by K L Rymer
Dodging is good and all, but I also need to learn to attack too. Myrddin said that would come in time.
The weeks have just gone by, and now we’re close to Halloween. Nearly a year since I discovered my powers after Mattie and Angie ambushed me.
Now look at me. I have a magical sword and the best instructor ever. And soon I will be waking the Red Dragon.
It’s now or never, and we can’t afford to waste any more time. Mattie could strike at any moment, so I need to be ready.
I stroll down the hall with Felicity. We’ve just finished Human Studies, and once again I had to learn all about how horrible humans are.
Fel still won’t talk to Damien, and I wish she would just get over the time he tricked her in Mr. Tanaka’s class. I know I may be a cynic, but what he did was actually rather... sweet. (My mouth tastes awful just admitting to that.)
Of course, he has tried to get back into her good graces. He did use intimidation and fear at first since that’s what he’s used to, but he soon learned the hard way that that was a big mistake. One of the reasons he drew her further away, and then the arguing started again. Awful things were said, and now they’re on a break.
They’re the Rachel and Ross of the academy...
Felicity has gone back to pretending that Damien doesn’t exist, and vice versa. Though I do catch Damien’s lingering gaze whenever he sets sights on the small blonde.
It’s just like last year all over again, but the roles are reversed now. Let’s just hope Damien’s not crying in his room at night and eating tons of ice cream like Fel did back then.
There’s a commotion at the end of the hall, and Felicity and I look over curiously.
“What’s going on?” she says.
I soon spot that tall blonde puncturing a black flyer onto a notice board. The flyer has a picture of an orange pumpkin, and I narrow my eyes, stomping over.
Felicity rushes after me, and before long I’m standing beside Angelina Ambrose. She doesn’t even bother to turn as she knows it’s me.
“Come to see what the commotion is all about, Bryn?” she purrs, her mouth curved into a smirk.
I growl and yank the flyer from the notice board, scrutinizing that pure work of art.
She did this all by herself? Nice.
“Halloween party at Mendacious tower October the 31st. Bring drinks.”
I scrunch up the flyer and meet her glowing blue eyes. Angelina folds her arms, waiting for my reply.
“So you’re organizing Halloween parties now? Well, too bad. You’ll have to find somewhere else. Our tower is off-limits to outsiders!”
I toss the flyer into her face, which a year ago would have earned me a hiss from her pearly white fangs, but now Angelina just throws her head back and cackles. “Oh, Bryn... you and I both know that I’m the best thing that has happened to Mendacious for a long while. No offence, but before I came along, you were all losers.”
I grit my teeth, stepping closer. “You watch your bitch mouth.”
She narrows her eyes. “Look around you. People are actually reading the flyers.”
I do as she says, and she’s right. Everyone looks eager to attend the party hosted by the most popular girl at school, regardless of which tower it’s based at.
Even Jessika, Row, and Laura seem keen, and Felicity watches them hopefully.
“Maybe a party’s not such a bad idea after all, Bryn,” Fel says. “I mean, Angelina’s right. We’re not so popular.”
Angelina produces a seductive smirk. “See? Even the pixie agrees. Why are you so against people loving you?”
I whip my head around, shooting her a death glare. “I’ve never given a shit about what others think of me.”
“Really? If that were truly the case, then you wouldn’t have even bothered to comb through that mess of blonde hair this morning.”
Self-consciously, I reach my hand up and touch my head. Not a hair out of place. She made me check for nothing!
The vampire’s eyes flash wickedly. “See? You do care in some respect. Stop trying to act all superior, Bryn, when we all know deep down you’re as superficial as the rest of us.”
I gasp. “Superficial? You dare...”
I take another step closer, balling my fists, but then Felicity blocks my path, and now the vampire Barbie towers above her. “Bryn, stop! She’s right.”
My eyes widen, and now I stare appalled at my perfect little friend. I’ve... never felt so betrayed.
She thinks I’m superficial.
Felicity recovers quickly, turning bright red. “I... I mean about the party. It could really do wonders for our house.”
I groan, palming my face. “Not you too, Felicity.”
The pixie beams now, showing off her adorable, milky white teeth. “Come on, it’ll be fun! We can decorate the common room and make it look all pretty...”
“Pretty?” I reply. “Halloween is supposed to be scary.”
Felicity blinks, and I wonder if she even knows what Halloween’s supposed to be really all about.
She did go as Tinkerbell last year.
Angelina puts an arm around Felicity now, and the pixie freezes when she feels that cool hand on her shoulder. “Two against one, Bryn. It looks like you’re outnumbered.”
I raise a brow. “Actually, we have another five opinions to consult first before we come to any decision.”
Angie rolls her eyes. “Please... like any of them matter. We’re the three hottest members of our house after all. Everyone knows it.”
My eye twitches. Who does she think she is? My Mendacious housemates are all rather hot, thank you very much.
Felicity blushes yet again, and now she gazes down at her shoes. “Do... people really think I’m hot?”
Angie grins. “Definitely... I hear Macson even saying that he regrets standing you up now at the V-day ball. You’re popular now, Felicia.”
“Erm... Felicity...” the pixie corrects.
“Yeah, whatever... So people are going to notice you. Especially if you stand next to me.”
I give Fel a pointed look as she mulls over Angie’s words. She’s really not going to believe that bullcrap about Macson, is she?
“Well... if... if you say so, Angelina. All right. I’m up for a party.”
“What’s this shit I hear about a party then?”
We turn to the sound of that gravelly voice. Damien marches toward us, his coat flapping in the breeze behind him, and his eyes are ablaze. I’m just glad that someone else from our house has arrived.
Finally, I have backup.
He stops by Felicity and the pixie moves away from him. Damien doesn’t acknowledge her, but I can tell by the glow of his eyes that he’s pissed. I’m not sure by whom though.
The demon keeps his burning gaze on Angelina. “Are you trying to turn our freak show of a house into a spectacle now, Ambrose?”
Angelina’s eyes flash, and now it’s red against blue. “What’s it to you, hell-spawn?”
He chuckles darkly and moves closer, and now he’s inches from her face. He’s slightly taller, but it’s a pretty even match.
The hall falls silent and I spot Jessika, Row, and Laura backing away. Felicity’s bottom lip wiggles as she stares horrified at her demon lover. All I can do is watch as these perfect monsters square off.
It really is a clash of the titans’ scenario. In fact, I wonder if Angie could even go up against Jack.
“You watch your mouth, vamp. Or I’ll send your father back to the hell-pit where he rightfully belongs... Just one click of the finger.”
She bares her fangs, and her eyes almost burn white now. ”You get your shit-smelling breath out of my face, scumbag.”
Damien’s eyes spark, and slowly he raises his fingers.
I don’t know if he really would send her father back to hell. But the threat is still enough to chill me to the core, and I’m tough as rocks.
Before I have a chance to stop him, a pink blur rushes past me, and now Felicit
y stands between the demon and the vampire, breaking them apart. “Stay away from her, Damien!”
She pushes the demon away with her small hands. He doesn’t take his eyes off Angelina, and after a few more intense seconds, he finally breaks away, disappearing into the shadows.
My heart is pounding. It’s been so long since I’ve seen that deadly side of Damien, I’ve forgotten how fucking terrifying he actually is.
Felicity releases a huge sigh, and I’m surprised she managed to hold all that air inside her small body.
Angelina steps up beside her, curling an arm around her shoulder, and Felicity shivers. “It’s all right. Forget him. You just stick with me from now on. Come, I’d like to introduce you to some friends of mine.”
All I can do is watch as Angelina pulls my sweet little friend toward Jessika, Row, and Laura, and I’m powerless to do anything.
Well, it looks like Felicity has gone to the dark side.
Chapter 7.
I sit with Zahara and Damien at our usual, designated table in the dining hall.
Nora, Jack, and Thomas stopped sitting with us long ago, so we’re used to their absence by now, but not Felicity. She had remained loyal to Mendacious through thick and thin, but now she’s gone.
I know she would never completely forget about us, but still... it hurts.
Instead, she sits with her new Magnanimous friends, black amongst yellow, and she’s never looked so misplaced. Angie’s beside her, showing Felicity off like she’s her new little pet, and all the girls absolutely adore her.
Why wouldn’t they? She’s cute as a button.
Only Zahara seems amused by it all. She keeps giving Damien the side-eye, trying to think up some snide remark about how Angelina’s stealing his girlfriend, but she keeps her mouth shut.
Smart choice. Damien looks as if he wants to burn the school to ashes. His eyes haven’t stopped glowing, something that only ever happens when he’s truly pissed or aroused. Since he’s not been getting any Felicity love lately, it’s probably a little bit of both.
It’s one week until Halloween, and they’re still going through with the party. Nora and Thomas were pleased with the idea and Zahara—the traitor. Jack was nonchalant as always.
So it was six against two. Only Damien and I are against the party. The last thing we want is the rest of the school trashing our humble tower.
All this drama at the academy is doing my head in (as my British friends Megan and Sophie would say). Thank god I get to leave and go to my other school to learn all about exotic animals (though really I learn about worm sex from boring lecture slides). Year two is even harder than year one at Bangor, but it’s a chance to get away and be by the fresh sea air for a few hours.
I release a big, bottled-up sigh. “Well, this sucks.”
Zahara hums in agreement, smirking over at Damien once again. The demon slouches in his chair, one arm propped over the back as he glares straight ahead.
A chorus of feminine giggles drifts toward us next, and it looks as if the cute little pixie just told a joke.
I can almost hear the grinding of Damien’s teeth, and I scoot away, trying to put some distance between us.
“I wonder what they’re all laughing about,” Zahara croons. “Pretty flowers and sparkly dresses perhaps?”
Damien huffs through his gritted teeth. “They’re talking about me, idiot. You know as much as I do with those big elf ears...”
Curiously, I glance over at that Magnanimous table, and they’re all batting their eyelashes at Damien like he’s some kind of Romeo. Most guys would love being the center of attention for a bunch of beautiful girls, but the demon’s too antisocial. Plus, it looks as if he’s blushing slightly, and I would have found it adorable if he weren’t so fucking terrifying.
“I don’t hear them,” I say.
Zahara gives me that scathing look. “Demon and fae have better hearing than wizards. You know that.”
I narrow my eyes then glance over at those Magnanimous girls again. “What do you think they’re saying about you?”
Damien’s left eye twitches. “Take a wild fucking guess.”
Zahara leans in close. “About his ding dong...”
The demon rumbles, sprouting his flaming horns. “Zee... I’m warning you...”
She cocks a brow. “What? It’s all good stuff. I guess I can speak for both Bryn and I when I say, “Hey, Damien?”
The Unseelie wiggles her brows and Damien has literal fire burning in his eyes now. Yes, literal... I can see the flames of hell. Smoke plumes from his nostrils.
I’m starting to feel bad for him. If he were a woman, and the Magnanimous girls were all men, it would be classed as inappropriate. He’s clearly not happy, and I wish Fel wouldn’t disrespect him so much.
What they do in private is just that. Private.
“To be fair, it’s all Jessika,” Zahara says. “All Fel has to do is blush when they ask her questions, and they connect the rest.”
Well, that makes sense. It seemed really out of character for Felicity. Sure, she’s told me some little details about her and Damien’s escapades, but I’m her best friend. I’m different.
Jessika’s not, and once again I wonder how the Seelie girl ever got put into Magnanimous. She spreads gossip worse than forest fire.
I’m too lost in my own thoughts, I don’t notice the small blonde heading toward our table, and now I gaze into the shining blue eyes of Felicity once again.
My heart fills with hope. Has she come to her senses at last and decided to re-join our side?
She stops beside Damien, and from this angle, she looks taller than him now (though he is sitting). She twiddles her thumbs. “D-Damien?”
The demon doesn’t even look at her. He just keeps those burning eyes of hell straight ahead.
“What?” he manages to growl in the end.
The pixie takes a deep, shuddery breath and peers over her shoulder at her new Magnanimous friends. I see Jessika, Row, and Laura encouraging her along, and I think I know what’s going on.
I guess they are Magnanimous after all. I just forget at times because they still act as superficial as Angelina. Speaking of said vamp, she’s mysteriously vanished (heartfelt apologies aren’t her thing anyway).
“I’ve... come over to say that I’m sorry. I’ve been very unfair to you these last several weeks. What you did for me in Mr Tanaka’s class was actually very sweet. All the girls think so.”
“Oh, do they...?”
Finally, he turns her way, and his expression is deadpan. Crap. They’re going to fight again. I’d rather wake a whole horde of dragons than deal with this.
“Yes,” she replies, moving closer to touch him, but then she thinks better of it.
Damien doesn’t take his flaming orbs off her. “You come to that conclusion all by yourself, or did they do it for you?”
Felicity blinks. “Of... of—”
The demon rises and now the pixie cowers from his shadowy form.
“I’m getting sick of this bullshit, Felicity.”
Her eyes shine. “B-bullshit? I’m... I’m apologising!”
He still doesn’t take those impassive eyes off her, and now he bares his fangs. “You’re a whirlwind of emotions, Tinkerbell, and quite frankly I’m clueless with what to do with you. Maybe you need someone who’s better equipped to deal with your outbursts, who knows, but it’s definitely not me. I’m sorry... but it appears that I’m the one apologising to you now.”
Her lower lip wiggles and her eyes fill with tears. “Are... are you breaking up with me?”
Damien doesn’t answer her question. Instead, he sweeps out of the room, leaving us all speechless.
Well, it looks like he’s gone back to being Damien the dick then. The one at the top of my “asses to kick” list. But to be honest, I can’t be all that mad at him.
He’s not the only one at fault. Fel messed up too. She had a good guy who loved her and couldn’t look past her petty, childish ang
er and just forgive him.
Suppose she does act as young as she looks after all (My Little Pony bedsheets aside). I really thought they were made for each other. But they lasted five months longer than Matthew and I did in the end.
I guess there is no hope for love after all.
Chapter 8.
Halloween came and went. The party turned out to be a bust after all, so all that arguing and stress was for nothing.
But Angelina was right. It definitely improved our popularity.
Even the teachers seem to like us more now and will award us scores when we get a question right in class.
Professor Higgles has even come around. Nora got a question right about rubbish and recycling, and she received fifty scores. Plus, now that we have the selectively intelligent Angelina on our side, we’re getting even more scores, and now we’ve caught up with the rest of the school.
We’re just between Audacious and Magnanimous now. Ingenious are still at the top as always.
The only downside is that we’re not as strong as we once were. Even though there were only seven of us last year, we were the most close-knit house in the whole school. We always stuck together because we knew what it was like to be an outsider.
Now we’ve all gone our separate ways. Nora sits with her merman in classes and during lunch, and Thomas with his cat. Jack stays with his succubus, and Felicity wanders around giggling with her Magnanimous girls.
Damien comes and goes, but mostly it’s just me and Zahara now.
Oh, and Angelina.
She could sit anywhere she wants, being the most popular girl at school. Yet she still insists on the back of the class with her fellow Mendacious.
I wish she would just go away. I’d even take Swamp Boy over her these days.
We sit in Professor Jones’s class, learning about Excalibur and The Lady of the Lake. Angelina sits on my right-hand side, scribbling notes at lightning speed. Zahara sits on my left, blowing bubbles with her black chewing gum. Damien slouches in his chair, his steel-toe boots propped up on his desk as he watches Felicity all the way to the front.
The most disturbing part about their break up: Felicity didn’t cry, not once. I was worried it would be a repeat of last year, and I would have to listen to her sweet little sniffles through the wood of her door.