Chapter 83
Volik
Ipause, my fingers almost touching the handle. Then I lift my hand and knock.
The dean chuckles from inside his office. “Come in, Volik.”
I duck through, then shut the door behind me.
Henry shakes his head. “Good thing you didn’t get any taller.”
I huff. “It is not as bad in Nix’s classroom.”
She has twenty-foot ceilings. The dean’s office does not.
I cross to the larger of the two visitors’ chairs. The one that I made. And take a seat.
Henry steeples his fingers in front of his mouth, failing to cover his dopey smile. “You’re not shaking the building, and you’re sitting down to chat. I’m gonna assume everything is fine with Nix and you’re here for something neutral?”
I roll my eyes. Then I wonder if he can tell. Other vampires can. Nix can… but I do not know about shifters.
“I need a scholarship put together.” I jump to the point.
“Oookay.” Henry grabs a pen and holds it over a legal pad on his desk. “What are you thinking? Something for Alt studies majors? Journalism?”
I shake my head. “It is for one kid.”
The dean lowers his pen. “You just want to pay for one kid’s tuition?”
I roll my eyes again. Henry doesn’t react. Huh. “It is for a specific kid.”
“Alrighty.” Henry lifts a shoulder. “I can just send you copies of his bill as paid. Those repairs didn’t exactly take up all the salary you’ve accrued. What’s the kid’s name?”
I tell him and give him the address for the home across the street from the house I squished.
I should look to see if that made the news.
“I can’t seem to find him,” Henry says as he types on his keyboard.
“He is not a student yet.”
The dean stops his typing and turns his attention back to me. “You could’ve mentioned that before I started searching the system for him.”
I shrug. “Maybe you were taking notes. I cannot see your screen.”
Henry exhales. “Is he transferring over from another school?”
“Nyet. It will be a few years before he will come here. Since I do not know where Nix will want to live in the future, I need to make sure this is taken care of.”
“Well, first, I would like to keep Nix for as long as she’s willing to stay.
Officially, I can’t make an offer yet. But if Nix would like to remain on staff, I believe Drain is planning to retire.
When that happens, I can offer Nix extensions until she completes the requirements for a true full-time position. If that’s of interest to her.”
I dip my chin. “I believe it would be.”
“Alright. And second.” Henry picks his pen back up. “What year will this kid start?”
I shrug.
“What grade is he in now?”
“No idea.”
He lowers the pen. “Any clue what major he might want?”
“None.”
“Great.” The dean is not subtle with his sarcasm. “I’ll just put a note to check for this name every year, for the next… five years.”
“Da.” I keep my expression flat. “I also promised an acceptance letter.”
“Of course you did.”
“If you send it, you can ask him your questions.”
Henry stares at me. “You know that’s illegal, right? Just giving someone acceptance.”
I go extra slow as I roll my eyes this time.
Nothing.
I point to my face. “Can you see what I am doing?”
He nods. “Yes, I can see you not caring about the law.”
“I am rolling my eyes at you.”
That has his expression lifting. “Really?”
“Da. Three times.”
Henry barks out a laugh. “Do it again.”
I roll my eyes. Not because he asked, but because the request was worthy of one.
And I almost do it again when he continues to stare at me. “I already did.”
“Really?”
“Da.”
“Well, I’ll be damned. I thought I was pretty good at knowing where you’re looking, but clearly, I’m not as good as I think.” Henry leans his elbows on the desk. “The pups haven’t stopped talking about you, by the way.”
I smirk. “Your Alpha upset about the jumping?”
“Nah. Even if the pups weren’t so excited about it, I don’t think he’d have minded.”
“I have always liked him.”
Henry nods. “I take it your visit with Dread went to plan? I read the article.”
“Da.” The phone on Henry’s desk rings, and I dip my chin for him to answer it.
“Hello? Uh-huh. Yep. Who? Free what?”
I sit up. “Frio.”
The dean’s gaze lifts to mine. “That’s it.”
“He is my uncle.”
Henry’s eyes widen as he holds out the phone.
I wave it off. “Put him on speaker.”
He does.
I lean forward. “Hello, Uncle.”
“Volik! Est-ce toi?”
It’s probably been forty years since we last talked. He sounds older. But I still recognize his voice.
“It is me.”
“I cannot believe it. Mated! My boy!”
I grin at his happiness. “Da. Who would have thought.”
“You must come at once. I want to meet her. Your aunt as well. She hasn’t shut up about it since Barth brought over the article.”
“We will come.” I promise. “We were awaiting your call. I do not know your location.”
“Await no more! We’re in France. Come tonight.”
I shake my head. “Nyet. We will come Friday night.”
There’s a pause, and I can picture Uncle shaking his head. “Why wait? What could be more important than a celebration?”
“Nix will want to work. But we will come for the weekend.”
“Work?” Uncle sounds disgusted. “Volik, did you spend all your money? How? You’re still young.”
The dean snorts, and I wish to the fucking gods that one of these men could see me rolling my eyes.