by Jen L. Grey
“It looks great.” I almost believed that if she wore a potato sack, she’d still look amazing.
“Yeah?” She spun around and sighed. “It’s so tight around my thighs though. I’m afraid it’ll make it hard to dance.”
“Well, then. Try on the other one.” I turned back to the racks and found a black strapless dress that was gorgeous. I glanced at the price tag and cringed. It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, but still, I couldn’t afford it.
“Ohhh, that’s gorgeous.” Jess rushed back out with the shimmery green dress on. “You should try it on.”
“I don’t think I’ll get anything.” I didn’t want to tap into my parents’ funds more than I already had. “That dress is amazing. I think it’s the one.”
“Yes, I do too.” She twirled around, and the dress bounced. “And it’ll be great for dancing too.” She reached over and grabbed the hanger of the dress I’d just been eyeing. “Go put this on, and let’s look at it.”
“No, seriously I’m fine.” I wished I hadn’t agreed to come here. I blamed it on my lack of caffeine.
“If you go try it on, I promise not to give you any more grief.” Jess laid her hand on her heart.
“Fine.” I wanted to try it on. Here’s hoping I looked horrible in it.
“You’re not heading toward a death sentence. Try to smile.” Jess giggled and wrapped an arm around me. “You’re only trying on a dress.”
She was right, but I refused to tell her that. “Let’s get this over with.”
Jess entered her dressing room and started changing back into her clothes.
I entered the room right next to her and quickly undressed. This dress just has to look horrible on me. I repeated it several times, hoping the words would make it come true. I slipped the dress on and zipped up the back. When I turned to the mirror, I paused.
Not only did the strapless dress look great on me, it somehow enhanced my breasts. An intricate design of cubic zirconia stones wrapped around my waist, and the dress stopped right above my knees with several layers of thin black material over the base. Damn, it was gorgeous.
“Let me see.” Jess demanded from outside my changing room.
The last thing I wanted to do was open the door. Knowing her though, she’d climb through the opening at the bottom. I opened the door, and Jess’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my God. You rock that dress.”
Yes, I did. It didn’t matter since it was too expensive. “Nah, I’m sure I can find something just as nice back home.” I closed the door and changed back into my clothes. As I hung the dress back on the hanger, I allowed myself to pout for all of one second.
I opened the door to find Jess waiting for me at the entrance. “All right. Let’s get going.”
“You’re going to look amazing tonight.” I was happy for her.
“Do you know where the guys went?” Jess glanced both directions.
“They are in the men’s area.” Or at least that’s what Cole had said earlier.
“Well, we’ve been here for an hour. I’m hungry and in need of getting back. We have to get ready.” She glanced at her phone and frowned. “Do you mind finding them while I check out?”
“Don’t mind at all.” I turned to go put my dress back when Jess grabbed my arm.
“I’ll put it back on my way to the register.” She pointed to the customer service desk to the left. “Go ahead and find them. There’s no telling what Cole is up to.”
Now that was a fair statement. The one thing you could count on was Cole being unpredictable. It was like he fed off of it. “All right, I’ll meet ya up front.” I headed to the right, looking for the men’s area.
“See, if you wore this, we’d be the talk of the night.” Cole’s voice came from the discount section.
I found Cole decked out in a black suit that had red hearts all over the jacket, pants, and even the tie.
He was holding up a similar suit to his, but instead of hearts, it had dollar signs. “You could be R Money and I could be C Lover.”
“C Lover? Really?” Rage sat in a chair, leaned over with his head in his hands. “Do you know what that could mean?”
“Candy lover? Cat lover?” Cole stared at the ceiling and tapped his lips. “Cook lover?”
“Sometimes I wonder how we’re even friends.” Rage sniffed and glanced in my direction. “Tell him to stop … please.”
“I’m with Rage on this one.” They would definitely be the talk of the school. “Do you really want your elitist and elusive persona tarnished by this? People might think you’re funny and awkward.”
“Dammit.” Cole frowned and glanced in the mirror. “You’re right. We can’t have that.” He turned and headed back to the men’s dressing area.
“Wait.” Rage sat straight and blinked several times. “Did you just reason with Cole?”
“It’s actually quite simple if you know how.” When it came to his reputation, he cared way too much. The only thing that helped him maintain it was the fact that he didn’t let many people in.
“Thank you.” Rage sighed and chuckled. “I was honestly afraid he’d demand I wear that shit.”
“Hey, that’s what friends are for.” The words slipped out before I could take them back. I didn’t want to just be his friend, and even worse, I implied that I considered him one.
“Did you just friend zone me?” His mouth dropped open, and he flinched.
There was no way to salvage this. Either way I went, it would have come out wrong. “I’m not sure what we are.”
“But you do feel something?” He reached out and touched my hand. His face was filled with something similar to hope.
“Yes, but there is Greg.” This was a dangerous game I was playing, but I felt like I needed to tell him the truth. “I haven’t broken up with him yet.”
“Yet. That means you’re going to?” There was something sort of desperate in his words.
“Fine, you both win.” Cole walked out from the fitting room and frowned. “You guys will just have to deal with my fine ass in a black suit.”
“Your timing is impeccable today.” Rage stood and growled. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Don’t worry though.” Cole moved beside me as I followed Rage. “We’ll still have fun.”
“I wasn't ever worried about it not being fun.” I rubbed my arms, trying to make the moments before disappear. At the end of the day, I couldn’t lose my focus on what truly mattered.
“It’s about time you guys showed up.” Jess had her dress covered with plastic. “I’m ready to get back.”
“What? That’s it?” Cole’s forehead wrinkled, and he took a step back.
“We have to get ready. No spoilers.” Jess rolled her eyes and waved a hand along her body. “Beauty takes time. After all, the dance starts at six.”
“Don’t worry.” Rage lifted his closed hand with his palm facing downward and then flicked his fingers open. The keys hung on his middle finger. “I’ve got the keys, so no more near-death experiences.”
At least there was one miracle for the day. “I can say that I’m not upset about that.”
“All this shade is making me chilly.” Cole shivered as if he was cold. “For this, a harsh punishment will be dealt.” He winked at me. “Next time you need a ride, someone will be modeling at least one pair of underwear for me.”
“That sounds fair.” I already knew what we could do.
“What?” He startled and put his hand to his ear. “Did I just hear someone agree?” An evil grin crossed his face. “Hell, yeah.”
“Let’s go before he begins demanding other things.” Rage’s eyes landed on me for a moment, causing my heart to speed up. He grinned.
As we arrived back at the academy, Jess was about to bubble over. “Tonight is going to be so much fun.”
“Why do girls get excited about all these things?” Cole frowned. “All we do is dress uncomfortably.”
“We also get to look our best.” Jess lifted her dress in th
e air as the wind blew the plastic.
“Hey, why are there two dresses?” That little sneak. She bought my dress too.
“Probably because she was afraid she’d change her mind, so she bought a back-up.” Cole grinned as if he discovered the meaning of life.
“No, she bought the dress I liked too.” I headed over to her and went for the bottom of the plastic cover.
“There is only one dress.” Her face turned pink, and she nodded her head repeatedly. “Maybe the green just looked dark for a second.”
“Uh … no.” Rage appeared behind her and grabbed her shoulders. “It did not.”
Now that he was holding her in place, I raised the plastic. Sure enough, there was her dress and mine. “Jess …”
“Look, I wanted to do it, okay?” Jess shot Rage a dirty look and faced me. “Last year, I didn’t go because I didn’t have a friend. And this time, I do. I wanted to get it so we both could have fun getting dressed together and because you looked damn hot in it.”
I hated the fact that she bought it, but she was more excited about it than I was. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.” Her eyes glowed, and she pulled the plastic back in place. “We don’t want them getting messed up.”
As we headed off to our dorm room, Rage reached out and grabbed my arm. “Hey, do you have a second?”
Jess giggled and stayed put.
“Yeah, sure.” He led me several yards away from the others before he stopped. “So … I know you still have that loser, but maybe you could save a dance or two for me?”
My wolf howled through me, but I forced her back in place. “Maybe.” I didn’t want to commit to something. Not while I was still technically with Greg.
“I’ll take that.” Rage grinned and moved closer to me. His earthy scent surrounded me, and for the first time in a while, I relaxed.
“Raven?” An all too familiar voice called out to me.
No, it couldn’t be. It had to be my guilt messing around with me. I turned, and there, not even fifty feet away, was my boyfriend. “Greg?”
“Well, I came here to surprise you, but it looks like I got one instead.” His eyes flashed back and forth between Rage and me.
“So, you’re saying she can’t have guy friends?” Cole jumped into action. He closed the distance between us and wrapped an arm around my waist. “I thought you were an alpha. Instead, someone sounds really insecure.”
Pure hate flashed in Greg’s eyes. It brought me right back to graduation when he discovered I was the one they wanted—not him. “Why don’t you mind your own business?”
“Hi, Greg.” Jess stepped forward in front of us and held her hand out. “Raven has said a lot of nice things about you. It’s great to finally meet you.”
Thank goodness, at least one of them was trying to help defuse the situation.
“I’m surprised she found time.” He crossed his arms and leaned back.
“What are you doing here?” I created some distance between me and the guys to hopefully alleviate some of the tension.
He sighed. “Your parents told my Dad that you wouldn’t make it home this Christmas and that there was a dance tonight. So I thought I’d come down here and take you to the dance.”
A deep growl filled the air. Rage was breathing rapidly, and the air grew tense.
Both Rage and Greg were on the edge. Each alpha ready to fight the other for dominance. I had to talk to Greg and let him know where we stood with each other. I always knew it wasn’t going to be an easy conversation, but I didn’t expect to have it here at Bloodshed Academy during a surprise visit. I only hoped that he’d keep his head on straight.
Chapter Fourteen
“What the hell is wrong with him?” Jess stood in her bathroom, organizing all her makeup. “He can’t just show up here and pee on you.”
Despite everything, that made me giggle. “He’s always been like that.” However, seeing it now with a new perspective, I guess Greg wasn’t really as strong as he thought.
“Seriously, you dated him for two years?” She picked up something that looked like eyeliner and threw it into the garbage. “Maybe I should be asking what’s wrong with you.”
That was a fair statement. “You’ve got to realize I was raised with the mentality that no female could ever be a true alpha.”
“Are you kidding me right now?” Jess paused with her organizing and turned toward me. Her eyes were wide, and her brows furrowed. “What backwoods hick town did you grow up in?”
“We were right outside Nashville.” I always wondered why my parents moved there. They weren’t from there and had grown up near New Orleans. “We didn’t travel, just stayed put.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that there are hundreds of packs and supernatural societies that are still following old, outdated practices.” She patted her bed and smiled. “Good thing Isadora can find the ones that deserve this chance. Now come on, let’s get moving.”
Suddenly there was a loud knock on her door. “Raven, I’m hungry. Let’s go grab some food.”
“She’s busy,” Jess yelled and marched over to the door, yanking it open.
Greg took a step back, surprise written all over his face. “I wasn’t asking you.”
Oh, dear God. This was not going to end well. “We’re getting ready for the dance tonight. It starts in two hours.” Needless to say, the past couple of hours with Greg here had been tense. We’d sat and watched a few shows, not knowing what to say to one another.
“Alright, I guess I’ll go mosey around campus for a little while. Then come back and get ready.” He turned away, and within a few seconds, the main door shut.
“At least he’s gone.” Jess spun around and snorted. “I have no idea what you ever saw in him.” She grabbed a button-down shirt from her dresser and threw it at me. “Put this on.”
“Honestly, it’s what my parents expected of me and what I thought was the right thing.” Now that I’ve been here, I couldn’t imagine that life anymore. “I never was in love with him. That’s why I need to break it off.” I slipped my shirt off and put the one she’d given me on.
“Please tell me you’re doing it tonight.” Jess grabbed a brush and powder from the bathroom and strolled toward me. “Because I really don’t know if I could handle him staying here more than a day.”
“You’re leaving in the morning, and this is an all-girl dorm.” I hadn’t even considered this yet. “So, I’m not sure where he’ll be sleeping.”
She swiped the brush into the powder and attacked my face.
I leaned back, trying to dodge the assault. “You’re like ten times paler than me. I can’t use your foundation.”
“This is fae powder.” She brought the offending weapon to her side. “It blends into whatever your skin color is. A person with red skin uses the same powder as me. It’s magic.”
“There are companies here that claim that too.” I had my doubts that it worked as well as getting one that was actually made to blend with your skin color.
“Silly, this is truly magic.” She put her fingers in the powder, and it clung to her skin, sparkling. “Once it’s on the brush, it’s ready to do its job. Trust me.”
“Fine, but if you make me look like a clown, I will seek revenge.” I trusted her without a shadow of a doubt. She’d been a constant friend since the first day I got here.
“Shush, you.” Once again, the brush swiped across my face so many times I lost count. “Almost done.”
“I think you’ve covered each area at least fifty times.” I was a bare essential type of girl when it came to makeup. I usually wore mascara and lip stain. That was it, nothing else needed.
“We have to make sure it’s even all over your face; otherwise, you might get splotchy.” She placed the brush on the bed and rushed back into the bathroom. “Alright, since you’re wearing black, let’s do smokey eyes.” She grabbed some eyeshadows and smaller brushes before heading back over. That’s when the real
torture began.
“See, voila.” Jess stepped back and waved me to the mirror on her dresser.
Great, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like what I saw. When I saw my reflection in the mirror, I was stunned. My usual long, straight, chestnut hair had loose waves, and my brown eyes seemed so much lighter with the smoky eyeshadow framing them. My foundation was flawless, and there was only a hint of pink on both my lips and cheeks. I’d never looked this way before. “You are fucking amazing.”
“I’m so glad you like it.” She giggled and looked at me. “It’s easy to do when you have a great canvas to work with.”
All my life, I had never considered my looks as beautiful. My main priority was keeping taps on my wolf. She was a little volatile at times and fought against my hold. Nothing there had changed yet, but at least I wasn’t as worried about her coming out. They knew what my weaknesses were here, for better or worse. “Thank you.” They were two very simple words, but at the moment, I couldn’t think of anything more true.
She sniffled and blinked her eyes. “No, don’t you dare.” She fanned her face and bit her bottom lip. “I can’t cry. My eyes can’t be puffy tonight.”
“We definitely can’t have that.” I glanced back at myself and smiled. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“Okay, my turn.” She went inside the bathroom and grabbed another damn brush.
How many of those things can one girl have? My phone buzzed. I grabbed it and saw a message from Damien.
Hey - Professor Shaw wants us to meet him in the woods behind the dorms. Be there in five.
My heart pounded in my chest. It didn’t make sense. Why did Professor Shaw want to meet us?
OK- on my way.
“Hey, Damien and Professor Shaw want to meet me, so I’m going to head out for a minute.” Thankfully, Greg was still out and about, so I didn't have to sneak out.
Jess stuck her head out of the bathroom and pointed a sharp eyeliner pencil at me. “If you mess up your hair and face, there will be hell to pay. Got it?”