ã€ŠLate Night Snackã€‹


 Chapter One: The First Sip

    Part I: Human Lands

    10:35 PM

    Maddy Hastings let out a heavy sigh and glanced at the scratched glass of his wristwatch as he pushed a damp cloth across a spotless table for the third time. The seconds seemed a half-breath longer than usual and boredom threatened to pull him into sleep if he dared to sit down.

    He looked around the diner listlessly, florescent lights buzzed in his ears and made his eyes sore. The windows seemed like large black mirrors reflecting customers sipping their drinks and late-night suppers. Maddy imagined he was standing in a brightly lit fishing boat, surrounded by a sea of darkness, and swaying with the current.

    Regulars were sitting in their usual orange and gray booths, their feet dangling off the edge like small toddlers not quite tall enough to reach the floor. Even at this hour, the diner was filled with the chatter of Strange Folk and humans alike. (Although, no one told the humans that.) Maddy busied myself with taking orders, cleaning tables, and occasionally changing the channels on the two TVs above the bar.

    When the bell over the front door chimed, Maddy snapped his head up, like a hound on a hunt, his nose twitched expecting the familiar scent of jasmine and honey. Dee had asked him to cover her shift, which wasn¡¯t uncommon, but knowing her she¡¯d most likely stop by before the diner closed for the night.

    He let out another breath when it was just a few customers leaving and walked toward the counter where Mr. Nananbo was hunched over, nursing a coffee and staring up at one of the TVs. ¡°Hi, Mr. Nanabo. How are you doing?¡± He asked the man with so many lines on his face, he looked like a practice sheet of origami paper.

    ¡°Ah! Hastings,¡± Nanabo said in a tone that sounded as if he found his lost keys. He lifted his mug, but kept his eyes on the screen. There was a news reporter discussing a recent arson attack in the neighboring town. ¡°A refill.¡±

    ¡°Coming right up,¡± Maddy quirked his lips into a small grin. Mr. Nanabo was a man of very few words and Maddy could tell he had secrets. Secrets that he held in for so long it turned him as rough as coal. ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± He scanned a tray of baked goods on the counter, ¡°And I¡¯ll take one of Bunny¡¯s muffins.¡±

    It would be another twenty minutes before Dee showed up. The bell above the door chimed loudly as the late-night rush dissipated. Maddy turned toward the door to see Dee¡¯s hair tied up in a high ponytail and her makeup done. She wore a pair of baggy jeans and a cropped anime t-shirt- definitely not enough clothes for a normal human during this time of year. Her blue eyes met his and she broke into a smile as if she hadn¡¯t seen him for years, and really missed him.

    ¡°Dee!¡± He said wiping his hands against his apron and striding toward her. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Maddy, baby, how are you?¡± She replied her smile growing bigger as she looked up at him. Her eyes scanned the dinner and when she saw Doug through the kitchen window cleaning up she added, ¡°Hi Doug!¡±

    He called out without looking up, ¡°Oh, Dee, how nice of you to show up for work today.¡±

    She dropped her jaw, but the quirk of her lips made it obvious she wasn¡¯t really offended. She glided past Maddy and leaned over the counter. ¡°You know I had a really good excuse today. How¡¯s Bunny?¡±

    ¡°Asking about my wife won¡¯t butter me up,¡± Doug said with a snort. ¡°Especially since she wonders why I still keep you around.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cause I wrack up the cash,¡± She laughed, her bubbly voice filling up the diner. She turned to Mr. Nanabo still sitting at the counter, the corners of her eyes crinkling, ¡°Mr. Nanabo, you¡¯re out late, how are you?¡±

    ¡°Evening, Dee,¡± He replied, the gruffness in his voice softer. ¡°How are you?¡±

    ¡°Better, now that I¡¯ve seen you!¡± She said, dimples forming on either side of her cheeks. It was a shameless attempt to butter him up. Everyone knew it, and it yet it still made Mr. Nanabo blush and look away.

    ¡°Okay, so where is he?¡± Doug said throwing a dish rag over his shoulder and crossing his arms. ¡°Your excuse.¡±

    The reason why Maddy had to cover Dee¡¯s shift today was because she was showing her father¡¯s new work colleague around town. Maddy grimaced. There were only two kinds of people Dr. Tarkirk ever worked with. Humans to keep up the pretense he was just an Anthropology professor who was invested in educating the people of Willow Creek and Strange Folk who often looked at Maddy as if he were a corn kernel stuck between their teeth.

    ¡°He should be here soon, just needed to drop some paperwork off at the house. I told him we couldn¡¯t finish the tour without coming to Douggie¡¯s, the only place to eat that matters.¡± With that Doug rolled his eyes and went back to cleaning up the kitchen.

    Dee turned to Maddy, lips curled into a smile, the kind that formed just before a secret was spilled. ¡°Wait till you see who Daddy is working with!¡± She looked over his shoulder and spotted a regular she was friends with. ¡°Susan!¡±

    He nodded, slowly. He wasn¡¯t sure if he liked the sound of that and just watched her as she effortlessly made her way between tables. Dee was a natural at conversation, her laugh was infectious and she always had something to talk about with everyone.

    His hand unconsciously reached up and rubbed his chest. It was as if his veins formed a noose around his heart and tugged on the organ. He figured out years ago that it was a side effect from one of the first spells Dr. Tarkirk, Dee¡¯s father, placed on him. It wasn¡¯t usually painful, more of a gentle admonish that kept him in check, reminding him to be careful.

    When she turned and gave him a wink, He quickly dropped his hand and tried to focus on clearing off the table in front of him. All he ever wanted to was to be like, Dee. She was confident, well-liked, normal.

    At precisely 11:02 P.M. Something Strange walked through Douggie¡¯s Diner. The bell jingled and the unexpected smell of strawberries and spice tickled Maddy¡¯s nose, like the gentle brush of a feather or tail of a cat. He turned toward the door as he always did. Gray eyes caught his attention first. Each iris was a moonlit pond, where silver koi danced in languid spirals, their scales glinting in liquid mercury. They made Maddy want to dive in and-

    The noose around his heart squeezed  tightly in his chest and a different set of gray eyes flashed through his thoughts. They were muted, dead fish floating to the surface of a toxic pond, their scales only reflecting against the harsh white light in his childhood bedroom.

    A small quirk of the brow and a flicker of amusement in the Stranger''s eyes brought him back to reality and snap his gaze toward a ten-year-old coffee stain at the bar he was suddenly determined to remove.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Dee called out from across the diner.

    Maddy lifted his head to see Dee with the same secret smile as before. Only now he knew why she held it. The Stranger¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t the only thing striking about him. His hair was ash-colored with darker streaks of blond that glowed in the late afternoon sun. It should have washed him out, but the gold in his hair matched his burnished skin tone.

    A lightly toasted marshmallow, he thought, his eyes scanned the Stranger¡¯s body. He wore a thick, burgundy, v-neck sweater and black slacks. The sleeves were scrunched up at the elbows and showed the muscle and veins in his arms. There was no question he was fit and classically handsome with soft facial features, that made Maddy think he wouldn¡¯t look right with a beard. He found that comforting since he couldn¡¯t sport one either.

    Dee gracefully avoided a few patrons, who suddenly stood up and made their way out of the diner. She clasped her arms behind her back as she walked up to the Stranger, her head nearly touching her back as she looked up to meet his gaze.

    ¡°Hello, again,¡± The Stranger replied with a smile that bloomed on his face like a carnivorous flower. White fangs glistened against the diner lights.

    Maddy¡¯s jaw dropped the noose around his heart tugged rapidly. That was a- He was a- A cramp formed in his stomach and he squeezed the cloth in hand so tightly it started dripping down his wrist and onto the floor.

    ¡°I was starting to think you weren¡¯t going to show,¡± Dee adjusted her shirt, pulling the t-shirt down. Maddy tried to subtly turn to listen as he suspected she adjusted her shirt on purpose to draw the attention of the other man downwards. It worked and with a quirk of her lips, she added. ¡°Do you want to sit down?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡±  He said, in a voice that reminded Maddy of wet sand by the shoreline, smooth and cool and grounding.

    He immediately knew not to trust him. Mrs. Tarkirk had warned him about those kinds of Folk, everything from the way they looked and talked, was calculated, for hunting, for killing.

    So why the hell was Dee talking to one?

    ¡°Great! I just need to say goodbye to my friend Susan, and I¡¯ll come and join you.¡± Gloat. Dee meant gloat and he knew it. He was rolling his eyes when she pointed at him, causing his whole body to tense, ¡°My friend, Maddy, will get you settled.¡±

    Their eyes met again. He winked and Maddy¡¯s cheeks grew warm like bread in a toaster. He looked at the puddle he made on the floor and quickly bent down to wipe it up.

    ¡°Hello,¡± The Stranger said when Maddy popped back up.

    ¡°H-hi,¡± He stumbled to say. The scent of strawberries and spice wrapped around his neck and rested against his shoulders as if it were a scarf knitted especially for him. He placed a hand in his apron pocket and gestured with the other to a seat next to Nanabo. ¡°You can sit here if you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± He said with another smile that showed his fangs again. Maddy wasn¡¯t sure if he liked seeing it or not. He added when Mr. Nanabo grunted and mumbled something that sounded close to a curse, ¡°I don¡¯t mind standing.¡±

    ¡°Can I get you anything?¡± He asked curtly, reverting back to his waiter training, he wasn¡¯t good a pretending the Stranger in front of him was just a regular human. He didn¡¯t have Dee¡¯s confidence.

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± He said in a tone that was all too serious for what he was about to order. ¡°Do you have French Fries?¡±

    Maddy pressed his lips together, but he couldn¡¯t stop the corners from curling upward. This was a diner of course they had fries. There was only one reason Strange Folk wouldn¡¯t know fries were common in diners. He wasn¡¯t just new to town, he was new to this side of the border, what Strange Folk called the Human Lands. The weariness he held for the Stranger quickly unraveled, ¡°Yes, we have straight, sweet potato, waffle cut, and curly.¡±

    The Stranger furrowed his brows, then his silver eyes flickered thoughtfully toward Maddy. ¡°What do you like?¡±

    ¡°Straight cut is a classic and a definite must for first-time fry triers, but I prefer curly.¡± He answered giving fries the proper consideration they deserve. He didn¡¯t even know their Folk ate solid food. What was his favorite food? He didn¡¯t seem like the type to gorge on a burger. Questions continued to bubble in his head, his weariness struggling to burst all of them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take both,¡± The Stranger nodded, amused.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    He grinned. ¡°Good choice, I recommend trying it with ketchup.¡±

    ¡°Is that this red stuff?¡± The Stranger picked up the Heinz bottle and investigated it, he shifted his gaze from the bottle, his lips curling into a wolfish grin, ¡°I prefer different red stuff.¡±

    Maddy¡¯s stomach curdled like spoiled milk and it took everything in his power not to snap his mouth shut before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with your order.¡±

    In the kitchen, Maddy quickly placed the Stranger¡¯s order for Doug- who huffed noting the kitchen was already closed, but started to make them anyway- and headed toward the walk-in freezer. He placed and hand on his chest, his fingers twisting the fabric of his apron. His breath curled in the cold air as he huffed out a breath.

    It was the strongest of all Dr. Tarkirk¡¯s spells. He squeezed his eyes shut as an unwanted memory forced its way through his brain, like a worm burrowing through an apple.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Maddy cried, his whole body shaking as the spell dug into his skin and scraped his bones. It seemed that Dr. Tarkirk didn¡¯t care that the spell ripped through Maddy like tissue paper as he placed his hand on his head.

    ¡°Hold still. I¡¯m not finished.¡± He said to Maddy in a tone that sounded like he was trying to brush knots out of tangled hair, not nearly break an eight-year-old boy.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He repeated as tears streaked down his face. It didn¡¯t matter how much he said it, nothing would change what he had done. And above all he knew, he deserved every horrible thing that would come his way.

    Dee came rushing through Dr. Tarkirk¡¯s office door when it was over. Her hand grasped Maddy¡¯s and despite the incredible pain that wracked his body, he didn¡¯t let go of her. She turned to face him when they were safe in her room and said the only thing that would make him feel the slightest bit better was, ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay, Maddy.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Dee asked opening the freezer door, locks of her hair flying up as cold air jutted out.

    ¡°Sorry, I just needed a minute.¡± He placed his hands in his apron. ¡°Feeling a little sick.¡±

    Dee narrowed her gaze. She was every much a protective mother bear when it came to Maddy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? He say something to you?¡±

    Maddy shook his head. The spell made it hard to discuss anything to do with magic without making his jaw snap shut and his stomach do flips. There were loopholes, however, being able to smell the difference between humans and Strange Folk, and indirectly talking about magic was generally fine. It made for creative conversation. ¡°Nothing, really.¡±

    He paused the noose in his heart giving him a small tug. ¡°But why are you hanging out with him? Your mother would have a field day if she knew.¡±

    ¡°Oh, she knows¡­¡± Dee¡¯s lips split into that surreptitious smile again. ¡°He¡¯s Daddy¡¯s new work colleague.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± A worry mark formed between Maddy¡¯s brows. He tapped his toes against the floor of the freezer to keep them from going numb. ¡°He¡¯s not¡­ not your father¡¯s usual guest,¡± Maddy pointed to his teeth for emphasis.

    Dee shrugged, ¡°Truth is, last month, Daddy discovered something new about humans. You remember I was telling you he was calling everyone. It was so weird. I¡¯ve never seen him that excited about anything. Well anyways, this week, they sent an official or whatever to confirm his findings. I don¡¯t really know, or care.¡±

    Maddy¡¯s lips pressed together, ¡± They were teetering on the edge of the spell and he found it difficult to focus on her words, like flipping a switch and there¡¯s a delay before the light comes on. Dee hated talking about her father¡¯s work. She wasn¡¯t good at using magic and therefore detested it. ¡°This doesn¡¯t explain why you would be hanging around him.¡±

    She looked at him as if he sprouted horns on his head. ¡°Have. You. Seen. Him?¡±

    ¡°There are not enough eyes in the world that would roll to counter that statement.¡± Maddy deadpanned.

    ¡°There are not enough na-na-na¡± Dee mocked. ¡°You¡¯re the one hiding in the walk-in freezer after two seconds of meeting him.¡±

    They both laughed.

    ¡°You know, Daddy made me show him around town,¡± Dee said sobering up. ¡°He¡¯s very smart you would like talking nerdy with him.¡±

    There was a glow in her eyes that Maddy didn¡¯t like. She was too excited, to eager for him to like the Stranger. He scrunched up his face. The cold seeping back into his fingers.

    Don¡¯t fuck him, he thought and she gave him that smile which told him it was a possibility. Over twelve years of friendship made it easy for them to talk without using words. The noose around his heart gave a tug. He sighed, his breath curling in the air between them, ¡°So I¡¯m guessing we¡¯re not gonna hang out after I close.¡±

    She placed her hands behind her back and gave a small shrug. ¡°This is me saying goodbye.¡±

    Maddy tried not to let the effect of her words show on his face, ¡°Bye.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± She took a step forward and shook him with jest. ¡°We can still hang out tomorrow, and then there¡¯s Alfonzo¡¯s party on Saturday.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just moody ¡®cause I had to work two shifts today.¡±

    ¡°And I love you for it,¡± She placed a kiss on his cheek and turned to leave the freezer with a pep in her step. He followed her out and watched as she casually slipped her arm around the Stranger¡¯s bicep. She gave him one last wave, ¡°Bye Maddy!¡±

    The Stranger gave him a polite head nod before they walked out the door and Maddy realized he didn¡¯t even catch his name.

    ¡°That girl could sell ice to Eskimos and convince them they need a second freezer,¡± Doug said beside Maddy with a sigh. He took a bite out of the plate of fries that never reached the man with the fangs and silver eyes. ¡°Fry?¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Maddy¡¯s lips curled, taking a couple of curly fries off the plate. He was sure Doug was human, his nose would tell him otherwise, but sometimes the man would say things that made Maddy believe he knew things. Things that most humans thought were just fairy tales.

    Doug turned to face him, his round face pulled into a frown. ¡°How''re you holding up?"

    Maddy sucked in a breath and said, ¡°Okay, but if I have to work another twenty minutes, I think my legs might conspire against me."

    Doug let out a small chuckle, ¡°Well, lucky for you, I¡¯m calling it a night. You¡¯ll be alright closing up?¡±

    He gave a curt nod trying not to look too eager about closing the diner and head upstairs to his little room where he could immediately fall asleep for the next several hours.

    ¡°Good,¡± Doug said, pulling a brown trench coat Bunny got him for his fiftieth birthday out of a small white locker by the service door. In the right lighting, his looks matched a noir detective perfectly. He added, ¡°Dee really should be the one closing, but hey, more money for you right?¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± He followed his boss out of the kitchen. ¡°I could use it to pay for my next semester.¡±

    ¡°See, everything happens for a good reason,¡± Doug assured, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he patted Maddy¡¯s shoulder. He grabbed a string attached to a golden bell hung up on the side of the front door and rang it. He took in a deep breath, filling up his belly, ¡°Attention all customers! Douggie¡¯s Diner is now officially closed! So, go home and don¡¯t forget to tip your waiter. He¡¯s got school to pay for.¡±

    He winked at Maddy as most of the regular customers let out a small laugh, while they looked in his direction.

    His cheeks burned as he snapped his attention to the tables and started wiping at the ten-year-old stain.

    The idea of burrowing his head in his pillows gave him the extra push he needed to clear the rest of the tables, lift the chairs, and take out the trash behind the diner.

    A gust of late Autumn air nipped at his nose, lips, and cheeks, causing Maddy to hunch his shoulders as he made his way toward the giant dumpsters. Normally, most Strange Folk ran warmer than humans, and wearing just a black tee and jeans shouldn¡¯t have been a problem for Maddy, but the spell he was under lowered ability to maintain body heat. He¡¯d just thrown the trash bags away and was beelining for the diner when his nose gave the slightest twitch.

    It was a combination of burnt flesh, stale wine, and something Strange. The kind of Strange that made his skin crawl as if there were dozens of unseen fire-ants scavenging for their next meal. He stopped walking, foot in mid-air, uncertain if it was curiosity or fear that kept him put.

    Light from the diner casted a low glow in the space around him, like a night light with a cap over it. He could see directly in front of him and the dumpsters behind him, but it would have been easy to stand completely still in patches of darkness and not be seen. His gaze shifted upwards as the shadows of tall trees in the distance began to shake wildly as if they were a band of cheerleaders with pom-poms.

    ¡°Go.¡± They seemed to rustle. ¡°Move.¡±

    Maddy dropped his foot and hurried inside. Immediately upon entering, his head snapped to the front. The bell shook wildly, like a wind chime in a storm, as knobby fists beat fiercely against the door. Watery blue eyes wild with fraught locked with his. ¡°Help me, Belvie.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Nanabo!¡± Maddy called out rushing out from behind the counter, but he wasn¡¯t fast enough and the door lock snapped causing Mr. Nanabo to rush forward and slip on the freshly mopped floor. His head struck the tile and a sickening crack echoed in the sudden stillness of the diner.

    Maddy rushed to Nanabo¡¯s side. Calling out his name once again, but when there was no response he crashed down to his knees, ignoring the ache that came with the harsh drop. His eyes hard pressed on Nanabo¡¯s back, waiting for it to rise and fall. The noose around his heart gave a heavy tug, but Maddy ignored it as he reached his hand out. ¡°Mr Nanabo, are you al- Ah!¡±

    Nanabo¡¯s hand jutted out, cold and clammy, yanking Maddy close enough to feel his hot breath against his face. His eyes rolled back and his jaw unhinged as a spew of nonsense left his mouth. Then all at once, a visible bolt of electricity sparked between them. Searing heat rushed up his arm and through his veins like a lit wick of dynamite, exploding in his chest and rushing back down into his hand. He tried to shake himself free, but Nanabo¡¯s grip was too tight.

    He screamed as the spell that bound him squeezed and scraped against his skin. Whatever Nanabo was doing, the spell didn¡¯t like and it was digging its thorns deeper into his flesh. His fingers dug into Nanabo¡¯s hand as the pain continued. Pressure in his forehead swelled like a balloon filled with too much air. He thought his head would pop and his blood would be splattered all over the diner, poor Doug would come in tomorrow with the biggest mess to clean.

    He looked down at Nanabo, blood was leaking from the man¡¯s head and nose. ¡°S-Stop. You¡¯re k-killing m-¡° His voice trailed off as the edges of his world were turning black.

    Mr. Nanabo stopped his babbling and gazed up at Maddy with deep sorrow etched on his face. His  breathing became stagnant and with the last of his will, his voice sounding distant in Maddy¡¯s ears, "I¡¯m sorry, Belvie, this is the best I can do."

    His grip slackened, and a batch of tears fell from his eyes. Then his head lolled back and his eyes unfocused and Maddy quickly realized he wasn¡¯t the one vibrating. It was Nanabo who had been buzzing against him, like a swarm of bees, discovering their queen was dead.

    Maddy opened his mouth, but no words came out. His head was spinning as the smell of Nanabo¡¯s blood reached his nostrils, making his jaw ache and his stomach growl. His breaths came in hot ragged gasps and his body wouldn''t stop shaking. He tried to stand but his knees buckled and his head hovered just above Nanabo¡¯s face.

    When he was younger, Maddy had done a terrible thing. He accidentally killed his foster mother, Carrie. It was the first time he had shifted and out of fear she attacked him. Maddy couldn¡¯t control his wolf body, nor did he know how sharp the tiny little horns on his small furry head were. When she charged at him with his bedroom lamp, he tucked his little head into her chest, horns piercing her flesh. And as she fell to the floor he jumped on top of her, clawing and scratching her until she stopped screaming.

    When he looked back at her face, it was all wrong. She was a mess of tears, snot, and blood. Soft lips that used to whisper goodnight to him were twisted with the last scream she ever made. And her eyes¡­ Her pretty brown eyes, unnaturally wide, and filled with so much fear. He wanted to believe she was just about sneeze and her face would return to normal, but when his paws got soaked in her blood he knew she wasn¡¯t going to move again.

    Nanabo¡¯s wrinkled and bloody face pressed against the freckled linoleum floor shared the same wide-eyed expression.

    Maddy blinked hard. If he didn''t get up now, he would surely be sick all over Nanabo, or worse, give into something he didn¡¯t dare to dwell on. He gritted his teeth trying to get off Nanabo''s body, as if there were a ten-thousand-pound oak tree on his back. With his head spinning and right hand burning, he ran to the back of the diner and stumbled through the kitchen. He reached the sink and plunged his hand into the bucket of industrial cleaning solution, the water sending a brief respite to the pain in his hand, but doing nothing for his flip-flopping stomach.

    With his good hand, he fumbled for his phone in his pocket, his fingers trembling so badly he could barely tap the call app. When Dee didn''t answer, he felt his heart drop to his stomach all over again. He brushed his hand through his hair and pulled at the roots until it hurt. His fingers tapped aggressively against the glass screen of his phone as he sent rapid-fire texts to her.

    He didn''t want to call the police, they would most likely be human and ask him questions he couldn''t answer. He tried Dee''s cell again while looking over at the body splayed out on the floor.

    ¡°Please, please,¡± He whispered as the phone rang. He didn¡¯t know what to do. Dee was the one who always made the decisions for him. It was better that way. Safer that way. And more than anything he needed her now.

    The phone went to voice mail once again and Maddy¡¯s knees buckled causing the disinfectant water to spill and splash all over him. A sickening feeling washed over him, one that Maddy could never forget, no matter how many safety spells were placed on him. He deserved this and every awful thing to happen to him.

 Chapter Two: Dinner With Cops

    The police arrived shortly after he finally had the nerve to call them. Maddy watched from the back of the diner as they swarmed the scene, their flashing lights cutting through the darkness. He felt detached as if he were watching a scene from a movie, not his own life.

    When the cops approached him for questioning, he had already chewed off most of the nails on his left hand, and he would have done the same thing to his right hand, if it hadn¡¯t been wrapped in a cool, wet cloth, to soothe the burning sensation that hadn¡¯t dissipated.

    He did his best to dance around the truth. He avoided telling them anything Strange related, worried that one small word would cause him to suddenly throw up and then there would be more questions.

    He refused to look at the body, which the cops took dozens of photos of as if Nanabo were on the cover of Vogue and not dead. A pit formed in his stomach and he thought of Carrie. It had been years since he thought of her and touching Nanabo must have weakened the spell if he was remembering her again.

    He brought his thumbnail to his teeth. Besides forcing his trap shut, the spell also made him untraceable to other Strange Folk as anything other than human. It¡¯s why his senses were so dull, but if the spell was weakened and other Strange Folk could smell him, then he was in danger. He gazed at the front door. Dee said she would come. He needed her to come.

    "Hey there," A cop greeted with a wide smile, his tone was far too sweet. Maddy didn¡¯t even see him approach, it made him jump. ¡°I¡¯m Officer, Xavier Hess. Mind if I ask you a few questions?¡±

    ¡°Hi,¡± Maddy replied succinctly. His gaze teetering between the officer and the bell of the door, silently begging for it to jingle.

    ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± The cop asked stepping closer to him, gazing down at his cloth-wrapped hand and then back at him.

    ¡°I burned it,¡± Maddy tried to sound bored and tired, hoping it would be enough to avoid playing another round of twenty questions.

    ¡°Mind if I have a look?¡± The cop asked, his expression was thoughtful, but the noose around Maddy¡¯s heart warned him otherwise.

    He took a good look at the man in front of him. A silver name tag pinned to his chest read, X. Hess, shined against the bright diner lights. Earthy brown eyes that matched his curly hair were nearly leveled with Maddy¡¯s, if not half an inch shorter. He had the right build for a cop, sturdy and lithe. Good for catching and fighting bad guys, Maddy thought.

    The cop reached out his hand for Maddy to place his burned hand in, but he hesitated for two reasons. One: If he gave his hand over, the officer would see there were no marks, which would lead to more questions and possibly throwing up. And two: For the simple fact that he didn¡¯t trust him. A quick twitch of his nose told Maddy that the cop smelled of crushed herbs and honey, he was the same Folk as Dee.

    Witch.

    "Witch." The word shot out of his mouth like a hard candy that was too sour and right into the face of the officer.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Officer Hess gave the slightest head jerk, his eyes flickered in shock and then a wry smile, an indication he made a social faux pas in the company of humans. His cheeks became so hot he could have roasted marshmallows on them.

    Thinking quickly, he looked over his shoulder to Doug for help. He texted his boss just after he¡¯d phoned the cops and luckily for Maddy, Doug lived close enough to come back right away. Understanding his need for help flashed in Doug¡¯s eyes and without saying another word, he left the cop he was talking to and walked over to him.

    ¡°You alright, son?¡± Doug asked, clamping a large hand on Maddy¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°I just want to go home,¡± He replied, sounding defeated from this evening¡¯s events. He looked up at Doug for guidance and the simple gesture turned the gentle old man gritty and protective. The shift in mood also made the cop in front of them drop his hand and smile.

    ¡°Is there a problem here, officer?¡± Doug said, puffing out his already expanded chest and narrowing his gaze.

    ¡°No,¡± The officer replied with another smile that he didn¡¯t quite commit to.

    ¡°And has my employee answered all of your questions this evening?¡± Doug continued.

    Too many questions, Maddy thought. Like, did Mr. Nanabo seem off earlier in the day, or had he ever shown signs of confusion? These were the wrong questions. They should have been asking was someone after him or had he seemed worried about something. Of course, Maddy didn¡¯t know the answers to this either, but it was almost as if they were trying to write off what happened as an old man having a senile moment. Which was not only far from the truth, but infuriated Maddy.

    ¡°My partner¡¯s yes, but-¡± The Officer Hess began.

    ¡°Then maybe you should be consolidating with them instead,¡± Doug said, cutting off the cop and smirking when he saw the officer''s jaw clench. ¡°It¡¯s nearly two in the morning, Maddy, here,¡± Doug squeezed his shoulder, ¡°Worked a double shift on a day he didn¡¯t have to come in, witnessed the death of a beloved customer, and I¡¯m sure on top of all of this, he has class tomorrow. Don¡¯t you, son?¡±

    Maddy nodded at Doug and turned to the cop once more, trying to give off his best I¡¯m just a tired human boy please let me go to sleep look.

    "So, if it¡¯s alright with you,¡± Doug cleared his throat, his gaze remaining stern toward Officer Hess. ¡°I think it would be alright if we let him go home.¡±

    The cop let out a heavy sigh, his defeat evident in his tone, as he spoke, "Yeah, for now, I guess."

    "Good," Doug said succinctly with a nod. He turned back to the officer who had been asking him questions earlier and added over his shoulder, "Oh, and Maddy come and see me before you leave."

    Not wanting to spend another minute with the cop, Maddy headed for the back office to grab his coat and go home, but pain seized him as the cop grabbed his injured hand and tossed the towel to the ground. Looking over his shoulder, Maddy dropped his jaw, a small gasp getting caught in his throat.

    The cop cocked a brow at Maddy and smirked as he said, "Looks like a nasty burn." Maddy snapped his jaw shut and picked up the towel off the ground. He didn¡¯t know what kind of game the cop was playing. Was he seeing the remnants of a broken spell or pointing out there was nothing there? When Maddy stood back up, the officer was holding a small note with a number and his name scribbled on it.

    ¡°If you need to talk to someone about what happened.¡± Officer Xavier paused as if trying to imply it was safe to discuss something Strange with him. ¡°You can give me a call.¡±

    ¡°Or, I could just call nine-one-one again,¡± Maddy pinched his face together. He wasn¡¯t sure what the laws were regarding discussing this stuff around humans, hell only a few hours ago just the very thought made him sick, but he knew either way he wasn¡¯t going to sit down and have tea with this man about it.

    Pissed off and not wanting to deal with the officer in front of him for another minute, he stalked out of the diner, without his coat and without saying goodbye to Doug.

 Chapter Two: Dinner with Cops Part Two

    Maddy shivered as the autumn wind bit at his face and ruffled his hair, his burned hand was the only part of him that appreciated the late-night weather. He let out a huff and watched his breath turn to frost in the dimly lit street. Maybe he should have grabbed his jacket. Maybe he shouldn''t have called that officer a witch¡­

    And where the hell was Dee tonight?! Even as he tried calling her again now it still went straight to voice mail. A sinking feeling sloshed around in his stomach, what if something happened to her? Maddy¡¯s body shook all over and he wasn¡¯t quite sure if it was just from the cold.

    No. He refused to think something happened to her. Dee was resourceful and something like dying wasn¡¯t something she would let happen so easily.

    Maddy dug into his pant pocket with his good hand to shelter it from the cold and pulled out the crumpled piece of paper. He read the name, Xavier Hess, and frowned even his handwriting was obnoxious with a giant ¡°X¡± nearly taking up half the paper. He wasn¡¯t planning on calling that cop. Ever. He crushed the note in his hand and pretended the nearest trash can was a basketball hoop.

    ¡°He shoots,¡± Maddy cheered, ¡°He scores! Rah-ah!¡±

    Maddy raised his hands in mock pride and kept them raised as another gust of wind made his nose twitch and caused him to stop momentarily. In every practical sense, it seemed that Maddy was walking down the street alone. It was nearly two am and most people in his sleepy little town were doing just that, sleeping. But gazing up at the trees in the distance shaking oddly against the breeze, whispering to him that someone Strange lurking around.

    "Fuck off," He grumbled to whatever tried to remain hidden in the shadows of the street lamps. Too tired and in pain, he was not in the mood to do anything, but shower and flop into bed. His nose twitched all the way home and only got worse when he reached the front door of his apartment.

    He sighed, dropping his shoulders as he reached for his apartment key clipped to his belt loop beside the spare diner keys. Dee joked he was slowly becoming a janitor, but Maddy was just happy he didn''t have to walk all the back to the diner. His numb fingers struggled with the clip, he swiped a hand under his nose and gritted his teeth. Another second, and he would have stripped in the hallway and unlocked his door with the keys still attached to his pants.

    Free at last, he unlocked his front door and went straight toward his shower. He didn¡¯t wait for the water to heat up and jumped in while it was still cold. Blood slid off his skin and turned pink as it mixed with the water before swirling down the drain. He let the water hit his face, tears rolling down his cheeks in the same instance making it hard to discern the difference. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had washed blood off his body and despite what he wished, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be his last.

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    A memory flashed in his thoughts, like a spark from an outlet. He was eight and watching TV on the carpet. Darren¡¯s beetle-like eyes, red and glossy from a third can of beer bore into him. His teeth stained yellow appeared as his lips twisted into a smile as they watched a man who murdered his wife appear on the TV. ¡°You see guys like him, they¡¯re monsters. They don¡¯t deserve love¡­Look at his wife. Look at how pretty she was.¡±

    Maddy stared at the screen on the top right corner was a picture of a petite brunette. Darren took another can of beer and pulled the tab, ¡°She¡¯s dead now. And he killed her. He¡¯s sick¡­ A fuckin¡¯ monster. He deserves every awful thing that comes his way.¡±

    And Maddy believed his foster father. After all the man was a cop and it was bad guys that forced him to retire early.

    Water dripped down his face and splashed into the puddle of water by his feet. He squeezed his fists, and gritted his teeth when his injured hand ached. Where was Dee tonight? She was supposed to be there. She was supposed to tell him it was going to be okay.

    Maddy hopped out of the shower and barely dried off before slipping into a pair of boxers and a sweater. It was just as bitingly cold inside as it was outside, but Maddy wouldn¡¯t change the temp unless Dee was visiting and yelling in his ear to do so. He turned toward his bed, it wasn''t much to look at, a twin-sized mattress with emerald green sheets and a comforter without a duvet cover, but after tonight, it was warm toast and alphabet soup on a cold winter day. Mr. Nanabo¡¯s dull gray eyes flashed through his thoughts and instead, he took the four steps to his kitchen.

    Maddy wasn''t hungry, the idea of food made his stomach churn. He turned on the tap and placed his still-burning hand under the water. Once again, Mr. Nanabo¡¯s hollow face reflected in the sink and immediately made Maddy squeeze his eyes shut. He huffed out a breath as he grabbed a pan from the sink and soaked a towel to wrap his injured hand.

    He sat on the floor. The weight of the skillet was heavy in his hand. He wiped his nose and pulled his phone out of his pocket, switching his attention between the front door and Dee''s message screen. He yawned, blinked hard a few times, and waited.

    ¡­And waited.

    ¡­¡­And waited.

    Every time he closed his eyes, piercing screams would fill his eardrums. Sometimes they came from the Strange Folk who died in the diner, sometimes they would come from a woman Maddy used to know, and sometimes they would even sound like Dee.

    Against his own volition, Maddy slumped forward, the pan slipped from his grasp. The weight of the night, the pain in his hand, the chilling memories threatening to surface- it was all too much. He found himself trapped in a waking nightmare, unable to escape the clutches of sleep.

 Chapter Three: Headaches and Chocolates

    ¡°Hey sleepy head,¡± He could hear Dee¡¯s smile without having to see it. Her voice was sweet and chirpy, like a songbird starting out it¡¯s day. She closed the door to his bedroom and jumped onto his bed.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he replied, burying his head underneath his pillow. He wasn¡¯t in the mood for her energy.

    ¡°What¡¯s got you so down this morning?¡± She asked poking his cheek with her index finger.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel well,¡± He answered honestly. She would be the only one to know how he truly felt.

    There was a short pause and then more poking from Dee. ¡°Well¡­ If you wake up now, I can steal some extra blood capsules from my dad¡¯s office and put them in some pancake batter.¡±

    ¡°Will you be making the pancakes?¡± He asked in a raspy voice. He stretched out his hand and fumbled for some water. It wouldn¡¯t completely ease his thirst, but it was better than nothing.

    ¡°Obviously.¡±

    He dropped his hand and slid it back into the covers. ¡°Then, I¡¯m good.¡±

    Dee took his pillow and whacked him with it. He peeked one eye open to see her gaping in surprise at him. He grinned as she said with feigned anger. ¡°Rude!¡±

    ~*.*~

    When the sun made its way through the cracks of his curtains, Maddy, grabbed his comforter and rolled into it, forming a sloppy burrito, where his toes stuck out. He probably slept two, maybe three, hours tops. Groaning, he couldn¡¯t decide what hurt more, his splitting headache or his burning hand.

    Then without any warning, Nanabo¡¯s haunting gray eyes slashed through his groggy thoughts. He buried his face into his pillow, his fingers digging into the fabric ruining its shape.

    His bloodshot eyes snapped open.

    He was in his bed. He. Was. In. His. Bed. He unraveled out of his blanket and found himself falling to the ground, ignoring the throbbing of his aching muscles, and frantically looked around.

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    ¡°Dee?! Are you here?¡± He shouted in a vacant apartment small enough to see every corner of the room. ¡°Did you put me to bed?¡±

    Maddy waited patiently in the middle of his room, cradling his hurt hand and convinced his best friend would pop out from behind a cabinet or jump down from the loft. But when she didn¡¯t, and the silence of the room made his own thoughts, too loud, he pursed his lips together and picked up his phone from the floor, where he left it the night before.

    He convinced himself that Dee must have come to tuck him in and then headed to her first class, terrified her father would actually fail her this time if she didn¡¯t show up. He looked down at his phone, found that it had died, and plugged it in before getting ready to find Dee because he knew if he didn¡¯t find her soon, he would start craving.

    He chewed on his toothbrush as he combed a hand through his shaggy brown hair. He spit into the sink and ran to his closet to find something to throw on, settling on a collared shirt and a pair of dark jeans. He was so used to getting called into work right after classes that it just became easier to wear work clothes all the time.

    Slipping his sneakers on and shoving his apron in his backpack, he took a glance at his appearance in the mirror by his closet. Aside from a faintly visible scar on his cheek, Maddy believed his features were nothing to rave about. On good days, he stood at five-foot-eleven inches. He wasn¡¯t fit, but the runs Dee forced him to go on with her, helped to keep his muscles from atrophying.

    Today wasn¡¯t a good day, however, his hair, still wet, clung to his forehead and dripped down the nape of his neck in drops as thick as runny egg whites. He shivered at the thought. His face, usually lightly tanned and wearing a blush, was almost as green as his eyes and he felt barely five-foot-ten.

    He gave his reflection a shrug and a crooked smile, there were days where he looked less human. He ran out the door and cursed as the crisp Autumn air bit at shocked his system. With a click of his tongue, he tightened his backpack straps and started running toward the bus stop.

    ¡°Have any of you seen Dee?¡± He asked as he entered the student lounge. Their local campus only had one large building, but hadn¡¯t seen Dee at the cafeteria or the library. Those in the room who knew her- which was over a half dozen- shook their heads. He nodded thanks and reached for his phone in his pocket, only to remember he left it charging in his apartment.

    With a frustrated sigh he looked at large clock hanging on the back wall of the student lounge. There was still an hour in her anthropology class, maybe she really had gone after all. Maddy placed his good hand in his pocket just as his stomach rumbled softly, like the coming of an impending storm. But he chalked it up to a lack of eating last night and this morning, and not because he was craving. He headed toward his Bio class.

    He was fine, a little achy but fine. He could handle this. He''ll see Dee afterward.

 Chapter Three Headaches and Chocolate Part Two

    He was walking toward his bio class when the familiar scent of strawberries and spice brushed past his senses and he found himself outside an adjunct professor¡¯s office. This must be his temporary office.

    He stepped inside.

    The curtains were drawn and the lights were off, making it clear immediately that no one was inside. The room was just big enough to fit a desk and two shelves that stretched along the right and left side of the walls, stuffed with autobiographies, textbooks, and the like. One chair, made of black leather that after years of different butts shaping and reshaping the seat, caused cracks in the that reminded Maddy of old crumbly buildings, faced the door, and two less comfy looking ones were placed opposite it, obviously meant for guests.

    Maddy followed the invisible trail of and traced his fingers along the edge of the desk, the back of a few books on the shelf, and eventually stopped in front of one of the guest chairs. It looked as if it had been refurbished so many times that it was mostly fabric liners rather than cushion fluff.

    He stared at the leather one, let out a breath through his nose, and sat down in the seat meant for visitors. It didn¡¯t feel right to sit in his chair. It didn¡¯t seem right to fall asleep in his room either, but he had no excuse for why he did, other than he was tired and this was somewhere relatively quiet to sleep in. He placed his arms on the desk and tucked his head between them. A quick nap should make him feel alright again and then he¡¯d go and find Dee.

    His dreams were a repeat of last night. The fall and smack of Nanabo¡¯s head hitting the floor. His fear-filled eyes. The urgency in his voice. His dream ended the same way Nanabo died, frantically and abruptly.

    ~*.*~

    It was the sound of turning pages that woke him. His nose gave a twitch as he took a slow deep breath in. He could taste strawberries on his tongue followed by something spicy and crisp that reminded him of apple cider. Still half asleep he mumbled, ¡°You smell like strawberry cider.¡±

    ¡°Do I now?¡± The response came with a low chuckle that hit Maddy¡¯s ears like the rumbling of thunder. ¡°And here I thought I was wearing Dior.¡±

    ¡°I can smell that, too,¡± His nose gave another twitch as his eyes fluttered open, finding it hard to blink away the last grasp of sleep. And then finally they settle on a pair of silver hues.

    He was leaning back in his chair holding a book in his hands. For a moment, the only sound between them is the hum of air coming out from the vent above them.

    ¡°Good Morning,¡± He tilted his head to the side, a lock of his ash colored hair following. Every part of this Stranger was handsome and it only made Maddy more frustrated. People shouldn¡¯t look this good. It wasn¡¯t fair.

    ¡°Do you even get bad hair days?¡± Maddy hadn¡¯t meant to ask the question out loud, but the words slipped out of his mouth, his curiosity once again besting his restrain.

    ¡°Not very often.¡± Greyson¡¯s lips parted into a smile showing off his sharp white fangs, reminding Maddy that he was in the presence of a predator¡­ And the he was just sleeping in his office.

    He shot up quickly, his heart was making a racket, beating against his ribcage as if it were the leader of the strike, drowning out the noise around him. ¡°Sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to fall asleep. Well I did, but-¡°

    Greyson lifted his hand, silencing Maddy. With another short laugh he said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. It looks like you needed it.¡± He gestured back to the seat, ¡°Sit.¡±

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    Maddy hesitated, his eyes lingered on the rest of him. He was wearing a brown, ribbed v-neck sweater, loose in the front and tight around the sleeves, showing off his muscled arms underneath. It was tucked into black slacks and secured with a black leather belt.

    There was a flash in his eyes that told Maddy he¡¯d been staring too long and in response he sat down rather quickly and said, ¡°Your sweater¡­ it¡¯s nice¡­ Have you seen Dee? I¡¯ve been looking for her.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, and I have,¡± He replied holding Maddy¡¯s gaze like a gambler happy with the hand he was dealt. "Are you okay? Your face is looking a little flushed."

    Greyson asked him a second question, but it was muffled out by a momentary high-pitched ringing in his ears. Maddy assumed it was another side-effect of what ever was wrong with him.

    "I''m fine," He replied.

    Once again, Greyson tried to ask him a question, but the ringing in his ears had returned, muting his words.

    Maddy shook his head as if it were an old TV that needed a little jostling to work again. ¡°What?¡± He placed his hands on his temples, his face hot against his fingertips. He needed to find Dee. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, do you know where she is?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± He said succinctly, rolling up the sleeves of sweater, and leaning forward. "You''re a bit of a mess, aren''t you?"

    "Subtlety isn''t your best forte, is it?" Maddy huffed out. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and he couldn¡¯t help, but feel like Greyson wasn¡¯t just talking about his fever.

    "I prefer honesty over subtlety." His fang popped out again and Maddy wasn¡¯t so sure if he liked seeing it or not.

    "Are you this honest with every person you meet, or am I just special?"

    "Both."

    Maddy scrunched his face. Were they- was he flirting? His heart gave a squeeze. Maybe Dee did this stuff, but not him. He pushed himself out of the chair. He didn¡¯t have time for whatever this was. A muscle in his jaw flexed as he tried to stay balanced.

    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Greyson stood as well, as if he was raised with manners and standing after someone was just a habit.

    Maddy tried to stand tall at his full five-eleven height, but he was still shorter than the Stranger by a good few inches. ¡°Yes. I need to find Dee and for someone who follows the ¡®honesty is the best policy,¡¯ you¡¯re being rather vague about where she is.¡±

    ¡°Touche.¡± The smile on his face grew wide enough to cause dimples to form on his cheeks, because of course he had those, too. ¡°Why do you need to find her?¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s my friend,¡± Maddy replied defensively, his legs threatened to collapse underneath him. He grabbed the back of the chair.

    ¡°That¡¯s all she is?¡± Greyson¡¯s arms crossed over his chest with a puzzled expresion on is face.

    Maddy narrowed his gaze. ¡°Look- Greyson¡­¡± He paused testing the name out loud, like a new flavor of Mike and Ike. And added, ¡°Whatever Dee and I are to each other, is frankly none of your business and she looks out for me because she cares for me and that¡¯s all that should matter.¡±

    ¡°So, she told you my name?¡± Greyson¡¯s eyes sparked with amusement.

    ¡°What?¡± Although seemingly impossible, Maddy¡¯s face grew hotter. ¡°Did you not hear what I just said?¡±

    ¡°I kind of liked being a mystery.¡±A heavy sigh left his lips, as if he were daydreaming of a summer¡¯s day in May.

    Maddy squeezed his hand into a fist, and immediately regretted it as pain seized in his hand and up his arm. The gesture didn¡¯t go unnoticed.

    ¡°Have I said something wrong?¡± His face held a feign look of confusion as the corners of his lips curled.

    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable.¡± Maddy huffed, turning toward the door. He did his best to walk in a straight line.

    ¡°To some humans, sure,¡± Greyson teased. ¡°But then again, so are you.¡±

    The way Maddy whirled his head around so fast, it should have snapped his head from his shoulders.

    What did he say? Was his fever making him hear things? His jaw dropped, but  before he could even begin to deny Greyson, he heard the sound of his name booming from down the hall, like an echo from a high pitched giant.

 Chapter Four: Disappointment on the Tongue

    ¡°So this is where you¡¯ve been hiding!¡± Dee¡¯s voice rang like wind chimes in a storm in Maddy¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Dee, please lower your voice,¡± He gestured with his hands as she approached him.

    Maddy noted that today she was wearing her ¡°Y2K meets toy story¡± outfit. It consisted of bright green, neon headphones around her neck, a white cropped tee with red stitching on the edges of the sleeves and around the neck hole. The words Pizza Planet were printed in the same red as the outer stitching. Her faded jeans were fairly simple, tight at the waist and then flared at the bottom. Her hair was split down the middle and placed into two buns, save for a few strands to frame her face and a few two many hair clips.

    ¡°If this school is still cashing in on my tuition money, then I can talk as loud as I want.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± He concurs. ¡°But I have a headache.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still not feeling well?¡± She reached out to touch his face, prodding him like an avocado, uncertain if he was too ripe, or not.

    ¡°I tried to tell you last night.¡± Maddy paused. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk about spells in front of Greyson, especially not after what he just said.

    Dee dropped her hands and focused her attention over his shoulder, smiling at Greyson. ¡°Hi, long time no see!¡±

    ¡°Hello again,¡± His tone was low and playful. He must have been in her speaking in her anthro class. What does he even talk about? The different flavors of human?

    ¡­ Probably not.

    Maddy pinched his lips together, having his back turned away from the Stranger, and watching a blush creep on Dee¡¯s face he could only assume he winked at her, flashed a smile showing off his dimples, or something in a similar manner. He cleared his throat.

    Dee returned her gaze back at him. Twelve years of friendship made it easy for her to pick up on his intent to change the subject. ¡°Well, I have the perfect cure for sickness. Alcohol!¡±

    Suddenly talking about his spell snapping didn¡¯t seem like such a bad topic. ¡°Dee, I don¡¯t really feel like drinking.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but Alfonozo¡¯s party is tomorrow night and I know it will turn that frown upside down.¡± She poked at his chest playfully.

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    Maddy pressed his lips in a firm line, his gaze focused on the people passing the office. Maybe for someone like Dee, a distraction was what she needed. But all he wanted to do was go to the park with her. Sit on his favorite bench, on the edge of the forest and just talk.

    When was the last time they¡¯d done that? He tried to recall, but it was like trying to stream a show with bad wifi, only bits and pieces of the memory would buffer, and his stomach began to churn.

    Was this another spell?

    ¡°Oh and before you start feeling left out,¡± Dee said not skipping a beat, ¡°You¡¯re coming, too.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Maddy looked down at Dee, her eyes fixed on Greyson.

    ¡°Really?¡± He arched a brow, the word coming out in almost a purr.

    Maddy finally turned so that he was facing both of them. ¡°He¡¯s not even a student?¡±

    ¡°Who cares?¡± Dee scrunched up her face. ¡°This isn¡¯t high school.¡±

    ¡°He could narc.¡± Wasn¡¯t that the reason he couldn¡¯t sneak into her house in the first place? Greyson would tell?

    Dee¡¯s brows furrowed, her button nose scrunching. Twelve years of friendship also made it easy for them to catch each other on their crap. She probably wants to use the party as an excuse to get some.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been to a human party before,¡± Greyson looked over at Dee thoughtfully. He rolled up his sleeves and glanced back at Maddy. ¡°It could be fun.¡±

    Maddy swallowed a scoff. Great now he had to go.

    His nose gave a twitch. Bergamot and earth. Whatever comeback he had for Greyson got stuck on his tongue. He snapped his gaze to Dee. ¡°Your father.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± She was already making her way to the window. Drawing the curtains she added, ¡°I could sense him, we¡¯ve got a couple of minutes.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Greyson asked, a puzzled look crossing his face.

    ¡°Maddy and Daddy, don¡¯t get along very well,¡± Dee explained as Maddy lifted the window. The office was atop a hill on the first floor so all he had to do was step through it.

    ¡°We still need to talk.¡± Maddy insisted straddling the frame. ¡°Come to Bill¡¯s tonight.¡±

    Dee looked over to Greyson and then back at Maddy. ¡°I¡¯ll try. Oh, I almost forgot.¡± She shuffled through her tote bag and pulled out a container. ¡°They¡¯re I¡¯m-sorry-I-ditched-you-last-night cupcakes.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Deep grooves etched onto his face as he took the container. This was the second time she was ditching him for the Stranger.

    He glared at Greyson, who gave him a wink in return.

    ¡°Go!¡± Dee urged, pushing him gently. ¡°Daddy¡¯s right around the corner.¡±

    Maddy climbed the rest of the way out, his heart feeling heavy in his chest. Dee drew the curtains back down again and he could just hear Dr. Tarkirk entering the office.

    ¡°Adrianna?¡± He heard the deep voice of Dr. Tarkirk and on instinct started making his way down the hill and away from the campus.

 Chapter Four: Disappointment On The Tongue

    If everyone in that room weren¡¯t Strange Folk he would have stuck around and eavesdropped on the conversation, but the risk of Dr. Tarkirk discovering him was too great. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to have another spell placed on him. A shiver ran down his spine just thinking about it. He shoved his good hand into his pocket bracing the cold air. Going out without a coat today was a bad idea.

    Maddy gazed at the bus stop sign across the street and then back at the school. He still had a couple more classes, but between avoiding Dr. Tarkirk and still feeling awful he figured it would be better to call school quits for the day. He let out a huff, remembering his phone was still plugged in the socket at Bill¡¯s place, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get a bus back without it. He hunched his shoulders as a breeze bit at his exposed neck and tried to ignore the frustration that simmered inside him threatening to boil over.

    Coat. He needed a coat. He¡¯d go to his apartment, pick it up, walk the hour to Bill¡¯s, and then call Dee and ask her what the hell is going on.

    It seemed his plan hit a roadblock fifteen minutes later when Douggie¡¯s Diner came into view and there were dozens of onlookers were standing outside, even the local news van was there. He surmised that Nanabo¡¯s death must have made it on TV.

    He weaved his way through the crowd, ignoring the crime scene tape, and banged on the front door.

    ¡°Maddy?!¡± Doug opened the door, wide-eyed. He pulled him through and quickly shut it. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± He looked Maddy up and down. ¡°You¡¯re not looking too good.¡±

    ¡°So everybody tells me.¡± Maddy huffed. ¡°I came to pick up some more clothes.¡±

    ¡°Son, are you nuts?¡± Doug gestured to the tape around the room. ¡°This is still an active investigation! The only reason why I¡¯m here is to get the cash out of the register, the cops wouldn¡¯t let me get it last night.¡±

    ¡°I just need to get my coat.¡± Maddy pressed his lips together. He really didn¡¯t need another thing going wrong today.

    ¡°Be quick,¡± Doug said letting out a heavy sigh and slumped at one of the booths.

    Hesitating, Maddy looked around the diner. The chairs were still stacked on the tables and the early afternoon sun casted its light through the large windows, giving the diner a soft glow despite the main lights being turned off.

    For over two and a half years, this place was a source of comfort for him. It was a sense of normalcy. When he was having a bad day, he could just go to work and pretend he was just a normal student struggling with normal young adult problems.

    But as he locked eyes with the crime scene tape wrapped in the center of the room, he felt cold. Dull gray eyes intruded his thoughts and he had to blink hard to make them disappear. He couldn¡¯t even have this one thing. The noose around his heart gave a tug and he was once again reminded that he should have been grateful what he had while it lasted.

    A different set of gray eyes popped into Maddy¡¯s head. Then a set of pearly white teeth, a perfectly straight nose, and a jawline that was sharp enough to cut through paper. The full face came into view and he forced his gaze to Doug.

    Bags, heavy and purple, sagged underneath his eyes, making him look older than he was. His head rested against one hand, fingers covering his lips. He was still wearing the same shirt and pants from last night and Maddy wondered if he was forced to go to the station to answer more questions.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Maddy asked quietly. He realized he was acting like a child who had their favorite toy taken away, meanwhile, this place was Doug''s livelihood.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.Doug turned his head from the window and gave him a smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle. ¡°Once the cops are done, business is going to skyrocket. I¡¯ll need your help then.¡±

    Maddy gave him a slow nod. He wasn¡¯t sure he could handle the onslaught of new customers.

    Doug gestured for him to sit across from him.

    He slowly sat down in the booth and placed his good hand in his pockets. His body eased into the cushions and he hadn¡¯t realized how badly he needed to rest until now.

    ¡°The cameras my nephew installed last year actually turned out to be useful.¡± Doug stated. ¡°The police watched the recording and believe he might have just been confused and came here in a panic. I think they¡¯re going to rule it an accident.¡±

    Help me Belvie. Maddy pressed his lips into a firm line as Mr. Nanabo¡¯s words echoed in his head, and the jingle of the door rang in his ears. ¡°Dr. Tarkirk thinks the same thing.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t think so?¡±

    The room filled with a heavy silence.

    Maddy could tell Doug was staring hard at him, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to look at the older man, keeping his gaze focused on looking outside. There were no people here, just space for extra parking and some trees. Tears threatened to pool in his eyes.

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Doug eventually asked.

    Yes, with Dee. He didn¡¯t speak afraid of what his voice would sound like. The last thing he wanted was more pity. He gave Doug a short shake of his head.

    ¡°Do you have a place to stay tonight?¡±

    He nodded once.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Doug said softly. ¡°Is it with Adrianna?¡±

    He gave another head shake.

    ¡°Oh? Are you staying at a hotel? You can stay with me if you¡¯d like. Bunny makes the best breakfast food!¡± Doug gestured with his hands and smiled brightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m staying with someone from school,¡± Maddy finally said, his voice a little horse. He looked away again as his cheeks grew hot.

    ¡°Son, there¡¯s no shame in relying on the help of others,¡± Doug assured. ¡°Can I give you some advice?¡±

    Maddy turned to face him.

    The older man¡¯s eyes crinkled as he spoke, ¡°It doesn¡¯t make you any less of a man to share your burden with others.¡±

    But he wasn¡¯t a man. He was a monster, selfish and undeserving of his boss¡¯s kindness. He mustered a smile, ¡°Thanks, Doug.¡±

    ¡°You hungry?¡± Doug asked with a wide grin, already knowing the answer. He added, ¡°Who am I kidding, you¡¯re always hungry.¡±

    Another smile brushed across his face.¡°It¡¯s not my fault. I¡¯m still growing.¡±

    What he really wanted- needed were a couple of blood capsules, but he could bury the sensation down for a little longer and maybe something with meat would help.

    ¡°Same!¡± Doug let out a hearty laugh that was too contagious for even Maddy to suppress.

    Fifteen minutes later, Maddy found himself with a case of beer, a corn beef sandwich, and some bar snacks in a bag.

    ¡°Now, make sure you don¡¯t get caught drinking that, we wouldn¡¯t want the cops coming around here.¡± Doug let out a small chuckle.

    He grinned and nodded as Doug held the door open for him. He wasn¡¯t sure for certain if it was his boss or the two other corn beef sandwiches he ate, but for the first time all day, he was actually starting to feel better.

    That is until he made eye contact with the last person he wanted to see and everything he was holding in boiled over.

 Chapter Four: Disappointment On The Tongue Part Three

    Maddy could feel the cord wrapping around his chest and tugging tightly. He gripped his care package a little closer to his chest, ignoring the ache of his muscles, and ducked under the police tape.

    Curious eyes watched him as he walked and he could hear the people doing a terrible job of whispering their thoughts.

    ¡°That must be the boy who found the body,¡± One voice said.

    ¡°The poor thing,¡± Another remarked.

    ¡°He looks like he could have done it.¡± A third voice commented.

    He sucked in a breath and did his best to ignore his surroundings, but there was one person he couldn¡¯t avoid no matter how hard he tried.

    Maddy noticed that Greyson had changed his clothes from this morning. He was now wearing a black sweater and dark blue jeans. There was a gold chain sticking out from his pocket and atop his head was a tattered maroon Willow Creek baseball cap.

    Their gazes met for a second time, giving his heart another squeeze.

    Greyson looked tired. Very tired. His skin was paler than usual and his lips lacked it¡¯s usual blush. He looked like he hadn¡¯t slept in three days.

    Maddy quirked his head in curiosity as he walked past him. This morning he looked perfectly fine. It didn¡¯t make sense, after their last conversation alone, he didn¡¯t really want to stick around and find out. Instead, he kept his head low and focused on taking the care package Doug gave him for the bus which he was also kind enough to give him some cash from the tip jar.

    Ignoring Greyson wasn¡¯t enough to stop him from approaching, in fact, it might have encouraged him to talk to him more.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you spotted me,¡± Greyson said, easily catching up to him and matching his pace.

    ¡°You think wearing a baseball cap was going to make you invisible?¡± He asked, not bothering to stop. After all the effort of walking to the diner, he¡¯d forgotten to get a coat and going back would mean having to hear more towns folk speculating about what happened to Mr. Nanabo.

    ¡°No, I suppose not,¡± A smile formed slowly on his face. ¡°You¡¯re always good at sniffing people out.¡±

    ¡°I actually saw you first.¡± Maddy corrected and as if on cue his nose gave a twitch. The scent of strawberries and spice was stronger than before, like Greyson had chugged three cans of cider. It made his mouth water and he had to take larger strides just to get away from it.

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    He needed the capsules. He needed Dee. He asked casually, ¡°Where¡¯s Dee? You two have become thick as thieves, I¡¯m surprised she isn¡¯t clinging to your arm.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still jealous?¡± Greyson let out a small chuckle, catching up once more.

    Maddy just kept walking. This guy was an idiot and there was no reason to entertain him.

    ¡°Wait, that was a dick thing to say. I actually came here to ask for your forgiveness, not make things worse.¡± Greyson said with a touch of pain in his voice. But it wasn''t enough to sway Maddy.

    Maddy wasn¡¯t quite sure what Greyson would want his forgiveness for. Maybe for outing him for not being human or for being too attractive and causing Dee¡¯s girl brain to go haywire. Either way, he didn¡¯t care to find out. The bus was approaching and he definitely wasn¡¯t going to miss it.

    ¡°Seriously, just wait a second,¡± He grabbed Maddy''s shoulder and forced him to stop.

    On instinct, Maddy shrunk into himself. His head tucked into his shoulders and his eyes squeezed shut. His heart beat hard against his chest as fear swirled through his veins. He didn¡¯t know Greyson. What if he made him angry? Did he want to hurt him for not listening?

    ¡°Hey, Hey,¡± He cooed, his voice soft and grounding. Heat rushed to the spot where Greyson was holding him and spread all over the rest of his body, defrosting from the inside-out. ¡°It¡¯s okay, your okay.¡±

    All at once, reality and control snapped back into place. Why had he said that? Had he heard Dee say it? That was not for him to hear. Fear swiftly turned to anger. He had no right to say it. He jerked his body away and used the box as a buffer between them. ¡°What the hell¡¯s your deal?!¡±

    Greyson dropped his hand to his side and closed it into a tight fist. ¡°Please, forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Dude, I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Maddy snapped. He took a large step back. This guy was crazy. ¡°Look, I just met you. If this is about Dee and you¡¯re feeling guilty, then tell her not to go to that party tomorrow.¡± Maddy pressed his lips into a firm line. ¡°Tell her to hang out with just me instead. Alone.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± Greyson¡¯s face dropped and the sinking feeling Maddy felt in his stomach only added fuel to his fire.

    A muscle flexed in his jaw when Greyson didn¡¯t say anything and started for the bus stop again. ¡°Fine. Whatever. Then, leave me alone.¡±

    Greyson nodded and stopped walking. He said softly, ¡°Bye, Maddy.¡±

    He thought about the way Greyson reached out to touch him. There was something about those gray eyes. They looked so¡­ so defeated. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t have been so aggressive.

    He shook his head and tried to calm his nerves. He wouldn¡¯t turn around. He wouldn¡¯t give that guy another second of his time. Someone bumped into his side and it nearly jostled the box out of his hands. He said with a slight quirk on his lips, ¡°Can you at least try to-¡±

    A runner mouthed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± and continued on their way.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Maddy mumbled. ¡°Not really from the person I wanted to hear it from though.¡±

    The rest of the way back to Bill¡¯s was uneventful. Maddy opened the container Dee gave him. Six red velvet cupcakes with white frosting were packed so tightly together they smushed into one giant glob. A small smile crept on his face and grew as he scooped a piece into his mouth, discovering a couple of blood capsules buried inside. He kept his eyes peeled out the window in case Greyson popped up again.

    But he never did find those gray eyes.

 Chapter Five: Drinking With The Boys

    By the time Maddy made it back to Bill¡¯s place, he¡¯d eaten all of Dee¡¯s cupcakes in search of more blood capsules, but when the container was nearly scrapped clean and his fingers were sticky with cream cheese frosting, he found himself still hungry for more capsules.

    ¡°Hey you,¡± Taiyo said once he walked through the door. Taiyo had changed from his baggy painted clothes to a plain shirt and jeans.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± He replied, practically holding his breath, unsure if Taiyo might suddenly decide he wanted to fight him.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to stay here, shower. Your scent is way too strong.¡± Taiyo scrunched his nose and grabbed the keys off the kitchen counter.

    Maddy put the bag Doug gave him on the table and sniffed his shirt. He already showered this morning.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got to head into work for a bit and then to the gym,¡± Taiyo added. ¡°Bill should be back before me, but in the meantime, the TV remote is on the couch.¡±

    Taiyo hurried out the door and Maddy once again, found himself alone. He walked toward the living room, turned on the TV, and changed to the cartoon channel, the voices on the screen made the house feel less empty.

    Settling onto the couch, he wrapped the comforter around himself and called Dee. She answered after his first attempt for a change.

    ¡°So you think Mr. Nanabo was one of us?¡± She asked once Maddy was able to fill her in on what happened last night.

    ¡°He called me a Belvie,¡± He said suddenly standing up and pacing around the couch, like a toy soldier with wooden legs. ¡°Maybe we should tell your parents.¡±

    There was a long pause and then she said, ¡°No. Daddy is already stressed with Greyson being here. And if he sees you he¡¯s definitely going to want to zap you.¡±

    The thought made him pause mid-step.

    ¡°What do you think he was so freaked out about?¡± She asked her voice echoing and Maddy realized she must have been hiding out in the bathroom.

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    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He answered his voice cracking as Mr. Nanabo¡¯s dull eyes came through his thoughts. ¡°But he was so scared, Dee, and I-I- couldn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± She said softly. ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay.¡±

    Maddy¡¯s entire body tensed and then all at once the pressure eased with a heavy sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Her voice, was barely above a whisper now. ¡°I should have snuck you in last night.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. You were probably overwhelmed. I know how Dr. Tarkirk can get.¡±

    ¡°I was overwhelmed!¡± She agreed.

    ¡°Do you think¡­¡± Maddy said slowly, afraid he was going to sound silly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m in danger?¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Dee brushed off. ¡°If you were in any real danger something would have happened to you by now.¡±

    ¡°Gee, thanks.¡±

    ¡°How about this,¡± She offered, ¡°Once Greyson is gone, we can talk with my dad about what happened. He¡¯ll still definitely want to examine you, but we can deal with that then. I¡¯ll make you more cupcakes.¡±

    ¡°Without much hesitation, he said, ¡°Deal.¡± And a smile crept on his face, ¡°But you can cut the cupcakes.¡±

    ¡°What you didn¡¯t like the ones I made you today?¡± She gasped.

    ¡°It was awful.¡± He joked. ¡°But I appreciate the blood capsules. They made me feel a little better.¡±

    ¡°You know I¡¯ll always look out for you, right?¡±

    Even after twelve years of friendship, he still wanted to ask why. Instead, he said, ¡°I do.¡±

    Dee did her best to cheer him up. They steered away from the conversation a few times, finding it easier to slip into normal topics. If she really believed he was safe, then he believed it, too. She offered to come over, but Maddy worried if she skipped the rest of her classes, Dr. Tarkirk would figure out something was going on. And the last thing he wanted was for her father to show up at Bill¡¯s door.

    When the call ended, Maddy found himself regretting his choice. As darkness pooled into his thoughts, he stared at the screen but found it hard to pay attention. How was supposed to pretend everything was fine when he so clearly didn¡¯t feel fine? The blood capsules may have made the aches in his body subside, but they didn¡¯t do much for his need for more.

    He curled into a ball and squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to recall the last time he was this hungry for blood, but his mind went blank. He growled in frustration and then gasped.

    Why the hell did he just growl? Humans didn¡¯t growl. He¡¯d have to keep that in check.

    He shut his eyes once more and tried to take a deep breath. This day was hardly half over and he was already so tired. Tired of thinking about last night, of Mr. Nanabo and his cold gray eyes, of Greyson¡¯s eyes, of his stupid good-looking face.

 Chapter Five: Drinking With The Boys Part Two

    Maddy woke up to the sound of the front door slamming. He suppressed a moan as he sat up.

    ¡°Are you ready for an awesome night!?¡± Bill dropped his backpack by the door and headed for the kitchen. "My father and brothers say hello, by the way. I told them you were sleeping over, I hope that''s okay."

    ¡°Fine by me,¡± He replied with a yawn. His mouth felt dry and his back felt sore from falling asleep wrong.

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t tell me, I woke you up too?¡± Bill grimaced.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± He said, wiping the sleep off his eyes. The room was a lot darker now and the only light came from the TV still playing old cartoons. He added, ¡°I smell pizza.¡±

    ¡°You smell correctly,¡± Bill joked. ¡°And it looks like Douggie sent you back with some gifts.¡±

    ¡°Help yourself,¡± Maddy said, standing up and walking over to the kitchen. Bill handed him a couple of slices of pizza on a plate and a beer.

    Bill picked up two controllers from under the TV. ¡°You want to watch something or play Zombies?¡±

    Maddy tilted his head. ¡°Zombies?¡±

    Bill grinned boyishly and tossed him a controller. ¡°Good answer. We¡¯ll watch something once Taiyo gets back."

    It was no surprise that Maddy was terrible at the game. Dee only ever wanted to play Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing. So it left him very useless when he found out the zombies in this game did not want to trade eggs for milk or check out his house and instead tried to eat him.

    Bill never made him feel bad for his inability to brutally murder. He had a way of making him feel useful even when he walked into walls or literal herds of the undead. Bill even kept the game on normal difficulty- even when Maddy insisted it was alright to switch to easy mode- which gave him the tiniest shred of hope that he was a normal-level player. And for the first time in a long, he just let the time slip by.

    It was nearly nine when Bill finally turned off the game. Maddy blinked, looking at the clock on the TV and then back at Bill.

    ¡°Are you surprised at the time?¡± Bill grinned. "I can play for hours with my little sister Georgina, too"

    ¡°A little,¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°What do you want to do now?¡±

    ¡°Taiyo should be back any minute."Bill pointed out. "I can hear his car out front.¡±

    ¡°You can?¡± He turned his head toward the door.

    ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± Bill quirked his head. ¡°I was thinking, we''ll wait for him and put on a film.¡±

    Maddy instinctively sniffed the air. It was the only part of him that still worked normally. He could smell Bill, his usual scent of sandalwood and pine overshadowed by the sweet and tangy taste of iron. He pursed his lips. It wasn¡¯t just human blood he was craving. He could also smell the stench of sweat, scotch, and ash coming from the front door.

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    ¡°Shit, I was supposed to shower.¡± Maddy stood up in a panic.

    Before he could do anything about it, Taiyo walked through the door and slammed it shut behind him. Maddy jumped at the sound and looked over his shoulder.

    ¡°You were supposed to shower,¡± Taiyo said scrunching up his nose.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who looks like they need a shower.¡± Bill cut in, ¡°Where did you go? Boxing tonight?¡±

    Taiyo nodded. ¡°He showers first. I¡¯ll pick the movie.¡±

    He looked over at Bill who just shrugged.

    When he rejoined the others, with wet hair and fresh clothes, he could feel his stomach drop as he looked at the title screen on the TV and BLOODLINE was written crudely in front of what looked like a normal American home.

    ¡°What? Not a fan of horror movies?¡± Taiyo smirked as he passed Maddy and walked up the stairs to the bathroom.

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Maddy said curling and uncurling his hands. It didn¡¯t help that he watched a man die yesterday. He looked over at Bill sitting on the couch with pleading eyes. He hoped Bill could change Taiyo¡¯s mind.

    Realization struck in his eyes, he sat up from the couch, ¡°Hastings! I am so sorry! I just thought- I mean- you seemed perfectly fine killing zombies earlier¡­¡±

    ¡°That was different.¡± Maddy stammered. ¡°Those were cartoons.¡±

    ¡°We could watch something more lighthearted.¡± He offered.

    Maddy dropped his gaze feeling his cheeks grow warm. They were nice enough to let him stay in their house, he shouldn¡¯t be making a fuss. He looked up at Bill once more, ¡°That¡¯s okay. We can watch it.¡±

    ¡°Wow! You¡¯re brave! My mother always says the best way to get over something is by going through it.¡± Bill gestured for him to sit next to him on the couch, ¡°Come on, you can snuggle into the blankets if you get scared.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not baby,¡± Maddy scrunched his nose and sat down.

    Bill leaned in close with a cheeky grin planted on his face and Maddy tried to ignore the scent of Bill¡¯s excitement running through his blood, as he said, ¡°You¡¯re probably going to shit yourself.¡±

    Those words were enough for Maddy to pick up a bottle of vodka from the bag of booze on the table in front of him. He opened the cap and took a large swig before shivering from the taste. He didn¡¯t usually drink. He saw what it had done to Darren, but he was out of blood capsules and they were sitting on his bed which meant he couldn¡¯t eat or sleep his hunger away. So the next best thing was to try and suppress it with alcohol.

    Taiyo eventually came down the stairs and joined the pair on the couch. Maddy could honestly say the movie wasn¡¯t that bad, but that would quickly change forty minutes later when the main characters were dropping dead faster than flies. His stomach churned and regret washed over his face.

    Unlike Bill who had somehow managed to fall asleep, he¡¯d been wired from downing a significant amount of vodka, and the difference between what was the movie and reality was quickly blurring. Bill switched from leaning his head on Taiyo¡¯s shoulder to his and it wasn¡¯t even his blood that made Maddy shift in his seat, but Taiyo¡¯s glare from the other side of the couch.

    He tried to drown out the awkwardness with more alcohol, only things got worse when he let out a hiccup. Taiyo¡¯s glare turned quizzical and a raspy Bill said, ¡°Shh¡­ Maddy¡¯s stomach I¡¯m trying to sleep.¡±

    After another hiccup, Bill abandoned him completely and leaned against Taiyo once more. As he turned back to the screen, he watched a girl lose her head and decided that was enough death for one evening.

    He jumped up and felt the alcohol rush through his body. It made him waver as he walked toward the kitchen. ¡°One day,¡± He mumbled as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. ¡°One day I¡¯ll be able to sit down and watch a horror film with friends. Just not today.¡±

 Chapter Five: Drinking With The Boys Part Three

    Maddy looked down at his phone. Dee had sent him a couple of texts, which he did his best to reply without making it obvious he was drunk.

    Dee Dee??: omg don¡¯t tell me your drunk right now.

    Maddy: No.

    Maddy: And it¡¯s you¡¯re.

    Maddy: Could a drunk person don thst?

    Maddy: I thinkb noy.

    Dee Dee??: Omg you¡¯re a mess. Sober up! We can¡¯t have you hungover before tomorrow night. You¡¯ll bring the mood down.

    Maddy: Bite me.

    Maddy: love you.

    Dee Dee??: luv ya babes. Glad you¡¯re having fun. You deserve it.

    ¡°Wah!¡± He shouted as he turned his screen off and found a pair of glowing blue eyes staring at him.

    ¡°Keep your voice down.¡± Taiyo said, narrowing his gaze.

    ¡°Sorry, you just popped out of nowhere,¡± He said, opening the fridge to let some light into the room.

    ¡°This is my house,¡± Taiyo replied. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re the one who popped out of nowhere. Sit down. I¡¯ll get you some water.¡±

    Maddy gave a slow nod, his head felt like it was filled with rocks. He walked over to the kitchen chair and slumped into it. ¡°Hey, can I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°If you whisper,¡± Taiyo responded. He poured a glass of water for himself and Maddy.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°But how do you do that thing with your eyes? You know, the glowing thing.¡± He leaned in closer and narrowed his gaze. "And there are some weird floaty things inside too.

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    Taiyo shrugged and walked over to Maddy. ¡°Just something I was born with, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Fine, keep your secrets!¡± He said with a huff and swayed his body back.

    ¡°Drink,¡± Taiyo pushed the glass in his hands towards him and waited for him to gulp before talking. ¡°My turn. Why are you here?¡±

    Maddy took two extra large chugs of water. He let out a heavy breath and said, ¡°I can¡¯t stay at my place. My friend, Dee thought coming here would be a good idea¡­ To be honest I think- I think¡­¡± He lowered his voice, his head bobbing as he tried to focus on Taiyo¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°I think I¡¯m in danger.¡±

    Taiyo searched his face as if there was something on it. ¡°From what?¡±

    ¡°Beats me!¡± He laughed and was immediately hushed by Taiyo. ¡°But if I try to talk about it, I think I might throw up all over your floor.¡±

    Taiyo quirked his head. He asked Maddy a second question, but the words came out muffled and muted.

    He laughed, ¡°Dude, I literally can¡¯t hear you. It¡¯s this damn-¡± His lips felt tacky and he could open his mouth. He sobered and curled his hand tightly around the glass as the glow of the TV reflected against it.

    After a beat, he was able to part his lips again. His shoulders dropped as he said, ¡°You have no idea how frustrating my life is.¡±

    Taiyo was slow to respond as if he was trying to figure out the right words to say. He shifted in his seat and finally said, ¡°When I get frustrated, I paint. A lot. Maybe, invest in a hobby?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really have any. When I¡¯m not at school, I¡¯m at work, or with Dee.¡± He looked up at Taiyo with sincerity. ¡°Do you think I could try painting with you sometime?¡±

    His eyes flashed with surprise. If it wasn¡¯t so dark in the kitchen, Maddy might have been able to catch him blushing. He said assertively. ¡°Drink.¡±

    He obliged and swallowed too much water, causing the corners of his mouth to leak.

    ¡°You¡¯d have to bring your own shit. I wouldn¡¯t want you ruining my good brushes.¡±

    Maddy¡¯s eyes went wide at the prospect of actually getting to paint.

    Taiyo added quickly, ¡°Either way, you¡¯re not gonna find yourself now, so maybe you should get some sleep and figure it out in the morning.¡± Taiyo looked over at the couch ¡°I¡¯ll get Bill off your bed.¡±

    He gave a sluggish nod and watched Taiyo walk over to the couch, lift a groggy Bill up, and wrap his arm around his neck.

    ¡°Good night, Maddy,¡± Bill mumbled, his free hand wiping his eyes.

    ¡°Good night Bill,¡± He said with a smile. ¡°Thanks again.¡±

    ¡°Any time,¡± He yawned.

    ¡°And thank you, too, Taiyo,¡± He said walking over to the couch as the other two headed for the stairs. ¡°Maybe taking up a hobby will make me feel better about watching a man die.¡±

    Taiyo stopped in his tracks. ¡°What?¡±

    Maddy was already face down on the couch, too invested in letting the world around him go dark to explain himself.

 Chapter Six: Dark Delights

    Dee insisted on arriving at the party on time.

    Yet, they were already forty minutes late. Her shouts echoed throughout the house, ¡°Alfonzo said nine. Maddy. NINE!¡±

    Maddy, who wasn¡¯t really at fault for being late, stood in front of Bill¡¯s bathroom mirror. They had only started getting ready about half an hour ago because Dee insisted there was enough time to watch an entire anime movie, work out, and then watch three episodes of a K-Drama.

    He scrutinized his reflection after showering and put on jeans and a T-shirt, that Dee found in his old closet at her house before coming to meet him. He wondered if his style was kind of basic looking.

    Was he basic? What if Gre-

    He shook his head aggressively, ruffled his chestnut brown hair to give it some volume, and walked out of the bathroom. Almost immediately, he was greeted by an excited Bill and an anxious Dee.

    At Alfonzo¡¯s house, Maddy was very aware he was the center of attention. No one went up to talk to him, but that was because no one ever talked to him. But he could tell by their curious eyes and whispers. It made him want to leave and spend the rest of his Saturday night chilling at the park.

    Dee made the situation worse before making it better. She stood on top of Alfonzo¡¯s dining room table, winked at Maddy, and shouted for the music to stop. When it was turned off she said, ¡°Listen up, y¡¯all! We all knew Maddy watched a man die. Mr. Nanabo was old and tripped. That''s all, nothing too dramatic. So, unless you¡¯re planning on giving him condolences, don¡¯t bother him about it.¡±

    It was quiet for only a beat before a classmate yelled back, ¡°Do drinks count as condolences?¡±

    Dee looked over at Maddy, who shrugged bashfully. She turned back to the crowd that had gathered and smiled brightly, ¡°Hell yeah!¡±

    Surprisingly, Dee¡¯s stunt had worked and the only time Maddy was approached was when his hands were empty. He wasn¡¯t too happy to drink, but it did subdue his hunger which seemed to only grow stronger as the day went on. He¡¯d have to ask Dee for more capsules tomorrow.

    It was around the time he had his third drink, that he could smell the scent of strawberries and spice. As if it was becoming a reflex, his chest constricted. And in an attempt to avoid dealing with Greyson, he went looking for his friends. Bill was nowhere to be found and Dee had been preoccupied with a senior who was in the same graphic design class as her.

    Despite weaving through packs of people and moving to the other side of the house, the scent only got stronger, in a last-ditch effort, he squeezed his way into Alfonzo¡¯s crowded living room to try and hide.

    ¡°Hey,¡± A deep voice said behind him.

    Maddy froze like a mouse caught on sticky paper. His heart beat hard against his chest, knowing there was no hiding now.

    ¡°Hey,¡± He said and tucked in his chin. ¡°Oh, hey Alfonzo.¡±

    ¡°Ha-Hey,¡± Alfonzo repeated with a stutter he¡¯d had since birth. He held two red solo cups in each of his hands. ¡°I know we¡¯re not supposed to ta-alk about it, but I''m-I¡¯m-I¡¯m really sorry about your  sit- sit- job.¡±

    ¡°Oh, um, thank you,¡± He said with a lopsided smile. ¡°Your party is great by the way.¡±

    ¡°''Preciate y-you, bro,¡± Alfonzo wavered as he smiled. His stutter seemingly more prominent with alcohol in his system. ¡°Hey, hey l-l-listen. I made you a drink.¡±

    Alfonzo looked down at his hands and debated which cup to give to him. He swayed as he thought, and eventually gave him a drink.

    Maddy nodded a thank you, took a sip, and squeezed his eyes shut as the liquid slid down his throat. ¡°It tastes like rubbing alcohol.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s mostly tequila,¡± Alfonzo grinned.

    ¡°What¡¯s the rest of it?¡± He scrunched up his nose.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Uh, that-that-that would be,¡± Alfonzo took another sip as if trying to remember what he put in it. ¡°More tequila!¡± He laughed hard at his own joke. ¡°It¡¯s from Cuba and nearly six-six-six hundred dollars.¡±

    He dropped his jaw and Alfonzo added, ¡°Let¡¯s chug it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He asked surprised.

    ¡°Three, two, one, go!¡± Alfonzo cheered.

    Out of panic and alcoholic influence, he obliged his classmate''s commands and had his lips against the cup without thinking much about the consequences of his actions. He could hear the crowd of people around him cheering and shouting. When he emptied his cup, the cheering came to a crescendo. His body heaved as he looked over at Alfonzo, who let out another hearty laugh when he finished his own drink a moment later.

    ¡°Damn, you-you actually chugged it all?!¡± He said wiping his lips.

    ¡°You told me to!¡± His jaw dropped, the corners curling upwards in a sort of mix of surprise and joy.

    ¡°You know Ha-has-s-stings, you¡¯re quiet and a little weird, but I give you p-p-props,¡± Alfonzo said, patting the other boy on the shoulder. ¡°Also good luck brother, you¡¯re gonna be fu-cked.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± He asked, but Alfonzo was already headed across the room to play flip cup.

    Maddy had no intention of following the host of the party. He wasn¡¯t trying to destroy his liver and Alfonzo acted like he had a spare.

    ¡°Hello again,¡± Greyson said with a wicked smile, seeming to appear out of nowhere.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked, his tongue heavy as he spoke. The last time they saw each other Greyson looked like a mess. Now he seemed more put together with a navy blue sweater and dark denim jeans. Even the sleep had been wiped from his face and his smug attitude was back.

    ¡°I was invited.¡± Greyson challenged with a sly grin.

    ¡°No¡­¡± He exaggerated the word and shook his head. ¡°I mean why are you here in front of me?¡± He was pretty clear about asking him to leave him alone.

    ¡°Oh? Do you own this house?¡± He feigned surprise, ¡°Can I not stand here?¡±

    ¡°Stop that,¡± He grumbled.

    ¡°Stop what?¡± The silver in Greyson¡¯s eyes swirled as if the koi fish inside were doing tricks.

    ¡°Flirting with me.¡± He didn¡¯t understand Greyson. ¡°It¡¯s infuriating.¡±

    ¡°I infuriate you?¡± Greyson put a hand to his ear as if the noise in the room was too loud and took a step forward closing the already small gap between them.

    Maddy shoved a hand in his pocket and stepped back, bumping into someone else. There was no doubt the alcohol in his system was making him honest, ¡°You really can¡¯t help yourself, can you?¡±

    For a moment, Greyson¡¯s mask seemed to slip and he said with a flash of a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes, ¡°Bad habit, I can¡¯t seem to break.¡±

    Maddy pursed his lips. There was that look again. The one he¡¯d seen from the bus stop. He didn¡¯t want to admit it. In fact, he hated the thought even as it formed in his head, but seeing that expression on Greyson¡¯s face made him want to make bad decisions, made him want to help him. He waited for a lull in the music, keeping his gaze steady, and asked, ¡°Do you want to play a game?¡±

    The question made Greyson¡¯s brows spike, but as his lips curled into a curious smile, he asked, ¡°Like flip cup?¡±

    Maddy shook his head and grabbed his elbow, dragging him to another room where they could hear each other speak. ¡°Hide and Seek, but with a twist.¡±

    Greyson made a face that showed he was listening.

    ¡°We both run in different directions, count to thirty or so, and then search for the other person. The first player to spot the other person has to say, I found you and the second person has to run and not get caught.¡±

    ¡°And if we spot each other at the same time?¡± Greyson asked, his eyes actually gleaming with interest.

    Good.

    This was a good distraction.

    ¡°We rock, paper, scissors, until the death. Obviously.¡± Maddy explained.

    ¡°Obviously,¡± Greyson grinned, his fang and dimple making an appearance. After a pause, he added, ¡°You know, you¡¯re much more fun when you¡¯re drunk.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fun.¡± Maddy countered, his face scrunching up. ¡°But only with people I like.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Greyson arched a brow. ¡°So you like me now?¡±

    ¡°I only like you because I¡¯m drunk.¡± He corrected.

    ¡°Whose flirting with who now?¡± Greyson''s tease left Maddy¡¯s jaw dropping again, his cheeks heated, and he gleamed, but before he could counter, Greyson was already stepping backward and counting, ¡°One¡­ Two¡­ Three¡­¡±

 Chapter Six: Dark Delights Part Two

    Maddy bolted and beelined for the second floor. He had the advantage of knowing this house better than Greyson. He looked over his shoulder only once to immediately find Greyson still counting. He grinned and continued climbing up the stairs two at a time. The alcohol in his system made him feel light and reckless.

    The noose around his heart gave a small warning tug. The last time he played this game, he was ten and he accidentally bit Cindy Mapleton. He was unlocking different bedroom doors when the memory burst through his thoughts like a trapped air bubble.

    ¡°Please, let go,¡± Cindy¡¯s voice cracked, and the sound forced him to meet her eyes. They were glossy and red, as if she was holding back tears. He thought about Carrie and her eyes. On really busy days, she would have the same look. Panic flooded his system as he remembered Carrie could never give him that look again.

    What was he doing? It was something bad, he knew he was, the knot in his chest was tugging and tangling around the veins of his heart was telling him so, but a moment ago, they were fine. They were playing tag, he was it, and everything was fine.

    He could fix this. His grip tightened around Cindy¡¯s wrist, he shook as he spoke, ¡°I- I just want to be friends!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Cindy cried out. Her face twisted as she yanked free from his grasp. She started running toward the house.

    His nose twitched and his eyes flashed as a strange hunger took over his body and pushed him forward. The noose around his heart was an iron grip squeezing the muscle, but the pain only made him hungrier. He caught up to her quickly, tackled her to the ground, and bit into her soft skin. Flesh split like a crushed cherry and blood pooled into his mouth.

    Cindy cried out in pain, the sound rang through his head. He didn¡¯t want this, but he couldn¡¯t control his body. Her blood was like eating chips and chocolate together, mostly salty with the slightest sweetness. It shouldn¡¯t have worked so well together, and he shouldn¡¯t have enjoyed it so much.

    ¡°I found you,¡± Greyson¡¯s words broke through his memory. They were cool and grounding. Wet sand at the beach. His silver eyes, penetrating his heart.

    Indeed he found him, sitting on the banister of the second floor balcony. It was made of stone and wide enough to rest his whole leg up comfortably while the other one dangled over the edge. He¡¯d been watching a group of classmates jump in fully clothed into the pool, screaming and laughing.

    Watching them made him hungry.

    He shouldn¡¯t be around people. He shouldn¡¯t be around Greyson. A cool autumn breeze brushed across his face and brushed a lock from his face. ¡°Nice job.¡±

    The smirk on Greyson¡¯s face dropped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Maddy looked over the edge once more and when he turned back Greyson was leaning on the banister only a few short feet away.

    ¡°The last time I played this game I bit a girl.¡± He paused. Not sure if it was safe to tell all this to him. But he wasn¡¯t being smug for a change and actually seemed to be listening. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help myself. I¡¯d been chasing her and she fell.¡±

    He swallowed hard, trying to forget the taste of her blood on her lips. He looked back at the pool. A girl was yelling at her boyfriend for throwing her in and ruining her makeup.

    ¡°Needless to say, her mother was pissed. But Dee was there.¡± His lips broke into a gentle smile. ¡°She actually told Cindy¡¯s mother, ¡®You¡¯re a forty-year-old lady why are you picking on a ten-year-old kid?!¡¯ I thought she was so brave. Looking back at it though her hand was shaking in mine.¡± Maddy¡¯s nose twitched. The girl getting out of the pool had scrapped her hands and knees. He curled his hand into a fist. ¡°I felt awful afterward. Tried to beg for her forgiveness, but it was too late. The damage was done and it didn¡¯t help that it was her birthday and all of our classmates had seen it happen. Everyone except Dee saw me as a freak, a monster.¡±

    He blinked away tears. It had been years since he last thought about Cindy Mapleton. He knew Dr. Tarkirk was suppressing his powers to hide him in plain sight, but had he also suppressed his memories? Did Nanabo reawaken them when they touched? He turned back to Greyson when he saw blood drip down from the girl¡¯s ripped tights.

    Surprise crossed his face when he saw Greyson looking back at him so intensely. It made his heart thump heavy in his chest. With a tired sigh he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to go. Could you tell Dee? She knows where to find me, if she needs me.¡±

    Greyson¡¯s eyes grew wide. He stood up and rolled his sleeves. ¡°Wait. Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a park not too far from here,¡± Maddy explained. He should have left a lot sooner. ¡°It¡¯s where I go when I want to think¡­ and be alone.¡± His gaze remained firm on those silver hues.

    Greyson gave him a slow nod. ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t change your mind to stay?¡±¡±

    He shook his head, hopped off the ledge, and headed for the house. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I ruined our game. Next time, will be more fun.¡±

    ¡°There will be a next time?¡± Greyson quirked a brow.

    Greyson let out a short laugh. It did more for Maddy than he¡¯d like to admit. ¡°You remind me of my sister she loves this game.

    ¡°You have a sister?¡± He asked tilting his head thoughtfully.

    ¡°Yes,¡± He smiled slowly as if remembering something sweet. Maddy caught that look in his gray eyes again. Whatever he was thinking about quickly turned sour, but before he could ask about it, Greyson¡¯s grin was back in place. ¡°If you stay I can tell you all about her.¡±

    ¡°Learning you might actually have a heart under all that arrogance does sound tempting,¡± He shrugged. ¡°But I¡¯ve kind of set my mind up about freezing my toes and fingers off around some trees.¡±

    He turned around and walked back into the house without looking back. If he did, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to reject Greyson a third time. And the thought itself made him realize how much he needed to be alone right now. Far and safe from those gray eyes, pointy teeth, and devilishly handsome face.

 Chapter Six: Dark Delights Part Three

    Maddy stopped by the pool before leaving Alfonzo¡¯s house. He couldn¡¯t help himself. The girl and her friends were still there, wrapped in a giant blanket and smoking a joint.

    He watched her from the shadows formed from the house lights and licked his lips as the smell of her blood brushed against his nostrils, still present despite the strong scent of chlorine and weed. He purposely sniffed it out. It wasn¡¯t particularily enticing. It didn¡¯t smell like flowers or fruit, nevertheless, it made his stomach growl and jaw ache.

    The noose around his heart gave a heavy tug.

    She adjusted the blanket around her, and his jaw unhinged, the need to taste her growing with each passing second. He took a step away from the pillar he was leaning against, the hunger in his belly rising. He was so close to her now, maybe ten feet away. Their eyes met, and his body went hot all over. She quirked her head as if uncertain whether what she was looking at was real or a hallucination, and he stepped out of the shadows.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Her face scrunched up in confusion.

    His nose twitched.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    He wanted¡­ He needed¡­

    His hand gripped the nearest tree and he found himself throwing up six hundred dollars worth of tequila and much cheaper beer. Laughs and cheers came from the group he was just stalking.

    ¡°Hastings is wasted!¡± One boy hollered and whooped.

    ¡°Rip!¡± Another one said.

    Tears threatened to pour down his face, but he wasn¡¯t about to give the boys by the pool more fuel for the fire. He squeezed his eyes shut and felt a tingling sensation from the hand leaning against the tree. It was like little ants making their way up his arms, each carrying a bit of medicine.

    He took three deep breaths, ignoring the jeering of his classmates, and opened his eyes. It took sheer determination to let go of the tree and walk right past them. They had phones and were recording him. He needed to keep it together. The noose squeezed so tightly around him it was making his heart palpitate.

    Still, he kept walking. Until the scent of her blood no longer had a hold on his senses, his muscles relaxed, and the blearing light from the street lamps didn¡¯t burn his eyes. He veered off the road and threw up again, more tequila and more cheap beer.

    He shouldn¡¯t have let Dee convince him to come tonight. He only agreed because he didn¡¯t want her to be flirting with Greyson, but in the end she ditched the both of them.

    Maddy huffed out a breath, stood up, and froze. He took a step out into the empty street and waited. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as a couple of lamps blinked light along his path. He called out, ¡°Hello?¡±

    There was no response. Not a single car drove by in the last fifteen minutes that he¡¯d been walking. But he could feel he wasn¡¯t alone and even the noose around his heart gave a tentative nudge. He continued walking, sticking close to the lights. This had to be some cruel joke, by one of his classmates. They must have seen him watching them and wanted some playful revenge.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    When he made it to the park he beelined for his favorite spot, past the slides and swings, and deep into the trails. It was not marked by any of the usual trail markers and was completely surrounded by trees except for a little clearing with a single wooden bench that he tried to keep clear of foliage and debris. Sometimes he wondered if it was made just for him.

    Even in the dark, he knew where to go, his legs did all the work, avoiding rocks and loose roots, but he barely got past the playground and into the wood when something hot and hard hit his back and threw him off his feet.

    He hit the ground, face smacking against the forest floor. Almost immediately blood pooled into his mouth like a spring breaching the surface. His heart pounded hard against his chest, and before he could flip himself over, his attacker¡¯s knee dug into his shoulder blades. His hands were pulled from under him and placed behind him at an unnatural angle. Another rough movement and his shoulder popped out of its socket.

    A silent scream escaped his lips as shock and pain battled for control inside his brain. An elbow collided with his temple. Pain won, making anger it¡¯s General. He screamed, ¡°Let go of me!¡±

    If Dee were here, what would she do? The idea of his best friend in danger was enough to fuel the fire burning in his chest. He spit the blood out of his mouth and bucked his legs, colliding foot with face and other muscular body parts.

    Strange words spewed from his attacker and heat radiated from their hands, glowing orange in the darkness. Within seconds, Maddy¡¯s back was on fire. Pain sliced at his back like the claws of a tiger. Another scream got caught in his throat and the smell of his clothes and skin burning clogged his nostrils. He drooled out blood and spit as the fight inside him sputtered.

    Like a beacon in a storm, he felt the noose around his heart give a heavy tug and he thought his heart actually stopped. With a gasp of air, he squeezed his eyes shut. The noose, glowing and electric blue in his mind whipped around wildly. He mentally grabbed it and heard a roaring in his ears, like a great beast that had been set loose.

    It growled rugged and raw, ¡°SHIFT!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a request, but a very angry command.

    Maddy snapped his eyes open. His arms were bound and his assailant was dragging him across the forest. He didn¡¯t know the first thing about shifting and the last time he did he killed someone.

    ¡°SHIFT!¡± The voice in his head roared once more.

    Immediately he lost control of his body, as if the beast within him thrashed him out of his body and he was forced to just watch as his muscles tore and bones popped. The band of his wristwatch snapped and the seems of his clothes stretched until they were taunt against his skin. He finally let out a scream, but the sound was so foreign, if it was not for the pain that scrapped the walls of his throat he wouldn¡¯t have known it was his own.

    There was a thrashing in the woods behind him and a moment later his attacker was thrown off of him. He was barely able to register the scent of strawberries and spice as short-term relief washed over him. His vision blackened as the cold night air brushed over his back like a feather made of broken glass. His breath got caught in his throat and he couldn¡¯t let it out. His nails, now sharp and pointed dug into his neck and he knew his eyes were opened, but he couldn¡¯t see anything.

    It was the spell, or what was left of it. It had to be. Its thorns dug into his skin and bones, desperately trying to stop him from shifting. He rolled on his back, needing air. His legs kicked at the dirt as he struggled to breathe. One more minute and he¡¯d be dead.

    He didn¡¯t know when Greyson stood over him. Hell, he could hardly make out the smooth features of his face, cold and calculating. He could hear him speaking the sounds, instinctively making his toes curl as if he could feel the wet sand beneath him and icy water lapping at his ankles. Soon it was up to his knees as the ocean air brushed across his face.

    Greyson shook him bringing him back to reality. He was asking him a question. He forced his eyes to refocus and he could just make out the words, ¡°Do you give me permission. Give me permission,¡± Greyson shook his shoulders again. ¡°Give me permission, damn it!¡±

    Maddy wasn¡¯t sure what Greyson was asking, but with the last of his strength, he gave him a nod. Whatever he was about to do he hoped it would help him breathe.

    And then he bit him.

 Chapter Six: Dark Delights Part Four

    Greyson''s face burrowed into his neck and those two white fangs that often made an appearance whenever he casually smiled, and gave Maddy¡¯s heart an extra thump sank deep into his skin.

    Almost immediately he sucked in a breath as heat flushed through his veins like an old irrigation system being turned on for the first time in years. It made him let go of the noose he¡¯d been mentally holding. His teeth and nails receded, and as he took another breath, his muscles stopped tearing. His vision and thoughts were still cloudy, but it seemed second to the giant gulps of air he kept taking.

    When Greyson pulled away from him, it was if he was stripping life itself away from him. Cool hands pressed against his face, a thumb wiping away a stray tear, he hadn¡¯t known he shed. The pulse in Greyson¡¯s thumb was like a miniature orchestra thrumming against his skin, and the need for blood for had never been stronger.

    His jaw unhinged and Greyson¡¯s chest vibrated against him. He said in a tone that was filled with more relief than his usual smugness, ¡°Hungry, are we?¡±

    He licked his lips tasting his own blood on them. He licked them again and again and in the dim moonlight he could see Greyson scowl.

    ¡°Don¡¯t drink your own, that¡¯s barbaric.¡± Greyson¡¯s thumb brushed across his lips. It made his whole body tingle. Greyson pressed it further into his mouth and before he could tease him any further, Maddy bit down. Greyson gave him a subtle grunt as his skin broke. ¡°Very, hungry it seems.¡±

    Maddy¡¯s cheeks heated against the cool night air. He had no excuse. The beast inside him had subsided and this was all him. The need for Greyson, for his blood. It was all him.

    The first drop fell on his tongue and it was a strawberry overload. Strawberries danced around his arms and legs. Strawberries that sunk into his skin and rushed through his veins. Every drop of blood brought him back to life. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had fresh blood, and surely never from another <i>Stranger</i>.

    Slowly, very slowly, his body began to heal. His split lip, the gash on the side of his face, and eventually the burnt flesh on his back weaved itself back together. While he was distracted with Greyson¡¯s blood, the <i>Stranger </i>shifted his position. His voice was gentle, but firm as if he were speaking through a clenched jaw, ¡°This may hurt a little.¡±

    Then he snapped his shoulder back into place.

    Maddy croaked out a cry, but another bout of relief washed over him as Greyson placed him on his lap. He rubbed his bloody thumb over his lips and smeared it across his face, ¡°That¡¯s for not asking permission first.¡±

    Maddy couldn¡¯t help himself. He grabbed Greyson¡¯s hand and placed his thumb back into his mouth, letting out a small moan of relief at the taste of strawberries and spice.

    ¡°Ah-ah-ah¡± Greyson tutted. He wiggled his thumb around the inside of Maddy¡¯s mouth, pressing it against his tongue and lifting his jaw upwards with the rest of his fingers. He slipped his thumb out and leaned in so close their noses nearly brushed against each other.

    He could feel Greyson¡¯s breath brush across his face. Fresh mint and strawberries. He inhaled it deeply, like a greedy child intent on having every piece of candy in a candy shop.  He lifted his head, but a sudden pain in his neck broke him from his stupor. He reached up and found two puncture wounds.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    His heart thumped heavy in his chest, and like a latch being released, blood rushed to his ears, as heat scorched his cheeks and face along the way. What the hell was he doing? He was about to make out with Greyson. The guy that Dee had her sights on.

    Dee.

    He needed to see her. He needed her to tell him he was going to be okay. Was he going to be okay? Why did someone come after him? What if they come back?

    His breathing grew ragged. He was losing control of his breath again.

    He needed to get out of here. He needed to run. He- He-...

    Greyson tangled their hands together and placed them against his chest. He commanded, ¡°Breathe,¡±

    He shoved Greyson¡¯s chest, but it was like throwing Play-Doh at a steel wall. He had no more strength. ¡°We- We have to get out of here! Dee!¡± His hands shook he was cold, so cold and despite the full moon seeping through the branches of the trees, he truly believed the darkness was going to swallow him whole. ¡°I need Dee!¡±

    Greyson clicked his tongue, his hair falling forward onto his forehead. ¡°Look at me, Maddy,¡± He brought his face close once more. ¡°You''re safe, no one is going to hurt you, not while I¡¯m here.¡± He said again, ¡°Breathe.¡±

    This time the order seeped through his bones, and he couldn¡¯t refuse them. With wide eyes still glued to Greyson¡¯s, to those silver hues, that reminded him of cold death and happy little koi fish.

    He sucked in a deep breath letting the oxygen fill his lungs and remind him he was alive.

    ¡°Good,¡± Greyson said taking deep breaths. ¡°Match my pace.¡±

    And he did. His lids grew heavy, but he refused to let the exhaustion that ebbed around him take over. He needed to stay awake. To stay in control until he could see Dee. Finally, breath caught he said, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°A hunter. Clearly very well trained. I managed to fight him off you, but he got away.¡± Greyson¡¯s voice was clipped as if he was trying to hold back his anger. A cruel smile formed on his lips, the two fangs gleaming against the moonlight.

    Maddy¡¯s eyes went wide with realization. Those¡­ Those were inside him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know what he was thinking. Drag you back to the border, maybe?¡± Greyson half laughed and carefully lifted him up. ¡°I¡¯d rather not stick around and find out.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Maddy flailed and seethed, stopping instantly as pain wracked his body. Greyson clicked his tongue and  steadied him on the ground before turning around heaving him on his back.

    ¡°Your panic attack ruined the mood, so I¡¯m taking you home.¡± He directed, ¡°Hold on.¡±

    A muscle in his jaw feathered as Greyson briefly heaved him up. ¡°Ruined the mood?! You act as if this is all my fault.¡±

    Greyson hummed. ¡°I told you not to leave the party.¡±

    Maddy narrowed his gaze. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. And I told you I wanted to be alone.¡±

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you glad I didn¡¯t listen?¡± He chuckled, his chest vibrating against Maddy. ¡°You could have died if I didn¡¯t show up.¡± Without skipping a beat he added, ¡°What are you doing all the way out here anyway?¡±

    ¡°You mean before I was almost turned into a human kebab?¡± He asked sardonically but, Greyson didn¡¯t challenge the remark, so he sighed and added, ¡°This is my <i>safe space</i>. Or it used to be¡­ Like I told you earlier. It¡¯s where I come to be alone.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but why these woods?¡± Greyson insisted.

    If he could shrug he would. ¡°It¡¯s not very poetic. I just love nature.¡± When Greyson said nothing he let out a breath, ¡°I love dropping to the ground, closing my eyes, and letting the grass curl around me. I love thunderstorms and the first day of snow. I love knowing that when a tree falls, the others around it still feed it nutrients through its roots. Nature lives outside the bounds of human control and chaos. It defies all odds and thrives even in the bleakest places. And I guess that gives me hope. That so can I.¡±

 Chapter Six: Dark Delights Part Five

    There was a long silence before Greyson spoke again. They had left the park and back on the main road. It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t want to talk. He had too many questions and didn¡¯t know which to ask first, much less if he wanted to know the answers. His body ached as if he fell down a flight of stairs and no amount of muscle, fat, or flesh, could stop his bones from aching. He¡¯d given up trying to stop his cheek from resting on Greyson¡¯s shoulder. The muscle rippled underneath him and he was surprised at how comfortable Greyson actually felt.

    ¡°The bite or the hunter?¡± Greyson offered as if reading his thoughts.

    The almost kiss. Why had Greyson done it? Wasn¡¯t he into Dee? She was certainly into him. Did he want both of them? He scrunched up his nose at the thought and said softly, his voice still tired and raw to speak any louder, ¡°The bite.¡±

    Greyson clicked his tongue. ¡°I was kind of hoping you¡¯d say the hunter.¡±

    He didn¡¯t have to see Greyson¡¯s face to know at this point the <i>Stranger</i> was grinning. ¡°I can guess why a hunter was after me.¡± He was a monster, a beast that needed to be caged or killed. Nanabo partially broke the spell he was under, the part that hid his true scent. If Greyson figured out who he was then other Folk would, too. He just thought he had more time.

    A low hum came from Greyson, ¡°The life of a <i>Belvie </i>is never easy.¡±

    He stiffened at the sound of his true <i>Folk </i>name. The action caused his back to scream, but it was as if Greyson stripped him bare, exposing him to the frosty night air.

    ¡°The bite,¡± Greyson continued, adjusting his hold on him, ¡°Is a marking of sorts. A half mark, if we are being specific. Usually done between masters and their servants. It was an ancient way of knowing which servant belonged to which house. Some houses still practice it, but for the most part it''s a thing of the past for our Kind. The main reason being, we don¡¯t have servants anymore, replaced by paid employment.¡± Myrth slipped into his tone, ¡°Nothing keeps a person more loyal than money.¡±

    Maddy tried to imagine what his kind¡¯s home would look like. Assuming all the trashy vampire T.V. shows Dee made him watch weren¡¯t completely off the mark, he assumed they were great, big buildings, hundreds of years old and nearly taken over by vines and roots. The insides would be immaculate with furniture pieces collected over the centuries and the walls filled with dead ancestors that watched him while he walked down the halls. He imagined every fancy room with a fireplace, but somehow the area still felt cold. Cold, and unwelcoming.

    ¡°Where did your head go?¡± Greyson asked.

    He must have been quiet for too long. ¡°Nowhere.¡± He said and added. ¡°So this is a servant mark? Will I be under your control now?¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°As nice as that sounds,¡± Greyson said humorously, ¡°No. It is a simple bond that connects us. I¡¯ll be able to sense where you are, know if you are in distress, and a couple of other things, but none of it would really affect your day-to-day, and if you''re too far away the bond is weaker.¡±

    ¡°Turn down this road,¡± He gestured when they reached a crossroad, and then added. ¡°How did you know it would stop¡­¡± He gritted his teeth as his stomach gurgled. Nope. This ridiculous spell was still semi-intact. He huffed and said, ¡°How did you know it would save me?¡±

    ¡°That was a guess.¡± He said as if trying to figure out a jigsaw puzzle. ¡°A marking, no matter the type, releases chemicals that calm both parties involved. I figured if I bit you, then it would stop your body from overreacting and I was right.¡±

    Maddy nodded, his neck ached dully at the spot where he was bitten. ¡°Is it permanent?¡±

    Greyson shook his head, ¡°The one I gave you should only last about a month. Marks between mates however are permanent, unless one mate dies or is physically ripped out. Which, I would not recommend for any mark. It can be extremely painful and could kill both parties.¡±

    He pressed his lips together. That last bit was more of a warning than an explanation. They had reached Bill and Taiyo¡¯s street, and despite nearly having been burned alive tonight, he still somehow had enough pride to not want to be seen as weak in front of the other boys. He didn¡¯t want any more of their pity. ¡°Could you put me down? I want to walk the rest of the way.¡±

    Greyson didn¡¯t protest. ¡°Easy now,¡± He said as Maddy dropped to his feet.

    He couldn¡¯t quite walk on his own but said nothing as Greyson slipped a muscular arm under him, but not before he noticed the sleeve was charred. A thought occurred to him then, ¡°Did you get burned too?¡±

    ¡°Maddy, you chose to ask about the Mark and not the hunter,¡± He chuckled.

    He didn¡¯t move, looking up at him with furrowed brows. Greyson saved him tonight- and they almost kissed- it might not have meant much to the <i>Stranger</i>, but it was fair game in his book to be at least a little concerned over him.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Greyson huffed, his smile dropping.

    He narrowed his gaze.

    ¡°Really, look for yourself.¡± Greyson slipped his arm from under him to show him the smooth tan skin under the frayed fabric. He placed it back under him and added. ¡°You should see the other guy. It was no wonder he ran off so quickly.¡±

    Maddy took a small step forward. It didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t be back. He tried to suppress a shiver thinking of how easy it was for the hunter to dislocate his shoulder. When he got back inside he would have to call Dee. They would need to speak to her father, he¡¯d be able to find this hunter, deal with him, like he¡¯d dealt with his step-father, Cindy Mapleton, and Tommy Longhorn. It¡¯d mean a new spell placed on him. Another spell would be awful, probably the worst one yet, but at least he¡¯d be hidden from the world again, and the world would be safe from him.

    He stayed silent as they made it to the familiar light, blue door, instead choosing to focus on keeping his body upright as Greyson let go of him to knock on the door. He hadn¡¯t realized how much warmth Greyson was giving him until his arm was gone.

    Taiyo opened the door, took one glance at Maddy- at his neck, and turned to Greyson, who let out a breath showing those dimples and fangs.

    ¡°Hel-¡° Was all he could get out before getting a fist to the face.

 Chapter Seven: Tea and Truth

    ¡°Ow! Fuck!¡± Greyson¡¯s smile quickly turned into a snarl as he grabbed his nose and cursed in a language Maddy didn¡¯t understand. He could smell blood burst and dribble down his face. The scent of strawberries and spice washed over him, clouding his thoughts for a moment.

    He wobbled and was steadying himself without the help of Greyson when something black and glossy reached for him. He blinked and noticed it was Taiyo¡¯s hand. Greyson was closer and quicker in pulling him closer to his broad chest. The whole scene couldn¡¯t have lasted more than a few seconds, far too quick for his tired body to protest.

    Taiyo reeled back, his large frame barricading the front entrance, his piercing blue eyes burning holes into Greyson as he said, ¡°State your purpose.¡±

    The words nearly came out as a growl and Maddy stiffened at the sound. Greyson¡¯s arm around him tightened. He spoke before Greyson could, ¡°He¡¯s just dropping me off.¡±

    Taiyo¡¯s gaze briefly drifted toward him, scanned his body then went straight back to glaring at Greyson. He crossed his arms and said coldly, ¡°Thanks for dropping him off, you can go now.¡±

    Maddy winced. He wasn¡¯t quite sure why Taiyo was being so cold to Greyson, but it was his home after all and if he didn¡¯t want any other guests that was his right. He motioned to the door, but Greyson¡¯s fingers remained firm on his side. He said, ¡°As you can see, we¡¯ve had a bit of a rough night. I¡¯d like to make sure he gets into bed alright.¡±

    ¡°Do you not think he¡¯s safe here?¡± Taiyo spoke as if it were a challenge.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s not a fair question to ask.¡± Greyson¡¯s lipped curled.

    Confusion clouded Maddy''s features. This was quickly becoming a conversation with double meanings and one he wasn¡¯t privy to. His suspicions were confirmed when Taiyo refused to budge from the door and Greyson clicked his tongue before switching languages. It was the same accent as the one he cursed in earlier, but Maddy hadn¡¯t a clue what he was saying.

    Taiyo did. His words were short and seemingly to the point in English, but his accent was softer and warmer, like he¡¯d grown up speaking it, and the way his shoulders seemed to drop slightly gave Maddy the impression he almost missed speaking the language.

    It was like watching chess. He didn¡¯t know the rules and he certainly couldn¡¯t figure out who was winning. His bite mark ached as his head turned between both men, growing frustrated the more they spoke. The more they excluded him. Dee would have definitely said something about it, but he wasn¡¯t her.

    There was another long pause from Taiyo and then he finally turned toward Maddy and asked in English, ¡°Are you alright with him coming inside?¡±

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    He looked over at Greyson thoughtfully. Blood was smeared across his face, but any sign of bruising or swelling was already on the mend. His lips curled into a smirk filled with all the smugness in the world as his silver eyes caught in the moonlight, shining like stars about to explode.

    He told himself it was because he still had too many questions to let him go. He wanted a full detailed account of what both of them said and as a result of being excluded, he was allowed to ask anything he wanted. He told himself that was the reason, but somehow if he said his thoughts out loud he doubted the other two would believe him.

    Instead, he gave Taiyo a simple nod and the blue-eyed Stranger in front of him shifted just enough to let them pass. His eyes lingered on his arm an extra beat just to double check it was a normal limb and nothing more.

    ¡°Would you two care to explain what you said outside?¡± Maddy asked slipping off his sneakers at the front door. He noted Greyson kept his boots still on.

    ¡°Shower first, and then we¡¯ll talk,¡± Taiyo ordered with a scrunched-up expression. He shut the door behind him and made his way toward the kitchen, wetting a tea towel and throwing it at Greyson.

    Maddy didn¡¯t protest as he picked out fresh clothes from his bag by the couch and started making his way up the stairs, while Greyson was making himself comfortable, leaning against the back of the couch, wiping his face and speaking to Taiyo in that foreign language.

    It was <i>Strange Folk</i> language. He thought as he climbed the rest of the stairs. It had to be. He¡¯d partially heard Dr. Tarkirk speak it just before casting a rather hefty spell on him. He¡¯d seen it too, sneaking in the attic of Dee¡¯s home, with her by his side, looking at old grimoires. He opened the bathroom door and slowly began to strip, his aching muscles protesting and begging for rest. It only occurred to him now that he recognized the language and the short memory of the attic, yet another example that the spell he was bound to be no more than a loose thread on a coat, an eyesore with the ability to completely unravel him if he pulled at it wrong.

    He turned on the shower and stared at the mirror while he waited for the water to heat. Blood and dirt clung to his skin and hair, making him look like a dog who had too much fun in a mud pile. The steam wrapped around his bare shoulders and forced a shiver out of him, but he refused to tear his gaze from his reflection, at his green eyes. They were brighter and fuller, like a pair of plants that had been wilting, only to be doused in water and given a second life. He leaned in closer until his nose nearly touched the glass.

    Under the grime, he was surprised to see how flushed his skin was. Was this because he had Greyson¡¯s blood or because Greyson bit him? The bite mark on his neck was nothing more than two rough pink dots. He touched it, warm, like a stove just safe enough to touch.

    His gaze lingered on his neck for only a few more seconds before his eyes caught his attention once more. There was a gentle tug from the noose. He didn¡¯t want to tug back, but maybe he could still speak to it. Tentatively, he said, ¡°Hello?¡±

    Nothing happened.

    He frowned. He hoped the voice in his head wasn''t a hallucination brought on by fear. He let steam fog up the glass and didn¡¯t bother wiping it away, turning to jump into the shower, taking his time as the hot water flowed down his back. He bit back the pain and wiped off most of the grime and blood.

    It couldn¡¯t have been more than twenty minutes when the front door slammed open and shut.

    And then the shouting began.

 Chapter Seven: Tea and Truth Part Two

    A low thrumming was forming in the center of Maddy¡¯s brain as he forced himself out of the shower and into his work uniform, the only other clothes he had on him. He desperately needed to sleep, but as the yelling- mostly from Bill surprisingly- he realized that it was becoming less and less likely he¡¯d get it.

    He took one last look in the mirror and placed his towel around his neck to cover the bite mark. Maybe it was the way Greyson referred to as a servant bite that made him feel embarrassed about it, but the last thing he wanted was for others to see it and if Dee saw it he¡¯d never hear the end of it. His brain already started whirring with ways to talk about what happened tonight, without opening up too much. The dance, the game, of hiding the truth coming to him so naturally, even when he wanted to be honest.

    He walked down the stairs and noticed an odd tension in the air. Dee was leaning over the couch, her arms dangled over the back. Her hair and clothes were slightly damp. It must have started to rain outside. One quick glance at Bill with a soaked shirt and jeans confirmed it.

    Meanwhile, Taiyo still stood in the kitchen, half a dozen odd-shaped mugs rested on the counter by the stove as he ripped open a box of snacks and placed them in a bowl before setting it down on the table already donned with a store-bought babka.

    Maddy grinned. For someone who resisted having guests over, Taiyo certainly took the job of host very seriously. His scent of ash and scotch filled the space.

    Instinct told him to turn his head and he found a pair of silver hues looking back at him, the corners crinkled with subtle delight as if their owner was saying, ¡°Hello, again.¡±

    His own smile was quickly wiped off his face at the shrill sound of Dee calling his name when she noticed who Greyson was looking up at. ¡°Maddy, baby! I didn¡¯t mean to leave you tonight, but you looked fine drinking with Alfonzo. I thought you¡¯d be fine,¡± She hopped off the couch to greet him by the stairs, pulling him into a tight hug. His whole body stiffened and he snapped his jaw shut to keep from screaming as pain shot up his back. ¡°But the minute I found out you left I came racing back. Had to grab Bill of course, and then there was the issue of waiting for a car to pick us up-¡°

    ¡°I think it would be best if you let him go,¡± Greyson said placing a hand on Dee¡¯s shoulder.

    She looked up at him with furrowed brows but stepped back. Turning her face once again to Maddy. ¡°Why? Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°Just a little sore,¡± He said heat climbing up his cheeks.

    Before Dee could ask, Bill came from behind Greyson and asked, ¡°What happened.¡± His eyes immediately narrowed at Greyson. ¡°Did he hurt you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you would <i>love</i> that wouldn¡¯t you.¡± Greyson rolled his eyes.

    ¡°I told you to get out,¡± Bill growled.

    Greyson turned to face him. ¡°And I already told you no. I was invited in and if you have a bone to pick, do it with your owner.¡±

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    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Bill cursed as Taiyo snapped at Greyson from the kitchen, ¡°Watch your mouth.¡±

    A pit formed in Maddy¡¯s stomach. Did all <i>Strange Folk</i> not get along with one another? He¡¯d only ever known witches and they weren¡¯t too kind to him, but he just figured it was because he was an annoying little human the Tarkirk¡¯s adopted. It wasn¡¯t like they could guess anything else.

    Dee tugged on his arm. When he looked down at her she gestured with her head to the door. But he hesitated. He knew going with her meant speaking with Dr.Tarkirk and another spell. It was the right thing to do, but he needed answers. How did the hunter find him? Could he be the one to kill Mr. Nanabo? There were burn marks all over his body.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± She whispered as Taiyo continued to admonish Greyson tearing open another bag of snacks and placing it on the table. ¡°We don¡¯t need them. You¡¯ll be okay with me.¡±

    Those words could have been a spell. He nodded, her comfort turning his worry into goo, and started walking toward the front door.

    ¡°Where the hell do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Greyson snapped at her.

    ¡°Home,¡± Dee jutted her chin at him. ¡°It¡¯s late and Maddy needs rest. You two can continue your pissing contest without him.¡±

    Greyson was at the door in three long strides, leaving Bill to scowl by the stairs. ¡°There is a hunter out there-¡±

    ¡°What the hell?!¡± Her eyes went wide glancing between him and Greyson. ¡°Is that what you meant by being a little sore? We have to leave.¡± She tried to move around Greyson, but he was too quick for her. ¡°My father is the greatest-¡° Dee began her hands growing warm in Maddy¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What aren¡¯t you understanding? A hunter is trying to drag him back to the border. You go out there, you¡¯re practically asking to get caught and killed.¡± Greyson raised his voice, smacking his hand on the door.

    ¡°Border?¡± Maddy turned to Greyson with furrowed brows, ¡°You mentioned that at the park. What Border?¡± Willow Creek was in the middle of Massachusetts there weren¡¯t any borders around.

    Greyson¡¯s eyes went wide before his gaze narrowed, a mix of disbelief and anger crossing his face. He placed that look on Dee. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know.¡±

    Dee scoffed. ¡°Of course he knows,¡± She waved a hand. ¡°He just can¡¯t talk about it. Right Maddy?¡±

    Maddy looked down at her, she did her best to keep her expression calm, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was his heartbeat or hers that thumped into the hands they shared. She was talking about that place. The place where all <i>Strange Folk</i> were from- where his real parents were from, but she¡¯d failed to tell him that there was some magical entrance to it at the park, <i>his</i> park.

    Greyson clicked his tongue, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant and you know it. He doesn¡¯t know that he lived twenty fucking minutes from his kind.¡±

    Suddenly it was as if Dee was the only other person in the room. The blood in his veins thrummed in his ears, he spoke slowly partially from disbelief and the other from fear of what the spell might do to him if he said the wrong thing. ¡°Is this¡­ True?¡±

    She opened her mouth, but the kettle on the stove let out a loud whistle, and for a moment that was the only sound that filled the space.

    The spell around him squeezed and slithered around his body, but like a flashlight without any juice it wasn¡¯t strong enough to stop an onslaught of questions and memories of the times he¡¯d been so close to the border and a zap of pain would ward him off, only to forget the interaction a moment later.

    Taiyo eventually stood to take the kettle off the stove and when he did Greyson spoke again through a clenched jaw, his eyes boring holes into Dee, ¡°Sit. Down. Now.¡±

 Chapter Seven: Tea and Truth Part Three

    There were only four chairs in the kitchen which inevitably left one person standing. Taiyo had been the closest and took the first chair. Dee had grabbed the second and since her hand was practically super glued to Maddy, he got the third one. Bill, who managed to make a plate full of sandwiches in the manner of minutes, brought his plate of meat and bread and hesitated by the last seat. He glared over at Greyson.

    ¡°Sit, it¡¯s your house, after all,¡± Greyson gestured at the seat, a tight lipped smile forming on his lips.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Bill said, feigning the same politeness. ¡°You¡¯re looking a little pale. Maybe you should rest.¡±

    Taiyo rolled his eyes and said shortly, ¡°Bill. Sit.¡±

    Bill huffed. He looked over at Taiyo and then at Greyson ruefully once more before obliging Taiyo.

    Two fangs poked out from Greyson¡¯s grin and Maddy swallowed knowing he was going to say something rude. ¡°Good boy.¡±

    Bill shot up from his seat and slammed his fists on the table as another clap of thunder could be heard and rain started to pour down. Plates clattered and the table shook intensely. Bill roared. ¡°You soul-sucking <i>Leach</i>.¡±

    Taiyo quickly stood and placed a hand on Bill¡¯s shoulder, gesturing him into the his seat. He glared at Greyson. ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret inviting you in.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should go,¡± Dee said finding her voice. ¡°You two clearly have some issues you need to sort out and Maddy doesn¡¯t need this.¡±

    Dee started to stand only to have the other three shout at her, ¡°No!¡±

    Dee froze. Her brow furrowed and gave his hand another squeeze. ¡°Well then, behave.¡±

    ¡°I will if he will,¡± Bill said through gritted teeth, a muscle in his jaw flexing.

    Greyson raised his hands in feigned defeat and took the last seat, leaving Taiyo to lean against the kitchen counter, cradling a full mug of tea. He said, almost surprised, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t understand why everyone¡¯s acting so skittish to talk. It¡¯s not like there are humans around.¡±

    ¡°We have laws for a reason.¡± Taiyo¡¯s grip on his mug tightened.

    Greyson furrowed his brows. ¡°Why are you such a stickler for the rules? You¡¯re clearly shunned by your kind. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be living so far away from the local pack. ¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Bill snapped. He pointed a finger at Greyson, ¡°Don¡¯t go spewing shit, you know nothing about.¡±

    ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Greyson¡¯s lips curled upwards. ¡°And are you living here for moral support or are you also an outcast, a thorn in Daddy¡¯s paw?¡±

    Bill bulked his hands into a fist. ¡°If you bring my family into this, then we really are gonna have a problem.¡±

    Maddy didn¡¯t understand why Greyson was being so rude. An hour ago, he was so gentle and caring, and now¡­ Now it was like talking to a whole new person. He had to say something. ¡°Greyson.¡± He held his gaze with those clever silver eyes. ¡°Stop.¡±

    He turned to Bill who was glaring darts at Greyson. ¡°Bill, I¡¯m sorry. I know this is not an ideal situation, but there are clearly things that have been kept from me.¡± He pressed his lips together, refusing to look at Dee. She gave him a quick squeeze and he added, ¡°For good reasons I¡¯m sure. And despite not deserving to know why. I want to know. Will you help me to understand?¡±

    Bill closed his eyes, letting out a heavy breath through his nose. His breathing returned to a normal pace and he opened his eyes once more as he sat down. ¡°Fine, but if he says one more disrespectful word, he¡¯s getting a fist to the face.¡± He leaned over and grabbed a sandwich. With each bite he took, he glared at Greyson, in disgust.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.Greyson grinned as if this whole conversation was a game he had just won. He adjusted in his seat and turned to Maddy, ¡°Let¡¯s establish a baseline. What is it that you do know?¡±

    Letting out a breath and staring intensely at Greyson¡¯s beautiful face, he said, ¡°I know that magic and witches are real. I know that there are different kinds of Strange Folk and I know they are not from the Human Lands...¡± Maddy paused he never got this far without his memory blanking or his stomach flipping over in protest.  ¡°I know they-¡±

    ¡°We,¡± Greyson quickly corrected.

    ¡°We¡­¡± He said finding it hard to form the word in his mouth. ¡°Clearly have ways of making it to the Human Lands.¡± Although when he was younger he was convinced there were portals in closets and under beds where the really scary Folk lived. However, it was his imaginary friend, Titan, a giant, fluffy, red panda, who told him he was an idiot for being so gullible. He blinked it was the first time he remembered Titan in a long while. The spell really must be wearing off, if he was starting to remember bits of his childhood.

    ¡°What else do you know?¡± Greyson asked bringing him back to the conversation.

    "It''s hard to say," Maddy explained Dr. Tarkirk¡¯s spell, his issue with talking about magic and Strange Folk how sick it makes him feel, and how his brain wanders, making it nearly impossible to focus on the topic. ¡°I think the only reason I¡¯m able to talk about it more freely now is because the spell is partially broken.¡±

    Whether it was Mr. Nanabo or Greyson who snapped the spell he wouldn¡¯t say out loud unless someone asked him directly. Not because he was afraid he couldn¡¯t, but because it would lead to more explaining, and he wasn¡¯t quite ready to open up about the park situation to Dee, without her getting upset and forcing them to leave.

    ¡°Woof, dude, sounds like Waldo¡¯s spell,¡± Bill said swallowing a bite of his sandwich.

    ¡°Taiyo and I were thinking the same thing,¡± Greyson nodded, rolling up his sleeves. He looked Bill up and down as if seeing him for the first time and not just a jock.

    Bill smirked in between bites, catching Greyson¡¯s gaze and continued with straightened shoulders, ¡°My great-aunt Lucy¡¯s neighbor, Mona, put Waldo¡¯s spell on herself.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Dee asked her free hand reaching over the table to grab a slice of babka.

    ¡°She was cheating on her husband and-¡± Bill paused to take a bite out of his sandwich. ¡°-And she was trying to avoid answering questions that would expose her. After the spell, getting her to answer honestly was like pulling a very fine thread. If the thread broke then she''d completely forget what they were talking about and the whole conversation would have to be restarted.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem so bad,¡± Maddy stated optimistically.

    ¡°Trying to break a spell like that has bad side effects depending on how powerful it is.¡± Greyson chimed in.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Bill continued. ¡°My Great-Aunt Lucy¡¯s neighbor Mona-¡±

    ¡°Hi, hello, thank you Chatty Kathy for that very unnecessary family history lesson, but we are off-topic.¡± He locked eyes with Maddy. ¡°The spell is called Walderman¡¯s Hermit Spell. The story goes, an old forest witch used it to protect his Grimoire from unwanted eyes. He had an affinity toward hermits and used them to seal the spell, making it very difficult for the subject of the spell to talk about certain topics. It normally causes nausea, body shakes, and lips to snap shut. ¡±

    ¡°Sounds familiar,¡± He nodded breaking his hold on Dee, and grabbing a bite of Babka for himself. It was delicious, but it wasn¡¯t blood.

    ¡°The problem with yours,¡± Greyson picked up a fork and pointed it at him, ¡°Is your spell is not only much more severe, no thanks to Daddy Tarkirk,¡± He side-eyed Dee, ¡°But it¡¯s also gone haywire, probably when you got hit with a fireball.¡±

    Maddy cringed as Bill said, ¡°What?!¡±

    Taiyo shifted his stance against the counter, almost as if he was about to ask something, but it was Dee who spoke next.

    ¡°Excuse me?!¡± Dee was stunned, her jaw dropped before her face twisted into a scowl. She wasn¡¯t sure where to direct her anger. ¡°A fireball. That¡¯s more than a little sore.¡±

    She went to reach for his shirt, but Maddy gave her a stern shake. Not here. Not in front of everyone. In truth, he didn¡¯t want her to find the bite on his neck. She answered his silent plea, but continued to sulk at Greyson.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Bill said, the frustration on his face turning into confusion. ¡°My nose has been fucked ever since my accident, so I can¡¯t smell how many spells and glamors are on you to hide your true scent, but Waldo¡¯s Spell is a silencing spell, why would Maddy need to be kept in the dark about our kind our world.¡±

    Everyone turned to look at Dee.

 Chapter Seven: Tea and Truth Part Four

    ¡°What?¡± She eyed the group back. ¡°What?!¡± She repeated when they said nothing. ¡°Maybe it was an anchor for all the other spells.¡± Dee huffed her face was becoming flushed and beads of sweat were forming on her face.

    Maddy could tell she was pulling at straws. Why use it as an anchor for other spells in the first place?

    ¡°This is dumb.¡± She reached for his hand and pulled them both into a stand, ¡°Come on we can talk about stuff without these guys.¡±

    He didn¡¯t move. ¡°There you go again. Why do you keep suggesting we leave?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Dee,¡± Greyson grinned, casually standing to his feet. His back muscles rolled as he stretched. "Why do you keep suggesting that?¡±

    The lights in the ceiling seemed to shine brighter. He glanced out the window to see the moon had been completely blocked out by heavy rain clouds.

    ¡°Because¡­¡± Dee stalled, crossing her arms and pursing her lips. ¡°This is all clearly too much for Maddy. None of you understand how sensitive he is.¡±

    His brow twitched. He could feel his stomach bubbling and his head throbbing but he knew it wasn¡¯t from whatever spellbinding he was under. ¡°Dee, please don¡¯t tell me how I¡¯m feeling.¡±

    The rest of the group turned to face him. Bill quirked his head quizzically, Taiyo kept his face neutral, and Dee sucked in a heavy breath through half-closed lips, but it was Greyson¡¯s smirk that caused his chest to start pumping at double speed.

    While he was ahead, he continued, ¡°I know you¡¯re just looking out for me, but what is it your father want me to forget.¡±

    Dee¡¯s lower lip quivered as she spoke, ¡°I- I really don¡¯t know. Daddy always said it was to keep your powers in check, forgetting what you¡¯ve done might have been a way to take away your pain.¡±

    ¡°Or your control,¡± Taiyo said with a narrowed-eye expression.

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    ¡°Exactly,¡± He paced the tiny space, and Maddy watched carefully as the fork he was still holding onto bounced against his lips. ¡°What is it you¡¯re afraid he¡¯ll find out?¡±

    The sky grumbled above them as large globs of rain pelted down onto the roof.

    A knot formed in his stomach as Greyson stopped right in front of Dee.

    ¡°Nothing!¡± Dee said taking a step back.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Greyson took another step forward toward her. His eyes grew as dark as the clouds outside.

    Lightening flashed through the windows.

    Greyson¡¯s figure looked overbearing and sinister compared to Dee, like the big bad wolf about to snatch up Little Red Riding Hood.

    <i>He¡¯s not the big bad wolf. You are.</i> The thought came to Maddy like a snakebite, quick, painful, and likely to spread.

    ¡°Step back!¡± Dee jutted her chin up at him, her long hair falling off her shoulders and flowing down her back.

    ¡°You¡¯re too close!¡±

    Thunder roared from a distance.

    ¡°Stop¡­¡± He tried, but his voice wasn¡¯t strong enough.

    ¡°That¡¯s funny just a few days ago, you couldn¡¯t get enough of me.¡± Greyson flashed a wicked smile. ¡°Did you make a promise with Mommy and Daddy to keep me busy? To keep Maddy away from me?¡±

    Another flash came from the sky as the rain came down harder.

    ¡°Or maybe you thought of that last one on your own.¡± Greyson pressured. ¡°Maybe, you thought if he finds out the truth of where he came from he¡¯ll leave you?¡±

    Dee sucked in a breath. Her pupils grew wide.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want him to know about the Boarder to Nellz because you¡¯re afraid that he¡¯ll realize there¡¯s a whole fucking world out there where he¡¯s not the only one of his kind.¡± Greyson was relentless. ¡°Where he¡¯s probably got family.¡±

    The blood in Maddy¡¯s veins ran cold.

    Dee shook her head violently and grabbed the side of her chair for support.

    Bill stood up and walked around the table, ¡°Hey, she said back off.¡± He pushed his arm against Greyson¡¯s chest.

    Greyson yanked Bill¡¯s arm away, never breaking eye contact with Dee, ¡°You¡¯d hate that, wouldn¡¯t you? Being here left all alone, having no one to dote on you, to love you.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Dee shouted as the sound of thunder cracked through the air.

    ¡°Bingo.¡± Greyson grinned.

    And then Dee threw up all over Greyson¡¯s boots.

 Chapter Seven: Tea and Truth Part Five

    ¡°This shirt was eighty dollars, you dick!¡± She spat into the sink and glowered at Greyson. ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t know anything!¡±

    Maddy rubbed her back, holding a bunch of paper towels in his free hand in case she needed them. His head was spinning with the same word swirling around and around: Family.

    He had a family. But why had no one ever come to claim him?

    ¡°You spent eighty dollars on an anime shirt?¡± Greyson scoffed as he whipped down his shoes. ¡°Are you a child?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I am not like a thousand years old!¡± Dee threw her hands up in the air. ¡°Maybe your kind should stop hanging out with children, you pervert.¡±

    ¡°One, not a thousand. And two, at least I¡¯m not a failure for my species.¡± Greyson¡¯s lips curled cruelly as Dee snapped her mouth shut.

    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Dee grabbed Maddy¡¯s hand and walked toward the door.

    He felt his stomach twist. Why did every conversation have to lead to an argument? He looked over at Bill who went back to eating his sandwich when Dee had insisted she didn¡¯t need his help. He knew trying to get him involved would only lead to more chaos. He glanced over at Taiyo. It was a brief contact, but it was enough.

    With arms crossed and outstretched legs, Taiyo, who had taken a seat when Dee pushed him out of the way toward the sink, made a show of making his chair squeak along the floor.

    Everyone looked over at him.

    ¡°I do believe things have gotten off track.¡± Taiyo began. Maddy noticed there was an air of authority in the room, one which even Greyson didn¡¯t try to challenge with petty comments. He turned to Dee, ¡°Whether you are under a spell or not, I¡¯m sure there are things you are not telling us. And frankly, I don¡¯t care.¡±

    Dee opened her mouth, but Taiyo raised a hand to stop her. ¡°I said, I don¡¯t care. You can go home, change, and not come back.¡±

    ¡°Rude¡­¡± She commented.

    Taiyo ignored her remark and held his gaze on Maddy. ¡°What I do care about is an uneducated, spellbound Belvie with a target on his back is in my kitchen. Something, I very much didn¡¯t sign up for.¡±

    ¡°Wait...¡± Bill said swallowing his sandwich. ¡°Wait¡­ Are you suggesting he leave, too?¡±

    Maddy swallowed. This wasn¡¯t the help he was asking for.

    ¡°It¡¯s hardly been two days and you¡¯ve already turned my house into the set of a K-drama.¡± Taiyo continued he turned to Greyson. ¡°And for your information, I choose to live all the way out here because I like to be alone. I follow our laws because if Maddy is truly in danger than he should be seeking help from Compass Court not hiding out here.¡±

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    ¡°It¡¯s not against the law to kill a Belvie.¡± Greyson crushed the paper towels in his hand. His gaze narrowed.

    ¡°Not my problem.¡± Taiyo squared his shoulders. His expression was indifferent.

    ¡°Taiyo, please,¡± Bill said looking at his roommate with worry in his eyes. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be right not to help him. And he¡¯s got nowhere to go.¡±

    ¡°He will stay with me,¡± Dee said firmly. ¡°We should have left ages ago.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? How will that play out?¡± Greyson quizzed. ¡°The boy your parents Houdinied in magic is now coming back with half the spell broken. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be real cool with that.¡±

    ¡°Taiyo,¡± Bill asked tentatively. ¡°If we can break the spell completely, would that be enough to have him stay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I agree, he should have the spell broken.¡± Greyson nodded. ¡°I am family friends with a witch, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be more than willing to take the spell off.

    ¡°No!¡± Dee grabbed Maddy¡¯s hand. ¡°You can¡¯t take him there. It¡¯s not safe.¡±

    ¡°For who?¡± Greyson challenged.

    ¡°For Maddy!¡± Dee argued, her soft hands squeezing tightly in his. ¡°If he has to hide this much in the human world for being a Belvie imagine how much more he will have to in Nellz?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t being free worth it?¡± Greyson turned toward Maddy. ¡°You¡¯re the byproduct of two different species! You don¡¯t think, if we found one of them they could help you figure out how to control your magic?¡±

    He pressed his lips together and looked over at Dee. She had pulled her hair up in a messy bun and her usual complexion looked more flushed. He gripped her hand tightly and she looked up at him with glossy eyes. She had reached her breaking point. Another minute here and she would be in tears. He had only seen her like this a few times and he hated having to witness it now.

    He looked back at Greyson. The rope around his heart felt like it was twisted and double-knotted. If he went with Greyson he would know the truth about himself and he could finally take control of the beast inside of him. A not-so-small piece of him also liked the idea that he would do all this with Greyson. But a bigger part of him knew that he could never leave Dee behind and from the way she was acting now, she¡¯d never agree to join him.

    Straightening his back and letting out a deep breath through his nose. He said, ¡°If I do have a family, none of them bothered to claim me, so I highly doubt they¡¯d be happy to see me, if I found them now. But Dee has always been by my side. She¡¯s the only one who ever told me I¡¯ll be okay and she¡¯s the only family I need.¡±

    He headed for the door with Dee still holding onto his hand and refusing to face Greyson as he passed by him. He picked up his sneakers and looked back at Taiyo and Bill. ¡°Thank you for letting me stay here. Bill, I¡¯ll text you about what I¡¯ll do with my things.¡±

    Maddy opened the door and clicked his tongue when he saw the rain was still coming down hard. He asked Dee, ¡°You left your car here before the party?¡±

    She nodded and he reached out with his other hand for her keys.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± Greyson asked from behind them. ¡°You¡¯re just going to suffer through endless spells and hope Dr. Tarkirk is strong enough to fight off anyone who figures out what you are?¡±

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Dee groaned. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s that simple, Greyson. Now, we are leaving!¡±

    Greyson opened his mouth but Maddy cut him off. ¡°I said I¡¯m taking Dee home.¡±

    Greyson narrowed his gaze. ¡°You would really sacrifice your safety for her?¡±

    ¡°For Dee? Over and over again.¡± He turned and walked out into the rain.

 Chapter Eight: Not The Fun Kind Of Hot And Spicy

    ¡°You used to get nightmares,¡± Dee said from the passenger seat. They drove in silence to her house.

    Maddy parked on the street leading to her driveway. His gaze remained straight ahead, watching the window wipers swish back and forth. It was late, but the dawn hadn¡¯t shown its bright face yet.

    ¡°Horrible, awful ones.¡± She continued, her unflinching gaze matching his. ¡°You¡¯d wake up the whole house screaming at the top of your lungs. I was first to find you, of course, but I could never snap you back to reality. I¡¯d shake and shake you until my ears were ringing and your voice had cracked. Only Daddy could make you stop.¡±

    The sound of rain and window wipers echoed loudly inside the car. The idea Dr. Tarkirk made him forget because he didn¡¯t want him to have any more nightmares made his insides twist. The man probably didn¡¯t do it out of the kindness of his heart, only to make him stop screaming. Thoughts like this were easier to swallow than acknowledging Dr. Tarkirk doing something out of sympathy for him.

    His hands tightly gripped the steering wheel, ¡°Why did you lie to everyone else at Taiyo¡¯s?¡±

    He kept his gaze on the road but could see from the corner of his eyes, she turned to face him. ¡°To protect you, of course.¡±

    He looked over at her. The gold flakes shined brightly against her blue irises. He let out a heavy breath through his nostrils as his brows furrowed.

    ¡°Everything I do is to protect you.¡± Her voice shook. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t know that about you. They shouldn¡¯t know anything that could hurt you.¡±

    He turned his head back to the window. This is why he loved her. She would lie till the cows came home if it meant he was okay. ¡°How did you make yourself throw up?¡±

    She paused, her attention still focused on him. ¡°That wasn¡¯t an act.¡± She said earnestly. ¡°My parents don¡¯t trust me not to talk about magic and <i>you know where</i>, and not tell you about it. They¡¯re right of course, I would tell you everything.¡±

    ¡°What do you think they are hiding from us?¡± It was strange that he could openly discuss Nellz now. As if he¡¯d always been able to, like an old cell phone tucked away in a drawer, not forgotten just unnecessary to think about unless he was feeling nostalgic.

    She pulled her hair back into a bun and tucked a stray strand behind her ear, something she only did when she was concentrating extra hard. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s got to be something about you. Maybe they didn¡¯t want us talking about <i>that place</i> because they didn¡¯t want you getting too curious.¡± She furrowed her brows. ¡°Knowing you, you¡¯d want to know everything about it. You¡¯d want to-¡°

    ¡°Go there.¡± He finished her sentence, his expression grave with the heavy thoughts weighing on him.

    She nodded. ¡°Whatever is out there they don¡¯t want you finding it.¡±

    ¡°Or <i>it </i>finding me.¡± He pressed his lips together and Dee gripped the side of her chair as a car drove past them. She didn¡¯t relax until they were out of sight of the review mirror.

    His eyes were glued to the wipers as they swished back and forth. Finally, he said the silent part they were both thinking out loud.  ¡°Dee, tonight someone did find me. They could have killed me, but they were trying to drag me back to Nellz alive. I¡¯m not safe here anymore.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± She raised her voice Daddy¡¯s dealt with others finding out about you before.¡± She stuck her head out and he could feel her eyes boring into the side of his face. She calmed and strengthened her resolve. ¡°He can do it again.¡±

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    ¡°This isn¡¯t just another human,¡± He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, pushing down the memory of his foster father Darren being thrown into a cop car.

    ¡°He knows all the witches on the Willow Creek police force. I¡¯m sure they will find him and deal with them. Until then you just have to lay low. Daddy can put another spell on you and-¡°

    "I don¡¯t want another damn spell on me!¡± He hit the steering wheel, making her flinch. He sucked in a breath and let it out opening his eyes slowly. ¡°All that spell has done was make me vulnerable. I¡¯d still be in danger, and in a lot worse position, if I forgot what happened.

    ¡°Then we talk to Daddy.¡± She sniffed and wiped her face with the heel of her palm. ¡°Find a different spell. One that suppresses your scent, but not your memory.¡±

    He contemplated for a moment. Did such a spell exist? What was his other option? Run away to Nellz with Greyson and hope the hunter doesn¡¯t find him, or the beast inside him doesn¡¯t break loose and kill the vampire.

    Flashes of his breath, his silver eyes, and his thumb running along his lips popped into his brain. He turned to face her. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± She took his hand from the steering wheel and placed it in her own. ¡°I was worried you were going to tell me you were going to go with Greyson.¡±

    He swallowed, ¡°What can he do for me that you can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± She said heaving a sigh.

    Even as he said it he knew the answer, set him free from all the spells suppressing him, maybe help him find his family. Even if they didn¡¯t want him, there was still a part of him that wanted to know them.

    He buried the thought and any hope with it. No. Dee¡¯s love was more than he deserved.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± He repeated.

    ¡°It sucks that he¡¯s so impossibly gorgeous,¡± She hummed. ¡°Makes it hard to say no to him.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± He said absentmindedly.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± She searched his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like him? Not after how rude he was tonight.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t-¡° He shook his head, but couldn¡¯t help his cheeks from heating. A vision of Greyson¡¯s lips curled into a smile, as if they were housing a secret forced their way into his thoughts and he had to control himself from reaching up and touching his neck. He wasn¡¯t wearing the towel anymore, but Dee hadn¡¯t mentioned the mark and she definitely would have if she¡¯d seen it.

    ¡°Maddy, look at me,¡± She caught his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can trust him. Daddy was actually the one who told me to stick close to him.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you kept ditching me?¡± He quirked his head.

    She nodded. ¡°At first I was all for it. I mean can you blame me? Those eyes, that face, and those arms. And honestly, I thought he was into it, too. ¡±

    He rolled his eyes.

    She squeezed his hand, ¡°But after he met you at Douggie¡¯s he kept asking about you. And Daddy told me to keep you two apart, but I was just so excited for you to meet him, that I didn¡¯t really think it would be a problem. But tonight he seemed so eager to whisk you off,¡± She blew out a raspberry, ¡°Like leaving the <i>Human Lands</i> would solve all our problems.¡±

    He didn¡¯t say anything. There was still a hunter out there and if he did leave it would be the best shot at keeping her safe.

    The rain never stopped. At one point they had both fallen asleep in the car. Maddy woke up first and carried Dee to her house through the back door. They figured it would be best to sneak in and deal with her parents in the morning.

    They went up to her room and took turns taking pillows and blankets into the closet to turn it into a makeshift bed while the other one changed into a fresh set of clothes. Finally, Maddy brought out Dee¡¯s laptop and put old cartoons with the volume off before placing it between them. It was something they used to do all the time when they were younger, especially after an extra painful spell was placed on him.

    As Dee fell asleep, she said with droopy eyes, ¡°Thank you for staying with me.¡±

    He mumbled, just as sleepily, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your shirt I¡¯ll buy you a new one.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± She whispered back and nuzzled beside him.

    Once again, it was all he needed to hear. He truly believed that those words would stop any hunter, repair any broken spell, and even freeze time itself letting him stay by Dee¡¯s side forever.

    But at precisely, 3:33 am a fire ripped through the house and Maddy¡¯s only wish was that he had said it back to her.

 Chapter Eight: Not The Fun Kind of Hot and Spicy Part Two

    It was Maddy¡¯s nose that tipped him off something was wrong. Smoke and something Strange burned his nostrils and roused him from sleep.

    ¡°Dee¡­¡± He spoke softly, not yet awake enough to realize the danger he was in. ¡°Did you leave something on the stove?¡±

    ¡°Dee?¡± He sat up and sucked in a breath of smoke. Heat clawed at the walls of his lungs, forcing his eyes open and making him cough uncontrollably.

    She moaned curling into the blanket. ¡°No, don¡¯t blame me for something you most definitely burned.¡±

    He was about to scold her when the snapping of wood and something large crashing onto the first floor made his entire body seize.

    She popped her head up from the blanket, eyes wide she said, ¡°What the hell was that?¡±

    Blood pounded in his ears as he scrambled to the bedroom door and found smoke seeping through the crack, filling the room in a thick haze. He kicked the door open and smacked his hand over his mouth to stop himself from sucking in another gulp of smoky air. His eyes widened and watered as the sudden onslaught of heat burned his face.

    Flames licked the walls and ceiling of the hallway, the carpet melted into the wood beneath it, and the scent of burning furniture made his head swim. All of the artifacts Mrs. And Dr. Tarkirk ever collected was either reduced to ash or cracked and melted.

    Dee screamed from beside him, ¡°Daddy! Help us!¡±

    ¡°Help!¡± He cried out but the raging flames stifled his voice. ¡°Help!¡± He repeated as the fire crawled across the ceiling like it was soaked in gasoline.

    What answered the call was neither Dee¡¯s father nor mother. Smoke blurred his vision, but he was able to make out the outline of a man and then, a small ball of flame forming in his hand. He squinted unsure if all the monoxide he was inhaling was making him hallucinate.

    Realization dawned on him, just as the flame was released, heading straight for Dee. He gritted his teeth, pushing her away from the door, and grabbing the door handle. Just as he shut it, there was a terrifying crack, and the wood split inches away from his face.

    Pain radiated from his hand as he grabbed her desk chair and shoved it under the handle to lock the door and buy them some time. He just healed it.

    ¡°A little gentler next time, will you?¡± Dee scowled taking his hand and rubbing her temple at the same time.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t want your face to melt off.¡± He coughed out. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡±

    She looked up at him with fear filling her eyes, ¡°Wait my parents.¡±

    The door jiggled and then creaked.

    ¡°What time is it?¡± He glanced out the window. The sun was barely above the horizon and gave the illusion of a hopeful bright day. ¡°They probably went to work.¡± They were always out the door before the sun came up. She didn¡¯t move and he pushed her aside once more heading for the window and their only escape, but before he could slide open it opened, the glass shattered.

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    He used his body to shield Dee from the flying shards, small fragments of glass slicing his skin. The sudden gust of air encouraged the fire to swell through the bedroom door. He opened his eyes to see Dee still had hers closed.

    He shook her, ¡°Dee? Are you alright? Dee?¡±

    The handle began to melt and it was only a matter of seconds before it would fall to the floor and they¡¯d be exposed to whoever was on the other side.

    Maddy¡¯s stomach dropped. It was the hunter. They must have followed him and Dee to her house. Greyson said he would do this, but he didn¡¯t listen. He didn¡¯t listen and now Dee was in danger because of him. He squeezed Dee tight enough that it should¡¯ve woken her and tried to reach for the noose around his heart like he had when he was attacked in the park, but he couldn¡¯t feel anything there now.

    ¡°Dee, please wake up,¡± He buried his face into the top of her hair. He was all out of ideas. What else was he supposed to do? Tears streaked down his face. He needed her to tell him what to do. He rocked her body back and forth ¡°Please, please.¡±

    The door busted open, breaking from its hinges, smacking to the ground, blowing ash and smoke into their faces.

    Standing in front of him, covered in soot, was a creature that looked like he was born from the ashes of stardust. His piercing silver eyes lacked their usual mirth replaced with by a controlled anger.

    ¡°Greyson!¡± He called out, ¡°Dee¡¯s not waking up! And the hunter¡¯s here!¡°

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anyone else.¡± Greyson plucked Dee from his arms, like a bee off a rose, and placed her gently on the bed. ¡°If he was here, he left.¡± Grabbing a sheet from the makeshift bed in the closet, he wrapped it around Maddy, blood seeped through the fabric.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked as Greyson scooped him into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll follow you out. Just get Dee.¡±

    ¡°The stairs are fucked,¡± He said looking at the window and smashing it further to fit them. ¡°We¡¯re going have to jump out.¡±

    ¡°Not me! Get Dee! Get Dee!¡± Maddy repeated over and over as Greyson pressed him against his hard chest and jumped out into the night.

    When Greyson¡¯s feet hit the ground, Maddy immediately elbowed him in the chest. The impact sent vibrations up his arm, but he bit back the pain and continued to fight until he wrestled himself free from the sheet and Greyson.

    The grass beneath his feet was wet with early morning dew and magic swirled around his ankles. It had been years since the earth responded to him like this, but he barely acknowledged it, his mind and body solely focused on getting Dee out of the house.

    He shouldered the front door, bursting it open and burning his skin in the process. Just as Greyson said, the fire had roared through the first floor, destroying the staircase. He spotted the couch, dodged the flames that licked at his feet, and jumped on the arm of the fragile piece of furniture, His nails, now sharp claws dug into the melted carpet and wood, etching deep grooves into the floor.

    ¡°Dee!¡± He choked out trying to kick his feet up and push his body up against the hot surface. ¡°Dee! You have to wake up!¡±

    Blackness clouded his vision. But he refused to stop trying to reach her, even as Greyson grabbed his leg and pulled him back down. He refused to believe that this was how things were going to end. That he led the hunter straight to her.

    ¡°We have to go!¡± Greyson called out over the fire. ¡°Before that hunter comes back. It¡¯s not her he¡¯s after. It¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°Greyson, please!¡± Maddy begged as he carried him out of the house. The sounds of sirens echoed down the street. The fire department would be here in minutes, but at the rate the fire was roaring through the house, they could arrive too late.

    A new batch of tears streaked down his face, they were cooler than his face and felt like tiny shards of glass scraping against his hot skin. His voice was barely audible burned from smoke, ¡°Save¡­ Save her.¡±

    But he didn¡¯t listen to him. Instead, Greyson pressed him close to his chest as he ran hard against the pavement, carrying him farther and farther from the only person he called family.

    Every part of him burned and ached, and as he closed his eyes he thought of moths their paper-thin wings and blinding devotion to fire.

 Chapter Ten: Short and Sweet

    Maddy could taste strawberries.

    (This is the end of the chapter, but Royal Roads won''t let me post unless there are at least 500 characters so please enjoy these prime-grade dad jokes that slowly get more chaotic:

    Q: What does a fish say when it hits a wall?

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    A: Dam

    Knock Knock...

    Who''s there?

    Interrupting tree wh-

    TREE (Passion and timing is important when doing this joke)

    Q: What''s worse than finding a worm in your apple?

    A: Getting hit by a bus

    Bonus for all you kookie jokesters out there ??:

    Q: Why did Sally drop her ice cream?

    A: Because she has no arms.

    Knock knock...

    Who''s there?

    Not Sally.)