12. Isla
Chapter 12
Isla
MONDAY
“ W hat, witch got your tongue?” one of them joked. His face twisted with disgust as he spat at the ground in front of Bricriu. Anger bubbled up in me, but I forced myself to remain calm. I’d hate to have to kill someone in the first week of school.
“You’d think he would be more original,” I drawled, not about to put up with this asshole. “Freak is just so... unimaginative.”
He sneered at me. “I’m trying to do you a favor, bitch.” Bones remained silent beside me, doing nothing but shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Why wasn’t he saying anything? “Do you know what he is?!”
“You know, if you kill him, you could easily shuck the small brain out. It would be perfect for an ashtray,” I remarked casually, smiling up at Bones. A small twitch of his lips told me that he heard me, but he just shook his head at my idea.
“While that’s true, the taste of him would linger in the bones for a while. A vile flavor, I’m sure,” he rumbled. The two guys paled at Bones’ comment, stumbling back a step. Like that would save them if the fae wanted to kill them.
I threw my head back, laughing at their reactions and my friend’s commentary. The others eyed me as if I was insane, and their mumbled protection spells weren’t quiet enough to spare the remaining shreds of their dignity.
Pathetic.
“Whatever he does to you, you deserve, you stupid cunt,” the guy stuttered out as he backed up and ran off with his friend.
“At least cunt gave a little more variety.” I tutted in mock disappointment. “Bullies should have more creativity for name calling when they got older.” Sighing, I shook my head and walked over to a nearby bench then settled down and got comfortable. Bones remained where he was. “Are you going to have that smoke?”
“You still want?—”
“Why wouldn’t I?” I arched an eyebrow at him.
“What they said, about killing people…”
“Are you planning on killing me for parts?” I asked dryly.
“No. But I have killed others before,” he replied softly, the dark tone of his voice making me shiver. Whether it was fear or excitement, I wasn’t sure. Maybe a bit of both? “Bones are gifted to my kind, that’s true, but I’m considered an outsider by even my own people. Some of mine were given to me, but most… Most were taken.”
I silently studied him as Bones pulled out a pack of smokes and lit one with a quiet snick of a lighter. His damn sunglasses made it impossible to see his eyes, but I could feel the weight of his gaze he inhaled deeply, waiting for my response.
“Why are you an outsider?” I hazarded, not quite sure what to do with him telling me he had murdered people for their bones. He had meant it as a warning, but for some strange reason it didn’t bother me. I was just curious why he’d killed them.
Of course, Cassius said nothing even though I was pretty sure he could have shed some light on the situation.
The red tip of the cigarette was bright in the darkness. He didn’t speak for so long that I figured he wasn’t going to respond at all. The silence of the night seemed heightened somehow, like even the animals had quieted down to hear his answer.
“I’m legally blind, along with some other things that make me undesirable. Illusion magick is supposed to help us blend in, but mine just makes me stand out even more. It’s hard to be an effective hunter if your prey knows what you are the moment they sense you.”
Smoke surrounded him as he spoke, his voice so solemn that my heart twisted in sympathy, but there was no way I would show that. The vision problems were the tip of the iceberg as to why he was an outcast, but he would probably push me away and run off if I pressed him for too much, too fast. Bricriu didn’t seem like the type of person to share many personal details with people.
“So they hate you because of things you were born with and have no control over?”
“Such bullshit, yes?” A dark laugh escaped him, though there was no humor in the chilling sound. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.”
“This doesn’t take the place of taking me to dinner. Just a heads up,” I joked, cracking up when he started to choke mid-drag. “Oh, that’s priceless.”
“You’re cruel,” he managed after a few coughs.
“You like it,” I teased, not the least bit put off. “At least the trash took itself out. How much trouble would I be in if they suddenly ended up sick?”
“Depends how sick,” Bones answered. His brow furrowed, he walked over to join me on the bench. He sat down slowly, probably expecting me to tell him to get away from me. When I did nothing, he slowly settled beside me, his legs outstretched in front of him. “I think the professors expect things like that from all of us.”
“I’d hate to disappoint,” I murmured, thinking over different plants I could try to find. That greenhouse had elderberries… If I could find it again, I could poison him with those. If I did it right, he’d experience numb limbs and maybe even fall into a coma. “That would totally work. Probably…”
Bones just watched me, seemingly fascinated. A hint of a smile teased the edges of his lips. I wanted to know what else he might be feeling. Amusement, sure, but I had the feeling there was depth there that was being stolen from me. Those damnable glasses were so cool but also irritating at the same time. They kept me from really seeing him. Legally blind... Did that mean he had to wear them?
“Do you always wear sunglasses?” I asked, unable to help myself. He leaned back at that abrupt question, putting the smallest bit of distance between us. “Shit, sorry. You don’t have to answer that. Just curious since it’s nighttime but you’re still wearing them.”
He nodded, running his hand through his short white hair. “If it gets to be too much, I’ll let you know, witchling. Bright lights are not my friend. The glasses help, though they don’t correct my vision, They just protect me from most of the brightness.”
“Even at night?” I tilted my head, letting my curiosity have free rein since he didn’t seem bothered by the questions. At least for now.
“New moon nights aren’t bad,” he replied.
“You didn’t need them when you were...” I waved my hand at him, trying to figure out how to phrase it.
“In my fae form?” He arched an eyebrow. “I still can’t see, but the sensitivity to light isn’t as strong in my actual form.”
“Then why walk around like this?” I immediately winced and started to backpedal. “Fuck. That came out wrong.”
He was definitely going to kill me soon just to get away from me since I kept putting my foot in my mouth. Maybe he’d take my foot… A morbid part of me wondered where he would put it.
“People find it… easier to be around this version of me,” he answered after a full minute of silence.
“Fuck them,” I scoffed. “Just because they’re afraid of you doesn’t mean you should shrink yourself down. I think your fae form is beautiful.”
Bones didn’t reply, but I could almost feel a shift in the atmosphere around us. He was done with the discussion now, so I pushed down my disappointment. He leaned back on the bench and tilted his head back to look up at the sky.
“It’s getting late, Isla. Probably a good time to call it quits since we both have classes tomorrow.”
I was being dismissed. There was no other way to look at it. Hurt made bitterness thick in my throat, but I swallowed it. He had let me peek over his walls even though he wasn’t letting me inside.
“My first class isn’t until ten tomorrow.” I rolled my eyes as I forced some lightness into my voice. “But I do need to get back to my essay. Sadly, it won’t write itself. What good is magick if it can’t even manage that?”
He didn’t react to my joke, so I just let out a long sigh and made my way inside without looking back at him. His stuff was at my table, so I’d see him soon.
I wasn’t sure what I had done to make the mood change so suddenly, but I stood by what I’d said. I liked his fae form, and it suited him better in my mind. Despite that, I could see how he might like to blend in sometimes.
I’d never really had that chance. I could never manage basic craft skills, had lesbian moms that weren’t witches, and six siblings that were all different supes. Not being able to blend in was second nature to me. Standing out wasn’t always a great thing, but I had learned to embrace it and make it a shield to protect myself. Definitely not a healthy coping mechanism, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Wrangling in my wandering thoughts, I sat down and opened my laptop, quietly groaning at the lack of progress I had made. My two pages definitely hadn’t multiplied while I was gone. Why did we have to have fucking busy work?
“An issue?” a cool voice asked, and my head snapped up to see the librarian standing there, pointedly looking from me to the empty seat where Bones had sat.
I considered the vampire in front of me. He was tall, maybe right over six feet if I had to guess. A harsh, angular face and a sharp jawline made him look so different from a stereotypical vampire, and a hint of his fangs showed as he clicked his tongue. There was a scar on the left side of his face, starting right by his nose then curving up to his eye and stopping just above his eyebrow. Short mahogany hair was precisely styled without a strand out of place. His dark brown eyes scrutinized me.
‘Isla, stop gawking at the vampire and answer him.’
‘Now you have commentary? Not when I was alone with the bone fae?’ I shot back, relieved to hear Cassius’ dry teasing after being silent for so long.
‘Beastie. Words. He is waiting.’
“Bones needed a break, so he went out for a smoke,” I replied, forcing my gaze from the man I had been staring at way too long to be polite. “I’m sure he’ll be back. If you meant to ask whether I have an issue, the answer is no. I'm just annoyed by this assignment.”
The librarian didn’t move. Was he even breathing? I couldn’t stop thinking about the vampire standing near me. An awareness of him surrounded me until I swore I could hear the slow pumping of his heart. What the hell is wrong with me?
“Bones? An interesting nickname for Bricriu… Even more intriguing is that you stuck to it. You are brave.”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “He kidnapped me to bring me here. I think that gives me special privileges.”
The vampire placed one hand on the table beside my laptop and another on the back of my chair, leaning into my personal space. He whispered in my ear, “Be careful, Miss Hallowes. There is a beast that slumbers inside of Bricriu just waiting for the perfect prey. Caution would be wise when dealing with him.”
“Isn’t that true for everyone here?” I forced myself to keep my breathing even as my heart sped up at his proximity. A hint of smokiness and blood hit me as he chuckled at the answer. “I’ve only been here a few days, but maybe it’s time to remind people to watch out for poisonous thorns.”
“We all crave and thrive amidst those thorns, Miss Hallowes. Some of us more than others.”
“Do you mean Bricriu or you? With all these suggestive warnings when it comes to him, I’m not sure which person I should be wary of,” I breathed, steeling myself to look him in the eye.
Hellsing didn’t move away when I met his stare, and I suddenly became aware of just how empty the library was. The students that had been there had all left at some point, and now I had the librarian right in my personal space. I licked my lips, all too aware of how close we were. His gaze dipped down to follow the movement then back up at me. Heat built between us.
‘Don’t you fucking dare, Isla.’
‘I haven’t done anything,’ I retorted.
‘You’re—’
His snarky response was cut off when Hellsing leaned forward, his lips a breath away from my own. Even Cassius froze.
“Flings with students are not permitted, Miss Hallowes.”
“You’re the one in my personal space, Mr. Hellsing, not the other way around. And you have an awful lot of interest when it comes to Bricriu. Is that normal?” I replied, accepting the husky timbre of my reply when I accidentally brushed my lips against his.
Heat hit me like a wave, crashing into me so damn hard it took me under. It felt impossible to find my way to the surface. Now that I’d felt even a hint of his touch, the only thing I wanted was more of it.
My mind filled with flashes of sharp fangs scraping over skin followed by the teasing caress of his tongue along my collarbone. There would be a sharp bite, then hot blood flowing from my body as strong arms wrapped around my chest. Those visions felt… odd, tangible in a way I wasn’t familiar with, but a small movement brought my full attention back to the vampire.
As if he knew what I was thinking, his face became flushed, but he stood abruptly, his breathing ragged. A small gasp escaped when he stepped away from me, the fresh air making my lungs burn. What the hell was going on? The only other time I’d been hit so hard with this level of attraction was the first time I’d met the high fae that had brought my invitation to my home.
“Do your work, Miss Hallowes. Don’t play games you can’t hope to win.”
“What if I wasn’t playing to win?” I countered softly, my body humming with need. Hellsing quickly strode away from me, disappearing into the rows of bookshelves. Cassius’ displeasure was clear in my mind, but I couldn’t take my gaze away from where the vampire had gone.
‘Isla—’
‘He came onto me, Cassius, not the other way around. And his interest in Bones seemed more than just a professor concerned about a student. I’m leaving this homework for tomorrow.’
‘Your little friend saw you.’
Closing my laptop, I looked up and found Bricriu standing by the entrance, staring in my direction with a blank expression. He had heard my interaction with Hellsing. He calmly walked over and grabbed his things. Would he say anything?
“Let me walk you back to your dorm before you end up even more over your head,” he offered as he slung his bag over his shoulder.
“Between the two of you, I’m not sure who was worse,” I said lightly, addressing the elephant in the room as we walked outside. “You were put off that I didn’t mind your fae form, and Hellsing got into my personal space because you didn’t come back inside.”
Bones remained silent as he walked with me to my dorm. The only sign of his irritation was the clenching of his jaw, but just as I held up my card to let myself in, his hand grabbed my wrist and twirled me around.
“Isla, you need to watch yourself around Hellsing.”
“Why?” The word pushed out almost like an accusation.
“You push every damn button, witchling, and you're attracting more attention than you know.”
“More cryptic messages. At this rate, I should keep a journal, so I don’t forget them all,” I replied tartly.
“I’m being serious.” He shook me slightly, his jaw clenched in frustration.
“So am I,” I deadpanned. “Is there something else you wanted to say, Bones?”
“If you think that Hellsing and I are the ones to keep an eye on, then you are truly naive. Keep your wits about you, witch, before you find the dark side of Greywood.”
“Are you offering a tour?” I taunted. When I stepped closer to him, he shoved me away, forcing me to stumble back.
‘Beastie!’ Cassius growled as I fell on the ground.
‘I’m fine.’
“You have a death wish, Isla, and you’re fucking lucky I’m not granting it tonight. You need to restrain your tongue, or you’ll wish you never came to Greywood. Consider this a warning from a friend.”
“ This is how you treat your friends? Shoving them around and threatening to kill them?”
“You want someone sweet then look outside of Greywood.”
“Fuck you.”
Bones waltzed off without a backward glance. My breathing escaped in ragged gasps as my thoughts raced. Where did that come from? Maybe he was still defensive about me complimenting his fae form, but for some reason that didn’t feel right.
‘Jealousy from your talk with the vamp? ’ Cassius tacked on, the violence in his voice making me shudder. Was that violence directed toward the fae that had been acting like a dick or me for talking with the vamp? I had no idea.
‘Maybe,’ I allowed, forcing myself to remain calm when his anger didn’t fade.
I stood up then brushed off my clothes before going inside, glad that everyone else seemed to be asleep already. As I dropped my bag I noticed a paper on the floor, crumpled up and forgotten.
It was the note from Demir that I had forgotten about. Maybe that’s the pick-me-up I need right now. Bending over, I grabbed it and sat down, tucking a foot under my butt as I opened it.
Nothing could have prepared me for what he had written.