Fated Connection (Book 1)

Chapter 2

After stumbling home at 2 a.m., supporting a very drunk Nova, I ended up passing out still in my dress and didn't wake up until noon. The sun shown brightly through my curtains, illuminating the inside of my eyelids as I slowly regained consciousness.

Flashes of my dream still floated in my mind. Dream? Possibly more of a nightmare. Images of silver eyes, the sounds of magickal orbs sizzling and crackling through the air, the stench of blood and death filling my nose... the memory made me shudder, my skin tingling as if electrified.

Groggily, I sat up and rubbed my eyes in an attempt to wake myself up. Failing, I dragged myself out of bed and winced slightly with the pain in my feet, proof that I had spent way too long in heels the night before.

I took a long, hot shower and scrubbed at my body, trying to wash away the unpleasant feeling still lingering from the night before. But no matter I did, I still felt off, like something was wrong outside the walls of our safe haven. Things were happening but I wasn't sure what it was, only that it wasn't anything good.

When my skin was pink and raw, I wrapped myself in a towel and dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain green shirt. The dream now gone to the depths of my mind all except for those intense silver eyes. It felt as if they had seen into my soul and left a mark, forever embedding themselves.

Leaving my room, I checked in on Nova and found him still asleep, sprawled across his bed. Checking my phone, I decided to head over to the cafe down the block and get us some lunch along with a stop at the drugstore. He would need something on his stomach and some pain medication for his hangover. Being the good and antsy friend that I am, I grabbed my purse and headed out.

I squinted my eyes against the brightness of the sun as I made my way down the sidewalk. Why I didn't bring my sunglasses I had no idea but I was beginning to regret that decision. A feeling of unease began to creep into my gut, and I narrowed my eyes as I looked around. Nothing seemed out of place or out of the ordinary. No one appeared to be paying me any attention, and yet something still felt off.

I kept my face blank as I neared the pharmacy, suddenly suspicious of anyone I made eye contact with, but then what about the ones that wouldn't look at me? I felt like a paranoid schizophrenic, my eyes darting all around and my muscles tensed.

After making my pharmacy stop quick, I hurried over to the cafe across the road. Once I had I ordered, I sat at the counter to wait, once again watching everyone around me. The longer I was away from the apartment, the more the feeling in my gut grew. There were only three other customers in the diner but I couldn't tell if they were supernatural or human. None of them seemed to be paying attention to me, not even glancing up when I had entered.

Fifteen minutes later, I paid for the food and rushed out onto the sidewalk. I walked as fast as I could without running, trying to get back to the apartment as soon as possible. After what felt like almost an hour, but was more like ten minutes, I finally unlocked the apartment door and threw myself in.

The moment my feet cleared the threshold, I slammed it behind me and locked it while attempting to catch my breath and slow my racing heart. I quickly traced my fingers around the doorframe, the tips of my fingers warming slightly. Turning around, I let out a shriek of surprise when my eyes landed on Nova sitting at the dining room table.

"Shit! You scared me," I exclaimed breathlessly with a hand pressed to my chest.

"What's wrong with you?" Nova asked with a raised brow. "And don't be so damn loud."

I wasn't sure how to explain it. Nothing had happened. Now that I was back inside the apartment, I began to second guess myself. The feelings of discomfort had dissipated as soon as I closed the door behind me, almost as if they had never been there to begin with.