by L. A. Boruff
Nova don’t know how long they sat there, but soon Paul untangled himself from her and stood. He held his hand out to her and she took it. “We should see if the coast is clear now.”
“I agree.” It’d been too quiet for her liking.
When they walked out of the space, the destruction took her breath away. Shards of glass were embedded in the large display screens. Some of the seats had come loose from their moorings and were tilted sideways. Papers and bags left behind were strewn about. Outside, the damage was much worse. Trees were uprooted. Tables were overturned and broken. There were a few students sitting on the wet grass being tended to by campus security and nurses while others walked around a bit shell shocked. She didn't blame them. No one gets used to a tornado, not even her.
“I should walk you back to your dorm,” Paul said. “Before another storm rolls through.”
“Thank you,” she replied. “I’d appreciate that.”
They walked together through the campus, the destruction becoming less and less noticeable. “So weird right?” Paul glanced down at her. “It only touched our area of the school.”
“I've been through quite a few of these things, but I don't ever think I've ever seen fireballs in the sky. The ground's not even cut up where the tornado came through. I can't explain it.”
Paul frowned. “Yeah, neither can I.”
When they arrived at her dorm, he handed her a slip of paper. She opened it up and found a phone number there. Nova cocked a brow. “Are you a Boy Scout? Because you’re awfully prepared.”
He laughed, scrubbing the back of his head. “If you need anything, call me.”
“Thank you.” She gave him a small wave as she started up the stairs into her building. For it being her first day of school, she wondered what else could happen, then admonished herself for being so stupid. The tornado was bad enough, they didn’t anything else. Well, at least you made a new friend. Yeah, a hot, friend to boot, too.
Chapter Two
Nova didn’t have class for the rest of the week. Newspapers and media called the storm a freak microburst, but no one could explain the red lightning or the fire streaking through the sky. Some whackos called it the beginning of the end times. She was sure her father would say the same. It fit his teachings, anyway. She didn’t know what to think. The storm had come on pretty hard and fast, maybe with all the confusion and hysterics, she thought she saw a ball of flame, but it was a power line or transformers.
But those arch blue... Nova brushed the thought aside. If no one in the media or weather thought anything of it, she shouldn’t either. Leave it to the conspiracy theorist people to decide. They were better at fabricating stories than she was. She’d already been stuck down that hole for more of her life than she willingly wanted to be, she wouldn’t go back to it now.
Nova stepped into her Biblical Studies class, yes, a bit ironic, even for her, but it went along with the archeology and astronomy class she’d taken and would help her achieve her goal in the long run. In order to learn from humanities past mistakes, society had to learn everything and not repeat them again. This class, she hoped, would show the pitfalls of humanity in trying to force people to conform to certain mandates.
Unlike the amphitheater, this class was smaller. More intimate. Add to the fact it was at night, and she was grateful for the smaller class size. She sat near the front and retrieved her book and note pad from her bag. The professor stood with his back to her, writing on the whiteboard. He wore a suit, more specifically, a fitted suit. It hugged his body in some of the most obscene ways. She traced the way the fabric hugged his firm butt with her gaze then over his trim waist. The bulging muscles of his biceps tested the thread holding the sleeves of his white shirt together.
She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth as she sat there, observing the man who paid her no mind. What the heck was wrong with her? Twice now she'd ogled men she had no business looking at, let alone devouring their bodies with her eyes. They were human beings like her and deserved more respect than some hormonal eye-banging.
“Nova,” Paul announced, slipping into the seat beside her, causing her to jump. “Who’d have thought?”
“Paul,” she replied, trying to regain her composure. “Surprised?”
“Not in the least.” He grinned darting his gaze between her and the professor. “Have you met my friends Ryan and Michael?” He pointed to the two guys who sat beside him.
Ryan nodded. Like the professor, he wore a button-down shirt and dress slacks. The top three buttons were open exposing his tanned skin and tattoos. Must have been a thing for them. He slicked his black hair back and the sides were shaved. He also had piercing green eyes. Almost too bright to be natural.
“You have interesting friends,” she said, unable to look away from Ryan.
“Comes with the territory,” Ryan stated.
Michael gave her a droll stare. She couldn’t properly describe him besides the fact he seemed to like the color black. He’d been covered in it from head to toe, including the use of black eyeliner. He also wore a thick, black leather collar around his neck. She’d been sure it was all done for intimidation. All in all, it didn’t distract from his good looks. In fact, staring at all three of them, she wondered if perhaps she fell into some alternate-dimension.
“Okay,” she said. “It’s good to meet both of you.”
“Aren’t you a talkative one,” the teacher said facing them.
She gapped at him. Her cheeks filled with heat. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t—”
The professor grinned. “I’m teasing. You must be Nova Blom?”
She nodded. “How did you know?”
“Paul greeted you when he entered the classroom. I put two and two together from there.” He came around the front of his desk then leaned against it, crossing his massive arms over his chest.
“Duh.” A weak chuckle passed her lips as she stared up into the professor’s eyes. They were black—obsidian with flecks of red. That’s impossible Nova. No one has red in their eyes.
“I’m Professor King,” he stated. “Punctuality is appreciated.”
She couldn't take her eyes off him. From the way his shirt molded his torso, to the easy way he slouched against the desk, as though he didn't have a care in the world, everything about the man exuded power, strength, and authority. Nova glanced up at his eyes once more, reassuring herself she hadn't seen the flecks of red there, that it'd been a trick of the lighting or worse, lingering effects from the storm.
Professor King arched a brow and the corner of his mouth pulled upward. Had he heard her thoughts? Snap out of it, Nova. Now you’re being paranoid. Or worse, she was suffering from some kind of psychological breakdown. It wouldn’t surprise her after all she’d been through in her life. Finally breaking free from her father might come with consequences like this—paranoia and delusional thoughts.
Instead of dwelling on her wayward imagination, she retrieved her Bible from her bag and opened the textbook for the class to chapter one. Since the storm, she’d made sure to get ahead in a few of her classes. She’d highlighted sections she had questions about while also leaving sticky tabs where she’d found interesting information.
Paul leaned in and whistled. “Wow, you’re really a bookworm, aren’t you?”
Heat filled her cheeks. “I guess.” She shrugged. “What else was I supposed to do while the campus was being cleaned up.”
“Get laid,” Michael mumbled.
She snorted. “Not my thing.” Yet, the longer Paul held her gaze, the more she wondered what it would be like to just, ‘get laid.’
“Not your thing?” Ryan sat forward. “Are you a prude? Saving yourself for marriage?”
Paul narrowed his eyes, cutting his gaze at Ryan. “Shut up.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “She young. Attractive in a plain way. She should be getting some kind of action.”
The heat filling her cheeks intensified. Guilt was a fickle creature. She’d tried to ha
ve sex before, but it wasn’t out of pleasure or out of some kind of intense lust she couldn't ignore. She and Drew tried it. She'd repressed the memory so far deep into the recesses of her mind, she had no desire to even remember the awkward fumblings of two people who had no clue what they were doing.
It’s been the second time Drew had returned from conversion camp and three days before they’d come up with their plan to escape. Drew knew if he didn’t “fix” himself, his father would likely kill him. The thing about the area where Nova and Drew grew up, no one in the ‘outside world,’ bothered with them. They were kind of like those Fundamentalists LDS groups in Utah and Arizona. They had their own set of law enforcement and schools and the only time they went out of the compound was when they went to the bank or grocery shopping. So, Drew’s father killing him because he’d been born gay, hadn’t been out of the normal for her father’s group.
She swallowed hard as images from that afternoon rolled through her mind. Drew’s tear stained cheeks were seared into her memory. The way his breath hitched when he asked her to be his first. The way his lips pressed hers and it felt all wrong. There wasn’t a spark. No heat. It was like kissing her brother—if she had one. But, she didn’t stop either. Neither one of them could stand the idea Drew’s life might be snuffed out because of who he found attractive.
Together, they took off their clothes and for the first time, she’d bared witness to the torture he’d endured. Burn marks, he explained later, were from electrodes they’d attached to his body while showing him two men kissing. The minute his heart rate increased, they’d zap him then show him a photo of a heterosexual couple embracing. There were also bruises and cuts that marred his tanned skin.
He was also soft.
Drew massaged himself while she undressed. His gaze stayed on her breasts, only lowering to the apex of her thighs when she’d been fully naked. The tears fell freely once more as he sobbed. He gagged, dry heaving as he stumbled away from her. His soft plea of, I can’t do this, would haunt her forever.
Nova realized she wasn't to blame for his non-attraction to her. She'd been willing to help him in any way possible because she didn't want to see her friend killed. When they were redressed, she held him as they cried together. In those fleeting moments she’d promised herself she’d do anything to protect him and she had.
“Hey, Nova?” Paul appeared in front of her. “You okay?” He ran his thumb over her cheek and frowned. “Do you want me to kick Ryan’s ass for you?”
Dang it. She swiped away her tears and shook her head. “Sorry, got lost in a bad memory is all.”
Professor King stared down at her with a mix of anger and sorrow etched into his gorgeous features. “I don’t like lies, Miss Blom. Please remember that for the rest of the semester.”
She winced. “I understand.” Again, it was as if he had some preternatural way of reading her mind. Like, he’d seen her memories and knew why she’d been crying as she had. Stupid, you swore you’d never think about it again and here you are, blubbering like a fool.
“Ryan,” Professor King stated. “Apologize to the lady.”
“I’m sorry for offending you, Nova,” Ryan muttered.
“Honest,” Nova whispered. “Nothing you said or anything any of you have done would upset me.”
“Couldn’t prove it by me,” Michael grumbled.
“That’s enough,” the professor said.
“Anyway, would you like to hang with us some time?” Paul gave her a small reassuring grin. “Grab a drink or whatever?”
She licked her bottom lip. “Well, I... Would you believe me if I said I’ve never gone out, with, you know, guys?”
Paul exchanged some kind of look with Ryan, almost as if they could have a silent conversation. “Uh...”
“My father was pretty strict. He didn’t let me do anything when I was living in his home.”
“Ah, one of those,” Ryan groused. “Then you’re in for a treat if you come with us.”
She glanced between all three guys and nibbled on her bottom lip. Go out for drinks? With them? Each of them intimidated the hell out of her. Altogether, they were daunting. “Sure.” The answer slipped off of her tongue. “Why not?” Did I really agree to this?
Paul glanced down at her one more time and whatever he was about to say, had been interrupted by the remaining students entering the room. A guy about her height curled his lip as his gaze met hers. He sat three rows behind her and had an air of superiority about him.
He grunted something under his breath as he tossed his bag beneath the desk and scraped his chair across the floor. Nova grimaced at the sound. The guy sure did know how to make an awful first impression.
He wore a large hoodie with the hood up, cloaking his features in shadows. The pants he wore were also three sizes too big, or maybe they were the style, she didn't know. His presence in the room dropped the temperature at least ten degrees with his abrasive ways. Tension radiated from Professor King. His shoulders were tight. The muscle in his jaw twitched. He returned to his position behind his desk and began to write again on the whiteboard.
She glanced at Paul then Ryan and Michael. All three of them were on edge. She'd seen looks like the one's creeping across each of the guys' faces. Usually, it meant something bad was about to happen. Or someone had done something they shouldn't have. She'd seen that look on her father's face before Drew was sent away the first time. She'd seen it again before one of the girls was whipped for having pre-marital sex with a random boy within their compound, not the boy she'd been promised to by her father.
Who is this guy?
“If we’re all here now,” Professor King said. “Let’s begin.”
The class went by at a clipped pace. Whatever tension had been there when the guy in the hoodie showed up, slowly dissipated by the time Professor King dismissed them. Nova gathered her things then stood, waiting for the others to leave the class before she did.
“You waited for us, didn’t you?” Paul came up beside her. “Admit it.”
“Um,” she answered. “I had a question for you.”
“Shoot,” he said. “I’ll answer it.”
“What’s your deal with that guy?”
“Which one?” Paul slung her backpack over his shoulder.
“The guy wearing the hoodie. I swore it got icy in the room when he entered and then as quickly as it was there, it vanished.”
Michael frowned. “He had a bad vibe.”
“Yeah,” she replied. “I felt it.”
Ryan’s attention snapped to me. “You could feel it?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Like slime. It was constrictive. It made me anxious.” She rubbed her arm. At the moment, she couldn't admit how he affected her and them. The encounter was weird and like before it'd only happened when she'd been around her father and his counsel.
“Interesting,” Paul said. “How about we walk you home.”
“I’d like that.” They exited Williams Tower together and headed back toward her dorm. “Hey, speaking of weird things...” Since they were talking about their experiences, she’d also noticed little things about the school she couldn’t explain. “Do you feel like there are people or beings or something around you at all times when you’re in this area? Like... This is going to sound crazy—”
“Spit it out,” Ryan muttered.
“Like you’re being watched?” She glanced over her shoulder and lowered her voice. “I swear the shadows watch us.”
Paul leaned in and chuckled. “That’s because they do.”
“How much do you know about the other—paranormal population?” Michael came up beside her and handed her a length of chain he’d attached to the collar around his neck at some point.
The cool steel grounded her. She rubbed her thumb across it and pushed back the questions swirling through her mind about him and instead focused on what he’d asked her. “Pretty much everything is real. Shifters, vampires, fae—good and bad. Why?”
“What if
we told you demons exist?” Paul hedged.
“I’d believe you,” she said with a small shrug.
“What you feel are shadow demons,” Ryan stated. “They’re only at school at night. They usually stick to the area outside Williams Tower since that’s where a majority of their classes are. If you were a paranormal being, you’d see them too.”
She let out a breath of relief. “Now it makes sense. But, how did I know they were there without seeing them?”
“Good question,” Paul said. “Maybe you’re sensitive. We could ask one of the professors if you’d like.”
Did she want to know? Could it be why she liked everyone? Or why she decided to attend TSU because deep down she knew it was where she belonged? “I’d like that.”
“There are a few who could help you,” Paul added. “Professor King or Professor Cortez are a few.”
“Professor Cortez has a cousin here, she’s in the dorms with you, I think,” Michael said. “Her name is, Venus.”
“Venus? That’s a cool name,” she said absently.
“We like yours better,” Paul murmured.
Heat filled her cheeks. “Thanks. I like all three of yours too.” Then chided herself for being so stupid.
When they arrived at her dorm, she almost didn’t want to leave them. In the little bit of time she’d spent with Paul, Ryan, and Michael, she’d felt like she was building a connection between them. They were all nice, albeit a little strange and they liked her as well. They were nothing like the men and people in her father’s compound. They were a breath of fresh air.
“Well, I guess I should go now.” Nova handed Michael his chain back then watched in fascination as he gave it to Ryan. “Thank you for walking me home.”
“Not a problem.” Paul handed Nova her backpack. “Sleep well.”
“Thanks, you too.” She started up the stairs to the doors. “See you tomorrow.” With a final wave, she entered her dorm and started for her room.
What an interesting day.
“Stupid class. Stupid professor. Doesn’t he know who I am?” He threw his bag onto his bed and chuckled. “Of course not. He believed in the Bible. Imbecile.”
