House of Glass

by Lyn Forester

  "The biggest asshole," Connor agrees. Long fingers curl around mine and squeeze. "I like you, too."

  Declan's legs fold as he sits down in the grass above Connor's head. His fingers pick at the basket as he avoids my stare. "I'm sorry I called you weak."

  "Yeah, that wasn't nice." He just said what I already felt, but it doesn't make me happy to hear it. At my sharp tone, his shoulders hunch. I take a deep breath. "I'm sorry I said you weren't considering Felix's feelings without knowing your situation. I had no right to judge you guys."

  "I felt so loved." Felix sighs, "and horny."

  A surprised laugh escapes me.

  With a frown, Declan shoves the other man. "Don't talk like that, you'll scare her away. Again."

  "But my girlfriend's so hot when she's being protective."

  Connor laces our fingers together. "I thought she was going to punch Dec."

  "Super hot."

  "I'm glad me being hurt turns you on," Declan murmurs dryly.

  "Only if it's Sparks." Felix reaches up to pat his friend's arm with reassurance. Next to my ear, his teeth click together and he adds, "or me."

  Reminded, I smile. "My roommate almost hunted you down last night."

  "What?" He bolts upright to glance around, as if worried Myrrine will appear with armed bodyguard in tow. "Why would she do that?"

  With a sigh, I release Connor's hand to sit up so I can face them. "Biting is apparently a big thing in halion culture."

  "Hold on." Felix shifts around to sit with his legs folded. He grabs the basket from Declan's lap, selects a new carrot, and stares at me with wide eyes. "Okay. Go on."

  "No." I frown at his eager pose. "This isn't a theatre. I'm not here to entertain you."

  "Such a spoil sport." He bites off the end of his carrot, wrinkles his nose, and throws the vegetable back in the basket.

  "Wait." As Connor moves to join our circle, his knee presses against mine. "That means your roommate saw you without your shirt on, right?"

  "Well, yeah." I glance down as Felix shifts until he touches my other knee. "We're roommates."

  "So you spend a lot of time walking around with your shirts off?" Felix finds a fresh carrot and presses it against his bottom lip. "Tell us everything."

  I punch his leg with a laugh. "It's not like that."

  He grins. "Pretend it is."

  "No." I reach over to pull the basket away from Felix. In the dark, I can't make out the contents. "What's in here?"

  "Tea, carrots, and a protein pack." Declan shrugs as he leans back on his hands to peer up at the emerging stars. "The snack room doesn't have a lot of options."

  "Four days to cake." Felix slumps over his knees, forehead touching the grass. "I might need to eat your bottle of lotion, Sprinkles."

  "We can go on a heist of our own." Connor ruffles his twin's hair. "We'll steal sugar from the pantry."

  "I love you, bro."

  "That's because I'm the best, bro."

  "No." Felix swats at his brother as his head lifts. "I'm the best."

  "Yeah, the best at being second."

  As the two devolve into quiet argument, Declan draws my attention. Across from me, he watches the pair with a quiet smile: his lover and his best friend. They already form a perfect circuit. Is there really a place for me with them? Do I want one?

  My hand lifts to touch the converter coil beneath my sweatshirt. The hard piece of crystal seems to buzz beneath my touch, a memory of when it was part of something bigger than itself. I glance down at the circle created by our connected knees. It feels right somehow. Like the perfect balance on a disc-bike.

  I don't know if we can work out the way they seem to want, the way Myrrine suggests we can. But, we have two years to find out.

  Caitlyn's story continues in:

  House of Artifice

  Just as Caitlyn begins to dream of what a future with Declan, Connor, and Felix could mean, she's called back to the family home to act as proxy for her father. Struggling to hold her own in a sea of political maneuvering, only allowed brief glimpses of her guys, leaves Caitlyn feeling bereft all over again.

  Political machinations are more complicated without a right hand man. When the family matriarch presents Caitlyn with choices for her future secretary, she begins to see how much more complicated things can become. In the Lonnette family, the secretary is expected to fulfill all of their councilor's needs, both professional and private. Faced with men trained in seduction, Caitlyn will find it difficult to resist their proposals.

  When rumors of Declan's past surface to raise doubts of his true intentions, Caitlyn struggles with which path to follow: accept the approved support of her secretary or continue to fight for the more risky proposition of her guys?

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lyn Forester graduated with a Bachelor in English and an Associates in Graphic Design. She worked in the graphic design industry for ten years before deciding to pursue her other life long dream of becoming a writer. She grew up reading mostly fantasy books, though later in life found a love of urban fantasy and science fiction. She currently works from her home in Washington State where she squeezes in writing time around a busy schedule. When not working, she can be found experimenting with new recipes, reading, or playing video games and the occasional board game.

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