Page 18 of Shade
According to Shade, some residents of the Sanctuary were also a bit dangerous. Like Zamir, who was a good enough guy, but also a shtriga, a being who fed on people's life force. I didn't understand what exactly a life force was, but it was clear that it would be best if I was careful around him.
Shade talked about all kinds of beings I'd never imagined could be real, and I could've listened to him all day. But then the warning bell rang, and we had to unfortunately wind down our call so I could get back to class.
Shade promised to come over as soon as he could once I was home, and I ended the call, then quickly gathered my stuff and went back to my class.
My students kept me distracted the rest of the day, and I didn't have a moment's space to think about Shade or what he'd told me, not until I got off the bus at my usual stop.
My phone rang as I walked toward home, and I pulled it out of my pocket. "Incoming call: Shade."
Grinning, I answered the call, keeping most of my focus on where I was going.
"Hey!"
"Hey, I thought I would walk you home," he said, making my chest go all warm and fuzzy.
"Aww, that's very sweet of you. What are you up to?"
"Walking you home," Shade repeated, as if he thought I hadn't heard him the first time.
I paused, and someone muttered before shoulder-checking me, and Shade growled on the phone, as if he'd seen it happen.
"Wait. Are you in my shadow?" I asked, lowering my voice, and he murmured an assent. "I didn't know you could use your phone there."
"Neither did I. I brought it with me, so I thought I'd give it a try."
"This is great! We can talk while you're in there now."
"Yes, this opens up a lot of possibilities."
"It does?" I asked as my shadow tugged me to the side. I had no idea what he'd helped me avoid, but I didn't care. Just the fact that he was looking out for me, that a part of him had been looking out for me all these years, was enough to make my heart squeeze.
"Yes! We can go places now, and actually talk."
"You mean like dates?" I asked as I reached my apartment building, and Shade fell quiet for a moment.
"If you like," he said, and he sounded almost nervous.
Smiling, I stepped inside, making sure the door locked behind me before taking the elevator up to the sixth floor.
"I'd like that. We could go to the movies. They have audio descriptions these days so I can enjoy them too."
"And if they don't, I can just describe them to you."
"You'd do that?"
"Of course. It's still light out, so I'll just stay here, but you can put your phone on speaker and do what you have to. We can keep talking."
"Okay. Just don't follow me into the bathroom," I teased, and he huffed.
"I wouldn't do that," he said, then seemed to think about it. "Not unless you invited me in."
I shivered at the thought, then turned my phone to speaker as I headed into the bedroom. Placing my phone on my bed, I found some clothes as Pixie meowed from the bed.
"Your cat is going to smack your phone," Shade said, his tone mild, and I sighed.
"Pixie, don't," I warned, and she gave a pitiful meow.
I flicked the bathroom light on, then started opening the door when a loud hiss startled me into slamming it shut again. That had been too loud to be Pixie.
