Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 81867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“No,” she says. “That goddess preferred to explode people’s heads from the inside out, but she left the rest of the body alone.”
Again, I’m left chasing after Phoenix’s retreating back.
We meet Professor Dickhead for lunch.
I glower at him as we approach.
“John Paul!” Phoenix says warmly when we get to the table, and he stands, grasping her hands and pulling her in to air-kiss each of her cheeks. My eyes narrow.
His eyes only come to me when he finally pulls back. “And who is this?” He looks me up and down with clear distaste on his face.
Phoenix waves a hand dismissively. “Just a family friend who’s staying with us for a while. I told Grandpapa I’d let him shadow me and see what university life was all about.”
Family friend. I grit my teeth. Can he not see the ring on her finger? But she has the strap of her purse coiled around her left hand. Purposely so he won’t see the ring?
Just how far does her interest in her dear professor go?
“We adored your lecture. I’m so sorry about the disruption at the end.”
“Alas,” the Professor says with a long-suffering sigh. “That is the way of things wherever you go with progressive ideas lately. The world is so on edge they are unwilling to listen to the truth.” He reaches across the table and grasps Phoenix’s hand. And she allows it.
“Shouldn’t we be ordering drinks or something?” I say loudly. Phoenix finally pulls her hand away and nods, starting to stand. But Professor Fuckface just waves a hand. “I already ordered for you, bellezza. I remembered your favorite.”
They smile at each other.
Then, the Professor looks back at me. “But feel free to go to the counter and order yourself something.”
And leave the two of them alone? Fuck this shit.
I lean forward, causing the feet of the table to screech on the tile. “You’re her advisor, are you not? Is it advisable to be so casual with a student?”
“Layden,” Phoenix hisses, smacking my leg under the table. But I ignore her, keeping my eyes on the Professor.
His eyes finally meet mine as if truly acknowledging my existence for the first time. “You are a cousin, no?”
“No.”
“Ah,” he says, smiling a patronizing smile that makes me want to smash his face with a blast of runes. “It is true, I am la signorina’s Ph.D. advisor, but her dissertation is almost complete. At this point I consider her more of a peer than a student anymore. She is the brightest student I ever taught and will go on to surpass me in academia, I am sure of it.”
“Nonsense!” Phoenix cries.
“I mean it, bella. You are going to produce such amazing work.” His eyes turn to hers now with an intensity I recognize. It’s the intensity of devotion. But I doubt it’s because she ever used her compulsion on him. My stomach turns over as I turn to look at her. Does she feel the same way about him?
Her eyes shine at his praise, but even though she’s a little less on guard in this setting, it only means she has different walls up. She plays a part when she’s with this man. She’s never able to be her true self. This might be the life she wants, but with him, it would always be partially fiction.
Still, seeing the smile on her face as they discuss his new research and the looseness in her limbs, I wonder if she dreams about it anyway. She hates the blood magic part of her life. She always has. Little wonder, considering the way Vlad raised her. Half-granddaughter, half-slave to do his dirty work for him. Of course she dreams of a normal life.
“So, Professor, there’s actually a reason I wanted to call this meeting, in addition to wanting to congratulate you on your excellent lecture.”
“My busy schedule is always open to you, bella, you know that.”
“Well,” Phoenix bites her bottom lip. “I know we’ve been talking so much about all that’s been happening last month and how it might relate to ancient worship practices. I came across something this week and wanted to know what you think about it and if you had any insight. Could you look at some crime scene photos?”
He only blinked once with surprise before saying, “Of course.”
“I got these pictures from a source I have who’s familiar with the deep web.” Phoenix pulls out her phone, and the Professor tugs his glasses from his front pocket before reaching for it. Phoenix pulls the phone back at the last minute. “I’ll warn you, they’re gruesome.”
The Professor nods gravely. “I understood they might be from what you asked.”
Phoenix nods and relinquishes the phone to him. Even though he was apparently ready for it, I still see his face react to the horrific images Phoenix snapped while we were on the scene.