The Silver Dagger

Sophia

Nate stretched and sat up. The sky had dimmed noticeably since he laid down for nap. Aiyana looked up from her bed where she sat surrounded by books and grinned.

"My hair is sticking up again isn't it?"

She nodded, then went right back to her notebook. Cliff sighed loudly from across the room where he was sitting in the only chair and flipping through a text book.

"Why don't you go look around the dorm for a bit," Aiyana suggested. "Maybe those wolves are lurking outside."

"I'm supposed to guard you."

"And you will be. It's called checking the perimeter. Nate can stay with me." 

Cliff looked between them then gave another sigh. "Fine. I won't be gone long. Behave."

Nate was going to count to thirty after the door shut, but he only made it to ten before he glanced at Aiyana. Her face lit up in a slow grin, and a split second later, they were both rubbing their noses from coming together too fast. That didn't deter him long. Compared to the eternity he'd been waiting to kiss her again, a broken nose was a minor impediment.

Five glorious minutes later, or maybe it was ten, whatever it was, it wasn't enough, someone knocked on the door. He released her reluctantly. Cliff already knew they were in there and probably knew what they were doing too, but Nate didn't like flouting his win. Cliff was not a total jerk - he'd been decent enough to be friends with Aiyana when they were little and he was serious about protecting her. "You look like you've been thoroughly kissed," he whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"So do you."

The knock came again, louder.

"Think he'll go away if we pretend we're not here?" Nate whispered.

"He knows we're here and I need to study anyway."

Nate let out a loud sigh and moved toward the door, pausing in front of the mirror over the sink to see how bad his hair was. Eh. It could be worse.

He opened the door expecting Cliff to storm past him or growl or perhaps attack, but there was nobody there, just a scent. Oh no, not her. He quickly shut the door again without looking to see if she was in the hallway. It didn't close. The toe of a red sequined sneaker was in the way. Delicate fingers with perfectly shaped and painted nails that matched the sneaker curled around the door. Sophia's melodious voice, tuned to sound innocent and sexy at the same time danced through the crack in the door.

"Nate, I know that's you. Stop fooling around."

He could tell her to go away, but he knew she wouldn't listen. He'd just have to let Aiyana meet Sophia and hope she believed him.

He backed away and the door swung wide open. Like always, Sophia was dressed to perfection. Her wavy, chestnut brown hair curled around her heart-shape face, emphasizing her soft brown eyes and full lips which also matched her shoes. Her dress was casual - jeans and a T-shirt - but they fit her perfectly and he was sure they were designer. Her mother wouldn't let her wear anything less. 

"Nate!" She flung herself at him and trapped him in a tight hug. "I've been so worried. Are you okay?"

She looked up at him like she expected a kiss. He put his hands on her shoulders and pushed until she finally backed up a step. He knew it was all an act. He had Aiyana's scent all over him, yet Sophia was acting like she couldn't smell a thing. "Sophia, why are you here?"

"I heard about Jeremy and about your illness. I'm your mate, so I came." She tried to get closer again. He pushed her away as far as he could reach.