Chapter 3 Stranger
STRANGER
Rin braced a hand on the doorway with a heavy sigh, sweat dampening her spine beneath her shirt.
"That’s the last of it," she said, voice somewhere between exhaustion and excitement as she turned to Kit, who was already starting to open up boxes.
It was Sunday afternoon, and she was cutting it close. She wanted to be fully moved in before nightfall, so she could get a good night’s rest before her first day tomorrow.
At the mere thought, her blood zinged with excitement.
She wondered what her first assignment would look like.
The dorm room was more like an apartment, with a central living area and a kitchenette.
A hallway branched off on either side of the living room, each leading to a small bedroom, with a bed frame, a bare mattress, and a few other simple furnishings.
Her other roommate had already moved into the bedroom across the hall, but Rin hadn’t seen her yet.
She worried her lower lip, hoping her roommate would be nice.
"Do you want me to get started on these?" Kit’s messy brown hair flopped over his temples as he tilted his head to one of the stacks of boxes.
Rin walked to him, lifting the smallest box, perched precariously on the top of the stack. As she held it in her arms and walked to the closet at the corner of the room, she spoke over her shoulder. "Yeah, that’d be great."
His eyes burned against her back as she tucked the small box of bras and panties away—she felt awkward and strangely flushed with the idea of him touching her things.
She busied herself unpacking the dark lace before moving on to her jewelry box, lined with delicate silver earrings and small, glittering diamonds. She brushed a finger over her studded lobe; she may have a little obsession with jewelry, but at least Kit loved to buy her earrings all the time.
A few hours passed of them unboxing and putting away her things. Kit helped her unfold her dark purple sheets, tucking them on her bed for her, and finishing it off by placing a small selkie plushie he had won her at a fair a few years ago next to her pillow.
Just as Rin wiped sweat from her brow, her stomach rumbling, footsteps sounded in the hall.
She and Kit both looked toward the sound.
"Your roommate?" Kit asked, dusting off his grey sweatpants as he stood from where he was helping her roll out a piece of carpet to keep the hardwood floors cozy.
"I guess so," Rin said nervously. She stood, wobbling slightly as tiny black dots swam in her vision. Kit hurried to steady her, but she waved him off and headed to the door. "I’m fine. Come on."
Nerves twisted her stomach as she ventured down the hall leading to the living area, where she could hear faint rustling sounds.
She rounded the corner and was greeted by the sight of her roommate.
A tall girl with pin-straight, light brown hair stood in the kitchen, unpacking a plastic bag and pulling out tiny boxes that wafted steam. She wore a simple shirt that had the Hunter’s crest on the back, and black cargo pants.
With Kit at her back, Rin felt slightly more confident than normal as she spoke:
"Hello."
At the sound of Rin’s voice, the girl turned, revealing a soft face with sweet, welcoming brown eyes.
She paused unpacking the bag. "You’re Vesperin?
" At Rin’s nod, she continued. "I’m Xara.
It’s so good to meet you. I moved in yesterday.
I assumed you’d be by sometime today to get settled in, so I thought I’d pick up some food for us.
" Xara lifted one of the white takeout cartons on the counter.
"I would’ve brought more if I knew your boyfriend would be here too. "
Kit grew rigid at her back, and Rin felt her cheeks warm. She subtly brushed her white hair over her shoulder to cool the heat at her nape as she ventured closer to the kitchen.
"He’s not my boyfriend," Rin said quickly.
Xara arched a brow, eyes falling to Kit, where he stood unmoving in the living room, finger tapping against his thigh as he watched Rin.
"Oh, sorry. I just assumed. Soulbond, then?" Xara forged on before Rin could correct her. "I’m jealous. I haven’t met my Soulbond yet. Can’t wait, though.
It’ll be so cool to have my past life memories returned.
What was it like?" Her voice was soft and sweet, filled with a quiet exuberance that made Rin a little jealous—she wished she could be so starry-eyed.
"Not my Soulbond, either." Rin waved a hand to Kit. "That’s Kit, my brother."
Xara nearly dropped the takeout carton of food as she started to open it. "Oh, fuck! I’m so sorry. I always speak before I think—bad habit."
Rin moved to help Xara. She had a comforting air. That’s what a fresh background brought, she supposed; no one knew her here. At least, until she told them her last name.
They started to plate the food, and there was a moment of silence. Rin forced herself to say something friendly. "That’s really thoughtful… you would get food for us."
Xara beamed. "Of course. Honestly, I was worried my roommate would be some hardass or a bitch who only wanted to party and hook up with the Hunter guys. You seem pretty chill." She leaned in, elbow bumping into Rin’s side. "And your brother is hot. Is he dating anyone? Has he met his Soulbond yet?"
Kit, who had been surprisingly quiet the whole time, content to watch Rin get swept up in a flurry of Xara’s excitement, stepped forward, eyes boring into Rin as he addressed the other girl:
"I’m Rin’s adoptive brother," he stressed. "And no, I’m not dating anyone… and haven’t met my Soulbond. I’m not interested in anyone." His tone was imbued with friendliness, but his words were sharp, cutting down any chance Xara seemed to have.
The girl deflated.
Kit walked to Rin, ruffling her white hair as he stopped at her side. "I’ll leave you two to it." He leaned down to press a kiss to her brow, murmuring softly, "You sure you don’t want to stay at the house and just commute?"
Rin cast a surreptitious glance at Xara, who had moved to grab plates from the sparsely stocked cabinet. "No." Rin shook her head. "I want to stay here."
Kit sighed, patting her head one last time. "If that’s what you want. You have everything you need?" She nodded, and his light brown eyes warmed as he stared down at her. "You call me if anything happens, okay? I don’t care what time it is, I’ll be there for you."
She knew he was talking about her heart.
Rin dug her fingernails into her palm to stop the burn behind her eyes—she doubted crying at being left alone would make a good impression on her roommate.
"Okay," she managed.
"Love you," Kit said, his hand leaving her head reluctantly. He headed for the door, calling out, "Don’t forget to call me tomorrow after your first day."
"Love you," Rin whispered too late. The door had already shut, leaving the echo of his presence in the room and a pang in her chest.
Rin hated crying, especially in front of others. She scrubbed the back of her hand over her eyes, looking up to find Xara staring at her with a strange glint in her eyes.
"You sure he’s just an adoptive brother? He sure as hell doesn’t seem to think so."
Rin scoffed, sitting at one of the barstools as she grabbed a small porcelain plate, topped with breaded chicken and rice. "No, that’s weird," she forced herself to say. But she wouldn’t be lying to say she hadn’t thought of it herself.
"Just saying. I mean, he’s not related to you by blood, right?" Xara shrugged a shoulder. "Stranger things have happened. I heard some of the rarer shifters mate with their own blood to keep the bloodlines pure." Xara shuddered.
Rin poked at her food. She always felt so out of place. Like everything inside her mind was too much to let her be at ease and speak with the usual freedom that others seemed to possess. "Well, neither of us are related, and we’re not shifters," Rin said.
They ate in relative silence, but not uncomfortably.
Once their plates were finished, Xara pulled a small bottle of light alcoholic juice from the plastic bag near her elbow, tipping it into two cheap cups.
Rin waved it off with a faint smile—she wanted a clear head for her first day tomorrow, and she had promised Lucien that she would limit her alcohol intake.
She was set to see him next weekend, and really didn’t want to have to lie to him.
"So," Xara started, the lip of her cup hovering by her mouth, "what’s your Stella?"
Rin let out a sigh. She knew it would have come up eventually, but…
Maybe a small bit of alcohol wouldn’t hurt. It wasn’t like Lucien owned her. She was an adult.
Rin brought the plastic cup to her mouth, mumbling around it, "I’m an Aetherborn."
She tipped the drink back quickly, eyes squeezing shut so she wouldn’t have to see the other girl’s expression.
"No shit!" Xara exclaimed, eyes growing wide. "That’s so cool. I’ve never met an Aetherborn before. What level are you?"
Rin took a moment to survey her, searching for any small bits of envy or—even worse—worship. Finding none, she spoke timidly, cheeks warming from more than just the alcohol. "I’m a level one."
"That must be hard—knowing even if you met your Soulbond, you won’t have any memories…"
Surprising. That was the first time she had heard anyone mention what plagued her in the night, when no one was around to hear the sound of her quiet sobs.
"Tell me about it," Rin mumbled. "And that’s even if I meet them in this life. I’d have more luck marrying some prince than meeting my Soulbond in my first life."
Xara huffed a laugh and refilled their cups.
"I’m sure meeting your Soulbond isn’t all it’s made out to be.
My oldest brother met one of his a few years ago.
A wolf shifter from Praed. She’s a handful.
" Her eyes widened with humor. "Who needs Soulbonds, anyway?
" She lifted her cup, silently urging Rin to tap hers against it.