Page 24 of Blood Moon
“I was, but it was a bit too distracting,” I said, and when I did, I noticed Seven’s gaze was locked on my pendant, at least that’s where I hoped his eyes were fixed to. I’d been sleeping with it on, forgetting it was there.
He took a step closer, grasping the opal between his thumb and forefinger. “That’s really beautiful,” he said. A surge of heat came with his touch, like an ember. “Looks like you have some competition,” he uttered, motioning to the necklace. “But don’t worry. You’re certainly in first place.”
Warmth spread from my cheeks, to my nose, to the tips of my ears. I felt like a bumbling fool, unsure of how to respond. Seven was proficient at testing the waters. He had a natural charisma that made being near him feel so simple. I’d been admired by others—despite my unfortunate, very much inherited, resting bitch face—and I was cognizant of my general attractiveness, but never had I acquired a compliment that made me feel likethis.
“Thank you,” I said, because it was the respectful thing to do. “It’s a family heirloom.”
Seven released the pendant to pull his chain from his shirt. “I have one, too.” It dangled in front of me, and I reached for it, brushed my thumb over the golden plait with an ankh carved in the center. I was vaguely familiar with the Egyptian symbol; I’d seen it before in a high school history book.
“It’s for protection,” Seven said, sharing a gentle smile. “Everyone in my family has one.”
“Protection against what?” I begged to know. I recalled Seven mentioning how his mother was superstitious, and perhaps his entire family was a bit religious, but in the case that they weren’t …
“Against evil,” he murmured, and then he tucked the chain into his shirt. “If you ever need me to walk you back to your dorm, I—”
“What’s up, Sev!” Two football players rounded a corner, startling us both. Seven shushed them, but they continued in laughter as they passed by.
It was interesting that, as a freshman, Seven was already well-liked, but I supposed it was attributable to his quarterback title—that and potentially nepotism. But the fact that Seven was so well-known made me wonder if he knew anything about Julian, or if they ran in the same circles. They were built similarly, and there was a chance Julian played football. The biggest difference was that Seven was much taller, leaner. If I hadn’t known he was in football, I would have suspected basketball, based on his height alone.
“Do all your friends call you Sev?”
“The ones that know me well.”
Seven’s gaze drifted to my mouth. “I like that,” I said. “It’s cute.”
He stammered his words. “You can, um … you can call me Sev, too.”
“I don’t know if I know you that well.”
“But we’re friends, right?”
I smiled at him, nodded. “Right.Speakingof … do you know Julian?”
“Julian? Juju Kipp? Tight End?”
“No. Julian Santos.”
A hardness set in his face, and I steadied myself. He examined the premises before meeting my eyes. “He’s not a good guy.”
I lowered my voice, softened it so I wouldn’t sound so eager. “What do you mean by that?”
His throat bobbed. “I mean, he’s nothing but bad news, Mira.”
“In what way?”
“His vibes are off,” he whispered, and I wondered why he was so quiet about this when it was clear that no one was close enough to listen in on our conversation. “I’m not someone who would ordinarily tell you who you should or shouldn’t be friends with … but in my experience with him, I’m telling you it’s not worth it. He’s someone who will double-cross you with no remorse. He—” He stopped himself, nostrils flared. The mention of Julian had ripped at something dark inside him. It beckoned the shadows, though I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he said curtly, and then he scanned the room again, as if he’d been called.
There was no one, nothing but rigid air. “Hey,” I whispered. Something in me wanted to reach for him, place a hand on his shoulder. But this interaction served as a reminder that I didn’t know him, not well enough. “Did I do something to offend you? I’m not sure how you meant that to come out, but it was kind of rude …”
Seven eased up, stepped back. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t trying to be rude. Julian and I aren’t friends. We have a complicated past, and sometimes I let that get the best of me.” He took a breath, and there was a break in his face, the light returning as a dimpled smile emerged. “It was nice seeing you Mira, and I’m serious, if you need someone to walk you back to your dorm, let me know, okay?”
I nodded, not at all settled about his reaction. “Okay,” I mumbled.
“See you around,” he said, and then he was gone.
I headed for the staircase, bewildered by what had taken place, until I came to a halt. Not a voice this time, but a sign. A literal one. I’d missed it before, but taped outside the restrooms was an ivory poster with an official university seal printed at the bottom.
