Came back, her leather corset outfit on. “I know you don’t like Brad, but hear me out.”
I growled.
I’d been more forthcoming with them since I noted how Rakon and Kieran liked to do the same.
“Hold on.” Poof. She was gone.
“So as I was saying.” She was back, braiding her hair in her usual work-style. “You’ve not said much about Jay, but we were supposed to get drunk that night.” Poof, gone. Poof, she was back and she was spraying some red glitter into her hair. “If it hadn’t been Dissension Night, we would’ve done that. And Brad’s on this thing where he’s wondering if we should try at a relationship or not. I say no, but he’s got something up his butt about it. He’s having a small gathering tonight. After my shift, we could go over and check it out? What do you think?”
“I have school tomorrow.”
She gave me a knowing look, though there was a flash of concern there too. “You and I both know you won’t be sleeping. You haven’t been since…”
Yeah. Since Halloween, except for the night when Kieran used his power on me.
I changed the subject. Nikki hadn’t pushed, but she knew I wasn’t sharing something.
“Sure. Why not. Fucking Brad, huh?”
She grimaced. “I mean, I’m the one fucking Brad.”
That got a laugh from me. “You know what I mean.”
“I do.” There was that concern again. It was all front and center, and she crossed the room to stand in front of me. “If you need to talk, I’m here. You know that, right?”
“I do.” I smiled, feeling it, because she was there for me. “You should’ve told me Jay was cheating on me, and you know it.”
“I know, but that’s not why you were with him, you know.”
I looked up, frowning. “What do you mean?”
“You hide from so much. I know your kind does that, but you spent five out of seven nights here anyways. It’s why you only had to grab a third of your possessions. The rest was already here.”
That was true.
“I’ll tell you next time, I promise. He was kissing two girls one night in front of you. You saw, and you never said a word. I figured you really didn’t want to deal with it.”
That was all true too. “Still tell me.”
“Okay. I will.” She reached forward, giving me a hug. “Okay. I’m off.”
I gave her a nod and a wave as she left, then I considered my night.
I did have class tomorrow, but I was restless.
I didn’t want to study. I didn’t want to do homework. I didn’t want to eat. I didn’t want to take a bath. I didn’t want to watch a movie. I didn’t want to go for a run. I didn’t want to do anything.
I knew what I wanted to do and I couldn’t do that.
You need to eat.
Are you monitoring my thoughts?
I felt your energy. It was pulling to me. What’s wrong?
I sighed. I don’t know.
I do. You need to eat.
Yeah, well, I snapped back at him. You’re not here.
He was silent again, until, Do you want me to be?
Yes.
Wait. Still me.
Shit. Also me.
Damn stupid thoughts. I was on a roll.
Still going. Are you already in the area?
I could feel him grinning. Micaela. I’ll never ‘just’ be in the area if you need to eat me.
That sounds so wrong when you say it like that.
I’m aware I’m delicious. You don’t have to hide that you want to eat me.
Stop talking.
He laughed.
Stop laughing. Me.
I can come to you, if you’d like? I’m not in the ‘area,’ but I can be.
He’d do that for me?
Rakon will not shut up if I don’t.
I forgot you can hear everything.
He was silent, again.
Then, I’m letting you decide.
Right. I heaved a deep breath. Yes.
And I closed my eyes so tight, because for some reason, that made me feel vulnerable and I didn’t know why.
I’ll find you.
Okay.
Micaela.
What?
I wasn’t busy the way you thought I was busy. I was in a meeting.
Oh—but he was gone. I felt the connection end on his side, and why did that leave me feeling bereft again?
Stupid dragon. Stupid Kieran. Stupid ‘needing to eat.’ Just stupid, all of it stupid.
I couldn’t wait.
17
Post-Halloween Party
“Hey Nadeem, how’s it hanging?”
Nikki’s hand was on my arm and tightened as Brad came over to us. We’d just arrived, and Cary, one of Brad’s friends, was handing over our drinks. All of us paused at Brad’s arrival. His hair was messed up. His shirt was half-ripped and hanging off him. He was wearing red shorts, and he was all sweaty.
He had a sneer when he greeted me, but the sneer turned to a leer as he gave Nikki a once-over. He opened his mouth—
I beat him to the punch. “Thanks for the party invite, Uncle Cream.”
His mouth snapped shut, and he glowered at me.
Nikki coughed, clearing her throat. “Okay. We’re already off to a great start.”
Brad was looking at our outfits.
Nikki came straight from Bass, so she looked hot.
Me, I was wearing a white dress that had a tie behind my neck. I paired that with thigh-high suede hooker boots. I wasn’t normally a hooker boots kind of energist, but Kieran was coming and sue me. The girl inside of me wanted to look nice.
We’d be having creature-spirit energy sex, so yeah… Hooker boots felt appropriate. The suede classed them up so they were high-end hooker boots. Also, I wanted an excuse to wear them. Nikki was right.
That last year, Jay and I had only been roommates. The year before, we were barely friends. The beginning two years were good, but it’d been a dying relationship long ago. I never wanted to wear these for Jay.
He never earned that privilege.
“It’s a Halloween party. You guys were supposed to dress up.”
Nikki smiled at Brad, her hand running down his chest as she moved closer to him. “I did dress up, for you.”
She had her head tipped up. His was tipped down.
They’d normally be a cute couple if one wasn’t nicknamed Uncle Cream.
“What’s wrong,
