Page 7 of Midnight Hunt

It took an eternity to dress because every time I would pull on something, I would fake turn around to show off my outfit to an invisible Teddy. A little knife stabbed into my gut every time and I eventually just went with a simple black sundress and slapped sunscreen on my cheeks. I needed to eat anyway. I could pity myself later while I was waiting for class or something.Nothing felt real anymore.

I slipped my feet into some flats and headed to the kitchen. Wading through a small crowd of hungry students, I finally made it to the big window where an elf in a hairnet handed me my food.

"Thanks."

"Ah, I see you're finally awake."

I swallowed my tongue and tried not to lurch as I turned to find Lochlainn O'Hare standing at the coffee pot. The dining room was more of a mess hall full of large park benches and picnic tables. It was mostly inside, but a patio leading out into the flower gardens was a nice touch.

"Yeah, my stomach was tired of being ignored." I shrugged. "Thanks, by the way, for finding my boots. I assume you also found your traps?"

"I did," he nodded, a slightly sour look on his face. Only, it brightened as he returned from his thoughts and nodded at my tray, "Join me on the patio. It's a nice day, shame to spend it indoors."

Oh, this is a bad idea.But neither regret nor shame was in my vocabulary. I beamed, leading the way away from the coffee barand the breakfast line with my tray. "I agree. Though, I'm more of a perpetually awake owl, versus a morning person."

"I noticed. Don't think I didn't notice you turning in assignments the night before, and not the morning of a due date. Work your best under the moon?" He teased before taking a deep sip of his coffee.

"Witch habits. It's allmoonthis,lunar goddessthat. I even smell better if I bathe at night instead of during the day," I snorted. "Best not to chance it with doing my work during the sunlit hours."

Lochlainn stopped in his tracks, clearly trying not to choke on his coffee as I'd caught him mid swig. After a rather impressive display of getting himself back in control, he sent me a look that made my insides purr happily. My core clenched and my thighs pressed together, but I tried to play it off innocently. "Sorry."

"Why do I feel as though you'renot sorry,Ms. Contempt?"

"Valerie," I rolled my eyes, "I'm a grad student, not a freshman. We're past formalities, aren't we? I mean…given the circumstances."

His eyebrows shot up but there was this expression on his face that said he saw my point of view. It was the way he nodded softly, lips pursed, but humor glittering in his eyes. With a chuckle, he raised his coffee to me softly, "Alright then, why do I feel as though you'renot very sorry, Valerie?"

"Hard to have shame or remorse in my position," I shrugged nonchalantly before finding the table that screamed Professor O'Hare. It was the moon shaped table with a faux leather bag covered in plant and bear decals. Plus, there was the basilisk fang that hung from his bag on a little chain. The venom was stripped and it was harmless now, but it still gave the look of danger. I always loved that he kept that and one broken claw from his first year of teaching.

Everyone knows the story. Once upon a time, Professor O'Hare, brand new professor, was patrolling the woods and found a beehive. Fought tooth and claw for it. Got a honeycomb at the price of his hang claw. That claw now dangled from the keychain on his bag.

"And what position is that?" He sat down at the table, mug in one hand, breakfast burrito wrapped in foil in the other. While I did miss my sorority's waffle maker, there was something so refreshing about a peanut, soy, and basil breakfast roll that smelled like a divine blessing. I immediately bit into fresh, herby delight.Maybe this won't be so bad.

After swallowing back food to calm down my angry stomach, I cleared my throat. "The evil witch on campus?"

"Is that how you see yourself?" He cocked his head to the side.

"Are you asking as my professor or the bear I saved in the woods?" I shot back.

His lips quirked up on his face, humor lighting up those honey eyes of his. "The bear."

"I do in other people’s mirrors," I sighed, taking another bite. The words brewed on my tongue as I chewed through the smooth noodles, vegetables, savory chicken, and wrapper. After taking a chug of coffee, the words broke out. "I like to think of myself as neutral."

"As nature intended," he teased.

"As nature intended," I reiterated with a heavy sigh.

"The Oak Father teaches us that one should live in a balance, that this black and white thinking only benefits those in power. There is nuance in nature, gray areas that don't fit in the easy lines of society. It's about harm and protection. And what we do to keep those in balance." He popped a portion of his breakfast into his mouth. I smiled as he continued to talk about his druid teachings. Listening and retaining were two different talents that weren't working at the same time. I sat there, listening tohim passionately explain nature's dichotomy, not soaking in a single word. Instead, I was thinking about how pretty he was when his eyes lit up. Or how sharp his fangs were.

I wanted those sharp things on my neck. I watched to feel them break my skin. I wanted him to talk about plants while he passionately fucked me over his desk.Whoa, buddy.

Sharply, I inhaled and sat up straight. "Uh, Professor?"

"Hmm?" He blinked rapidly, waking up from his concentration. Then, with a sudden smirk, he glanced my way. "Lochlainn."

"What?" I blurted out.

"We're past formalities, remember?" Smug looked good on him. I scowled but couldn't say a word because he got me there. Instead, I returned to the question that was important to my livelihood.And I probably should have asked it the second he moved me to this frat.

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