Olive looked a frightful mess in Danika's opinion. She looked tired and not once had she smiled since she had walked into the building.

'Everything ok?'

'Professor Deltrith caught me missing classes yesterday. I've been studying all night. I don't think there's enough coffee on the planet to keep me awake today.'

Danika chuckled.

'I know that one.'

'I'd rather go home and sleep but I have to do a make up lesson in his office.' Olive sighed. 'I should have just gone to the class and be done with it.'

Danika held her tongue as they walked to their vamp law class. As much as she hoped for something more than lessons for Olive, she knew that it wouldn't be like that. Phabel could be a real stick in the mud sometimes and she knew he would be his formal, uppity professor persona rather than the cheeky clown that she knew from their private lives. It was like he had a split personality but she knew it was about keeping his life here formal, obeying the rules and doing the best job he could. But even now, she could see the thoughts in his mind about Olive, how his gaze fell far too low, how he admired her from a distance. It was there, the beginnings of something but the lack of memory had her worried. Why? Why could he not remember something that was so vivid in Olive's mind? She knew it wasn't make believe, Phabel had spoken his own language to her, words that humans would not know. Olive didn't know what he was, she had passed the words off as a foreign language and nothing more.

Danika frowned as she sat down at her seat, wondering about the future. She couldn't see an end to Phabel teaching vamp law, Olive was going to be stuck with him for quite some time and Danika knew she wouldn't be impressed. She wanted Phabel back in her life but the lack of attention from him, or rather the rejection that she saw it as, had hurt her badly. Danika had seen her thoughts on Phabel flip several times in just the few minutes that they had walked into the lesson. She was a confused woman and Danika didn't know what to do to help her. Danika wondered if there was an answer to Phabel's problem in literature, maybe a good search of the library was on the list of her possibilities. Maybe if she were to search for some ancient text in Lucian's vast collection of books she might find something. But for now, they were stuck with their new teacher in this lesson. Professor Ronson had taken ill and wasn't going to be teaching it for some time, Phabel had stepped in as the obvious choice for a substitute. Now they had a different kind of dragon breathing down their necks. Danika had noted that Phabel had become quite irritable of late, she couldn't understand why. She saw his life as an easy one, he held this job because he wanted to, not because he needed it. He had far too much money, a nice apartment and any choice of dozens of women in this town that would queue just to be by his side. But it was like he didn't care for any of it. He had stayed in this world because he loved it, yet Danika could see the rising anger. He was an ogre in his job, he didn't spend his money, the apartment would be in a state of disarray if he didn't have a cleaner come in and deal with it and there were no women in his life. None except the woman beside her and she wasn't in his life, not really. She couldn't understand why Phabel couldn't remember her, she had searched his mind and found no memories. There were lots of locked boxes but knowing about men and locked boxes, she chose not to try and crack them. Lucian had no answers for her, stating that there would be some reason but there was none that he knew of. If she wanted to play matchmaker, she had to either be subtle and slowly push them together or be abrupt and give Phabel a good telling off. She didn't know what for just yet, but she would find some reason.

'He's not so bad Olive, I've done tutoring with him, one on one he's different.'

Olive nodded quietly and took her seat.

'I like your dress.' she smiled at her.

Danika watched as her cheeks flushed with a rosy pink, she didn't take compliments too well.

'Thanks. I made it.'

'Really?' Danika raised her eyebrows.

Olive nodded and then turned to the doors opening. She watched as a group of girls giggled their way into the room, looking at the two of them with sneers. Olive wanted to shrink into the seat, knowing that they looked at her like she was dirt. They moved to the front row much to Olives dismay. She knew why they were seated there, they wanted to get the professors attention. The shirts were far too revealing, the clothes too tight. They wore fashionable clothes and had all the designer accessories. Olive was stuck with a tired old pen and a note book, these girls had sparkly pens and brand new note books. One of them brought a lap top even though it was not required. It was a statement to all that looked upon her, that she had lots of money and could drag around a computer needlessly.

'Oh for love of...' Danika muttered 'Would you look at that nonsense.'

She huffed as she watched the woman adjust themselves and fluff their hair, ensuring the view was perfect for the professor.

'I thought this was supposed to be vamp law, not a meat market.'

Olive giggled as she shuffled her books into place. Phabel strolled into the room, calling for everyone to be seated. Danika was impressed when he walked straight past the women and ignored them. Casually, his eyes met with hers and she warned him about them. Danika didn't want any of them getting their claws into him. One day Phabel would be king of the shape shifters and one day, he would have a wife. Much like his mother, the future queen had to be a good woman, she had to be kind to her people and strive for a good life for everyone she loved. Danika doubted that any of the women in the front row could meet those requirements. She doubted that they would even understand the concept of giving back to their people. Her mind lingered with thoughts of how fast they would deplete Phabel's bank account with purchasing clothes and accessories, only the best for their future. Danika couldn't stand the thought of one of them being in such a powerful position, having the ear of the king to whisper all sorts of dastardly things to. There was no way that she wanted any one like them near Phabel. She thought it would be a cold day in hell before she ever accepted any of them if he dared to form a relationship with one of them. He eased the concern in her mind, stating that whilst they might have good looks, they weren't what he would desire for a mate. His eyes shifted to Olive who was writing something on her note book, amid the heads that shifted back and forth he saw her in a flattering blue dress that sat high on her chest.

Again with the shield he thought What was she hiding?

But he didn't care, he could see the outline, he could see her shape. Again he found himself staring at her chest and was suddenly grateful for the lectern. He snapped out of his lustful leering and shuffled through his notes, hoping that distraction would send the thoughts away.

***************************

Olive shifted the weight on her feet, standing in front of the closed door uncomfortably. Her hand was up ready to knock, her books in her other arm, weighted down by them. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her mantra was that she could get through this and not become a teary mess. She could be alone with him in a room that was closed off to the world. As she opened her eyes she saw the door swing open. Phabel stood before her without his jacket or tie, a few buttons opened revealing the chest that she had once touched as they kissed.

'On time, very good Miss Matheson.' he stepped aside and opened the door further 'I am glad that you heeded my words about time management.'

'Yes professor.' she whispered.

The door closed behind her, encasing her into the darkness of his room. She could feel his warmth behind her, she wished he would be more than the professor, for just one moment she would give so much. But it was never going to happen, she had resigned herself to the belief that he did not want her. That he had chosen the rules of the university as an excuse to ignore her and forget the night that he promised her the world. She bit her bottom lip to try and stop it from quivering, trying to refrain from sobbing at his feet and asking him why she was no longer worthy of his love. The courage she held yesterday had gone with the tub of ice cream. Olive didn't want to admit it, given the history of alcohol abuse but she had consumed an entire bottle of red wine. What she had told Danika about studying was in fact a complete lie, she had spent the night completely drunk and sobbing. When she had finished the bottle and stood to throw it in the trash, the world had swayed. Suddenly she could feel her stomach heave and she had barely made it to the bathroom to throw up.

The warmth behind her shifted as he moved away from the door to the window. He opened the shutters allowing the afternoon sun to pour into the room, lighting up the darkened room. The pile of books on the side table was lifted and placed upon one of the chairs.

'There.' he huffed lightly 'Take a seat and uh...'

Phabel turned and saw she was right behind him. She moved so quietly that he hadn't heard a sound. He looked upon her as her eyes were cast down, never meeting his gaze. The dress hugged her torso, showing she was full figured with a tiny frame. He noted there was a tiny lump on her sternum, what looked like a necklace was sitting below the cloth. The material was too thick to see the pendant, he wondered what it was like. Phabel dragged his eyes from her breasts to the skirt of the dress. It was a full skirt that sat just above the knees, showing off her long legs. Legs that he wanted wrapped around him as their naked bodies pressed together.

'Work sheet.' his voice was hoarse.

Olive darted her eyes upwards, noting his gaze was on her body. He scurried off to his desk, fumbling through the drawers. She took the piece of paper from him and said nothing as she sat down on the chair by the window.

Phabel could feel his heart hammering as he watched Olive. She crossed one leg over the other as she tilted her body to the side, writing on the side table. As she did it, the skirt lifted and he could see higher up her skirt. It was only a small amount of her leg, but it was enough to cause him grief. Now he was swamped with thoughts of her. Wishing she would forego her work and saunter over to him, dropping the pretty dress to the ground. He would beg her to stand before him in the laciest of underwear that revealed too much. Of course being the gentleman that he was, he would ensure the door was locked before he teased her out of her underwear. He could imagine her breasts bulging in his hands as he kissed her delicate neck, she looked like she was far more than a handful for him. Slowly he would drag her panties down and put her onto the desk, tempting her with the delights of which she would have never known. He didn't know how many there had been before him but he would out do all of them. The thoughts of her laying back onto his desk, over the papers he was supposed to be reading was a serious turn on for Phabel, he wanted nothing more than to take her right here, right now. A knock on the door roused him from his illicit day dream, the door slowly opened and one pretty green eye peeked around. Phabel darted his eyes to Olive, thinking that Danika might not know she was here. It wasn't beyond Danika to strut in here like she owned the place and call him Phabe. She grinned at him, having heard the thoughts that were screeching at her about remembering where she was. Danika didn't want to point out that she had already dipped into his mind and could easily remind him about how he should remember where he was. Phabel narrowed his eyes as she assuredly strutted over, tossing a piece of paper onto the desk in front of him. Her eyes glanced over at Olive who smiled at her and returned to her work. Danika turned back to Phabel.

'Dirty boy.' she whispered with grin and then sauntered out of the room.