Chapter 10 #3
No one else has come back into the bathroom and I meet no one else on my way back to my room. I’m halfway through getting dressed when Jullia comes back in. She says nothing to me and immediately grabs her tablet.
There’s a knock a second after she gasps and since she’s glued to the screen and I have at least my shirt and skirt on, I go over and open the door. Asher and Callahan both are waiting on the other side, one looking pale and the other fuming.
“Aha!!” Jullia shouts. “The fucking bitch is getting it now, Mavyn! Everyone is on your side because of the battle and they’ve corrected them because you are not a vampire.”
Jullia looks up with a wide grin, still wrapped in her towel, and glitches when she sees me with Asher and Callahan in front of me. Someone grabs the door and slams it shut – I’m assuming Asher because Jullia is still in her towel, and the thing does nothing to cover her impressive cleavage.
She bounces off the bed and chirps, “This’ll be fun.”
No, actually, it freaking won’t.
Quietly sighing, I bow my head before lugging myself back over to my bed and finish getting ready. I had used my actual towel to dry my hair as much as possible, and I let it hang down my back to finish air drying.
I slip my shoes on after my thigh highs and then sit at my desk to watch Lasairorm while Jullia finishes. She slithers out of her cave and lifts her head up to the corner top of her enclosure. Letting me know that she wants out.
Usually I would keep her primarily around my shoulders when I was around the brothel. Since she was imprinted on me she wouldn’t hurt anyone who wasn’t a direct threat to me, but she is still extremely venomous.
I lift the roof of her enclosure and let her wrap around my forearm before setting the top back in place anyways.
She slithers up my arm until she’s resting on my shoulders like she used to.
It’s a familiar position and the familiar weight helps ease the anxiety I’m trying to ignore.
I really, really don’t want to deal with everything I know I’m about to deal with.
When Jullia’s ready we grab our tablets and she grabs her bag and then opens the door.
Asher and Callahan are both still where they were standing before, though now both of them are scowling.
Asher’s olive green eyes point at me and then he clears his throat. “Please make sure you both are properly covered before opening the door when you don’t know who’s behind it.”
Jullia tisks at her boyfriend and grabs his arm as she starts walking. Leaving me standing in front of Callahan. His glaring golden eyes do not make contact with mine and his jaw is clenched.
I did not have the courage to claw my own eyes out when I was five, but I wonder if I could do it now. I wonder if that would be a start to ripping my soul out.
Instead of trying to speak and start whatever is going to be started, I step past Callahan and make to leave.
“When did you know?”
I stopped just past him. His body ridged and his tone hard. “You didn’t have a problem with Varian.”
“Varian is different.”
My soul tugs with a sharp pinch and I finally – internally – acknowledge the ties within me. Five strings knotted at the very center of my being and extending into the ether.
I didn’t technically lie to Jullia in the shower.
Technically, fate has not snapped into place between me and a certain angel.
The reason I’m always catching his eye – I’m daring fate.
Hopefully reverse psychology-ing it too so fate never snaps into place between us.
I’ve got enough to worry about with the four known ones.
Callahan shifts and his body heat cascades over me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I curl my hands into fists to keep from doing something I may or may not regret. Probably the latter, but that damn tug within makes me not want to hurt him more than he already is.
I start walking instead of answering. Because the answer would be that I do not owe him one.
“Mavyn. . .”
“We’re not a couple,” I snap, not brave enough to look at him so I keep my eyes on the ground as I go down the stairs. Ricka is back at her desk with her tablet chuckling at something. She salutes me without looking at me and I practically run out the door, not bothering to salute back.
So caught up in my head and trying to get away from Callahan that I run directly into sunlight.
Warm rays hit my face and for that split moment it doesn’t burn. Then I’m jerked back into the building and my head is smushed against cedar and embers.
“What the fuck, Mavyn,” he breathes into my hair. His arms wrapped around my back and his heart pounding against my head. “It’s fine. I promise, it’s fine, I don’t care just don’t go running to your death.”
My soul pulls taunt towards his as his arms tighten against me. His blood rushing with fear, not that anything happened to me. It only barely started to burn when he pulled me back. But his arms. . .
Warmth.
Too soon, I think – but then I correct that thought as he pulls back and says something about going to grab my umbrella. Ricka had stood up from her desk and rounded the thing, now leaning against it and peering at me.
I turn away from her and face the door as I pull out my mp3 player and unwind the wire.
Not wanting to acknowledge anyone else today.
I put the ear buds into my ears and press play without looking at what song starts playing.
Britney Spears’ Til It’s Gone starts playing and for some reason every time I listen to it I feel like I should be twisting and turning – flying – through the air with either wings or on the back of a dragon. I’d always been jealous of shifters.
There’s magic in music. Even silly little pop songs from the early two thousands and twenty tens.
I stay perfectly still as I listen for a few moments. I don’t feel like using my umbrella today, so with a calm filling my mind from the music I twist that second key in its door.
It really is like a switch in my brain and with my emotions. Music for me has always felt different. It can change my mood in an instant no matter the circumstance.
Crackling power floods over my bones as the skies darken. It feels good. I can understand dare devils and adrenaline junkies perfectly, simply because of this. It’s been so long since I’ve simply felt my magic. Since I’ve melted into the rhythm and dance of it.
Uncontrollable.
But how can you control something that is meant to be free?
I feel Callahan before I see him. Plucking one of my earbuds out, I turn my head towards him and for a split moment I think about it.
Love.
Peace.
A future.
Why did fate have to play a part in any of this?
He sets my umbrella against the wall and smiles softly at me. “Are you ready?”
It’s not fair. Especially not to him. He deserves so much better than me. When I destroy my soul and we’re no longer connected he’ll see it.
He will be the perfect boyfriend. A more than worthy husband.
His smile turns smokey as he raises a brow. “Already putting a label on us, Firecracker?”
My heart thuds dully because I know it will never be with me. But I don’t let him see that.
I glower and walk out. Letting him hear me murmuring stupid devil mind tricks. “Says the one strapped to my side like a love-sick puppy.”
He chuckles as he follows me. Oblivious to my turmoil and the pain and betrayal he’ll feel at the end of all this.
“I have been told I have golden retriever energy.”
I put my earbud back in and turn up my volume to the max. It still doesn’t drown out his laugh as he strides up to my side and keeps pace but it helps.
Born to Die starts playing and it doesn’t help me in trying to hide what I am from Callahan as I listen to Lana Del Rey. If anything it plays into what will be happening at the end of all of this, but part of me feels bittersweet listening to this.
A doomed narrative, a fractured love story.
I continue listening to it anyway. In a way, it calms those inner emotions and turmoil. I already know what will happen, and I will make sure those I care about are safe. I will make sure they will not feel the pain as I always have.
Another song begins playing and I allow my emotions to drift with the music. I allow myself to find the calm and serene within.
The power of music. It’s as simple as that.