by Auryn Hadley
Here I was, having dinner with the kind of guy that wars were started over. Ok, maybe it was only women's beauty that got blamed for such things. I honestly couldn't remember, not with his incredible arms flexing as he drained the water from the pasta. And he cooked! The only thing better would be if he painted too. Holy crap, this guy was just amazing, and if I wasn't careful, I would definitely screw this up.
"So," Nick said, dragging my focus away from his muscles and back to the present. "Big choice of the evening. That massive table in the dining room or do you want to eat in the library?"
"Y'all have a library?" No fucking way.
"Yeah. It's a bit sparse, but technically it counts."
"You sold me with library," I admitted. "I'm such a nerd."
"I have a weakness for nerds. Besides, it's a bit less ostentatious. Follow me."
He grabbed two plates, both heaped full, and led me through an archway into a dimly lit room. It was the curved space at the front corner of the house. Made up almost entirely of windows, every open section of wall was lined in shelves. Only a few held books, a light coating of dust indicating that this room might be used less than the others. A small table was set in the corner, covered with a cloth. A bottle of soda and two glasses waited on top. Oddly, that was the touch that made my evening feel real: not wine, but soda.
"How'd you know I'd pick the library?"
Nick laughed and set the plates down. "I took a guess." He waited for me to claim a chair then slipped into the opposite seat. "Truth be told, I was hoping. This is the only room that isn't right off the main hall, and the guys don't need much of an excuse to give me hell."
"What, don't like your roomies?"
"Nah." He dismissed that by digging into his meal. "They're good. I just don't usually invite over beautiful women."
I couldn't help it. My brain and my mouth had short-circuited sometime earlier from nerves, and I still hadn't gotten around to fixing it. "Why not?"
He shoved a forkful of noodles into his face to delay his answer. Those dark eyes sparkled mischievously. "Earth girls aren't usually my type."
I nearly choked with laughter. "Oh, I see. So you are an alien. That's what's wrong with you. Guess you have a fetish for green-skinned girls, huh?"
Nick shrugged and reached for his glass. "That gonna bother you?" His tone was just a bit too serious. This guy had to think I was a complete nutcase. Granted, I hadn't exactly given the best impression so far.
"Nope. I figure anyone who's as hot as you had to be hiding something." Stupid mouth. Stupid, stupid mouth!
Thankfully, Nick didn't seem to mind, not from the smile on his face. "Everyone's hiding something, aren't they? Nah, the truth is that I'm just not good at the whole casual thing most people are into."
I nodded, trying to keep the panic from showing. I was in the process of crashing and burning so hard. "Yeah, I kinda get that impression from you."
He grabbed a piece of garlic bread and bit into it, looking completely unconcerned. He was either a saint, desperate, or a really good actor. "Well, now that you know mine, what's your big secret?" he asked.
Make or break time, right? Hopefully, he wouldn't run away screaming before we'd even finished eating. My big secret wasn't something I typically broke out on the first date, but he'd offered up something, so I wanted to do the same.
"I was a local media sensation as a kid."
"Yeah? Why?"
I took a long drink, the bubbles tickling my nose, but my mouth had gone dry. "Um, about nineteen years ago now, this kid was just abandoned at a fire station. No one knew her name, no records to track, nothing. Well, that was me. Seems I was just dumped off in the middle of No-where's-ville, Oklahoma, when I was five."
"That sucks," Nick said. "So you do the foster system and all that crap?"
"Yeah. Even got the fake birthday to go with my lack of identity. They said I was addicted to something, but I don't remember any of that. Literally no memories of anything from before I showed up at that fire station." I shrugged, trying to keep it casual. "Kinda made me into a local pariah."
"How so?" Thankfully, he wasn't running away screaming. Not yet, at least. Or maybe I was more worried about my past than he was.
"It was all over the news, and you know how kids are. Their parents weren't really any better. Every big anniversary of it, they ran it again, making sure my life was hell. Nothing like having the whole town think of you as some kind of pity case to give a girl a confidence boost, you know?" Spaghetti into mouth. Can't talk with my mouth full. No need to come across as damaged goods right up front.
"You ever find out what happened?" He seemed honestly interested.
"Nope. The trail was dead before they started looking, and I couldn't tell them a single thing, not even my name. CPS used my crazy blood tests to get legal custody, and I spent like a month in the hospital getting off whatever I'd been hooked on. They said it wasn't the usual stuff, so I dunno, maybe some junkies were feeding me designer drugs to test them or something. Never played with drugs because of it."
"Smart call." He smiled. "That shit will mess you up, dove. It's basically my area of expertise."
"Drugs?"
"No. Well, yes. I mean the whole chemistry thing and what can kill you." He leaned back, watching me. "I have a fascination with the death of the human body, which is why I got into the sciences. That's my big secret. I want to understand what it is that draws the line between life and death. Science has a big hole in the understanding of it all."
"So you're aiming to do research?"
"Maybe. You don't think that's weird?"
I shrugged. "Not really. I guess no more than you think me being a changeling is weird."
His eyebrows raised. "Not a word you hear often. You read fantasy too, huh?"
"A bit. Maybe a lot." Ok, so this was going better than I'd expected. All the rough stuff was out there and we'd moved on to books. Nice. "It goes with the whole 'my parents didn't want me' thing. I was sure I was a fairy princess for a while."
Nick laughed. "No way. Fairies are evil nasty things. Well, they used to be."
"Oh?"
He paused, his body tensing slightly. "You know, Brothers Grimm. Disney made them all happy and fluffy with butterfly wings. In folklore, they're nasty and conniving with bad attitudes, and that sounds nothing like you."
"Yeah, I grew up sitting behind a TV, watching the cartoons. Always liked Tinkerbell best, though. So, you read, too?"
"Voraciously."
We finished dinner over a discussion of books. Nick really was well read. He'd devoured the classics, from Jane Eyre to Dracula, and was more than happy to brag about his virtual library. That was his excuse for the bare shelves – the ease of digital books – claiming he only bought hard copies of the ones he liked. Considering there were at least fifty books in the room, he seemed to like a lot.
After dinner, we moved into the parlor, textbooks in hand, and sat much too close. He started at the beginning, making sure I understood everything about calculus from the strange symbols to the reason behind the formulas. Slowly, very slowly, it all started to sink in. The way he phrased it turned the complicated ideas into bite-sized pieces, but sitting so close kept me a little distracted.
Later in the evening, Luke made another appearance, dropping a bottle of beer at Nick's elbow, but this time he said nothing. I wasn't going to complain either. He reminded me of one of those serial killers. The kind people said was so nice and normal before he got caught, but they knew there was something off about him. Well, I was sure Luke was off in a big way. Something about that man was just not quite safe.
When my mind finally wrapped around derivatives, I made the mistake of looking at my phone to check the time. "Oh my god, it's midnight!"
"Time flies when you're having fun," Nick pointed out.
"Yeah, but I have to get some sleep." I started shoving my things together before I could convince myself to stay any longer. "School night, you know. I
'm horrible without at least six hours and a pot of coffee."
"More tomorrow?" He looked at me, almost pleading.
I wanted to. Oh, how I did. Any excuse to spend time with Nick sounded like a good idea to me – even if that meant more math. Just one problem. "I can't."
"Got a hot date?"
"No, not unless you count a six-hour shift at Mac's." I leaned back and stretched, hearing my back pop. "Gotta pay the rent, you know."
"Yeah. You want a ride home?"
"It's two blocks, Nick. More trouble to get there with all the one-way streets. I'm fine." I pulled myself to my feet.
He stood like the perfect gentleman. "At least let me walk you?"
"That's sweet, but it's two blocks. Two heavily policed blocks with more lights along it than on campus." I reached up to pat his shoulder. Wow, those were some solid biceps.
Nick shoved his hands through his hair and nodded. "Ok. So we'll do this again? Maybe I can get you through the next chapter?"
"You do anything besides math?" I asked as we headed toward the front door, hoping he'd give up on the perfect gentleman routine just a bit.
He chuckled under his breath. "Yeah. Um. I'm sure. How about a real date next time? Dinner and a movie? Mini-golf? Wild and kinky sex?" He glanced up through his long, thick lashes. "Usually in that order, but I'm not going to complain if you decide to skip ahead."
"Oh!" I laughed, opening the door. "Not even a first kiss and you're already wanting to throw me into bed?" This was not an idea I wanted to discourage.
He followed me onto the porch, closing the door behind us. "That's a very loaded question." His voice grew soft and he stepped closer. His hard body was a little intimidating but oh so amazing. My hand reached up to his chest before my mind knew what was happening. "I'm going to see you again, Sienna," he promised.
"I am perfectly ok with that." The words came out in a breathy whisper.
I looked into his eyes, the street lights reflecting in them, and swore I was falling into a sea of stars. His black hair cascaded around his shoulders, just tickling the tips of my fingers, and he leaned closer – slowly, giving me plenty of time to escape, but that wasn't what I wanted. Nick was beautiful, smart, and sexy enough that I couldn't resist. There was nothing to run from, yet he seemed to expect me to.
Then our lips met. Softly, his mouth caressed mine, one hand sliding into the hair at the back of my neck. Gently, delicately, with the power of his body looming over me, he kissed me like I'd never been kissed before. He kissed me like I was desirable. Like he worshiped me. Like this kiss had been brewing for years, and I couldn't stop myself from pressing my entire body into him.
His hand slipped behind my back, tugging my hips even closer, but he didn't make a noise. I did. Tiny whimpers came out, begging for just a little more as my hands slid over his broad chest. My fingers tangled in his hair as they moved higher, but he didn't seem to care. Just as I caught his neck, a car drove past, laying on the horn. The whoop of some drunk brought reality crashing back. I was supposed to be leaving, not getting seduced.
Reluctantly, Nick pulled away. "Right," he said softly, that deep voice rumbling right down my spine. "Early morning."
"Yeah." My heart was pounding in my chest. If he'd invited me to his bed, I would have gone like a needy puppy, trotting along behind him without another thought. Thankfully, he didn't. Thankfully, he really was the gentleman I expected. Damn him.
"I'm off Wednesday."
"Good to know. I had fun, Sienna." He smiled and stepped back, releasing me. "I have never enjoyed calculus so much in my life. Good night."
How the hell did he make that into a compliment? I almost stepped back into him before reminding myself that I really did need to sleep before class. "Night!"
I turned and trotted down the stairs, refusing to look back. If I turned around, I would find a reason to stay just a bit longer. I knew it. Hell, Nick probably knew it. Unfortunately, my classes wouldn't pass themselves, and good grades mattered a whole lot more when it was your own hard-earned money paying for the tuition.
The street lights sparkled on the puddles as I made my way home, feeling as if my feet didn't touch the ground. I didn't skip, but I may have spun and giggled a few times once I was out of sight. Flashes of lightning in the distance proved the storms weren't done, but it wouldn't matter if I got soaked now.
Like expected, I made it to my little shanty just fine. Unlocking the door, I stepped inside, flicking on the light. Tired old furniture in patterns that clashed met my eyes. All of it had been bought second hand, and none of it was elegant like the stuff at Nick's. I tossed my backpack into the closest chair and staggered toward my room to get ready for the morning.
Getting to sleep was going to be impossible. I felt like I'd just won the lottery. Nick Voland, the sexiest man I'd met since Death, wanted to see me again, and he seemed to be pretty damned real. And smart. And amazing. Which meant it was about time for things to start going really wrong, because nothing good happened to me without ten times more crap following right on its heels.
But for tonight, I was going to enjoy this while it lasted. Heading up the hall, I traced the edge of one of my paintings of Death. "I think you have competition, buddy."
Chapter 7
After my face was washed and my teeth were brushed, I made my way into the kitchen to set up my fix for the morning. Without thinking about it, I used one hand to move the carafe to the sink. The other opened the cabinet and pulled down the plastic tub of grounds. It was too light.
Snarling a string of curses under my breath, I popped open the top to find nothing but coffee dust. Not even a whole scoop left to kick-start my morning. The problem was I would never make it through the day without it. Considering it was already after midnight? I only had one real option. Thank goodness the corner store was open all night, otherwise tomorrow would be hell.
With a groan, I turned my ass around and headed for the door. My keys were on my desk. I had a pair of Crocs that would be good enough for a late night run to the store, and I was certainly not going to fix my hair for this. I wouldn't be gone long enough to worry about it. And from the way the sky was flashing through the window, I'd definitely end up soaked before I made it back.
Thankfully, my antique little car started easily. That was a miracle in itself. The corner store wasn't far, no more than a ten-minute drive, but it was too far to walk. Especially in the rain.
As if my thought invited it, the first fat drop splattered in the middle of the windshield. The second came shortly after. Before I even reached the end of the block, it was coming down hard. Visibility was next to nothing, so I slowed down and leaned forward, peering through the window like some grandma out for a Sunday drive. The sound of the wipers flailing frantically was like a metronome that my heartbeat tried to match.
I hated driving in weather like this. Ok, I pretty much hated driving in general, but this flat out sucked. On both sides, student cars lined up like barriers. The water was coming down so fast it was flooding the street, sending out a spray from either side of my vehicle. Thankfully, the amber lights along the road kept me centered, and the stoplight at the end of the block made it impossible to miss the intersection. Granted, it wasn't like there was any traffic around to worry about. Any sane person was inside right about now.
By the time I reached it, the light was red. I honestly didn't mind stopping. Hell, I'd barely gotten over ten miles per hour, but when I wasn't moving, the rain didn't seem as bad. It gave me a chance to catch my breath. Out of habit, I looked at the cross-street's light, waiting for it to turn yellow so I'd know when I had to put my car back into gear. It wasn't like I was going to sit here with my foot on the clutch the whole time.
When the light finally turned green, I eased forward slowly, overly aware of the mini-current of water my poor little car had to traverse to make a left turn. Halfway around the corner, movement caught my eye. I looked to my left just in time to realize that in the middle of
the downpour, there was something else. Something moving fast – and right at me.
Something dark.
A terrible squeal made my eardrums hurt. I had just enough time to brace before the impact rocked the car. Glass shattered. Metal cried out. I screamed, feeling my entire world wrenched sideways – and then it just stopped.
I tried to breathe, tried to move, tried to do something, but blackness took over.
I knew nothing else until cold hands touched my face. Slowly, I cracked my eyes open. Everything hurt. I'd been in a wreck. My car was probably totaled, but I needed to get out, or call someone, or do something, but I just couldn't. My body felt too tired. Weak. My mind couldn't focus on anything except how much I wanted to just sleep.
I opened my eyes again and saw him. Dark cloth covered everything, but there was no mistaking Death. He still didn't have a sickle, but the hood, the moonlit hand touching my cheek? It was him. Slowly, my eyes looked down, resting on crumpled metal and plastic. The door was crushed and folded around me. I was halfway into the passenger seat, but my body wasn't moving. I needed a nap.
"No," Death breathed. "Look at me."
I shook my head. At least I tried. Nothing really happened, but I knew I didn't want to look at him. This was not how we were supposed to meet again!
"I won't let you go. Just stay with me, Sia. You just have to help me a little."
Sia. Only one person had ever called me Sia. "Nick?" I asked, my lips not moving.
"Don't think about it. Don't fight me." His voice was gentle.
Someone poked his face over Death's shoulder. I couldn't quite see him, but his voice was strangely clear when he asked, "What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm not taking her soul!"
