Chapter 12 Julian
Chapter twelve
Julian
I held my breath as her body brushed against mine in her hurry to leave the cafeteria, as if breathing her very scent would somehow break the wall I’d built up to let me do my job.
There had been a party last night in the vampire crypt. The other teachers warned me about it. And, while part of me knew Jack had to attend to gather clues for our mission, I still fought against myself all night not to hunt her down and make sure she wasn’t getting into any trouble.
Except I wasn’t her father. I wasn’t her anything. I had no right to tell her to stay away from parties — to keep other’s hands off her. And while I had tried my best not to watch her every move, not to eavesdrop on her conversations, it was difficult when my entire being was tuned into her.
In short, it had been torture, pure and utter torture.
In fact, I had been moments away from calling President West and requesting a reassignment. And yet, the thought of someone else here watching her back didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t trust someone else to protect her, not the way that I would.
Sliding into the professor role had been easy enough. No one suspected anything. They were told a hunter was coming in to teach the hunter class and shrugged. Like, of course, that made sense.
Most of my classes were dull, so repeating the same information over and over to students who barely stayed awake or cared what I said was easy. There were a few who actually paid attention, but they were far and few between.
The only class I had that was worth having was with Jack.
That first day, the way she hid from me in class, it only served to make me want to corner her, bend her over my desk, and remind her exactly who was in charge here using nothing but my cock.
But I couldn’t.
I had to be professional. It was easier than I thought it would be to act like I didn’t know her — that I didn’t know what she felt like, tasted like. No one suspected anything. And why would they?
We ran in different circles. She’s a student and I’m a professor. It gave us the separation that I desperately needed to remind myself that I had to keep my hands and everything else to myself, no matter how much she tried to incite me.
That roommate of hers, for example. The simple fact that he was male was enough to make me want to run to administration and demand them change her room.
I couldn’t, could I?
It had to be a mistake. I knew for a fact that they didn’t room males and females together, same as why we didn’t do the same in the hunter’s barracks.
I wanted to ask Jack about it, but knew I couldn’t. It would only make her think that I still cared, that seeing her with him bothered me, and I couldn’t have that. Anything that would keep that door open between us had to be squashed like a bug, including this.
So I would have to keep watching from the sidelines, aching to hold her and tell her everything I’ve ever held back.
“Julian?”
My eyes snapped away from the door, away from where I’d watched her run out of the room a few minutes ago with her large handsome werewolf of a roommate chasing after her.
A pretty auburn-haired professor placed her hand on my arm. “Did you hear what I said?”
My brow arched, and I gave her a small smile. “Sorry, I’m afraid I drifted off there for a moment.”
She giggled, flicking her hair over her shoulder. “I understand. The first few days can be tiring. You’ll get into a rhythm then it will be smooth sailing from there.”
I nodded in agreement.
“I was asking if you wanted to come have a drink with us today?” She gestured to the other teachers at the table. “We usually all get together one of the first nights of school.”
This was part of the job I wasn’t going to enjoy.
While Jack worked through the students for information, I would have to get closer to the staff.
That meant socializing, pretending that I was interested in their meaningless lives, while I could be out there, saving lives instead of teaching a bunch of supernatural degenerates.
“Sure. I mean, yes, I’d like that.” I took a drink of my coffee, letting my gaze sweep over the cafeteria. They handed on a pair of dark eyes.
The student they belonged to had dark tousled hair and pale skin that would have been a nice shadow of copper had he been human.
But the intensity of his gaze was what set me back.
I’d never met this vampire before, and yet he was looking at me like I was standing in his way, and he was thinking of how to get rid of me.
“So, four o’clock?” the pretty professor asked. “There’s a bar in town that stays open until dawn for us at the academy.”
I bobbed my head as I looked at her.
When I lifted my eyes, the vampire was gone.
That was strange. Did he hate me because I was a hunter? Or was it something more? Did he suspect I wasn’t here just to teach a class?
I pulled my phone out and started to text President West, then paused. No, I shouldn’t bother him yet. There wasn’t anything to report. What was I going to say? Some vampire looked at me? I’d be laughed out of the Hunter’s Guild.
Making my excuses, I left the cafeteria. With only one other class left for the day, I raced to my office, closing the door firmly behind me.
I reached into my desk, my fingers closing around the white material of Jack’s panties before I released it and slammed the drawer shut.
What the hell was wrong with me? I was over thirty. I could handle seeing my… whatever Jack was to me… every day without going crazy. I could watch her spend time with other guys who didn’t know she was a Durand. Ones who wouldn’t be scared away and might ask her out, might kiss her, touch her.
My hand slammed onto my desk as I cursed. Without another thought, I dragged the drawer open and grabbed the panties, shoving them into my pocket before I stalked off to class.
If I couldn’t be close to her, then I could have this... proof that she wanted me too.