Page 59 of Zodiac Monsters

Chapter 25

Me:Good Morning, Baby Doll. How’s your day looking?

Baby Doll:Busy. I have Calculus today, then Astrology Club, then I have uh…

She sent that incomplete message, then went silent for several minutes. I gave her three before I opted to finish the sentence for her.

Me:The full moon?

Baby Doll:Yeah…

Me:You sound distressed. Maybe I can help you work out some of that tension before tonight.

Send. I was getting tired of subtlety, and this time of the month rarely inspired any in me. I leaned against my motorcycle, staring down at my phone, waiting for her response. The gentle glow of the messaging app was the only light in my dark garage. I only had one class today outside of Club obligations, but I’d happily show up a bit early to play a little game. It seemed like as good a day as any to assert my position in her life over Adrian’s.

Baby Doll: I don’t know what you mean.

Yes you do.

Me:I’ll see you at breakfast, and I’ll demonstrate.

Baby Doll:I’m on my way right now.

Me:Perfect. I’ll be there in ten.

With an involuntary grin, I pulled on my jacket, my helmet, then both gloves, and I fired up my bike. I opened the garage door then twisted the throttle aggressively, enjoying the reverberation of the engine’s roar in the small space.

Let’s make it in seven.

I was parked, my helmet hair fixed, my motorcycle gear in a locker, and standing in line for scrambled eggs and ketchup in the blink of an eye—one of my favorite parts of being a vampire. I had to be mindful of when and where I used my natural speed, but human eyes couldn’t track my movements. As long as I was mindful of my audience, it was permitted on campus. I’d gotten good at that sort of stealth from a very young age, when I used to steal snacks from the kitchen that were meant to be shared with my older brother.

Maybe his contempt for me hadn’t been entirely unjust.

“Baby Doll, it’s so good to see you in person.” The full moon had taken forever to get here, but now that it was I enjoyed the extra buzz of energy pumping through me, even when the moon was nowhere in sight. This time of the month was always just a tad electric. And during the month of a Cardinal Fire sign? Damn near orgasmic.

She blinked several times before she looked at me properly. “How’d you get here so fast?”

“That’s not a word I can use in public.” I told her with a wink, before I sat beside her. She nodded in understanding. I had been anxious since our last talk, I’d admit. I wanted her to pick me, but I also understood that Lila was still very new to relationships, and the chance of her choosing a good option over Adrian still felt unlikely.

But that was all fine. I had enough relationship experience for the both of us, for better or for worse, so I could certainly help lead her in the right direction. It was my duty as both her friend, and the guy who she didn’t seem to realize she’d been dating since she arrived. I could see how she got confused, of course. Between the dinners, the picnics, the homemade lunches, the motorcycle rides, the two grand I dropped on motorcycle gear for her, the doorstep kisses, the hot tub situation, the feeding turned make out sessions—not to mention the literal mate mark I’d placed on her neck—I hadn’t been remotely obvious about it.

It was an act of great discipline that I didn’t groan out loud. I suppose I hadn’t used the literal words “let’s go steady” or got down on one knee. Maybe that was human custom. They were a needlessly complicated species.

Though, to her credit, I hadn’t considered keeping her exclusively before, so I suppose that lack of definition was significant and intentional. I couldn’t even say we were established as casual friends with benefits, considering I’d only been with her under transformation. At best, we were vampire and donor.

Vampire and impressively oblivious donor…

I wanted to sigh, but I thought better of it. Here I was, falling into her rhythm again, when I was finally in a rare position to win against Adrian for the first time in our lives. All I had to do was wait this out, let him completely fall in love with her, then crush his soul in the same way that he used to burn my toys in the fireplace. And here I was going to ruin the whole thing over, what? A little bit of sexual discomfort? Needing to prove I wasn’t “jealous” or feeling “lesser” or “insecure”?

My brows furrowed in my silent conversation.

Of course I wasn’t jealous. I was absolutely her first choice when she was actively making one. That’s why she ate breakfast with me and asked me to bite her. Adrian wasn’t a better lover than I was. He didn’t have a more satisfying dick.

And even if he did, I didn’t give a fuck. I just didn’t want her getting off without me again, leaving me to feel that shit and having to imagine what was causing it. She could have multiple mates if she wanted, but if double mate marks meant the other mate would be notified of her pleasure, I intended to be inside her while it happened.

My whole face scrunched further at the realization that this meant potentially being in bed with her with Adrian one day, and I was going to be bleaching my brain for the rest of the year after that unwelcome thought. He was right about one thing: I may have fucked around and found out on this debacle.

Right, well. I’d cross that bridge when I got there. Or I’d successfully convince her to reject his mark. She’d asked me how, anyway. She might have meant mine, but I’ll teach her by starting with his.