by Jaymin Eve
I refrained from rolling my eyes at her. “So, what does one wear to these secret supe shindigs?” I asked, impressed with my alliteration.
Larissa bounced toward my wardrobe, rifling through the dresses. She pulled out a deep rich purple one, which was actually one of my favorite pieces I’d bought. I’d never expected to wear it though, because it was basically backless.
“This!” Larissa said, examining it as she held it out in front of her. “This one for sure.”
I searched through my underwear to find something that would work. I had nothing—the only way to wear this dress was braless. I pulled on a thong and slipped the dress over my head before spending a few minutes situating my boobs.
“Holy fuck,” Larissa breathed, looking me over. “You look amazing. Maybe too amazing. You’re going to get in trouble in that outfit.”
I crossed to the mirror and stared at my reflection. The dress fit me perfectly, skimming across my upper thighs; my boobs were more supported than I’d expected, with a small gold chain underneath them, and my entire back, almost to my ass, was on display.
“Ahh, I really want to wear it,” I said, turning again, “but I also don’t want to get in trouble.”
Larissa’s expression grew determined. “You know what, screw ’em. That’s what Ilia would say. I’m always more cautious, but she would love that you’re wearing that number. Don’t change.”
Even though I wasn’t sure, I decided to channel Ilia as well. I felt sexy, and occasionally it was nice for a girl to rock her curves out in the world.
Larissa found a skimpy white bandage dress in my stuff that showcased her flawless skin and perfect figure—she was much slimmer than me. “That looks way better on you than me,” I said. “Keep it.”
She hugged me. “Thanks, Mads.”
We finished our hair and makeup, ready to head out at about 10:00 P.M. I’d left my hair down in wide curls, the pink looking darker against my dress. My eye makeup was lighter than for the last dance, but I still went with the dark eyes again; I wanted the sexy vibe to go with my dress.
“How do we find out where this party is?” I asked her, wondering if she knew.
I should have asked Calen, but it hadn’t occurred to me at the time. I figured everyone would be heading there and we’d just follow along.
“If you’re invited, you’ll get directions soon.”
We fussed with our makeup for another ten minutes, stopping when a quiver of magic licked across my skin. An envelope appeared on my bed, and I shook my head. “For a school where you’re not really supposed to use magic outside of class, there sure is a lot of magic going on.”
Larissa nodded. “That’s a loosely followed rule. It’s mainly because we’re all volatile, and magic users have the advantage over other races. Dad is all about keeping things on equal footing here, even if it’s not like that in the real world.”
I hated the thought that in the real world, the four races were divided. Princeps Jones had done an excellent job in making sure this school did not feel like that.
I kinda never wanted to leave.
Larissa grabbed the envelope; her fingers were trembling when she ripped it open. A single off-white card was inside, with fancy gold calligraphy writing on it. I peered over her shoulder to read it.
Maddison James and Larissa Jones are invited to the first PARTY OF THE YEAR!
Your escort will arrive in two minutes. Be ready.
We exchanged an excited glance, and she dropped the card and envelope on the bed. “Do they always escort you?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Last year I overheard someone talking about a party and how they all got a treasure map on how to get there.”
I already preferred this way.
In the supe world there was no need for identification or money, so I just powdered the shine on my nose, touched up my lip gloss, and pulled on some heels. The knock on my door was firm, and when I opened it, Deeann was on the other side. I hadn’t seen much of her lately. We hung in different circles, and she was a few years ahead of me in classes but was still a welcomed friendly face.
“Hey, bitches,” she said, shimmying in her dress. I felt better about mine the moment I saw her teeny, tiny, almost translucent number.
“Ready to go?” she said, waving us out of the room. I shut my door, excited and nervous about what this party might entail.
Deeann stopped at a few more doors on the way, collecting some other students. I didn’t recognize most of them; they weren’t first years.
“You’re one of the only first years coming,” she said. “Usually newbies aren’t allowed.”
I could tell she thought I should be grateful, but I wasn’t a huge fan of excluding people from anything. It had happened too much to me during my life. It almost made me not want to go. Almost. Pure curiosity pushed me forward.
Our small group followed Deeann through the commons and into the forest quadrant. It wasn’t the easiest place to walk in heels, but Larissa and I managed to keep each other up as we stumbled along. The forest was, in general, off-limits and filled with dangerous plants and animals, which of course made it the perfect place for an “underground” party. We ended up much deeper into the dense flora than I’d ever been. When Deeann sent up some mage lights, I was fascinated by the different trees here. They were huge and gnarled, seeming much older than any of the trees I’d worked with in Herbalism.
“This is the oldest part of the forest,” Larissa confirmed. “We’re definitely not supposed to be back here.”
I was already crossing my fingers that I didn’t stumble across anything that might kill me.
The faint sound of music registered about twenty seconds before the party came into sight. They must have had some sort of noise-dampening spell on the area, because when we stepped between two massive trees, the music all but crashed into us. Not just music, but lights and laughter and the scent of beer.
Deeann chuckled as she spread her arms and spun in a circle. “Welcome to the best party of the year,” she shouted.
Larissa leaned into me. “They’re all called that,” she whisper-shouted. “They have at least four a year, and it’s always the ‘party of the year.’” She finger quoted and rolled her eyes, but it was clear she was still excited to be here.
“Is this clearing a natural part of the forest?” I asked.
It was a huge cleared space.
“Magic,” Larissa said, eyeing the setup. “Lucky they can do that without hurting the forest. Otherwise Dad would kill them.”
“He knows about the parties?”
She nodded. “Oh yeah. He definitely knows. But as long as no one gets hurt, he lets them go. He’s pretty cool for a dad.”
He was very cool.
We both grabbed some drinks, poured straight from a huge silver keg.
“This beer is laced with magic,” Larissa warned as soon as she took a sip. “It’ll get you drunk faster.”
I shrugged, chugging another mouthful. It had been a hectic week, and I was ready to let loose. And maybe a small part of me hoped to find a guy to at least dance with; I had to stop mooning over Asher. We were friends, and don’t get me wrong, I loved our friendship, but I wanted more. Something held him back, and I had a feeling it had everything to do with my unknown power and possible connection to Atlantis. Until he found that damn library and we figured out what I was and how to safely release my power, he would continue to fight whatever was—or could be—between us.
“You looking for Asher?” Larissa said, her eyes locked on me as I people-watched the room.
I gave her all of my focus. “What do you mean?”
She shook her head. “Come on, you’re talking to me. I know how you feel about him.”
I swallowed another sip of my drink, letting the icy liquid cool me down. “I have to let go of my obsession,” I said, sadly. “He’s driving me fucking crazy. Always everywhere. So insanely sexy. And … I mean, we had that one thi
ng together and then nothing. I don’t get it.”
Larissa’s gaze was intense, her drink dangling in her right hand. “He watches you, you know, when you’re not paying attention. And the look on his face … not friends. Very much not friends. It’s intense and hot. If he holds back, it’s because he thinks he has a good reason to do so.”
“He said he doesn’t date. Maybe it’s just that. We’re friends now and he probably doesn’t want to make it awkward.”
Larissa didn’t look convinced. “I don’t think it’s that. Asher has changed since he met you. I don’t think he feels the same way about dating anymore.”
I shrugged, chugging more of my beer. “I have no idea. All I know is he’s driving me crazy.”
She nudged me. “If you want to change the status quo, then you should make the first move. Maybe you’ll have sex and get it out of your system, or you’ll figure out that there’s something deeper there. Whatever you both are doing now is not healthy.”
Truer words had never been spoken.
There was a loud shout, and as if I’d summoned him with my words, Asher and his friends made their appearance at the party. I watched Asher, my alcohol-fuzzed mind drinking in every fucking beautiful inch of him. He was dressed in a black fitted T-shirt, dark jeans, and fancy white kicks. His hair was shorter on the sides, with that messy length falling about on top, and his eyes were locked on me, darkness already creeping into them.
He was watching me as closely as I watched him, his eyes dragging across the bare skin my skimpy dress left on display. “Exactly what I was saying,” Larissa murmured close to my ear. “I’m halfway to an orgasm just from the sexual tension in the air.” She discreetly fanned her face. “I haven’t been laid since the last dance, so have some pity on this poor vampire.”
I snorted at her and grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s dance.”
She laughed. “Good plan. You can lure him out with your sexy moves.”
If only it was as easy as that.
30
The beat on the dance floor was deep, the sort that settled into your blood and made you feel as one with the music. As I swayed with Larissa, eyes closed and arms above my head, I wasn’t Maddison James, orphan and human-turned-supe, I was a forest nymph, powerful, strong, and sexy.
We were joined on the dance floor by almost all the other supes here, everyone drinking and dancing, letting whatever magic was in the air—and beer—capture them. I was swirled from one group to another, dancing with everyone, not caring whose skin I touched.
I think for a short time there I lost my mind. And I was well aware that a pair of green and silver eyes burned into me the entire time. Asher stood off to the side, Jesse and Rone with him, and even when I tried not to look at them, he kept capturing my attention. Asher stole my breath in the sort of clichéd way I previously thought only happened in books. My limbs felt heavy, my body achy as lust pulled at my core. But I was also stubborn and had way too much pride to throw myself at him.
Maybe with a few more drinks under my belt though…
Larissa wrapped her arms around me, and I was distracted as she swung me around. When she let me go, she moved into her unique and somewhat complicated dance steps of the sprinkler-slash-lawnmower.
Just as I threw my head back, laughing until I almost cried, a warm hand landed on the bare skin in the center of my back. My laughter turned into a gasp at the heat and spark under that touch. It almost felt like the palm was branding me.
Slowly I turned, and I wasn’t at all surprised to find Asher behind me. He towered over me, gaze hooded, the silver defined in his eyes. Before I could say a word, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me fully into his body. His head tilted down, close to mine, and energy danced between our eyes as the moment extended. This second, where our lips hovered together but we didn’t kiss, was beyond intense. I couldn’t breathe.
“This doesn’t feel very friend-like,” I finally said, sounding as breathless as I felt.
Asher’s chest rumbled, his lips brushing across my jawline while his hands traced over my back, bringing every nerve ending there to life. He didn’t speak, but whenever I caught sight of his face, there was a lot going on. The beat took hold, and our bodies started to move together, the magic in the air driving us. I’d only had one drink, but it was enough.
Asher moved his leg between mine, I could feel every inch of his muscled thigh along my skin. I pressed my aching center against him, finally understanding the supes need sex thing. I was dying. There was only so much I could take care of on my own, and right now I wanted Asher more than I wanted anything else in the world.
“You tempt me like no other,” he said, so softly that I almost missed it. I tilted my head back, needing to see his expression. His eyes told me so much more than his words. “I’ve tried to embrace the friendship, because everything between us is complicated. Your power. Our Atlantean heritage. I’ve never dated, because my world can be dangerous. I lost my parents at a young age because of their obsession. Dragging you into it just seemed selfish.”
We stopped dancing, but we didn’t move apart. If anything, we were pressed even closer.
“But I’m already in it,” I reminded him.
He shook his head. “We don’t know anything yet. You might even be more important than any other Atlantean … beyond me.” His nose brushed across mine as he brought his face closer. I breathed him in, the scent, remembering his taste from last time. His next words jolted me. “I can’t resist you any longer.”
My tongue darted out to try and moisten my lips. “Then don’t.”
Asher’s mouth crashed into mine and I moaned against his lips, our tongues moving together. He tasted like … everything. Life and air and water.
Elemental.
Primal.
He pulled me into him, lifting me up. I wanted to wrap my legs around him, but I wasn’t high enough to easily do that—he was just holding my weight, a few inches off the ground.
“Higher,” I moaned.
He tightened his hold, and I almost sighed as my legs finally settled around him. Our mouths never parted. I wanted to kiss him forever. It started to rain at some point, but I barely even noticed the cold droplets scattering across my heated skin. We were technically inside a magical building, but it rained all the time in here. The water was clean and almost identical to normal rain.
Asher kept one hand under my ass while the other tangled in the hair at the back of my neck. His hold was firm, and I wanted him so badly that my head was spinning. As more rain fell, I tilted my head back to stare up into the darkness above, letting the water soak my face. Asher’s lips landed on my throat and my eyes fluttered shut at the sensation of him pressing kisses along my jawline, the scruff of his five o’clock shadow scraping across sensitive skin.
I knew we were drawing attention. I could feel the eyes on us.
But I didn’t care.
He pulled my lips back to his, and I groaned, needing more. “Let’s go,” I said softly.
One last kiss and I was back on my feet. Asher kept a hand on me until I was steady on my heels. “You want to leave?” he murmured huskily. “But this is only our second date…?”
I glared, or tried to; I was too aroused for angry emotions. “If we count all of our movie nights and shared meals, we’ve had fifty dates.”
His grin was fierce, his eyes predatory as he threaded our fingers together and started to lead me through the crowd. Mostly everyone parted for him, which was finally coming in handy, but someone stepped into his path just before we left the dance.
“Asher,” the guy said. I was pretty sure he was a vampire, but maybe also a shifter. He was huge. “We need your help with something.”
Asher shook his head. “Find someone else,” he rumbled. Now, if he’d spoken to me in that “don’t fuck with me” tone, I would have found someone else. But the vamp was either brave or stupid, because he pushed. “Come on, man. This requires the use of water magic. It’s a
bit of a situation, and … there’s an animal involved.”
That made me feel bad. I popped my head around Asher—who was shielding me with his body. “Go and help,” I said. “You can’t let an animal suffer. I’m not going anywhere.” The night was still young. As was the weekend, if everything went according to plan.
Asher held my gaze, then let out a long breath. “I’ll be right back,” he said. As I started to nod, he moved fast, pressing his lips to mine, and then another kiss to the corner of my mouth.
It took me like five minutes to even realize he was gone, because my head was all fucked-up with lusty thoughts. I lost track of everything and everyone when Asher was around.
Just as I was about to shuffle off the main path to stop blocking everyone, two familiar bitches stepped in front of me.
“Hello, Maddison,” Kate said, almost conversationally. “I think it’s time we addressed this issue between us.”
I crossed my arms, sending mental SOSes to Asher. “I don’t have an issue with you, Kate. I really don’t care about you at all. I just want to live my life. Run along and live yours too. There’s no reason we have to hate each other.”
Her face creased as she blinked confusedly. She appeared to be more than a little shocked by my current “let it go” attitude. Chellie, who had been watching her friend with concern, shook that off and turned anger on me.
“You pushed us too far.” Face-to-face, I was concerned by the state of her pupils. I knew drugs when I saw them, and this chick was on something heavy. She reached out and shoved me … or attempted to. I saw it coming and sidestepped, and she let out a frustrated scream. Her next screech was loud and out of control: “I’m about to show you what happens to chicks who touch things that don’t belong to them!”
Kate, recovered from her shock, stepped into me. “Asher is mine,” she hissed. “He’s always been mine, and when he’s finally ready to settle down, he will choose me. Not a magicless human bitch.”
Kate had let her feelings for Asher turn into something dark and obsessive. I mean, I got obsession when it came to the Atlantean, but she could clearly no longer differentiate reality from fantasy.
