Page 29 of Monster's Heart

“Thanks, it’s from Sten,” I told her, preening under her compliments.

For all my sisters, I never had a girlfriend, and chatting with Serena as we made our way to the festival was really very nice. I hoped maybe we could hang out again in the future, but of course, that depended on my future. So far, nothing was really certain. My mother was in the process of disowning me and I still might fail out of school. I pushed those thoughts away, determined not to allow them to ruin my night.

The fairgrounds were decorated beautifully, with thousands of twinkling fairy lights floating above us and around every available pole and tree limb. Fantastic smells filled the air of cotton candy, popcorn, chocolate fudge, grilled meats, and veggies, and fried dough covered in powdered sugar. Serena’s stomach growled, and Raven stopped and pointed to a nearby stand.

“Be right back, ladies,” he rumbled.

“So, have you and Sten been together long?” Serena asked while her mate stood in line for some popcorn.

“No, um, actually, I’m not really sure if we’re together,” I whispered.

“You mean you haven’t, um,” she trailed off.

“Yes, no, I mean, yes, we were together, but then he had to go somewhere, and I’ve been sort of stuck in limbo the last day and a half, wondering,” I murmured, voicing my truth aloud.

“Oh, well, I’m sure he will clear things up when he returns. Raven tried to deny what we had in the beginning, but it just wasn’t possible,” she said, gazing fondly at her man. “The Fates just won’t be denied. Anyway, um, what are you holding?”

“It’s my extra credit project. I’ve been doing miserably all year,” I said, and explained about my lack of focus and the trouble I’d had sleeping all semester.

“You know, I’ve been doing some reading about different aspects of magic and how it affects Witches from the Earth realm,” Serena said. “You might want to check out Kincade’s Theory of Witches. It’s assigned reading in Professor Bannerman’s History of Magic class.”

“I was supposed to take that next semester, but I don’t know if I’ll be here.”

“Oh, that’s right, you have to pass your class. How thoughtless of me,” she murmured, biting her lip.

“Not at all. Besides, that isn’t my only obstacle. See, my mother wanted me to allow some jerk to court me while I was here, and I told her no. That was just tonight. Anyway, she’s not going to pay my tuition anymore, so pass or fail, I might be leaving Blackthorn either way.”

“Oh, no! That’s awful!” Serena said, her eyes going round.

It did sound pretty terrible when I said it aloud like that. But really, it was a small price to pay for freedom. For years, I’d lived under the shadow of my mother and sisters and the Cordoza Coven. And now that I’d finally stood up for myself and said no, I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

“You know what? It’s not that bad. I’ll be okay,” I said, and for once, I actually believed it.

“You will be okay, Luna, and you will pass, and stay in school. Come.”

Serena was grinning at someone standing behind me, and I clasped my hands over my heart before I turned around slowly.

The crowd milling about, the lights and sights and sounds, everything, all of it, blurred into the background as I stared up at the male who’d been filling up every inch of headspace I had for days now, weeks even.

He made a deep, rumbling sound in the back of his throat as he looked me over from head to toe. And that was fine because I was doing some looking of my own.

There was something different about him, and not just his outfit. He wore pants that appeared made of dark navy leather, with buckles and straps crisscrossing over his broad chest and arms. His blue skin glittered like it was painted with a thousand stars, and those blue eyes I loved were so intense as they stared at me.

“So beautiful, my Luna,” he whispered, holding out his hand. His gaze flicked behind me and he nodded at someone. “Thank you, Draugr. Will you bear witness for me?”

“Well, Serena, want to follow these two around a bit more?” Raven asked his mate, wings flexed open behind him, warding off any who tried to walk too close.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” she said.

I was too stunned to speak, the feel of his warm hand in mind was making my ovaries explode. He was everything I ever wanted in a friend, in a lover, in a mate, and I had yet to share my findings with him. But I would. Soon.

“Let’s find Professor McEwan first.”

CHAPTER 12

Sten

A full day.

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