Page 1 of Vexing the Viper

1

NIKO

With a sigh,I toss my bag to the floor. I’m exhausted. Everything is unpacked. Finally. It's my third year at Creelin University and originally, I was excited about this year’s potential. Then the university announced this is the first year that humans will be allowed to attend. It’s safe to say I'm not a fan.

Creelin U is my safe space—wasmy safe space. My home away from home, where I could be myself without the scrutiny of others. But now it's open to everyone: monstersandhumans. Most monsters, including my best friend and roommate, Mateo, are thrilled at the thought of opening up the campus. But they also don't have to deal with the same things I do.

Many monsters are considered shifters, which means they can shift their bodies to appear human if they want. I can't do that. My official identification is called a Gorgon, which means I don't shift. I’m a descendent of Medusa, so I have a head full of vipers and eyes that can turn anyone into stone. And I'm stuck in my true formpermanently.

I wouldn't necessarily say I hate humans, but I can’t stand the stares I constantly get. All the gazes, whispers, and the damn pointing. I love my vipers; they're a part of me. Yes, they have their own names, but the humans always get freaked out when they see them. If they simply asked, they would find out I've trained them, and that there's nothing to worry about. But they don’t ask, they just assume.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, trying not to get myself riled up again. I clench my fists before shaking them out. Every time I think about it, I can feel my pulse spiking and my heart racing. The door clicks open, followed by a soft, “Hey.”

Turning around, I smile and walk over to hug Mateo tightly. Mateo is bigger than me; he’s five foot ten and muscular, while I’m on the smaller side, about five foot six and scrawny. He chuckles, trying to hug me back unsuccessfully as I fight around the luggage he’s juggling. Letting him go, I guide him toward the common area of our suite. We’ve really lucked out. It’s bigger than most of the dorms, with a nice black couch and a small end table facing a flat screen TV that's perched on the wall.

Mateo is one of my roommates here at CU. We share a suite with the common area and a bathroom, and there are three individual bedrooms. I guide him to his bedroom–the one next to mine.

"You okay?" he asks, setting his bags down onto the floor with a thunk.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just getting myself worked up again," I admit, scuffing my foot along the carpet.

"About the new enrollees?" I nod, and Mateo sighs while running a tanned hand through his thick, chestnut brown hair. "I know you don't like it, Niko, but I truly think this is the best thing for the university–being around each other, working together. I know it's going to be tough for you, but I’m here. Always."

"Thanks," I tell him, grabbing one of his bags off the floor and tossing it onto his bed.

Mateo has been my roommate since freshman year. Since he’s a werewolf, he can’t control his shifts, but at least he knows when it’s going to happen.

"Are you fully unpacked? What do you have left?" he asks, coming around the bed and opening his bag. He starts taking out clothes, placing them neatly onto his mattress. I watch as he takes out polo after polo, using his hands to smooth out any wrinkles. He snatches the bag off the floor and completes the same process, but with chino pants and shorts. I love my best friend, but our styles couldnotbe more different. Where Mateo dresses prim and proper, I'm comfortable in ripped jeans, tees and my black leather jacket.

"Yeah, I'm all unpacked. I've been here for a few days. Dad was able to get me the room keys early." My dad is the baseball coach for the university. The team started practice a few weeks ago. Luckily, I didn’t have to comethatearly, but I did end up moving a couple days before everyone else. I love my dad, but he eats, sleeps and breathes baseball. And I can't stand the sport–or any sport for that matter.

Mateo turns and looks at me, his brows furrowed. "There's something different about you... Wait! Are you wearing contacts?" he asks, wide-eyed and leaning closer to my face.

I roll my eyes, sighing. I'm surprised it took him this long to notice. "You weren't the least bit surprised you weren't turned to stone the second we made eye contact?"

"I didn't even think about it, honestly. It's pretty cool, though. I can definitely see those bright green eyes easier. Wait. How does it work? With the whole, ya know, stone thing?" He circles his finger around my face, and I have to force myself not to roll my eyes again.

"It's the same as my glasses. There's this lens film on it that allows me to make eye contact without turning people to stone. I've been debating on trying them for a while, and finally took the plunge."

"Well, I think you look amazing," he says before turning around and grabbing another bag off the floor.

"Geeze. How many outfits did you bring?"

"You can never have too many clothes, Niko. Plus, I like looking good." He shrugs and winks at me.

"I can see that. Whenever you're ready to take a break, do you want to head over to the dining hall? Or stop at the cafe? I'm hungry." On cue, my stomach growls loudly and we both snicker.

"Yeah, let me hang up my clothes and then we can head out."

"Sounds good."

I lie down on the bed and close my eyes listening to the sound of Mateo and his millions of hangers sliding onto the rack.

Once we stepout of Karloff Hall, we turn right as we leave the building. Being an upperclassman has its perks, and one of them is being able to stay here which is reserved just for upperclassmen. The dorms are either double beds or suite-styled, meaning each suite has three to four rooms with a shared common area and bath. Mateo and I were lucky enough to get a suite this year, but that means we're going to have to share the third bedroom with a new roommate. I can only hope it’s someone we both get along with.

As we walk down the sidewalk, we stride past the quad and through the tons of students already roaming around. I see a group of Mummies hanging out in the grass, their bandages fluttering in the wind. Over on the other side of the quad, there’sa couple Centaurs throwing a football around. Since humans haven’t arrived on campus yet, most monsters are hanging around in their shifted forms. However, I know it’ll change once the humans get here. The guy next to us raises his hand as a baseball flies past my head.

"Hey, watch it!" I yell, glaring at the guy in front of me.

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