Jason woke to the tapping at his window. Groggily, he stumbled from his bed and, with a yawn, let in the cold air alongside the slender, lithe beauty of the dark. Selene crept in and closed the window behind her, shutting out the cold.

“Do you know what time it is?” he yawned.

“Near dawn.”

“Exactly,” he said, yawning again. “I’m a Touched Born, not a Reborn or Vampyre. I need to sleep during the night.”

“And I need a place to stay during the day.”

“I haven’t seen you for days, Selene. Why can’t you just go back to the cave?”

“Because my brother has ordered me to go on full alert and find some Roamers.”

“What are Roamers?” It wasn’t a term he was utterly unfamiliar with, hearing it from Cecilia occasionally when she spoke of her brother and work. He had always assumed it had something to do with vampyres, but he didn’t know exactly what it was.

“Vampyres with no home, no jurisdiction. It’s a new thing for the better part of this century, particularly since the invention of Fairy Dust.”

“Why since then?”

She gave him an incredulous look. “Well, you see what it does to Witches. You don’t want to see what it does to Vampyres. It has been a subject of disagreement among our kind. Outlawed to some degree for a reason.”

“You use it.”

“Properly, and for magical purposes only. The Roamers use it the same way to blend into society. It is technically against the law, but The King allows it for now. Fairy Dust is a complicated matter. The Kings Council is still trying to find ways to properly deal with it.”

Jason yawned again and returned to bed, catching the time on his clock. As he collapsed on his bed, he heard Selene open the floor under which she had hidden her bag. His body sat forward against his will.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting my Fairy Dust.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to bind it to your windows.”

“Again,” he said, yawning, “why?”

“You’re leaving in the morning,” she said, not answering his question. So she had been keeping tabs on him, apparently.

“Not before the sun rises. Now, again, why do you need that?”

“The sunlight. If this is not bound to it, I will have to tip-toe around your house when it shines in. I don’t have that much resilience to the sun.”

“You’re going to snoop through my stuff, aren’t you.”

“If I get bored.”

“Ugh.” Jason slumped back onto his bed. “Wake me up in six hours.”

“Will do.”

Jason smiled and closed his eyes, fading back into a deep slumber.

***

Someone was poking his chest. He swatted at the nails that seemed to pierce his skin. They didn’t hurt him. They were just annoying. Jason swatted at them again until the hand caught his wrist.

“Wake up already, Jason, you have class.” His eyes jerked open, and kneeling beside him on his bed, holding his wrist firmly, wearing nothing but her undergarments. Jason jumped out of bed, trying to avert his gaze.

“Selene! Wh–why aren’t you dressed?”

“Because I just got out of the shower.” From the corner of his eye, he peeked at her and saw her pink lips curl into a smile. It was beautiful, the way it curved on her face, fitting in perfectly, the little dimples on her cheek, highlighting her delicate cheekbones. It was just like the smile she had in the portrait.

Still speechless, he watched her shake her head and let out a small laugh while she quickly snatched up one of his shirts from his oak wood floors and slipped it on. It was his favorite blue plaid flannel. “Better?”

“Yes, much better.” Jason rubbed his forehead and sniffed the air. “Did you cook?”

“Yes. Sausage, eggs, and a cup of Burberry Juice. My mother always told me breakfast was important, no matter how late I woke up. I was scolded if I didn’t eat something.” Jason watched her tuck a stray strand of black hair behind her hair. Her pale, long nail grazed her upper cheek as she smiled slightly.

“Different times, Selene,” he said, taking in her appearance. Her long black hair was still shiny with a sheen from her bath, and her legs were tucked beneath her.

“Breakfast is still important.” Again, she gave him that mesmerizing smile as she hopped off his bed and headed to the kitchen. Her emotions left him with whiplash. Still following her with his gaze, he smiled and followed her. Two plates from his plain white set were set on his mocha-colored dining table and filled with his favorite foods. Selene poured him a glass of his favorite drink. His stomach growled at the sight of the food. As he stuffed his face, he knew she was staring at him as she ate.

“What’s going on? With the hunt, I mean,” he said, wiping his chin as juice dripped down it. Selene swallowed her food and crossed her legs. The bottom of his shirt slipped up her leg, showing off her firm thighs. Looking back at her face, he noticed her change. Another whiplash. Her posture had stiffened, and her face had grown somber.

“Nothing. There haven’t been any more murders, but seven Vampyres, known in the Darkling District, buy Fairy Dust.” She took another bite of her food. “Three happen to be in my coven, but my brother would rather I waste my time searching for the Roamers.”

“Why won’t he let you investigate your coven members?”

Selene shrugged. “I don’t know. As of late, he’s changed. I don’t know what it is, but it’s like he’s finally snapped.”

Jason took another bite from his food and looked into her eyes. “Are you scared?”

“My brother can kill Shadowlings…so yes, I’m terrified.”

“I thought Shadowlings couldn’t die.”

Her smile returned, and her posture loosened. “Eris is a very special Touched Born.”

“What can he do,” he said with his mouth full.

“Ha can manipulate shadows.”

“Whoa.”

This brought out a small smile. “I know it’s pretty cool. When we were kids, he would make the shadows in my room dance. I always loved it.” Her tome was warm, she looked alive, her eyes cast down, but she was elsewhere.

“He always watched over you, didn’t he.”

“Actually, it was the other way around,” she laughed. “I would look after him, keep an eye on him, and ensure he didn’t get into too much trouble. Eris never quite found the balance between being protective and being controlling.”

“Which is he now,” he asked cautiously, knowing the answer.

Her eyes didn’t quite meet his when she spoke. “Controlling. Eris doesn’t even care if the Kings’ Garrison comes here.”

“Why do you?”

Selene scoffed at him. “We’re not on the best of terms, to say the least.” She finished off the rest of her food and set her dishes in his stainless steel sink. Jason was about to say something when his ConEx rang, and a flute melody filled the air. He knew it could only be one person.

“Hey, Miranda.”

“Hi…Jason, you aren’t busy, are you?”

“No, I just finished breakfast. Why?”

“Because we need to talk…about us, Jason.”

Jason got up and left the room, settling in his bedroom. “Miranda, I care about. Hell, I might even love you, but you abuse your gift. I am entitled to my privacy and to my own thoughts. You need to learn to shut up your damn gift and stop invading people’s privacy. You’re driving a wedge between everyone, including me.”

It was quite a while until she finally answered him. “You’re right, I know that, but—”

“No, no buts, you need to at least try. I will try to be more open for us, but on my own terms, Miranda, not yours.” Silence greeted him from the other end of the ConEx.

“Yeah, okay. The first period was canceled, so you can stay home a little longer. Love you, see you later.”

“Love you too,” he mumbled, hanging up. He hung his head down, confused. Miranda was exhausting. He looked up as the door opened. Jason looked up at Selene, leaning on the door frame, her arms crossed. Jason blushed again; he hadn’t noticed how long her legs were. Not in those black pants and boots she always wore. He swallowed.

“Is everything okay?”’

“It’s nothing. Miranda and I are just having problems.”

“I don’t like her. She thinks too highly of her bloodline.”

“She doesn’t believe they were that bad.”

“They were. The four of them should have been killed long before I did the deed.”

Jason stood up and leaned against the wall. She turned her head towards him. He noticed her eyes, so purple, so wide and full of pain. They made her look even more beautiful.

“Shouldn’t you be going to bed?”

Selene shrugged. “Maybe, but I’m not tired.”

“Well, I’ve got a free hour.”

“I heard.”

Jason smiled. “There’s a thing called privacy, you know.”

“I’m well aware,” she said, smiling. They stood there for a while, staring at each other, and all of a sudden, all Jason wanted was to kiss her. “Selene, I—” Jason was interrupted by a knock at the door. He scrunched up his eyes in confusion until his eyes fell on his calendar on the circled date.

“Jason?”

“My dad!” Jason fumbled through his stuff, throwing on a shirt with a blue stain and a pair of pants that also needed desperately washing. Looking back at Selene, he saw she was wearing the butterfly dress she had worn the day she passed out.

“Your dad was in the Council, correct?” Jason read her thoughts, and his eyes widened.

“Oh no, no, no, no. My dad will freak!”

He watched her smile and take a step into the hallway. “Not if he was one of the ones who enjoyed my company.” She vanished, and Jason ran, forgetting to buckle his pants. She winked at him before swinging the door open.

“Selene?”

“Uriel?”

Jason was confused. His dad, whom he knew as Michael, was hugging Selene. His dad knew Selene.

“Um, Selene, can you close the door.” Both separated, forgetting their surroundings, and he watched his father enter the apartment. Jason watched as his father leaned in to kiss Selene on the cheek. She plucked a feather from his wings.

“Your wings have changed color.”

“It happens, Selene.”

“They’re teal.”

“I know.” Jason saw them exchange a look. All the joy in their reunion vanished, replaced by sadness.

“Hi, dad.” Jason made his way to his Reborn father, embracing him.

“Jason…buckle your pants, son.” Jason blushed, buckling his pants while Selene laughed. It was a beautifully soft yet loud sound. He saw his dad give him a scowling look.

“Dad, what is it?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you ended things with Miranda?”

“Because we haven’t, why would you think I did?”

“Selene?” His dad’s voice was commanding and angry. Jason read his dad’s thoughts.

“Dad! I’m not having an affair with Selene. We’re friends, just friends. She—”

“I was out hunting,” interrupted Selene, stepping up to his side. “Thought seeking, actually. And think of my surprise when I can’t steal my prey’s thoughts. Then I looked at him.”

Uriel sighed and sat down on the kitchen table. “Yes, I  noticed. Oh, how I hoped history would not repeat.”

“You and I both,” said Selene and Jason in unison. Jason smiled at her and took a seat next to his father. Selene did the same, sitting across from him on his father’s right.

“Oh dear.” Jason heard his dad sigh. “Selene, what are you doing here?”

“I needed a place to stay during the day. At night, I’m hunting down four Roamers.”

“You’re breaking your laws by being here. A law created because of Katherine.”

Her eyes flared, briefly turning red. “I don’t regret what I did,” she growled.

“Nor should you, but should anyone find out—”

“I know Uriel. Trust me, I know. Speaking of Katherine, Jason’s dear Miranda looks just like her. Identical, in fact.” Jason didn’t know if he should be pleased that she was jealous. It felt…well, maybe wrong wasn’t the right word because it made him feel great. He wished she hadn’t said that to his father, though, no matter how true.

“Jason! Is that true?” Jason winced at the fear in his father’s voice and fear.

“Uh, yeah, I guess.”

“This isn’t good.”

“Why?” asked Jason.

Uriel sighed. “I’ll talk to you about it later, but forgive me when I say I wished you had broken up with her.”

“Dad, not now, okay.” A part of him was already thinking the same thing. A part of him had wanted to kiss Selene.

“New topic!” chirped Selene, clapping her hands. “Uriel, why are you in town?” Jason smiled at her once again. Her posture and smile were both different from months before. She was like a different person.

“I’m in town per Council orders to see about the latest Enforcers and Guard Academy graduating class.”

“Such a militant.”

“Dad’s the best fighter around.”

“Not the best son.”

“But even the Queen says there is no one to beat you yet, since the beginning.”

“Well, I’m highly offended! Has Naavah truly forgotten about me?”

Jason stared at Selene, mouth agape, while his father laughed aloud, wholeheartedly. “You beat my dad?”

“As a Witch, too,” she winked. “Best fighter around.”

“She really is,” continued his father. “Son, never get on her bad side.”

“Kind of already figured that out, Dad.”

“Oh boy. Selene, what did you do?”

“Uriel! I’m hurt. How could you think I did anything.” Jason laughed at her pained acting. His dad accompanied him. Selene smiled at them, rolling her eyes all the same. Jason grabbed his ConEx home line and sent out an order to be delivered while watching Selene continue to change. It was as though she had been a flower that had wilted in the darkness, but now, something had shined a light on her, and she was blooming. Blooming beautifully.