Page 1 of Zodiac Monsters

The Problems of the Pisces

Chapter 1

Normal. Act normal. Everything was normal. Why would I act any other way?

Because it was normal to find out that the only guy to ever show genuine interest in you happened to be the brother of your Physics professor. It was basically another Tuesday when you learned he’d been a vampire all along, reading your mind and hiding in plain sight. And hell, how bizarre would it be if your first club fieldtrip didn’t consist of nearly drowning, while your only friend shifted into an Aquarius, and used his magic water tentacles on you like probing vibrators.

And that wasn’t even taking into account how comically ordinary it was that this all happened after said physics professor transformed into a psychotic lust demon and took your virginity.

What a silly girl I would be to freak out about a life so mundane and commonplace.

I was awake and out of my hotel room before anyone else in Astrology Club was so much as stirring, already packed and waiting at the bus stop. I stared at the soft colors of the sun rising over the mountains with a distant expression. The moon had already vanished behind the mountains, and the daylight was a warm hug by comparison. Minutes ticked on as I contemplated every decision I’d ever made in my life. My obsession with going to college, the dreams I was chasing, the people I was getting mixed up with…

Was this the elusive bad crowd that I’d always heard about? The ones who I normally evaded by studying and being too uncool to be worth corrupting? Was this finally my time to enter my rebellious phase? Maybe I should get an ear piercing and a tattoo next.

I rubbed the Leo symbol on my neck absentmindedly. I rolled the Capricorn symbol on my lower lip into my mouth, then I dragged it slowly across my teeth. Two marks permanently etched on my skin.

Oh how the good girls have fallen.

The sun fully lifted over the mountains, and I dropped my gaze to my lap. The full moon’s influence was long past, any confidence I’d had last night was a distant dream, and my classmates were likely now getting up and enjoying breakfast. I should have been doing the same, but I was too frazzled to look at food at the moment.

Fortunately, I’d woken up in my own bed and not naked and bloody in the hot springs, which I guess was customary after getting fucked silly by one of the zodiac signs. So respectful, those monsters. I genuinely appreciated the way the great beasts of lore always had the mind to plug my phone in to its charger and leave my glasses in easy reach. My soul might even be warm and palpitating with love if not for the all-consuming, throbbing, fucking headache that was destroying my brain.

When Adrian had his way with me, I was fine the next day—I even questioned whether it had happened at all. I felt so wonderful and full of life.

When Marcus did the same, I ended up with what I assumed a hangover might feel like if I was ever exciting and loose enough to drink. Maybe that was the blood loss talking.

The blood loss.

Because I just got drained to an inch of my life by a vampire.

Which was fine. All fine. Nearly dying made me come so hard I saw Jesus shaking a disappointed finger at me. What did I have to complain about? Just another night at Graves Academy!

“Is this seat taken?”

I shrieked internally—wait, no, externally—as Marcus sat down beside me. He had clothes on, his shaggy hair was blond, his eyes were gold, and there were no water tentacles towering over him. One might even say he looked human, but oh how I knew there was not a single drop of human blood anywhere in this man. Well, unless you counted mine.

“So we’re asking permission before we impose on my life now?” I was snippier than I’d intended with that question, but it was deserved, so I wouldn’t be apologizing.

Marcus glanced up and to the side as though he was thinking about it, completely unashamed. Smiling even.

“Good point.” He said, immediately owning his offenses. He sat down and nudged up against me, bombarding my bubble with that low key scent of sage. “Let me rephrase. I could sit with you in your room, or I could sit with you here at the bus stop, but I’ll be sitting with you either way. I will be so kind as to let you choose though.” He winked and the parallel to the way he’d propositioned me last night wasn’t lost on me.

“What a gentleman.” I rolled my eyes, but refused to look at him at any point in that rotation.

“I do my best.” He chuckled before patting me on the shoulder. After a long pause he added, “I was going to tell you sooner than later, you know.”

“That you were a vampire, a monster, his brother, or that you lied to my face for a whole damn month? Please be specific.” I pursed my lips, yet Marcus just kept looking at me like I was the cutest puppy having an adorable meltdown, and it was annoying.

“All of it, eventually. I was probably going to start with the bit about being a vampire. I thought I’d already given myself away as a zodiac shifter with all the sappy astrology talk, so I’m a little surprised I have to explain that part at all.”

“Yes, when a guy asks me what my sign is, I do automatically assume he fucks women with water tentacles.” I raised a brow in his general direction, and he laughed.

“Exactly.” Marcus shrugged as casual as ever. “So that kind of went without saying.”

“And the whole brother thing?” I prodded next, not letting him off that easy.

“That’s uh...” He glanced away sheepishly. “He and I aren’t particularly close, so I don’t really like to talk about him. Being in his class complicates matters. But it was going to be difficult to ignore for much longer, so that was on the confession list, considering.”