Double Take

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Book Details

  Double Take

  About the Author

  J.K. Pendragon

  Double Take

  Studying magical science at the prestigious Kemet Academy is a privilege and dream come true for Teka, a poor student from D'mt. But focusing on school doesn't mean xe can't also admire Hasani, the handsome graduate student overseeing Teka's work.

  Then late one night at the school library, Teka runs into Hasani and is completely astonished when the stern, quiet man xe knows by day acts so flirty and casual, it's like he's a different person. When the late night encounter leads to dating, Teka can scarcely believe xyr luck.

  But the luck plays out when xe discovers why Hasani seems so different between night and day, a discovery that seems to have no resolution except heartache...

  Book Details

  Double Take

  By J.K. Pendragon

  Published by Less Than Three Press LLC

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.

  Edited by Michelle Kelley

  Cover designed by Aisha Akeju

  This book is a work of fiction and all names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

  First Edition January 2015

  Copyright © 2015 by J.K. Pendragon

  Printed in the United States of America

  Digital ISBN 9781620044780

  Double Take

  Hasani looked like a pharaoh. Like one of the beautiful statues that peppered the city in museums and landmarks, of pharaohs and the highborn lords of ancient Kemet. Teka knew that the ancient pharaohs probably hadn't actually looked like that. The sculptors had taken artistic liberties, aiming for an exaggerated aesthetic that didn't exist. But Hasani, Teka thought, with his aquiline nose, full lips and big, beautiful dark eyes, was exactly the aesthetic those sculptors had been looking for so many years ago.

  "Why are you so nervous?" Maek tapped Teka with a long finger, leaning over to peer at xyr work. "You'll do fine."

  "Oh, I know I'll do fine." Teka pouted, sneaking another glance over at the laboratory tables. Hasani was walking amongst the students and checking on their progress. "It's not about that, and you know it."

  Maek smirked. "You should not let a little crush get in the way of your work, Teka. What if you are so flustered you can't even talk about it?"

  "Don't even say that!" Teka took a deep breath and looked away from Hasani, determined to focus on xyr work until it came time for the assessment. "My work comes first, and I will certainly not let a silly crush get in the way of that."

  "Okay." Maek gave another smirk and turned back to her own project. "You are so serious, Teka, you don't know when I'm joking."

  "Well, it is important to me," said Teka, refocusing xyr attention to the slab of dark flesh laid out on the tablet in front of xem. Xe reached for a probe and touched a finger to the concave end, testing the conduction. "I still can't believe how much synth-flesh we are allowed access to here. You know, at the university in my hometown we were only allowed five cases a year. We used to fight over them, and we paid the first-year students to catch rats for us to practice on."

  Xe glanced at Maek, who was making a mildly disgusted face. "You know, sometimes I do not know if you're joking or not."

  "I'm telling the truth," Teka insisted. "You don't believe me?"

  "No!" laughed Maek. "You cannot test human body magic on rats; the bodily structure would be too different—"

  "Yes, of course, we took that into account."

  Maek was still laughing. "No, I don't believe you."

  "Undergraduate Mesfin?"

  Teka gulped, and turned from where xe had been giggling with Maek, to look up at Hasani. "Yes, Graduate Hasani?"

  Hasani peered over Teka's shoulder to look at the slab of synth-flesh on the desk. "Are you prepared for your assessment?" he asked. "The flesh still appears damaged."

  Teka felt xyr heart rate increase a little, although xe didn't know if it was because of Hasani's presence, or his words.

  "I was just about to begin the process," Teka said, swallowing. Xe set the probe down and reached for xyr pen. Probe test complete, xe wrote, conduction good. "If you'd like to observe."

  "Gladly." Hasani pulled a pair of spectacles from around his neck and perched them on his nose. "Proceed."

  Teka took a deep breath and picked up the probe once again. Xe touched a finger to the concave end and with xyr gloved left hand, and reached to where the synth-flesh had a large, diagonal cut. Xe pulled the cut open and touched the probe to the flesh, channelling xyr magic into the probe and down to the end. Slowly, with much concentration on Teka's part, the flesh began to knit back together.

  As usual, Teka had to fight the temptation to throw away the probe and finish the job on instinct. It would be no problem. Xe could have the wound closed and good as new in much less time. But this was an easy project, a simple wound, and a failed attempt would not be the end of the world. Teka was studying for more complex projects that would have much more at stake. In those cases, instinct just wouldn't do. So xe'd made peace with the probe. Learned to use it. Learned to record xyr work meticulously and memorized every aspect of how human flesh was structured. And, xe had to admit, xe was pretty good at it.

  Hasani seemed to agree. When Teka finished and set down the probe, reaching for xyr pen to record the results, Hasani leaned forward to inspect the flesh. "Good," he said. "No scarring, minimal magical residue. You could work on your grip a little."

  "I know," said Teka, chagrined.

  "Well then." Hasani stood. "Time for your assessment. Bring your work with you." He nodded at Teka's papers. "I'd like to look them over." He turned and headed towards the office. Teka hurriedly scooped up xyr papers, and with a nervous look at Maek, followed.

  Hasani wasn't a professor. He was only a graduate student, a few years above Teka, and as such in charge of assessing and supervising the new students. He and Teka sat across from each other at the large wooden desk, and Hasani flipped through Teka's notes. "Good, good," he said. "There are a few idiosyncrasies here: your symbol use is archaic, but I take it that's how you were instructed. I shall correct your usage for you, and hand the notes back to you tomorrow. Now." He put the notes to the side and removed his glasses, setting them on the table in front of him.

  Teka attempted to keep from fidgeting. Xe'd never been good at interviews, preferring to work in private and submit xyr work in writing. It wasn't that xe was shy or introverted. It was just the cold, clinical style of interrogation so present in academic study put xem off. Teka wished this wasn't the first real conversation that xe'd had with Hasani. Xe liked him quite a bit, and was sure to make a fool of xemself now.

  "You are a transfer student," said Hasani, and Teka nodded. "From the Bedena School of Magical Practice in D'mt. It's a small university."

  "Well, yes," said Teka, "but it's our only magical university. My father is a professor there."

  "Did he assist in getting you your scholarship here?"

  Teka shook xyr head firmly. "No, I earned it myself. I performed a complex magical shift on myself that impressed the heads." Xe smiled a little.

  "Yes, you turned your hair blue." Hasani pursed his lips and gave Teka's hair a long-suffering look. It was Teka's pride and joy, and xe'd wanted it since xe was a child. Unnatural hair colours were forbidden at the Kemet Academy, but since the hair was now technically Teka's "natural" colour, there was nothing they could do about it. Besides, Teka always styled it meticulously, teasing and brai
ding the tight wiry curls into stylish shapes. Right now, it was braided tight on the sides and arranged in glossy azure curls on the top. Hasani did not look impressed. "And I understand you performed some rather less clinical magical shifts on yourself as a child, which is what initially revealed your strong magical tendencies."

  "Yes," said Teka, a little uncertain. Xe didn't know why Hasani had to make everything sound so complicated. Teka was a scientist, not a wordsmith. "When I was twelve I got into my father's magical equipment and messed with my hormones. My estrogen and testosterone are between the average male and female levels now."

  "That must be difficult," said Hasani. "I'm sorry."

  "Don't be sorry, I did it on purpose."

  That got Hasani's attention. He blinked his large black eyes a few times and leaned closer. "You did? Why would you do something like that?"

  "Because it's what I wanted," said Teka. "I'd researched lots for it; I knew how the body's endocrine system worked, and I wanted to make myself… more in line with how I saw myself."

  "So you broke into your father's equipment and did so."

  "Yes." Teka grimaced a little. "It was very stupid. I could have killed myself, or caused permanent damage."

  "Indeed. It is, however, very impressive that you succeeded."

  "That's why I'm here." Teka smiled. Xe liked knowing that Hasani was impressed. Xe honestly had no idea why xe was so attracted to Hasani. He was beautiful, yes, but it was also more than that. Maybe it was because, subconsciously, xe could tell that Hasani liked xem too? No, that was probably wishful thinking.

  "So," Hasani said, placing a finger to his lips. "You changed your body's hormonal make-up. That explains why you have breasts, but a man's voice."

  "Er, yes," said Teka.

  "What sex were you originally?"

  Teka sighed, annoyed. Yes, everyone always wanted to know that. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel that's anyone's business but my own," xe said, a bit shortly. Well, there went all xyr chances with Hasani.

  "It's merely a scientific enquiry," replied Hasani, his eyes sharp. Why was it that Teka had liked him again?

  "I didn't realize I was a subject of study," Teka snapped back, and Hasani sat back in his seat, looking chagrined.

  "You're right," he said. "I'm sorry for asking that."

  "It's alright." Teka sighed. Xe couldn't really be too upset with Hasani. People asked all the time. "I'm used to it."

  "I'm sorry," said Hasani again, clearing his throat. "Well, I feel this conversation has become a little more informal than is appropriate."

  "Well," said Teka. "Perhaps we can continue it in a more informal setting."

  Hasani looked confused. He leaned back over the table. "I'm sorry, but did I not just insult you?"

  "You offended me," said Teka. "I'll give you a few strikes."

  Then, something wonderful happened. Hasani swallowed, and his dark eyes darted away from Teka as he reached up to loosen the tight collar of his uniform robe. "I…" he said. "I shall have to think about it."

  Teka struggled to remain professional, despite the dance of joy that was occurring in xyr head. "Alright. And what about my assessment?"

  Hasani straightened. "Your work is very good," he said. "Your transfer grades are excellent, and I can see that you are continuing that standard of excellence at our institution. If you are willing to commit to continuing such performance, I see no reason why your scholarship should be questioned."

  Teka felt a wash of relief flow through xem. Xe hadn't even realized that xe'd been so nervous. Xe loved D'mt, xe missed xyr father and classmates, and the old ratty campus of xyr university. But Kemet Academy was the opportunity of a lifetime, and xe wasn't going to squander it. "Thank you, Graduate Hasani," xe said, standing and bowing over the shiny black wood of the desk.

  "Hasani is fine," said Hasani with a small smile. "Please return to your classmates. I will contact you tomorrow to return your work and get back to you about your…" he paused, looking nervous again for a second, "offer."

  Teka couldn't help grinning as xe returned to the laboratory.

  "How did it go?" Maek asked as xe sat back down next to her. "You look happy."

  "I am over the moon," Teka informed her. "My scholarship is secure, and…" Xe leaned forward to whisper to Maek as Hasani re-entered the room. "I may have a date with Graduate Hasani!"

  *~*~*

  Teka sighed happily, taking a break in xyr reading to look up at the stars above the vaulted glass ceiling of the library. It was getting late, and the words on the page were beginning to blur, but xe didn't want to leave yet. For one thing, Maek had her lady friend over for the night, and while they would probably be asleep by now, Teka didn't want to risk it. And, even more so, Teka didn't want to leave the beautiful library, or lose one moment to sleep. Xe was reading a historical novel set in ancient Kemet (that was another thing—these nights in the library were the only time xe got to read fiction) and pondering how xe could feel such desire to stay in Kemet forever, and still miss D'mt so much.

  Of course Teka knew xe would return to D'mt one day. Xe wanted to. D'mt was a poor country, with too few doctors and barely any resources for people like Teka and Maek, people born one sex, but identifying as another. Maek was from Kemet. Her parents were wealthy. She'd seen doctors and magical surgeons from a young age and had her body changed professionally and safely before puberty, not the desperate way Teka had had to do it. There was no one in D'mt to perform those surgeries, not at a price xyr family had ever been able to afford, and Teka wanted to change that. Xe wanted to be that person.

  But that didn't mean xe couldn't enjoy xyr time in Kemet as much as possible while xe was there. It all felt like a dream in some ways, the beautiful campus and luxurious dorms, and the grand, sprawling city with its white marble buildings and golden statues. But the university library was Teka's favourite. It was built of white marble, with stones of all colours inlaid into the floor and high columns. The bookshelves spanned in every direction like a city, concealing all manner of nooks and crannies, perfect for hiding away with a book. There were rooms and rooms of ancient scrolls, and newer books on science and philosophy and the history of magic. Teka had always had a penchant for fiction, though. Even though xe knew it wasn't scholarly, xe couldn't help but escape into a book every now and then.

  Teka rubbed xyr eyes and reached over to turn the dial on xyr lamp up a little, determined to finish at least a few more chapters tonight. Xe was reading again, interested in the narrative, but beginning to trip a little over the long, convoluted descriptions, when xe realized that the strange music xe thought had been playing in xyr head wasn't imaginary at all, but real, although quiet. Xe listened again, trying to catch the melody, but it was just a little too low to make out. Every now and then xe would pick up a few notes, and then it would die down again. It was beautiful, but frustrating, and soon Teka had set xyr book down next to the lamp and gotten up out of the far-too-comfortable sitting chair to go in search of the music.

  It was some sort of wind instrument, the sound low and haunting, sometimes flaring up to a high sweet pining, and then ducking down into a breathy sorrowful sigh. Teka wasn't sure if the song was rehearsed, or if the musician was improvising. Either way, it was beautiful. Xe walked past several high book cases, finally following the sound out into a courtyard. There was a warm night wind rustling the fronds of the palm trees, and the sound of the flute swirled up over the low trickling of a fountain. Teka stepped off the marble onto the packed dust of the ground and turned the corner towards the fountain.

  A man was leaning against the fountain, a long wooden flute held to his mouth as he played. He was wearing the uniform of a graduate student, although the collar was quite a bit looser than regulation. He didn't notice Teka at first, and Teka was able to get close enough to recognize him before he stopped playing.

  "Hasani?"

  Hasani looked up, and a warm smile crossed his features. He lowered the flute and nodded at Teka
. "Oh, hello. Teka, right?"

  Teka couldn't help but smile back. "That's my given name, yes."

  "I see you sometimes in the library," said Hasani. His long fingers moved gracefully over the holes in his flute, even as he spoke to Teka. "What are you always reading?"

  "Oh." Teka blushed a bit. Hasani probably wouldn't approve of xem reading fiction. But he seemed different right now, less affected and more warm, and Teka thought maybe he wouldn't judge xem too harshly. "Just historical fiction. Epics."

  "I like those too," said Hasani. "I used to read them as a child." He brought the flute back to his lips, and began to play again, picking up where he had left off. He nodded towards the edge of the fountain that he was leaning against, inviting Teka to sit with him. Teka obliged, sitting next to him and watching his fingers flit over the flute.

  "You're very good," xe said after a moment. "What instrument is that?"

  "A ney," replied Hasani as he paused for breath. "It's an Arabian instrument." He smiled at Teka again. "Do you play anything?"

  "Nothing," admitted Teka. "I'd like to learn, but I'm afraid I am tone deaf. I enjoy listening very much, though."

  "Good," responded Hasani. "I enjoy playing for people."

  He continued to play, moving through styles and melodies. Every now and then, he caught Teka's gaze and smiled at xem with his eyes. Teka sat, swaying a little and enjoying the music. "You look tired," Hasani remarked after a spell, leaning over a little to peer at Teka. "Why aren't you in bed at this hour?"

  "I could ask you the same," said Teka with a sleepy smile. "My roommate has a friend over."

  "Ah." Hasani laughed. "My roommate never has friends over, but his presence alone is enough to deter me from spending any more time than necessary in my room. But..." He paused to stand, pulling Teka to xyr feet. "I think at this point we are likely the only two souls left awake on the campus, so I think that it will be safe for us to return to our rooms." Their faces became very close as Teka stood, and Hasani looked at Teka with a golden twinkle in his dark eyes. "Will I see you here again?"