by S. L. Morgan
WTF?
I looked over at Vannah, knowing my witch friend used one of the talents she’d learned our last week of finals…mental manipulation. She got to me and forced me to shove my pie—waste my pie—onto this relentless snob’s face instead of punching her like I’d planned.
I was so caught up with losing my delicious treat after having had only one bite of it that I didn’t even get to enjoy Kat cursing at the wind and storming off with her friends, leaving me, Vannah, Lusa, and some green-haired fairy who hadn’t said a word since I arrived, at the table.
“God…son of a…why?” I seethed at Vannah.
“You know exactly why.” She gave me the Vannah saves Jenna again witchy look. “If you would have punched her, you’d be sitting with the dean in summer school.”
“True.” I took a calming breath of the salty breeze, and let it help ease my frustrated state.
Lusa raised her hand, slicing through the tension of me taking calming and extremely deep breaths to get this bad energy out of me. “Over here!” she called out.
My focus shifted immediately when, for the first time in my life, I experienced a human—or a virtual version of one. Hell if I knew the difference. I’d never seen a real human before, and this guy seemed as real as we were.
The young man, who was pretty much drooling over the gorgeous vamp, sauntered over to us with a tray in one hand. He was a soft-featured young man with short, curly hair and an innocent smile that seemed to show everyone he loved the world. My inner wolf could scent his vulnerable, fragile human life the second he arrived, wearing his white and navy striped polo shirt. He was absolutely intriguing to observe.
“Yes, another pie,” Vannah said, eying me and then looking at the boy. “She spaces out a lot,” she lied for me.
How embarrassing. God knows how long I’d sat there, staring in awe at the human and not answering whatever question he’d asked me.
“Sorry, my friend’s right. I’m sort of a daydreamer. This place is awesome, by the way, you must love working here,” I said, trying to play the VR game with the human.
“It’s a fun summer job,” he answered.
“Cool.” I smiled and then did the only thing I knew to do. I got my eyes off him and out to where families were playing in the waves like Dom and I were earlier.
“Anything else, ladies?” he asked.
“We’re all good, thanks,” Lusa said.
Once I heard the kid stepping away from us, I looked back at Vannah and Lusa. “Sorry about that. My first human.” I shrugged.
Lusa giggled. “They are interesting, aren’t they? You instantly feel how vulnerable they are, and your predator instincts perk right up and want to take advantage of it.”
“So, you’ve been around the humans outside of the academy school systems, then?”
“Dom and I spent our summers before Immortal Academy with our parents, and they would bring us around the humans to help make us stronger against our natural instincts to take advantage.”
“That must have been crazy hard for you, especially being a vamp,” Vannah said.
“It was at first, but I think it was the way mom and dad introduced us that made us appreciate human nature and not assume they are less important than we are. Once we got over ourselves and realized we’re all the same in one way or another, it became easier. The last thing I would ever want to do is drink a human’s blood. IA is helping me to see that I can sustain myself better by feeding off energy—besides, before getting off the blood, food tasted like paper. Now, my taste buds have developed more, and I feel more satiated.”
“What do you think would happen if you drank from a human after learning to live without their blood?” I asked, totally curious how a vamp could truly function without blood.
“I’ve heard of cases—you know the ones we hear about in New Orleans—where the vamps went against all of their training on this, and it’s not good. It’s a horrid bloodlust they experience, and it always results in human deaths. Gosh, I can’t even imagine what I’d do if it would happen to me. I’d be a completely different person. They change, you know?” she said softly.
“Well, sounds like you’ll get extra training to make sure that doesn’t happen since the academy is forcing an extra year on us all,” Vannah said.
Lusa shrugged, “The better prepared we all are, the easier it will be when we go out into human population after leaving IA.”
“Cheers to that,” I said, with a smile. “Now, time to enjoy this virtual vacation without getting yanked out of here for doing something stupid.”
“Like staring at that poor cabana boy like you want to eat him?” Vannah teased.
“Was it that bad?” I asked, mortified.
Lusa and Vannah giggled together. “Yes, but the boy probably only thought you were crushing on his tan little legs.”
“Good God.” I rubbed my temples. “Poor virtual human,” I smirked at her. “Now, who’s the one that looks like she’ll have issues when she hits the human population?”
“You’ve got this.” Lusa smiled encouragingly. “It was your first human encounter. You grew up in these schools, right? No contact with the human realm?”
“None. We never got the opportunity to leave school for a summer break. If anything, our parents visited us,” Vannah answered for me.
“Sheesh. Some strict schooling you two had to go through.”
“You’d almost think they were schools for troubled children.” I folded my arms and leaned onto the table.
“Weird,” Lusa said, watching me.
“What’s that?” I asked in confusion.
“It really is like you and Dom are bonded and taking on each other’s mannerisms.”
“Say what?”
Lusa looked at me like I was an alien. “The way you’re sitting…that’s kind of a Dominic thing, if that’s what you’d call it.”
I jerked back from the table like it’d electrocuted me, and I looked at Vannah. “That a good or bad thing?” I asked her, wondering if I was absently picking up and drawing on Dominic’s wolf…doing exactly what we were both told not to do.
“You’re fine. Just keep it in check, those shifter and fairy girls who hate you being with him will make sure you never hear the end of it.”
“Yeah, don’t need another wasted pie,” I half-smiled.
This was more difficult and frightening than I’d ever imagined it all being. It wasn’t in my nature to be scared of stuff, but literally feeling like I’d been to hell and back the first half of the year at IA, and then me and Dom experiencing the fated bond for each other…I knew I was going to screw something up if I wasn’t careful.
One thing was for sure, I wasn’t going to lose my best friends again, see another innocent immortal student dead, or lose Dominic. Keeping it under control should be an easy act if only for those reasons.
Chapter Six
That night, the guys caught up with us in front of a display that actually seemed to help with my fear of fire. We sat in an audience, watching men in grass skirts dance like warriors while twirling sticks that had large flames shooting out of the ends of them.
They chanted and yelled, pounding their feet in some ritual dance, the fire not scaring or harming them. I covered my mouth and peeked through one eye while watching a man spring into the air and through a hoop of fire. All of the dark-skinned, black-haired men had broad smiles on their faces, causing me to smile that the fire didn’t seek to harm them; instead, it danced with them.
Dom’s sternum should have been shattered in a million pieces by now from the way I was slamming into him in moments of fear, thinking these guys were going to get lit up by their fire sticks. Instead, it was the opposite, and it was a good lesson for me to control fear by facing it head-on.
Dom’s laughter with his buddies sitting next to us was soothing to my heart and soul. We watched the females come out and the music change with their beautiful, extremely seductive dancing form.
�
�This dance is the call to her warrior,” Dom whispered in my ear. “Maybe one day you’ll dance like that for me,” he said with a laugh and kiss to my ear.
My heart picked up and matched the pacing spirit of my wolf who’d been parading around for Dom’s black wolf since he’d rejoined us for dinner. I swear my inner wolf was going to be the death of me if I didn’t get my girl under control. She was definitely on one tonight.
“You’re with the wrong girl if you think dancing is in my genes.” I laughed, watching the girls move gracefully.
“Teaching you would be fun,” he said in a soft voice. “Maybe later this week since they have a night where we vacationers get to dance our little hearts out.”
“We’ll see.” I rubbed his sturdy forearm.
This closeness and our bodies touching in this loving way were enough to calm my heart rate down. As soon as I accepted the feelings of being close to my shifter, that’s when the wolf served to make me unravel again. Damn it, this was frustrating. This closeness wasn’t enough, and my inner wolf seemed to smile that I agreed with her on that. It was a mental battle between my strong wolf and me now. She was driving me to feel these emotions and lose my surroundings so I would focus on our alpha. I was intently fighting back, but Dom kissing my neck playfully helped the wolf win our internal battle of wills and responsibility.
“No,” I shouted and jumped up out of Dom’s arms. I knew I’d caused a ridiculous scene by screaming out and startling the dancing ladies, but I had to get the hell out of there and now. Damn this wolf, chasing her mate and fighting me like this.
I leapt out of the sandy circle we were in and took off toward the shoreline that was illuminated by the massive moon most humans would think a wolf shifter would be forced to howl at. The water moved in different directions under the light, sending different hues of blue under the moonlit sky above it.
“Care to tell me what that was about?” Dom asked, coming up behind me.
“I’m screwed, man,” I said, bringing my hands up through my hair. “Dom,” I looked up into his confused eyes, “I can’t even explain what the hell is going on with me. The wolf, me, everything. I have to keep this shit in check.”
He took my hands into his. “You’re feeling more, aren’t you? Wanting more?”
“Yes,” I breathed out. “My wolf isn’t helping either.”
He smirked. “I thought I told you not to give that wolf power, Jen.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “Too late for that. She’s prancing around, encouraging me to lose it and attack you—in a good way, of course.”
Dom’s hand rubbed along my cheek. “I can sense the wolf,” he said with a smile. “You remember your studies on how to control our shifting?”
“Yes, I’m not allowing that though, obviously, or I’d be in Edgewater’s summer fun class back at IA right now.”
His lips tightened. “Focus on how you control not shifting. It’s the same mental power you have to use to calm the inner wolf down. These emotions are all new to you and your wolf. Even though I remember how hard and fast it all hit us at Dark Water, it’s still new to me too.”
“But you have control. Right?”
“If I didn’t, we would’ve been in trouble this afternoon when I saw my sexy girl in the hottest bikini ever.” He chuckled. “You’ve got this, babe. We’ll work together if we have to.”
I glanced down to where he was holding my hands now. “I’ve never felt so helpless in all my life,” I admitted. “I don’t like this weakness or fighting my inner wolf all the time. Shit.”
“It’s not helplessness or weakness that you’re feeling, it’s having to ignore all these emotions that we should be able to act on. I learned a long time ago while growing up and acting out that if I didn’t control my wolf and emotions, I was going to be screwed. Learning those lessons then is what’s helping me endure the torture of being with you without fighting with my wolf’s drive at the same time.”
“How?” I took a breath, hoping he had the magic answer. “How are you in control of your mind, your wolf, and your actions when everything is telling you to go against that when we’re together?”
“I hold onto the stuff that got me through my rough, rebellious years. Exercise and superior focus. I have to, or I’d be the one blowing it between both of us by acting on instincts.”
“I hate this.”
“No more than I do. Listen, maybe it will help to get out on the early runs with me, Scott, and Ian. Finley’s showing up tomorrow too if you want to work out with her. She’s a fun challenge, and truth be told, I’d like to see you kick her cocky butt,” he teased.
“What if we—” I rubbed my forehead, not wanting to say this at all. “What if we sort of split up for a while? You know, did our own thing and not get so close? It seemed to work when we were going through the last half of the school year.”
Dominic stiffened in response. “I’m not okay with that, Jen,” he answered. “And it’s not me wanting to spend this vacation selfishly in your arms either. You pulling away from me and trying to drop these emotions like they don’t exist is not healthy. You know that. It’s like snuffing your wolf out. If you think you’re in trouble now, wait until you and I separate what fate brought together. It’s not a smart move.”
“Then what do we do? I don’t see the other option being very healthy either. You do remember what I have locked up inside me, right? All the work and effort to shut that crap up at the school? Snap of our fingers and one wrong move, these wolves will screw us and merge their powers. We can’t take the risk. I’d rather take the risk of being emotionally starved of my man’s affections than go back to that all over again.”
Dom ran his hand through his hair. “This is a bad idea. I don’t like it. Please let me help you before we try to separate our wolves and us.”
“I know I sound like a martyr or an immature kid, but I swear, I have to get these emotions under control. Right now, all I want is to rip all your clothes off and…” I couldn’t finish. It was too embarrassing, and Dom, trying not to smile in the understanding of exactly what I was about to admit, made me almost act on what I wanted to do.
“Trust me, I completely follow you,” he smiled. “It’s definitely not easy for me, but it can be done…with distractions, of course. How about you come along for some human interaction exercises with Ethan and me tomorrow?”
“That actually sounds like a pretty good idea.”
“It’ll be work. E doesn’t do well around strangers, especially humans, but I think on this vacation where the humans are happy and friendly it’ll be good for him. This is your first time around humans, right?”
“Yeah, I think it will definitely serve as a distraction.”
Dom grinned. “Then it’s on. I’ll get our group together, and we’ll head down the beach to do some activities at a resort where the humans are. E might hate you for this, though,” he teased.
“Crap, this was meant to be a vacation that was healthy for him and letting him shift when he wants.”
“It still will be. He needs this to build his confidence. E will have his time in the evenings to be the owl up until morning. That’s long enough for the kid.” Dom pulled me back into an embrace. “Now, that’s settled. Let’s enjoy that moonlit night together. Unless you and that wolf plan to jump my bones already?” He laughed while I punched him in his arm.
Gah, he was rock hard, solid muscle. He was ripped to perfection, and oh my God, maybe he was right…maybe this would be my breaking point. Hard shifter muscles reaching into my core and tugging at every emotional string I had for the guy. This night under the moon could be the undoing of both of us.
I felt Dom chuckle as I walked at his side, my panic and mind running a million miles an hour. “It very well could be your undoing, Jen,” he said in response to my thoughts. “I mean, it’s not like that bikini has left my thoughts either, and I’m in full control.”
“Not funny.”
“I know.” He smirked a
t me and sat on a lounge chair that was positioned on the sand to get an excellent view of the silver, cresting waves illuminated by the moon. He pulled me to lie down at his side, and I didn’t hesitate to ignore all my panic from earlier.
“We’ve got this, right?” I asked.
He ran his fingers through my hair as I absently traced the hard lines of his chest. “We’ve got this. Together. Trust me, tomorrow will keep your mind from going where it’s going right now.”
“And that is?” I smiled and straddled his waist. I leaned over when his smile did weird things to me, and his eyes shone with a glimmer of the moon as it reflected in them. “What am I thinking, Dominic Rossi?”
He exhaled. “How to get me to blow it before you?” he laughed, then his hands cradled my face and pulled me close to him. “Come here. I’ve been waiting for this moment all day.”
I melted onto Dominic’s frame as our bodies seemed to mold together. We kissed like our wolves were fueling the exploding energy inside me. His warm touch, delicious taste, and the aggressive way he was deepening our kiss was everything I wanted, but it was bringing all those desires back to want more.
Dom moaned deeply when my hands slid across his cheeks, and that’s when it started to get crazy. This kiss urged me to pull my lips from his and taste his neck, his jawline, neck again—this shirt needed to come off and now. I wanted to kiss the hard muscles of his chest.
Dom’s soft groans turned into laughter as he ran his hands through my hair, allowing my lips to explore his chest I’d just exposed.
“Laughing? Really?” I said, kissing the center of his chest.
“It actually kind of sucks having your thoughts screaming in my head. I’d like to enjoy the surprise of you kissing the hard muscles of my chest.”
I sat up and gripped his shoulders, “All of my thoughts are doing this?”
“It’s the insecure ones, I thought I told you that.” He smirked and cocked his head to the side. “It’s fine, Jenna. I’m killing the moment on purpose.” His lips nipped at my chin. “Get over here.” He kissed my cheek as I melted into him again, “You can’t beat yourself up for this. We are young shifters, and we are experiencing emotions that fully-matured shifters experience. Except in the real world and with normal couples, they get to move forward, not go against their instincts.”
