I wake to the sound of running water and a blazing headache in my head. I sit up in a confused daze because this vast, extravagant Porsche little room is not the boring almost colourless room I share with Beth Camper.
And the bright blue shorts and oversized shirt is definitely not the sequinned gown I remember wearing to Founder's Fest.
Where on earth am I?.
My eyes roam the room ... Bright walls. A tall, shiny half open wardrobe . A broad couch. Purple curtains draped over windows that prevent me from figuring out if it's night or day. Sneakers stacked high in a shoe rack. And a portrait of a football club on a wall.
Definitely a boy's room.
My curiosity heightens to panic. My hand touch my care free flowing hair which I remember Beth binding neatly while she dressed me up. Its disheveled now. I freeze.
Okay, I remember Beth telling me in a whisper to loose that frightfully outdated virginity of mine. I remember taking three glasses of Martinelli. I remember a face. Alex Camper. My Founder's Fest date.
"Yes, you lost it last night" The gratingly arrogant and over familiar voice that speaks suddenly definitely is not Alex Camper's.
My throat burns.
Jordan Files is perched at the doorway with a stupid smile on his stupid face.
"Lost what" I snap flatly, my face turning crimson. Yes, his irritating ability to read my mind completely irks me.
"You know what " His smile is a smirk now and yes, this perfectly grating cynism is enough to make my blood boil.
I climb down from the bed in a bold show to mask my burning embarrassment because somehow scraps of last night is slowly drifting to my head. A dim lit hallway. A convenient table. Lips on mine. Naked thighs bustling. A painful sensation while I bled out my restraint. A face. Frozen eyes. Jordan Files .
"What happened last night" I begin seriously, "Was....".
"Was what?" In a flash Jordan is at my side. Too close. His mouth is only a half inch away from mine. I take a step back but even my legs are not mine anymore. I wobble unsteadily, almost trip and then his arms come to my rescue.
Idiot, I whimper to myself. This is the part where I shouldn't flinch and falter like a fool while I shroud my big embarrassment in a last minute dignifying speech. Yes, is that not the right way to end a thoughtless drunk one night stand.
"Don't fool yourself, Night" Jordan's voice is sleek. "That shit wasn't a one night stand ".
"I wish you could practice your Mindcraft on someone else" I say flatly, resisting the urge to throttle him.
"Too bad I got no one else to dazzle " His lips touch my ears. Goosebumps shoot up to my spine.
No. No. Night Carter. Dont make a bigger mess of yourself. Even if my thighs are preaching a different sermon.
"A pity " I shrug listlessly then close my eyes and inhale. By the time I exhale and open them, Jordan is seated relaxedly on the broad sofa. In furious strides, I march over to him. "Jordan Files, what happened last night was a mistake. Blame it on the glasses of Martinelli. .."
"Yes" Jordan says dryly "Definitely boosted your confidence. My God, you were riding me like a pro ".
"Shut it" My hands fly over to his mouth in a quivering leap. My voice is a furious flare "Shut it before I do something tragic"
"How tragic" He winks, getting up in a flash and pinning me in one swift motion to the wall.
It is not supposed to be tantalizing but somehow it is. His hands are on mine and his mouth is only a kiss away. Shit. My body is a remorseless traitor. Why on Earth does he look so criminally handsome this close. And those eyes.... So dreamy.... So flawlessly annoyingly radiant. Frost. And yes I am somehow a couple of touches away from being wet in a place I shouldn't. My thighs burn.
"This tragic?" He asks, his lips on my neck.
"Lifeless tragic " I smirk, pushing him off and collapsing on the sofa with a dignified pious snort. "Where is this place by the way?"
"Moon Sol Mansion " He shrugs "We bought it last year after our big break out. "
"I am impressed " I let my eyes hover, once more dazzled by the opulence of the room.
Something rings somewhere. My ears prick up . I recognize it almost immediately. It is my phone, lying carelessly on the bed.
I pick it up, my eyes darting both to the caller ID and the time displayed at the top. 6:14 Am. Shit. It's morning already.
"Hi" Beth's voice is breathless and highly animated. A groggy snore could be heard from the background. Asher or whoever Beth had shacked up with. There was only one one way to find out.
"Hi Beth" My voice is less animated. Jordan had stretched out the curtains, opened the windows and was staring out to some unseen specks of daylight.
"Nightie, did you have a memorable night." She lowers her voice "Please don't tell me Alex dragged you into his sulky den. By the way, was he any good?"
"I had a very memorable night " I managed to say even if guilt is washing over me like a flood. "I kinda bailed out on Alex though."
"You did?" Beth is incredulous "Oh please don't tell me you went back to the dorm to drown in those bloody nightmares. "
"I wish " I roll my eyes.
I can literally hear Beth giggling. "Sweet. That means you did something interesting. "
"Yes. Against my better judgement " I wince.
"We both know that your better judgement is trash " Beth says flatly "That sweet little thing you did against your better judgement, did it involve casting off the cloak of frigidity?".
Inspite of the pale flush on my face, I laugh "How is Asher?".
Beth snorts "Asleep. Meanwhile I haven't slept a wink. "
"Don't tell me you have been fucking all night ." I said quietly.
"Well that is obviously what we have been doing". Beth continues "Nice change of subject, Night Carter. Now can you please satisfy my brimming curiosity before I take your diversion as a yes ".
I shrug defiantly "Well, it is a yes, actually ".
Beth's squeak is loud and excited. Very loud actually because I put the phone away from my ear and frown my face . By the time I put it to my ear again, her voice had gone very low . A whisper "So sorry. Ashe just woke up now. " I can imagine why. She adds "I will see you at Breakfast Treat by 8am. ....."
"Wait, what's Breakfast Treat" I cut in .
"Duh " Beth smirks "the aftermath of Founder's Fest. This morning, all students and staff of the academy will have breakfast together. And yes, you are expected to come with your dates. "
I winced. God.. This is not how I plan to spend my morning.
"And please don't give in to that loathsome thought of bailing out " Beth said dryly, correctly guessing my thoughts "Attendance is mandatory. Not showing up is equal to expulsion".
"Is that a threat ?" I wonder loudly.
"Unfortunately it is a fact " Beth says brusquely "For God's sake, one hour of socializing will not kill you. ". And then the line goes dead.
I kick the bed several times in frustration and pent up indignation. Damnnn... This was definitely not how I planned to spend the rest of my morning. What happened to a good sleep. What happened to cuddling my warm pillow in relaxed nothingness whatsoever. What happened to the great indoors. What happened to...
"If you are done testing your martial arts skills and wallowing in self pity " Jordan's biting voice breaks into my train of thoughts "We can have breakfast in the kitchen. Raja is making omelette and tea."
My voice is flat "Feeding the girls after a stray drunk shag ? What a saint. "
Jordan halts in his steps, a broad wolfish grin spread across his face "But saints don't get ridden like that, do they ?"
The crimson red flush on my face is enough to paint a building "Shut. Up".
______________________________
The kitchen is a big broad luscious one. A girl is perched on the arms of a guy. Our entrance startles them.
"Go get a room" Jordan snorts as they disengage. Its Dammy Brentwood . The Dammy Brentwood of Moon Sol. Cute. Brown. The girl is short and wiry and her black hair falls to her shoulders. Her skin is white. Too pale. Her lips curve into a fanged smile. I hug myself tightly to ward off a beckoning chill. Vampire.
"Looks like you are just coming from a room" Dammy retorts with a sly grin . "Hello, Night. A pleasure to meet you."
"Pleased to meet you too ", I smile back. Jordan pilots me to a cozy armchair and I slump into it while Dammy offers me a glass of water.
"Raja Finns " The wiry Vampire says, her fangs flashing my way "Welcome to Moon Sol Mansion".
"Careful" Jordan says with a scoff "Night has got delicate skin."
I almost choke on the glass of water, but Raja quickly says as she totters gracefully to the boiling kettle on the cooker "She's not as fragile as you think".
Jordan gives a shrug and I am toying with the really good idea of hitting the glass on his stupid head.
The omelette tastes good and the tea is mercifully hotter than my temper and Dammy is giving a funny talk about Founders Fest and as usual Jordan Files has one of his signature smirks adorning his cute face. Urggh.
This is seemingly normal. But what is normal about being the only human in a breakfast table of two werewolves and a vampire. I glance at Raja Finns and notice the way her eyes are poring unto Dammy's face as he talks, as if they want to drink up the words.
Even a blind man could see that...
"Yes, they are in love" Jordan leans in to whisper in my ears.
"And no one asked you that" I retort quietly, masking my irritation in a coy smile.
At that moment, the kitchen door bursts open and someone bounces in. Michael Shawn. The third member of Moon Sol. Nice curls. And yes, the jet black body hugging vest he is wearing is enough to reveal how smoking hot he is. He's holding a small glass bowl filled with cereals and he's crunching noisily while his eyes wordlessly greets Raja, and then Dammy and then Jordan
And then.. They rest on me.
His eyes are nearly bulging out of their sockets and the glass bowl hits the floor in a thundering thud. I freeze. Okay I know Michael is not glued to my face because I am suddenly beautiful. The first time we met at the cafeteria with The Black Colony Colonels, he didn't even look twice at me . I don't think he even remembers my name.
Why the sudden Medusa _like terrifying shock.
My mind instantly concocts the worst. What if a dozen horrendous boils have sprouted on my face. What if one side of my face is painted half yellow and half ash. If I look that ridiculous, Michael should be trying to hold his laughter not standing stupefied as if I was a ghost. My fingers frantically leap to my face
"Is there something on my face..."I start to say .
Raja saunters to my side immediately, her cold hands stay on my shoulder "You are perfectly fine, honey. Michael is a bit .... tipsy ".
But something is happening in the room and even Raja's see through bluff cannot hide it.
Michael Shawn had unfixed his eyes from me and had transferred the glare to Jordan Files. And Jordan's claws were slowly sticking out and his fangs bared in a furious transformation.
Dammy snaps "Not in here, you two" But it already too late because the upright wolf leaps at Michael in a violent storm.
I feel sick already. Raja is saying "shit. " but her hands do not leave my shoulder.
The kitchen erupted—plates shattered, glasses cracked, a chair screeched against the tiles. Silverware scattered like gunfire as the two tore through the table, snarling, reckless, too far gone to care who was watching.
My heart stuttered in my chest. This wasn't play-fighting. This was something vicious.
"Idiots," Raja muttered, though her cold hand stayed clamped on my shoulder. I craned my neck, trying to catch another glimpse—why were they fighting like that?
Dammy hissed . Another crash—glass splintering against the counter—jerked me forward. Raja tugged me hard, steering me toward the door.
"Come on, honey." Her voice was steady, too calm for the mess behind us. "I'll drop you off at school."
I stumbled after her, the noise of claws and broken china chasing me out, my head buzzing with one question that burned louder than the chaos—what the hell had just sparked that war?