Chapter 7 #2
And I ate so well. Bryce clearly loved to cook and came over at least once a day—for breakfast or lunch, sometimes both—to whip something up and share a quick meal with us before he had to go racing back to his office.
He usually worked late into the night and apologized he couldn’t make it to see us at the club in the evenings, though it wasn’t like he was a regular patron, so I didn’t understand exactly what he was apologizing for.
Hunter and I walked to work together each afternoon, laughing, joking, him telling me quirky and funny little things about the city’s history and how it had changed after the New Nebraska Agreement.
That was ten years ago—when the Agreement was signed—but he and Bryce had actually already lived here. They were born here.
When the existence of paranormals came to light, everyone learned that Nebraska and several of the other mid-western states were already home to the majority of paranormals; one reason Nebraska was chosen for resettling others from the rest of the world.
And humans living in Nebraska that didn’t want to remain—which had been most of them—had been given stipends, mostly coughed up by the Fae Royal Family in England, to help them relocate.
Fae were the only ones still living outside New Nebraska now because the Fae royals had managed to negotiate their race’s own special status about the Agreement.
Fae weren’t completely exempt from restrictions across the rest of the US, or the world, of course, but apparently, their immense wealth and influence had given them a much easier time than other paranormals.
Hunter explained all this to me and also how he and Bryce had had a somewhat idyllic, middle-class upbringing here.
Free of drama before the Agreement, just boys getting into trouble together.
They grew up together, their parents being friends, and careful and mindful Hunter had been one of the only playmates Bryce’s parents allowed because of his condition.
It was so nice to learn more about them both. I could listen to Hunter’s deep, soothing voice all day.
Most importantly though, Hunter made me feel safe.
I was disappointed when he said he didn’t want me dancing again, but I understood.
He was worried Conrad might have some unknown friends among the club members.
And anyway, since he was insisting I stay rent free in his beautiful place, I was doing okay, for now.
On Saturday, as we strolled to the club, he fished his phone from the pocket of his jeans, looked at the screen and held it to his ear, whispering to me as we walked, “It’s Bryce.”
“What’s up?” Hunter said into the phone. “Hard at work on the weekend?”
I couldn’t hear the reply but Hunter looked pleased.
“Ah, I see. Good job. So his last name isn’t Fuckface after all.
I’m surprised. One second.” He pulled the phone away briefly and said to me, “Bryce’s private investigator has a name.
That vamp scum is Conrad Marchand. We’ll find out more soon enough. ”
We stopped at a crosswalk waiting for the bustling traffic to heave forward at the change of lights. Thinking of Conrad still being somewhere unknown to us, I tensed up, but I took a deep breath and calmed quickly, feeling safe next to Hunter’s imposing frame and bulging muscles.
He held the phone back to his ear and nodded, mumbling in agreement. Turning to me again, he said, “Bryce wanted me to let you know, he’s almost done with interviews for that job. He’ll make a final decision on Monday.” Still talking on the phone, he winked at me.
That wink, along with the fact that Bryce hadn’t brought up my dancing at the club again and didn’t seem to care, renewed my hope about working at Midas.
Though I didn’t just want the job because Hunter and Bryce were such close friends, and I was beginning to share a small part of their closeness with each other.
Trying to put Conrad and the Midas job out of my mind, Sunday rolled around, and I was at the shelter, setting out art supplies and about ready to start teaching the kids as usual. Except Franco was hanging on the periphery—Hunter had insisted—casually watching videos on his phone.
Just before the students were scheduled to arrive, Beatrice, the very sweet shelter superintendent and one of the rare humans I’d met in the city, strode over, looking excited. “Do you have time to meet someone?”
“Oh. Okay, sure. Who is it?”
Her eyes gleamed as she answered, “My son, Sebastian. He’s just moved here from New Lincoln. He’s a reporter, going to start work at the news station. I’d like him to make some new friends.”
A potential friend, especially a human one, had me curious and smiling broadly. “Oh, definitely. I’d love to.”
“Son!” She called over a handsome man who’d just entered at the other end of the room.
He was a good height but not overly tall for New Nebraska, at around six feet, with very dark hair, almost black, and a toned body pushed tight against a black polo shirt.
As he walked over, I had a chance to look him over.
He was actually pretty hot. And I found myself flustered I’d even thought it.
Hunter had obviously sneaked through the defenses I’d put up over the years, though I was still coming to terms with my attraction to him.
And Bryce, too. But now this guy? And a human. Maybe there was hope for me after all.
“Hi, Mom.” He bent down to kiss her cheek, turning away from me so I couldn’t get a read on his face. But he seemed nice. “Sorry I couldn’t make it early again.”
“Oh, no worries, dear.” She patted him on the shoulder as they finished their embrace.
“You’ve been such a help since you got into town.
” She gently turned him toward me. “Sebastian, this is Serenity. Serenity, Sebastian. I don’t think either of you have explored this beautiful city much…
hopefully you can do it together?” She bounced up on the balls of her feet, looking really excited about setting us up.
I’d never had anyone play matchmaker for me before. But with my natural desires slowly returning, and Hunter and Bryce not being good choices to get hung up on for a variety of reasons, I was game. Him being human was a huge bonus. Maybe he’d even want to leave New Nebraska with me someday.
I was getting way ahead of myself. But I really did feel this strong pull to him, no matter how sudden and strange it was. And Beatrice was such a sweetheart, her son was sure to be too.
Seeing him up close, his dark eyes looked kind, but they had this odd pink tinge I didn’t know what to make of. Uh oh. They almost looked like vamp ones, when they hadn’t been fed in a long time.
Those pink-tinged eyes swept over me then widened. His neck reddened above the collar of his shirt as his eyes bulged further, a shocked look taking over his whole face now. Then he shook himself out of whatever he’d been thinking.
“Hey, great to meet you, Serenity,” he said enthusiastically, two teeth peeking from between his smiling lips making me shudder.
Oh fuck. Vamp fangs.