Page 5 of Exes, Hexes, and Strategy
Logan’s eyes flicked to it. “Persistent,” he mumbled. “Maybe you should get that.”
“It’s my father,” he bit out, practically growling. “I’m hoping if I ignore him, he’ll go away.”
That statement earned a chuffing sound from his new roommate as the phone stopped vibrating. Less than a minute later, it began buzzing once more. Logan’s mouth quirked up just slightly on one side. “Want me to step on it?”
Man, that was a tempting thought, and Rafe actually considered it for a moment before he shook his head. His mom, who had left his father when Rafe was still a boy to live permanently at Court in Greece, might make one of her rare calls to check in on him, and he didn’t want to miss her. She wasn’t exactly maternal, or loving, or even nice – she was actually a pretty typical representation of Born females, preferring her intrigues and petty spite to hearth and home but she was the only mother he had, so when she called, he answered. “Na. I appreciate the offer though.”
Logan shrugged. “If you change your mind,” he lifted his foot, showing off the huge size of the scuffed, dark brown work boots he wore, “I’ve got you covered.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” And then, because he was having a hard time containing his curiosity, he asked, “Is it rude to ask what kind of shifter you are?”
The look the other man sent him was sly with humor. “Yup.”
Rafe couldn’t hold back his bark of laughter. He liked Logan, and Logan didn’t seem at all intimidated by the fact that Rafe was one of the Born. His kind weren’t exactly liked since most of them weren’t what you’d call approachable. The Born didn’t inspire warm and fuzzy feelings after all. Fear and intimidation were more their style. Power-hungry, manipulative, opportunistic, blood-thirsty – those were just a few of the words used to describe his species, and none of them were wrong. Rafe may have even turned out that way if he’d been left entirely to the not so tender care of his parents. Instead, his core developmental years had been left primarily in the hands of a nanny, a Turned vampire who had maintained enough of her humanity to use a gentle hand in his rearing. She had taught him empathy, compassion, things that weren’t typically espoused in Born culture. In fact, they were seen as a weakness. She’d also been smart enough to warn him to never expose those traits in front of his father. She’d been right.
“You are weak, pathetic. How someone like you could have sprung from my loins…” the feel of the whip slicing across his back, shredding his skin. The smell of his blood, heavy in the air. “I’ll fix you. If it’s the last thing I do.”
Shaking off the memory, Rafe tossed his bag on the bed next to the still buzzing phone. “Hey, you want to go grab something to eat?”
Logan shot him a skeptical look. “Are you talking actual food or blood?”
“Actual food.”
“Count me in.”
Leaving his phone behind, he and Logan headed out.
The fare on offer in the dining hall surprised Rafe. There were options from jambalaya and red beans and rice to a roast beef dinner or even cheeseburgers. And for those crazy people who didn’t like meat, they even had a vegan selection. Nice. He and Logan both chose the roast beef before taking a seat at one of the empty tables.
His companion immediately hunched over his food, elbows braced on either side of his tray as he dug in with enthusiasm.
“So where are you from?” Rafe asked, unwrapping his cutlery from its cloth bundle and laying the napkin across his lap.
Logan held up a finger as he chewed, replying once he’d swallowed, “Originally from Wyoming. My family relocated to Tennessee a few years back.”
Rafe nodded thoughtfully. “I drove through Tennessee on my way here but didn’t really see much of it.” He frowned. “Actually, I’ve never really seen much of any of the states but Jersey. Is Tennessee nice?”
Logan shrugged, shoveling more roast beef and mashed potatoes into his mouth and then mumbling around the food, “I guess.”
Meticulously cutting his roast beef into bite-sized portions, Rafe tasted his food. Not bad. Tender, adequately seasoned. Grabbing his iced tea, he took a sip and grimaced. Too sweet. The label that had proclaimed it sweet tea hadn’t been wrong, he just hadn’t expected quite that much sugar.
Glancing at Logan, he saw the other man was watching him with an expression of quiet humor, as if Rafe had done something amusing, though he had no idea what that could be.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Logan replied, shaking his head slightly. “So what made you decide you wanted to be a Hunter?”
Normally, Rafe would have answered that question with something obvious, but he suddenly found himself hoping that the other man might be able to give him some advice, or at least, another perspective.
He wasn’t used to confiding in others. Nina had been the only one who had ever been able to draw him out. Everyone else was either sure to run to his father with anything he told them or, were only friendly with Rafe because of the future benefits they might accrue once Rafe did step in and take control of a territory.
He didn’t get that hanger-on vibe from this man, however, so he decided to go with his gut. With a self-deprecating smile, Rafe confided, “I did it to get away from a woman who seemed to haunt me wherever I went.”
Logan nodded with a grunt. “Was she stalking you? Taunting you with her womanly scent in an attempt to get you to mate with her?”
Rafe blinked, curious about the story behindthat. Logan’s tone of voice had implied just such an experience had been had by the other man. Putting a pin in his curiosity, for now, he said, “Ah, no. We loved each other, or at least, Ithoughtwe did. But she left me, refused to talk to me, or even tell me what I had done wrong. She just disappeared. So, I joined the training to get away from the memory of her. And then,” he said, holding up his hand with a disbelieving laugh, “I find her here.”
“Sounds like fate. Did she talk to you?”
