Page 238 of Blood & Betrayals

Come outside.

I take a breath and type out a message.

The message feels shit. There is so much to say, and here I am, practically accusing him of stealing my panties. I could have thanked him for the Yule present, asked him how his break was, or asked him if he was okay. But no. Always the asshole.

The message is basic, yet my heart jolts when it comes through.

I ask again, my stomach churning.

There is a pause before he sends another message.

I exhale heavily.

As I look over our messages, my heart aches with how much I’ve missed this. I hate admitting that I miss him, but I do. I miss talking to someone who seems to understand me and who has so much in common with me. But that doesn’t make any sense. We stopped talking because it was clear he didn’t understand me. What is wrong with me?

There is a brief pause before he replies.

I smile.

I exhale and put my phone away, going to lunch.

I pull on my thicker tights, getting ready to meet the stranger. I feel lighter than I have in weeks, and I’m excited to discussbooks and runes with him. With a sigh, I pull on my boots again, longing for the day I can go back to wearing sandals or normal heels again.

“See you later, Al!” I call as I walk through the dorm and grab my coat.

Alice frowns at me from her door. “Where are you going?”

“I’m just going out for a bit. I won’t be long, and I’ll bring home tequila,” I reply.

It is no surprise that Alice is nervous. I’ve not been out without her in weeks, and the last time I was, I found that body. But I’m meeting the stranger, and whether or not I’m being dumb, I feel safe with him. At least, mostly. I’m not stupid enough to think he’s not dangerous, but I don’t think he’s dangerous to me.

Alice watches me for a long moment, but then she nods. “You better bring the top-shelf stuff.”

I grin and give her a sassy salute before leaving the dorm. The sun is setting, casting a strange orange glow over the forest. The mist is low, lying on the ground, and while the snow has mostly cleared for now, the ground is still covered in frost and black ice. I barely breach the mouth of the forest when I see his form. We’ve been here before. This is where he comforted me in the rain.

“Hello, little fae,” he croons, still facing away from me.

I clutch the book against my chest and move closer to him. “Hello, Stranger.”

He turns to face me, and I can see the faintest outline of his face. “I’ve missed you.”

I watch him, tilting my head slightly. “You have?”

“Does that surprise you?”

I nod, my gaze glued to him.

“Why?” he asks, and I can hear his genuine confusion.

“After last time, I—” I stop when I notice his shoulders tighten.

The unspoken thoughts lie heavy between us until he looks away. “You brought the book,” he says, and I am grateful for the change in subject.

I nod and look down at the book cradled in my arms.

The stranger waves his hand, and a plush, dark green blanket appears on the ground. With another wave of the hand, a small fire burst to life just in front of the blanket. He gestures for me to sit, and I get comfortable, grateful for the warmth. I rest the book in my lap as he settles next to me.

“Have you read any of it?”

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