Teacher's Pet

[Delilah]

I knew he might have been there to bait me the moment I sensed him in that bar three weeks ago. Seeing him here today confirms it.

Someone is trying to set me up and they are using this sweet child to trap me.

I should have never approached him that night. But a virgin as pure as him is so rare I had to be the first to sample him, to drink from his essence. It had been so long since I had a proper meal, and it didn't hurt that he was also devastatingly beautiful. Angelic almist. My kind cannot resist something so fresh and pure. Whoever put him on my path did so knowing that I would be come weak in his presence, drawn to his inner light. It is in our nature to find, claim, seduce, and corrupt it thoroughly.

He still smells delightfully fresh. He hasn’t had anyone else since our encounter. How did someone as sweet and pure as he is make it this long in the world without being preyed upon? The taste of his emotions in the air is like pure ambrosia.

Breathing in deeply I inhale just a touch of his life force, signaling the release of my pheromones, an evolutionary advantage that helps me calm my prey before devouring their souls completely. I can sense his heartbeat slow to match my own.

But just because he seems so innocent doesn't mean he isn't in on whatever plan is underway. I refuse to believe this is a coincidence. Even the fates of old were rarely this cruel.

“Are you going to tell me how you found me or will I need to torture it out of you?” I interrogate him.

“I…I… think you might have me mistaken for someone else. I," he stutters. "I don't know what is going on here."

"I remember exactly who you are," I confront him. "It was only three weeks ago. Did you and your friends think I would forget?" I pause to see his reaction. His eyes are wide with fear. Good. He should be terrified of me. "My question still stands.  HOW. DID. YOU. FIND. ME?” I punctuate each word with a sharp poke to the chest.

“I don’t know what you are talking about!” he starts to panic. "Yes, I remember you from three weeks ago but what are the odds that some hook-up from Sacramento would also be here in Santa Cruz?" he is starting to hyperventilate as he struggles to explain himself.  “I had no idea you’d be my professor when I signed up for classes. How could I, I didn't even know your name?"

I can smell the truth in his words. If he were lying, I'd taste it in his fear.

Which means this poor, innocent boy is telling the truth.

"I was starting to think I had hallucinated you," he tries to laugh but it sounds more like a choke. "I've been seeing you everywhere in my mind. I thought I was going crazy when I arrived today and saw it was you. Do you honestly think I would have signed up for this class if I knew you were the one teaching it?”

Taking a step back, I help smooth out his clothes. Keeping a professional distance I take a deep breath. He starts to calm down visibly as I move to sit behind my desk.

“I’m sorry, Sammy, I misjudged you,” I apologize. “It seems that your being in my class is purely coincidental. I’m sure you can understand why I'd be skeptical," I raise an eyebrow at him, attempting to ease some of the tension in the room. "I was more than a little surprised to see you were in my class this morning. As you can imagine, it would cause quite a few problems to have someone that I have had…relations with as one of the students in my class. It would be considered, at the very least…unethical."

He gulps, still shaking a bit from the intensity of the moment before, but then nods in understanding.

"If you would prefer, you can drop my class, maybe pick up another elective."

"This isn't an elective," he swallows. "I'm pursuing a degree in Ancient Greek History with a minor in Mythology."

I open up my student records, pulling a pair of glasses out of my desk drawer, I flip through them until I find his name. “It says here that this is one of the classes you need for your major.”

He nods slowly.

“Unfortunate,” I shake my head. "I only offer this class once every other year. Unless Professor Balthazar offers it again this spring, but the last I heard he might be retiring." I muse, shaking my head. "Pity."

His face loses all its color. "But I need THIS class to advance to my next Greek History class. What am I going to do?"

"A lot of students stay for a fifth year," I suggest. "It isn't unusual to be stuck waiting for an essential class."

"But I'm here on an academic scholarship!" He starts to hyperventilate again. "I NEED this class. I don't have enough money to pay for a fifth year. I won't tell anyone," he begs. "I've wanted this so badly for years now. This is my shot at pursuing my dream."

I continue to look through my file and pause when I come across a piece of paper I had signed yesterday without paying much attention to it. Not that it would have mattered, I didn't know his name at the time.

"It looks like we have another problem here as well," I shake my head. "I am fine keeping you in my class this trimester as long as we keep our distance from one another, it shouldn't be a problem."

He relaxes, a bit, slumping against the wall.

"However," I pick up a piece of paper and hold it aloft for him to see. "According to this, as a piece of paper, you are also required to have a TA position with the head of your department as an internship to supplement your financial aid."

He blinks at me, confused.

"I just happen to be the head of the History Department, Sammy," I clarify. "Which means, like it or not, you'll be working directly under me, not just this trimester, but for the rest of your time here at school."