Page 11 of Castings & Curses

“Were you able to talk it out last night?” Lucille asked.

Mikaela pursed her lips, to which Hanne explained, “Mika spent the night here. I… I stayed somewhere else.” She forced a smile. “I’m very happy she’s willing to give me a chance to explain.”

At the moment, Mikaela didn’t look like she wanted to hear anything. Fabian hoped she was still willing now that she’d had a chance to sleep on it.

“You didn’t drink anything?” he asked Hanne instead.

The Verenimijä flashed them a tired smile. “I’m sticking to my own provisions.”

“I’m sorry we can’t just ignore the whole thing,” Lucille said. “Our experiences with vampires aren’t very good, I’m afraid.”

Hanne nodded. “I haven’t drunk human blood in five hundred years. I’m not going to start again now.”

“Can we not talk about that?” Mikaela asked, annoyed. “I was planning to eat my bread roll.” So far, she’s only been tearing it to pieces, white crumbs covering her plate and the tablecloth underneath it.

“Of course. How did you two meet?” Leave it to Lucille to turn the conversation into relationship talk.

“The first time or the second time?” Mikaela snapped.

Hanne put a hand on her wrist. “If you have any questions, ask them.”

Judging by Mikaela’s brusque behaviour, all the questions she might have had should’ve been answered long before now. She leaned to the side and waved at Shayna. “Could I have some more coffee, please?”

Shayna approached them with a coffee pot, the cheery smile of hospitality plastered on her face. “Of course.” When she recognised Fabian and Lucille, her eyebrows crept upwards. “Three women, all for you, Bendtfeld?”

“Of course,” Lucille said without missing a beat. Her arm snaked around Fabian’s hip, setting his body on fire. “Fabian can handle it.” She winked at Shayna, who simply seemed amused.

Meanwhile, Fabian knew he’d turned beet-red. “What was that?” he asked the minute Shayna left their table.

Lucille grinned. “Just having some fun. Imagine the face Cheryl will make when she hears the gossip.”

Fabian pulled a face. He doubted Shayna would make him look as good as Lucille had in front of the Queen Bee.

“Cheryl?” Hanne asked.

“Someone better forgotten.” Lucille shuddered, reminding Fabian of her ongoing rivalry with the popular girl. “But, if Mikaela doesn’t want to ask, I’ll do it. Are she and Aleksi alike?”

Mikaela looked as if she wanted to strangle Lucille but took it out on the bread roll instead.

Hanne glanced at her before answering. “It’s the same soul, so of course, they’re similar. Well, obviously, he was a man and lived five hundred years ago. He came from the area of Turku, pretty much the only bigger settlement in the area back then. His ancestors were Swedes who had got some land from the Dominicans, but Aleksi had a big fight with his father and moved further inland, trying to make a living there. I found him half-frozen in the forest.”

Her attention was on Mikaela, her gaze a little dreamy. “He had the same kind of hair as you. Sandy blond, almost white in summer. His eyes…”

“You were with a dude?”

“I love you no matter what shape your body takes.”

Mikaela scoffed and turned away, desperate for something else to look at.

In an effort to keep the conversation going, Fabian asked, “Did you ever try to… turn him? It must have been heartbreaking to see him grow old and… well, die.” Just the idea of it made Fabian’s stomach turn.

“Aleksi never grew old,” Hanne said, her voice almost a whisper. “But no, I would’ve never suggested it. To turn him would have meant making him a Vampyyri. Only the born Verenimijä can walk under the sun. Aleksi would’ve had to forsake the day, and that’s a sacrifice I could never ask of him. Or you.”

For the first time at this breakfast table, Mikaela’s eyes softened as she regarded Hanne.

“I can’t imagine losing the love of my life and… keep going. Forever alone.” When Fabian ever found the one to spend his life with, he selfishly hoped he’d go before her, but only after a long, long life together.

“I guess now we know why Matt struggles with his feelings so much,” Lucille mused.

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