Hidden

with the matriarchal belief system of the House of Night, and the last thing I need is to piss off Thanatos. So, I’m thinking about doing As You Like It. Rosalind is one of the Bard’s strongest heroines. That shouldn’t cause me any hassles with the administration.”

“Isn’t that kinda like caving, though?”

“Probably, but teaching isn’t as easy as you’d think. There’s a bunch of crap that goes on behind the scenes, and that’s not counting the battle with Darkness that seems to be, like, never ending and the annoying fact that professors keep getting killed, and more and more fledglings are getting Marked, so we’re short staffed.”

There was a long, uncomfortable silence, then Shaylin said, “Yeah, it must be real inconvenient for you that professors have been disemboweled and decapitated and gored. Not to mention all the new red fledglings you have to teach because we haven’t died for real. Yet.”

Erik frowned. He hadn’t meant it like that. Not really.

“I think that came out wrong,” he said.

“And I think I need to remember that peas do not turn into pretty turquoise sea foam and an untouched beach.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She was really hot, but Shaylin totally messed with his head and confused him.

“It means I needed a reality check. Thanks for giving me one.” Shaylin picked up the pace, and Erik was still trying to figure out the peas and turquoise comment when they were suddenly stepping from the winter grass of the school grounds to the sidewalk that ran into the front of the girls’ dorm.

“Um, you’re welcome?” he offered as they came to the wide cement stairs that led to the porch of the dorm.

Shaylin was still a little ahead of him, so she reached the first step before him. Standing on it, she was almost at eye level with him, which was weird because she was so little.

“No, you don’t need to ‘you’re welcome’ me,” she said, sighing. “I really wasn’t thanking you. I was just reminding myself of something.”

“Of what?” he asked, honestly interested.

She sighed again. “Of the fact that what the eye can see is not what’s actually the most important thing about a person. The most important thing is what’s hidden inside.”

“Only with you, it’s not really hidden at all, right?”

“Right.” She spoke softly.

“I really didn’t mean what I said before. I was just venting. You know, girls do it all the time,” Erik said.

“Erik, you’re not making it any better by being a misogynist.”

“Misogynist … that’s bad, right? Nothing cool, like a gynecologist?”

“Erik, maybe you should try not to speak.” Shaylin sounded annoyed, but he could see that she was struggling not to laugh. And then a little giggle did escape from her pretty pink lips. “Gynecologist? Did you really just say that?”

“I did, and I’m proud of it.” Erik put on his best good ol’ boy Okie accent. “I do ’preciate me a career that’s all ’bout them thar girl parts.”

“Okay, that’s enough for me,” she said, still giggling. “I gotta go before—”

Shaylin moved back and completely missed the next step. She was absolutely going to fall right on her cute, round ass, but Erik was faster than gravity and, almost like a superhero, he caught her around her waist, keeping her from hurting herself.

And then there they were. She was standing on a step above him and he had his arms around her waist. When she was falling her arms had flailed out, and as he caught her they’d automatically wrapped around his shoulders. So she was pressed against him so hard he could feel the black bows on that pink bra.

“Careful,” he spoke softly, gently, like she was a frightened bird. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Th-thanks. I almost fell.”

Shaylin gazed at him and he got lost in her big, brown eyes. She smelled as incredible as she had the night he’d Marked her—sweet, like peaches and strawberries mixed together. He’d never wanted anything as bad as he wanted to kiss her. Just once. For just a second. He bent. It seemed she was tilting her lips to his. He bent some more, pulling her closer.

And that’s when she whacked him in the chest.

“You’re trying to kiss me now? Really?” Shaylin shook her head and shoved, pushing him off his step.

Erik staggered back. He was trying to figure out exactly what had gone wrong when he heard the mocking laughter. Feeling like shit, he looked up to see Erin and Dallas standing at the top of the dorm stairs just outside the wide doorway.

“Damn, talk about mixed messages,” Dallas said. “First she’s all over you, then she’s shoving you away. That just ain’t right.”

“Yeah, when a girl says yes she should mean yes, and not ‘hey, I think I’ll tease you and then reject you.’” Erin air quoted.

“You two don’t know what you’re talking about.” Shaylin had one hand on her hip and her chin raised, but her face was flushed. Erik thought she looked cute, but not tough at all.

Dallas slid his hand around Erin’s waist, and she leaned against him as they walked down the stairs to Erik, laughing at Shaylin the whole way.

“Hey, man.” Dallas chuckled. “Don’t worry. My mermaid and I will let everyone know what a dick tease she is.” Erik tried to interrupt him, but Dallas just kept on talking. “No, you don’t need to thank me. Just consider it a favor from one vamp to another.”

Erik glanced up at Shaylin. Her face had gone from pink to white. He did consider it—just for a second, though. It’d be easier to laugh and walk off with Dallas and Erin. It might even make him feel as cool as it used to feel when he was the hottest fledgling at the school—when he could have any girl he wanted. Then he realized what he was thinking and felt sick to his stomach.

“No.” Erik met Dallas’s gaze. “Shaylin was right—you don’t know what you’re talking about. What you saw was me trying something stupid. Shaylin didn’t ask for it.”

“Ah, come on. You’re Erik Night.” Dallas’s voice was still all friendly, but his gaze had gone hard.

“Yeah, I am. And I’m telling you that you’re wrong. Shaylin isn’t a tease. I was being a dick. If you two have to talk about her, that’s what you should be saying.”

“You expect people to believe a little freak like her turned you down?” Erin didn’t even try to cover the spitefulness in her voice.

And I used to dream about being the center of a Twin sandwich. Goddess, I am a dick.

“What I expect is for you two to either tell the truth or shut up,” Erik said.

“Well, this wasn’t fun at all.” Shaylin walked down the stairs quickly. As she passed Erik, she paused. “I’ve changed my mind about getting stuff from the dorm. Aphrodite can run her own errands.” Shaylin looked from him to Erin. “I guess this means you won’t be catching the bus back to the depot again tonight.”

“I’ve ridden the short bus for the last time, but you go ahead. It fits you better than me, anyway.”

“You tell ’em, mermaid,” Dallas said, rubbing his hand over Erin’s ass. “Water needs to be free to go wherever it wants.”

“Yeah, and it’s time for us to go. I’m bored,” Erin said.

“I got somethin’ for that!” Dallas bit her neck. Erin’s squeal turned into a throaty laugh.

“And I won’t be saying yes-no, yes-no. I’ll just be saying yes-yes!” Erin sneered at Shaylin, grabbed Dallas’s hand, and they walked away, laughing sarcastically.

Erik stared after them. “When did the two of them happen?”

“Right after Erin and Shaunee un-happened,” Shaylin said. “And it’s as bad as Shaunee thought it might be.”

Erik’s eyes widened. “You didn’t come here to get Aphrodite’s stuff, did you?”

“Nope.”