Page 4 of Exes, Hexes, and Strategy
Such longing in his gaze. It had hurt her heart to see it, worse, to know that she’d put it there. Rafe didn’t understand and probably never would. But that was the way it had to be, no matter how much it hurt. She’d left home to avoid accidentally running into him and seeing just that sort of yearning on his face and yet here he was. The incredible irony would have made her laugh if it wasn’t so painful.Now she'd have to figure out how she was going to avoid him and his inevitable questions while living in close proximity for the next several weeks.
“Let’s not screw this up,” Ms. Bishop continued, and Nina grimaced.Yes, let’s not screw it up, she thought, though she was thinking about a particular vampire rather than the program.
He still made her belly clench with attraction and her body practically vibrate with need. Built on the leanly muscled lines of an athlete, his brown hair was clipped super short on the sides and in the back, left longer on top and perfectly styled. His facial hair kept meticulously trimmed so that it was almost a shadow rather than a true beard, and that face, that bone structure… Beautiful, beautiful man with eyes of a rich, dark, soulful brown and a smile so rarely bestowed it had always made her heart stutter with joy to see it.
She wasn’t over him, Nina admitted to herself, despite her best efforts to move on. She would probably never be over him, and the next several weeks were going to be hellish.
Chapter Three
“Are you all right?” Mel asked as soon as they were enclosed in the room they’d be sharing. It was typical dormitory-style, each side a mirror of the other with a twin bed, nightstand and dresser, a desk with a chair, and a small closet. She’d been worried they’d pair her up with a stranger, but she’d gotten lucky. There’d be no surprises with Mel who she’d been sharing an apartment with for years now.
Nina gave a tight smile. “I’m fine, really. It was just a surprise to see him.”
“No doubt.”
Mel was quiet for a moment, unusual for her since her friend tended to hate long, drawn-out silences, preferring to fill the air with chatter, so Nina took the opportunity to busy herself with unpacking her things and putting them away.
“We don’t have to stay,” Mel finally blurted. “Say the word and we’re gone.” Raising her hands above her head, she snapped her fingers twice. “In fact, why don’t you throw that stuff back in that bag and we’ll head out. Find a party on the gulf and drink until we can’t remember our own names much less his.” She grinned. “You in?”
Nina had thought about running, the temptation a strong one when she'd first become aware of Rafe’s presence earlier, but she'd squashed the notion almost immediately. She'd already moved from her previous home, forcing Mel to uproot herself as well, all on short notice, then put the span of numerous states between herself and him and he'd still managed to find her. Obviously, he needed closure – not surprising considering the way they’d left things. So be it. She needed to face this. Face him, so they could both move on. She just needed to figure out a plausible story to tell him, something he wouldn’t question, something that would encourage him to leave her alone. She grimaced. Easier said than done.
Nina shook her head, hugging a pile of clothes to her chest, and attempted a brave smile. “I want to do this and his being here is not going to stop me.” Wishing she felt as determined as she sounded, she went back to the business of organizing her clothes in the small closet.
Mel flopped onto Nina’s bed with a sigh. “Fine, but we need a strategy.” Popping back up almost immediately into a sitting position, she offered, “I know. We can put a hex on Vincent DeMarco. Problem solved.”
Nina narrowed her eyes. “Unless you’ve been keeping a really big secret from me, neither one of us knows how to hex people.”
“True, true,” Mel uttered thoughtfully, her finger tapping her chin. Her expression brightened. “But we’re in a place that teaches magic, I bet they have books on that sort of stuff and if they don’t, this isNew Orleans, land of Voodoo and all sorts of mystical arts. I’m sure we could find something that would work. Besides, we’re witches, hexing people seems like something we should be able to do.”
Mel’s expression turned positively maniacal as she rubbed her hands together with glee. “Something really nasty.”
Before Nina could respond, there was a knock on the door, and she sucked in a sharp breath. He was here. This was it.Okay, be cool, she mentally told herself as she absently smoothed a trembling hand over her hair. She could do this.
Preparing herself for the heart-stopping sight of Rafe DeMarco up close and personal, she wrenched open the door only to be brought up short. Instead of a tall, dark, and brooding vampire, she was met with a smiling, petite, blonde witch.
“Hi!” the woman gushed, raising her hand to wave. “I’m Skylar. We’re all getting together in the common room in a little bit,” she continued, all perky and bubbly. Thick, corkscrew curls bounced around a face that was practically doll-like with pale, ivory skin, pink cheeks, and a rosebud mouth. “You know, to get to know each other and stuff. You guys will come too, right?” she asked, peering around Nina to include Mel in the invitation.
“Hell, yeah,” Mel enthusiastically agreed before Nina could utter any sort of response. She was too busy searching the hall beyond Skylar for a glimpse of her vampire. He wasn’t there. He hadn’t come.
Feeling suddenly deflated, Nina still somehow managed to paste a smile on her face as Skylar waved goodbye and told them she’d see them soon.
Nina wasn’t in the mood for a party, even a casual one, would have much preferred to crawl into her bed and bury her head under the pillow but Mel was wrapping an arm around her shoulder and giving her a little shake. “Come on,” her best friend prompted. “Let’s fix ourselves up.”
Mel was right. Hiding in their room wasn’t the answer. Plus, a little imp inside her whispered, wouldn’t it be better to have Rafe see her looking strong, and at her best when they came face to face again? Not to mention, with a bunch of people around, he’d be unlikely to want to discuss anything personal. It would buy her the time she needed to come up with a story.
It was an excellent plan, especially when, she had to admit, she looked spectacular by the time they left the room to go to the party. Her hair was perfectly smooth and shining, her make-up was on point, and the outfit she’d chosen, one of her most flattering. She was actually eager, practically bursting at the seams for Rafe to see her looking so good, only to learn upon arriving that when Skylar had said ‘we’re all getting together’ the woman had meant all the witches. Nina’s mood plummeted.
Raphael had intended to track down Nina as soon as he left the meeting with Morgan Rhys. Unfortunately, the ten missed calls and as many voicemails from his father when he checked his phone, put him immediately in a bad mood. Determining it was best not to see her when he was feeling so confrontational, he turned on his heel and hunted down the men’s dormitory.
He didn’t bother listening to the voicemails, not caring what his father had to say at the moment. He typed out a quick text ofI’m in, and sent it off, hoping that would be enough to keep the man off his back for at least a few hours.
His assigned roommate was a surprise. Rafe had expected to be paired up with one of the vampires, and instead, found himself in the presence of a very large shifter. His senses didn’t tell him which kind, it didn’t work that way, but regardless of whatever he was as an animal, in human form the man was built like a tank. Wide shoulders, barrel-chested, and thickly muscled limbs. He also stood a good half-head taller than Rafe and Rafe was considered tall by most people’s standards at just over six feet.
“Hey, man. I’m Rafe DeMarco,” he said, moving fully into the room and holding out his hand in greeting.
The other man grunted but clapped his own hand against Rafe’s, the grip impressive. “Logan.”
Rafe’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out he saw his father was callingagain. The man refused to text – had probably curled his lip at the text Rafe had sent. Hitting ignore with a grimace, he tossed it on the bed that would be his for the next several weeks. Almost immediately, the phone lit up with another incoming call.
