Page 72 of Volik

Because I feel fucking great.

Strong.

I stride toward my front door.

I feel unstoppable.

Chapter 38

Nix

There are only two other cars in the employee lot when I turn off my engine.

The emptiness is not a surprise. It’s barely seven. And even if my class started at eight, not ten, I wouldn’t show up for another thirty minutes.

That’s what I would do in a normal world.

In a world where my blood isn’t thrumming with something that feels a lot like magic.

In a world where I didn’t tell a vampire he’s my mate while his ridiculously big dick was ruining me.

In that world, I would have slept in, made coffee, read on my couch. Then I would’ve showered, gotten dressed, and come to campus a half hour before my class started.

But… at least I made coffee.

I glance down at my plastic travel cup and sigh.

My thermos and dirty mug are still sitting on my desk, waiting for me to clean them. And possibly pack them up with the rest of my belongings.

With thoughts of losing my job, I grab the extra tote I threw in my car and shove it into my bag alongside my laptop. I’ll spend my morning packing or researching.

Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I snag my coffee, then climb out of my car.

As I shut the door, I try to picture Volik sitting in my pale blue station wagon. But I fail.

Pretty sure his horns would stick through the roof.

Then I picture getting a car with a sunroof. Volik’s head sticking out the top. Wind blowing through his hair. The sun glinting off his shiny horns. And the first smile of the day tugs at my lips before I shove it away.

Volik isn’t my pet.

He’s my mate.

I press my lips together and keep walking.

Not going there.

Not right now.

I continue down the path, keeping my eyes forward, not looking around. Too nervous to accidentally make eye contact with someone.

Not that I see anyone else walking around. But I’m under no illusion that yesterday’s events have gone unnoticed.

I sigh.

Even if, by some miracle, I don’t get fired, I’ll still need to spend time this week searching for second jobs. It will take every cent of my wages and then some to pay for the damage done to the building.

A breeze blows my hair back as I make a turn around the corner of a building. And it feels good.