Blood Ties (Book 3 of The Blood Bond Series)

20. Possess

They stood in front of the registrar at UCLA. The line to speak with the man whose last name was Cummings had been short, but he had a stern look on his face, though his voice was as meek as a librarian's. His bald pate didn't help matters as it shone brightly from the recessed lights in the ceiling.

"The good news is that all your credits are being transferred for next semester, Ms. Swain. The bad news is that since we have no way of knowing what musicals or plays you have performed, so unless you can get a video copy of them, you'll have to start from scratch here. That means one performance for fall semester and one for spring, plus you'll probably have to sign up for one of our summer programs. It's kind of like summer stock, though it has both a children's program for the kids in summer camps and one for the adults. You can pick and choose, though its more difficult to get an adult show part. You may want to start with the kid's programming. Just a thought."

He looked up at them both, gaze lingering between Quinn and Adam. He studied them as if he was trying to figure out their relationship, but as far as Quinn was concerned, it was none of the man's business, though there were other younger folk in the room that were staring at them as well.

"She's my girlfriend," Adam blurted out, loud enough to cause a hush to fall inside the office. He looked behind him, and immediately four or five young men who had been staring turned away from his calculating glower. After a moment, he turned back to Cummings, who blinked once before his eyes dropped to the piece of paper he was holding in his hands. They shook, but Adam didn't think that it was from nerves. He thought the man had a drinking problem. An employee from his office had acted the same, always trembling and sometimes sweating like the man was until he'd gone to rehab about five years prior.

Everyone was silent but for Mr. Cummings, who gave them both a tight smile and spoke. "You're a lucky young man, Mr. Payne. A lucky man indeed, and with a very talented partner. NYU has a stellar reputation in the dramatic arts, right up there with Julliard and The Curtis Institute." He turned to look at Quinn, who was wide-eyed and silent. "There are orientations mid-August for the Fall session, and they do dance, singing, and oration auditions the week after that. Most newcomers are made to live in the dorms, but since you're a transfer, you don't have to, though there's plenty of room if you wish to."

"She lives with me." Adam's voice was tight. "If she doesn't need to be housed in the dorms, then she won't be, right love?"

Quinn's taut face softened, and a quick smile even out into slight dimples. "I'm new to the area, Mr. Cummings. I think I'd get slightly more acclimated to living on the West Coast if I stayed where I was at the moment. I do plan on taking some maps of the campus home with me and studying them when I get my schedule. NYU owns so many buildings in the city these days that it was like a maze those first few weeks."

She seemed to relax while speaking, and it was partially due to Adam's hand as he softly brushed it up and down her back in a soothing pattern. Something felt right in the way he touched her, like that first warm step into a hot tub, sinking in toes-first until your whole body was inundated in heat, making you feel warm and gooey.

"Oh, I could imagine, Quinn. I went there a few times and ended up going across the Tappan Zee bridge by accident and getting caught in traffic around the beginning of some new play that was being put on all in the same day. Premier night too. It was a nightmare. How you got around in that town is beyond me."

Quinn grinned, her lips twitching. "If you think that's bad, never go to Washington D.C. It's a complete clusterfu—I mean, a complete nightmare." Her cheeks flushed, and Cumming's usually stern demeanor melted a little.

"Well, we look forward to having you next semester. With any luck, you'll be able to graduate a half a year ahead of everyone else. Not to worry, though. You'll still make commencement if you wish to."