Chapter 40
Nix
Sweater clean of coffee. Thermos and mug washed and put in a drawer. Empty cupcake box discarded. Dropped cupcake cleaned up by some wonderful university employee. I sit behind my desk and open my laptop.
I only need five minutes to refresh myself for today’s class plan. And since I still have two and a half hours… I open my internet browser and type vampire mate.
Inarrow my eyes at the screen.
The tapping noise gets louder.
Blinking, I turn my head toward the door.
A familiar face is on the other side of the glass, eyes wide, smile wider.
I close my laptop and wave for Jenny to come in.
She opens the door and rushes in. “Girl!”
“Good morning.” I grin, even as heat creeps up my neck.
As she gets closer, she wiggles her brows. “Damn, Nix.”
My brows furrow, then I put it together and let out an embarrassed laugh. “Oh, yeah. Whoops.” I forgot I was sitting here in my skintight, strappy plain black tank top. “Sorry. I spilled some coffee on myself when I got here. My sweater is still drying.”
“Don’t apologize on my account. I like the look.”
The look is not a school look. Not for a teacher.
I can’t forget to grab my sweater off the windowsill before the kids come in.
“So…” I clasp my hands on my lap. “How’s it going?”
Jenny snorts as she leans a hip against my desk. “No way are you going to pretend like nothing happened yesterday.”
I press my hands to my cheeks. “How bad is it?”
“Bad?” She shakes her head. “Nothing’s bad. I mean, the dean sent out that email, but that wasn’t bad.”
I sit forward and reopen my laptop. “What email? I checked this morning to see if I was fired. But there wasn’t anything.”
“He just sent it like ten minutes ago.” She comes around to my side of the desk as I open the email. “And before you freak out, you’re definitely not fired.”
I hum, already assuming that much. Then I read the email.
It’s short. To the point.
To all who work for Stalden University,
I would like to reassure everyone that there are no threats to this school or its occupants. The incident that was recorded yesterday regarding Volik was neither violence nor aggression. It was simply our very own staff member’s biological reaction to finding his mate.
This is a very important time for him and Ms. Novak.
They will be making a statement when they are ready.
But in the meantime, I must insist that, if asked, you do not speak to the media.
This is not our story to share. And the confidentiality agreement we have all signed regarding Volik extends to Ms. Novak.
We cannot stop students from spreading rumors, but we will not exacerbate them.
Dean of SU
I look over at Jenny, my eyes wide.
She grins at me.
I remember seeing something about confidentiality in my employment contract, but I didn’t read it carefully. I just signed it. But with someone as unique as Volik on campus, it makes sense that they’d take that step.
My eyes move back to the screen. “What does he mean recorded?”
Jenny chokes on a laugh. “Have you not watched it?”
I look back up at her, tone going hesitant. “Watched what?”
She gestures back at my computer. “Search Volik hulk out Stalden, and you’ll see.”
Biting my lip, I do what she says.
I knew people would’ve seen something with the way he was shaking the building, but I was too busy reading about some other vampire named Renke this morning to even think about the possibility of videos.
Which, if I take one full second to think about it, is dumb of me. Because I’m positive Volik stomping across campus with his clothes half off would’ve garnered a fair amount of attention.
I shift in my seat, remembering how he looked with his clothes all the way off.
Vaguely, I recall other people in the hallway with me in the moments before Volik entered the building.
Were they still there when we came together? Or did they leave?
I swallow and tap Enter.
The screen fills with video hits.
Jenny reaches past me, selecting one.
And it’s so much worse than I thought.
So much worse… And so much hotter.
Leaning forward, mouth hanging open, I watch Volik hulk out in the middle of the commons.
Some students are screaming. Belongings and chairs are sliding across the floor toward him.
But all I can stare at is Volik.
His head is thrown back.
His arms are wide.
There’s so much background noise between the shouts and the heavy exhales of the person holding the phone, but I can still hear the rumble of Volik’s power.
The rumbling gets louder, as do the screams. And the image seems to shake.
My own breath comes quicker as I watch.
His horns… His body… Fangs… It’s like he said.
He grew.
Volik just grew.
Volik is pulsing magic. You can almost see the waves of it rolling through the room in blurry lines.
And with every pulse, another tear forms in his clothes.
I saw the aftermath, but to see the change happen in real time…
He’s… magnificent.
He’s my mate.
I want to argue with myself. Insist it’s not true. But it feels true. What I’ve been able research this morning—what little there is—fits. Even the dean said so in his email.
Volik, the vampire, is my mate.
And I’m his.
Jenny clicks on another video.
I watch that one too.
And the next. Watching Volik’s expressions from every angle.
I bite down on my lip, wondering if he’s feeling okay.
It doesn’t look like he’s in pain. It looks like he’s… elated. But I have to think growing like that would leave his body sore.
The next video ends, and I slump back in my seat. “Wow.”
“Right? And now you have to tell me what happened.”
I lift my hands back up to my cheeks.
Jenny moves around to the front of my desk, plants her palms on the surface, and faces me square on. “Nix, did you sleep with Volik?”
I slide my hands up and cover my eyes.
“No fucking way!” She slaps her hands down as she lets out a loud laugh. “No fucking way!”
I part my fingers and peek out between them.
Jenny is grinning. “This is so amazing.” She slaps the desk again. “I—dammit, I wish we were friends already because I want to know everything.”
I smile at her enthusiasm. “It was pretty amazing.”
Her jaw drops.
I cover my eyes again. “I can’t believe I said that.”
She snickers. “I can. If I snagged a man like that, for what, eternity, I’d be telling everyone.”
Eternity.
Is that all?
Before I can reply, a group of students walks in through the open door.
Jenny looks at the kids, then looks at her watch. “Doesn’t your class not start until ten?”
I nod, noting the clock on the computer. Five after nine. “Yeah. Maybe they want to study?”
The group moves to a pair of tables on the end of the front row and instantly starts whispering.
I bite my lip as I glance back at my laptop and the video links.
Keeping my voice down, I lean toward Jenny. “Do you think all the kids have seen the videos of…?”
Jenny reaches out and pats my shoulder. “Yes.”
I huff a laugh at her direct answer. “Great.”
“Welp.” She takes a step back. “Good luck today.”
I want to ask her to stay, as my emotional support person. But Jenny has a job too. And I can handle this.
Icannot handle this.
There are still fifteen minutes left before class starts, and almost every seat is full.
In theory, not a problem. Except the headcount for today’s classes is about the same as yesterday’s. Meaning the room should be half full. Not… this.
I keep my eyes on my laptop screen, pretending to read the article about interviewing techniques we’re going to discuss today.
Am I supposed to do roll call and ask everyone else to leave?
Do I just let them all stay?
Stress winds its way around my throat.
What am I supposed to say if they ask me about yesterday?
I can’t just cover my face if they ask if we slept together.
Would a student just ask that?
I raise a hand and press it against my chest. Over my heart.
Murmurs fill the room.
I lift my gaze, then follow everyone’s attention to the door.
And find Volik standing just inside my classroom.
I didn’t hear any thundering footsteps.
No one screamed when they saw him.
He just appeared.
And the sight of him makes my heart thud.