by R. G. Angel
“No, you are not a freak. It’s… it’s a very long story,” he said, surely hoping I would drop it for the night.
“Well, I’m here… I still have five hours to kill before my first class, and there is no chance in hell I’ll sleep so…” I shrugged. “I’m all ears.”
Tamlin sighed in resignation. “Stubborn, huh?” he mumbled.
“You have no idea!”
“Actually, I do,” he grunted evasively. “Let’s go to my room, where I can make some coffee. It’s a very long story.”
We settled in his room with a cup of hot black coffee. “Okay, well, I need to go over our history very quick first.” He sounded like a lecturer. “You’ll get the specifics as time goes on. I’ll just go over the general big points for now.”
I settled comfortably in his leather chair and nodded.
“Okay, well, you see in our world there is—”
“Where is that world exactly?” I asked, cutting him off.
He grimaced. “It’s like another dimension; it’s pretty complicated. I’ll go over that another time. Let’s focus here.”
“Fine…” I replied, unable to conceal my light annoyance which made him smile.
“Well, as I was saying there are two major clans. The ‘fairies’ or in other words us.” He pointed to himself and me. “The fairies are the ruling species and we’re mostly peaceful, secretly working to help the humans in this world with the plantations and things like that. We’re what they call ‘mother nature.’”
“Nice…” I nodded approvingly.
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “And then you have the other clan, the ‘fae,’ and well, they are not that loving.” He was somber now.
“They want to rule?” I asked.
“Yeah, but if they want to rule it’s because they want to destroy the humans, take over the planet.”
“Psycho much?” I said without thinking.
“Yeah, well, they didn’t manage yet as our army is strong and our royalty was too, till recently.”
“I… see?” I was confused.
“The king was sick, very sick, and we thought he would last longer.” Tamlin took a deep breath as he disapproved of the way things had been handled. “We should have prepared the succession slowly, let things settle before a new coronation, but the king died, and now, now the succession needs to step up.”
“Wow…” I nodded. “That sure sucks but is the prince or whatever ready to step up?”
“Well, the princess”—he looked straight into my eyes, emphasizing the word—“needs to be ready for—”
I jumped from my seat. “I need to go now,” I cut him off. I understood where he was going with this. Of course, I did! My name was not Krysten, but I just couldn’t hear it yet. I was not ready, and I probably never would be.
“I know, it’s a lot to take in.”
“You think? “I asked, harsher than I intended. All in all, it was not his fault. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. “I have a class soon. I… I need to get ready, but I’ll see you tonight, okay?”
He pursed his lips and nodded. “I’m sorry, for everything.”
“It’s not as if you could have done anything about it.” I gave him a small smile. “Could you?” I asked with a faint hope.
He shook his head negatively.
As I turned to leave the room, Tamlin caught my hand and I felt the same jolt of electricity as I did every time he touched me.
Maybe it’s a fairy thing, I thought, knowing that it was probably more a Tamlin and Fay thing.
“I… Apparently they know who you are, so please be careful.”
I looked into his beautiful eyes full of worry for me. It was running deep, I could see that, and it was the only thing that stopped me from telling him to butt out.
“Yeah, but we have some advantage now. They don’t know you told me everything and…” I squeezed his hand in a silly attempt to reassure him. “I’ll be out during the day, surrounded by people.” I smiled again. “I’ll be fine.”
Tamlin opened his mouth to say something, but I shook my head vigorously.
“I need time; give me the day please. I… I need to process,” I whispered warily.
“Be careful, please.” The begging tone in his voice surprised me. “Some of them are very powerful.”
Does he genuinely care about me? “I’ll be twice as careful, promise, and if anything strange happens, I’ll give you a call.”
As I walked down the hall back to my room, I was numb. I couldn’t even comprehend everything that was revealed to me.
My life changed completely in a couple of hours, and now I just wished I could go back in time and forget everything. I wanted the magic Matrix pill.
Chapter 11
I spent my day in a sort of daze, as if my body was acting independently and I was grateful for that. I went to all my classes, but it was more to give myself something to do than anything else as I didn’t even register a word said by the lecturers. For once, I was truly happy that there were more than two hundred students in these lecture halls because, in a normal seminar session, it would have been easy to spot the blank look on my face.
I couldn’t help but think that I woke up scared and human, and now I was a tracked fairy with a contract on my head. Yeah, life was really fun! I was sure this kind of story couldn’t even work in a movie, and it was my reality now… my life.
I was sitting in the back of the lecture hall for the final lecture of the day and idly looked to the couple of blond heads just in front of me. It was the twins, Johanna and Jayden Miller.
Twins! I thought as my mind directly went to my brothers at home. The persons… or faes or whatever creatures that were after me here knew by now that I was protected. What if they decided to wait and follow me home for Thanksgiving? It would put my family at risk, and even if they were not genetically my family, it was the only family I had ever known, and I loved them just as much now as I always did. I couldn’t risk them! Did they know who I was?
My heart started to speed up just at the thought of bringing danger back to them. I had to stay here, as far away from my family as I could until Tamlin and I got everything figured out, until it was safe… if such a thing was even possible.
A fairy! I snorted, still in disbelief. How could I buy that?! I was a scientist! I believed in facts, proven theories! I believed in tangible things! I didn’t go around on my unicorn fighting crimes with my partners the Easter bunny and Santa Claus!
Urgh, kill me now! I thought, resting my forehead on the cold plastic table. I was genuinely trying to see the bright side of these revelations, and I couldn’t find any right now.
Well, except maybe as far as my relationship with Tamlin was concerned. Maybe now, with the secrets out of the way, the walls would come down and we would be able to be together fully, and I wouldn’t have this feeling of reserve coming from him.
It was also quite a relief to finally know I was not clinically insane, that everything made sense.
I closed my eyes, keeping my head against the table. The cool surface helped soothe my headache.
The lack of sleep always had this effect on me, a migraine starting behind my eyes. I knew I had to relax for it to go away, but how could I? I was replaying my discussion with Tamlin over and over again, still trying to accept everything.
I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked around, dumbfounded. Most students had already left the lecture hall.
The hour passed already? Did I fall asleep? I thought. rubbing my eyes before concentrating on the person standing beside me.
I met icy-blue eyes full of concern.
“Gareth,” I acknowledged, slightly embarrassed.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice laced with worry. “I never saw you space in a class, and for a first, well, that was massive.”
I grimaced; I forgot that Gareth was the assistant lecturer in animal behavior, which was probably a low blow to his self-esteem. “I’m sorry, it’s
just that—” I sighed. “I’m tired, that’s all.” I knew the deep circles under my eyes would be proving just that.
He gave me a compassionate smile. “Yeah, I know the first year can be tough on people like us.”
“People like us?”
He chuckled. “People who actually care about their studies and work like slaves to keep up with their high school grades.”
“Yeah, it seems about right.” I started to put my stuff in my bags.
“You’ll see, you’re going to feel better after spending a good Thanksgiving with your family. You’ll come back reenergized.”
“I can’t go back home,” I blurted without thinking. I quickly looked up when I realized my mistake.
“You can’t go home?” he asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Fay, are you having family issues?”
I wanted to kick myself; clearly lack of sleep has made me not as sharp right now.
“What I meant is that I can’t go home this year.” I tried to smile as brightly as I could. “I have too much work to do and going all the way to Boston for three days will be exhausting, and expensive.”
He nodded sadly. “Are you sure? I’m stuck here myself. Maybe I can help you out with your workload and you can go home.”
“Thank you.” I reached for his hand and squeezed it. “But no.” I stood up, eager to direct the conversation on something else. “Do you want to walk me back?” I asked, knowing it would really make me feel safer. Whoever wanted me dead wouldn’t attack me while I was with someone…right?
He grinned widely and I almost winced.
I’m not leading him on, am I? I asked myself, but it was too late now.
“Yeah, I’m walking that way. I’m going to have a coffee. Do you want to join me?”
“Maybe some other time, okay? I still have some stuff to do today.” I truly enjoyed the little coffee shop where Gareth took me in what seemed to be another lifetime, but I needed to talk to Tamlin. I had so many questions now that I had the time to ponder our chat a bit more thoroughly.
“Why aren’t you going home for Thanksgiving?” I asked him, trying to divert the chat from me to him.
“My father decided to go and visit one of my great aunts in Florida.” He snorted. “I’ve maybe seen the woman twice in my twenty-three years.” He shook his head. “I’d rather stay here.”
I chuckled. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “Well, I don’t mind. I’d rather spend it here alone than with that crazy old shrew.”
As he said that, I saw the flash of regret in his eyes. He was pretending to be fine with it, but it was probably saddening him to spend this time of the year away from his family and he was pretending to be tough. The whole alpha crap didn’t only concern animals.
When we stopped in front of my building, Gareth gave me an awkward half hug.
“If you change your mind about your family or the coffee.” He smiled his big dimpled smile. “You’ve got my number.”
I couldn’t help but laugh a little. I used to feel so ill at ease around him, but I got used to his imposing charisma and even managed to overlook most of his social inadequacies. I thought, at first, that it was only rudeness… Oh, hell, who I was kidding! I thought he was just a pompous ass, but I realized that it was mostly due to inexperience. He never shared much about his life, and I never asked, but I was pretty sure that he was not from the kind of family that socialized with the ‘little’ people. I’m sure he’d lived a sheltered life.
Now it was different; now he made me feel better, something I never thought would have been possible when I first crossed his path.
“Promise. You are my coffee buddy,” I added teasingly.
“That’s something already.” He nodded before dismissing his words with a gesture of the hand.
“I—” I frowned.
“Forget it,” he assured me, still smiling, but I could see that one was a bit strained. “Well, I’ll see you later,” he added after quickly checking his watch.
“Have fun.”
“You bet.” He winked before hurrying in the direction of the café.
I looked at him retreating for a little while, still not sure of what I should think about him and his attitude.
I sighed. “Men…” I mumbled.
I walked up to my floor and stood in front of Tamlin’s room, fist raised when I realized something that left me frozen on the spot.
Maybe it was the little ‘unrequited feelings’ moment I just shared with Gareth, or the laughing eyes of the two model wannabes that passed me in the corridor that made me realize it.
I had been spending my time with Tamlin because I liked him, because I enjoyed being with him. What about him? He clearly told me that he was here to keep me safe. I took for granted that he enjoyed being with me as much as I enjoyed being with him, but maybe I was wrong, maybe it was not more than a mission for him.
I took a step back as this realization hurt me more than a stabbing wound straight to my heart.
I shook my head and took another step backward; it was hard to breathe.
The two girls were still chuckling, looking at me from the small sitting area.
“Changing your mind, sweetheart?” the tall blond asked with a condescending smile. I recognized her as being the one that went into Tamlin’s room before the Halloween party.
I stared at her. Shut your pieholes! I thought, giving her the finger. I guessed I could really use that kind of compulsion that Tamlin mentioned because as soon as I thought that, the laughter died in their throats.
I looked at them a few more seconds. I wanted to be petty for a fleeting second and make them do something humiliating like jumping around like kangaroos or something like that, just to give them a taste of their own medicine.
I sighed and shook my head; they were not worth it. I decided to call Gareth and meet him at the coffee shop after all.
I was having a shitty day—a shitty month really—and I preferred spending some time with someone who genuinely appreciated my companionship.
“I’m glad you changed your mind.” Gareth beamed as I sat across from him at the small table in the corner. I was pretty sure it was his table now as we were always sitting there. “I took the liberty to order you a toffee nut latte when you phoned me.”
“That’s a great choice, thank you.”
“I’ve got to be a gentleman every once in a while, you know.” He shrugged. “Just to do honor to the education my parents gave me.”
“Oh yeah, we wouldn’t want to deprive them of that!” I teased, taking a sip of the delicious drink.
“So what made you change your mind?” he asked, genuinely interested. That was another good point of Gareth Somersen; he was not asking questions to pretend to be interested in me and my answers. No, he really was interested.
“I’m a woman. I’m supposed to change my mind for no good reason, right?”
“I guess that’s true. Well, let me tell you I am pleased that, for once, it turned out in my favor.”
“Well, remember that if I ever go crazy on you,” I jested, trying to take this whole conversation back on a more friendly level. I didn’t need this moment to turn into a date.
He nodded, and I could see the slight disapproval in his eyes. I couldn’t fool him as well as I thought I could.
We talked about random things, keeping it light—just the way I liked it.
Gareth looked at his watch. “Tell me what’s wrong, Fay?” he asked, serious again.
“What?” I asked, taken aback. I honestly didn’t see that question coming! We were talking about our favorite flavor of ice cream, so where did that come from? “Why— Why do you think something is wrong?”
He shrugged, cocking his head to the side. “I don’t know. As I told you before, it’s not that I don’t appreciate your company because I do, but it seems like you are bothered by something, like you are trying to push back the time you’ll go back to your dorm to the last minute.”
&nbs
p; I looked at him, my face blank. Was it even possible for someone to be as intuitive as he was?
He smiled. “Don’t look at me like I’m a weirdo; it’s just that I’m very observant as far as you are concerned.”
That innocent remark made me blush lightly, and I cursed myself for that. “No, it’s fine.”
He nodded, but I could see he didn’t believe a word I just said. “Because I can’t help but remember that day, after the Halloween party, when you talked to me about your friend, and his fear of being spied on.” He said the word ‘friend’ in such a way that it clearly meant me.
“Okay…” I trailed off like I didn’t see where he was going with that.
He sighed, and there was clear disappointment in his eyes. “Let’s stop pretending, just for a minute. Do you mind?”
I nodded silently.
“I know you are your friend and I just—” He ran a hand through his hair. “You would tell me if something bad happened, right? I mean, if you still feel in danger, you need to tell me. I can help you.”
I looked at him, and my heart tightened in my chest. I would love to share my problems with him, but it was a risk and I doubt he’d even believe me.
Tamlin said those faes were dangerous, and I knew that telling him everything would put him in danger, and that was something I would never do.
“I promise, there's no danger lurking, waiting for me in my room. It’s just— Don’t worry I will figure it out.”
“As long as you know that I’m here.”
“I do, thanks,” I promised sincerely. “I won’t forget that.”
He nodded gravely before cracking his now famous mischievous grin. “Now, it’s getting late.” He smiled even wider. “Unless you want to finish that conversation in my apartment, it’s time for me to walk you back.”
“Maybe some other time.” I tried to sound as teasing as he was. “But yeah, thank you, I appreciate the offer to walk me home.”
Gareth helped me into my coat and quietly walked me back to the dorm. While walking back, I was almost tempted to go and spend the night at the sorority with Krysten. Yes, I was almost desperate enough to avoid Tamlin.
