Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
PHENEX
“ S amael, why are you here?” I groan, yawning as I take another sip of my favorite whiskey. It’s after midnight and I should be asleep, but all I can think about is a skittish little omega.
“You always know,” he mutters, solidifying his body to the deep blue his skin has when he’s not invisible. He’s a fear demon, doesn’t eat, but feeds from the terror he finds or creates.
He could be here for any number of reasons, and as one of my best friends, doesn’t have any sense of decorum or boundaries.
“The air shifts,” I explain. “Not many people would notice, but I always do. Since I despise repeating myself, care to answer my original question?”
“There’s a new student on campus,” he grumbles, folding his eight foot frame into an arm chair across from me. While it's dark in my apartment, he can see me as well as I can see my surroundings. “She smells really fucking good and her fear is equally delicious. I actually feel full. I haven’t felt this full in centuries, Phenex.”
Eyes wide, I wonder if he met Lorelei. Is she his too? Samael is my senior by at least five hundred years. He’s not exactly sure because he wasn’t born on this plane, he escaped from hell. His body is thin and muscular, due to always feeling hungry.
This is an interesting development.
“What does she look like?” I hedge, hiding my lips behind my glass as I sip deeply. Samael can tell when I’m hiding something since he knows me so well. He’s one of the only living beings who does.
I don’t let anyone else in. Well, I can’t say I let him in either. He knocked down every wall I had and isn’t afraid to call bullshit on me. It’s easy to do that I guess when one has nothing to fear.
“Wild blonde curls, studies hard, almost colorless blue eyes, and smells like cherries and cream and mine,” he growls, my nose wrinkling as I swallow my drink.
“I have a theory,” I drawl. “Her name is Lorelei Rose, and she is a recent transfer student. I spoke to the Admissions office, and was told she’s been in search of the perfect school. She has transferred four times in the past two years.”
Samael whistles, frowning. “So what’s your theory? Is she looking for something? I couldn’t help myself, I had to touch her, Phenex. Her skin is so soft, her nipples?—”
“Back up,” I insist. Just because I mauled her in the office, doesn’t mean others are allowed to. “Where did this happen?”
“She was leaving the stacks, headed down in the elevator. I spent hours watching her study. Her ripped jeans show just enough skin that it’s distracting,” he groans.
Huh. She wasn’t wearing jeans earlier. She must have changed.
“And then?” I ask, feeling like a bad movie.
“I scared the fuck out of her and it tastes so damn sweet,” he groans, palming his dick. His tail flicks impatiently, as if it’s waiting for him to also get on with it. It tends to appear and disappear at his whim. “Her nipples were so tight, her noises perfect. I could smell her arousal pooling between her legs, but it got to be too much and she ran from me. I followed her all the way back to her dorms.”
“Samael,” I sigh. “Think about it. Why would you think a girl you’ve never met before is yours? You’re older than dirt?—”
“Hey, fuck off,” he snarls, pushing his hand through his electric blue hair. There are white highlights shooting through it, making it appear as if it’s always meant to be there. He’s a little sensitive about his advanced age, which means he doesn’t like to be reminded of it.
“There’s something odd about her. I was drifting through the air vents scaring students and saw her. I started by making the room extra cold, but kept getting distracted by her nipples threatening to poke out of her shirt. Her bras need more of that stuff so you can’t see that.”
Oh boy. He’s on a roll. “Padding?” I ask. I noticed that when her breasts were pushed against my chest.
“Yes!” Samael crows, rolling his eyes. “That shit. Her nipples were damn well poking through her shirt.”
“Other than that,” I say patiently. My friend tends to get off track quickly. “What did you notice?”
“I couldn’t bring myself to turn away from her,” he admits. “I have excellent control, I simply choose not to administer it. This was different, though. Every fiber of my translucent body wanted her. I had to stay and watch her, bathe in her scent, and taste her fear.”
“Fuck,” I groan. “Follow me here, okay? She’s in my class and no one really paid attention to her. She told me when I dragged her into my office that she wears lotion to hide her scent. Why would we both be drawn to her scent, Samael?”
“She’s not our scent match,” he says with a snort. “No. There’s no fucking way!”
He scrambles up, leaning on the edge of his seat, eyes wide. “Don’t fuck around. Everyone knows all the omegas are dead,” he says.
They’re supposed to be, yet I’ve been holding out hope for a long damn time.
“Apparently, they are not,” I say. “The lotion she’s been making breaks down in its efficacy under certain conditions, and it does nothing to prevent her slick from being a beacon for monsters.”
“That means she’s not safe here,” he says.
“You’re telling me you care about her safety,” I muse, surprised.
“If she’s my omega then the only one allowed to frighten her is me,” he growls. “Others will?—”
“Hurt her,” I finish. “She’s also my scent match, so I hope you’re prepared to share. She needs another method to descent her body, and I’ve been doing some digging. I believe the odds are pretty good that we’ll find her in the chemistry lab tomorrow figuring something out. Her school records are incredible.”
“Do we know who her parents are? Would they object to having us as her mates?” Samael asks, ever the old fashioned one.
“Her records say that they’re dead and she grew up in the foster system. There’s very little otherwise, but she’s very jumpy,” I explain. “I already made a call to deny any attempts she makes to drop my class. I don’t care if it’s heavy handed.”
“I don’t think either of us have ever been so tangled up in a girl,” he says. “My dick is fucking pissed it’s not inside of her. I know, I see your face. Fear is good, just not the kind that involves forcing her onto my cock. I got it.”
His presence makes rooms colder when he’s in his invisible state. He typically chooses not to control it, and it does draw out the fear in the people around him. It bothers me less, because I can always tell when he’s near.
I have seen, though, that he’ll control his fear trigger better when he’s in his physical form. As he said, he has great control over his abilities and emotions, caring enough to exercise it is a different story.
I wonder if Lorelei will be a good influence on him or not. There’s a fire inside of her, I’m sure of it. The problem is how much she fears for her safety. I like the push and pull Lorelei gave me just before she bolted.
“So we’re in agreement that we’ll look out for her?” I ask.
Samael is already disappearing as he nods. “I’ll send a photo of what she looks like while she sleeps,” he says before he’s gone.
Draining the rest of my whiskey, I take that as my sign to go to bed. If he sends me a photo while I’m up, I’ll never get any sleep. The very thought of it makes my dicks twitch as arousal flows through me.
“Don’t even think about it,” I mutter, putting my glass in the sink as I pivot away from my bedroom to the shower instead. Apparently I’m going to need to take care of this before I’m able to go to sleep.
Fuck my life.
LORELEI
I can’t win. I swear the universe is out to get me. Yanking the bathroom door open in my bathrobe and nothing else, I glare at my roommate. I swear they’re out to piss me off.
“I’m about to get in the shower, could we not do this?” I ask, annoyed. I’m terrified that he’s going to be able to smell me, but Thorley just rolls his eyes at me.
“You’re confusing me with Bast, sugar tits,” he says, ignoring my dropped jaw. “He’s the one who has a hard time sleeping. I noticed you’re getting ready later than usual, but this isn’t about that. I’m going into town. Do you need anything?”
“Just a coffee maker,” I sigh. “I was going to get one after I begin working at my new job.”
“Will it make you less grouchy?” he asks, brow raised.
I guess I am a bitch without caffeine. I’ve been drinking it when I can by swinging by the coffee shop, but it’s an expensive treat. Even if I think it’s a necessity for the safety of the university, my wallet does not.
“Yes,” I mutter. “I don’t sleep very much, so the caffeine helps me function.”
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” he asks, confused.
“New place,” I say with a shrug. “It takes me a while to get into the swing of things.”
“By the way, we aren’t complete heathens, our coffee maker broke just before you got here, and none of us have been motivated enough to pick one up,” he explains. “Everyone will be glad to have it, so don’t worry about it. I’m a little bougie so I’ll probably pick up a decent model so it doesn’t take a shit on us any time soon.”
“Oh. Ah, thank you,” I say, my face scrunched up in surprise still.
“Don’t mention it. I’m off,” he says with a nod, turning to walk away.
As one of the other bedroom doors creaks open, I realize I’m still naked underneath my robe and shut the door quickly, making sure to lock it. I had the oddest dreams last night, which is another reason I slept like shit.
Hurrying to drop my robe, I turn on the water to the shower and slip behind the curtain. I wasn’t even going to bring my robe because I typically change in the bathroom. For some reason, I noticed my sleeping t-shirt was really see-through and my nipples could cut glass, so I chose to throw it over my pajamas.
The universe works in mysterious ways.
Working quickly through my washing ritual, I make the decision to visit the chemistry laboratory in between classes. I have a chem class today, and the department head told me I could use the lab as needed. Just to make sure, I’ll swing by his office later.
I’d like to keep down the amount of time that I get yelled at for a misunderstanding or a dickless alpha demon choosing to exert his dominance on me. Remembering Professor Gorsch, I shudder between equal parts annoyance and arousal.
For the most part, my first three classes are uneventful, making my Tuesday less stressful. No one looks at me funny, there aren’t any scent matches banging their fists on their chests to get my attention, and my lotion is working despite how hot it is today.
I’m wearing a pair of shorts, boots, and a tank top today in the spirit of how damn hot it is. I looked up the weather and found that there should be cooler weather soon as we’re getting a cold front that’s expected to stay awhile. January has simply been unnaturally hot. I need to make it till next week.
Catching a glimpse of my hair as I open the doors to the science building, I try not to worry about the tight and wild curls. Maybe I’ll also make a serum for my hair if I have time. It couldn’t hurt. Either way, it’ll go up on a messy bun to keep it out of my face while I’m in the lab.
My chemistry professor this semester is nice, and made a point of speaking with me quickly after class. He asked about my interests in the field, and was seemingly impressed when I explained that it’s always been a fun hobby for me.
At least the week is looking up so far. This building has recently been renovated with tall ceilings and doesn’t smell musty at all. While there are lots of windows, there’s a film on the inside that keeps the sun from filtering through freely as well as keeps the heat out.
I take a full breath now that the humidity isn’t trying to drown me in its wet heat and begin to climb the stairs to where both the labs and the department head’s office lie. Unfortunately, he isn’t in when I knock on his door, and my lips twist in disappointment.
Well, he said it was fine, all I can hope is that it continues to be true. A professor glances up as I step into the lab, her body appearing to be five foot six, her skin a beautiful olive color. I can’t believe what my eyes see because I recently learned more about shifters who can appear in human form.
“Are you here for the free laboratory time?” she asks with a smile.
“Yes,” I reply. “I wanted to make sure I didn’t mix up the time or something.”
That’s a lie, and a bad one at that. I checked the website several times, my anxiety insisting that I make sure it was correct.
“No worries,” she says. “Be sure to follow the rules posted on the wall and wear proper safety gear.”
Nodding, I pull my hair up as I find a station I like and begin the process of creating my descenting spray. I researched it online, putting together my own recipe to make it work. I spend the next few hours working, smiling when I have a cooled product in a glass jar. When I get home, I’ll transfer it into a spray bottle.
Cleaning up excitedly, I put everything away where it needs to be. There are a few other people in the room, and I give them all a wide berth. I’m on a mission to leave the lab without any issues.
Pulling the hair tie from my curls, I grin happily as I put it away. I have what I need on hand, and now I need to head to my last class of the day.
“You look proud of yourself,” a voice says. There’s no one around, and I glance around me with my eyes narrowed.
Is this the same creature who was in the elevator with me yesterday?
“It’s rude not to reveal yourself and have me speak to the air,” I say severely. “If you wish to have an audience with me, I suggest showing a modicum of respect.”
My feet are already moving toward the stairs, and the air next to me changes, growing heavier before a blue skinned demon pops into existence to calmly match my strides. He’s wearing a pair of slacks, buttoned up shirt and vest, surprising me the most by how put together he looks.
“You’re feisty this afternoon,” he says, his voice deep with rich tones. His violet eyes appear amused as he shortens his steps to match mine. His electric blue hair is arranged in perfectly tussled waves, and I wonder if it’s done purposefully.
I didn’t have enough time to make myself a hair serum today, but I have to say I’m jealous of his hair.
“Since we don’t know each other, I don’t believe you can make assumptions like that,” I say, glancing at him before continuing to walk down the stairs.
The door downstairs to the building opens, and a breeze brings his scent to me. He smells like fresh rain and the ozone of thunder and my foot slips on the stair as my eyes widen.
That’s not fucking possible.
The demon catches me easily, a frown on his face as he sweeps me into his arms.
“Did you hurt your ankle? Why do you insist on wearing these boots anyway?” he growls.
“Why are you stalking me?” I ask in return as he jogs down the stairs. The monster who walks past us looks shocked, and I wonder if this is behavior that’s out of the ordinary for him.
I wouldn’t know, since outside of terrorizing me last night, I don’t know a thing about him.
“Answer my question first, Lorelei,” he insists, making me swallow hard.
He shouldn’t know my name.
“My ankle is fine, I just found out something that took me by surprise,” I say, my nostrils flaring as I inhale his scent again.
“I still want to know why you can’t wear normal shoes,” he grunts, placing me carefully on the ground once he’s descended the stairs.
“Shoes cost money, and these do just fine. They haven’t failed me yet,” I say archly.
“Until you fall and break your neck,” he counters angrily. “I’ve waited a long fucking time for you, which means you can’t die anytime soon.”
“I’m not, I mean, I don’t plan to?” That sounded about as confused as I currently feel.
“Good,” he says.
“Um, I guess I should go,” I murmur. He seems angry with me, and I don’t want him to be. My eyelashes flutter as I breathe his scent in again, trying to memorize it. Everything inside of me is torn.
“I’m not great at this,” he sighs. “I’m Samael. Do you know how hard it is to talk to you when everything inside of me wants to cart you away and hide you from the world?”
“No, why don’t you tell me about it?” I rasp, not entirely sure if this is the right thing to do. I’m completely working on instinct and need, and I want to know if his hair is as soft as I think it’ll be, or if he likes to cuddle.
Such odd thoughts.
“Have you had dinner yet?” he asks, glancing out the windows as he changes the subject. “Is it too early for that?”
“I have class soon,” I say reluctantly. “Will you walk me?”
“You’re not scared of me?” he asks.
“Why would I be?” I ask.
“I’m coming on really strong. Your backpack straps are making indentations in your skin, give it to me,” he says, pulling it off to easily sling it over his shoulder. “Do you know you’re mine? I need to know.”
“Yeah,” I whisper, biting my lip. “I do. The second the wind came through the building, I knew. Why couldn’t I tell yesterday? That was you, wasn’t it?”
Sheepishly, he nods. I swear, if he could blush, he would.
“I’m a fear demon,” he explains. “Every part of me wants to hunt you, feed on that fear, and then fuck you into the ground.”
My heart is thudding, imagining it, and his eyes roll back as he groans.
“Lorelei,” he groans. “You’re so responsive, but we can’t talk like this. You’re going to pull every monster in the fucking building to you. Walk with me and tell me about what you were doing in the lab.”
My sidelong glance has him grinning at me as he grabs my hand and gently pulls me into walking. Samael was watching me while I was working. I have my very own blue skinned stalker, and I don’t think I’m mad about it.