Squeak

by Vera Valentine

why did his curls look so good? It would be weird to ask a guy for conditioner recommendations, right? Between those eyelashes and his unfairly frizz-less hair, this guy was seriously wrecking the curve, though.

Speaking of incompatible, I wasn’t a fan of the way the redhead was currently eyeing my boyfriend.

Being able to turn into balloon animals at will wasn’t much of a superpower, all told, but it saved us a great deal on rent.

I sucked with a happy hum, reveling in the actual, literal sweetness of my balloon shifter lover.

Again that blank look, and a few blinks. “I mean, yes. We - well, we do what I’ve seen on-” My nose burned as I choked on the mouthful of water I’d been taking. Sebastian had just name-dropped one of the raunchiest porn clip sites on the web like we were talking about the weather. He looked immediately concerned, coming over to gently thump on my back with an open palm, visibly relaxing when he saw me pull in a breath.

Seb’s tone was a new one too. It was serious, and entirely unlike the man I knew. “That’s my concern though, isn’t it? You know that Poppy asked me what we were, and I didn’t even know what to tell her? What are we, Keane? I’ve been following you for so long and I’ve never questioned where you were leading us, but you - it’s like you want to keep me like she did.” His voice thickened, big brown eyes watering with emotion that tangled in his lashes.

He is such a sweetie aNd he is right

I filed out along with a knot of chattering students, following ponytails and buzzcuts in every color of the rainbow. I did like that about the artistic humans, their love of bright hues. My own brilliant royal purple hue was a point of pride whenever I shifted.

I slipped past her, not bothering to create space between us in the doorway. I was, strangely enough, becoming a fan of flustered Poppy. Off-balance like this, she felt like less of a problem and more of a…diversion. Something interesting beyond inventories of soda bottles and the endless stress of the protective sigils.

It begins

Was it hot in here? It felt hot in here. My stupid goddamn fitness watch buzzed again and I tore it off and chucked it into a box of rulers. Fucking snitch.

The tiny storeroom was hot, but Keane’s mouth was hotter as it unexpectedly claimed mine, all self-assured confidence that invited me to melt into it, words lost in the unfairly talented twist of his tongue. He broke off the kiss after a blissfully long moment, resting his forehead on mine, his voice a low growl. “You are annoying, persistent, and beautiful. I see what Seb sees in you.”

My brain might still consider Keane an unredeemable douchecanoe, but my body was ready to run through a field of flags as red as my namesake to get to him.

Lol

“Poppy, you’re safe, but we really need to talk.” He tilted his hips and nodded downwards, where his entire pelvic region - still locked into my own - had gone a deep royal purple. And translucent. I screamed.

I looked at Poppy - she was probably scared out of her mind. Bites like that told me Keane had knotted her, which could only mean one thing. She was an actual tulpamancer, an omega to our alpha natures. And, more importantly, she was now mated, however unintentionally, to Keane.