The Domus Paranormal Academy

Dining room

I remembered my article and assumed that was why Lucian had posted the responses to the interview. I looked on my cell phone for the newspaper's i********: profile to see what people had commented on what I had written. As soon as I logged in, there was no such post.

The jerk had deleted my article!

“Marise, that is what I meant when I told you that things could get worse," said Valery, understanding that I would not say a word. Why don't you listen to me and stay away from them?

Again, with, "stay away", which for me meant "run away" and, for Lucian, meant "defeat". It was sensible, yes, but I didn't want the Lycan to think I was being bullied! It would only serve to increase Lucian's ridiculous power over Domus.

“Do you think this scares me, Valery? “I blurted out absurdly without being able to help it.

“You should at least be concerned," she argued.

“Hungry children are a matter of concern," I said, "not that Lucian Lycan is going around thinking I'm trying to damage his image. That's spoiled puppy nonsense. You can tell he has too much time on his hands.

Valery blinked.

“And then what? “He raised his eyebrows as he realized that I could do another reckless thing: "Don't tell me you're going to answer him? Marise...

I gave him a small smile, one of those that revealed nothing. Valery knew something. She wasn't forgetting. Maybe I could find out.

“No, I won't," I replied.

A relieved expression came over his face.

“It's the most sensible thing to do," she said, a little optimistically.

I pretended to remember something.

“But the saying goes: he who seeks finds," I added. If you mess with me, I won't keep quiet.

Valery's expression of relief vanished and was replaced by one of concern. She was going to say something, perhaps to try to change my mind, but, in an attempt to get her to talk, I hastened to add:

“Because, after all, he can't do anything really... seriously, can't he? “I raised my shoulders indifferently. He could destroy my social life, but it's enough for me if you, Dash, and Otsana talk to me. I'm not planning on being student president or anything. So that doesn't affect me.

I detected again that rare restlessness in Valery, who was biting his lower lip again.

“I guess," he muttered as he looked away.

I smiled broadly.

“Then I'm safe," I said.

She forced herself to smile at me as well and walked toward her room, to continue minding her own business. But for a moment she stopped under the doorframe and turned to look at me with what seemed to me to be some concern.

“Just try to stay away, and you'll see that he'll forget about you and you'll be able to have a normal life," he advised me. You'll try, won't you?

What else could he answer to something so uncertain?

“Of course.

For the record, I tried to stay away.

The problem was that the black thread of fate (not red, because that's the one of love) had me and the Lycans tied together, and the more I tried to get away from them the more I prolonged something that would soon happen: a catastrophic collision.

But I tried hard, people, I tried hard. I talked about them and avoided places where I knew they would be. That was what Valery had meant, wasn't it? Likewise, the next few days passed suspiciously quietly. So I discovered that Domus was not bad at all. Valery, Otsana, and Dash took me to some places on campus I was unfamiliar with and we paid no attention to whispers or curious glances. At certain points, they tried to ask me about my family or where I was from, but I made it clear that I preferred not to talk about that. I'll talk to you about that later when The Moment comes.

On the other hand, I did gather useful information, because that's what I was good at.

I'll tell you about it in a "did you know what" style.

Did you know that Lycan's father, Adrien, donated a lot of money to Domus, as did three other major lycanthropic families in the state: the Greyson, the Watsons, and the Santors?

Did you know that there was a whole hallway of trophies in one of the buildings, most of which belonged to a Lycan dead or alive?

So everything went well for me.

Until Friday arrived.

It was the free time before my last class and I was sitting at one of the dining room tables across from Valery. She was talking about wanting to be part of the planning team for the Founders' Anniversary Fair, which would be in a few months, and I was just listening to "Blah, blah, blah, blah speech blah, blah, blah, blah blah blah, blah blah extra points..." as I ate my fries. As soon as I saw over his shoulder what was coming, I got a potato halfway to my mouth.

Lucian.

I was advancing through the dining room where Valery had made it clear to me that he had never set foot, and the worst thing was that I wasn't able to deny to myself that the i***t had style. He wore a brown jacket with a white shirt underneath, black pants, and black shoes. An expensive watch adorned his right wrist and his jet hair looked impeccably tousled.

Where the heck had he gotten that outfit “ from Pinterest?

The worst part was that it fit him. Why did meanness have to be in the same pack as attractiveness? How unfair.

He reached the table faster than he would have wished, and only when he took his seat next to Valery with the air that would make a king certain that every inch of ground he trod was his own did she notice his presence.

“Oh, God, Lucian! “He startled a little and his glasses slipped down to the tip of his nose.

He greeted her with just a wave of his fingers. Then he looked at me with an amused, wry look on his face.

“It's been years since I've been in here," he commented without bothering to say "hello. Do they still serve those mashed potatoes that look like cement?

I squinted, as suspicious as a soldier who had just been forced to sit down in front of the enemy. Why was he talking to us as if we had been having a long and friendly conversation and there was a lot of trust between us?

I did not say hello either.

“What do you want? “I blurted out.

Lucian held out his hands, feigning disbelief.

“From this food? “he replied and wrinkled his nose. Nothing. I never liked it.

“What are you doing at our table, Lucian? “I asked again, more specifically.

He blinked.

“Why do you ask like that? “he asked, pretending to be puzzled.

As far as I know, anyone is free to sit here.

Any person...?

“Well, in our case we reserve the right of admission," I said, and I also modified my voice to sound falsely friendly.

“Besides, you sat at my table, I sit at your table; I don't see any difference.

“The difference is that you asked for a volunteer that night," I explained to his little brain. We didn't ask for anyone to come to us.

Lucian blinked in mock astonishment and then leaned slightly toward Valery.

“Wow, is she always this hostile? “he asked in a lower tone, still watching me.

Valery said nothing. She was uncomfortable and stunned by the situation.

I pushed the tray away to let him know that he had ruined my meal and would continue to ruin it with his presence. I gave him a stern warning look.

“Well, to the point," he sighed, taking pity on my impatience.

I will pick you up tonight at seven o'clock.

Just a moment.

“Huh? “I said, looking like I was hearing something really weird.

“I'll come by at seven o'clock, I'll inform you so you'll be ready," he repeated slowly.