“Sessions were boring without you there today,” Eliana complained. “How did you get Adira to allow you to stay home?”
We both sat at my kitchen table and munched on some afterschool snacks while I listened to how her day had gone. I’d only woken up and showered a few hours ago. However, I felt zero guilt over sleeping in after putting up with a week of regular anger.
“I told her if she said I had to come in, I’d run for the barrier and keep trying to get out until my hair really did fry off.” Grinning, I recalled the brief pause before Adira had surprisingly agreed.
Eliana chuckled and ate another chip.
“I wish I was as brash as you.”
“Brash?”
“Yep. And don’t even try to deny it. You’re passionate about what you think and feel—when you do think, that is—and you don’t let anyone stop you from anything.”
And that kind of stuff always landed me in trouble, but I didn’t point that out to her.
“And if you were more brash, what would you be doing right now?”
“Probably eating something more satisfying than potato chips.”
She sighed.
“So do it,” I said, stealing a chip.
“Right.” She rolled her eyes at me. “We both know it’s not that easy.”
“Why not?”
She gave me an impatient look.
“Okay. Walk up to Oanen and give him the kiss you know you want to plant on him.”
“What? You’re crazy. I don’t want to kiss Oanen.”
She snorted.
“Succubus, remember? I know you’re trying not to have dirty thoughts about him. Why fight it?”
“Because I don’t want to punch him in the face again. Guys tend not to like that.”
“Exactly. Being with someone I don’t really know just so I can feed feels morally wrong. And, I don’t want to feed off someone I do know because I wouldn’t be able to stand their false devotion to me. It’d be like I’d made a slave out of a friend.”
“Fine. No boyfriends for either of us. Just the crappy excuse for junk food we can find at the grocery store.”
We munched for a minute in silence, wasting time until we needed to get ready for the Roost.
“I think he missed you,” she said.
“Who?” I asked. But, I already knew who.
“Oanen.”
“Closed topic or I rescind your afterschool invitation.”
“Fine. Let’s go get ready.”
“Get ready?” I looked down at my jeans and t-shirt and brushed off a few chip crumbs.
“Yeah. I promised Anwen I’d wear the dress she bought me, so we need to look at your closet and figure out what dress you’ll wear.”
I jerked my head up to frown at her.
“I’m not wearing a dress.”
“Please?”
It only took three seconds of staring at her pleading gaze to cave.
“If I end up getting in a fight and exposing myself because of my attire, I’m not going to be very forgiving.”
Eliana grinned widely.
“It’ll be fine. You’re with me. I won’t let you get angry, remember?”
Thirty minutes later, I sat in her car and tugged at my skirt, a gift from my mother from ages ago.
“I look like a hooker.”
“Yep, you do. Maybe this will teach you to do your own shopping.”
As Eliana drove, I glared at the cute little sundress outfit she wore, complete with a tiny jacket. Compared to my black miniskirt and flashy top thingy that looked like a giant mouse had nibbled holes in the stomach and chewed off the shoulder, Eliana looked ready to go to church. I looked ready to be branded with the letter A.
“I still think we should switch,” I said. “This outfit screams succubus.”
“Oh, it screams all right. I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction. This is going to be fun.” She laughed.
“Yeah, for you.”
I zipped up my winter coat and silently swore she’d need to pry it off my cold, dead body.
Eliana pulled up in front of the Roost and parked.
“Why are we here again?” I asked.
“Because you like pissing off Aubrey.”
“Oh, yeah.”
Suddenly the skirt and top didn’t seem as revealing. Getting out of the car, I changed my mind again when a cool breeze brushed way too far up my thighs. We walked toward the door, which Eliana held for me.
“You owe me,” I mumbled under my breath.
I walked inside, head held high and legs exposed from mid-thigh down. The crystals on the strappy sandals on my feet caught the flashing lights on the stage. Tonight they had live singers. The sultry melody tugged at my insides, and I knew they weren’t human.
“Sirens,” Eliana said, answering my questioning look.
“Great.”
I glanced up and caught sight of Oanen and Fenris, talking on the second floor. They stood by one of the tables lining the rail. They already had drinks and company. Aubrey, dressed in a skimpy red tight dress, clung to Fenris’s arm and played with his hair. It didn’t appear that he was enjoying the attention as much as putting up with it. How could Aubrey not see the difference?
“I don’t know how he can stand her,” Eliana whispered.
Behind them, the rest of Fenris’ girls stood in a cluster. None of them approached the trio, but looked at Fenris with longing. After seeing how Aubrey had run them off in the parking lot, I knew she was the one behind their distance.
“She is such a bitch,” I agreed, feeling my anger burst forth even at this distance.
Aubrey stiffened and slowly looked in our direction. Her attention drew the notice of the rest of her group. Her eyes narrowed on us when she realized we’d gained Fenris’ attention when she hadn’t. I grinned and unzipped my coat.
Fenris’ lips moved; and based on Aubrey’s fierce scowl, whatever he’d said had been complimentary to me. Beside me, Eliana let out a small sound of amusement. I ignored her and shrugged out of my outerwear before blowing Aubrey a kiss. She bared her teeth at me and gripped the railing.
“Tonight’s going to be amazing,” I said, glancing at Eliana with a smile.
“Should we dance?”
“Yes. We should.”
Before we turned away from the group above, Oanen’s gaze captured mine. He wasn’t grinning in amusement like Fenris. He watched me with a singular focus that made me wonder if I was in for another one of his “behave, Megan” warnings. Probably. However, I chose to carry on as if I didn’t care. Which I didn’t.
Eliana and I set our things on an unclaimed couch near the dance floor then swayed to the sultry siren songs. Eliana had crazy sexy moves when she let go, which she did in short, infrequent bursts.
“I kinda want to hump your leg when you do that,” I teased.
She blushed red but did it again. We laughed and had a good time until she called it quits because she needed a drink.
“You go on upstairs. I think I’ll avoid that area for a while,” I said.
I sat on our couch and watched her disappear up the stairs. After that, I people watched. Everyone seemed pretty chill; but between one moment and the next, my bitchometer started to spike. It wasn’t the level of anger I got around Aubrey, but it still called my attention.
I looked around the room, zeroing in on the source.
In the back corner, a girl sat alone at a dimly lit table. Her strawberry-blonde hair hung loosely around her face as she stared at the open book before her. She reminded me a bit of Fenris because she was doing her best to ignore the girl standing nearby, talking to her. No. Not talking. Based on the look on the other girl’s face, the girl at the table was being bullied.
I got up and moved closer in an effort to hear what was being said. It sounded like the one standing was trying to get the one sitting to buy her something to eat.
“Hey, guys,” I said. Irritation didn’t require a fist before words, but I wouldn’t be opposed to dishing it out if I thought it warranted.
The hungry girl looked at me, her eyes sweeping me from head to toe.
“Do you mind? It’s my turn with the science project.”
I glanced at the girl who hadn’t looked up at my approach. Her unmoving gaze remained glued to the book.
“Science project?” I asked.
The hungry one sighed. “The human. You must be the new girl. You can have a turn practicing with her when I’m done.”
There were so many levels of “what the hell?” going on in my head I didn’t know how to respond.
“It’s okay,” the girl with the book said, speaking for the first time. “It’s my assigned night. It doesn’t bother me.”
The other girl made a sound of disbelief.
“Of course it doesn’t bother you. It’s the only reason you’re here, human. Now, go order some food so I can try to steal it.”
“I have no money,” the girl pretending to read said without looking up.
“I’m telling Adira you were being uncooperative.”
“Okay.” The reader’s even, uncaring answer made me grin.
While the angry girl stomped off, I sat at the girl’s table.
“Are you going to get in trouble for that?” I asked.
“No. The whole point is that they’re supposed to get me to do what they want. She failed, not me.”
She sounded bored and relaxed, but I knew better. She hunched forward slightly, her shoulders rounded protectively, and she’d yet to move her eyes from the page she’d focused on since I’d arrived.
“You don’t like it here,” I said. “Why don’t you leave?”
“I’m assigned the Roost until eight. My uncle will pick me up then.”
“How does a human get picked for something like this? I thought the only humans in town were the ones married to a non-human.”
“Non-human.” Her lips twitched, but she still didn’t look up. “I like that.”
“Is there something else to call them?”
“Them?” She glanced up at me, her hazel eyes full of amusement and confusion. “You’re one of them.”
I sighed.
“So I’m told.”
“I didn’t get picked. I was—”
“Megan, what are you doing?” Eliana asked, rushing up to the table with two drinks in her hands.
“Talking to—” I glanced toward the girl. “What’s your name?”
“Ashlyn.”
“There you go. I’m talking to Ashlyn.”
“Unless you were assigned a task by Adira, we really shouldn’t be over here,” Eliana said.
A girl, who’d been singing on stage when we walked in, strode by and paused to look at the three of us before her gaze settled on Eliana.
“You can’t really be so desperate that you need to feed from the science project. That’s like sleeping with your pet.” The snide tone of voice and the arched brow the girl gave Eliana had me opening my mouth.
“Wonder what you’ll sound like after I throat punch you.”
She tossed her hair in a huff and moved away from us.
I grinned at Eliana and pointed to the other side of the table. She sighed and took a seat, sliding one of the drinks toward me.
“Sitting here is going to draw attention and trouble,” she warned.
“We both know I’d draw attention and trouble no matter where I sit, but why is this such a big deal?”
“Because any human in the Roost is here for testing. Adira assigns students tasks to complete on the human.”
“Ashlyn,” I said, not liking that Eliana wasn’t using her name.
“No. Not just Ashlyn,” Eliana said. “The humans take shifts. It’s like an afterschool job.”
“The pay sucks,” Ashlyn mumbled.
Eliana looked at Ashlyn, sympathy in her gaze.
“Can I get you anything?” Eliana offered. “Something to eat or drink?”
“Nah, Uncle Trammer will be here soon enough. He’ll have something in the car for me.”
“Trammer is your uncle?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes. That’s why I’m here.”
“All humans are vetted by the human liaison officer to ensure they can be trusted with their assignment,” Eliana said.
“That they can be trusted? What about the people in here? And, are you saying Trammer recruits humans so the upstanding youth of Uttira can test their skills?” I had a hard time believing he would actually do that.
“Pretty much.”
“How many are there?” I asked.
“Five. Three girls and two boys. The other four are the last liaison’s recruits,” Eliana said.
The way she said it rose a red flag for me.
“Last liaison?” I asked.
“My father,” Ashlyn said. “He was killed over a year ago. Uncle Trammer took over his position and brought me along so I wouldn’t be alone.”
“I’m sorry,” I said softly.
“It’s okay. It was an accident. A bar fight between giants. One tripped. My dad didn’t have a chance.”
Our moment of silence was disturbed by the pounding of angry high heels on the wood floor. Eliana reached across the table for my hand before I could look up. It didn’t matter if I saw Aubrey or not. I knew it was her approaching by the feel of my mounting anger, which Eliana did her best to subdue.
“Quit hogging the science experiment’s time,” Aubrey said, stopping at our table. “Those of us who actually have a chance at graduating need the practice.”
I chuckled.
“Oh, Aubrey, we both know your focus isn’t on graduating.”
She leaned in. If not for Eliana’s hand lightly covering both of mine, I would have snapped and laid into Aubrey. As it was, I just sat there, pretending to be calm.
“I know it was you,” she said. “I could smell you on him under the scent of garlic and tomato sauce. He’s mine.”
I glanced beyond her at the red entrance door before meeting her gaze.
“Are you sure? Fenris just slid out the front door with Jenna. Better run.”
She snarled at me before pivoting on her heel and sprinting for the door.
“She’s going to be so pissed when she realizes you lied to her,” Eliana said after the door closed.
“Yeah. Too bad I won’t be there when she realizes it.”
With us at Ashlyn’s table, no one else bugged her. Eliana and I sipped our drinks over the next hour and talked about Aubrey’s obsession with Fenris, my obsession with pissing off Aubrey, and my choice of clothes.
“Those incubi have been watching you for the last fifteen minutes,” Eliana said.
“Me? No. Probably Ashlyn. She’s the primary practice target.”
Ashlyn gave a short laugh.
“I’m not the one showing enough skin to tempt a saint.”
“Speaking of saints, here comes Oanen,” Eliana said.
I turned my head and saw him striding across the room, his gaze locked on me. The long-sleeved pale shirt he wore stood out in the crowd of jewel-toned colors as did the dark jeans hugging his hips. Something in the way he moved and the way he held my gaze made my stomach do a weird dip, and I recalled Eliana’s goading that I should just kiss him already. Now, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Eliana inhaled audibly, and I knew she could taste what was on my mind.
“I’m going to punch you if you open your mouth,” I said softly, without looking at her.
“Ladies,” Oanen said in greeting when he reached us. He focused on me.
“You look nice, Megan.”
“Thanks.” The word didn’t sound thankful though. It carried more of a “shut your face” tone.
He looked at Eliana.
“When you’re ready to leave, can you let me know? A storm’s coming, and I’d rather have a ride tonight.”
“Sure thing, Oanen. We’ll let you know.”
He nodded and walked off again.
“He is so hot,” Ashlyn said. “Too bad griffins never go for humans.”
“They don’t?” I asked, surprised.
“Nope. They watch over humans, but it’s nothing like the protective dedication they give their mates.”
Something thumped under the table, and Ashlyn winced. I looked at Eliana who was giving me a way too innocent look.
“Did you just kick her?”
“Maybe. Wanna dance again?”
I narrowed my eyes at Eliana then looked at Ashlyn, who’d once again picked up her book.
“Fine. Let’s dance.”
But I couldn’t enjoy myself like before. Eliana’s reaction to Ashlyn’s information spill and the way Oanen and Fenris watched us from the second story made me edgy. When my phone beeped, I quickly used it as an excuse to leave the dance floor, alone, and find a quiet corner.
Under the balcony, out of sight of Oanen’s watchful gaze, I read the message from an unknown number.
Meet me out back in ten. Alone. Mom.
