Book 2 Chapter 20
1162 Words
20
Val’s shift at the infirmary is just ending as I get there.
“Back again?” he asks. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you. I heard the patients are getting a little stir crazy.”
“Actually, um…” I blush and then just blurt it out. “I came to see you.”
Val’s eyebrows lift, along with the side of his mouth that seems to live in a semi-permanent smirk.
“I mean, if Larissa won’t mind,” I add in a tone that comes out snarkier than intended.
Val’s smirk deepens. “No, Larissa is not the possessive type. Odd for a vampire. Usually once we know who we want, we want them to be ours and ours alone.”
Val’s gaze fixes on me as he says these words and is it crazy to think that he might be talking about me? But then he swivels with his usual liquid grace, calling over his shoulder, “Wait there, I need to sign off on my tests, and then we can go.”
I grit my teeth, both annoyed and exhilarated to be back in Val’s vortex once more. That feeling of being off-balance, hopeful, and yet totally and completely uncertain of his affections—it’s disarmingly familiar.
Val comes out and slips his arm through mine, pulling me closer in the process. It’s the same way we’d walk together back when we were pretend dating. Pretending in a way that began to feel way too real. I can’t let those feelings for Val take over again.
I pull away, leaving a good distance between us.
He laughs softly. “Scared of getting caught doing some interspecies mingling?”
“No, I don’t even care about that,” I snap. “I’m more concerned about hurting Larissa’s feelings.”
“I already told you. She’s not the jealous type.”
“That doesn’t mean she wants her fiancé walking arm in arm across campus with another girl.” I hit the word fiancé extra hard.
Val rolls his eyes. “I hate that word. We’re not engaged.” My heart leaps, but then quickly settles again as he adds, “We signed a pre-marriage agreement. It’s all very business-like, right down to how after two kids we can decide whether to renew the contract or go our separate ways.”
“Wow,” I say. The vampires definitely have their own thing going on. From talking to Greg, I’ve gotten the sense that shifters live pretty normal lives outside the Academy. The only weird thing Greg’s ever mentioned is how his family loves to celebrate Batsgiving Day. “That’s cold,” I add.
“Yes, well, that’s a vampire thing,” Val replies dryly. He holds out a hand, inviting me to take it.
So we can hold hands? Or so I can feel his coldness?
I’m not sure. And it doesn’t matter.
I reach out and grab hold.
We walk along hand in hand, his cold fingers wrapped around mine.
“Well, Larissa seems really nice at least.”
“So nice,” Val agrees in a way that tells me he doesn’t see this as a point in her favor. “She’s never set me on fire, that’s for sure.” He pulls us to a stop and suddenly I’m in his arms. “Edie, you set me on fire.”
His eyes, dark and with depths I’ll never reach, stare into mine. His cool breath fans my face as he comes closer. My eyes drift closed.
And then, at last, his lips touch mine.
The coolness of his mouth quenches the heat in mine as the kiss deepens and our tongues begin to tangle. I slide my fingers up beneath his shirt, feeling the cool carved marble that make up his abs.
I want to stand here in the sun kissing Val forever. Maybe one of the witches could make a spell to stop time. I’ll have to ask Fern when she brings the blood for—
I jerk away from Val.
“Tina!”
His eyebrows rise. “No, I’m Val. We’re not identical twins, so it’s strange that you’d confuse us.”
I slap his arm. “Val, listen. I came to get you because Tina is sick. I meant to tell you when we were alone and then got—”
But Val is already moving, a blur of boy. Then just as quickly, he is back in front of me. He grabs hold of my hands.
“Hold long has she been sick? What are the symptoms? Who knows?”
He drags me along behind him, trying to make me move at his speed, which just isn’t possible.
I lean back on my heels. “Val. Hold up. Wait!”
An angry snarl is the only warning that someone else has seen us. Then, before I can even take a breath, Val’s hand is ripped away from my own.
Val and Nico—in full wolf form—roll on the grass. Snarling. Cursing. Fangs flashing from both of them.
Finally, they come to a stop with Nico’s paws planted on Val’s chest.
“Stay away from her!” Nico barks in Val’s face.
Val smiles. “Sorry, I don’t speak wolf.”
This earns another snarl, but Val slips out from under Nico. They face off once more, moving in a tight circle.
Pissed, I stalk over to them.
“Enough!” Fire comes out with that one word, shooting between them. With a yelp, a singed Nico leaps back. Val, meanwhile, holds out his hands like he’s warming his hands at a campfire.
“Fireproof spell, remember?” he says. “See you around, Edie.” He smiles and saunters off.
I know he’s going to check on Tina, but I can’t help feeling deserted all the same.
“Good riddance,” Nico growls.
I spin on him. “Do you even know Val? Or do you just hate him because he was friends with a werewolf?”
Nico says nothing. He just glares at me with his one good eye. In werewolf form, there is no eyepatch hiding it.
I throw my hands up, totally exasperated with him. “You almost died in the desert, Nico. And I’m sure you nearly died in that prison a few times too. But now you’re back here on campus, you’ve got a second chance at life and all you ever seem to do is treat everyone around you like shit.”
He still says nothing and that unblinking glare is becoming unnerving. Still, I don’t regret saying it.
“Whatever. I need to check on Cassie. You totally freaked her out with your ‘kill all the monsters’ routine by the way. So good job with that.”
I turn my back on him. As I hurry away, his gaze nearly burns a hole between my shoulder blades.
- Writer
