Page 24

24

We dropped Miles off at the school before Damen turned his silver Mustang around and backtracked into town. I was still half-asleep and rubbed my eyes as Damen began to drive us away.

“Where are we going?” I asked as the campus buildings faded into the distance behind us. After all, it was in his plan that I mustn’t keep Bryce waiting.

It was my opinion, though, that Bryce could suffer through a bit of disrespect.

“We still have time,” Damen pointed out. “And Miles can study for a while. I want to make a quick stop first.” I looked to the dashboard—a quarter till seven—and my heart sank.

I knew it was early, but not like this! Plus, if this was the time now , then when did they wake me up? I hadn’t even thought to look! I’d felt like a zombie all morning.

I was going to murder Julian.

But then my ire dropped as Damen pulled into the familiar gravel driveway of my professor’s house.

“What are we doing h-here?” I asked .

“I want to check something,” he answered, before exiting the car and opening my door. “It’ll only take a minute.”

The property felt different—sad. Damen followed me to the front patio.

“What do you want to check?” I asked. But he didn’t answer with words. Instead, after a short whistle, the creature that’d knocked Bryce on his butt landed on Damen’s shoulder.

His shikigami.

I looked back to Damen as it jumped into the air and vanished through the front door.

He’d said he wasn’t going to exorcize—

“Don’t worry, baby girl.” Damen placed his hand on the top of my head. “I’m not going to hurt your ghost. It’s not an auspicious day to vanquish spirits. That’s more of a Saturday thing, or otherwise preserved for emergencies.”

“Last night wasn’t an emergency,” I muttered. He was so dramatic, but at least his good cheer had returned.

“If the bud of my heart is in danger,” Damen argued, “it’s an emergency.”

God, he was obnoxious.

“Well.” I opened my handbag. Since we were here anyway, I might as well do something productive. “I’m going to check the garden.”

I had more important things to care about than Damen’s ego.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, clearly not used to being ignored, but I’d already unlocked the door and moved through the entryway. He did not protest further as he fell into step behind me. I was rather glad for that, honestly, because I didn’t feel like entertaining his shenanigans right now.

“It’s quiet,” he commented as we entered the conservatory. I didn’t even have time to take in the peaceful atmosphere, nor to bask in the abundant life that he so clearly did not appreciate .

But strangely enough, he was also right. There was nothing amiss. It was calm to the point where, if the events of the last few days hadn’t happened, I never would have guessed that there was anything wrong with the house.

“There’s nothing here,” I told him.

“I know,” he replied. The shikigami flew over us before it finally vanished. “I don’t like it. When is Aine supposed to be back?”

“This week, I think,” I answered. So we had to finish this job before then. Unless… “Do you think I should tell her what happened?”

I hadn’t yet, obviously, because I wasn’t sure how she’d react. But if she taught at the school, and already knew about supernatural things, then…

Wasn’t that the responsible thing to do?

“Let me think about it,” he said, pursing his lips. But then he turned his attention to his hands. I had no idea what he might be doing, or maybe I’d missed any further explanation.

But as I wondered, a strange magic brushed against the bottom of my feet. He was doing something onmyoji-like, completely over my head, and probably something he’d explain in great detail later.

It was better to ignore him. I had my own work to do.

I moved quickly, but despite the lightened atmosphere, I couldn’t quite shake this uneasy feeling. I never would have thought that the absence of a presence meant something bad. It would be best to leave as soon as possible.

The greenhouse was in good condition, so I only had to take care of a few minor trimmings and make sure the plants were watered. I was already finished and putting away my tools, when Damen finally spoke.

“Why did you take this job? ”

I was halfway finished closing the garden chest and paused as I cocked my head and looked at him. That had nothing to do with my earlier question. “What?”

“What made you decide to take this job?” Damen repeated. He was leaning against a brick wall beside the glass doors, and I caught the tail end of a movement as he put something small into his pocket. “Did Aine approach you? What made you say yes?”

This question…

Finn had asked the same thing. He hadn’t wanted me to take this job, but I hadn’t listened.

It was hard not to get defensive. Maybe coming to this place had been a bad idea.

“I wanted to be more independent,” I answered. I’d been trying to impress Finn and my parents, to show everyone that I could take care of myself.

And she offered me money.

“And she asked me,” I explained.

I grabbed my shoulder and reflected, “I’ve been doing research on the side so that I can get into botany next semester. I’d left my notes in her lab. She gave them back to me and started talking about her conservatory. That’s when she asked me to house-sit for her.”

“Why would she ask you, though?” Damen scowled. “Why not ask Bryce—he already works for her.”

Bryce.

My mood soured at the mere mention of his name.

“Forget Bryce.” Damen rolled his eyes and waved his hand.

Gladly.

“I’m just pointing out that she hardly knows you. So how was it that you were the one chosen to watch this house and the mysteries that come with it?” Damen mused. “Especially considering who you are. ”

I shrugged and tried not to let the sinking feeling in my stomach show on my face. “Coincidence,” I said. Although, in my heart, I knew it wasn’t.

And apparently, Damen felt that way too.

“I don’t think so,” he replied. “I think there’s another reason why you’re here.”

His scrutiny began to move across the room, and his jaw locked. “I don’t think you should tell her yet,” he said. “And if she asks for an update, just stick with the basics.”

That shouldn’t be hard. “She hasn’t contacted me since she left.”

Damen frowned harder.

“Damen?” What was with that expression? The uneasy peace was replaced by a foreboding chill.

“Let’s get back,” Damen stood. I dropped the toolbox’s lid closed as I did the same. I brushed off my knees when he walked to me and held out his hand. “You’ll be late for your biology class. You wouldn’t want to keep Bryce waiting.”

That was a lie, but I understood the sudden urgency.

I took his hand and followed him. Every room we passed was still clean and undisturbed—nobody would ever know there’d been a fight just a few hundred feet away. Titus had mentioned that the only damage was to the basement and the yard itself—the rest of the house was sound—and that they’d be taking care of repairs.

But that reminded me.

“Wait.” I pulled on his hand, halting our progress just as we reached the front door. “Sorry,” I blushed. “I forgot to do something.”

“What—” he began, but I turned, dropping his hand.

“It’ll just be a second,” I mumbled. I just wanted to see.

Damen didn’t complain. Instead, he followed me as I moved toward the back of the house, to the kitchen. As I entered the room, I turned on the soft yellow lights, expecting to see that one piece of evidence from the night before.

But when I looked, the stove and the counter was now cleared.

What had happened to the teapot and the mug? I hadn’t placed them there. And I hadn’t put them away.

“Bianca?” Damen asked, leaning close to my ear. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I frowned at the spotless kitchen. Maybe not every moment from my vision had been accurate. Things had been weird lately. “I was mistaken.”

But I was almost entirely sure.

“Okay,” Damen said, and grabbed my hand once more.

He’d been relentless with the touching since this morning—it was clear that he had an abandonment complex. Although, at this moment, I welcomed it. There was something much more innocent about his intentions when he touched me casually in this way.

Unlike when he tried to flirt.

“Are you ready now?” he asked.

There was darkness in a corner of the room—the overhead lights could only reach so far—and my attention lingered there—in the basement.

Now that Damen’s shikigami was gone, the space didn’t feel quite so innocent.

But basements were creepy anyway, especially this one. It was probably one of the oldest places in the original house, with low ceilings and muddy, dirty walls—plus, so many bugs.

I was just making myself paranoid.

“Sure.” I squeezed Damen’s hand. I’d never been one for physical affection, this sort of touching was beginning to grow on me.

Maybe hugging, handholding, and maybe even snuggling weren’t such terrible things to do with the right people.

Damen walked with me from the parking lot to the corner of the library building. It was still very early—even the sweatpants-and-boot-clad overachievers who braved the eight o’clock classes hadn’t infiltrated the courtyard yet.

I could take a left and go to the science building, but if I went right—which was exactly my plan—I’d be able to stop by the coffee shop before the morning rush. That would give me more than enough time to down a few lattes.

Perhaps then the chill that’d settled in my blood might pass.

“You’ll be fine,” Damen told me.

Damen’s sudden reassurance surprised me, and I glanced at him as my thoughts turned from which coffee flavor combination to request first. He looked at me and squeezed my hand once more, smiling. “I know what happened is a lot to process, but don’t worry. You’ll be able to tell everyone soon enough.”

About which part? The two ghosts, the continuing mystery at Professor Hamway’s house, or the fact that I was the long-lost member of their fancy man club?

Who was I going to tell? Nobody would believe me anyway.

“Sure,” I agreed. I didn’t have the experience to argue yet, so for now, I would concede until it made sense not to. However, admitting to something of this magnitude was also sure to change the dynamics of my life and throw me into the public eye.

And that didn’t sound very pleasant. I was more than happy to stay in my little bubble .

“Don’t be scared,” he told me.

I nodded.

I wasn’t scared. I was hungry. His worrying had better not cost me the last cheese danish—only the luckiest and earliest customers got them freshly baked. Then I’d just be angry.

“I’m sorry. Things should have been different,” Damen continued monologuing as he gazed past me with a regal, unhurried expression. He was clearly not great at reading facial expressions. “We should be different. Everything would have been so much easier if you’d been with us from the beginning. You should have grown up with us.”

I fought the urge to sigh. What a time to be melancholy. “Maybe,” I humored him.

I mean, personally, I wasn’t sure what wondering would accomplish. That was over and done with. And if there was one lesson I’d learned in life, it was there was no point in lamenting the past. Cry once, then let it wash away. Bury your feelings, and then nothing can bother you.

A perfect example was of how perfectly I’d gotten over Finn. What happened last night hadn’t been confusing at all.

But even more important were my plans for the future. It was obvious that I was going to be around these men quite a bit, and I had a few things to figure out.

There was no order of particular importance, but first, I needed to understand my abilities. I had to learn about the fae. Then, second, was the truth of my biological roots—a subject I’d mostly ignored or avoided throughout my life. But considering that this sort of thing might be a potential liability, at least in my conspiratorial opinion, now was the time to learn.

I did not like surprises or potential weak links.

And third…

It was now even more important than before to become self- sufficient. And that meant that I needed money, and fast. But what were the most efficient methods of establishing a large income in a short period of time?

Still, Damen’s voice was strange. Why did his shoulders seem weighed down with guilt? Was he hiding something?

If he was, he was pretty bad at it.

“Why, exactly, does it matter where I grew up?” I asked.

Xing or not—he was a cocky man, but he seemed genuinely sad. But he was not all-powerful. Surely, he couldn’t expect to protect me from everything negative in life.

But then Damen asked something I hadn’t expected. It was a question that was sure to leave a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the morning.

“Did you have a happy childhood?”

There was a hint in his expression that told me he’d already come up with his own answer. I opened my mouth, ready to respond, before he interrupted.

“Before you were adopted, I mean,” he said. “Were you safe?”

Safe.

It felt as though I’d been punched in the chest, and it took every ounce of my self-preservation to remain composed. But I had to stay collected—he was watching.

“Sure,” I said.

I wasn’t an idiot. I knew my smile wasn’t entirely convincing, but I tried anyway. I closed my eyes, searching to recall my earliest memories worth revisiting: the comfort of lazy afternoons beside swampy rivers, watching thunderstorms on the open patio, family dinners of hot pots and laughter, chasing fireflies in the moonlight…

And blooming gardens alongside the barely remembered sounds of birds.

I tried to focus on the things that made up the core aspects of my personality. And this time, when I let out a low, long breath and looked at him, I was ready.

“I lived with my parents—” Or at least, they were the closest people to parents that I’d had, but they’d made it known that I wasn’t theirs, nor were they together. But to me, it didn’t matter. “—in a white and yellow house overlooking the water. We went to the farmers market almost every Saturday morning. My mother baked pies on Sundays, and my father went fishing. And at least one of them would read me a bedtime story every night.” My fingers tingled as the warmth spread through my body.

“Yes,” and I could answer him honestly. “I was happy and safe.”

Damen pursed his lips. His gaze was uncertain but torn—he wanted to believe me.

And he should. I wasn’t lying.

He finally nodded. “Good.” I couldn’t imagine why my answer might please him. It wasn’t like there was anything he could do regardless.

“Damen.” Now I was curious. “What do you think would have happened if we had grown up together?”

I could guess, at least. If I’d been exposed to his behavior earlier in life, perhaps I might have been able to resist his charms more easily. I’d learned rather quickly these last few days that when he got into a certain mood, the absurd things falling from his mouth, although extremely embarrassing, still made me blush.

I couldn’t imagine why. I had to be a sucker for punishment.

“Nothing would be like it is now,” Damen answered. “This was supposed to be our chance.” His bravado had faded, and there was a contemplative way to him. His eyes had changed, fading from soft ash gray to the sky before an incoming storm.

My breath caught in hesitation and uncertainty, and a rising heat singed the ends of my hair. “Damen? ”

“It’ll be okay.” Damen’s fingertips were hot as he touched my chin, but they did not burn me. “I haven’t forgotten our promise.”

I covered his hand with mine and waited. What was he talking about?

But he didn’t elaborate. Instead, as the sun broke over the top of the furthest building, he dropped his hand back to his side. And as students began to trickle from the dorms, heading to either the library or their early morning classes, he stepped away.

I knew we had to continue with the facade despite everything. But he was a better actor than I thought because his features did not hint toward the strange conversation we’d just had. Instead, he looked as composed as ever, adjusting his tie like he hadn’t a care in the world.

His mood swings were enough to make my head spin.

“Goodbye then,” I told him. What else was there to say? The pastries were growing colder and further from reach the longer I lingered. “Have a good day.”

“Well,” he replied, the spark returning to his gaze. When he smiled, my heart raced. “You don’t leave me any choice when you phrase it that way. Would you meet me here after your last class?”

I should say no; his responsibilities lasted longer than my day. Dr. Stephens would be displeased if Damen disregarded his assignments. But when he looked at me like that, I couldn’t resist.

“Sure,” I said, and strangely, I wanted to hold his hand again. Even though it was unreasonable and he was still in front of me, I missed him already. “See you then.”

But we did not hold hands—not with so many people milling around us. Or maybe there was another reason. I couldn’t fathom what was going through his mind. Instead, he touched his finger to his forehead and winked. “Then it’s a date, baby girl,” he said before turning to leave, and this time I did not cringe.

My face stayed warm even when he was no longer by my side, and I turned and slapped my hands to my cheeks. I had to get my racing heartbeat under control. My life had changed so drastically these last few weeks—with new friendships, and the ending of another. I didn’t have time to feel this way.

What in the world was wrong with me?