Elora
“Really?!” I jumped out of my bed, clapping my hands in joy. I’d waited so long for this day to finally come.
Duke chuckled, pulling the comforter off of his yummy body. He was dressed only in sweatpants, looking unfairly attractive for someone with bed head. “Yes, we’re sure no other vampires or werewolves are in the state. Just be careful, okay?” He gave me a pleading look.
I nodded vigorously, “Yes, I’ll be so careful I won’t even…” I tried to think about things I could say to reassure him, but I fully planned on having a typical day at school. I shrugged, skipping to the bathroom. “I don’t know, but whatever unsafe thing you’re thinking, just know I won’t do it!” I rushed out.
Stepping into the shower, I got ready for the day. I’d missed actually dressing cutely to go somewhere and getting compliments on my outfits. I couldn’t wait to see Willow, Jason, and everyone I talked to during class. Oh! I had a track meet after school too!
I got ready in record time, dressing in a dusty sage plaid skirt and pullover. I put my hair in a ponytail and skipped down the halls.
Opening Theo’s door, I saw him playing on his game console. He smiled up at me before setting the remote down. “You look extra pretty today, Princess. Did I miss something?” He asked.
“Duke said I can go back to school today!” I cheesed.
He looked to the side as if trying not to look annoyed. “Oh goodie.”
With a giggle, I plopped down next to him on his bed. “You know, I was thinking. Willow cheated her way into being president of the senior class. So, she must have really wanted it, right?”
He rolled his eyes. “Or she’s just a slut–”
“Anyways,” I gave him a stern look. That might have been kind of true, but she was still my friend. “She asked me to do most of her duties. So I’m doing my own, and hers too. I figured if she wanted to be president that badly, she should be doing her own work. So I’m going to tell her that,” I explained.
I wasn’t mad at what she did or how she did it, but I did believe that she needed to dedicate herself to the role more. If she wanted to be president, she was going to get the duties that came with the job.
Theo smirked. “Is this you saying you’d rather be home with us than doing boring school shit?”
“That might have something to do with it,” I flirted as I got up and left his room.
 |
School was absolutely wonderful. I had a pop quiz that I did really well on, my teachers were thrilled to see me, and I spent a lot of time doing my and Willow’s duties. I cherished completing hers, knowing it would be the last time. I didn’t dislike helping out and doing the tasks, but it would be nice having time for myself.
“Hey!” I smiled as I walked into the locker room, seeing Willow undressing.
She grinned at me. “You’re back! I can’t even explain how happy I am to see you. You’re the only one who keeps me sane here, I swear,” she joked.
I started undressing to change into my track outfit. “I’m happy to be back; I’ve missed everyone,” I admitted. I smiled at her, “Hey, there’s actually something I want to talk to you about.”
She nodded, “Okay, well, now I’m panicking,” she chuckled, eyeing me cautiously. “What’s up?”
We started walking out to the track. “So I guess I didn’t realize how much you like being the senior class president. I just feel like I’m taking a lot of the responsibilities away from you.” I thought about my wording,
trying to make myself come off as agreeable as possible. “I guess I’m trying to say that I am going to let you do the senior class president duties. I know how much it means to you,” I smiled.
Willow looked like a deer in headlights. She ran her hand through her curly hair. “Uh… wow,” she let out a huff of a laugh. “I mean, yes, of course. I just thought you liked doing them too,” she stumbled through her words.
“I do, but I don’t want to take that away from you, you know?”
She cocked her eyebrow, pressing her lips together. “Yeah, definitely, it’s whatever,” she shrugged. She seemed annoyed at me… Taking a frustrated breath, she sent me a forced smile. “Would you mind making me a list of the things I need to do?” She asked.
“Yeah, definitely!” I nodded. “I know it’s been a bit, and if you need a refresher on anything, I’d be happy to help–”
“No thanks, I’ve got it. After all, they are my responsibilities, Elora.” Her tone caught me off guard, and I pushed my head back in surprise.
She’d snapped at me when I was just trying to help. I nervously wrapped my arm around my torso as we walked in silence. I really didn’t like it when people were upset with me, it made my stomach feel heavy, and my mind swarm with guilt.
We sat on the track like always, watching the football team try to impress the cheerleaders and vice versa.
Willow sighed and nudged me. “I’m sorry. I’ve just had a lot going on lately. You wouldn’t understand,” she smiled at me.
Uh. Okay? I always have a lot going on, too. I wasn’t in a competition with her, so I figured it was best not to comment on it. “Don’t worry about it,” I dismissed.
She turned towards me. “Are you going to Daniel’s party tonight?” She asked.
I didn’t even know there was a party. I wasn’t invited, and partygoers weren’t really my crowd. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Yes, you are, Smalls!” Willow and I flinched at Jason’s large body, plopping down next to us. For such a big guy, he was sneaky. He gave me a pointed look. “We won’t take no for an answer. You never do fun stuff with us.”
My palms got sweaty as I looked between them. I don’t know… I’d rather be at home with my guys. “Wait, it’s Monday night, what’s everyone
doing going to a party?” I asked. That was really irresponsible.
Willow chuckled. “Girl, do you live under a rock? Tomorrow’s senior skip day. Party tonight, sleep in tomorrow,” she smirked.
Wow, I was really not getting the memo around here. I didn’t like the thought of skipping school, but it was a tradition. It would bother me more if I was the only senior who showed up when the rest would be out. “Is everyone going to be there tonight?” I asked.
Jason nodded. “All the seniors. Come on, it’ll be so weird if you don’t show up. You’ll have fun, I promise, Smalls,” he urged.
Willow grabbed my hand. “Please? I know you have this weird social awkwardness thing, I swear I won’t leave your side. And if you want to go, we’ll go,” she looked at me hopefully.
That didn’t sound so bad… and getting to know the people I talk to outside of school wouldn’t be a bad idea. “I have to ask, so maybe,” I gave in.
Oh. I looked up into the bleachers, my gaze landing on my guys, all giving me a calculating gaze. That didn’t look promising.
Jason pushed his eyebrows together. “Aren’t you 19?” He asked.
There was nothing wrong with me asking them if I could go. I respected their opinions. I returned Jason’s look. “Aren’t you supposed to be practicing?” I shot back.
He held his hands up in surrender. “Well, you should ask sooner than later. Most of us are taking off to Daniel’s house after sports are over. The party’s already started,” he informed before standing up and walking away.
Ugh. On a random Monday. Because that makes total sense. They should have let me pick what day senior skip day fell on. I’d pick a Friday, not a lousy Tuesday. Seriously, there was a reason people trusted me with these kinds of things.
Willow squeezed my hand. “I don’t want to be the asshole to peer pressure you, but it’s going to be really fun. You should come,” she gave me a comforting smile.
I smiled back at her. “I’ll be right back,” I stood up, walking to the bleachers.
The chance of them telling me no was way more likely than them agreeing to this. There were still creepy vampires and werewolves who really didn’t like me out there. But Lucifer was always in my head, and if someone or something showed up, he’d come get me.
As I ascended the steps, I watched them all in a heated discussion, looking like they were arguing. I strained my ears, trying to pick out bits and pieces of their hushed voices in the noisy crowd.
“She never has any fun,” Theo exclaimed.
“Drunk, stupid teenagers sound fun to you?” Felix glared at Theo. “She should go out and have fun with her friends,” Duke reasoned.
“Absolutely not. She wouldn’t be comfortable there, to say the least,” Quin said firmly.
“I don’t like the idea either, but it might be good for her,” Eugene shrugged.
“It’s not up to us,” Dane gave them a calming look.
“The fuck it isn’t. She prefers us making decisions,” Lucifer said in a hushed tone.
They were all speaking over one another, and I could barely make out what they were saying–but I got the gist. Oh, jeez, was it even worth asking? I mean, all the things they were saying were factors that I’d already considered.
The last thing I heard as I approached was Theo mumbling: ‘I’ll kill you’ to Quin.
I stood in front of them, gauging their expressions before I spoke. “Can I go?” I asked.
A mixture between yeses and nos reached my ears, conflicting me further.
Quin gave me a stern look. “Teenagers do stupid things at parties, Sweetheart. No.”
Theo rolled his eyes. “She can learn that for herself,” he defended. He narrowed his eyes at Quin. “What did I just say to you?” He threatened through his teeth.
Dane held his hand out, pushing Theo back. “No one is killing anyone,” he said calmly. He gave me a gentle look. “What do you want to do, Angel?”
I bit my lip. “I don’t want to be left out. Everyone’s going, and even if I just pop in to say hi, I’d like to go,” I explained sweetly.
Felix and Quin gave me a stern look, obviously hating the idea. “Can you be responsible?” Lucifer questioned.
Has he met me? I was the most level-headed person I knew. My shoulders dropped slightly, and I smiled. “Do you really have to ask that?”
Felix glanced at Lucifer before his lip turned up in a small smirk. “If you truly want to experience this, you’re going to learn why we’re so hesitant to allow you to go the hard way,” he added. “You’re going to be on your own, Baby. None of us can go with you, do you realize that?”
“I’ll be fine. Everyone here loves me,” I smiled. “Is that a yes?”
Duke smiled. “Yes, just have fun, don’t let them stress you out,” he gestured to Felix, Quin, and Lucifer.
I smiled, nervous and excited about my first high school party. “Thank you!” I grinned.
“Wait–” Duke stopped me before I could give Willow and Jason the good news. “I’m not finished,” he gave me a pointed look. I leaned my hip against one of the rails and watched him. He rested his elbows on his knees as he spoke, “Sometimes, these kinds of parties can get out of hand. There might be drugs–and I know I don’t need to lecture you on those–”
“You sure don’t,” I agreed, giggling a bit. I would never do drugs; I’d heard far too many horror stories from Dane over the years about crazy crackheads in the hospital. I knew myself, and even the legal ones would make me paranoid.
“You know not to take a drink from anyone, right?” He continued. I nodded. “Are you planning on drinking?” He asked.
I bit my lip. “No–wait, maybe. If everyone else is, probably,” I decided. Duke nodded a slightly concerned expression on his handsome face. “Alright. If you decide to, you know only to have a little, right Baby?” He
glanced at my other guys, and I could tell they were conversing secretly.
I sighed dramatically. “Yes, I know,” I smiled, thinking this was a bit ridiculous. I wasn’t completely clueless, but I loved that they were so worried about me.
“You’ve never been to a party, you don’t know,” Quin retorted, still looking unhappy about my decision to go. “I can hear seven different conversations these little shithead humans are having about this party right now. Elora, they don’t seem like the kind of people you want to hang out with.”
Theo gave me an encouraging smile, disregarding what Quin had said. “Most importantly, you’ll call one of us when you want to come home, okay?”
In agreeance, I nodded for the last time. “Am I done with the lecture?” I raised my eyebrows at them. “The meet is about to start,” I pointed my
thumb over my shoulder.
Felix sighed but nodded.
“I love you!” I giggled, hoping to ease their horrible moods. Quin was quite the pessimist and had a particular distaste for human youths. The people attending the party were people I saw every day, people I spoke to, and some I’d known since kindergarten.
I jogged back down the bleachers. “Make good decisions,” Lucifer warned quietly after me.
“Do I need to change or anything? Or can I wear the outfit I wore to school?” I asked Willow once I met her.
“You can come?!” She chimed as she stood up next to me. She grabbed my hands and jumped a bit. “I’m so excited! No, no one actually dresses up for these things. I definitely don’t. I can’t stand most of these buffoons anyways,” she dismissed. She wiggled her eyebrows. “And Daniel is such eye candy, not to mention his house is massive,” she gushed.
“Aren’t you dating Jason?” I asked confusedly.
She rolled her eyes. “Eh, something like that,” she shrugged. “I just said he’s cute. Sue me,” she winked, laughing it off.
|
Willow, Jason, and I got out of his jeep, blinking up at the vast, modern, square-shaped house in front of us. Daniel’s parents were well-known lawyers in town, and they obviously flaunted their wealth.
He lived in an area like I did–far away from town and decently secluded. That was good because there were many cars, people, and loud music booming from inside. I highly doubted neighbors of any kind would appreciate the rowdiness.
Willow grabbed my hand, giving me an excited squeeze. “You’ll have fun,” she said warmly, probably noticing my slight discomfort.
I smiled, glad I had friends who were so kind to me. We walked behind Jason as we entered the house.
The music was so loud, and there were familiar faces everywhere. Most people were around the house in groups talking, some were dancing, and a ping pong game was happening in the corner. This actually didn’t seem so bad.
Jason looked at Willow and me. “I’m driving. So, go crazy, girls,” he chuckled.
Willow pulled me away towards the kitchen. “You don’t have to tell me twice!” She called over her shoulder.
She grabbed two glass bottles labeled ‘Smirnoff Ice’ out of a cooler and handed me one. “You’ve drank before, right?” She asked.
I shook my head. There was one time, a long time ago, when I accidentally took a sip of Felix’s whisky, thinking it was apple juice. It was revolting, and I got in trouble.
She raised her eyebrows. “Oh, well, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but these are pretty good. They won’t get you drunk or anything,” she informed.
Surveying the room, I noticed most everyone had some kind of beverage in their hand. Why not? I smiled, “I like pink lemonade; I’ll try it.”
I took a sip, deciding I liked it. I thought alcohol was supposed to taste bad, but this didn’t taste bad at all. I’d choose juice or soda over it any day because of the weird kick it had, but I didn’t mind it.
“Hey, Elora!” I turned, seeing Daniel walking up behind me with Jason and a few of the other guys on the football team. “I didn’t know you were coming,” he leaned against the counter.
“Willow and Jason asked me to come,” I explained with a smile.
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. What would the senior class do without our fearless leader?” He joked.
“Hi, Daniel,” Willow said suddenly, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. Jason’s arms were around her waist, but her eyes stayed locked on Daniel. Weird…
He glanced up at her. “Oh, hey, Winter, how’s it going?” He smiled, clearly not knowing the mistake he’d just made. Oof.
Her face fell for a split second before she brushed it off with a chuckle. “It’s Willow, your actual fearless leader,” she smiled.
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, looking nervous. “Ah shit, sorry. I don’t know why I–” he took a breath. “You know what? The keg just got
here. Want to use it before it gets covered in everyone’s spit?” He pointed to the back door.
Nice save. Very smooth. What’s a keg?
Willow still looked annoyed but smiled. “Absolutely,” she agreed. She broke away from Jason kind of harshly, following the group out.
I fell in step next to her. “What’s a keg?”
“It’s basically a beer dispenser, I’ll show you.”
Two large tin barrels were in the backyard–I assumed those were kegs.
Jason patted one of the barrels, grinning at Willow and me. “Ladies first.”
I wiggled my drink. “I have this, I think I’ll pass,” I said politely.
Willow looked around at the football players for a bit before she smiled. “I’ll do it.” She set her drink down, stepping in front of the barrel. “Grab my feet?” She asked Jason.
She kicked herself off the ground, and Jason grabbed her legs, assisting her handstand. She stuck the dispenser in her mouth and began chugging mouthfuls down.
I opened my mouth in shock, listening to everyone around her hoot and cheer her on. I laughed, joining in with everyone, impressed with how much she drank.
She dropped to her feet, throwing her hands in the air. “Bow down, bitches!” She joked.
Daniel clapped, “Well done!”
Willow smiled at me. “Your turn!” She called.
“Oh, I’ll break my neck if I try to do a handstand,” I shook my head with round eyes.
Willow grabbed my hand and pulled me to the other keg with a clean, unused dispenser. “Jason will help keep you up. Come on, it’s fun!” She hip-bumped me.
A small crowd was around us now, after Willow’s impressive performance with the keg, probably waiting their turn. I looked around nervously, not wanting to have this attention. “Okay, but only for a second,” I agreed.
Jason held his hands out. “Alright, Smalls, up you go,” he nodded at
me.
I set my drink at my feet where I could see it and grabbed the edge of
the barrel. I kicked my legs up, feeling Jason catch my calves and Willow’s
hands on my thighs. I raised my eyebrows, and she gave me a pointed look. “Skirt,” she winked at me.
Oh! I didn’t even think about that. I was glad she caught my skirt before it fell, showing the whole senior class my ass.
I put the dispenser in my mouth and turned the tab like Willow had done moments before. Everyone around me was immediately hollering, chanting my name. The beer–which was nasty–started to pour into my mouth quickly, giving me no choice but to swallow it. It was a lot, and my head started to feel hot from being upside down.
Between chugging, the blood rushing to my head, and everyone chanting, I was overwhelmed. I turned the tap off, and Jason and Willow released my legs.
Planting my feet back on the ground, I smiled as everyone swarmed around the kegs. Willow grinned at me. “Girl, you killed that!” She said excitedly.
I grabbed my drink off the ground and followed her and Jason inside, away from the kegs. “I definitely like this better than beer,” I pointed to my drink and giggled.
“Shocking!” Jason teased. “I’m going to go find some of my friends. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?” He waved at us as he walked off.
I took the opportunity to pry just a bit. “Is everything okay between you two?” I asked Willow. I kept getting this feeling that something had changed between Saturday and now. She was just telling me how sweet he was, and now she was acting like she wanted nothing to do with him, and he seemed confused.
Willow shrugged, grabbing my now empty bottle and throwing it away. “I don’t know… he’s been acting strange. Like he keeps getting upset over the smallest things. I guess it was just more fun when we were hooking up. I don’t know how to tell him that, though.”
So, she lost feelings in two days? Wow. I didn’t want to use the word shallow, but that was fast. I bit my lip, kind of feeling bad for Jason. “Maybe you should just tell him? He’s always been easygoing. I don’t think he’ll mind as long as you’re honest–”
“Girl, he can’t do better than me, and he knows it. Losing me would break his little heart,” she laughed, rolling her eyes.
Not knowing how to respond to that, I tensed. She was stunning, but that didn’t give her the right to treat him like a toy. Giving her the benefit of
the doubt, I hoped she was just having a really off day.
She pulled out two red cups. “I’m going to make us something a bit stronger,” she shrugged, like she was asking if I was okay with that.
“Sure, as long as it’s not that gross beer stuff,” I giggled, glad for the subject change.
Spotting a whole plethora of treats on the counter, I grinned, going straight for the cupcakes. “Wait, Elora–” Willow said as I took a bite out of one.
“Hm?” I asked as I chewed.
She paused, glancing around the empty kitchen. “Nothing,” she shook her head. “Strawberry or raspberry?” She asked, pointing to two bottles of rum.
“Strawberry, please,” I answered. Quin would kill me if he knew I was having sweets and sugary drinks.
I finished my cupcake, grabbing the cup Willow handed me. It was starting to get dark out, and a bunch of tiny lights lit up the rooms in different colored strips.
“Come dance with me?” Willow asked.
Grabbing her hand, she pulled me through the house until we were amongst a crowd of people grinding and jumping around to a beat.
I couldn’t help but let out a laugh, seeing some of the horrible moves these people had. I was no dancer either, but at least I didn’t flaunt it.
My laugh turned into Willow and I dancing around, uncontrollably giggling at the other people in the room. I was starting to feel a bit odd, but not like how it was portrayed in movies. Everything seemed funnier, and my vision was slightly off, but that was it.
|
Stumbling over my feet, I grabbed the kitchen stools to stabilize myself. “I’ll try mango this time,” I told Willow, and she made us another one of those delicious rum drinks. We’d had several, and I was feeling weird.
Despite the fog in my brain, I was having so much fun. Willow and I had been dancing. We played something called beer pong and lost horribly. At one point, we were running around the backyard playing group tag. I was thrilled I decided to come! I couldn’t wait to show my guys all the fun pictures and selfies I’d taken, just to prove that I could be responsible and have fun.
I did miss them, though… I could feel the weight of Lucifer heavily in my mind, and I knew he’d been lingering this whole night.
Engulfing my gluttony for the fourth time tonight, I grabbed another delicious cupcake. “You good?” Willow giggled.
The world was moving in slow motion as I blinked up at her, smiling and nodding. “I feel wonderful.”
She laughed, pouring our drinks. “You’re such a mess right now. I don’t know how you haven’t blacked out,” she exclaimed.
I didn’t know what she meant by that. I don’t know why I would pass out, but a nap did sound really nice. I leaned my head against my hands, liking how my cold palms felt against my eyelids. “I want to do that,” I mumbled.
“You want to blackout?” She repeated. “No, you don’t, trust me.” She set another drink down in front of me.
I opened my eyes, groggily smiling at it. “Yum, I love rum,” I widened my eyes. “That rhymes,” I giggled.
Willow smiled in a tight line and nodded. “Yeah… Okay, let’s go dance!” She started walking to the door.
I tried to keep up with her, but she was moving so fast, and my body felt like it was in slow motion. I’d just have to catch up with her later, but it would have been nice if she had waited for me.
Using the wall as a guide, I ran my hand along it as I walked so I had some support. My entire body felt light as air, and the room was very spiny.
After stumbling around the dance floor, I finally found Willow talking to Daniel.
“Oh, she’s cheating,” I accidentally said out loud, my filter clearly not working. Luckily, no one heard me over the music.
I walked up to them. “You left me, and I needed the wall,” I tried to explain, but my speech slurred.
Willow smirked down at me. “I’ve babysat you all night. Can I have like five minutes to myself?” She gave me a pointed look, and I got the
feeling it might have been code for something.
My brows raised. Babysat? I thought we were having fun?
Daniel grinned at me. “Jesus, I think you broke Elora,” he glanced at Willow. He chuckled. “You’re totally wasted,” he said like it was the funniest thing ever.
Was I? I shrugged, “I’m okay, thank you.” I took another drink, closing my eyes and softly swaying. When I closed my eyes, it was so much better. The room stopped spinning for a second.
Trying to find my center again, I kept my eyes shut for a few minutes. Gravity was definitely not my friend right now. Even with my eyes closed, everything around me seemed to spin.
I slowly blinked my eyes open, squinting to see who and where everyone was. I spotted a head of curly black hair and started walking over to her, a bit offended that she’d abandoned me again.
Several people said hi as I passed, and I smiled and waved, not feeling well enough to converse with anyone. I really didn’t feel good.
I finally got to Willow, only to see her making out with Daniel. His grubby hands were in her shorts, gripping her ass. Uh… that was not okay. Poor Jason.
I cleared my throat, and Willow pulled away from him, looking annoyed. “Yes, Elora?” She rolled her eyes at me.
“I don’t feel good,” I told her. My tummy hurt, my body felt numb, and my head was literally spinning. I couldn’t even think straight.
She let out a breath, looking at Daniel. “Go upstairs and wait for me. I’ll be right up,” she winked at him.
He smirked at her. “Hurry.” He glanced at me, “You’re going to take care of her, right? She doesn’t look so good–”
Willow rolled her eyes. “Of course, can you not worry about her?” She gave him a pointed look.
He put his hands up in surrender as he left the room.
I blinked up at her. “Willow, what about Jason? This isn’t right,” I said slowly.
Willow cocked an eyebrow at me. “Wow, I didn’t expect this from you.
As a woman, you should support me and my sexuality–”
“Wha–no, that’s not–” I got frustrated, confused as to how she’d gotten that idea. I just didn’t like her cheating on my friend. Especially when he
didn’t do anything wrong. I sighed, deciding to drop it. It was none of my business. “Look, I really don’t feel good.”
“Girl, what do you want me to do about it?” She shrugged and laughed. I felt awful about myself. She said she’d stay by my side. This whole night had been so much fun, but now she was being rude. “Go throw up for something. I’ll be right back,” she smirked, walking away from me.
“Wait–” I stumbled over my feet, trying to catch up to her. But she was gone, leaving me very upset.
Everything and everyone in here was blurry, and I just wanted it to stop.
It wasn’t fun anymore.
Using my wall method, I slowly walked around for what felt like a long time. Feeling hungry, I passed the kitchen and grabbed another cupcake. I didn’t know how my tummy hurt, but I was hungry at the same time– alcohol was weird.
Finally finding a bathroom, I signed in relief. I walked in, leaving the door cracked. Trying to see everything, I squinted my eyes. I took another drink, shivering as I swallowed.
I wanted to be home, feeling normal, with my guys. This was much more fun a few hours ago. But now my feelings were hurt, and I was sick.
Also, I wanted nothing more than to lie down on this cold floor, but I hadn’t cleaned it. I stumbled over to a cabinet, found a towel, and smiled. This would work.
Placing the towel on the floor, I sat on it, leaning against the wall. I hated this feeling and didn’t want to feel like this anymore.
My heavy eyes started closing, but I opened them when I heard a knock. “Smalls?” Jason called. “Elora, is that you?” He said again.
“Uh-huh,” I mumbled.
“Okay, I’m coming in,” he said. A few seconds later, I saw a big blurry shape–Jason–walk in and crouch beside me. “You don’t look so good, kiddo,” he chuckled.
I turned my head. “I don’t feel good.”
He grabbed the cup that was in my hand. “I think you’ve had a bit too much,” he dumped the drink down the drain and threw the cup away. “Wait–” he grabbed something off my shirt. I squinted my eyes, seeing it was a cupcake crumb. “Elora, how many cupcakes did you eat?” He asked.
I shrugged. “Five or six–”
“Holy shit, Smalls!” He exclaimed, nervously chuckling. “When was the last time you ate one?” He asked.
“I think a little bit ago,” I ran my hand down my face, trying to unjumble my spotty memory. “Willow left me, and I don’t feel good,” I repeated.
He sighed. “I know; I’ve been looking for you for like ten minutes,” he sounded apologetic.
I couldn’t keep my eyes open. “I don’t want to touch the floor…” I mumbled.
He grabbed my arm, hoisting me up off the floor. “Upsie daisy, kiddo.
Let’s get you home,” he said.
Home. I smiled, “Please, yes.” Dane would make me feel better; he’d know what to do. I forced my eyes open, looking up at Jason. “Uh, Willow?” I tried to ask. She rode with us.
I squinted my eyes at Jason to see his expression. He gave me a small, sad-looking smile before he shook his head. “Willow’s is going to stay here tonight. She made that very clear,” he said calmly.
I pouted. What a mean girl. “I’m sorry,” I said, patting his shoulder. He didn’t deserve that.
He shrugged, holding me up so I wouldn’t stumble as we walked through the crowded house. “Eh, it’s alright, Smalls. I had a feeling,” he dismissed.
He held my arm the whole way to his Jeep, where he helped me into the passenger seat. I immediately rested my head against the seatbelt, the urge to fall asleep consuming me.
Jason got in the driver’s seat and started driving away. “If you throw up, out the window, okay?” He chuckled.
“I think I’m going to,” I said honestly.
My window was instantly rolled down, and I sighed, liking the cold wind on my face. Refreshing.
“Want me to stop and get you some fries or something?” He asked.
I shook my head. The thought of eating anything made me want to gag. “Home, please,” I mumbled.
It was quiet for a bit as he drove, and I slipped further into unconsciousness. “Did you have fun, though? I feel bad. I didn’t know Willow would get you so fucked up,” he sounded guilty.
“Uh-huh. Fun until she was mean,” I said, not wanting to talk. My mouth felt dry, and my voice was hoarse.
“I’m sorry. Hopefully, this doesn’t ruin your image of parties. It’s usually not like this,” he explained.
“It’s ruined. I’m spin-y.”
The car stopped, and I slowly opened my eyes. Home. I fumbled with my buckle, unlocking it by the time Jason opened my door. He left the vehicle on as he supported me by my arm again.
I literally couldn’t even keep my eyes open, let alone walk. He stopped at the front door and started to knock.
I grabbed the handle. “I live here,” I said. Why would he knock? Duh.
He chuckled. “Oh, right.” He pushed the door open, and I was instantly in big, comforting arms.
In a haze, I blinked up at Felix and saw my other guys around the door. I let my body relax in his arms, knowing he wouldn’t let me fall. I still didn’t feel well at all, but I loved that I was home.
Jason nervously cleared his throat. “Hey, dudes,” his voice sounded calm. “She’s pretty fucked up. She had like four weed cupcakes and way too much to drink, just a heads up,” he explained.
Weed? I widened my eyes, shaking my head. I turned to Jason. “I had regular,” I denied.
He pressed his lips together and shook his head. “There weren’t any regular ones. You’re probably going to be high tomorrow, too,” he said.
Oh, goodness. I was a drug addict. Four weeds! Guilt filled me and made my stomach turn again. I’d never wanted to try drugs and was upset at myself for being so negligent.
“Thank you for bringing her home,” Duke said, sounding worried.
“For sure,” Jason said politely. “Alright, well, you fellas, have fun with that mess. It’s officially out of my hands. See you later, Smalls!” His voice sounded far away, and then the door closed.
I knew I was in trouble, but I could only think about how my body felt. “So, how was the whole responsible thing?” Theo asked, a teasing
smirk on his lips.
“Tomorrow, not now,” I waved my hand at him as I groaned. I couldn’t even comprehend being lectured right now.
Felix sighed. “Don’t you worry, your pretty little head, Baby. We’re saving your punishment for tomorrow,” he informed.
“I’m going to fucking puke,” I widened my eyes, wiggling out of Felix’s hold.
“Elora!” Duke gasped.
I covered my mouth with my hand and bolted to the bathroom, stumbling and sliding until I was bent over the toilet, emptying my stomach.
My hair was instantly grabbed and held up out of my face. My ponytail I had earlier was now a low mess of tangles.
Tears ran down my cheeks as I basically died over the toilet. I hate puking, especially now.
“Shh, it’s okay, Angel,” Dane whispered, running his hand up and down my back.
I flushed and wiped my mouth with the damp cloth that he gave me. Sweating from throwing up, I pulled my top off, leaving me in my skirt and bra. I was hot but shivering at the same time.
I noticed the bathroom smelled like cleaning soap. The floor was spotless, and the toilet was sparkling. Someone cleaned it… probably for me.
My lip wobbled as guilt flooded into me. I held my head in my hands as I cried.
Dane pulled me into his lap, wrapping his arms around me. “Why are you crying?” He asked gently.
“I–I don’t know,” I sniffled. The room spun as I leaned my head against his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
Dane rubbed his hand up my arm. “Don’t cry, Baby. No one’s mad at you right now, okay? You’re just confused,” he comforted.
I sniffled. “I didn’t mean to get high, I really didn’t,” I mumbled.
“I know, Lucifer mind-linked your thoughts to us the entire night. You don’t have to explain anything,”
I blinked up at him, having trouble wrapping my mind around that. Lucifer played my evening out to them like a movie? I didn’t mind; it was just weird.
“Can you make it stop?” I begged.
He kissed the top of my head. “I’m sorry, Baby, no. How about you drink some water, and we go to bed? Does that sound good?”
I sat up straight. “No, I need to take a shower. I touched so many germs, I can feel them crawling all over me, and I don’t want to wear this
anymore–”
“Okay, we can take a shower, too. I need you to calm down, though,” he ran his hand through my hair.
Resting my head against him again, I tried to take calming breaths. “I don’t like this. I feel icky. My head is spinning, my tummy hurts, and my arms and legs feel like nothing,” I explained.
He stood up with me in his arms, “You’ll feel better after you sleep.”
I opened my eyes, slowly blinking and squinting at my other guys as they watched Dane carry me. “Are you mad?” I slurred.
Quin ignored my question and turned to Theo. “Look how bloodshot her eyes are. Fucking hell.”
Lucifer looked very upset from where he sat in the corner, watching me closely.
Dane started going up the steps. “I told you, no one is mad right now.
We’re just glad you’re home–”
“If you knew, why didn’t you come get me?” I asked. It was very unlike them to simply observe as I made bad decisions.
Dane sighed. “Because what did you learn?” He asked.
I tried to think. That Willow was a lousy friend. Drinking was only fun when you had a little bit. And always ask if cupcakes have drugs in them before eating half of them. And I should not have gotten in Jason’s Jeep so easily, now that I thought about it.
We walked into my bathroom, seeing Eugene pouring bubbles into a bath. He gave me a soft smile. “How are you feeling, Love?” He asked.
I shook my head and groaned.
Any second now, I’d pass out, and I was okay with that. Dane would take care of me. He’d get the germs and grossness off. I just wanted to sleep for a whole day.
Lucifer
“I’m going to catapult that bitch,” Theo seethed as he paced the living room. All of us were extremely disappointed with how her friend, Willow, was acting. After tonight, Elora would no longer be allowed to associate with that skinsack.
I was focusing more on my Baby than their reactions. She was not okay, and it took everything in me not to go to that house and take her home myself. I didn’t mind if she had a bit to drink, but she’d gone overboard. The cupcakes she’d greedily been eating were clearly laced with weed, too. As usual, she was completely oblivious, thinking she ‘felt so funny’ from the alcohol.
None of us blamed her or were upset that she got high. It would be unfair of us because she didn’t know herself. She’d never willingly take any drugs if she knew what they were. I hope this taught her a lesson about life and how it eats up innocence as rare as hers. Now, she’d probably be more aware of what her ‘friend’ was doing if she didn’t first get drunk. She’d made horrible decisions tonight like I knew she would. She was too easily manipulated, always wanting to please others.
We agreed that we wouldn’t intervene with her party unless we needed to. Theo broke that rule a few hours in and ran across town, where he lingered outside the house for a few hours.
Being allowed into her mind was easy for me. I’d never had access to a mind as complex as hers. She felt things that I didn’t understand, but I was learning. Her thought process couldn’t be more different than mine.
My clan mates were having a hard time with it, though. I was projecting everything I could read from her to them, and while they were glad they could see what was happening, none of them looked like they enjoyed it. The intensity, unfamiliarity, and lack of control of being in someone’s mind weren’t easily stomached.
I wanted her to text or call one of us so badly. Instead of sitting on the bathroom floor, she could have been home with us. All she needed to do was ask; I didn’t know why she hadn’t yet.
I tensed as the boy, Jason, walked into the bathroom.
Felix stood up. “This kid just signed his death warrant,” he practically growled, heading to the door.
“Felix,” I warned.
He shook his head. “No, I’m going to get her,” he dismissed.
I narrowed my eyes at him. He had always been a hothead, impulsively making decisions without thinking. “She trusts him, and you should trust her.”
Felix paused, rubbing his hands through his hair. He let out a breath, sitting on the stairs.
Theo gasped, pointing ahead of him at nothing. “You better put that fucking drink down! You better not–oh, I’m gonna–okay, that’s right, dump it out, bitch,” he slowly nodded.
I rolled my eyes. Theo definitely couldn’t handle it.
|
I listened to Dane try to talk Elora down as she threw up again. She was completely blacked out, only waking up long enough to vomit and cry before she passed out again.
This was painful to listen to. I didn’t consider myself a softie, but I didn’t like it when she was hurting–unless I was the one inflicting the pain, of course. This wasn’t enjoyable for anyone, though.
She had too much alcohol and accidentally ingested a profound amount of weed. Her tiny body couldn’t handle that.
When she finally came down and felt better, I thoroughly planned on ruining her again. She was irresponsible and made us all worry after we specifically warned her to be responsible.
“I–I don’t want to be here,” I heard her stumble through sobs.
“Here?” Dane repeated. “The house?” He tried to make sense of her jumbled speech.
I accessed that sliver in the back of my mind, in her subconscious, where I’d always be. She was too far gone to form her regular thoughts– which were jumbled and messy regularly when she was sober. But I knew she was thinking about germs, and she was bothered. “The bathroom,” I said lowly, knowing Dane could hear me.
“You don’t want to be in the bathroom?” Dane asked her.
“Uh-huh, I didn’t clean it–Quin cleaned downstairs for me, and I love him,” she tried to explain.
I smirked, glancing at Quin, who had a soft smile on his face.
I may have access to her thoughts and feelings, but my own mind didn’t understand why she thought the way she did. I’d seen how much it affected her when something wasn’t her way. I understood it irritated her, but I didn’t understand why.
Quin understood her easily. He somehow knew exactly what to do when it came to her obsessive compulsive personality disorder. He mastered the steps to take to calm her loud mind. When he scrubbed the downstairs bathroom earlier, we were all confused. But now it made perfect sense. She was a germaphobe, and it was clear she would throw up at least once.
Dane let out the smallest of chuckles at her drunken slurs. “Okay, Angel, how about we go back to bed?”
“No, I’m gonna throw up… downstairs, okay?” Elora demanded through heavy breaths.
I heard the faucet and assumed Dane was helping her brush her teeth again.
“This is the first time in centuries I’ve felt murderous,” Duke said lowly, looking down at his hands.
Eugene smirked. “We could kill her,” he shrugged, referring to Willow.
Theo cleared his throat, a smug grin on his expression. “Oh, I’ve already taken care of her. No need,” he announced.
I cocked an eyebrow at him. He disappeared for about an hour a while ago. Theo was no murderer–not anymore. “What did you do?” I asked.
Theo placed his hands behind his head, leaning back, “Compelled her,” he said casually. “I figured she owes Elora an apology; she’s also going to tell the truth about cheating her way into her role, and just for fun, she’s going to tell everyone she has chlamydia.”
“Nice,” Eugene nodded.
“Not my best work, but it’ll do,” Theo shrugged.
Felix entered the living room, a conflicted expression on his face. “I have a proposal,” he announced.
Eyeing him closely, I wondered if this was about the intensive research he and I’d been doing. Elora was human, and we knew her years with us were limited. I absolutely refused to accept that, and since I’d gotten back,
I’d been reading every book on supernatural history, medical phenomena, and even urban myths.
I never expected to feel this way, and I’d forever be grateful for how Elora made me feel. After returning from my mission, I expected to come home to the same people. In the four years we were gone, so much had changed. The second I saw her excited little body and her bright smile walking towards me, I knew. I knew that if Theo, Eugene, Quin, or Dane weren’t already completely obsessed with her, it wouldn’t be long until one or all of us would be.
Shock and surprise weren’t emotions I experienced often, but it took me several minutes to become coherent that day. After I asked Theo if any of them were fucking her yet, that is. The words had slipped from my lips before I could stop them, but Theo’s response confirmed my thoughts. He told me not yet because he knew too.
Dane and Felix were also searching for ways to make her time with us longer. With Dane’s expertise in human health and anatomy and being the lead scientist studying vampirism, his knowledge was needed. He’d been so caught up in searching he’d let his hair grow, which was unusual for him.
Felix had been alive for longer than the rest of us and had lived with the first vampires. There was a chance he may remember something that wasn’t in any books or writings. As for me, I was desperate and willing to do anything to keep her with us for as long as possible.
The others knew about us looking and helped where they could, but too many minds in the mix would’ve made it more complicated.
Duke avoided the subject at all costs–he couldn’t handle the thought of her death one day. I’d never seen a vampire break down like he had a few nights ago when Theo mentioned her asking him about her getting older. Duke completely shut down, rejecting the thought. He clearly hadn’t thought of her being human until that moment. Still, he didn’t have to snap Theo’s neck the way he did for merely mentioning it.
There was little that could make Duke lose his composure, but Elora was one of them.
As far as our vigorous searching has gone… we were still empty- handed. Nothing we found gave Elora an option for living longer than a normal human life.
I worry about what would happen if we did find something, though. Would she want to live longer? Even if it was just a few years, her lifespan
was not a decision we could make for her. “What?” Quin prompted.
Felix rested his hands on the back of the couch. “It’s been a decade; we’re due for our gathering. In the past, we’ve met with the other clans outside our home. With our current situation, however, I think it would be prudent to host the event here,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. I fucking hated that gathering. Every ten years, the king–or Felix–must host an event where all the vampire clans come together to discuss any new vampires they’d added to their clan, hostile situations, and anything else they wanted to blabber about.
Being alone brought me peace; I preferred it. Spending time around people irked me; anyone outside my clan and Elora exhausted me. I couldn’t care less about the gathering. Our clan had privileges, and one of those was already knowing everything there was to know about what was going on with the other clans. There was absolutely no benefit to my being there.
Duke narrowed his eyes at Felix. “Are you insane? A house full of vampires and one human? Absolutely not.”
“What benefits?” Quin asked, looking intrigued.
If I had to guess, seeing how they reacted around us. If there was a traitor among the clans working with rogues to ‘overthrow’ us, there would be signs in their behavior. I doubted there was because the majority of clans respected us and were completely compliant. Anyone who defied us had a death wish.
“If we invite them into our home, it will throw them off guard. I’m sure everyone knows of Elora and our relationship by now; Zion and Gavin will have made sure of that. If they think we have something to hide, it shows our weakness. If we’re open about it, they’ll know they have no leverage to use against us,” Felix explained.
Slowly nodding, I took in his proposition. “I agree,” I said.
“Me too. It also gives us the opportunity to gauge their reactions. If there’s a rat, they’ll be easily spotted,” Quin said.
Duke widened his eyes. “No. Elora will be in danger. She won’t be comfortable with nearly three hundred vampires around her house,” he signed. “Not to mention, our town will also be at risk. All those clans will have to feed,” he tried to reason.
Theo rubbed his neck. “Yeah, I don’t know, Felix. It sounds risky, and I don’t want that many people in my house,” he grimaced. He tilted his head. “If we can kick them out after 9:00 pm, deal. If not, you can go meet them on some island like you usually do,” he waved off.
For once, I agreed with one of Theo’s opinions. “The meeting will last for a maximum of three days,” I added my own terms. The gathering usually lasted up to a month.
“Wait, I’m not okay with this,” Eugene commented. “Duke said it best, Elora won’t be safe. She’s already a target.”
Annoyance filled me, and I let out a sigh. As long as Elora was with one of us, she’d be as safe as can be. One of us can fight off at least ten vampires on our own. No one would try to harm her, that I was confident of. Most will probably be too intimidated by us to even look in her direction.
There was a reason Theo called her Princess, she just hadn’t realized it yet. Felix was the king of vampires. The rest of us were the following highest-ranking vampires. We were hers, and she was ours. She may not have been a vampire, but she was royalty by association. Whether the clans liked it or not, she outranked every last one of them.
“I will look after Elora, the clans tend to keep away from me anyways,” I said, hoping to ease Duke and Eugene’s worries. In the past, I was much different and had a reputation for it. I killed anyone who crossed me, tortured them into allowing me into their minds, then tore them apart from the inside out. I loved the screams, and sometimes I missed them. I was content with slowing down and relaxing in my solitude, though. I couldn’t be that monster anymore, not with Elora around.
Besides, if I had her with me, it would give me an excuse to stay upstairs with her and avoid everyone else. Spending three days with her plastered to my side granted me the freedom to play with her.
Duke slowly nodded. “Send out the invites, and make the arrangements very clear. I don’t want any of them lingering after nightfall,” he reluctantly agreed.
Eugene crossed his arms. “I still don’t like the idea, despite the benefits of the gathering being here” He glanced at the stairs, hearing Dane walking down the steps. “I think it goes without saying, we all need to be on guard at all times,” he assessed.
No shit. I hated this official clan talk. If it were up to me, I’d eradicate all ranks and have vampires, werewolves, and rogues all slaughter each other without remorse or order. Everyone I cared about would be just fine, and the population of people who annoyed me would half. Natural selection would take its course.
Felix studied everyone for a few seconds before giving a slight nod. “It’s settled then. I’ll make the arrangements.”
Looking up, I saw my Elora. She was haphazardly lying in Dane’s arms as he entered the room. She was awake, but her eyes were closed.
Her eyes had dark circles under them, and her complexion was ghostly pale. She was also shivering, probably because she confused and poisoned her body.
She was dressed in a pink tank top and small shorts. I assumed Dane picked sleepwear that she wouldn’t get too hot in.
She groaned, holding her head as Dane sat down with her in his arms. “It’s spiny…” she mumbled.
Dane stroked her hair. “Try to sleep.”
She opened her eyes, and I was taken aback by how red the whites of her eyes were. I thought they were bloodshot earlier, but now the drugs had fully kicked in. She slowly looked around at us, squinting her eyes, the alcohol still imparting her ability to see correctly.
She pushed her eyebrows together. “How did I get here?” She slurred her words.
I felt sorry for her but was also selfishly excited for tomorrow. I may not have been as severe as Felix or Quin could be, but I’m cruel, as Elora liked to put it in her thoughts.
I loved the psychological aspect of domination. I’d wanted to fuck her but refrained for my own sick game. The longer I made her wait, the more she’d crave me.
My plan was already working, she was confused when I didn’t join in Felix’s office, and she wasn’t a fan of me sitting in the corner away from the others as Duke fucked her either.
I wanted her squirming with a simple glance in her direction before I gave her my cock. I wanted her to beg me to fuck her without having to tell her to beg.
Luckily for her, I think her mind would be too scrambled to remember her own name by the time her punishment rolled around tomorrow.
Fuck, I wanted to make a mess out of her. She was so innocent and sweet; that made it so much better. The poor baby walked around most days with her pussy dripping, doing what she was told like a good girl. I didn’t think she knew how twisted and kinky the things she’d already done and the things I was going to make her do were. I smirked at the thought.
“I carried you down here,” Dane explained gently.
She slowly nodded, opening and closing her mouth a few times. “I feel weird–I’m hungry,” she immediately looked at Quin.
Dane raised his eyebrows at her, “You just said your stomach hurts?”
“It does,” she closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. “I want cookies.”
Theo chuckled. “I think someone’s got the munchies.”
“I’m spinning,” she mumbled to no one in particular. “My pussy has a heartbeat,” she added.
I smirked. I thought I smelled her arousal earlier but dismissed it. She was always horny, she tried to pretend she wasn’t, but I knew how dirty her thoughts were.
Duke gave her a stern look. “Elora,” he warned.
She giggled, wincing as she held her stomach. She blinked slowly, smirking at Duke. “Give me dick or cookies,” she said bluntly. She pointed to her mouth, then her crotch. “Fill one hole or the other,” she slurred.
Holy shit. She would never act this way sober, and even I had to admit, it was amusing. Not as amusing as the look on Duke and Dane’s faces, though. She was completely wasted, and she wouldn’t remember acting this way.
Unfortunately for her intoxicated horniness, she would not get any pleasure until she was in her usual state of mind.
“Be careful with your wording. If you tell her no, she might take it personally and cry,” Quin advised through the mind-link.
Yes, the last thing we wanted was a meltdown because she was having trouble processing things. Even impaired, Elora was a serial overthinker. When she was in class the other day, I had nothing better to do than eavesdrop on her delightful, unique mind. She got the smallest of papercuts, one that didn’t cut deep enough to draw blood. In two seconds flat, she convinced herself she was going to die… from a paper cut. Quin had warned us that she’d become quite the hypochondriac. Still, I didn’t expect
her to convince herself germs would get into the nonexistent wound, infect her, and ultimately end up six feet under.
“Cookies and milk?” Theo smiled at her, ready to get her anything her little heart desired.
Her eyes widened as she slowly nodded. “And the… the,” she snapped her fingers, trying to remember, “The chocolate candy,” she attempted.
Theo chuckled while heading to the kitchen. “You got it, Princess.”
Elora smiled, her gaze slowly shifting to Eugene, where her hazy eyes settled. She stared at him, completely zoned out, before her lips slowly lifted into a smirk.
Eugene narrowed his eyes at her as if to say, ‘Knock it off.’ He’d probably blush if he could see into her mind like I could.
Elora’s mind was in scrambles and more challenging to read than usual. The dirty images she was daydreaming of told me all I needed to know. She imagined her hand tangled in his hair while his head was between her thighs. Her thoughts flashed with images of Eugene hovering over her with her legs over his shoulders.
Admittedly, seeing and overhearing her sexual fantasies of my clanmates was slightly uncomfortable. It wasn’t bothersome, though; it was a small price to pay in return for knowing her every thought. After all, I was the one intruding on her mind.
She wanted to be touched, licked, and fucked. I could feel her cravings for us; I could tell how much the ache between her thighs was bothering her.
“Elora,” Felix scolded, forcing her eyes away from Eugene. She managed to catch everyone’s attention with her lustful stare. They may not know precisely what she was thinking, but it wasn’t hard to guess with the suggestive smirk she wore.
She blinked a few times, trying to process the past few seconds. When she understood why Felix said her name, she cocked an eyebrow at him. “Hm?” She questioned innocently.
Not in the mood for her games, he crossed his arms over his chest. Even I had to hand it to her, she knew how to manipulate and sweet-talk her way out of trouble.
“We know what you’re doing. Wipe the smirk off your lips,” he ordered.
She giggled, using the back of her hand to wipe her mouth. She looked at the back of her hand. “Nope.” She tried again. “Not that time either.” Again. “It’s not working,” she held her hand out in Felix’s direction. “Wanna try?” She giggled.
Brat.
Felix let a humorless chuckle escape, smirking at her. “One more word and I’ll fuck your throat raw tomorr–”
“Which word would you like?” She grinned. “I know lots of them,” she giggled again. She looked up at the ceiling, resting her head against the back of the couch, mumbling random words. “Photosynthesis… igloo… candle… soda… computer… shoe…”
She pushed her eyebrows together as her expression morphed into one of concern. “How the heck did I run out of words?” She asked herself. “I can’t think of any more words,” she raised her hands to cover her eyes as she suddenly got emotional.
Dane reacted quickly, gently pulling her hands away from her teary eyes. “Elora, let’s go to bed, okay?” He tried again. “You need to sleep this off,” he explained.
She didn’t respond as she rested her head against his arm, closing her eyes. “See, isn’t that better, Angel?”
From what I gathered from her thoughts, the position seemed to alleviate the dizziness. She was clearly overwhelmed—fewer senses meant she’d feel better.
I watched as her body relaxed, and she fell asleep almost instantly, her thoughts of sex and cookies fading away. “She’s asleep, Theo,” I said.
Theo emerged from the kitchen empty-handed. “Good, because we don’t have any cookies.”
Duke glanced at me and said, “You have my full support for whatever you decide to do with her tomorrow. This is unacceptable.” He chuckled softly, shaking his head.
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his comment. Duke was old-fashioned, and Elora’s night of getting excessively drunk, high, and acting out of line must have really got to him. She was definitely his little girl, and his worry tonight was evident. It was about time he started taking her behavior seriously. Her irresponsibility and overall drunken antics had earned her a serious consequence.
“What we’re going to do to her tomorrow,” I corrected, glancing around at everyone before my gaze settled on her. Poor thing had no idea what was coming.
