Page 44 of My Summer Girl

I nod, unhappy but calmer now. “I probably have contacts as well. Finding them shouldn’t be too hard with my constituents.”

“Bring her home, Vex. Then we can chat about the fact that you’re fucking Val’s sister.”

I can’t even bring myself to flinch at the harshness of his tone. I can only sigh and hope he magically disappears like Dulce did.

Pyro leaves me by myself. At his sudden departure, dread consumes me. If she didn’t magically show up with him, then it’s not an easy feat.

A tiny part of me wondered if he or Val maybe had something to do with it. It would make sense knowing they wouldn’t approve of her being with me, and if they magically knew about our scene tonight... but now there’s no hope it’s something simple.

I think of Solera, a place I haven’t traveled to in so long. There’s no way they know about me any longer. I had ties to the original Reyes family.

Dottie, specifically.

Theodora, the queen of Solera, brought me so much joy in my time there. I’d gone on a bender about four centuries back, landing myself there. Which is how Vex’s came to be.

When I found myself there, I fell into a pollen spore—I can’t recall what they called it, exactly—but me ending up there at that very moment told them it was predestined.

I head toward my room, trailing up the staircase, and upon touching my doorknob, something shifts inside me.

That.

I remember this feeling the last time I came in here, looking for Dulce. It felt wrong, like someone else had been here. Somehow, I justified it being Dulce and not recognizing it because I was too euphoric seeing her inside there.

My knees nearly fall to the floor as I crouch. Scenting the air, there’s a whiff that’s unrecognizable to me. It’s been years since I’ve needed to use my senses past predation purposes.

“Nyx!”

They pop in, a little puff of smoke. “What is it?” The panic in their voice rises, their eyes hollowing out with worst case scenarios. Yet, part of their fear filling the air tells me they know something.

“Someone’s been in here,” I say.

Nyx’s face is ashen. They’re gnawing on their lower lip almost like they realize something.

“What?” It comes out harsh as I spin to face them entirely. Their body shakes as if they’ve seen a ghost. I want to shake them to get the answer, hear what they know, because it must be something.

“Don’t be angry.”

I close my eyes, fury rolling through me. “When people say that, my first thought is that I’ll be pissed off.”

“A big guy showed up two nights ago.”

I think of every person I saw here, not recalling anyone out of the club regulars. There hasn’t been a new person since Val over a year ago. Yet when my mind ponders the last seventy-two hours, the only thoughts present are on Dulce, our bond, and the times we’ve shared.

“Who was he?”

“Myr vouched for him,” they say in an attempt to placate me.

I press my palms against my head, trying to understand why this one person could possibly be able to enter this place, let alone my room without my blood. Blood wards keep those who aren’t part of the creation away. Dulce is the only one who has passage and it’s not her blood that allows it. It’s her collar.

“That doesn’t explain how this person snuck inside my room.”

Nyxie is a Saephyn like me. The only difference is, their magic with blood surpasses my own. They can trace origins, where I’m only able to sense lineage. Nyx can trace surnames, progenies, and even the overall sires if they’re Sanguine or Saephyn alike.

They reach for the handle, and while I want to interrogate them, I’d rather have answers quicker.

“Yes,” Nyxie confirms, like they’re understanding more. “He’s an Orukna. Raevar Tora Jr. from Solera. Son of Raevar Antonio Tora Sr.”

“That’s how he got inside. He somehow tied it to me.”

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