am. That little twit should mind her own business.”
“Greer?”
She gave me a thoughtful expression, tapping her lip. “Might just be the thing to get Bashy to come out and play for the master.”
I didn’t know what she was talking about but I knew it wasn’t good. “Leave Greer alone,” I said. “Your beef is with me, right? That’s why you keep stalking me.”
Fiona darted forward grabbing my chin. “I don’t want you, darling. I want your eviler half.”
“What?” I hated feeling stupid, but none of this made any sense. Even if I had a separate personality that came out during my blackouts, why would he be evil? Unless he really was a vampire?
Fiona snarled, her fangs shining in the porchlight.
Shit. She was a vampire? Something pushed against my consciousness, but I held on. I needed to understand what was going on here. I didn’t need to blackout. Greer had been right all along. Magic and vampires were real, and who knew what else.
Fiona peered into my eyes. “Bash darling, I’m going after your girlfriend and you know where I’m taking her.”
“No,” I cried, but the words seemed to echo. The porch was empty. Fiona had disappeared in a flash and I was alone.
Greer