Page 9 of Malice in e minor

“They are weird. If you are a fan, don’t tell them. They get rude about it. The three of them are always together. People throw themselves at them all the time and they hate it. Just in case you were thinking of trying.”

I wasn’t. I didn’t chase, and I was particular about being chased. I was here to learn, not date. I knew what JaToya wanted and I wouldn’t say no to it if the circumstances were right. I wasn’t going to ruin this opportunity and Immortal Nightmare? They could ruin me. I didn’t even know them, but I knew that.

“Here’s your key. We’re all artists with weird schedules, but the dining hall employees all have families. There are plenty of vending machines and a microwave in the common room, but if you want dinner, you’ll need to get to the dining hall in about an hour.”

Yeah, I did. I was starving. But first, I wanted to check out where I’d be laying my head for the next few years. The dorms were really nice. Nicer than undergrad. This looked more like an expensive hotel.

We found my door, unlocked it, and stepped in. I brought my sheets with me, but they weren’t going to work. My apartment was tiny. I slept on a twin bed and this one was a double, which was weird for a dorm. There were also already really nice sheets and blankets on the bed and scented black candles on the shelves.

“Uh, how long did you stare at that guy in the subway? Because he’s got you pegged.”

He did. These weren’t standard issued dorm sheets. They were black silk and there was a purple and black damask thick blanket on the bed. There was a thick rug on the floor with the moon cycle and a celestial snake. There were arched black mirrors and paintings of ravens and skulls on the walls.

“How’d he know I like plants?”

Because they were everywhere. They said I could get a hot plate, but there was already one here and an expensive coffee maker. I couldn’t function without my coffee. JaToya snooped on my mini fridge and let out a low whistle.

“The fridge is stocked too. There’s milk, creamer, and cheese. You’ve got a loaf of bread and coffee here. You think he knows you’re obsessed with grilled cheese?”

“That’s weird, right? This is all weird.”

“Definitely. Can you deal with it?

“I don’t know. I think so? I haven’t had time to think about it.”

“That Faustus guy knows your patron, right? You said you were going to ask for an audience about that Gadreel guy. Ask for one for his brother too.”

Because yeah, I decided that on the train. I was going to ask Faustus about security because I didn’t want Gadreel coming back. Since I knew he was my benefactor’s brother, I was going to see if I could get some kind of wellness check for him.

That could work.

Backstage was my new favorite place to paint. More specifically, the crossover. It was directly behind the backdrop. I had to wait until rehearsal was over and I usually missed dinner in the dining hall, which was fine by me. I usually ate with Misha because he avoided the dining hall too. I didn’t understand why Orion went in there.

Everyone kept trying to get in our pants, but not because of us. They all thought that if Johann couldn’t place them with their dream job, riding our coattails could do it. It wasn’t Johann that made dream jobs come true. It was usually their talent. If they had no faith in their talent or just no patience, it was usually much more sinister. That was me once.

I was engrossed in my painting. I wanted to see what it looked like if Hieronymus Bosch did his apprenticeship with Caravaggio and just really wanted to troll the Church. Like, I knew that saint didn’t get martyred like this, but it was fun to paint it this way.

Then I heard the voices. Annoying. Who was disturbing my peace? It completely broke my flow. I removed my brush from the canvas and just listened. They thought this place was empty and it should be. I was also nosy. If they were going to interrupt me, they could at least entertain me.

Oh, and I was entertained. This was the mysterious new girl Johann was bringing in so late in the semester. Orion was bitching up a storm about playing tour guide. I was a lot friendlier than he was, but Johann knew better. I’d just break something if he pulled me away from my art. Misha was a little too sensitive and Johann knew damned well Orion and I would break anyone who messed with him.

So, it had to be Orion if it was going to be one of us. This one wasn’t star struck. She was a fan, but I rather liked she wanted nothing to do with us because of the stories we spread after we canceled our tour. Curious.

I needed a peek. I crept from the overpass to the wings where two women were standing. Both were completely stunning, but complete polar opposites. I could see the bond though. These two were as close as sisters.

I also had no idea why Orion was asked to give her tour. She had a violin case in her hand. Orion could compose for an entire orchestra, but he didn’t play the violin. He once tried to learn the viola once, and it didn’t come as easily to him as the piano, so he dropped it.

There were three violin professors on staff. They were all famous in their own right. One had retired from performing and was here permanently. The other two were professionals in residence. At least one of them would be her mentor until they left, or she graduated.

It meant something. I knew why we were here. I didn’t know why she was here. She was also stunning, exactly my type, and she wanted nothing to do with me or my drama.

Don’t do it. Don’t do it.

I avoided students. I didn’t go anywhere near fans. She could be annoying. She could be one of those people who were cruel to Misha just because they could and I’d have to destroy her. This girl could leave one square on the toilet paper roll and leave me stranded when I took a shit or not bring her shopping cart back. We could just not be compatible.

But damn if I didn’t want to find out.

Shit, she was coming up on stage. I wanted to meet her, but I didn’t. I wasn’t ready yet. There was no point in convincing her to fall in love with me if I didn’t know her yet. That was how your pet bunny got boiled.