Page 36 of Fang Fiction

Callum glared at Tess, then at the statue. He walked over to it, then bowed his head and closed his eyes in a moment that looked almost like prayer. He whispered something Tess couldn’t quite catch, but she made out a couple of words: Octavia and please.

When he opened his eyes, she saw a new expression—his face looked softer, more vulnerable. Tess recognized the mixture of fervent hope and the soul-crushing fear that necessarily accompanies wanting anything so badly. It reminded her of the way she used to look at brochures for Columbia.

He slowly reached out his hands, then laid them on the angel.

They waited for a moment—two—but nothing happened.

“Maybe it’s another part of the statue?” Tess suggested.

He put his hands on the angel’s face, her head, her body, her wings, her feet, the pedestal below them, moving with increasing urgency and frustration—but each time, nothing happened.

“It’s just a fucking statue,” he spat, his voice raspy with anger and anguish.

“I’m sorry, Callum.” Tess might not enjoy his company, but it was still awful to see anyone so broken.

“It’s fine.” He set his jaw. “I’m going to hunt. I’ll see you back at the compound.”

“You can’t be serious,” Tess sputtered. “You expect me to walk back alone?! You told me it wasn’t even safe to walk through the forest with you!”

“Just head straight back and don’t talk to anyone,” Callum said bluntly. “Think you can manage that?”

She opened her mouth to argue further, but he was gone before she could say a word. She exhaled heavily. Obviously, he’d been uncomfortable to have her witness such a painful moment, and he needed to run away immediately. Men, she thought. The same no matter where you found them—or how many centuries old they were.

She looked around the graveyard—spooky, but empty. Annoyingly, Callum seemed right—it shouldn’t be that difficult for Tess to get back to the compound from here. She just needed to turn around and head back down the path they’d used to get here until she reached the edge of the forest, which would only take ten minutes or so; then she’d be back in Nantale’s territory. If she pushed herself, she could probably be out of here even faster.

She started down the path at a good clip, her ears attuned to any rustle in the leaves that could signal a vampire nearby. She heard a branch snap—was someone there? No—there was nothing. She looked left, then right…and then something glimmering in the distance caught her eye.

“What is that?” she muttered.

Something was reflecting in the moonlight, pale and minty green, with a shimmering quality that reminded Tess of the lilac waters beneath the crystal bridge. There was a little side path that went straight toward it; it would only take her a few minutes to reach whatever it was. She knew that was a foolish idea, that she should just head back to the compound…

But also? Fuck that.

Tess was here, on a magical isle she’d read about for years, and what, she wasn’t supposed to explore? To experience any of it for herself? Why? Because someone might kill her? They might do the same in the halls of Nantale’s compound—Tristan very nearly had less than an hour ago. So Tess straightened her posture and strode down the side path. She heard the sound of rushing water—she was almost sure she knew what she was about to see—

But her jaw still physically dropped when she saw it.

The milky jade pools were one of Tess’s favorite settings in Blood Feud, the place where Isobel would sneak away to reflect; supposedly, the waters were a source of everlasting beauty for anyone who bathed there.

“That’s easy to believe,” Tess murmured.

The water was nearly opaque and palest green—the milky jade color that gave the pools their name. The pools themselves formed a circle, with small waterfalls tumbling over shiny black rocks between them. There was no river to source them—the water came from a natural spring beneath the forest. The ring of pools was surrounded by a grove of weeping cherry trees, graceful boughs laden with soft pink blooms, petals showering into the water with every breeze. It was the most spectacular place Tess had ever seen—and that bar had risen substantially in the past few days.

Tess stayed in the shadows of the trees near the pools for a few minutes, waiting to make sure she was totally alone. But there was no sound, no movement, nothing. So she took off her boots and rolled up her jeans.

Tess gasped when she put her first toe into the water—it was warm and effervescent, pooling around her like the most decadent bubble bath. She’d only meant to wade into the pool, but the water was so delicious, so fizzy with minerals and perfumed with the scent of pink petals, that she couldn’t resist stripping off all of her clothes and submerging herself completely.

It was the most amazing feeling, like the water was whispering gentle kisses all over her body. The colors were so beautiful, the breeze so gentle, the water so warm, Tess let out a heady sigh—she felt like she could stay here forever.

“Good, isn’t it?”

She froze, panic lacing through her. The man didn’t sound threatening—more like mildly amused—but she knew anyone she met on the Isle posed a mortal danger. She looked up, trying to keep her face calm. And there, in the most beautiful place she’d ever been, was the most handsome man she’d ever met.

He wasn’t too tall—maybe 5'9" or so? But he was lithe and muscular, with thick golden brown hair that grew past his ears and a face like a Disney prince: straight nose, full lips, bright blue eyes. He was dressed more formally than any of the vampires at Nantale’s compound; his billowing white shirt and slim trousers tucked into tall riding boots put Tess in mind of a Jane Austen hero. Something about his face looked familiar—like maybe she’d seen him in an old movie or something? She supposed it was possible; maybe he’d been an actor in one of his many lifetimes.

And she was momentarily too distracted wondering where she’d seen him before to realize she was naked in front of him.

Her hands went automatically to cover her breasts, but he couldn’t see them anyway—the water was opaque, and only her head and shoulders were peeking out.