“I’m not five, you know,” he grumbled lowly. I rubbed my temples. I knew he wasn’t five. Fuck, I was struggling every day to keep this shit from him. He was too smart, he was too old to be shielded from it anymore. I needed to tell him about everything: shifters, vampires, Mom, the Shadow, his dad… the Reapers.
“I want a double scoop,” he said before slamming the bathroom door. I let out a huge sigh. Maybe that day wasn’t today, because I think this talk was gonna be worse than the sex one I gave him. I pulled on my dark gray tee and some black jeans before moving out into the living area to make some breakfast.
Mom was still passed out on the brown lounge chair, stained from many years of her drinking and passing out there. I could see her tumbler had fallen from her hand and there was a wet patch on the dirty carpet. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t keep anything clean in here. I remembered the carpet being a cream color when I was younger. Now, it was a gray-brown color.
I turned away and poured some cereal in a bowl and set it down at the table for Alex. I grabbed an apple and took a bite as I waited for him. I heard the distinct call of a hungry cat, and I smiled as Bagheera strolled out of our room and did a figure eight through my legs. I reached down and scratched his head before filling his bowl with a can of tuna. The little shit didn’t like the kibble I got him.
“Fancy fucker,” I mumbled under my breath as I watched him eat, but I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. I loved the little guy. He’d grown on me and had brought Clare into my life. I wasn't sure what she could be, but friends was a good start and would keep my panther in check… hopefully.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I’d been hoping all weekend that she might have messaged me now she had my number. But nothing, not a word. I thought she would want to organize a time to see Bagheera. But I didn’t want to push her, I didn’t want to be the one reaching out when I already did once.
Turning up to her dorm like that went against what I had told myself. It was kinda in the realm of creepy stalker, but she was wearing my hoodie. My panther wanted to mark her as his at the sight of her. But she was already doing that with my scent still on the fabric. She hadn’t washed it. I didn't want to read into that, as much as she was attracted to me. I didn't think she would want something with me, not really.
I looked down and saw the message was from Liam, telling me there was a Reaper meeting in an hour and my presence was required. Annoyance boiled in my chest. No matter how much I planned not to be a part of this shit, at least not yet, I knew I was in deeper than I wanted to be. My panther rumbled low in my chest, feeling the fear of what this could be.
When I arrived in my Camry, Liam shook his head and laughed. The Reapers had given him a motorcycle to get around on. It was new, sleek, and fast. Not like my rust bucket of a car.
“Dude, you need a better car. I could hear you coming five miles away.”
I ignored his comment. The only way I would be getting something new was if I officially joined the Reapers, and I knew that was what he was hinting at. I walked over and bumped him with my shoulder in a friendly way. It was how we greeted each other.
“How’s Alley Cat?”
I took a deep breath and groaned. Rubbing my temples, I shook my head.
“Mondays are the worst. I don’t know why. He just refuses to go every Monday.” It had been happening for a while now and he wouldn't tell me. I feared he was being bullied but he said he wasn't. He was good at masking his emotions around me, so I wasn't sure if it was the truth or what he wanted me to believe. But something was up.
“Yeah, but school sucks. I get it. One day he’ll be a doctor or something.” Liam’s hand rested on my shoulder and he squeezed. Liam had been to my place many times and knew how our lives were growing up and how they still were. He knew how much I wanted Alex to succeed at school. Doctor wasn’t what I was going for. He could be anything he wanted, because anything was better than this shit hole.
“How were the frat boys this weekend? Any more trouble from dick face?”
I had done another drop off on Saturday. I had told Liam about Aaron the week before and the score of cash I took off him. Aaron wasn’t stupid this week, he had the money ready and didn’t even spare a second glance at me.
But instead of leaving the party straightaway, I lingered for a while. Looking… for someone. Someone who wasn’t there, and I was actually glad for it in the end. Glad she didn’t associate with them. But that just proved that she was too good for the likes of me.
“Dick face will always cause trouble, but nothing I can’t handle. Let’s get this shit over with, I have somewhere I need to be.”
I didn’t really, I just didn’t want to be here longer than needed.
Three hours later, and I wished I had never come. I had met some of the Reapers in passing, but never the ones who ran the whole operation. I didn’t know half of what they did, but it was all illegal. I knew that much. There were vampires and other shifters at the meeting which just told me how big their organization was and how deep it ran in the supernatural world.
They gave me a choice after seeing my results with the frat boys. The more I sold, the better my commission, so I sold a lot more than other errand boys. They wanted me to join the Reapers officially. I had one week to decide. One more run, then I was done.
I was done with them, or… I was done. One of them.
I couldn’t think straight. How else would I earn enough to keep food on the table and bills paid? Get Alex into college one day? Get out of this hell hole? I needed the cash I had been earning at the frats.
I was so distracted trying to work out what I needed to do, all the choices I would have to make if I joined—and if I didn’t, what I needed to do to keep the plans on track—that I found myself in the middle of campus. I didn’t even know how I got here. But I was here, at the college. I felt a purring in my chest and realized my panther brought me here unconsciously. I would question why, but I already knew.
I could scent her from the crowded quad, so many students lingering around at this time of day. Some girls passed by me and didn’t hide the way they checked me out. I winked at them and watched as they blushed before turning away to giggle at each other. I hid my grin. Too easy to mess with them.
I started moving towards Clare. She sat on the grass, a book glued to her face and her brow scrunched up. She looked so beautiful. She flipped the page and I watched how hard she studied it. She was focused so hard on what she was reading that she didn’t even notice others around her. It gave me longer to watch her; just seeing her had my panther feeling at ease. Like she was the sun, and no matter how bad my day had been, she would always shine bright.
This feeling wasn’t one I knew at all, and even though it scared me, it didn’t stop me from walking towards her. I wouldn’t turn around and walk away from this girl anymore. I knew it, my panther knew it, and soon… she would know it.
I slowly approached her. I didn’t want to startle her while she was concentrating hard on her book. I sat down beside her, pulling my legs up to my chest and resting my arm over my knees, my hand on my chin as I peered over at her.
Her skin was smooth like silk, and I could tell she only wore a hint of makeup. She didn’t need to wear it; her skin was perfect. So much so, that most girls were probably jealous of her. I watched her bite her lower lip as she turned the page and let out a huff. I stuffed down the urge to chuckle at how cute her little move was. But it made me smile and my heart skipped a beat. Shit, she was getting past my walls without even trying.
