Blog Story #12

Jess plopped down beside him nudging him with his shoulder. “It’ll be fine.”

“Will it?” Vin rubbed the spot over his heart. It ached like a son of a bitch. “I feel like someone dug a hole through my heart and cored out the center.”

“Ouch. That sucks man. Want me to call him?”

“No! If he’s not willing to say he’s sorry then what kind of future are we going to have? Am I going to have to be the one who always gives in if there’s a problem?” Vin blinked back tears. He’d been feeling off since he’d left Loren. “Am I supposed to give up all my goals in life so he can be in charge?”

“No. Of course not. You know I’m on your side.”

“Yeah.” Jess always had his back. “Sorry. I don’t mean to doubt you. I just feel like crap.”

Jess stiffened beside him. “Physically?”

“Yeah. I’m achy, my skin itches and I can barely concentrate on my studies.”

“It could be the mate bond. Some people can’t handle separation from their soul mates.”

Vin gritted his teeth. He wouldn’t give in. “I can surive.”

Jess patted Vin’s leg. “Let me know if I can do anything.”

“It’s partly my fault. I’m the one who claimed him as mine.”

“He could’ve turned you down.” Jess sighed, tilting his head back against the couch cushion. “He’s much older. He knew what he was doing.”

“Yeah. I guess.” Vin fought the instinctive urge to defend his mate. Jess made a good point. “I just need to last a few more weeks then we’re off for break.”

“You gonna go stay with my uncle then? What about you folks?”

Vin closed his eyes and sighed. “The less time I spend with my father the better. How humiliating would it be to have to call Loren to bail me out of jail.”

Jess snorted. “I’d say you could call me but I’d probably be in there with you.”

“Yeah.” Vin smiled at his friend. He could always count on Jess to be his partner in crime. Of course Jess usually caused most of the problems they found themselves in.

“Let’s go to the library. I’ve got to pass this class on spell methodology if I plan on coming back after the break.”

Jess nodded. “Unlike you some of us actually have to construct spells. We can’t just will them into existence.”

Vin shrugged. He couldn’t deny the truth. One of the reason he didn’t understand his spell methodology class was because he didn’t have to speak his spells. His will was strong enough to bend the magic to his wishes. “Finer spells need more finesse but I rarely need to do something that detailed.”

“What do you want to do with your degree?”

“I wanted to go into the Control and Containment Corps. They only take the top one percent though I don’t know if I can make the cut.” It hurt to say that. It wasn’t a matter of having the magic but Vin didn’t

Jess laughed until he had to wipe tears from his eyes. “I want to be there when you tell my uncle you want to be a cop.”

“You don’t think he’ll like that?”

“To have you put yourself into trouble every day where something could happen to you? He’d bury you in so many bodyguards you’d never even see your suspect.”

Vin groaned. His dreams were slipping through his fingers.

“Do you wish you hadn’t found your mate?” Jess asked.

Vin didn’t speak for several minutes giving the question the attention it deserved. “No that’s not it. I just don’t want to spend the rest of my life at odds with my mate.”

“Good. I don’t want that either.” A rich, silky voice spoke behind them.

Vin stood up then spun around. His mate stood in the doorway. Loren’s tired expression tugged at Vin’s heart but he braced himself for another confrontation.