Monsters Like Us (Book 1 in The Huntress Series)

Chapter Four

Oceania, one of the five-star restaurants at Luxe Resort, was packed. It was 8:30pm and already dark, the outline of the room barely visible in the low lighting. Luz and Levi were seated at a booth, tucked into an intimate corner of the restaurant. It felt romantic, which made Luz feel awkward, more awkward than she usually felt. Mostly she wasn't sure what to do with her hands. She kept fidgeting, placing them on the table and then folding them in her lap, and she was very aware of him watching her, studying her as if she were of great interest to him. It made her feel like a specimen on display.

They had barely talked, and Luz wondered if Levi even wanted to be there with her at all. He had picked her up from her villa, walked with her to the restaurant, complimented her sparkly silver dress, but then they walked the rest of the way in silence. They reached the restaurant in silence, they were seated at their table in silence, and they ordered in silence. Inside her head, she grumbled at Nerilla for arranging this date—or whatever it was—in the first place.

Levi cleared his throat, and Luz thought he was about to say something, but then the waitress sidled up to the table and set down their food, a steak and baked potato for Levi and ratatouille with wild rice for Luz. Was this a date? Did this qualify as her first date ever? No, this was just having dinner with a new friend, and nothing more, and as soon as she could get Levi out of her hair, she would. No matter how gorgeous he was.

Levi shot her a shy smile. When he cut into his steak, pink blood ran in a stream across his plate. Luz felt her stomach churn. "So, aren't you a little young to be somebody's personal assistant?" Levi pointed out before bringing a square to his full lips and chewing thoughtfully.

"I'm seventeen. Eighteen in a few months," Luz replied indignantly, sitting taller.

"Yeah, so shouldn't you be working at a fast-food joint or at like, I don't know, your local mall?" Levi prodded. "Don't you go to class?"

"I'm already finished with school," Luz informed him matter of fact. She took a sip of her iced tea, the melting ice shifting at the bottom of her glass. "Homeschool," she clarified.

Levi cocked a brow. "Hey, I was homeschooled, too."

"No way! Really?"

"I had a tutor. Her name was Mrs. Uhlmann. She was insanely strict, used to paddle us if we didn't finish our homework on time."

"I hope your parents reported her," Luz said, a bad taste in her mouth. She took the first bite of her ratatouille, and then two more. Her eyes widened. Oh, my God. This is amazing. "Because... mmm, so good... that's abuse."

A dark shadow crossed his face. "Trust me, she was the lesser of two evils."

Curiosity bit. Unable to help herself, she asked, "So, you're here with family? What are they like?"

Levi considered his answer. "Eccentric."

"Eccentric how?"

"We travel a lot. Never stay in one place for too long. My parents consider themselves nomads. They're richer than God, so they do whatever the hell they want. They don't like to put down roots. Anywhere."

"Oh, sounds hard... to adjust, I mean. Especially for a child."

Levi shrugged again, like it didn't bother him. "Yeah," was all he said.

Hoping to lighten the mood, Luz thought of a new question. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Levi's eyes sharpened like daggers. "I had a brother." He paused a moment, jaw tightening. "But he was killed a long time ago."