Beth Camper is making sure I do not turn up to Founder's Fest like an idiot. I would gladly prefer to skip the outrageous ceremony since I had woken up with a terrible nightmare. Again.
Beth as usual is chirruping about Asher. Whom she had reconciled with at Solstice, and is currently planning to get dead drunk and shag hell out of him. I roll my eyes, listening with half an ear while she tortures my face with what surprisingly turns out to be skillful makeup.
Founder's Fest was The Academy's annual version of Prom. Beth had gone shopping for our dresses and so my desire to blend in obscurely was swiftly extinguished. My gown literally glittered and screamed "Look at me" even if all I wanted to do was bark "look away". I hiss.
The thing was floor-length and gold, like Midas had sneezed on it. Sequins clung to every inch. The neckline plunged just enough to make me want to fold my arms permanently, while the slit up the side promised I'd either dazzle or trip spectacularly. The back was bare, which sounded glamorous until I realized I'd have to walk around all night feeling like a peeled fruit. And the tulle? Layers of it, puffing slightly at the hem like Beth's final act of revenge against my wish for invisibility.
It had come also with a jewelry set. Ear rings that sparkled like sirens and a bracelet that glittered like handcuffs. I swallowed my protests while Beth carefully braided my hair into a neat, tight bun and blabbed earnestly about the beauty of the dress. Looking at myself in the mirror, I kind of looked less haunted, more normal. Less a hollowed ghost in a hollow town. Inspite of myself, I smiled.
Beth's gown, naturally, was no less a spectacle. Deep emerald green, the kind of shade that made people stop and stare as if money had been spun into fabric. The sleeves hung off her shoulders in a way that was probably called majestic in catalogues but in real life just screamed, bow down, peasants. And the front revealed quite a good deal of white, cold breasts.
I watched her twirl several times in front of the mirror, her face broad as a table.
"Perfect day. Perfect dresses" She smiled.
Something flashed in front of my eyes then. A woman. Moira Files. The words "Stay Close to the Vampire". I stiffened, feeling a shift in the air as the vision cleared . God. Not today please. My face twisted into a frown.
"What is it, Night" Beth asked, her eyes roaming all over me in unconcealed disgust.
"I don't think m feeling so well" I managed to say "Is it possible to skip the festival?" An idiotic question really but my head was throbbing and my nose twitching as if I could sniff doom from afar.
Beth paused mid twirl.
"Skip Founder's Fest?" She echoed, her eyes narrowing . "What's next? Skip being alive? Skip existing?"
I pressed my hands flat against the dresser, trying to will away the stern crisp face of Moira Files and her words burning it's way into my brain. Stay Close to the Vampire. Which one?. My roomie, Beth Camper - vampire. My Founder's Fest date, Alex Camper - also a vampire. God. Pick your poison. I desperately thought of taking a deep nap instead , if I wouldn't be clawed dead by the fretful creatures in my recent nightmares.
"I'm serious" I said sullenly.
"Yes" Beth rolled her eyes "You are always serious. Serious about being miserable. Serious about ruining perfectly good nights. Serious about sniffing death in every angle. Serious about..."
A knock on the door swallowed the rest of the speech. Our dates were here. I swallowed hard, biting my lips.
"Well, " Beth continued in a more vivacious quiet tone "We should not keep the gentlemen waiting. And don't look at me like I should shove a fist into your face. " She licked her lips with a grin "We are so going to rock this party , Night Carter "
I let her half drag me to the door where Asher and Alex stood expectantly, all dressed in black, sharp suits and wearing broad grins that stretched too wide on their expectant faces. I watched Beth slide wordlessly into Asher's arms while I shuffled my feet awkwardly and stared at Alex.
"You look .... stunning " He stammered but his eyes boldly darted across my body, appraising every inch. I smiled, he was definitely looking as breath taking as ever and if I could swallow this hanging sense of gloom, I could definitely enjoy the festivities.
"Loose it all in the wine" Beth whispered in my ears "I am very much grateful to you for bringing my brother from his coffin like solitude. "
"Martinelli or Brantley" I asked back in a quieter whisper. Beth was an expert in wines of various intoxicating levels.
"Martinelli" She smiles "One shot and you would loose those luckless apparitions. " She adds smugly "And please, loose that frightfully outdated virginity tonight"
I punch her lightly on the shoulders and then she waltz off gracefully with Asher.
As Alex and I walked , I caught another chill. The words dangled once more in my brain. Stay Close to the Vampire.
God. What more horrors did The Academy have in store for me.
___
The spacious ballroom had been dismembered and resurrected under a thousand fairy lights, each bulb buzzing like a nervous insect.
Music throbbed from the speakers, loud enough to rattle my ribs. Some syrupy pop anthem about eternal love and never letting go, which made me want to let go of my eardrums permanently. The floor was already crowded, a sea of satin, sequins, hairspray, and hormones colliding under the disco ball. Laughter ricocheted, shoes squeaked against the polished wood, perfume and cologne tangled thick in the air until I felt drunk on other people's enthusiasm.
Beth fit right in. She glided onto the dance floor with Asher like it had been built for her, emerald gown fanning out in smug perfection.
"Goody no dates?" I stiffened as a breath kissed my neck. Alex Camper had gone to get me a third shot of Martinelli. I was already dead drunk, even if I was standing quite alright. My head burned and the lights were like a threat to my eyes but there was no mistaking that cold , goosebump-bringing too close breath.
Jordan Files.
The breath is closer this time "We could ditch this ridiculous teenage dance thing and scout off for better fun."
"Tempting " I turned to face Jordan Files. Okay, yes he looks criminally good in a tux . But hell no, I won't tell him that "But no.".
His ice eyes flutter appraisingly over my dress. "You look wonderful. " He leans closer "You would look more wonderful....in bed with me..." He adds cockily "Naked."
"Yes" I say drily "Fortunately, this version of wonderful will do "
"You don't know what you are missing" He smirks.
My voice is flat. "I do know that you shouldn't be here, Jordan."
His voice has that bogus grating pomposity "And where on earth should I be? "
"Perhaps besides Minata Straus" I suggest.
"Who is seated calmly at the back " He draws closer, too close. His mouth kisses my ear in a whisper "Admiring how perfectly we fit."
I turn. Yes, Minata Straus is seated a few feets behind me beside Ginger but there's nothing calm about the way her eyes are drilling holes into mine and how she looks like she wants to wring my neck. I shudder.
"Plotting my demise no doubt" I wince, facing Jordan.
He grins "I wish. Then I could save your helpless ass" To my chagrin, he adds "Again."
"What would I ever do without you" I grit my teeth.
His tongue grazes my neck. Goosebumps rake my skin. Oh no, not here, please. My stomach does that treacherous backflip and my heart is beating at an alarming rate "Think of the things you could do with me."
"Eat dead bodies for breakfast?" My throat is parched.
"Funny" He snorts "How about dinner at my place, and then I eat you up for dinner ." He gives a low wolfish growl.
"I prefer staying alive". My voice is ice but heat build up between my thighs.
"Meet me at the hallway" His voice is low. Husky. Tempting. I swallow. "We could do what other students plan to do after this wretched dance and if you are good "His whisper stings "I could take you hunting in the woods. Tonight."
"Tempting " I scoff . "But fortunately I am with someone who doesn't have lewd shrewd plans. "
"Alex Camper " His voice is dry. "Who's as boring as a blade of glass. " His hands grab my waist in the rhythm of the music blasting "The hallway. I will be waiting. "
"You can as well wait till you die" I smirk resolutely. Even if my body felt like detaching and going with him. Even if his hand on my waist was cooking up fantasies in my stupid head. Even if my thighs felt like they were on fire. Even if...
Jordan's hand wanders to the bareness of my back and his lips meet my ears in a soft slow kiss "I will wait for you"
I hissed but the retort died in my throat when I found myself alone. Jordan Files had disappeared. My throat burned.
"Sorry I took so long " Alex Camper said breathlessly, shoving a glass of Martinelli beneath my nose. I grabbed it tongue tied, my mind distracted, my body tortured.
I drowned my drink in one gulp while Alex chattered on , my ears itching for a grating arrogant note instead. A few feet away from us, Beth danced gracefully with Asher.
Something blazed within my stomach. Hunger. Of a claw kind. I could take it no longer.
"Excuse me for a sec" I protested flatly to Alex. I grabbed my stomach in a fit of feigned pain "I think I ....uhm....."
Leaving my sentence unfinished, I sauntered off, drunk and resolute all the way down to the hallway.