Students lounged in the spacious, really cool lobby of the dorm, surrounding a TV that was about the size of a Hummer. We didn’t have anything like that in my own dorm back at Radford. Neither did we have such great, comfy couches. I’d sat in the red one. Once. I wanted to marry it.
Of course, no one really paid attention to me as I walked out the doors that had been fixed from when the shades had gotten inside. No one really ever paid attention to me unless Seth was with me, and honestly, they were just staring at him. I was kind of like a side item, the French fries to the Big Mac.
Mmm. French fries.
I knew what I was getting from the cafeteria.
I’d probably lose weight if, for once, I ate something leafy and green or grilled, but their bacon was like an orgasm of the mouth and their fries were the really awesome shoestring kind that were so hard to find. Honestly, I think the food here was made with some kind of magic, because everything tasted better.
The night air was chilly, as usual, as I cut across the lawn and hit the pathway. The cafeteria wasn’t far from the dorm, and since they’d be serving food until midnight, I was pretty confident I could get myself a plate of fries.
And maybe even a thick, juicy—
“You shouldn’t be out here alone.”
My breath caught in response to the unexpected voice and I spun around, immediately finding the source of the voice. Even startled, I recognized that six months ago I would’ve fallen over if I’d turned around that fast back then.
Ninja status halfway there.
The guy stepped out of the shadows of an olive tree—a tree that I had no idea how it was still alive in these conditions. I immediately recognized him from yesterday.
Colin.
My heart slowed down. All right, he wasn’t going to be a problem. At least, I didn’t think so. “I’m okay. Just heading to the cafeteria.”
He slowly approached me, as if he was worried he was going to send me running in the opposite direction. “Where is the Apollyon?”
Yep. I was the fries to the Big Mac. “He’s out patrolling, so I’m going to get something to eat.”
“I’ll go with you then.”
I raised a brow. “Thanks, but that’s not necessary.”
“Look, I’m not trying to be domineering, but it really isn’t safe for you to be out here by yourself.” Closer, he passed under one of the lampposts. His black hair was shiny, an odd and, of course, majorly attractive contrast to his sapphire-blue eyes. “You saw what happened yesterday. A lot of the pures around here don’t view mortals as any better than they view halfs.”
See, the thing was, I wasn’t a mortal. But since we were keeping that on the down low and no one seemed to sense my demigod goodness, it was my ace up the sleeve.
“If the Apollyon isn’t around, then maybe you should get Deacon or Luke,” he offered. “You’ve been hanging around them a lot.”
Okay. This dude was kind of observant. Then again, everyone did think I was a mortal, so they were probably aware of who I hung out with. “His name is Seth, and like I said, I’m okay.”
“All right,” he said after a moment. “Can’t say I didn’t try.”
I smiled tightly. “Good night.” Pivoting around, I walked a couple of feet and realized he was right behind me. I looked over my shoulder. “You’re seriously going to follow me, aren’t you?”
His grin was sheepish. “I was just heading to the cafeteria myself when I saw you.”
“Uh-huh.”
“So, I figured we could walk together.” When I didn’t respond and started walking again, he easily caught up to me, keeping an arm’s length distance between us. “By the way, my name is—”
“Colin,” I answered, grinning when surprise flickered across his face. “I heard Solos call you that yesterday.”
“Cool.” There was a beat of silence. “I’m training to be a—”
“Sentinel?” This time I laughed when he frowned at me. “I just figured that was what you’re doing.”
He glanced at me. “The Apolly—I mean, Seth has been training you?”
I nodded.
Colin didn’t respond immediately. “It’s kind of odd that anyone, especially the—um, Seth would be training a mortal or that a mortal would even know about us.”
A fine shiver of unease danced across my skin. “I’m sure I’m not the only mortal who knows about you all.”
“True, but . . .”
“It’s a long story,” I said after a moment, and then I hoped he’d drop it.
Colin sort of did. “Since you’re being trained is probably why you’re not worried about being out here, but you’ve got to know that, no matter how well he trains you, you’re no match for a pure or a half when it comes down to it.”
Another laugh escaped me. “Is that so?”
His frown deepened and he didn’t say anything as we started around the corner of a building. “And I know none of this is my business.”
“But making sure I get some French fries safely is?”
He chuckled. “Well—”
A flash of reddish light lit up the quad, shooting out from the shadows. With incredible speed, Colin jumped back as the ball of light—no, fire—smacked into the building, extinguishing on contact. The smell of burnt ozone filled the air.
What the what?
“Oh, you missed.” A tall guy stepped forward. “You need to work on your aim.”
“Shit,” muttered Colin, moving so that he was halfway in front of me.