Chapter 8
Zaos
Iclosed my book and began packing my bag so I could move from the classroom to the lab. The lab was actually my favorite part since it was all hands-on, but I was so ready to go home to Hugo. If I could, I’d skip the lab and be done for the day.
Our bond was only a few months old, so sometimes I really struggled with being away from him for more than a few hours at a time.
Supposedly, it would get easier. But then again, even my grandfathers went pretty much everywhere together. They were very rarely apart, and when they were, it was only for a handful of hours at a time, and definitely not many hours, several days in a row.
I wondered if that was the reason it always hit me so hard by mid-week. I’d already spent most of Monday and nearly all day yesterday—since Hugo had to work too—without him. And now, all I wanted was to hold him in my arms for a few minutes.
Okay, no, more like a few hours.
I’d hold him for a full week if he’d let me.
As I put my laptop in my bag, a shadow fell over my desk. I looked up, finding a young woman standing there, looking nervous. She was a classmate, although I didn’t know her name.
I sent her a small smile. It wasn’t her fault I was in a grumpy mood. “Hey.”
“Hi.” She nervously pulled on her laptop bag’s strap. “Um, I was wondering if you maybe know of any study groups I could join? I feel like I’m falling behind, but you always seem to know everything when the professors call on you, so… um… yeah.”
I blinked up at her for a moment, then finished gathering my stuff together so I could stand. “Uh, I think some people get together at a cafe a few times a week.” I didn’t go to that, not anymore. I used to, but I’d been choosing to study alone at home so I could be near Hugo.
Although, I might need to attend a couple of the groups myself soon so I didn’t fall behind.
Maybe I could convince Hugo to come sit inside the coffee shop at a table nearby or something so I didn’t have to be away from him.
Mother of All, he’s gonna think I’m insane if I ever say that out loud. Even I know that’s getting a bit ridiculous.
The woman said, “Oh really? Oh my gosh, that would be awesome if they, uh, let new people come?”
“I’m sure they won’t mind.” I gestured to the door, and we started walking toward our lab together. “I’m Zaos, by the way.”
“Oh shit.” She snapped her mouth shut like she was nervous about cursing in front of me. If she only knew how much my entire family cussed. The thought almost made me laugh. “I’m Beatrix. Sorry about that. I knew your name since you’re always called on, and I forgot to say my own. Stupid.”
She was blushing profusely and looked so ashamed and embarrassed that I felt compelled to hug her. Not that I was just going to hug some random girl from my class. That would be so weird and likely not welcome.
I shrugged. “Hey, no big deal at all. It’s nice to officially meet you.
” I sent her a smile—I knew humans liked to do that handshake thing, but most supes didn’t.
Another person’s magic being that close was generally uncomfortable, not to mention, touching skin could possibly allow an attack—obviously that thought was instilled in me by my granddad—the paranoid, overprotective witch.
Sigh. “So how are you liking the class so far?”
“Oh, I love it. It’s just a lot harder than my last school.”
“Did you transfer here?”
She nodded. “Sure did. I went to WUA—uh, Woodcreek University of Arronston. But I’ve always wanted to come to Clairiston University since they have the best nursing program in the whole country.
I applied last year and didn’t expect anything to happen, but when I got accepted, I knew I had to come.
” She sent me a hesitant smile. “Sorry. I talk a lot when I’m nervous. ”
I waved that away. “It’s awesome that you got to switch schools, but why are you nervous?”
“Um, because you’re the best student in the whole nursing program—everyone always talks about that—and you’re, well, you know.”
I shook my head in confusion. Sure, I had top grades, but I didn’t know it was like a known thing to the other students. That made me feel… weird.
But also… you know. What the hell did that mean?
“Uh, no, I don’t know.”
She scoffed. “Uh, you’re obviously gorgeous. Everyone always talks about that too.”
“They do?” That was news to me and also made me feel weird and kind of unsure.
“Duh. You’re, like, Mr. Popular, so you have to know everyone thinks you’re hot.”
My nose scrunched up before I could stop it. “No, I’m not… to either of those things.”
What the hell was she talking about? I didn’t really hang out with anyone outside of school, and when I went to those study groups, I mostly stuck to myself.
Honestly, before Hugo came around, I’d been lonely and had spent all of my spare time volunteering.
And even when I’d had a minute, I’d stayed home to read or watch TV.
I’d been a pretty big loner my entire life.
I didn’t think I’d even gone to a single college party since I started here.
“Huh. Sorry, I guess I just assumed that by the way everyone always talks about you. I didn’t mean to offend you.” She cringed. “Like I said, I talk too much when I’m nervous.”
I waved her away again. I could tell she really was nervous, and I didn’t think she was trying to upset me or anything. “No worries. Let me introduce you to a few people before we leave today. I’m not in charge of the study group or anything, but I’m sure they’ll love to have you.”
“Thank you. You have no idea what a relief that is. You’ll be at the next one, right?”
I blinked. She really did talk fast, and a lot, and I wasn’t used to it. “Uh, maybe.”
She grabbed my arm. “Pleeeaaaase? I’ll feel weird not knowing anyone there.”
I wanted to point out that she didn’t know me either, that we’d just met literal minutes ago, but I wasn’t an ass, so I left it. “I’m not sure. I have to see if I’m free.”
She gave my arm a squeeze, and for some reason, I got chills. Not the good kind. “Oh, come on. You need to study too, right?”
“I mean, yeah.” A strange shudder went through me, and I tugged on my arm.
She released it, giving me a sheepish look and a pat. “Sorry about that. Will you still come?”
She wasn’t wrong that I needed to study. Badly. “I’ll let you know tomorrow for sure, but yeah, probably.”
She let out a little happy squeal and grabbed onto my arm again, wrapping herself around it like we were a couple or something. It was making me uncomfortable.
Not because she was really doing anything wrong or doing anything to purposefully make me uncomfortable. It was just that…
Well, some people were… more susceptible to my incubus magic, and I was pretty sure that was what was happening to her.
Sometimes my magic made people want to be close to me, to touch me, to do…
other things with me. And knowing that was the reason she kept grabbing my arm only made me feel more icky.
I hated messing with a person’s emotions against their will.
I hated that I didn’t always have control over it.
There was nothing I could do at this point.
My magic was as locked up as it could possibly be.
I hated that this girl was so clingy and it was just… a part of my nature that I could do nothing about.
“Are you okay, Zay?” Hugo’s voice in my head was a welcome reprieve.
“Yeah, I’m alright. There’s just a very, uh, friendly woman trying to convince me to come to a study group tomorrow evening.”
There was a very long pause. “Is she nice?” His emotions felt all jumbled up, and I was pretty sure he was fighting back jealousy. It kind of made me want to smile.
“I think so…? But we just met, so I’m not sure.”
“Why do you feel so… I dunno, weird? Uncomfortable?”
I held in a sigh and let the woman lead me into our lab. “You know how I said some people get sort of… spelled around me?”
“Yeah…”
“Well, I’m pretty sure this girl’s spelled.”
There was another long pause. “Tell her you’re taken.”
The fierceness of those words made me smile, and I almost laughed out loud at his possessiveness. I loved hearing it, feeling it. But I didn’t like him thinking there was any kind of issue or that I would do anything like he was thinking.
“Isa mezelie, you’re mine, and I’m yours. No one and nothing will ever change that. This woman is just being friendly. But yeah, babe, I’ll make sure she knows.”
“Good boy.”
This time, I did laugh out loud at that. “Don’t be an ass.”
“Jesus, we’re spending way too much time with your grandparents. They’re rubbing off on me.”
I chuckled, shaking my head as I found my seat in the lab.
Beatrix asked me, “What’s so funny?”
Oh. What a perfect opening. “My viramore said something funny about our family.” I gave her a grin and a shrug. To Hugo, I said, “I just told her.”
“Good.”
Beatrix blinked at me, then smiled widely and let out a strange sort of squeal noise. “You have a viramore?”
“Yep. His name’s Hugo.”
“Oh, my god. That’s amazing. Wow. I’ve always dreamed of finding mine. How did you two meet?”
Relief soared through me. Sometimes, when my incubus-ness was making someone clingy, they reacted badly to being turned down. I was extremely relieved that Beatrix was being sweet about this. So I told her a little bit about how we met until our class started.