Blood War (Book 1, the Halfblood Chronicles)

38 | Monsters in the Morning

A sky colored pink by the coming dawn gaped overhead as Ren leaned against the SUV, waiting for Markos to finish his goodbyes. The Minister stood with the Lazarov family and his daughter on a patch of grass outside the administration building. Ren forced himself to look in the other direction, taking in the keepers that manned the school's perimeter.

The guards had been stationed on Ren's own orders—a task he'd committed himself to for the better part of the past six hours. It had kept him busy, and most importantly, away from Nika.

Coward, an inner voice hissed. Just be a man and tell her.

How? That was the question Ren wanted to scream back. He still hadn't even made a decision about the transfer yet, and he didn't want to scare Nika away. Of course, he might have already ruined it by avoiding her all night.

He hadn't even bothered to discuss her grand idea of working with the Vigil to lure Dante into custody. It wasn't worth the torment of broaching the other subject, which was hanging over him like a pall.

Somehow, his gaze had drifted from the keepers back to Nika. She was born to bask in the daylight, Ren decided, admiring the way it glistered in her hair. The Serafi around her, however, looked miserable, flocking to the shade or protecting their eyes with sunglasses.

Nika gave her father a hug, saying, "I'll come to visit you in a week or so."

Ren didn't miss the way her gaze shifted to him, as if to be hitting a target. But he wouldn't let himself consider what it meant.

A few more words were exchanged with Lu's mother and sister before they departed. Markos bade a brief farewell to Lu before crossing the lawn and climbing inside the SUV.

Ren pushed off the car and was about to open the door, eager to be on their way to headquarters, but a familiar set of fingers caught his hand. Turning around, he found Nika's jungle eyes staring up at him. For a moment, they stood there, unmoving, an ocean of unspoken words clashing in between.

Then Nika withdrew her hand from Ren's grip and said, "I just wanted to thank you."

He blinked, unsure how to respond. Words were slowly forming on his tongue when she pushed herself on tiptoes, a hand slinking into place on his shoulder. And before he knew what was happening, her lips brushed his cheek in a soft kiss. A soft, lingering one.

Ren's face burned with a mixture of panic and humiliation as he realized that Markos must have been watching them. But Nika didn't seem to care, pulling away from him with a triumphant smile.

The wind swept down on them, blowing Nika's hair across her face. And Ren was grateful that she righted it, because he might not have been capable of restraining the urge to do so himself. But it wasn't until the breeze blew past him, carrying scents of smoke and jasmine, that an ache bloomed inside Ren.

He opened his mouth, not quite knowing what he planned to say, but Nika shook her head. "Later," she whispered.

One more wave to her father, then she turned around and locked arms with Lu. Ren's movements were mechanical as he got inside the car and started the engine. In the rearview mirror, dawn spilled over the buildings, and the two girls were swallowed by trees.

Ren fixed his gaze on the road and didn't dare look back until Konstantin Academy was far from sight. But the ache inside him was growing, the wrongness of it potent. And the more he distanced himself, the further it spread. From a spot in his chest to the very tips of his fingers, and deeper, too—until it was writhing in the marrow of his bones.

✦

As Nika and Lu walked across the campus to their dorm building, tidings of summer filled the earth. A subtle warmth portending storms, an earthy scent clinging to the breeze, birds carrying jolly tunes through the air. Beyond the lush mountains, ribbons of brilliant color painted clouds on the horizon, and the sun rose for the day.