by Megan Linski
Imogen blushed. “I don’t know.”
Jonah and Sophia teased Imogen about Cade for a few minutes while we finished our desserts. Esis was practically rolling by now, and Sassy had peach crumble smeared all over her whiskers. We went back to the dance floor, because as I’d learned in the past hour, Sophia couldn’t be contained if there was good music on.
“Hey, losers,” a dude called out as we passed. “Congratulations on getting lucky!”
I knew him. He was Kent, from the Blue Team. I noticed that he was wearing sunglasses at night, which was a totally douchey thing to do. His friends, people from Silver and Green, snickered.
I’d noticed that since we’d been crowned Champions, some people had been trying to suck up to us, to increase their status in society. Not everyone was like that, though. It didn’t matter that we’d won the Cup. To some people, we would always be outsiders.
I went to say something back, but Jonah beat me to it. He threw his shoulders back and swaggered toward Kent like he had something to say.
“Uh, no,” Jonah said in a very sassy way. He moved forward, swaying his hips with attitude. He snatched the sunglasses off the guy’s face and put them on his own. “We’re not losers. That’s not our name. For your information, we’re the Reject Team, bitch.”
Jonah strolled out of there in style, his hands waving above his head. Sassy strutted after him like a peacock. Sophia laughed, and Esis gave Kent the finger on both hands. Imogen scuttled off to the bar with Sassy, giggling. I couldn’t stop grinning as we joined Jonah on the dance floor, who was currently dropping it so low I’m surprised he didn’t fall over.
“Reject Team, huh?” I asked as Jonah bumped against me.
“Don’t blame me, you came up with the name,” Jonah replied.
“I think it’s perfect for us,” Sophia said. She was absolutely glowing.
Imogen had come back. She was carrying four glasses of champagne, which she distributed to each of us. “Here’s one for the Reject Team!” Imogen cheered, and she raised her glass.
Sophia and Jonah raised their glasses to meet hers. I wasn’t about to be the asshole who ruined the moment, so I raised my glass too and clinked it against the group’s. I downed it in one go.
I felt like I was gonna ride the high of this night for the rest of my life. We were tournament winners, and we were freaking awesome. Fuck everyone else.
Jonah and the two girls resumed their crazy dancing. I more or less did that fist-bump thing guys do when they don’t know how to dance, because, well, I didn’t, and I didn’t want to stand there looking like a jackass.
I noticed Professor Perot was there at one of the tables, Baxtor hopping on his lap. He winked when he saw me. He’d visited me a few times in the hospital. I’d had to sign a waiver so the doctors could give him my medical results for his research. As far as I knew, he hadn’t made any progress on what was wrong with me. It was a bit frustrating, but since I’d squeaked by death more than once in the past week, I decided to let it go.
As the night wore on, Jonah got less and less in control of himself, and more and more drunk. He slammed drinks like they were going out of style, and impressed the girls with his flexibility.
“Jonah’s… out of control,” Sophia said, though I wasn’t sure that was the right word for it as we watched him tumble, doing a breakdance.
“Nobody can quite drop it to the floor like Jonah,” I said, rolling my eyes. He had every gay dude at Orenda’s eye on him. Even some straight dudes in here were checking him out.
Except for one. I noticed Renar had hardly glanced his way all night. Jonah was too drunk to notice.
Oh— shit. Maybe that was the reason he’d been drinking so much. I shook my head. Jonah deserved so much better than that piece of shit.
The crazy music became slow, changing into a song I hadn’t heard since high school. Jonah grabbed the gay Yapluma guy and was turning drunkenly around the room with him, casting desperate glances at Renar. Squeaks’ eyes seemed to frown, and she turned away from her Elementai.
I noticed Imogen had disappeared. Where had she gone off to? Sassy was still here, on her hind legs and swaying back and forth while Esis held her up in his version of a slow dance. He seemed refined and cool, like he’d done this before. Show-off.
Sophia stared at me expectantly. This was different than the dance we had earlier to the string quartet. It was more intimate. I knew we shouldn’t, but I didn’t want to tell her no.
She raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you supposed to ask me to dance?”
There was that Koigni attitude. I chuckled and took her into my arms, wrapping my arm around her waist and taking her free hand while she put the other one on my shoulder.
It became very obvious very quickly that she wanted to do this dance her way. She pulled me around like this was her job and not mine.
“I’m the man, I'm supposed to lead,” I protested as she dragged me in the other direction. We were totally uncoordinated.
“Then act like it,” she leaned forward and whispered in my ear, giving me a smirk.
Oh, that was a challenge. She wasn’t just talking about dancing, either.
“Maybe you need to learn to listen to me,” I hissed sharply. I pressed my hand onto her lower back, yanking her to my body.
She gasped, and I made sure that I led this time as we continued to waltz around the room. As the song went on, we pressed together even closer, until we hardly moved at all and were more or less just swaying against each other. She let her head rest on my shoulder, and I allowed mine to fall so that it lay against her head. I wrapped her tightly in my arms and squeezed her, hoping I would never let her go. Snowflakes began to fall from the ceiling, something extra the Toaqua teachers added for ambiance. People were watching, but I didn’t care.
I wanted to be this close to her all the time. It wasn’t fair that couldn’t happen.
Change the rules.
I wanted to. So badly.
The song ended. I hated prying myself away from her, so I didn’t let go, more or less just pulled away a little.
“You should kiss me right now,” Sophia said lowly. Her tone made me want to do it, but I knew what would happen if I dared.
I wrinkled my nose. “You need to behave.”
I pinched her ass, quickly so nobody else saw. She jumped and made an adorable squealing noise.
People were staring at us, whispering to each other behind their hands. Screw them. To them, we were just teammates celebrating our Cup win.
I finally untangled myself from her. We headed off the dance floor without even holding hands. Sassy and Esis followed us, dizzy from their slow dance. I noticed Sophia was pouting.
“This sucks,” she complained. “A dance like that and I didn’t even get a little kiss at the end.”
“If you’re a good girl, you’ll get it later,” I said, under my breath so only she heard.
I sent her a smoldering look that told her to do as I said. Sophia turned pink and went quiet, and I felt a grim note of satisfaction.
Oh, she was going to be fun to tame. My mate.
Agh! I had to stop doing that! There were consequences to this shit!
Now that the slow stuff was over, Imogen was back. Her eyes were kinda red. She looked like she’d been crying.
It was probably over Cade. But I didn’t want to ask and make her more upset.
Jonah stumbled toward us, and I grabbed on to him so he didn’t fall onto the floor. “Let’s take a picture, guys!” he slurred. “So we can remember this night forever!”
He fished in his pocket. I nearly fell over when I saw that he had a smartphone in his hand.
“How’d you sneak a phone in here, Jonah?” I marveled.
“I have ways,” he said wisely. “Quick, let’s take one before the teachers see. Ready?”
He turned the phone around to take a selfie, focusing in on all of us. “One, two, three!”
Sophia gave a squeal and jumped into m
y arms. I caught her and managed to smile just as Jonah took the photo.
We looked at the picture. Jonah was front and center. Imogen was on the right side, beaming a bright smile, Sassy squirming out of her arms. I held onto Sophia on the left, and Esis was on top of my head, cheering. Squeaks was in the back, giving the camera a sultry look. Jonah hastily shoved the phone back in his pocket.
I told the others I had to piss, and went to the bathroom. When I came back Jonah, Imogen and Sophia were huddled together. Their expressions looked serious, like they were talking about something important. I only got the last fringes of the conversation as I approached.
“I just need more time. He’s not ready,” Sophia said anxiously, and she squeezed Esis to her.
Jonah gave her a look I couldn’t read. “That’s not fair, Sophia. You need to tell him.”
“Tell me what?” I asked as I sauntered up to the group. Everyone’s faces went kind of pale, especially Sophia’s. She wore a panicked expression.
Were they talking about me?
“Uh… nothing important,” Sophia said quickly. “It doesn’t matter.”
Imogen fiddled with her dress. Jonah had a disapproving look on his face, but I chalked it up to his drink being gone. Sophia stuttered to explain, but I pulled her to my side before she could answer.
“Hey, you don’t have to tell me everything. I trust you,” I told her.
Sophia turned a little pink, and Esis crossed his arms. I was curious and wanted to ask more, but at the same time, I figured it wasn’t anything major. As much as I doubted the team at the start of the semester, I fully trusted each of them now. They were my friends, and Sophia was amazing. We’d all survived the tournament together.
My friends wouldn't hide anything from me.
Imogen left the ball shortly after that with Sassy, saying she was tired… but I figured it was more to look for Cade. Sophia, Esis and I danced to a few more songs, though none of them were slow and Sophia and I didn’t get intimate again— which was a good and bad thing.
Jonah. Was. Drunk. He was on top of the bar, singing shrilly and shaking his chest like he had boobs. Squeaks was just about as plastered as he was, and was knocking over stools as her eyelids lolled. The three crates of beer bottles she’d gone through were scattered all over the floor.
“Get off!” The bartender started slapping Jonah with a towel. Jonah slowly clambered down from the bar and ended up falling on his face.
Everyone else had more or less gone home. There were a few stragglers on the dance floor, but for the most part, the ballroom was empty.
“All right, bud, here you go,” I said as I pulled Jonah to his feet. He hung onto me, barely able to keep his balance. “I think it’s time we took you to bed.”
“I’d say,” Jonah drawled. “Somebody has to.”
“Not like that.” I started guiding him toward the door, and Sophia followed. His hippogriff moaned on the floor.
“Sorry, Squeaks,” I told her. “You’ll have to walk. Can’t carry you.”
Esis patted her head, and Squeaks was able to stand. Incredibly, she walked in a straight line. How was Squeaks less clumsy when she was drunk versus being sober?
As we dragged Jonah into the hallway I noticed Ezra was leaning against the wall, kissing the girls we saw from earlier. Yes, both of them. He would make out with one girl for a few seconds before he’d turn his head and make out with the other. The girls watched with wide and adoring eyes, as if they loved watching him kiss another girl just as much as they liked being kissed by him.
Ez was really milking the college life. What exactly was this magical effect he had on people, especially women? He got away with everything.
Ezra opened his eyes and pulled his mouth away from the one girl as we dragged Jonah by. “Hey, Liam,” he said. “Dad’s walking around. He’s looking for you. You’d better be careful.”
“Thanks, Ez,” I told him, giving him a nod. We took Jonah around the corner. Fuck, he was so heavy, but luckily the Yapluma dorms weren’t far from here.
“What does your dad want?” Sophia asked. Jonah gagged, and I tried not to recoil from him. If Jonah threw up on me, I was going to lose it.
“Ancestors only know. Probably to yell at me for sneaking out of the hospital,” I told her. That was all I needed, my dad following me around to babysit.
We finally got to the Yapluma dorms. I let go of Jonah, and he leaned on Squeaks. He was able to walk on his own a little better now, so I hoped he made it to his bed. Or, at least, a couch.
“Why’d you guys make me leave?” Jonah asked. I doubted he would remember this in the morning. “I was having so much fun!”
“You’re wasted, Jonah. You need to get some sleep,” Sophia said kindly.
“Yeah, sure,” Jonah slurred. “You guys just want to get rid of me so you can do this.”
Jonah turned his back, put his arms around himself and made movements like he was making out. I pushed him, and he fell over again. He barely managed to pull himself up by Squeaks’ legs.
“Take care of yourself, brother,” I said as I pushed the door open for him. Jonah and Squeaks stumbled inside, and I heard the sound of him puking just as the door closed.
Poor guy. He was gonna wish he was dead in the morning.
Sophia turned toward me. “So… now what?” Her face was slightly worried, but also, anticipatory.
“What do you mean? It’s time for bed,” I said blankly.
Sophia stared at me before she burst out laughing. Esis put his head in his hand and sighed.
“No, I mean…” Her expression cleared up, and the humor left. “Are we going somewhere?”
I had no clue what she was talking about, until Esis did that mating-call thing again he’d done when we’d gone out for pizza. She was talking about… wow. I felt like an idiot.
“I don’t think we’re ready for that,” I said. I reached out and put my arm around her waist as we walked back to the Koigni dorms. This time of night, no one was in the hallways, so I wasn’t worried about being seen too much. Plus, right now, I just wanted to touch her, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to for the entire break.
If ever again.
“I just thought you would expect something, you know. Because it’s the night of the ball, and this is college, after all.” She talked quickly, like she was trying to explain herself.
“I don’t expect anything,” I said, amazed. How many shitty guys had Sophia met in her lifetime?
“You’re such a gentleman.” She smiled softly. Esis skittered up her dress and sat on her shoulder. He was eyeing me, as if expecting me to respond a certain way.
“I just… think it’s too early to talk about sex,” I said quickly. “Especially when we don’t know what we are.”
Esis glanced back to Sophia’s face, which had fallen. “Right,” she said.
I was pretty sure that was the best answer. I didn’t think Sophia wanted to sleep with me tonight, anyway. She seemed like she wanted more from me before that happened… if it ever did… though I wasn’t sure what that would be.
We stopped in front of the Koigni dorms, and Esis slid down the front of her dress and to her feet. We had to make this quick, as her dorms were the most restrictive and there was no telling when we could be found out. Saying goodbye in front of them was dangerous, but I didn’t feel safe letting her wander back to them alone at night, even if we were at Orenda Academy, the safest place in the world.
“So what about my reward for behaving?” Sophia asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“Reward? I didn’t say you’d get a reward,” I teased.
“That’s not fair.” She pouted her bottom lip out like a little kid, like the pawee I’d come to love so much and want to claim as my own. Seeing her like that, it was hard to come to terms with the fact that she was far more powerful than I was… more powerful than all of us.
And one day, she was going to determine the fate of this tribe. Thinking about it
made my legs want to become water.
I laughed lowly and forced myself to calm down. “Well, I suppose you have been good, haven’t you?”
Her face brightened, before she paused to ask something. “About… what you call me. Pawee. Jonah and Imogen said you were calling me your soulmate,” she whispered. “Is that true?”
I knew they had told her. But that was okay. I raised my hand and brushed back the curls from her face. “You shouldn't have to ask, pawee.”
Then we were kissing again. Fuck, it’s like everytime we got even a second alone we couldn't keep our hands off each other. Her mouth ravaged over mine like she couldn’t get enough, and I squeezed her to me as I tasted her, wishing this would never end and I would get to kiss Sophia Henley every day for the rest of my existence. Even if I did, it wouldn’t be enough.
When she pulled away, her breasts heaved against my chest. “When did you know?” she asked quietly.
I took a deep breath and said, “I don’t know. From the first moment I saw you. Always.”
The way she looked at me… I’d never had anyone look at me like that before. Not any of my other girlfriends. Not Mia. Just Sophie.
I was okay with living in secret and hiding our love forever. I never thought I'd get a second chance at love. Sophia was all I ever wanted. This unbreakable connection between us would be enough for me.
But I didn't want that for her. I didn’t want her to be married to a cripple. I didn’t want her to suffer through never letting anyone know we were together, and never having kids. I didn’t want her to lose her Familiar. I couldn't do that to her.
It didn’t change the fact that I felt like I’d been waiting for her all my life, and in her, I thought I found the only person who matched me. Sophia was the one girl who could love a man without a soul.
Sophia trailed out of my arms. “Will I see you when we get back to school?” She swallowed. “Like this?”
I knew what she meant. “Yes. That’s a promise.” I gave her a quick peck on the lips again before she turned to open the door. Her fingers trailed away from mine. Esis gave me a salute and a wink, like I’d done good, before he vanished into the dorms.
