The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy

by Alexandra North

  I touch up my lipstick, blush and eye-makeup and spritz some more perfume over my neck and wrists. Not that I need to do any of this, I’m just desperate for something to occupy my shaky hands. On edge would be a total understatement for the mixed jumble of emotions that I am right now. Showcasing a prime example of it, I jump as I hear a voice shouting my name from one of the cubicle doors.

  “Lu is that you? It’s Meg-haann,” she drunkenly giggles from her patch, mimicking Gino’s Italian accent; she really can’t drink champagne, if she’s like this after only a couple.

  “Hey, I didn’t hear you come in, sorry love. Are you nearly done? I’m going to go back out now.”

  “Wait! Wait for me.” She throws open her door dramatically, pulling her dress back down as she exits. “Do I need more?” She puckers her lips up at me like a little girl and sways as she squirts foam on her hands, rushing them under the automatic faucet.

  “Maybe a bit more lippy,” I comment. “You look fab still.” I watch as she retouches and messes with her hair in the wall-to-wall mirrors. The manic finger combing is making her look like a wilder crazier version of Jane Fonda in Barbarella.

  “Oooh goodie. I need to look my best tonight. We have some right fitties at our beck and call, don’t we?” she grins impishly at me through the reflection.

  “Whom have you got your beady eye on?” I enquire a little too harshly.

  “W..e..ll we’re spoilt for choice but I’m quite taken with Sebastian as you know, but his brother is hot too and the moody one; Chris is it? Anyway he is kind of smoking in a brooding Gerard Butler way.”

  She holds her feet up one at a time for loose toilet paper inspection. I shake my head and she nods her blonde head, pleased.

  “Right. Come on Babe – let’s go pester them.”

  I groan inwardly, Meg can be a little over the top sometimes and I definitely prefer the less desperate approach. I love her to bits but I’m starting to get really pissed about her liking Sebastian and I’m even more annoyed that I have no right to say that I don’t want her to go there.

  We tug open the door and are met with the sexy beat of Ellie Goulding’s new track Burn; it picks me up immediately and I decide to go out, enjoy myself and try and ignore my strange feelings towards both of my friends. The night is young and I’m determined to have some fun.

  The next hour or so is spent enjoying good times with great company. The champagne flows liberally and we celebrate Suzie’s 27th in style. At all times I am aware of Sebastian watching me or it could be Meg as she and he, definitely appear to have clicked; she’d been mauling him for the past hour! However I consider whether this is just in my head as I’m pretty certain that when he thinks I am not looking, his focus is entirely on me – with a serious, rather unfriendly inspection. I’m definitely at a loss.

  My thoughts are interrupted when my phone alerts me to a text. It’s from Leo.

  Sorry L but I’m not going to make it tonight after all. Work things! Can I take you to dinner next Saturday night?

  Let me make it up to you. x

  I’d completely forgotten I’d asked him to join us, so I am actually pleased that he’s cancelled. Although I’m slightly annoyed that I won’t be allowed the opportunity to flaunt him in front of Sebastian. I quickly reel off a response, the champagne making me ballsy.

  House Party at my sister’s Saturday night – be my + 1 - let me know if you accept? x

  I don’t wait for his reply and just as I auto-lock my phone, a deep voice says casually, “I wouldn’t have stood you up. He’d kick himself if he’d seen you in that dress.”

  I spin quickly to be met by Sebastian’s mate. Suzie has already informed me is definitely called Chris but I’ve yet to have a one-on-one with the guy. Meg was right - he did look like Gerard Butler, perhaps a little less sexy. I am a bit annoyed that he’s nosied at my text, but choose to ignore the irritation and go with it. I’m not about to add to his obviously inflated opinion of himself and decide to act coy as to, who he is.

  “Thanks, Chris is it?” I hold out my hand to shake his but am a bit taken aback when he ignores it and leans in towards me, planting a firm kiss on one side of my cheek and then the other; continental style. He lingers a little too long, our faces touching.

  I could have sworn he just sniffed me?

  “Sebastian said that you and he went to Uni together Lucia?” he continues, paying a considerable amount of attention to my breasts.

  “Yes, we did three years together, for our sins – not behind bars but definitely propped up in front of them,” I laugh back at him. He is Ok looking. Not as striking as Sebastian but has a similar dress-style, dark blonde short hair with a Beckham quiff and cool appraising icy-blue eyes.

  “I’m working on a contract with our Mr. Silver for a few months and just moved in to his spare-room, so hopefully we’ll be seeing much more of each other in the very near future.” His voice is laden with confidence. I’m surprised, as I think he may be flirting, but I try not to show it.

  “Definitely. We go out most Friday’s to our favourite bar, Rehab, in Bodley so I’ll have to introduce you to some of our friends.”

  I can see Meg manically trying to catch my eye behind Chris’ back. I lean in closer to him and smile. “In fact I think you may already have an admirer in my neighbour Meg.”

  He turns to look over his shoulder, and Meg instantly pretends to have dropped something, disappearing under the table. I snigger to myself. God we are all so silly where men are concerned.

  Chris returns to face me, his eyes sparking. “You do seem to have a good group of mates here. I travel so much with work, it’s hard to catch up regularly with friends so you tend to drift apart. Sebastian and I go way back though and I’m pleased to be able to spend some quality time doing normal things in the same place for a while.”

  I smile at him and sip at my drink and I’m about to continue, when we are interrupted, by the man, himself.

  “Christopher – I see you’ve found Lulu.” Seb slaps Chris on the back looks between the two of us and takes a swig of his beer.

  “I most certainly have. I’m pursuing her as we speak.” Chris doesn’t take his eyes off mine but I cannot hold his gaze. I’m left embarrassed, by his over-the-top statement.

  “Are you now?” Sebastian’s furrowed brow is apparent but Chris is oblivious to anyone but himself (a bad habit that I can tell he has developed over years of having his ego stroked!).

  “Yeah. We were just discussing that now I’m going to be around more, we could link up? I need to be shown about town!”

  Sebastian seems less chilled than his normal laid-back self. He looks like he has a distinct bad taste in his mouth and his jaw is tense. I watch the strength of his muscles, taut in their coiled position, under his grey v-neck and admire his body. My hands itch to reach out and touch him there. Slip my arm around his waist and feel his arms enclose around me.

  “I’m back now Chris, and Lu and I have a lot of catching up to do but I’m sure you’ll bump into one another. Besides you’ll meet plenty of new people at my housewarming in a couple of weeks.”

  Wait! Did he just lay his claim? That’s great but what right does he have to tell another man whether I can see him or not?

  I don’t even want to see Chris like that, but the attention is flattering and a little flirtation once in a while does wonders for the soul doesn’t it, provided they don’t get the wrong idea?

  The whole scenario appears to have gone straight over Chris’ head and he continues to flirt and chatter amiably. Sebastian is that wired, his strikingly tanned face and muscular physique is overwrought. I can’t relax either. I need to say my peace and get the hell out of there or get over it and frame myself. With Chris there, I couldn’t talk to Seb openly, even if I could maintain enough courage to actually say the words – something I’m still not sure I have in me.

  I choose to leave them to their own devices. There is just too m
uch testosterone in the air and I need a major girly overload. Looking around I can see that my sister is a lost cause and is deeply involved in what appears to be, some heavy going chatter with Gino and Jess. Meg is undulating in front of Nathan, stripper style, at another table and I can see the look of horror and jealousy on Ab’s face. Poor thing – she has it real bad! Meg was harmless but I could see me having to calm a few frayed feelings after this episode. I head directly for Abs, practically drag her to her senses and we make a dive for the dance floor.

  I can feel Sebastian assessing me as I let go to the infectious beat filling the bar. The small dance area is situated in a more segregated part of the bar and apart from the odd flickering light; the ambience is much moodier, enabling you to lose your inhibitions. Throwing cheeky glances in his direction as I relax and bump and grind jokily with Abby, I can see that Nathan, Chris and Sebastian are conversing, whilst staring at us intently. They make a handsome group but I am solely drawn to Sebastian as though he were the only person in the room. Our eyes connect, and smiling bashfully at him, I flick my hair forward, across one shoulder and revel in the freedom of the beat. At this distance I can let go and flirt confidently, face-to-face was a totally different story.

  I shamelessly and purposely wiggle and slink in all the right places. I’ve enjoyed far too much of Monsieur Laurent Perrier. Abby giggles as she mimics my moves and I notice that Nathan appears as intent on her as his brother is on me - the Silver brothers seem bewitched. How sublime!

  Several tunes later, thirsty but happy, we hug each other in our mutually tired but exuberant manner and head back to the group, who are now running on empty. Looking around I can see that the bar is beginning to empty as punters start to trickle out. I down the remnants of my glass and nip to the ladies to freshen up. Upon my return to the gang, I’m just contemplating making a move to go (I’ve got total head fuck where Seb is concerned) when I’m blindsided as I watch an extremely merry Meg, launch herself at him, full throttle, linking her arms around his neck and puckering up for a kiss. She really is thoroughly slaughtered.

  “Why haven’t you and I met before Seb…ashchun? I truly believe that our Lucy lady has been hiding you away. Naughty Lulu! Naughty girl!” Looking in my direction Meg wags her finger at me, in a wobbly fashion. She really is wrecked. I may be wishing it but I’m sure I see Seb push away a little from her cloying embrace. Didn’t she just say something similar to Suzie about Chris?

  “I don’t know Meg but I’m glad we have now,” he drawls.

  Oh jeez don’t encourage her!

  This is all the motivation she needs. She grabs his hand and, as we all ready ourselves to leave, she hangs on to him for dear life and he doesn’t appear to mind.

  The night air is crisp as we walk to our cabs, even though it’s probably still about twenty degrees. Lords City is lit up like a New York skyline; all full of promise and excitement but it isn’t quite the city that never sleeps and the chaos is definitively at a much slower pace as we wander through the streets; it’s rowdy drunkards having fun surround us, many of whom are actually from our party. My head feels a bit wobbly and I wish I’d eaten earlier. I link arms with my sister & Jess and we warble our way through several verses of Ego by The Saturday’s, aiming it directly at the men ahead of us.

  What a fabulous night – it had been just what I needed after a busy week but what I would do now to go home and jump Sebastian Silver’s bones - shame I’d not plucked up the courage to ask him to take me home and fuck me sideways into the middle of next week!

  “Bye guys!” I shout to Suzie and Gino, who are in the process of exploring one another’s tonsils in the queue. They are very much in love and I’m lustfully envious.

  “Get a room!”

  Laughing to myself I join Meg and Jess in the back of the taxi. I presume Abby and Nathan are hitching a ride with my Sis and that Chris and Seb will do their own thing when that thought is thrown out the window as the front door is flung open and the man himself casually climbs into the empty front seat.

  “Ladies - you’re ok to drop me off at mine after, yeah?”

  His sexy scent fills the small space, male pheromones bubbling around and turning all females within a five-mile radius wanton and pathetic - me included.

  “No problemo Mr. Gorgeous!” Meg lunges forward from her central perch and drunkenly strokes his shoulder.

  I sit back and tight-lipped, stare at the back of Seb’s head, boring holes into it with narrowed emerald eyes, determined not to succumb to jealousy - I’m not sure how much longer I can watch though - Meg has spent most of the night pawing him and thrusting her own ample breasts into his face.

  If it had been any other man I’d have been pleased for her, but Sebastian was different. He was…what? What was he to me? Not my boyfriend or even a potential boyfriend. I couldn’t describe my territorial right to him, he was just… more mine than hers. The problem is, I couldn’t tell her to back off, as it wasn’t like we had anything going on. Not yet anyway. Plus she didn’t know about my proposed proposition yet so it wasn’t like she was making a play for what was mine.

  But that’s exactly what’s she’s doing and I fucking hate it.

  I had no right to tell either of them who they could and couldn’t flirt with. I squinted my now glowing green eyes in annoyance. It was all, his fault; he looked and smelt too good and was obviously doing it on purpose to mess with my head.

  As the cab pulls into our street, I have already determined that Seb and Meg are in fact about to ravish one another back at her house and do the dirty. I feel nauseous just at the thought of it and really pissed off. Odd, as I’d spent years trying to set Sebastian up with friends of mine, whilst I was with Niall. How could I have been so unaffected by the thought of him with someone else?

  Pulling up at our first destination, we begin to pile out and Seb, the gentleman that he is, offers to pay the driver.

  “Night Sebastian. Thanks,” I throw out, desperate to get away from him and my mate and their obvious building sexual tension.

  “Night girls, see you in the morning.”

  Smiling, I wave, as I notice that they make their way to their own respective doors, Meg at Number 45 and Jess around the corner on Horton Street.

  I don’t look back and presume that Sebastian has followed his next conquest or set off home in the cab. God that man was a disgrace; It appeared he’d bobbed-on with anyone and everyone… but me – I’m not sure which annoyed me more, the fact he was a man-whore, or that I wasn’t one of his conquests. Unfortunately I fear it’s the latter.

  My inner reasoning annoyingly reminds me that as he is single, Sebastian was well within his rights to fuck whomever he pleased. And unless you can find a backbone, some seriously big hairy bollocks and proposition him Darling, he is going to continue to fuck whomever he pleases!

  Angrily rummaging around, I finally find my keys, in the bottom of my metallic sequined handbag - covered in make-up. Fumbling I manage to open the door, muttering to myself, when I suddenly sense I’m not alone and cast in shadow.

  “I’ll come in for a drink if that’s ok Chick; it’s far too early to go home yet.”

  Surprised, I jump and literally fall through the door, as my brain and body wrestle to work, together. The rubbing the tummy, whilst patting the head manoeuvre comes to mind, as I try to propel myself forward and extract the keys from the door at the same time. I can’t even muster a response, as I kick my shoes off and flick the light on, swaying slightly and instantly regretting the big light syndrome. I hastily twist the dimmer, adjusting it to a softer, more forgiving radiance and relax a little.

  “Yeah. Sure. Help yourself, I’ll just go change into something more casual.”

  What the fuck?

  For God’s sake, get a grip girl he is just doing what he’s done a million times, over the years. Stop acting like this is any different.

  I am annoyed with myself that I am smug in the knowledge t
hat at least, if Seb is at my house, that means he is not doing the dirty with my neighbour. Heading upstairs, I take my make-up off quickly and cleanse and tone my already rapidly dehydrating skin. I was under no illusions that Sebastian saw me any differently than normal but without my war paint, it meant I wouldn’t hope or try. I am suddenly very tired.

  Slipping out of my killer outfit and into my nightie and pink fluffy marabou slippers I assess my appearance - maybe I should have left my dress on but I’m shattered and the gown is still sexy; after all, I still had my womanly pride, even if she is rather tipsy right now. Scrunching my hair up and giving it a good shake, I check myself in the mirror. Good - just got out of bed look, tick; sexy - but not too desperate look, tick. Hopefully the fact that I’m already dressed for bed will make Seb leave for home sooner. I had actually hoped that I could come home, order a disgustingly guilt-free greasy pizza, to soak up the booze and drown my sorrows and put my favourite PJ’s on; then indulge without anyone watching.

  “Lu, you’re ok if I just crash here aren’t you tonight?”

  Seb peers around the bedroom door and leans against the oak doorframe, his gorgeous face crumpling in an adorable plea. I hadn’t heard him come up the stairs? I thought he wanted another drink? Shit I hope he hadn’t been there long.

  “Er, yeah, yeah, I suppose so.” I stutter and suddenly feel rather naked. Why hadn’t I put my dressing gown on?

  “I’m just knackered and can’t be bothered ordering another Joe Baxi,” he continues and moves towards me and I step back until I hit the wardrobe. Feeling stupid, as I realise he was just heading towards the bed, I watch, silently, as he removes one boot, then the other and begins to take his top off. I cannot seem to look elsewhere. I am immobilised, as I sneak a peak at the hair, which lightly covers his chest. I think I may actually be blushing; either that, or the heating had kicked in big time. Why is he undressing in here? I think his close proximity is affecting my body temperature - something that surprises me, as I have seen him shirtless before and managed not to become a dry-mouthed, goggling moron. That was before you woke up and smelt the companion from heaven!