by Tate James
"Why does he bow like I’m royalty or something?" I ask Mason, who picks up my hand, slowly linking our fingers as he watches our hands, his features lost in deep thought. We just stand there, holding hands like we've known each other for much longer than we have as he finally looks up into my eyes. My heart beats so fast as Mason stares at me like we are long lost lovers, like our souls recognise each other in a way neither of us can see nor understand.
"Hex only bows to me, Alex and Liam. That is it. I don't know who you are, Anastasia, but you are something special, for sure," he gently tells me, his words full of unspoken confusion and a little bit of something else I don't understand. Or maybe I don't want to understand. I know if I start falling for someone like Mason, the only person that is going to get hurt is me. A clearing of someone’s throat makes me jump away from Mason, dislodging our hands as I turn to see Alexander watching us, his arms crossed. He looks furious, and I'm starting to wonder if that is a normal look for him.
"Seems Miss Ana is winning everyone over today," he states. “Will she ever find someone who doesn’t like her in this house?” I roll my eyes at his overly sarcastic comment. He may not have said it, but I’m certain he meant he doesn’t like me.
"I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow, Mason," I say, watching them stare at each other, and I wonder if there is going to be an argument when I leave the room.
"Good night, Anastasia," Mason replies to me, but Alexander doesn't look my way as I walk down the stairs. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing, but I walk away quickly just in case.
11
There is more than one asshole with a crush in this room
Mason
I wait until I hear Anastasia's door shut before dealing with Alexander and his asshole behaviour. He sits down on the end of my bed like this is his fucking home, his arms crossed like I’m the one with the problem. Hex lies down, relaxing outside tonight to sleep. It's freezing out, but the outdoor heating makes the balcony just as warm as the inside. Hex will come inside if he wants to, but he is like me, we don’t mind the cold.
"Why are you being a dick to her?" I question him. I know Liam would let him get away with this new attitude, even towards Ana, but I won’t. Alex knows what it is like to be pulled from your entire life and dropped here. We all do. None of us chose this. Anastasia doesn’t need more stress in her first week, and we are her roommates. We should help her.
I wish Anastasia had come a few months ago and met Alex when he wasn't such a dickhead. Since the fire, Alex has spiralled, and most nights, I find him in his bed with one to two empty bottles of vodka on his floor. I want to help my friend, I've known Alex since we were kids, but I can't take away his guilt for him. Now he is focused on finishing this mission we all agreed to, and nothing will get in his way, even Anastasia. The thought of him doing anything to her makes me want to break anyone that tries to get close to her. Even my best mate. I've known her for all of five minutes, and yet there is some kind of bond between us I don't know how to shake. Hell, I'm in trouble here; I was from the moment I looked into her swirling aqua blue eyes.
"Why are you trying to fuck her? You know you can’t, right? She lives with us, it would be fucking complicated from the start," he replies to me, not exactly answering my question. I clench my hands into fists and look away from him. Alex is right, as usual, but there is just something about Anastasia. She is beautiful, there is no doubt about it, but she is so different than any girl I would usually go for. I usually like brunettes, for one thing, but since I became a familiar, dating anyone here wasn't worth the stress that comes with it. We are all so busy, and our familiars scare most people anyway. Why can't I stop thinking of her then? It's like she is stuck in my head. I look down at my glowing hand, remembering her mark, so much like ours. This mark decides our future, and we can't want different things from what we are destined to do. Anastasia just doesn't know it yet, and I don't want to be the one to tell her what having a familiar like Shadow means in this world.
"I'm not trying to fuck her. I’m just trying get to know her and let her fit into this world with a friend at her side," I finally reply to him, and from the smirk on his face, I know he doesn't believe me. That was my intention when I walked to her room. I don’t have a clue what my intentions are since she opened the door.
"Yeah, and I can fly in the sky like a fucking pigeon and escape here. Let’s not lie to each other, Mason," he sourly replies. "I want to just make sure things are clear between us all. I've spoken with Liam, and he likes her, he isn't hiding it like you are trying to. We are only here for one reason, and our mission cannot be disrupted by her."
"She might be the key to the mission for all we know. Shadow is an ancient for sure," I muse. Alex wants this mission over as much as I do. Liam isn’t fussed either way, but he will help us because he is like a brother.
"But not the one we want. We wait," Alex warns. “We have spent three years here. Three fucking years wasted if she messes this all up.”
"The prophecy said Shadow and Dawn would arrive together. I know we need to find Dawn, but I have a feeling Anastasia is the key to all this," I reply. “Don’t you think it’s strange how they never spoke of her? How they never asked us to watch out?”
"I don't think it’s strange, and frankly, I don’t give a damn about any of it. So, we keep away and do our job," he says, slamming his hands on his knees and looking like he wants to kill me if I disagree with him.
"You're not the boss, Alex," I remind him, and he stands up, crossing his arms.
"Neither are you, but I know our boss wouldn't want us to get involved with her," he says, lowering his tone a little from the anger-filled voice before. “You know if we screw this mission up, we both lose someone we care about. I can’t risk—”
"What if they send another team to investigate her?" I ask, cutting him off because I get it. I don’t need a reminder of the cost of failing this mission. It’s all I have thought of for years, but I want to avoid bringing up the subject of staying away from Anastasia any longer with Alex. He might not think she has anything to do with why we are here, but there is something about her. It's why Alex is so pissed off. He senses it too, but the stubborn bastard would never admit that. It's always been about work with him, about training and everything in-between that.
"They might do. We stay out of their way if they do. There have been a few missing familiars recently, and she would just be another one," he shrugs like Ana being taken isn’t a big deal.
"You're a right bastard at times. You'd let a team take her, likely hurt her and Shadow, to find out what she is hiding," I growl out.
"You know as well as I do that ancients are only given to familiars with a pure blood line. Anastasia is hiding something, and I am going to find out what, but it would be easier if someone else did," he says, glowering at me.
"Easier to look away you mean," I rephrase his sentence.
"Fuck off, Mason. When you finally get off that high horse of yours, it’s going to be a big fall to the ground," he retorts.
"Get out if you're going to be a dick, and while you’re at it, stay away from Anastasia. I'm going to find out what we can by simply asking, and then protect her because I can see in her eyes that this isn’t her fault. She doesn’t know shit about this world. You can do whatever the fuck you like, as usual," I say, and he smirks at me before walking out of the room. Asshole. Alex stops at the top of the stairs and looks back at me.
"We need Dawn, that is who is important here. Remember what our families trained us for. I don't have to remind you that none of us will see our family again if we fail here. Dawn is our future, and Shadow is a risk...so is Anastasia, no matter what she makes you feel." With that, he walks down the stairs, and I go to sit on the end of the bed. I put my head in my hands and rub my hair for a moment before looking at the friendship band on my wrist. This mission has just gotten a whole lot trickier.
12
Dreams can’t be real…right?
/> Anastasia
I stand still, feeling I am frozen in the middle of what I can only describe as a war zone. Familiars are fighting, throwing each other around with waves of different coloured energy, with their animals at their side. I can't focus on anyone’s face, they are just all blurs of colour and fur. A clear path appears right in front of me, showing me Shadow crouching low, growling loudly enough to make my ears hurt. A version of me is riding his back, almost hidden in his dark fur. My hair is long, flowing behind me in the wind, and I very slowly follow the direction they are looking to see a white wolf, the same size as Shadow opposite them. The wolf is crouched low, looking ready to fight as much as Shadow does. Just as I look up to see who’s on the back of the white wolf, the world fades, and the last thing I hear is a heartbreaking, familiar scream.
I slam my hand on the alarm on the side of my bed, feeling around for the snooze button on top before finally finding it to stop the noise. I have to lie still for a moment, replaying the dream over and over in my mind. That wolf looked like the opposite of Shadow, and yet I felt nothing but pain and fear from the white wolf and the whole dream. I wish I could’ve seen who was riding the wolf. I know it was just a dream, but the feeling of being scared stays with me, haunts me almost. I’ve never had a dream that vivid before.
My whole body aches as I sit up, catching a glance of my messy hair and bags under my eyes in the mirror across the room. I'm super glad I set the alarm half an hour earlier than we leave so I can get ready. I rush around the room, brushing my hair and putting it up in a ponytail before pulling on leggings and my only long sleeve red top then sliding on my shoes. I quickly freshen up in the bathroom before leaving my room. I try to keep the hostile feeling I got from Alex last night out of mind, but it still makes me a little nervous. Let's hope I get to Liam first and can learn to avoid Alex like the plague.
I walk down the stairs to see Shadow at the bottom, waiting for me. His head tilts a little to the side when I get close, and I reach to stroke him, only pausing to switch hands when I realise using my other hand makes that glow happen. I think back to my dreams and the way the familiars were using energy which was lit up in different colours. Could I learn to do that?
"Morning, Ana," Liam says, reaching over Shadow to hand me a cup of what smells like tea and a breakfast bar. I happily accept as Shadow steps back, sitting down and watching us curiously. I glance over to see Silver coming out the kitchen before staying near Liam. I think it's going to be a long time before I get used to seeing giant animals all around. "Did you sleep well?" Liam asks me as I sip the hot tea, which makes the morning seem better with every sip.
"Sort of, weird dreams. I think it's just all the change," I explain. "Thank you for giving me such a good room."
"You will settle in soon, and no worries. Have you got a coat?" he asks me after I finish eating the breakfast bar. I don’t want to ask if there is any fruit after he explained they do a food shop today.
"No, it was missing from my bag. I might have forgotten to pack it," I admit, which would be strange because I clearly remember packing my coat before I left the house. There isn't much I can do about it now though.
"One sec," he says, holding up a finger before walking off. I drink the rest of my cup while I wait for him to come back. When Liam returns, he hands me a dark blue woven jumper with a zip down the middle. "I bought it, and it was too small. I know it's going to be big on you, but it's better than nothing. Do you have boots? We are expecting snow this weekend."
"Nope, but thank you so much for this. I will go shopping soon though. I just have to figure out how to get there," I say.
"Tomorrow, I have a half day off. Usually, I help Mason out, but I'm sure he won't mind if I take you out shopping for the day," he suggests.
"Are you sure? I don't want to ruin your half day off," I reply. I don’t like how Liam is changing things for me, and it makes me feel like I owe him a dozen cookies. I guess I’m just way too used to knowing where I am and looking after myself to accept help with no catch.
"I'm sure. I can't have you getting sick, because I don't know how to look after sick people. This is best for all of us," he says, winking at me as he takes my empty cup and wrapper before he walks off to the kitchen. I pull the jumper on and do it up. It falls to my knees, and it's a little loose around the shoulders, but it's comfy and I like it. Shadow sniffs my jumper and huffs, sitting back. Liam comes back a few moments later with keys in his hand and a coat on. "Ready?"
"Yep," I reply, following him out of the cabin with Shadow and Silver following behind us. We walk out of the cabin and to the side, where there are two Jeeps and a space where there must have been another one. It's freezing this early out, and I'm instantly shivering. My feet are the coldest though. I need to get boots and thick socks for sure. I look around to keep myself busy. I'm guessing the empty space is Alex's. Alex must have left early for whatever he does for work. It makes me wonder what they all do for work, while I’m thinking on it. We slide into the middle Jeep, and Liam blasts the heating on, which only comes out a little cool as we wait for it warm up. I glance out the car at Silver and Shadow, who run off into the forest next to each other’s sides.
"Are they going to be okay?" I ask, curious about whether they will start fighting over hunting or something. I look up through the car window as Hex flies through the trees after them. They almost seem like a pack, hunting together.
"They will stick close, always one call away, but they like to do their own thing. Silver usually digs holes, hunts and sometimes brings me shiny stones she finds as gifts," he tells me.
"That's really cute. Do you keep them?" I ask.
"Of course, they are gifts, and she is proud of them. Also, I worry she will bring home dead animals if I don’t love her first gift idea. I will show you them later," he says, and we both chuckle a little. There is something about Liam that is sweet in his nature, yet there is still this protective side to him. I feel like it’s a coin toss with him over which side he wants to show me.
"What do you guys do for work? You and Alex?" I ask Liam. “Mason is the builder. He explained that one.”
"We work together on rebuilding the burnt cabins. At the moment, we are just cleaning up though, and when Mason is done, we will start the actual build with our team," he tells me.
"Do you have training in building then?" I ask, curious about his human life before coming here.
"Yeah, when we first got here, an older familiar took us under his wing and taught us all we know. The fire killed him," Liam says, squeezing the wheel tightly as he speeds down the driveway.
"I'm sorry," I whisper.
"You didn’t know, so don’t worry. Alex took it the worst. He wasn't always this, well, this much of an asshole," he says, trying to explain his friend’s behaviour.
"What happened?" I ask quietly.
"Alex was the one trying to put out the fire and save people on the one side we couldn’t get to. His animal made a hole under the fire to the other side, and Alex crawled through it after him. We were all on the opposite side, doing our best to help people. Alex made the decision to save two little girls rather than going to save our mentor," he explains to me.
"Surely that was the right thing to do?" I ask. “He’s a hero.”
"Alex can't get over how he couldn't save them all. He never forgives himself for any failure, he never has," Liam explains to me, which actually makes a little sense.
"So that is why he is angry with me?" I ask.
"Yes, but it's not at you, I don't think. He worries that living with a beautiful girl will cause us all to fall out and fight over you," he tells me. “That would make Alex feel like he failed in some kind of way.”
"What if I don't want to be fought over? What if I'm not interested in any relationship?" I ask, curious. Just because I’m a girl and blonde, it doesn’t mean I want to sleep with the first hot guy and make them all argue between themselves.
"Then I will make you my best frien
d and friend zone myself. I can deal with that," he says, flashing me a cheeky grin which makes me smile. "Anyway, will you let me take you out for dinner at the end of our shopping date tomorrow?"
"It's a date now?" I ask, somewhat loving his cheeky attitude. You can’t help but smile until he makes you laugh.
"Yep," he grins.
"After our shopping 'trip', we can go out for a meal. That would be nice," I admit, biting down on my lip as I look back out the window. I feel Liam's eyes on me every so often as we drive in silence, but I keep my eyes on where we are driving, trying to take it all in. We come out of the row of cabins, past more trees and the shopping area before taking a sharp left at the sign saying Infirmary This Way.
The infirmary comes into view at the end of the short road, and I see the bright flowers hanging outside first. The building is painted white wood with a small roof and white trim around glass windows. The double doors are open, and a woman is stood in the middle of them, waving at us. She has red hair up in a messy bun, glasses resting on her nose. She is wearing a lab coat and black trousers. I find myself staring at her for a little while as Liam pulls the car up right outside.
"Have a good day, and don't look so worried. Estelle is the nicest familiar in the empire," he tells me, reaching over and squeezing my hand for a moment.
