Chapter 6
There was an awkward silence as Theo got into the passenger side of Spike’s sleek black BMW.
“Didn’t peg you for a BMW guy,” Theo murmured, trying his hardest to fill the silence, if only because he couldn’t stand the tension.
“Hades, my—” Spike paused for a moment, as if he wasn’t sure what to say.
“Well, I guess he’s kind of family but we’re not related,” he continued, “he has like a bunch of cars because he’s collected them over the years and he doesn’t really use more than one or two, so I guess he thought with me being in college, I’d probably need one, so. ..”
Theo nodded. “Must be nice having connections like that.”
“I mean, I told him I was fine and I’ve been saving some cash from working at the gallery, but then when I went home to visit Cate... my, uh... she’s kind of family, too, it was just there and she basically told me I couldn’t send it back or she’d kick my ass, so...”
Theo laughed. “Hades, huh? Like the guy with the blue flame hair?”
Spike laughed, too. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
Theo shrugged. “Nevermind.”
The silence returned as Spike slowed to a stop at a stop sign, turning to look at Theo.
“So... you and Callie...”
Theo felt his shoulders stiffen, suddenly on edge as Spike carefully spoke.
“How did you... uh ...meet?”
Theo shifted in his seat, feeling strangely on the spot. It wasn’t as if Spike was being mean or pushy. In fact, it felt like a genuine question, but one framed with caution.
Like perhaps Spike felt something for Calliope, which made Theo feel all sorts of emotions he wasn’t entirely ready to process.
He knew he could have shirked the question, changed the subject.
But there was also a part of him that wanted to talk, to confide in someone.
To vent, air out his thoughts. And Spike didn’t seem like a terrible person.
They’d spent a whole semester together as lab partners, and Theo couldn’t deny that he was a rather decent partner, and he trusted him to do his work and carry his weight, so. ..
He could certainly trust him with this, couldn’t he?
Theo carefully spoke. “Last night. Went out with my roommate and his friends to this place downtown, DeLux Cafe—”
“You’re kidding,” Spike said as he slowly picked up the gas.
Theo shrugged his head. “Nope. Last night they had some speed dating thing, a themed Mystery Masquerade or whatever, and my roommate, Trick, basically forced me to go because—” He stopped, unsure of how much to tell Spike.
They’d been lab partners the previous semester, and he liked the guy enough, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to divulge such personal details to an acquaintance.
It wasn’t like they hung out outside of class, and since said class had ended, he hadn’t heard from Spike, nor did he expect to hear from him.
Running into him in Calliope’s kitchen was most serendipitous.
But the surprise of the moment paled to the reality of that morning.
When Theo had woken up, on the floor, his arms wrapped around a soft, warm body and the air smelled of vanilla, paint, and sex...
He’d barely had time to process what had happened before Calliope was shoving his arms off of her and tearing out the bedroom, as if she were trying to get as far away from him as she could.
The burn was deep, as Theo’s memories threatened to resurface.
Memories of being discarded the morning after he’d had sex, post break up with Emily.
He’d been drunk then, too. It was clear Tara, the woman Trick had tried to set him up with, had regretted sleeping with him.
Judging by the way she looked at him the next morning, scoffed and said, “I’m never drinking tequila again. ”
And the second time...
The second time with Lyric, he was not drunk, but his oversensitive cock had ruined the evening, and as such, Lyric became offended and left.
Which was precisely why Theodore had done his best to push aside his quest to find love as a twenty-something ex-fiancé, and focus on his studies. On the one thing he was good at.
But in the cases Theo had been rejected and regretted before, none stabbed him in the chest quite like Callie.
For it wasn’t just her fleeing the scene of the crime that had burned Theo, it was the ache he felt when she’d done so.
He’d never felt as powerful as he had last night when she’d asked him to worship her, when she’d begged him to call her his.
And Theo was quite certain he’d never feel such power again. He’d watched her grab her robe and spring through the doorway, his heart in his throat.
He’d stayed frozen as she opened the door, a familiar voice along with one that was unfamiliar sounding in the space. A woman, who, by the sounds of it, had taken it upon herself to enter Calliope’s humble abode.
Theo had been caught between mortifying discovery and curiosity.
Who were these people gallivanting into Callie’s apartment?
And when Calliope’s voice hitched with worry, Theo didn’t think twice, for hearing her anxiety spurred him to move as fast as he could, if only so he could comfort her, soothe her.
His mate.
Even now the word in his brain was loud, evident, but it didn’t make sense.
Calliope was not his soulmate. There was no way one could discern such a thing from one night of drunk fooling around.
Theo surmised if fate truly did exist—which he did not believe that it did—that it had never been on his side.
Yet, despite his qualms and confusingly muddled brain, he hurried into his clothes as fast as he could and found his way to Callie, who looked as if she was on the brink of a meltdown.
To comfort her was an instinctual response, and thus, he’d fallen into Callie’s magnetic field without even noticing, seeking her flesh, wanting to touch, to soothe and provide her the spark of comfort he knew she needed.
But she had pushed him away. Again.
Perhaps he was wrong about Calliope the same way he’d been wrong about Emily or Tara or Lyric.
Perhaps Trick was wrong—Theo didn’t have much to offer aside from his heart. And it seemed women didn’t want Theo’s heart. They barely wanted his cock.
Theo did not finish his thought or his response to Spike, figuring it would be best to forget about what happened with Calliope. But how could he forget Miss Perfect? It didn’t seem possible.
“Well, he just was trying to help, I guess. Get me outside my comfort zone and away from my books or whatever.”
Spike nodded as they turned down the road leading to the dormitories.
“Right, I guess that makes sense,” Spike said, twisting his lips.
“What?”
Spike slowed as he entered the parking lot, practically crawling in the lot.
“I really didn’t mean to interrupt your... morning,” Spike said evenly as he pulled into a parking space. For a moment, he did not turn the car off.
“It’s fine, Spike, really. Don’t worry about me,” Theo said, reaching for the door just as Spike spoke up.
“I just...”
“What?” Theo asked in annoyance. “You keep looking at me like I’m about to catch fire or something, Spike. You’re creeping me the fuck out.”
Spike sighed, shaking his head as he opened his driver’s side door. “I’m sorry, it’s just... Callie... she’s a friend. A really good friend, and she’s been through a lot and I just... I guess I feel bad about the whole diviner thing.”
Theo sighed as he followed suit, rounding the front of Spike’s car until he was side by side with the man. Theo slid his hands in his pockets, the wind blowing his hair in the breeze.
Spike settled next to him, catching his gaze.
“I get it,” Theo said, hanging his head. “She’s kind of... amazing. Totally out of my league.”
Spike walked beside him, his own hands in the leather pockets of his jacket.
“Obviously not, if you survived the night,” Spike said with a smirk.
Theo couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, pretty sure the Pina Coladas are to blame for that, so I can’t really take credit.”
Spike’s smile faltered as Theo shrugged.
“But enough about me and Callie, what, uh... what about the gallery?”
Spike and Theo walked slowly toward Theo’s dorm, passing several students going to and from their residences.
“What about it?”
“What’s a... diviner?” Theo asked curiously.
Spike let out a breath. “How much do you know? About... Callie and the folks that attend DeLux’s speed dates?”
Theo shrugged. “Not much, I guess. I mean, I just met her last night and my roommate and his friends are always raving about the drinks and—”
Spike looked uncomfortable as they headed toward the front door.
“What? Why do you keep looking at me like that?” Theo snapped as he threw open the door just as two girls exited, looking at him in judgment.
Spike followed after him. “Well, for starters you reek of muse.”
What the fuck? Is this asshole telling me I stink? Who does that? That’s so rude—
“Fuck you, too, Spike. You don’t smell like a peach either, bud.”
Theo wrinkled his nose at the fiery scent that always accompanied the man. It was like his cologne was forged in a fire or something, which wouldn’t have been bad had it not been hot out and Theo was already feeling quite on edge.
“No, it’s not... I mean...” Spike huffed out an annoyed sound as they stopped in the lounge. It was just the two of them. “There is probably no easy way to say this,” Spike said with a sigh. “But, certain supernaturals have certain... scent markers.”
Theo raised his eyebrow. “Supernaturals? Like vampires and witches and shit?”
Spike nodded. “Emphasis on the shit. Think more like immortals. Gods, goddesses, shifters, and—” He licked his lips. “Immortal Spirits.”
Theo shook his head. “Shit, don’t tell me you’re one of those guys like Trick and his friends who are into all that woo-woo marketing shit at the DeLux...”
Spike shook his head. “No, it’s not woo-woo, and it’s certainly not marketing. It’s very real. That’s how I met Izzy. Well, technically, I met her when I was in my other form—”