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Rage flares higher within me as the distance between us grows and I whirl on a tree, gouging the trunk with my claws.I can’t go to her yet, she’s not ready. Not like this.A garbled howl falls from my lips as bark goes flying.Shit. I need to get it together. A soft wind rustles my fur and has the leaves hissing overhead. My body trembles as I fight the instincts gripping me, and like it has everytime before this, my control snaps and I find myself racing back towards my obsession.Nessa.
She has absolutely no idea, and if she did know I’m sure she’d be disgusted that she’s mated to someone like me. I swallow hard as the truth has me stumbling and I slow, creeping towards her dorm building on silent feet. When I reach it I bypass the security wards with ease and use my clawed hands and feet to scale the building.
It’s easy to find her window as her scent is like a map for me. I pause at the cracked window, my camouflage power firmly in place as I stare into the dark room. She’s curled into a ball, buried under a mountain of blankets and pillows. The scene has a nearly silent purr rattling in my chest and I launch from my perch on the building to the tree closest to her room. The branch I settle onto offers me a clear view of her room and for the first time tonight the protective instincts in my chest quiet.
My shoulders lose tension and I allow myself to doze lightly.I’ll protect her. I always will, whether she wants it or not.
Chapter Eighteen — Oscar
MyeyesnarrowonNessa’s creature where she lies curled up on the back of the couch like it’s her throne. Nessa had to leave to run a quick errand and let me hang out at her and Lexi’s dorm to wait for her. Unicorn, as Nessa has named her, flicks her long tail lazily, in a very cat-like manner. My narrowed gaze stays focused on her and the creature's purple eyes thin in response to me, her expression mirroring mine as much as a dragon's can. Well it hasn’t been confirmed that she’s a dragon, but from my knowledge it seems like the only reasonable conclusion. I’ve never seen a familiar like her before. Plus I doubt a creature could look anymore dragon-ish if they wanted to. Though when she’s in her smaller form, if I didn’t know how big and dangerous she really is then I’d dare to say she’s cute in her pocket sized form. As though reading my thoughts, Unicorn launches at me in a sneak attack and I fall back with a yelp as her needle-like teeth latch onto my nose. I let out a high pitched sound of pain and surprise, grappling with her small—but strong—body as I try to remove her from my face. I’m trying to be as gentle as possible, despite the grip she has on me because I know at any moment she could turn into a full sized fucking dragon.
A snort-laugh comes from behind me and I groan. Nessa’s back. I flop down onto the ground fully and resign myself to having this cretin attached to me forever as her cackle turns into full-fledged laughter—not moving to help me at all. Unicorn’s clawed feet are pressed to my lower face for grip, covering my mouth, so getting Nessa’s attention for help isn’t an option unless I’m willing to risk losing part of my tongue to a claw.
Just when I’m thinking of risking it, the creature attached to my face lets out a protest before releasing my throbbing nose. I groan and raise a hand to rub at the tip and draw my hand away to find blood.Fucking Unicorn. I’m usually a happy go lucky guy, but I’m seriously contemplating locking Unicorn in the bathroom with a magical stink bomb. My lips twist into a grin, but it turns into a grimace when the action tugs at my sore nose.
Nessa is cooing words of reprimand at her creature while trying to smother a smile and I mock pout. I’m pretty sure I should be the one getting comforted right now. Our eyes meet over the little demon she’s holding and a chuckle escapes me. I suck in a slow breath fighting a full smile, damn if her humour isn’t contagious.
Before I have a chance to give her shit about her weak disciplinary measures with Unicorn, her features tighten and she gives me a searching look, reminding me why I’m here.I have news about the girl.I rushed over here as fast as I could and she had ducked to her room so she could grab some stuff when her creature and I had engaged into a mafia staredown. One point to Unicorn.
Said-creature curls up on Nessa’s shoulder as she moves to a stack of papers set haphazardly on their kitchen table. She probably dropped them there when she found me being eaten by Unicorn.
“After what you said the other day, I did a little digging with the help of Lex and we found some stuff.”
My brows furrow.She looked into this? For me?Warmth pulses in my chest and I suck in a sharp breath, motioning for her to continue. Time slows to a halt at her next words.
“I don’t believe it was an isolated incident and I don’t think she was the target. Her friend—the one you mentioned the professors discussing—she went missing the same night the body was found.”
Nessa’s voice is cold and clinical as she rattles off a few more facts about the case and the digging Lexi and her have done, but my mind is stuck.How the hell is she so calm? It’s like she’s done this before.Then I realise something. “Wait, you said you don’t think this was an isolated incident, like this has happened before. Why?”
She clears her throat and her eyes flicker down to the paper in front of her before returning to me. “I’m not sure if you’ve heard about the kidnappings that have been happening around the realm?”
I nod in affirmation, then pause. “You think it’s connected?”
Her golden eyes flit away from mine for a moment and she shifts slightly. “I don’t believe we can rule it out. Plus the damage done to the, uh, body wasn’t necessary for her to die so it wasn’t an accident. She wasmutilated,and if this wasn’t a murder due to passion or the killer having a personal connection to the victom then chances are that this is a potential serial killer.” She ends in a whisper and my stomach rolls at the reminder of the girl’s appearance. I still can’t get over the fact that it could have easily been someone I know in her place.That could have been my sister, or Lexi. Hell, even Nessa, though I feel like she’d be someone who’d turn a gun back on the murderer rather than be killed. She radiates vibes that practically screamI’m not afraid. I have no clue how she does it, but I’d love to borrow some of that.
A chill rolls down my spine as I search Nessa’s face.How the hell did she and Lexi get this much information? They must have accessed the police files somehow.“Where the hell do we go from here?”
In a low tone Nessa murmurs, “I think we should wait to see if anything more actually happens before we panic. Also, we leave this to the supernatural police. The supe FBI have been notified, but won’t come unless more happens.
I swallow down bile. More murders. It may just be wishful thinking, butplease let there be no more murders.
Letting out a puff of air, I nod. It’s not like there is anything we can do right this minute. Rubbing my nose and scowling at Unicorn, I change the subject, “Do you want to come with me to the library to study? I have a pop quiz in runes tomorrow.”A smirk curls her lips and I grunt. “Yeah, I know you don’t have any written tests, but I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to refresh your mind.”
Nessa laughs as she grabs a bag and chucks in a few odds and ends, including a hardcover book. I don’t catch the title, but I grimace in sympathy for her arms. It’s paperbacks or ebooks for me. Elation swirls in my chest that she’s tagging along and I grab my bag as well before we head off, Unicorn thankfully staying behind.
Chapter Nineteen — Oscar
Ilazilyrollapen between my fingers as I read through the pages allotted to us by my Familiar Studies teacher. I’ve been reading the same chapter for the better half of twenty minutes due to the vixen who’s sitting across from me, distracting me with her little sounds. As though drawn by a magnet I find my eyes once again straying from the page to settle on her face.Nessa.
She’s perched on her side of the library booth, her legs drawn tight to her chest as she grins down at the book she’s reading. It must be a good one. I duck my head a little to spy the name of it when yet another giggle falls from her lips.Road To Redemptionby Kerry Keller. Curious, I scribble it down in my notebook so I can look it up later to read.
This is our second study session together and so far she’s put off the work she has to do so she can read. I shake my head at her, a smile tugging at my lips as a flush hits her cheeks and she sucks in a sharp breath.Hmm, that’s interesting. Now what could she be reading to have that reaction.When a plume of her arousal hits me I suppress a grunt and tap the table, quirking an eyebrow at her. “Whatcha reading there?” I drawl, casually as though I’m clueless to the fact that she’s reading a smutty scene.
Nessa’s head pops up with a start and her face flashes to one not unlike that of a deer in headlights. That pretty flush deepens and my lips tug up further at her lack of response. “I-uh, it’s a paranormal romance novel,” she stutters.
When she doesn’t elaborate, I reach over and grab the book from her hands before she can protest and leaf through it, making sure to keep her place with my thumb as I close it to read the blurb. My brows raise, yep I’ll definitely be reading that later. Intrigued, I open the book to the page she was at and go to read it only for her to let out a strangled squeak and tear it out of my hands. My mouth falls open, my eyes flashing to hers as she hugs said book to her chest like she’d guard it with her life.
For a moment I’m silent, until I gather my wits surprised at the flustered reaction from the usually unflappable woman. I go to speak only for her to interrupt me. “Wha—”
