by M. C. Cerny
Looking up, I was awed by the painting on the ceiling, which forced me to stop. Warren bumped into me from behind and snaked an arm around my middle to keep me from face planting in the foyer.
“Whoa there.” He pulled me back flush against him, tightly at first before slowly easing up. My brain repeated, please don’t let go. His hard body fitted against me, my breasts tingling against my clothes, and I wanted so badly to push back. He was like a stone pillar, still, frozen as his fingers retracted the tiniest bit against my belly, causing my eyes to shut and my breath to catch.
“That’s absolutely b-beautiful.” Stuttering, my voice trailed off, captivated by the field scene of running stag, bears, wolves, and birds in mid-flight over what looked to be a topographical map of an old town. “What is it called?” I felt myself compelled to reach my hand out as if I could touch the life-like painting of animals, so real, but it was easily a dozen feet above me on the ceiling. Warren was behind me, barely an inch between us now. My hair slipped from its messy bun, slowly resting heavy on my neck, blocking out his feather-light breath. His chin could rest on my head if he wanted and his arm slowly released me, taking a step back and putting a reserved distance between us.
A bob of his throat and he spoke. “They call this mural The Founding Forefathers.” I looked up again, taking in the surreal beauty inside the mere residence hall.
“Founding, huh?” This was a unique campus.
“Yeah.” Gruffly, he said nothing else.
“It’s stunningly real.” My throat dried and Warren pushed a stray hair off my cheek.
“Kerri Harper, welcome to Woodland Creek. Officially.” He was smirking and my legs were unsteady blobs of pudding looking at his handsome face. It was the second welcome I’d gotten since I arrived there a bit worse for wear. Nodding and moving on, we took the wide staircase up to the third floor. I opted for the co-ed hall and the walk up wasn’t bad. Pictures of more wildlife rested against old plastered walls and I thought that maybe taking the stairs every day would be good for me.
“Here we are. Room 34.” I turned at the door and Warren stood almost blocking the hallway from view. My room was at the end of the hall and I guessed that was where my time with him ended.
“Kerri…I, uh…” He had his hands in his hair that I wanted to touch so badly. Oddly, his hair seemed shaggier again than when he’d picked me up at the clinic merely a half hour earlier.
“Warren…” I didn’t know what we were about to say when the door burst open and a slender girl around my age bubbled out.
“Warren? New roomie? Get the fuck outta town.” She jumped, hugging Warren, and then tugged my good hand cheerfully.
“Huh?” Speechless, she pulled me into the room with two twin beds on either side made up in matching purple quilting and sheets.
“I’m Reagan Avril. I didn’t know you were dating Warren.” Her energy was like lightning, bounding and zinging around the room.
“Oh, I’m not…we’re not…uh, dating?” An epic blush stained my face with heat, and both Warren and I stood farther apart as if that would dissuade this stranger.
“How could you tell?” Warren looked kind of upset, his tone flat.
“The pheromones practically ooze from you both. How could you not tell? Seriously, you’d be the worst poker player, Warren. Come on, didn’t you take that Veterinary Sciences class freshman year?” Reagan shrugged the answer off as if that would explain everything. “Well, don’t be shy, you two, tell me how you met.” Confusion kept me silent and I let Warren do the talking, figuring it was easier that way.
“Kerri had a car accident on her way into town from the storm. She’s here for the graduate teaching program. She’s new to Woodland Creek.” I noticed a look passed between the friends and Reagan seemed to nod, understanding something.
“And luckily paired as my roommate. Oh, this is so awesome! Not the accident, of course, but that we can be besties!” Reagan’s enthusiasm was contagious. It comforted me that she liked me already. Shrugging off any peculiar feelings, I set out to get to know my new roommate.
“Warren’s right. I’m in the scholar’s program. My car is probably trashed, though, but I do have some things still in the trunk I need to get. I didn’t really think about that this morning.”
“No matter, the boys can bring them over and we’ll get you settled in. Easy Peasy!” Reagan was a bright light in my otherwise dim prospects of friendly people in my life.
“Yeah, that’s not a problem. I have work later, but I can swing by tomorrow afterward if that’s okay.” Honestly, it relieved me when Warren readily agreed to help; again he was being nice to me.
I should have been expecting this from people in my life all along, the being nice thing. It was a new feeling and I hoped that maybe I could turn over a new leaf that fall. New school, new town, new beginnings as I sank down on the soft already made bed, thankful. “Thank you so much.”
“Hey, it means I can see you again and you can’t say no.” His eyes met mine again and lingered until Reagan jumped up, taking my bag and pushing him out.
“Bestie bonding time! Go! Go! Go!” We all laughed a little awkwardly and Reagan rushed him out of the room, chirping with zest.
“Make sure she drinks the tea, it helps ease the coughing.” Warren looked serious through his smile and a soothing sensation washed over me to have someone who cared.
“Ugh, you and your dad’s home remedies taste awful.”
“At least have her take the antibiotics. They’re for her scrapes and stuff.” He continued speaking with Reagan. His gray eyes watched me thoughtfully, and the need to do anything else he said overwhelmed me.
“I’ll do it, thank you.” Placating them both, Reagan went back to pushing Warren out the door, who gave up protesting.
“All right, quit squawking, I’m walking. Make sure you take her to the student center on campus for a new phone.” Warren gave Reagan more directions and me a wave as he left. Smiling, I lay back on my new bed with the promise of seeing him soon making me glow and forget I was with another stranger in Woodland Creek.
Chapter Seven
“A man is judged by his deeds, not his words.” Russian Proverb
WARREN
“So let me understand this, you drove her over to her dorm on campus and just left her there with Reagan of all people?” Jase paced back and forth, making me dizzy with his agitation.
“Jase, you make it sound like I kicked her out of the truck and sped off.”
“Did you hear me say Reagan? Reagan Avril, resident bird brain?” Jase looked frustrated and I knew why. I was sure Reagan wouldn’t tell her anything. She wouldn’t knowingly spill any secrets of our town, but she did have a big mouth. I couldn’t help it if Kerri figured some things out on her own. I knew Woodland Creek didn’t have an official ban on shifters and humans because I knew several couples who flew pretty low under the radar. My parents included.
“I’m sure it will be fine. Reagan is taking her to get a new phone later. You and I will be getting her things from her car at the mechanic’s shop and drop them off.” Jase’s eyebrow rose and his lips pursed with disapproval.
“She has a sprained wrist, bruises all over her body.”
“Because you looked thoroughly, I bet.” Jase made me feel defensive. I knew why and I hated it.
“It’s my job to make sure she wasn’t injured anywhere else.” I hoped that didn’t make things weird the next time I saw her.
“Sure it is,” Jase said in a sing-song accusing voice.
“Did you expect her to carry those boxes up three flights of stairs? Remember when we roomed at Lupin Hall last year before getting this place off campus?” I didn’t really want to explain myself. Jase was sometimes as stubborn as his sister, Eden.
“They do have an elevator.” Jase sighed and popped the tab on his soda can. The fizz of carbonation filled the silence and I thought about the moment inside my truck. Brief and fleeting like deflating soda pop, but a
stark reminder of the differences between Kerri and me.
I wanted to pull her across the seat and kiss her, but I settled for helping her out of the truck and then again in the hall when she almost tripped. My hand still felt the residual tingles having been splayed over her soft belly. I wanted to touch her again and pull her closer to me. “You should have seen the way she looked up at the painting in Lupin Hall. Scared the shit out of me quite honestly.” Lying on the couch, I propped my feet up as Jase sipped on the soda. Groaning, my body had protested when I let her go. Pressing forward was dangerous ground indeed.
“Okay. She’s not a shifter. Big deal. You can still tap it. Just don’t tell her about it.” He was obviously working things out inside his head about the situation.
Sitting up glaring at him, I told him how I felt about it. “You’re an asshole. I don’t want to ‘tap it’ as you so politely said.” Frustrated with my cousin, I sat on the couch staring at the ceiling, hoping it might suck me out of there and his inquisition.
“You like her?” He teased.
“I don’t know her,” I stated firmly, but it was a lie because I wanted to get to know her.
“So change that, man. Geez. Have I taught you nothing in all our years together running in the pack?” Stalking around our house, he grabbed an open bag of chips, stuffing them in his mouth.
“I’m not, uh…as experienced as you might assume me to be.” I was ill at ease to tell Jase the truth and regretted it the moment the words came out.
Mouthful of chips, he spit several out. “Say what the fuck?” He brushed the crumbs off his chest. “Dude, how is it you’ve never, uh…been with a girl before?” Jase sat on the end of the couch and I wanted to kick him to the floor. He irritated me on the highest level possible and I would’ve preferred he left me the hell alone right then.
“I have dated before.” I defended.
“I know we’ve picked up girls and gone out together…so you’ve never—” Jase made a face and I cut him off before he could take in a cruder direction.
“I just haven’t and I don’t see why this is any of your business, Jase. I’ve done fine all these years. I never said I didn’t mess around, I just never…you know.” Standing, I went out into the kitchen, wishing I didn’t share a house with Jase. Thankfully, it was a two-bedroom, so I had some privacy, but I was sure he was going to follow me everywhere relentlessly. I opened the refrigerator and took out some leftovers I’d swiped from my mom’s house earlier in the week.
“Dipped the wick? Tasted forbidden fruit?” Jase leaned in with a snarky whisper like he couldn’t contain his glee over my lack of sexual prowess and blew in my ear. “Humans taste like chicken…” Practically cackling, the hair on the back of my neck rose when he kept going like the dickbag he was.
“You’re an asshole.” Muttering, I shoved him off me and pushed back my hair, which covered my forehead, again. I swore that shit grew extra-long and quick when I was at my most frustrated.
“So you’ve said, cousin.”
“Asshole.” I was hoping the third time was the charm to get him to leave.
“Seen one of those, have you?” Jase laughed uncontrollably like he’d made the best joke of his life. “Let me know if you need any pointers!” I made my way past him, clipping his shoulder hard on purpose, sidestepping past him.
“Take off, Jase. If I knew you were going to be a douche-canoe, I wouldn’t have said anything.” He tried grabbing me to wrestle out our argument and with a growl I brushed past him again to escape.
“You know what you need to do, bro’…” I paused long enough to contemplate what he was going to say next and realized it would be stupid to humor him.
“I guess you’re going to tell me?”
“You’ve got to kiss the girl.” Singing, Jase looked at me, ready to follow through with his lecture.
“No.” I told myself more than him.
“Just don’t eat her.” He shrugged, sounding pleased with himself.
“Thanks, Dr. Love. Fucking hilarious. We don’t eat people, Jase, we never have.” All those stupid movies and books throughout history gave our kind a bad name. I walked away, hoping he’d give it up, but no such luck.
“You’re missing out...” I was waiting for him to digress to the childish grosser than gross discussions we used to have as kids, but he stopped a moment, making me think he might be done.
If anyone could press my buttons it was my fucking cousin. “And this is why our species is ready to throw in the towel. I swear to God, your side of the family must have been inbreeding somewhere.” Jase wasn’t fazed and plugged right along.
“I’ve got magazines and DVDs under my bed and in the closet if you’re looking for places to start, teen wolf!” On a howl, Jase chased me to the door and I jogged to my truck, slamming the door shut and peeling out of the driveway.
I wondered if Kerri would care. It never really occurred to me that not being with a girl would matter when I found one worth the effort, but now I felt lacking. I didn’t need this shit; I needed to focus on work, school and the type of girls who knew what the shifter life entailed. I was determined to leave Kerri Harper alone.
Easier said than done. My phone buzzed with an incoming text from an unknown number.
Hey Boonie – Reagan here with Kerri’s phone. You can drop off the boxes any time after eight tonight.
Great. Fucking fantastic.
Chapter Eight
*
KERRI
The first couple weeks of class passed, putting distance between me and the pain of back home behind me. Warren and Jase were kind enough to drop off my few boxes of salvageable items and then practically nothing. I only saw them in passing, and when I asked Reagan once what was going on, she gave me a sad look and merely said the boys were busy with work and classes. It stung, but I accepted that Warren had been doing his job and extending a kindness. I finally called my parents to let them know I was settled. Neither expressed happiness that I’d left Dillon high and dry with Carter. Even my sisters thought I was making a mistake.
How thoughtless of me.
How irresponsible.
What of the poor boy?
I was being selfish.
Nothing I did was right…
If anything, I was self-preserving, from my point of view. I had a right to pursue my dreams and my education. I had a right to be treated with respect. I had a right to be loved.
Loved.
What did that even feel like? Look like? I didn’t have a clue, but my roommate, Reagan, was doing a darn fine job of trying to help me forget. When my phone chirped with a message from Dillon, she changed the ringtone to something from an old cartoon of Beavis and Butt-head. Their disturbing laugh repeated often and served to remind me that nothing good came of entertaining his pleas to return. I stopped taking his phone calls, but then he changed his number, surprising me a few times.
What I hated most was the one time he put his son on the phone asking me to come home. I could hear that Carter was coached through the phone and I felt bad for the little boy, who was being manipulated. I wasn’t a cruel person, but I also wasn’t his mother who dropped the ball on her son either. I had tried for a long time and it was past the time I moved forward and took care of myself before I lost who I was as a person. I asked him to put his dad on the phone and let Dillon know I wouldn’t take his phone calls any longer, even from strange numbers. He cursed me out and hung up the phone as if I had done something wrong. I had tried for so long and wished them well, deciding this was the defining moment to break free for good. Reagan was in our room with me, studying for an Astronomy exam when the whole thing went down like the Titanic…
“Are you still moping about Mr. Douche-canoe?” Reagan came in from the en-suite bathroom, wringing out her lovely cropped dark hair from her shower.
“Maybe.” Her eyes darted around the room in that perceptive way of hers before speaking again.
“Well, get dressed, we are going
out.” I swore she never kept still for a moment.
“We are?”
“Yes. Put on those stretchy jeans that show your butt off and the dark green sweater with your brown boots.” I looked down at my standard yoga pants and tank top. I had been taking notes for a paper I needed to finish for the semester when Reagan tugged the notebook from my hands, placing it on a shelf after shifting an old softball trophy I kept around for some stupid reason. I only played one season as a kid, but I still loved to watch the occasional game.
“Um, okay.” Before I could protest, Reagan was pulling me and dragging me over to our shared closet. We couldn’t share anything except a few pairs of shoes because I was all short curves and she was a tall, willowy giraffe compared to me. She pulled out the clothes and pushed me inside the bathroom to get ready.
“We’re going to meet the boys in town at the local pub.”
“We are?” I said through the door. I had a feeling she meant Warren and Jase. We’d been a bit of a rare foursome since I came to Woodland Creek, though Warren was more absent than usual on our friendly jaunts due to his own classes and work. I popped my head out of the bathroom to say something, but she was ignoring me.
“Mascara, mascara, mascara.” She chased me back in like an annoying bird.
“Okay, sheesh.” Waving her away, I riffled in the drawer for some black lengthening mascara.
“Do you ever say anything besides short answers?”
“I do.” Reagan shook her head and mumbled to herself.
“I don’t know what he sees…” Leaving off the last bit, I shut the door and got dressed.
* * * * *
Vider’s Pub was packed for a Friday night, but it was also only one of two places in town to hang out. We’d driven over in Reagan’s car, a black Ford Focus, since mine was still at the garage being fixed. Seeing as how my budget was used for books this semester and I hadn’t gotten my scholarship funds yet for student teaching, I was waiting to repair the front end of my car. At least it had a new door that matched the rest of the green paint on the outside.
