by Melissa Haag
He set down the fork which had frozen halfway to his mouth at her abrupt appearance.
“It’s great. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“Of course. How do you like attending Girderon Academy?”
“I love it.”
“Are you certain? It’s never too late to go back to your old life.”
“It is for me,” he said. “There’s nothing for me to go back to.”
Something about her line of questioning and the way she was studying him made me suspicious.
“Good,” she said. “Then I think it’s time for you to take Eliana for a walk. She’s hungry.”
My mouth dropped open as did Eugene’s. He looked from me to Adira and back again.
“I thought the goal was to not be eaten by anyone here,” he said.
“Correct. However, Eliana won’t consume you physically. She’s not that type of creature. She consumes energy, but not enough to harm you.”
“Oh.”
I could feel his eyes on me again, but I didn’t look away from Adira.
“No,” I said firmly.
“Yes,” Adira said. “You’re hungry and need to feed. Your continued denial of your nature will not change who you are or what you need to do.”
I fought against the panic worming its way under my skin.
“You can’t force me to feed.”
“Can’t I? You will feed on Eugene, or he goes back to the human world tonight.”
Eugene swore under his breath and fully turned toward me.
“Hey, I really don’t mind, Eliana. Just do what you got to do. As long as it won’t kill me, I’m fine with it.”
His naivety reminded me of Megan. Instead of giving in to panic, I set my napkin on the table and smiled at Adira. Her normally bland expression flickered with a hint of surprise.
“Do you think I’m joking?” she asked.
“No. I think you’re entirely serious. But, I also think you’re forgetting something very important. Megan warned you what would happen if you continued to mistreat the humans in Uttira. And I promise you that if you return Eugene to the human world as a means to coerce me, Megan will turn the full wrath of her fury on you. Choose your blackmail wisely, Adira, because Megan still hasn’t forgotten how all of you manipulated her.”
Mrs. Quill paled at the reminder, and I felt a fair amount of guilt for it. However, I refused to back down.
“So be it,” Adira said. “Remember you made this choice, Eliana. I am not giving up on you.”
With those ominous words, she disappeared. I had no doubt Adira would attempt to make me regret my choice not to feed from Eugene. Even after all these years, she still didn’t understand my aversion to feeding. Yet, I would never regret my choice tonight.
“Mrs. Quill, will you please wrap Eugene’s dinner so he can enjoy it at home?”
“Of course.”
With a wave of her hand, his food left his plate and a white paper bag containing his dinner appeared. I grabbed the bag and stood.
“I’ll follow Eugene home. Don’t wait up for me.”
Eugene stood quickly and followed me out of the room. Neither of us spoke as we left the house and walked toward the car in the driveway.
“You don’t need to follow me home,” Eugene said. “I’ll be fine.”
I wrinkled my nose at him.
“They almost fed you to me, and you were willing. You’re not fine, Eugene. You’re in over your head. Get in the car, and lock your door. The car’s warded and will keep you safe unless something tricks you into getting out of it. I’ll follow you home to make sure that doesn’t happen. And next time, be sure to decline any dinner invitations that will keep you out after dark.”
“Okay.” He started to get in then hesitated. “I really hope you’re going to explain what just happened in there.”
“I will, but not tonight. Tomorrow, okay? I’m freezing.” I really was cold, but mostly I just didn’t want to talk about how I’d likely just made my situation worse in some new and unimaginable way.
As soon as he locked his car door, I picked up my skirt and jogged to my car, grateful I’d gone with the flats. The ride to Eugene’s house was uneventful, and I waited in his driveway until he waved to me from his kitchen window.
With Uttira’s newest human relatively safe, I turned my car around and drove back home. Despite my comment to the Quills about not waiting up, there wasn’t anywhere else in town for me to go. Hanging out with Eugene was definitely not an option. As much as I would like to think he would be safe with me, I couldn’t trust myself when I was this hungry. I wasn’t willing to risk him just to avoid Adira and the Quills.
However, I cringed at the thought of facing Mrs. Quill so soon after reminding her and Mr. Quill that the mate of their only son probably never wanted to see them again. It’d been a poopy move on my part, but Adira had left me little choice. I would not feed on humans. Ever. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t even feed on Mrs. Quill.
Hating my line of thinking, I turned on the radio and sang along to some music. By the time I pulled up to the garage, it was only half past six, and every light was still on in the house. I debated what to do as I turned off the engine. There really wasn’t much of a choice; I’d need to sneak into the house.
In the quiet, the snow crunched loudly under my flats as I walked around to the back gardens. The long line of privacy hedges posed a slight problem as I wedged my way through their barren branches. But every scrape I received was worth it to avoid the disappointment I was sure I’d see in Mrs. Quill’s eyes if I walked in through the front door.
Picking twigs from my hair, I scanned the darkness for the path to the house. I could just walk forward until the security lights turned on, but I knew there were rose bushes somewhere close by. I didn’t want to damage my dress any more than I already had.
A low growl rumbled from the other side of the hedgerow. I slowly turned.
My mom told me over and over that all the monsters in Uttira had nothing over a succubus. But, she was biased, and I’d seen enough during my four years here to make my hair white. Whatever was on the other side of that bush sounded as mean as heck.
“Go find someone else to bother,” I said bravely while retreating a step.
There was a rustling then –
“Eliana?”
“Fenris? What are you doing here? I told you my car is fine. Go home.”
I took another step back and started breathing through my mouth, hoping it would be enough to save me.
“I’m not here because of the car. Why do I smell your blood?”
The branches started to crackle, and I realized Fenris was probably very naked on the other side of the hedge since clothes didn’t shift. In my panic at the thought of him pushing his way through to me, I inhaled through my nose.
The scent of his lust hit me hard, and my vision sharpened on his hand as he reached through the hedge. My gaze locked on his strong fingers, and I shivered. I could feel them on my skin. One thought, one command, and he would be mine.
I whirled and ran for the house.
Fenris called my name, and just as the door slammed shut behind me, a howl rose.
Chapter Two
Setting my head against the door, I took a deep, calming breath. The distance I’d put between Fenris and me did nothing to alleviate the hunger that started in my middle and radiated right into my bones. The hunger didn’t care that I liked Fenris as a person. My hunger didn’t discriminate. It didn’t think of the consequences. It only wanted to be fed. Anyone would do.
The sudden pounding from the other side of the door made me jump.
“Eliana?” Fenris called. “I need to know you’re okay.”
There was honest concern in his voice, and I felt terrible for causing it. Of course he had been worried that he’d smelled blood. Any nice person would be.
“I’m fine,” I said, my mouth close to the wood panel. “Go home.”
There was a thump on t
he door, followed by the muffled sound of his voice, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
“It works better if you open the door,” Mrs. Quill said from behind me.
I startled for the second time but didn’t turn to face her. How had sneaking into the house gone so wrong?
“I’m sorry I disturbed you, Mrs. Quill,” I said. “Everything’s fine here.”
There was a moment of silence before she spoke.
“Eliana, turn around.”
I wrinkled my nose and turned to face her. Her sad gaze locked with mine.
“Sweetie, it breaks my heart to see you like this.”
I smiled and glanced down at my arms, purposely misunderstanding her.
“The scrapes aren’t that deep,” I said. “I promise I’m fine. Fenris is fine, too. He just smelled my blood and was worried. I should really clean this up. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I fled before she could stop me.
Back in my room, I avoided my reflection and stripped from the dress to take care of all the scrapes. If I were well-fed, they probably would have healed already. But I wasn’t. So I dabbed the cuts and tried not to pay attention to my heightened eyesight. It wasn’t easy when every pore and fine line in my skin stood out so vividly.
Thankfully, Mrs. Quill didn’t come to my room to press me further, and I changed into my pajamas in peace. I was grateful for the home she and Mr. Quill opened to me, but I didn’t need another well-intentioned lecture on feeding myself. I needed understanding. I needed Megan.
Glancing at the clock, I debated. She’d only left this morning, and I didn’t want to be the needy type of friend who would bug her hours after leaving. Talking to her could wait until tomorrow.
Knowing it would be a long time before I fell asleep, I cautiously opened the door to the entertainment room and went to the refrigerator.
With a bowl of double-chocolate brownie chunk ice cream in my lap, I did my best to drown my sorrows and soothe my hunger. However, the horribly unrealistic vampire movies filled with the blood and action that I usually loved did nothing to distract me, and my hunger continued to plague me.
By midnight, I had a stomach ache from too much ice cream and a heavy heart. Setting the empty container aside, I reached for my phone and dialed Megan. She picked up after a few rings.
“You officially broke your promise,” I said. “It’s after midnight. You said you would check in daily, and I didn’t get a call yesterday.”
“The day I left doesn’t count,” she said with a laugh in her voice.
“Sure, start bending the rules already. So, what’s it like having freedom?”
I heard a rustle on the other end of the phone.
“Knock it off,” she said, slightly muffled.
“Do I even want to know what Oanen’s doing?” I asked.
“Not Oanen. A brownie named Piepen is messing around with some guy’s eye.”
I sat up.
“A brownie?”
“Yeah, long story.”
“I’ve got time.”
“I let him out of a cage, and now he’s following me.”
In the background, I heard a high-pitched voice claim he wasn’t following her but helping her. Then a lower voice argued about who got to take care of Megan’s house. I started to snicker.
Less than twenty-four hours out of Uttira and Megan already had creatures fighting over her.
“Two of them?” I asked. “What are you going to do with two?”
“One’s a brownie, and one’s a goblin. And I have no idea.”
“They’re not going to like the hotel or the car. They’re much happier in real homes,” I said.
“She sounds nice,” the high-pitched voice said. “I like her.”
“Aw! Isn’t he sweet,” I said.
“Stop,” Megan said. “He can hear you, and I think you’re going to give him a heart attack. What’s wrong with hotels?”
I listened to the outrage from the goblin and grinned wider.
“Tell them to come to Uttira. You’ll be happier, and so will they. I’ll feed them both for you,” I offered, liking the idea of having something to do outside of schoolwork and boredom.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Yep. It’ll be fine. Tell the goblin I’ll have a bowl of honey-soaked oats waiting for him at your house,” I said.
She gave them directions, and I listened to her tell the goblin that he needed to protect the brownie and not eat his wings. I cringed at that. Brownie wings were a delicacy I would never understand.
“It sounds like you’ve had an eventful first day,” I said.
“You have no idea. I just woke up in an abandoned warehouse after eating a janky burger at a questionable bar. And the goblin I just sent your way knows who did it, but he’s bound by a spell that won’t let him speak. Like the library. However, according to the brownie, the goblin will be able to talk in a few days because I’m his new master.”
I thought of the secrecy spell that bound the people who read anything in the library they were referencing. But, all spells had limits and loopholes, especially the secrecy one.
“I’ll call you if he says anything about who his previous master was,” I said.
“Thank you. And watch yourself around them. Oanen said they wouldn’t hurt me, but Elbner, the goblin, seems sketchy.”
“Did he make you mad?” I asked, knowing her fury sense was on point for spotting wickedness.
“Surprisingly, no.”
“Then I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
In the background, an eagle’s cry split the air.
“I better go,” Megan said. “Oanen’s coming, and I need to check on the guy Elbner knocked out.”
“What guy?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
The line went dead, and I tossed my phone aside. While Megan was obviously dealing with her own issues, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that she hadn’t asked how I was doing. But, what would I have really said? That I was doing awful because she’d left and I had no one to talk to about how hungry I was? That it felt like the hunger was eating me from the inside?
Sighing, I turned toward the balcony windows and blindly stared out at the darkness.
No, there was no need to involve Megan in my misery when there wasn’t anything she could do about it.
I stifled a yawn and studied my makeup. Although I’d kept it natural, the cosmetics still enhanced my features far more than I was comfortable. Makeup always attracted attention I didn’t want. Yet, it was a necessary evil. Especially today. It helped hide the dark circles under my eyes so I didn’t look as tired as I felt.
As I stared at myself, my eyes flooded with black then back to brown again. I wrinkled my nose and turned away from my reflection. Why couldn’t my body just cooperate with my brain? I didn’t want to feed. Ever. End of story. My hunger needed to get on board with my life plan of normalcy.
Hoping to distract my body, I went downstairs for some real food. However, instead of finding a deliciously toasted bagel waiting for me, I found Adira.
I paused at the sight of both her and Mrs. Quill sitting at the dining room table. They wore twin, serious expressions that I knew had nothing to do with them being siblings.
Oanen had called me after Megan, last night, and explained that their investigation into the dying trolls was dangerous to Megan. She wasn’t acting like her normal, angry self, and he needed me to get the goblin to talk as soon as he got here.
I’d never asked if he’d told the Council, but based on the solemn expressions of the two women before me, I was guessing he had. Adira’s next words confirmed it.
“We’d like to discuss what happened last night,” she said.
“Did Megan get drugged again?” I asked, hurrying to sit.
“Again?” Mrs. Quill asked. “When was Megan drugged?”
“Last night.” With a sinking feeling, I looked from her to Adira.
“We were un
aware of that,” Adira said. “But I will be sure to contact Oanen for the details. For now, I’d like to discuss why you entered this house with visible signs of hunger you refused to acknowledge when Anwen confronted you.”
Annoyed, I fisted my hands under the table.
“Mrs. Quill didn’t confront me. She asked me to turn around; then she showed concern. I hear that’s a typical reaction when you care about someone who’s been hurt. And, I was when pushing my way through the bushes. As for my eyes, you know as well as I do that a succubus’s eyes change for more than hunger. Fenris wasn’t leaving, and I’m a teenager prone to mood swings. For as old as you are, none of this is new to you.”
Adira said nothing for a moment as she studied me, and I fought not to fidget under her scrutiny.
Since coming to Uttira, I’d followed the rules and done what I’d been told. Until Megan came. She’d changed things, not just for me but for the other creatures in Uttira. Now, Adira's feelings about those changes were plain to see in the slight crease between her brows.
“Megan’s influence continues to spread,” she said finally.
“A good thing, I should think,” I said. “No one wants a meek succubus running around. It’s not part of our inherent nature.”
Adira gave me a slight nod.
“Very true. Your mother will be happy to hear you’re standing up for yourself.”
I almost cringed at the mention of my mom.
“To help you embrace this burgeoning boldness, I’ve updated the left side of your closet. Please go upstairs and change before you leave for the Academy. I’ll check in on you later today.”
She disappeared abruptly.
“I’ll fix you something to eat,” Mrs. Quill said gently before leaving as well.
Alone, I leaned forward and let my forehead thump to the table.
Today was going to be a new level of hell, thanks to my big mouth. I didn’t have the pebbles that Megan had to stand up to Adira. Why had I even tried?
The phone in the pocket of my skirt chirped, and I pulled it out to see a text from Fenris.
The car’s still fine. Not Megan’s house, though. Still looks like it should be burned to the ground.
