it was no big deal whatsoever. Honestly, I didn’t understand him at all, and that was probably why I found him so interesting.
I got out my cell phone, rotated it a few times between my fingers, and then finally dialed his number. The line clicked and Kole’s voice came through the phone.
“Hello?”
“Kole! Hey, it’s Markos.”
“Oh, Markos,” he said in an airy voice. “Have you ever tried a full moon bath before?”
“A what?”
“A full moon bath.” I could hear water sloshing in the background. “It’s wonderful. I read a book about it, techniques for recharging lunar energy.”
There was that quirky charm of his again. “I’m not familiar with that. What is it?”
“There’s a full moon out tonight, could you feel it?”
“A little,” I said.
“It’s important we recharge our lunar energies. It’s a primal need that most don’t realize we have, and it can be the cause of many imbalances in life.”
“And how does that work?” I asked. I wasn’t sure if I entirely believed in everything from Kole’s unusual world, like energies and those sorts of things. Or, it was more that I’d never personally experienced any of the arcane arts myself. But I was open to learning about it, and I did find myself wanting to hear him explain it.
“Well, it’s quite simple. You absorb the moon’s energy into your naked body while in a hot bath steeped with veckwood and mirrander flowers.”
I heard another splash. “You’re in the bath right now,” I said, laughing. “Sorry.”
“No, this is a wonderful time to talk.”
“You have an outdoor bath?” I asked.
“Of course. It’s an absolute necessity for a reader to have. Anything to charge and strengthen my energy.”
“Your lunar energy.”
“There are many kinds of energy,” he said, and I could just tell he was smiling. “So, you spoke with Elise about my proposition?”
“She’s all in,” I said. “She’ll be over right after school on Monday. You have no idea how happy she is, Kole. I just really hope that she can make it happen at school.”
“I’ll do what I can to help her improve her focus.”
“Hounds of hell, Kole. Thank you so much. I don’t know what else to say.” I paused, a sudden thought coming into my head, one that I normally would’ve thrown right out the window, but right now… “Let me take you out to dinner. To show you my appreciation. It’s the least I could do.”
The line was silent, and soon the only thing I could hear was the thudding of my pulse and the rush of blood in my ears.
Shit.
“Okay, I’d like that.”
I blinked. “Okay. How’s tomorrow? There’s a great spot downtown that I know. Amazing food, and hardly anyone knows about it yet.”
“Tomorrow would be perfect.”
“Great. I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Thanks again, Kole.”
I hung up the phone and felt a rush of energy wash over me. I couldn’t help but smile. Hold on, I thought. It’s just dinner. That’s it.
Was that what I’d meant it to be? Just dinner? Did I mean to ask Kole out on a date?
No, that was ridiculous. I admired him, he was a wonderful guy, definitely cute, but… It wasn’t a date. And I knew he definitely wouldn’t think it was either.
7 Kole
The moon was a perfect circle in the night sky, at a perfect angle to soak my body with its light. I floated in the middle of my rooftop bathtub, which was the same perfect shape as the moon, my ears just below the surface of the mineral-rich, herbal steeped water.
My heart was racing, and why?
Because Markos had called me. He’d called right as I’d closed my eyes, focused my mind, and drawn on the full energy of the moon, like a plant in photosynthesis, and called his vision into my head.
As a reader, I couldn’t ignore an obvious sign. But what did it mean?
He’d asked me to dinner. It was a friendly gesture, a gesture of gratitude. Nothing unusual, right? Then why was I so excited about it? Because no alpha had ever asked me to dinner before?
I knew I was looking at it too hard. It was one of the most difficult parts about being a reader—stepping back and just taking things as they were. I couldn’t help but look for the meaning hidden behind the curtain. It was only dinner!
Not a…
A date.
I slowly sank beneath the surface, exhaling a trail of bubbles that wiggled up to the moonlight. What had I just agreed to?
I saw Markos’s face in my mind, with his bright, easygoing smile,