“I’m horny,” he says, as if it’s the perfect time to divulge such information.
“Fucking hell.” Gunnar smacks his forehead on the steering wheel.
“Me too, Loverboy, me too.” I turn around in my seat and wonder if we could find a few minutes alone to remedy the situation for both of us. Then I remember it’s Grim I’m thinking about. He doesn’t understand the meaning of ‘quickie.’
Might be fun to live out some of my teenage fantasies though. I always had to sneak out to find some action when I lived here. I was never brave enough to bring a boy back with me. I was too worried I would get expelled and sent home to my parents, and that was a risk I wasn’t willing to take.
The guard pokes his head out of the door and waves us in as the little red and white striped pole lifts into the air, allowing us to pass under it. “We could be serial killers for all they know.”
“I mean, isn’t he like the original serial killer?” Calix points over at Grim.
“I don’t kill that many people, I just collect them,” he counters, then he tilts his head to the side. “Well, once you add them all together over the years…”
“I’m talking about people who do it for fun.”
“So, you mean the Berserker then?” I can hear the smile on Calix’s lips.
“You’re next on my hit list,” Gunnar grumbles.
“Okay, enough foreplay. We need our grownup faces on. We’re expectant parents and all that shit.” I flip down the visor and open the mirror to check my hair. I have it in a loose braid over my shoulder. I’m wearing a fitted dress that shows off my belly and clings to my ass. I don’t bother getting dressed up very often anymore, so I figured I’d do a little something extra, plus it makes me feel good.
“Who’s the husband, and who’s security?” Gunnar inquires, as he pulls into a parking spot right near the arched front entrance.
“Let’s play don’t ask, don’t tell. Keep them guessing.” I snap the visor closed.
“They’re so easily confused. It might not be the best way to gather information,” Grim cautions.
“It’s the kids we need to talk to anyway, a bunch of teenage girls.” I look my guys over as they line up after getting out of the car. “All of this will loosen lips. The ones on the face,” I warn. “The only thing they will be curious about is how they could get three fine specimens like yourselves of their own.”
“Might even feed into Antonio’s claim of her being a dark witch, if what the Bogman said is true,” Calix muses.
“Good, now, if it’s the same old bat…”
“Good morning!” I turn to see a chipper blonde hustling her way over to us, her hand is already lifted as if she’s ready to clasp any one of ours.
“Not the same old bat,” I say under my breath. “Hi!” I add louder and wave eagerly.
“I’m Head Mistress Anita Vogel.” She makes a point of looking around our group. “You’re interested in enrolling a child?” The way she’s squinting her eyes makes me think she’s suspicious.
I rub my tummy. “We left little Aeson at home.” Not a lie. “With the new little one coming, we wanted to plan for the future.” It makes more sense to want placement for an older child than already be looking into boarding school for the baby. I don’t think most people are that neurotic.
“Oh, I see. Forgive me.” She rolls her eyes in a self-deprecating manner. “Come on in. You mentioned you were a legacy?” She scans me again, keeping her focus trained on me as she stays near my side while leading us back into the all too familiar building.
Once inside, the smell hits me first: antiseptic, but somehow stale too. “Not much has changed.”
Anita—because I refuse to address her as Head Mistress—opens a heavy wooden door and holds it open for all of us to enter. There’s a secretary sitting behind the same nondescript desk that was here all those years ago.
“Greene retired?” I look around, wondering when the old bat finally gave up her position.
“Tragically, she died about six years ago,” Anita informs me and nods to the secretary. I figured it would have taken an act of God to get that woman to give up her power here. “Hold my calls, Martha. Why don’t we head into the conference room? There’s enough space in there for all of us to be comfortable.” It’s the first time she’s mentioned the guys’ presence. Once I took the lead by speaking, she’s kept her focus solely on me.
Anita stands near the head chair, waiting for each of us to take a seat before taking hers. Grim decides to stand behind me while the others each take a chair at my side. Her shrewd eyes catch it all.
“So, tell me about Aeson.”
I’m not too surprised she remember the name. Like Calix said, money talks. The run-down carpet and faded drapes tell me the school really needs some. Either that, or all the money it receives is being funneled elsewhere. “She’s a tiny thing, wild as they come.” I grin at the way the truth can so easily be twisted. “I was hoping we could tour the school, make sure it would be a good fit for our girl.”
Anita winces slightly but catches herself quickly. “We usually only allow visitors during open house, but…”
