Page 21 of Zodiac Monsters

As noon came around, we both geared up, and she pointed me towards her place of employment. It hadn’t registered where we were going until I found myself sitting in front of a clothing boutique in uptown Graves.

“This is where you work?” I asked, my nose scrunched and a touch confused. Threads of the Magi…

She smiled brightly once she removed her crash helmet. “Yep, just started.”

“I’m surprised they were hiring. So much of Graves is owned by old magical families, and usually they’re very particular about outsiders.” Or more specifically, they’re very particular about hiring humans. I’d somehow expected her to be working at a large chain hotel or a restaurant or something, but this little shop was owned by one of Graves’ legacy families. I’d never personally shopped here, but I knew their bloodline was well guarded, and they were very protective of their secrets. There was no way they would let her on the payroll without sensing a magic gift.

“One of my friends in my Calculus class is the son of the owner, and he got me a job.” She said with a shrug. “He doesn’t like me like that, so you don’t have to be jealous.” She added, completely unaware of the sheer number of problems I had with this whole situation.

First being that it was unlikely any male student was asking to spend time with her without a single ulterior motive. It was endearing that she believed men could be just friends with her, but if I was physically fighting obsession, then anyone else must be begging at her feet. It was only her own lack of self-confidence that had her thinking otherwise.

Secondly, I’d met one of the sons of the Arya clan in Astrology Club last year, and it was going to be a problem if we were thinking of the same person. I couldn’t say for sure how many heirs they had, but I didn’t trust anyone who was raised in that environment.

Thirdly, and most significantly, was the fact that an Arya never would have hired her without knowing she was absolutely not of unspectacular mortal descent.

Did he know what she was?

“I see.” I managed to say in a friendly and confident manner, while my dark visor hid my expression. “Maybe I should meet this friend of yours.”

Shock and distress immediately painted Lila’s face, and she shook her head fervently. “No way. You’ll get me fired so fast.”

I snorted at that, despite my reservations. “Are you embarrassed to be seen with me in public now? I only fucked you on a group field trip one time.” I popped open my visor to offer a half smile. “I’m not going to walk in there and bend you over the cash register, I promise.” This time.

“Stop.” She laughed through the blush on her cheeks. “It’s more like I don’t feel confident you play well with other shifters.” She spoke casually, but I tensed at the admission that this friend of hers had outed himself as such. I would hope she’d at least assumed he wasn’t human, but for him to have confirmed the fact to her was… concerning.

Not the least of which because she hadn’t mentioned any friends to me even when we were on our best terms, and now I couldn’t help but wonder how long he’d been courting her, and how deeply he’d dug in his fangs at this point.

“Fine, fine, I can take the hint.” Dismissive and unbothered was the best response to lower her guard. “Maybe next time.”

“Oh, I do have one more question.” She asked like the light bulb had been slowly flickering to full power. She bit her lip, dragging her teeth over the spot where I knew Adrian made his claim. Then she rubbed her neck where I’d placed my mark with the heel of her hand. “You said mate marks can be rejected, right?”

The thick swallow that bobbed down my throat was involuntary, even more so in light of this… friend. She removed the leather motorcycle jacket I’d given her, and folded it over her arm. She was nonchalant, like the question wasn’t a shot through my heart.

“Right.” I confirmed with well feigned indifference. “There’s not time to get into it right now, but I can help you with that later if you’d like. I only put my mark there to protect you, and I understand if you’d like to slow down a bit. As long as we don’t complete the pact, rejecting a one sided mark isn’t permanent and can be reattempted until a pact is sealed.”

Lila nodded, and when I say that motion dropped my heart into my stomach, I was underrepresenting the feeling in my gut.

Just like that, no further comments or reassurances, she flitted off to the clothing boutique. No goodbye kiss, no “see you later,” no nothing.

I revved my engine loudly, then took off towards home. Not even the raw adrenaline of the ride was enough to distract me from the thoughts swirling through my head.

That hadn’t gone how I’d hoped at all. If anything, I was now starting to think I’d legitimately fucked up. So much for compelling her, and so much for using her against Adrian. I was the one getting riled up now, and I hated that for me.

Deep breath. Deep fucking breath.

Stop losing fucking control.

Her influence should have subsided when she walked away, but I was still in knots over her, and I couldn’t explain what was doing it. Had fucking her while we were both shifted implanted something in me? Or was this sinking feeling completely mundane and unrelated to magic?

Did I have a crush?

I scoffed aloud in my helmet and returned my focus to the road. She’d gotten much more out of this exchange than I had. Which was fine, really. I was playing the long game here. If she walked away trusting me just a little more, while also volunteering to be my personal blood bag, we were going in the right direction. The casual question about rejecting my mark was probably more a curiosity than a threat. She was new to all of this after all. She didn’t understand the implication.

This paranoia was completely unlike me.

I needed to slow down and approach this problem one piece at a time, from Adrian’s emotions, to my own over-involvement, to the friend who knew she wasn’t human and had invited her into one of the most guarded old families among magic-kind.

More than anything, I needed to assure I didn’t lose my own sense of self in all of this. Something told me this game was about to get so much more complicated.