Page 5 of Venomous Desires

“I bet,” he murmured. “If you ever need help—or just want to hang out—let me know. I’ve been here a semester already, so I kinda know my way around.”

Relief flooded me. “That would be great, thank you. I could use a friend here.”

“Consider it done.” He smiled playfully. “Maybe I could show you some places?”

“I’d love that.”

“Deal.” He grinned. “Looks like we both have a lot to share.”

“Definitely.” Excitement and nerves swirled in my chest.

Just as I turned to say something else, the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

“Medusa’s leaving,” Ivan murmured under his breath.

I stifled a laugh. “Quick, before she turns us all to stone.”

My heart thumped as I met his gaze, and a nervous nerve flickered.

“Well, see you later,” I stuffed my books into my bag.

“Ivan!” someone called from across the class.

He hesitated. “I should go, or… do you wanna—?”

“That’s all right,” I cut in quickly. “I need to check out the library.”

It wasn’t a lie. It just wasn’t the whole truth.

For one reckless second, I almost asked him another question. Kept the conversation going. Maybe even made my first friend here. Then the familiar voice in my head spoke up.

Don’t.

People always left eventually. Better not give them a reason to notice you in the first place.

“Okay,” Ivan said with an easy smile. “See you around, Seraphina.”

“See you.”

I watched him disappear into the crowd before letting out a slow breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

My pulse was still racing. A five-minute conversation shouldn’t have felt like surviving an interrogation. I hugged my books to my chest and headed for the exit, slipping back into the sea of unfamiliar faces.

Invisible.

It was safer that way.

Chapter 2

The Prey

I’m so sorry, dear, but you need to know the language.”

Rejection number six.

I forced a tight-lipped smile, nodding as if I hadn’t already heard variations of this all day. No matter how much I tried to explain, the answer was always the same. They needed someone local, someone fluent, someone who wouldn’t make their job harder. And honestly? I couldn’t even blame them.

“It’s fine.” I swallowed my frustration. “Have a good day.”