Safety is the danger we do not perceive.
It had been five full days since the brat had visited my workplace, attempting to raid my precious cocoa stock. After I disappeared with Alex for half of the long weekend, I figured the kid must have gotten bored out of his mind. I hadn't caught so much as a glimpse of him, so I began to hope I'd finally gotten rid of him for good. But, as always, just when you think things are calm, life decides to come along and kick you in the ass.
I heard the sizzling of oil and the melodic humming of Alex, which could only mean one thing: breakfast. I entered the kitchen with a slight smile on my lips, which disappeared from my face in the next moment.
I heard the sizzle of oil and Alex's melodic humming, which could only mean one thing: breakfast. I walked into the kitchen, a slight smile creeping onto my lips, but that smile vanished as soon as I saw the situation.
"What the fuck?! Alex!" I shouted, my voice thick with frustration. "What the hell is he doing here?!"
I pointed a finger at the gremlin kid sitting at the kitchen table, calmly sipping cocoa. And how dare he drink my cocoa?
"Oh, Shay," the wolf turned toward me with a grin, "Good morning!"
"Don't just greet me like it's any other day!" I hissed. "Explain yourself. Now."
"I met him five minutes ago," Alex shrugged nonchalantly, "He was standing at the door. I invited him in for breakfast. He's as thin as my little finger, anyway."
For emphasis, Alex raised his right hand and showed me the shortest finger on it.
"Don't you dare fatten him up on our dime," I snapped.
"Come on, don't be like that," the wolf smiled. "We're having fried eggs for breakfast."
One of the few things that could get me to shut up — and Alex knew it. That bastard had such a knack for manipulating me with food. He was fully aware of how much I couldn't resist.
Reluctantly, I sat down and waited for him to put the food in front of me, trying to ignore the presence of the cats. Both cats. Because, no matter how many times I pushed it away, the goddamn demon cat just wouldn't leave my leg alone.
Rolo stared at the unholy creature with wide eyes before picking it up with a soft smile. For the first time, I actually felt grateful for his presence in my house. (It was probably the first and last time, but still.)
"How sweet!" Rolo smiled, watching as the demon cat purred happily in his arms.
God, this heartwarming family scene was enough to make me want to vomit.
"What's his name?" the gremlin kid asked me, his emerald eyes sparkling with cheerful curiosity.
I had never seen him look so innocent or sincere before.
"Fucking pest," I muttered sharply.
That earned me a pointed glare from Alex.
"Mao," the werewolf corrected, his voice a little too patient.
"Nice to meet you, Mao," Rolo grinned at the demon cat, which meowed back in response with a disturbingly kind tone.
After breakfast, I marched straight into our shared room and claimed my bed. It was the thirteenth of November, which meant only one more day until the full moon. Around this time, the moon's influence grows stronger, and none of us seem to sleep well.
The pest—aka the demon cat—first walked along my spine, then tapped at my shirt with soft purring before finally curling up at my waist. It stayed there for a little while, and I was already preparing to shove it off me when Alex came into the room. That was when the world as I knew it came to a crashing halt.
As soon as Alex stepped within about a meter of the demon cat, it sprang to life, sinking all its claws into my back. I growled in irritation, but the little abomination completely ignored me, its fur standing on end as it hissed at Alex. It was as if it didn't care about my dissatisfaction at all. The spawn of Satan, seeing that Alex wasn't about to leave, leaped off me, skillfully dodging the confused werewolf with a wide arc.
Alex's agonized expression was enough to make the pain in my back feel like nothing, so I allowed myself an evil little chuckle.
"Ugh," Alex groaned, his discomfort almost comical.
"I get goosebumps, too, when you're near me," Rolo said, standing in the doorway. "It's a cat thing."
Alex nodded reluctantly, but my mood was quickly sinking.
"Listen, Alex, what's the kid still doing here?" I asked, shooting him a murderous glare.
"Dawn's coming soon," Alex shrugged. "I thought it'd be safer for him to stay here until after."
"Don't think," I snapped, but I didn't argue further.
By five a.m., the sky was lightening, and I was willing to bear with this situation for another half hour. With that in mind, I closed my eyes, allowing myself to rest further.
An hour later, according to my internal clock, I decided it was time to kick out the little freeloader. My apartment wasn't a homeless shelter, and I wasn't some kind of godmother to lost kids.
I opened my eyes, and the boy looked surprised. I think he thought I was still asleep since Alex had been drooling on his bed for ages. Rolo was sitting on the edge of Alex's bed, quietly watching me.
It was only then that I noticed he was holding a booklet and staring directly at me. I'd felt his gaze before, but I thought I was imagining it. But then again, who was the idiot who said the world didn't revolve around me?
The gremlin kid immediately looked away and shut the booklet. That piqued my interest. I sat up and, with a few swift steps, appeared in front of him.
"What's this, brat?" I asked.
"Nothing..." he mumbled, trying to shield the booklet.
I reached for it, and he quickly tried to pull it away.
He must have expected it because I did not succeed right away. In the end, though, I still won. With ease, I pried the green booklet from his hands as he waved his arms uselessly, trying to get it back. To his defense, I was at least three heads taller than him and a few years stronger, so he didn't stand much of a chance.
I slammed the cover open, and my eyes widened almost immediately. The first drawing was of the old man from the hospital, so lifelike I had to blink a few times to believe my eyes. I waited for the drawing to move, but it didn't. The kid had drawn more portraits of the old man, then one of me—me, at work, holding a bottle of booze with a glass of whiskey beside it. Then another sketch of me on a cigarette break. The next was half-finished, my eyes closed. The whole thing gave me major stalker vibes.
"It's..." Rolo mumbled, his cheeks flushed.
"You've got good taste, kid," I smirked.
A little vanity never hurt anyone—well, maybe some people. Eventually, I handed the booklet back to him, and he immediately stuffed it deep into his bag.
"You misunderstood the situation," he said quietly.
Whatever helps feed your delusions, kiddo.
"You misunderstood," he repeated defensively. "I'm not interested in you."
I locked eyes with him and let him drown in my gaze. Most people would have fallen head over heels. Instead, he made the most disgusted face I'd ever seen. Good. He wasn't interested. I was relieved. No need to deal with some weird kid's first crush.
I chuckled, then went to the bathroom. By the time I returned, the kid was gone without a trace. I shrugged it off and didn't bother with it. As the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window, I realized he must have already headed to school.
That reminded me I needed to wake him up if he wanted to make it to the bus stop on time. Facultative lessons had been canceled last week, but it seemed the universe wasn't kind enough to repeat the miracle this Thursday. Alex had biology, while I had English.
For Alex, it was a hassle because he had to wake up at dawn, and for me, it was a hassle because I had to stay an hour longer at school. Sometimes, I honestly can't decide which one of us is worse off. Anyway, I wasn't in the mood to feel sorry for either of us, so I went ahead and woke up my favorite pain in the neck.
I yanked his blanket off, but he didn't even stir. He was still snoozing peacefully. I leaned in close, almost brushing my lips against his earlobe, and blew cruelly into his ear. Nothing. He squeaked and muttered in his sleep. Alright, plan B. I poked his face, and he rolled over to the other side. Still no luck.
That's when the little demon cat decided to make its entrance, meowing demandingly. As I glanced back at Alex's peaceful face, a wicked thought crept into my mind. He left me no other choice...
I stood up slowly, wearing an ominous smile, and began moving toward the cat. It seemed to sense something was off because it took a hesitant step back. But it was too late. I grabbed it quickly, and it let out a startled meow.
Within moments, I was standing next to Alex's bed. My grin widened as I dropped the little hellion onto his belly. That was when all hell broke loose. The cat screeched in alarm, its claws sinking into Alex's chest. He shot up, his eyes wide with panic, followed by a painful yelp. The cat, in true demonic fashion, landed on the floor, giving Alex a look of pure contempt before shooting a glare in my direction and running out of the room like a bat out of hell.
The poor thing—probably traumatized for life...
I couldn't help but laugh as Alex groggily grumbled something about my mother's questionable life choices. He rubbed his eyes and climbed out of bed. Fortunately for him, he was already dressed and just dozing off for a bit. He grunted sleepily, grabbed his bag, and began preparing for his departure.
He was bundled up, because, despite the bright rays of the afternoon sun, the grass was still covered in a frosty white blanket, and without proper clothing, a person could easily catch a cold. Well, this was mostly true for humans.
After all, Alex would have been comfortable enough to leave in a shirt if it hadn't been too tiring to be constantly stared at, and deal with unsolicited comments from strangers—so he decided to blend in. It was always easier that way.
I shook my head in mild disapproval as a memory flashed through my mind—a boy in a T-shirt and shorts playing in knee-deep snow. He'd even flopped down into the snow a few times, only to jump right back up and continue playing, laughing as he kicked the ball farther. I sighed.
Alex stepped outside, inhaling deeply as he scanned the air with a slightly flared nostril. It was a bit more intense than usual, and I realized he was on high alert—probably due to the approaching full moon. That's when his territorial instincts kicked in. I didn't mind him acting like a golden retriever as long as he didn't try to mark his territory. I wasn't about to tolerate that.
He gave me a small smile and said goodbye before walking off. As he disappeared around the corner of the house, I turned and headed back inside. Full moons are serious business; trust me, you can't afford to ignore them. The moon doesn't just mess with tides—it can turn even the sweetest lamb into a ravenous beast.
About forty-five minutes later, I reluctantly dragged myself out of the apartment and made my way to the bus stop. The rest of the morning went surprisingly well: I had the bus stop to myself, secured a perfect seat on the bus, and—thankfully—didn't forget my earphones. Sometimes, things just seem to fall into place.
But those perfect prospects were soon dashed and thoroughly stomped into the pavement. It all started when, after about four stops, someone plopped down beside me. As soon as I caught that familiar scent, all my enthusiasm vanished. I glanced at the gremlin, who wasn't even looking at me—just sitting quietly, clutching his bag.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice flat.
Emerald eyes finally met mine, though they quickly flitted away, not lingering on my face for long.
"Same as you," he muttered, his voice almost lost in the bus's noise. "I'm going to school."
"Oh."
And just like that, silence fell between us. Rolo squirmed restlessly, clearly unable to stay still. Fed up with the tension, I decided to try and ease the awkward atmosphere a bit—though, frankly, even the standing passengers were giving us a wide berth. We must have been radiating an uncomfortable vibe.
"So…" I began hesitantly, gathering my thoughts. "What school do you go to?"
"Louise," he replied, his voice almost reluctant.
I'd been there once—and once was more than enough. Back then, I was still a naïve student, considering all the options before high school. Of course, I checked out that holier-than-thou institution. My (clearly fake) certificate was flawless, yet I still found myself called in for an oral examination—suspicious, right?
I entered the room and sat across from the smiling middle-aged woman and her much less pleasant companion. The conversation started innocently enough, with them asking about my hobbies, strengths, and skills. Naturally, I sold myself well.
It seemed I'd impressed them, because the woman's eyes gleamed with a look so eager that I thought she might start preaching about my greatness rather than anything divine. I could almost taste victory when—out of nowhere—everything fell apart with one simple request.
She asked me to quote from the Bible.
I froze, completely caught off guard. It was then that I realized how little I knew about that place. I cursed myself for copying Alex's application form without question—he'd listed the top three schools in Pécs, and I'd just gone along with it. I didn't care much as long as I ended up at the same school as him.
I confessed that I couldn't recite a single Bible quote, and I immediately saw that spark of excitement in the woman's eyes die. Her smile didn't falter, but I didn't regret it—I never wanted to be accepted by them. The whole place reeked of cold, pharisaical formality.
We wrapped it up quickly, and I left with the most embarrassing memory of my life. Of course, Alex laughed his head off. "Everyone knows 'Let there be light,'" he teased. Apparently, I wasn't part of "everyone."
"Good school?" I asked, despite the unpleasant memory lingering.
Although it couldn't be all that great if I wasn't accepted—where girls aren't even allowed to wear skirts above their knees…
He shrugged. "Bearable."
"Why'd you choose it?" I asked, though I wasn't exactly invested.
He shrugged again. I thought that would be the end of it, that we'd sit in silence for the rest of the trip—but I wasn't that lucky.
"Do you believe in the human's God?" he asked, out of nowhere.
He must have noticed the cross around my neck. Maybe he found it odd for me to wear the symbol of a human god. I had to fight to keep my composure and suppress the grin threatening to form on my lips. He probably sensed my amusement because he frowned and spoke almost defensively, his nose wrinkling slightly. I swear, it only made me more entertained.
"I don't know who thought some higher power brought us together…" he muttered.
"Oh, that was just the heat of the moment," I shrugged nonchalantly. "You've got to say something grand in those epic moments. It's a golden rule."
He muttered something under his breath, mostly to himself.
"Then what do you believe in?"
There was genuine curiosity in his emerald eyes, and I could tell he was waiting for an honest answer.
"Myself," I replied, without hesitation.
He snorted, clearly irritated. I let my gaze linger on him for a moment. Gods don't exist—not in the way people imagine. If they did, they wouldn't have allowed the hunters to torture me for years while I begged for an end to my suffering.
Soon after, Rolo got off at Arcade without so much as a goodbye. I didn't mind. At least I could get back to my usual routine of staring aimlessly out the window without any more forced small talk. By the time I reached school, my mood had mostly recovered—though I'll admit, part of it was because I'd witnessed something amusing.
There's this one person at school everyone just calls "Misfortune Mose." All you really need to know about him is that he's in my class, and anyone he touches is bound to experience a streak of bad luck. Of course, there are always skeptics, like the guy who decided to shove Mose against the hallway wall. The poor nerd's face started turning a sickly shade of red; it almost reached the point where I might've felt sorry for him. Almost. It wasn't his suffering that brightened my mood, no matter how satisfying his tormented expression was.
The real fun started when the jerk finally let Mose go and stomped off toward the other end of the hallway. The next thing we knew, he was flat on his back, sprawled out on the freshly mopped tiles. I'll admit, watching his fall was a surprisingly delightful moment. After that, I made my way up to the second floor, humming cheerfully. Who needs a better day than this?
Despite the full moon, I didn't attack anyone, although Jo's blood did tempt me for a moment. But then Coffee's sharp, calculating gaze snapped me back to reality. I wasn't the one causing trouble today.
Alex was usually not as affected by the moon as one would expect from a werewolf, and even tolerated the mockery of it quite well.
He's always been the patient type—something that usually only wears thin around me. He's a bit of an innocent lamb, somewhat naïve, but friendly to everyone, the kind of person who's easily loved by anyone.
That's why I was taken aback when Alex suddenly growled softly beside me. I could feel the tension radiating from him, his muscles coiled and ready to spring. Maybe it was the look I gave him—one that said, "What the hell is wrong with you?"—that made him immediately lower his gaze, focusing on his shoes like they were the most interesting thing in the world.
Coffee kept her eyes on him a little longer than usual, so I knew she noticed, too. It was Jo who, blissfully unaware, grinned at Alex and babbled on about something. When she realized he wasn't particularly interested, she gave up and ended up hugging me instead.
I think Jo was my first love—and that's exactly why I couldn't say yes to her. I understood that, as much as it hurt, it was better to break her heart than to destroy her whole being.
I held her gently, afraid that if I gave in to my desires and pulled her close with all my strength, I would grind her bones into dust. The smoothness of her skin ignited something deep inside me, and for long moments, I just inhaled her delicate scent, committing it to memory so I would never forget.
However, after the long weekend, Coffee seemed rather pleased, and she did not look at me as if I were a demon whose unholy mission was to seduce the whole school with his friend marked as the number one victim.
After the long weekend, Coffee seemed oddly content. She no longer looked at me like I was some demon sent to tempt the entire school, with Jo as the prime target.
Surprisingly, Jo didn't pull away. If anything, we grew closer. Sometimes, if she felt like it, she'd hug me, smiling as if nothing had changed—treating me much like she did Coffee.
Knowing how much I loved her baking, she'd sometimes surprise me with treats. But of course, the vampire princess wasn't too pleased with this. The momentary relief gave way to jealousy. For an entire week, Coffee's piercing gaze was a constant, until, eventually, she came to terms with it. She realized that this was probably better than watching us be all lovey-dovey.