The Silver Dagger

Aiyana

"Have a nice walk?" Mimi asked as she and Nate came in the back door hand-in-hand.

Aiyana blushed, thinking of the very long kiss Nate had bestowed on her underneath the largest apple tree in the orchard. Had Mimi seen them from the house?

"We did," Nate said, smiling down at her.

Mimi's eyes flickered down to Aiyana's left hand, or maybe it was her imagination. "That's good, and thanks Aiyana, for cleaning up."

"Cliff helped." She looked around the room. "Speaking of Cliff, where is he?"

"The last time I saw him was when he followed you two out the door," Mimi said.

"He left you unguarded?" Alpha Miguel asked with a growl in his tone.

"I don't know. He was with us for a while. Maybe he saw something." She wished she hadn't mentioned it. He'd been so adamant about following them outside and doing his job, it seemed odd that he'd just walk away, and she didn't want to get him in trouble.

Alpha Miguel put down his cup and pushed away from the now empty table. "I'll go look for him."

"Be nice," his wife chided.

Aiyana couldn't imagine Alpha Miguel being anything other than nice.  "I'm going to go unpack."

"Good idea, dear. Nate, do you have a place to stay tonight?"

"Not yet."

"I suppose I could put you in the yellow room tonight, but you need to find a place to stay more permanently tomorrow. Except for injuries or emergencies or issues of security, we don't allow students or their mates to stay with us, otherwise we would be overrun."

"I understand."

"You can stay in my apartment since I'll be here," Aiyana said. "That will give you some time to find your own place and a job."

His face fell.  "But..."  

She should have realized he'd want to stay with her. She wasn't necessarily opposed, she just...she hadn't really thought of it actually.  If she said yes to his proposal he'd probably want to complete the bond as soon as possible.  That would solve that problem.

"What kind of job are you looking for," Mimi interrupted. "We have contacts all over the state, although I'm guessing you want one close?"

"The hurt look on his face disappeared as he turned to Mimi. "Yes. My degree is in civil engineering."

"Very nice. Come with me and I'll see what I have."

Unpacking the clothes and books she'd brought from her apartment didn't take long at all. It was a little early for bed, but she felt grungy from traveling all day and she had some books she'd checked out just for fun that she'd been saving for the end of the semester. Fifteen minutes later, teeth brushed, her pajamas - shorts and an oversized T-shirt - on, she headed back down the hall looking forward to a little alone time. A dark shape was leaning on the wall outside her door in the dim hallway. She released a quiet sigh.  She loved being around Nate, but sometimes she liked to read, too. The familiar, somewhat sweaty scent made her stomach twitch oddly. Bad stomach.  That wasn't Nate. She quickly turned toward the door to hide her front since she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Cliff, what are you doing here? I don't think Alpha Wayne meant you had to guard my door."

"Do you have the dagger?"

"No, why."

"I need the dagger."

"Why?"

"I just do."