Free Red Dawn by J.J. Bonds

appreciate a good hunt. What I wouldn’t give to throw caution to the wind and take down a few woodland creatures this afternoon. The idea of sinking my teeth into something warm and furry practically has me drooling. But it’s against the rules and I can’t afford any more trouble with Pratt right now.
    “What do you think?” Nik asks quietly, leading me to the blanket that’s been laid out on the frozen grass.
    “Why, Nikolai Petrov, I think that underneath that cocky air of yours, you might just be a hopeless romantic,” I muse. “Who’d have thought?”
    “Yeah, well, just don’t let it get around,” he says, giving me a half smile. I let Nik pull me down on the fluffy blanket without another word. “Besides, you haven’t even seen the best part yet.”
    “Oh?” I ask, watching curiously as he reaches for the basket in the center of the blanket. I’m hoping it’s got a quart or two of blood stashed inside. “And what would that be?”
    Nik flips the top of the basket open and reaches inside. I’m completely mortified when he pulls out a small chocolate cake topped with a single pink candle. Hell’s bells! How did he know?
    “Happy Birthday, Katia.” Nik sets the cake down between us and delves into his pocket for a lighter. I watch silently as he lights the candle. The little flame burns bright, flickering fiercely against the sharp winter breeze. “Make a wish.”
    Make a wish? Where to start? There are so many things I want, and yet I feel guilty wishing for any of them. It seems selfish. Besides, isn’t it a little childish to believe in the power of a wish? Still, it’s a sweet gesture and I don’t want to hurt Nik’s feelings, so I humor him and blow out the candle.
    “What did you wish for?” he asks, smiling impishly.
    “Can’t tell you,” I respond quickly, relying on the rules of childhood fantasy to avoid answering his question. “It won’t come true if I do.”
    “You don’t believe that,” Nik challenges as he leans back on the blanket and studies me.
    “Maybe I do,” I counter. “How did you know it was my birthday anyway?”
    “I have my sources,” Nik teases, laughing deviously. It’s hard to be annoyed when he flashes that dimple of his. Besides, it really is a sweet gesture, despite the fact that I stopped celebrating birthdays when my parents died. It just didn’t feel right without them.
    “Blaine?” I guess, rolling my eyes. I should have known. A birthday is nothing compared to all of the other dirt he’s dug up on me.
    “I thought we should celebrate,” Nik tells me solemnly. “You deserve it.”
    “I don’t know about that,” I respond, settling down on the blanket next to him. I prop myself up on my elbows and stare up at the sky above. I wonder if my parents really are watching down on me. I wonder if they’d be proud.
    “What are you thinking about?” Nik asks, sliding closer until our legs are touching. A shiver that has nothing to do with the temperature runs down my spine and I do my best to look indifferent.
    “I was just thinking what a perfect date this is turning out to be,” I tell him. It’s not that far from the truth and I don’t want to bring him down with talk of my past. Besides, I’m still not sure how he feels about the fact that I’m of mixed-blood and this doesn’t exactly seem like the time to bring it up.
    “You know, as the birthday girl, I’m pretty sure you’re entitled to one kiss for each year of your age,” Nik whispers as he pulls me close.
    “Well, then,” I respond hungrily, “I guess we’d better work on that.”
    **********
    Sitting in Anya’s office and staring down yet another goblet of blood laced with who knows what kind of vision, I find myself looking for another way to spend the next hour. Almost anything would be preferable to the contents of that glass, and as much as I hate bearing my soul, I do need to talk. Plus, Anya’s one of the few people I can actually talk with