Page 72 of Saving Destiny

“The woman will be fined and expelled from the academy, but I have a feeling she’ll face more difficulty when she goes home. Her name is Meesha Vanderbeek.” He says the words casually, but they deliver a wealth of information.

“Vanderbeek?” Zo squeaks. Thankfully, her tone isn’t as shrill or as loud this time. She’s no longer squirming to be released from my arms, and I’m not keen to let her go. Holding her isn’t difficult for me, although the distribution of her weight is different from the barbells I lift. I’m beginning to dry off enough that my wet clothes chafe uncomfortably though, and I’m eager to be at the bottom of the stairs.

“Is she related to the senator? Oliver Vanderbeek?” Zosia asks as we near her vampire.

Avery nods. “That would be her father. She made quite the point of telling everyone. He’s a powerful mage, but I can’t imagine him being happy about this. It will cause quite the scandal and he’s up for reelection soon. Pheromone traps haven’t been legal for over twenty years.” Avery’s voice holds an edge that I can relate to. I hope Daddy doesn’t let his little girl off lightly after what she tried to do to Bren.

“I’m sure there are so many more supernaturals in powerful positions than I realize,” Zosia murmurs to herself. She’s twined her arms around my neck again, but I don’t intend on dropping her.

“I can give you a run-down,” I tell her. “You should know even if I’m the one going to the delegation meetings. I’d hate for one of them to visit and catch you unawares. If they have college-age children, they’re likely enrolled at Apocrypha, too.”

She looks up at me, bringing her full lips close enough to kiss. Her gaze drops to my mouth as if she realizes this too, and the sudden heat in her gaze almost makes me stumble after all.

“You don’t mind?”

I frown with confusion. “What? Teaching you a few names and being the library’s delegate? Of course I don’t mind. I’ve prepared for that my entire life.” I pause, keenly aware of Bren and Avery listening to our interaction. “Unless you’d rather I didn’t go?”

She shakes her head so hard that my arms tighten around her reflexively. Her wet braid continues to drip a trail of water down the side of my shirt.

“No! I definitely want you to go if you want to. I definitely don’t want to go, and I think you’re the best candidate as we’ve discussed before.” She stops and bites her bottom lip, and I have to look away before I stumble again. I can guess what she’s not saying. I’ll need to be fully bonded to the library before I can safely leave the premises.

“We have a couple of weeks,” I reassure her in a quiet voice. Although I’d like nothing more than to take her directly to bed and claim her now, we have responsibilities. I clear my throat. “I suppose the library needs to reopen?”

She sighs. “I suppose it does. There are piles of books lying all over the place that the students abandoned. If they don’t return, the goblins will have to spend all night putting them away. I haven’t seen Ansel yet, either, although I doubt anyone will return in this storm.”

“The rain should stop in five to ten minutes,” my brother says absently as if he’s only giving us half of his attention. I’m sure this is true. He rarely gave anything his full attention, until he met Zosia. I’m uncertain whether his magic provokes the weather, but he’s always possessed an uncanny sense of the forecast. I’ve always thought this was part of his farseeing abilities.

We finally reach the landing, but Zosia stiffens in my arms before I can carry her through the door. “Wait! We can’t …!” Her words stop me in my tracks and draw everyone’s attention. “We can’t go in like this. We’re still dripping water and we have to walk by all the books and onto the wood floor.”

She has a point. “What’s the other option? Hang out here until we’re dry?” Right after the words leave my mouth, a large wicker basket materializes in the corner of the landing. It’s overflowing with clothes and the huge, plush towels that fill the bathrooms in our apartments.

“Ask and ye shall receive!” Bren crows.

Zosia doesn’t look as happy as he does, and I can guess the reasons why. I assume it will be difficult for her to change her clothes in the stairwell, especially without her chair. Words tumble out of me before she can ask the blind vampire who’s already seen her naked to assist.

“Avery, you’re probably safer if you don’t enter the stairwell. We’re soaked and there are puddles of water on the floor. I doubt the library provided extra clothes for you, either.”

Avery’s eyes glimmer, and I curse myself for being so obvious. He appears amused rather than upset, though. “Very well. I will wait downstairs.”

The door clicks closed behind him, and I sense Zosia’s pouting frown before I glance down at her. “He could have helped me get dressed,” she protests.

“We’re just as capable of helping you as him, and it wasn’t safe. I doubt he can see the puddles of water.” I have no idea if this is true, but it works because Zo doesn’t argue against her mate’s safety.

Her chin juts stubbornly, but the way she still clings to me makes the defiance in her gaze cute rather than threatening.

“We’re not going to seduce you in the stairwell, sphinx,” I reassure her as Bren grabs a towel and attacks his wet hair. “Bren, set a towel on the second step so Zosia can sit on it instead of the cold stone.” My little brother is used to me bossing him around, and he follows the directions without question. He doesn’t appear bothered that we’re all going to dress in the same area, but that’s just the way he is. Once Zosia starts bearing skin, it will be all he thinks about. Until then, he probably has a million other thoughts in his head.

I lower Zosia to the folded towel Bren provides as a cushion, but I don’t leave her yet. Instead, I crouch so that I’m eye level with her. Thankfully, I’m not dripping anymore. The puddles on the stairs behind us are beginning to dry and I suspect they’re aided by magic. I also think that the absence of Zosia’s chair or a drying wind for our clothes is part of the library’s carefully orchestrated plot. The events of this morning wouldn’t have been as catastrophic if Bren were already fully bonded to Zo and the library. I don’t blame Sage for attempting to prod us.

“I can tell your legs pain you,” I say softly. I don’t add that the pain was most likely caused by Bren’s weight because I don’t want my brother to feel guilty. “For days now, I’ve been meaning to ask you whether you’d let me teach you some physical therapy exercises. I don’t doubt that you’ve been through them before and I realize we’re all busy, but I think I can help you regain some strength and lessen your pain. Your previous therapists were probably magicless, and I know a few tricks that target the healing receptors within a supernatural’s body.”

She stares at me, her eyes wide, and I curse myself for overstepping my bounds. When several seconds pass in silence, I rush to add. “I know what I’m doing. I’ve studied the occupation through videos and audiobooks because I’ve always had an interest in sports medicine. Addington hated it. It was another thing that he loved to tell me was beneath me because a ruling alpha doesn’t need a commoner’s job. I’ve always found it fascinating, though, and now I wonder if there was a reason why I was drawn to it? I thought it could be like a hobby … with you?” I wince as my words echo back to me. “I’m not saying you’re a hobby, just that ….”

The pressure of her fingers on my forearm snap my mouth shut. It’s a good thing because I’m likely to embarrass myself further if I keep talking. “Thank you for offering. I’d appreciate your help. I haven’t done much therapy. I attended a couple sessions, but the PT’s I went to always looked at me like ….” She squirms with discomfort, and I battle a rising surge of anger. “I could tell they thought it was a lost cause, so they didn’t even try. I imagine it’s too late to do any good now, but I’ll let you try if you want to.”

My fingers brush a drying lock of hair away from her temple. She shivers, and I worry that she’s too cold since I put her down. I know my body radiates heat. “I want to, and you’re not a lost cause. Let’s meet after dinner in the rec room.”

“Rec room?”

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