Nok strides towards me, his boys behind him. He stops at my toes as I lean back casually against the table edge. He sees my arm, sees the bloody half-moon grooves in my wrist and gently touches them with the tip of his fingers.
“What’s going on?” Loki asks quietly.
Nok, with his sparkling acorn eyes on me, grabs the front of my black T-shirt that says in bright yellow letters,
“If I don’t say it with my lips, you’ll see it in my eyes.”
I got changed just in case I got blood on my school shirt. I’ll change again before class.
He yanks me from the bench, and everybody stills. It was an aggressive move to an outsider. It was a pleasant one to me.
His lips descend, crushing mine in a powerful display that hushes the entire room. He yanks on my hair, deepening the kiss with his tongue, and holds my body to his with a hand on my back.
Fuck.
That was hot.
But it was also never supposed to happen.
People cheer, a chorus of claps and wolf whistles.
He pulls back, breathless and panting. Then he turns and walks away with his friends, smiling and talking about things I can’t hear.
“You’re with him now?” Loki asks.
I let out a laugh. “He wishes.”
“So what was that?”
“The start of a dangerous game, Loki,” I answer, sitting back down and watching Nok exit the cafeteria. “The start of a really dangerous fucking game.”
“You’re crazy. You know that?”
I grin at him. “You really have no idea.”
Willow and I spend a rare evening in with Mom. Though despite the fact she’s here, she’s not actually here. She’s on her phone texting while we watch one of the Avengers movies. It’s still nice getting to chill like this. It’s such a rare thing for us all.
That coupled with the fact Willow is in good health tonight.
“You keep looking at your phone,” Willow whispers, frowning at me from her end of the couch. “Expecting a call?”
I shake my head, glancing at my sickly mirror image. “Not really. I’m just…”
“You like him?”
I shake my head. “No. Not at all.”
“Mm-hmm.” She doesn’t believe me, of course she doesn’t. “Do you like him so much that you don’t want to go through with it?”
“Hell no. I’m never wrong about this. You know I’m not.”
She glances at Mom and whispers even lower, “What are we going to do if you are?”
I shrug and place my phone facedown on the arm of the chair. “Find someone else?”
She laughs sardonically. “We leave in three weeks.”
“I’ve got this.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I do.”
“If you’re so sure, then say the word.”
I stand and stuff my phone into my pocket. “I’m not saying shit.”
“I’m dying, Lilith.”
I look at her frail form and resist the urge to sob. “I know.”
“You’re wasting time on him that could be spent with me.”
“I know.” I sit back down and curl into her side. “I know.”
“Then stop this nonsense. Let me take care of you for once.” Her cheek rests against my hair.
I shake my head slightly. “Let me be sure. Okay? I have a couple of weeks left. If I haven’t figured it out by then…”
“Okay. Deal. But be home more. I need you.”
She’s right. I haven’t been there for her at all since we moved in. I bet she’s been feeling lonely and neglected. “I’ll do better.”
“You’re the best already. Just fit in more time for me.”
I look at Mom who is now smiling at us, a vacant, tired expression on her face. She gets like this when she misses Dad.
I sigh heavily. “What are we going to do about her?”
“Nothing. Just hope she gets laid and finds love again.”
We share a smile and then we abandon our mom to go and paint our toenails upstairs. I need to invest in more nail polish. Neon pink is my sister’s color. Not mine. But I ran out of my crimson red the last use.
“I’ve been chatting with locals in the school forum,” Willow admits. “There are a lot of good people here.”
“It’s not all bad.”
“They’re terrified that they’re going to be next on the School Sigil Searer’s list.” She’s obsessed with watching the news these days so it’s unsurprising she’s getting local gossip.
I tense. “You know I saw a man in the woods yesterday.”
“Oh?” Her eyes light up with excitement. “Was he naked?”
Laughing, I shake my head. “No, he was just staring at me, standing there. He had a similar body shape to Dad. It was beyond weird.”
“Sounds it. What were you doing in the woods?”
I shrug and smile sheepishly. “Bonding with Nok.”
“By yourself? Are you fucking insane?”
“I have to get him alone.”
“What if he hurt you?”
I grit my teeth. I know she’s concerned for me, but she doesn’t have to be. I can look after myself. I don’t know what it is about people suggesting I’m weak that has my hackles rising. I know that’s not what she meant. It’s just a deep-down feeling I can’t shake.
I’m not weak. I’m strong and willful and fearless.
I need everyone to believe that.
“I’ve got this,” I reply firmly. “Trust me.”
“I do. I just don’t trust your judgement. It’s been sketchy in the past.” She shuts down, her eyes lose their vibrance and her lips lose their sweet smile.
“We should get you out of the house,” I insist, tugging on her hand. “While you’re feeling good.”
“What about Mom?”
“She doesn’t want to be here, Willow,” I implore, sighing at the end. “You know it. I know it. It’s too fucking painful for her.”
“I know.” She pouts and I help her stand. “Why don’t we go for a walk or something?”
“Let’s do it.”
We head downstairs and Mom is arguing on the phone with somebody. We both roll our eyes towards each other and slip out the back.
As we cut through the yard, our neighbor’s head pops over the high fence. White hair and blue eyes and a friendly smile.
He smiles at us and Willow greets him with a wave which he returns. “Good afternoon, Mr. Miller.”
“Good afternoon, Willow.” He returns to his duties and I take my sister’s hand.
“Let’s go riding?” I ask, moving to the small garage where my bike is hiding.
She wets her lips, looking nervous. “I don’t know.”
“I’ll go slow. We’ll be able to go further together.”
After a brief hesitation she nods. It’s been a long time since I got her on the bike. She used to ride her own all the time but that ended when she got sick and her arms just don’t have the strength in them to guide the bike anymore.