by K. A Knight
“You do it.” I shuffle farther down the sofa like a slug.
“No, you.” She flicks her long blond hair at me. I stare at her, and she stares back.
“Challenge?” I issue.
She nods.
“Wand, shoe, cookie!” we shout at the same time.
I thrust out my hand proudly displaying the wand symbol as she shows me her hand with two fingers on it like someone walking.
“I win!” My fist pumps in response. Lane glares at me until she heaves herself off the sofa and across the room in search of the remote.
“Bitch,” she mutters as she goes.
I lean back, smug. “Whore.”
Her tiny feet shuffle across the floor. “Dick.”
My hair falls over my shoulder as I laugh. “Asshole,” I counter.
“Twat.” She grabs the remote and turns back to me, proud of her insult.
“Cock Bandit,” I shout back.
She stops her walk back and nods her head at me. “Good one,” she concedes as she throws herself back down next to me.
Good job. We are as crazy as the other, I muse. I fall into the movie, allowing myself to forget about magic, mysterious strangers, and the what if’s. I let myself be a human for once and hang out with my best friend.
Twelve hours later, my eyes drift across to find out why Lane isn’t laughing at my awesome joke. I roll my eyes when I notice her curled up, deeply asleep. I snort and lean forward to turn off the telly.
“Well, I guess you’re staying here, then,” I mutter to myself.
It’s a good thing I’m used to her crashing here all the time. I cover her up and head back to my room. I decide to shower, and as I’m waiting for the water to heat up, I force myself to meet my eyes in the mirror.
My hair is all over the place, but what else is new? I lean forward to get a good look and find the black bags under my eyes have diminished since today, thank God. I allow a little power to escape. Bright violet eyes sparkle back at me in the mirror, making it obvious how not human I am. I like the way my eyes sparkle with my power, even if I hate what it represents. I grin and turn to get in the shower, letting my power die as I do.
I end up staying in there for over half an hour, letting the warm water soothe my aching muscles. I towel dry my hair as I head back to my room, but I stop in shock as I find Lane and Neville asleep in my bed. Those sneaky little shits. Laughter bubbles out of me as I take in their positions, lying as far away from each other as they possibly can. I’m pretty sure they love each other, but it’s too funny watching him wind her up. I flick off the lights and crawl in next to her, sinking into oblivion as Lane’s snore echoes around the room.
Walking through a field, the long grass tickles my legs, and with a start, I realise they are bare. My eyes follow the flowing white dress that swirls around me with every step I take. Huh, not my usual style. The sun warms my skin as I slowly make my way across the field.
The ground welcomes me, soft underneath my bare feet. My fingers trail through the grass and plants, and they sigh with happiness. My feet falter when I come to a hunched over figure. My feet keep walking against my orders, and I stop before the creature.
His head tilts up at me, and I gasp. His face is too perfect to look at, like staring at the sun for too long, and echoes with familiarity. I focus on one feature at a time, trying to get my poor mind to understand. His red lips remind me of when you stuck on a strawberry. I follow his skin up to a straight nose and golden, flawless skin which glows with untold magic. His eyes are what I find myself staring at. Surrounded by long black lashes, they change colour. As I watch in fascination, they change from emerald green to lighting silver, the colour blending seamlessly into the next. It makes me nauseous, and my eyes quickly flicker away. His bare chest shows off the expanse of his glowing skin, and the black symbols marring his flesh mark him as other. Leather encased his long, thick legs, and bare feet peek out of the bottom.
“με βοηθήστε, απόγονος μου.” The voice flows out of him and surrounds me. As he speaks, it echoes with swords clashing together and men chanting. My mind can’t handle it and blackens from the obvious power coming from the man—no, not a man, a god.
I awaken in my bed, the dream like a whisper in the air floating away before I can catch it.
5
- AURORA -
“Dude, you need to go food shopping,” comes a muffled moan from inside my fridge.
I finish making the cups of tea as I reply, “I know. I planned to go yesterday when someone rudely decided to show up.”
“You love me, and you know it.” Lane’s blond head pops back from the fridge as she wiggles her eyebrows at me.
“Nah, I tolerate you because you don’t judge me for watching Harry Potter again and again.” Sarcasm coats my words as I push her tea to her. Taking the hot mug, she stares at me, her bottom lip poking out. She looks like a dejected puppy, not that I’d ever tell her that.
“Fine, I guess you’re okay.” I turn to go get dressed as I throw over my shoulder, “But you’re still coming food shopping with me since you eat the most of it, you fatty.” Something hits the door as I close it behind me, laughing, and I head upstairs to get ready for the day.
“Stop for food, I’m starving.” The whine floats from the passenger seat. I contemplate another sarcastic reply, but my stomach grumbles, causing Lane to sit up in her seat and point at me.
“A-ha! So are you. Stop and feed me.” Groaning in response, I turn into the McDonald’s we nearly passed. I convince Lane to eat inside the restaurant, as she tends to get sauce everywhere. As we walk towards the entrance, with Lane droning on and on about how I should order a salad, a car behind us honks. Ignoring it, I continue to tune Lane out, imagining the nuggets I’m going to eat. The honk comes again, and Lane stops her lecture to turn and watch what’s happening. When she does, she grabs my arm and yanks me back as I’m opening the door.
“What?” I’m the one whining now, but hey, you can’t let me get this close to chicken nuggets and not let me have them.
I follow to where she gestures behind us, and a giant of a man chases Ben from the bar and around a car as the driver honks. Ben laughs crazily, shouting nonsense at the giant as he runs. I stare at the other guy in fascination... His arms are the size of tree trunks, his body is built like a tank, and he’s got to be the tallest man I’ve ever seen. His short black hair doesn’t move as he runs after Ben. I shake my head and walk inside.
“Did you see the hotties? I wonder who they are,” Lane chatters excitedly next to me.
I groan internally, pretending I didn’t notice how attractive Ben’s friend was. Lane throws out random questions until I turn and put my hand in front of her mouth.
“I’m hungry and tired, since some blond weirdo snored like Godzilla all night long. All I want is to get some nuggets and eat them in peace, so shush, will ya!” I exclaim. Raising her eyebrows at me, she peels my hand away from her mouth.
“You know them?” she whispers excitedly, clapping her hands together.
I ignore her and move to order.
When I’m done, I turn to find her staring at me with questions in her eyes. Suddenly, a mixture of loud voices comes through the door, and I clearly make out Ben’s unmistakable laugh. Of course, it’s just my luck that they weren’t going somewhere else.
I grab our food and make a beeline for a table in the back corner, ignoring Lane’s questioning stare the whole way.
She flops down opposite me in the booth as I shove the first nugget into my mouth.
“So, who are they?” she whispers, throwing quick curious glances at them as they stand by the counter.
I keep eating, going to my nugget happy place.
Eventually, she realises I won’t answer and starts eating, too.
“Nuggets, I love you, Nuggets, I do...”
A snort and a laugh come from another table. Engrossed in my food I don’t realise they plunked down at the table next
to us until it’s too late. I look up in horror, realising I sang my nugget song out loud. I gulp and discover four extremely attractive men observing me, including Ben and the giant from outside. Well, shit. Ben smiles massively at me whilst all the others flick between me and him in confusion.
Well, fuckity fuck. Why am I such a weirdo? I can’t just sing in my head like a normal person, can I? No, of course not. I sigh heavily and ignore them as the silence stretches. Shockingly, not even Lane talks, and I continue to panic as everyone stares.
“Are you stalking me?” I blurt out. Why, oh why, is that the first thing that bursts out of my lips?
I guess I’m rusty at this communication thing. The giant lets out a rough chuckle, and I can’t help but stare at him. Up close, it’s obvious why he cuts his hair short; it curls at the end. I bite my lip to hide my grin. I bet it must ruin his bad boy image. My eyes wander over his impressive body. His white shirt tucks into tight black jeans and end in a pair of black leather boots, and his brown leather jacket is flung over the chair behind him. Tattoos peek out of the top of his shirt, and I instantly want to know what they are. The guy next to him reminds me of a businessman, with his pressed grey shirt and black trousers. They give him an air of confidence and sophistication, but seriously, who dresses like that out of work? His short brown hair is styled back. As he moves to grab his drink, his shirt stretches tight, and I’m shocked to realise how well-built he is.
“No, but you wish I was.” I’m too busy staring to pay attention to Ben’s reply until Lane kicks me under the table. I lean back casually as if I wasn’t imagining all his friends naked.
“Sure thing, Benny.” I smirk as I wait for his reaction to my nickname. His eyes widen in surprise for a second before a laugh bursts from the final guy at the table. My eyes flick to him, realising how distracted I was by the other two.
With red hair growing just past his ears and brilliant green eyes, he appears to be younger than the rest. His muscles move beneath his shirt. Okay, so four attractive, well-built guys. Damn, I wonder if they are single. I shake my head and turn back to Ben in time for his response.
“Wow, Sunshine, we already at the nickname stage in our relationship?” he questions, his face serious. He leans forward, propping his head on his hand and smiles sweetly at me.
Lane spits out her drink, and her eyes move between us rapidly then mouths Sunshine at me questioningly.
“Only if yours begins with dick and ends with head.” All three of the new guys chuckle and stare at me like I’m an anomaly. Okay, awkward, time to go. I shovel the remaining nuggets into my mouth as fast as possible and ignore the whispers from them.
“Attractive, babe,” Lane mutters.
Glaring at her as I pack up, I gesture for Lane to do the same. Standing, I realise their table is on the way to the door. As I walk by, I put an extra sway in my step to prove I’m not bothered, even though I clearly am.
“Aww, Sunny, you leaving already?” Ben sticks his bottom lip out at me.
“Bye, Benny,” I quip as I strut past. I don’t allow myself to make eye contact with the others as I head towards the door, and Lane walks faster to catch up.
6
- AURORA -
After shopping, we reach my house as Lane fires question after question at me about the men from McDonald’s. I ignore her and stare at the cookies I just unpacked, wondering if I can sneak one before she realises.
“Stop staring at the cookies like its porn and tell me who they are!” she shouts next to me.
Yum, cookie porn... I wonder what it would look like? Slow-mo of them baking, then breaking when they are all gooey. I wipe my mouth, drool dripping down my lip, and finally turn to face Lane, who stares at me in disgust.
“You know, I really wish I could say the drool was about those extremely hot guys, but I bet you were daydreaming about food again, right?” I put my back to the cookies and stare at her, daring her to try to take them from me.
“Fine.” She throws her hands in the air in exasperation. “Will you at least tell me who they are?”
I put my thinking face on as I lean back closer to the cookies. “I met Ben the other night as he was picking up food from the bar,” I reply as I inch my hands behind my back.
Lane stares back at me. “And?” she shouts.
“And what?” Now with my hand behind my back, I inch closer to the packet waiting there.
“Did he move here? Who is he? Who are his friends? And, most importantly, are they single?” Her questions stop my movement towards the cookies as an irrational spike of jealously throbs in me. Shit, why do I care if they’re single? I shake my head and continue my journey to the cookies again.
“No, they aren‘t single?” Lane questions.
Being close to the prize, I grin wickedly.
She narrows her eyes at me and, with a knowing grin, rushes towards me. Fuck, I spin quickly and try to grab them before she reaches me, but I’m not fast enough. She pushes me and grabs them. For someone so thin, there’s power behind her, and I end up on the floor in a heap.
“Nooo!” I cry dramatically as she holds them up triumphantly.
“Tell me or I will eat every single one of them,” she threatens. I narrow my eyes at her, debating whether or not I can reach them before she takes a bite. With an evil twinkle in her eyes, she rips open the packet and grabs one.
“You wouldn’t,” I gasp as she bites into the chocolatey gooey goodness. I can’t help but shake my head in defeat.
“Nooo, not my cookies, you evil wench. Satan’s offspring!” My shout only makes her smile as she polishes off the first one and goes to grab the next.
“You don’t even like the chocolate ones,” I moan.
“I know. Now, tell me what you know, or the cookies get it.” I slump even more in defeat and keep my eye on the circle of happiness moving slowly towards her lips.
“Fine, stop.” The cookie stops moving, and I breathe deeply. “I don’t know much, we didn’t really talk a lot. He came to pick up food, and I met the others today,” I rush out quickly, my eyes locked on the cookie. I wonder if I can concentrate enough to get it to float to me.
She purses her lips, making them move closer to my cookie. “That’s all you got?” she asks suspiciously.
“Ugh!” I throw my hands up, then let them drop to the floor with a bang. “Fine, Tom said they’re from around here and come back every now and again. They don’t tend to stay long though,” I say hesitantly and an evil twinkle lights up her eyes. Not wanting to waste the effort to figure her out, I gesture at the cookie. “Cookie me, bitch.”
Lane throws the bag down next to me and the cookie in her hand at my face.
I grab it with glee. “My precious cookies, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have let her eat you all, I swear. Oh, how I missed you,” I coo as I cradle the bag closer to me and glare at her.
She laughs quietly as she stares at me whispering to my cookies. “And people say I’m weird.” She crosses her arms as I sit up cross-legged and shove the whole cookie into my mouth.
With a satisfied moan, I wink at her as I chew. When the chocolate hits my taste buds, I can’t help but close my eyes.
“If I wasn’t used to it, I would be weirded out that you make sex noises over cookies,” she says laughingly. I swallow and open my eyes.
“Which would you prefer?” Her head tilts in curiosity, making her hair slide over her shoulder, as I grab another. I stop and consider it, tilting my head to the side to match her.
“Cookies on a man or a cookie man?” I ask seriously as Neville comes into the room, his eyes locked on me. Noticing I’m holding a cookie, he makes his way towards me. I narrow my eyes at him and growl.
“Don’t even think about it, Nev, or I will let Lane dress you up.” I point at him while holding the cookies out of reach.
His eyes stay on me as he sits down, carefully scrutinising me. I quickly shove the cookie into my mouth and grab the last one from the bag. As I nibble on it a
bit more ladylike than the others, a growl makes me glance at him. His eyes twitch from me to my cookie. I stare at the chocolatey heaven and debate my options. I could try to eat it really fast. He would probably reach me before I did, or I could give him a little. But then again, it’s my cookie. I sigh dejectedly and break a piece off.
“Here you go, greedy shit.” The chunk is snatched mid-air as he chomps happily.
“Yeah, he’s the greedy one.” I watch Lane as I eat the remaining cookie.
She laughs at me and shakes her head. “You have chocolate all around your mouth.” She grins, and I wiggle my eyebrows at her.
“Hot right?” I respond, mouth full of cookie, still wiggling my eyebrows as she laughs harder.
I groan and rub my stomach as Lane packs her bag near me. She shakes her head without even bothering to look at me.
“I’ll leave you to your cookie coma.”
I pop my head up. “You got work? Or a hot date?” I ask excitedly.
She finally turns and stares at me, seeming disturbed by the date question. That girl needs to get laid, badly. “Work. Who has time to date? Plus, I’ve already got a co-dependent, shitty relationship with you.” Her hand props on her hip as she sasses me.
I simply nod. “True, but it wouldn’t hurt for you to get laid at least.” Her cheeks tint, and I smirk to myself evilly. For someone so confident and beautiful, she sure is a prude. “You know, the horizontal mambo. Knocking boots. Sexy time,” singing gleefully, I watch as she goes redder.
“Stop, bloody woman,” she groans, grabbing her hot cheeks.
“Well, when was the last time?”
She glares at me as her eyes spit fire. I shout numbers until she shouts at me, “What about you?”
I stop and stare at her questioningly. Noticing she’s got my attention, she goes all prudish again. Adorable.
“You know, when was the last time you...”
