"OMG! These guys are so hot!" Girl One announced.
"Ah! Look at that group!" Girl Two squealed.
"Damn. The guy on the left is hot as fuck. He has red hair with blond roots, such a turn on," Girl Three hummed.
"Nah, the guy on the right is the sexiest. Do you know how hard it is to find a guy who can rock red hair at that length?!" Girl Two argued.
"Both of you are blind! The guy in the middle. Look at his black hair and oh man, those red eyes are to die for," Girl One purred.
"Are those guys all freshmen? Shit, talk about a powerful bunch,” a guy commented. I ignored them as we got checked at the front in my confident mode, showing our IDs.
The girls crowded around the gated entrance of the estate squealed, many of them trying to get pictures of us with their phones to post on the Brighten web. I could already imagine the headline "Brighten's Sexy Seven."
I ran my hand through my short hair, the purple and red highlights more vibrant than before. I decided since we had to dress to impress, I might as well look like I put some extra effort in my attire.
After my talk with Logan, we had another make out session before we went upstairs to find the chaos the brothers had made and Maximus shouting about how they always broke everything.
I figured all four of them must have been close and known each other prior to arriving to Brighten seeing as Maximus knew what their favorite colors were and what would match them perfectly.
Maximus said I looked hot in red or purple and decided I should rock red tonight during the party. I wore black jeans and a red dress shirt with a black tie, wanting to keep it classy and simple. I didn't know what the current fashion trends were for men and taking time to try and meet those standards could have been a hit or miss seeing as fashion trends changed all the time.
I changed my eye color to my natural red, deciding to claim I was wearing contacts for the night if anyone asked. I didn't need to wear glasses unless I was studying for long periods of time or had to read a lot of spell magic circles, but I didn't want to stand out too much with my gold eyes. Red still stood out but blended well with my look at least.
The others wore similar looks, Nixon also going with the black and red theme but had on a leather jacket and his hair was braided to his left side. He had a gold earring with a ruby stone in the middle that I hadn't noticed earlier.
Braxton was wearing blue jeans and a bright green shirt, being one of the few wearing a brighter ensemble for the night. It worked well regardless, maybe because of his greenish gold eyes or his gold to red hair.
Logan wore dark blue jeans and a gold dress shirt, his hair brushed to one side and the younger brothers both wore black pants and dress shirts, Zane sporting navy blue and Kage a dark purple which made them look opposites. I didn't know if Maximus planned that on purpose but the contrast worked with their hair.
Maximus was in light brown khakis and a white dress shirt, his caramel brown tie was loose on purpose and his hair was straightened out and gelled back, taming its normally wild appearance.
I hadn't been to a party for high society students before and it was top notch in all things. The decorations, food, flashing lights, and epic DJ; this wasn’t your average block party. As we made our way through to the main living room to look for food, there was a whole bar section with some brands of alcohol we couldn't even find in Natala.
I promised Logan I wouldn't drink too much, not knowing how I'd react as a guy and if it would be different than when I was a girl. Sure, I could handle alcohol to a point, but I doubt anyone aside from Logan could handle my drunk self. I was doing them a favor by NOT drinking, but Alice kept saying that as a drunk male, I'd be a seductive beast. Yup, supportive familiar for the win.
Alice was staying home, beginning to read through Kage's oversized manga collection; I had NO idea how he brought all those books with him. Magic must have been involved somehow.
We decided to split up and blend in. Braxton was going with me, Zane and Kage would stick together, Maximus doing his own thing and Logan and Nixon ended up together.
I had to confess that the men here were gorgeous and wore their best attire, like in those after show award parties. Most of them seemed to be trying to impress the ladies here who, no offense, wore the most boob-revealing and pussy-flashing clothing I'd ever seen.
One girl had a bikini on so thin that the air conditioner’s breeze could potentially rip it off her. At least she could use the excuse that there was a pool in the backyard but again, she might as well come here naked for all she wore.
Braxton and I went over to the bar and each got a beer. I decided to try one of the imported ones that I hadn’t seen before, but beer had never been my favorite. However, as a guy, it actually did taste really good for some strange reason. I personally loved sweet and throat burning drinks, but as a starter, this wasn't bad at all. We relaxed, sitting on a pair of stools with our back to the bar while we watched the crazy behavior that always happened during parties like this.
"What are the chances the wind will pass by and that bikini goes flying with it?" Braxton asked and I grinned, taking a sip of my second beer.
"120%. Notice the guy in the green shirt?. He's a wind user." I turned my head to indicate the guy across from us on the far right. Braxton followed my gaze and nodded when he spotted the black haired guy in the green shirt and ripped jeans.
"That bikini's a goner,” he declared.
"Definitely. Let's see how long till-" I began when a gust of wind rushed through the room and there went the bikini as if someone untied the extremely loose knots of her top and bottom and flicked it away. The girl let out a little shriek and Braxton and I sighed, getting the full backside view of her naked body. She quickly turned, thinking she was hiding from everyone but ended up giving us a full frontal view.
"At least her shape is nice," Braxton complimented.
"I've always loved curvy. It’s the trend now too," I commented. I should have looked away, but it was rather difficult to say the least. Then, a male who had been hitting on her all night created a long cloak to put around her shoulders and now they were heading upstairs, probably to have some sexy time. I sighed, shaking my head while I drank a good amount of my beer.
"Is that a tactic females use to get a guy in bed?" Braxton asked me.
"Sometimes. Depends on the person but I wouldn't do something like that. Looks desperate to me. No offense to any of them and they have their own morals, but I don't need to get naked in the middle of a party to get sex," I mumbled.
"Have you and Logan done it?" he asked in a low voice. I feel my cheeks grow red as I looked away, continuing to sip on my drink.
"That's a no then. How long have you two known each other?" Braxton questioned.
"I think since I was three? He's two years older than me; I just remember we've always been friends and our families have always been close. I think Logan probably has a better recollection of how long we've been friends," I admitted. I didn't remember much from my early childhood. Sure, I had lots of sweet memories but I only remembered a few of them, and of course everything that happened when Gabriel died.
"So you've been friends for a good fifteen plus years. Can I ask when you started dating?" he inquired.
"Last week."
"You guys waited that long huh?” he commented, drinking more of his beer.
"I guess. Maybe I just didn't see us as a thing back then. Everyone else did and we were pretty inseparable during school. I guess, we just didn't acknowledge our interest in each other until...well, until he kissed me," I confessed quietly. The music was loud and booming, but I knew there could be a few people who had sensitive hearing like myself and might try to listen to our conversation.
"Understandable," Braxton replied.
I turned to look at him. "Why didn't you attend Brighten earlier? You don't have to answer but I've been wondering."
He was quiet for a moment, his eyes scanning around our little spot before he returned to meet my gaze. "I wanted to keep an eye on my brothers,” he admitted.
"Why? I know they act a little younger than their age but I think in most situations, they would be just fine," I acknowledged.
"I didn't want them to get caught up in this club thing,” he spoke quietly.
"You’re scared they would get involved?"
"It's something you don't realize is happening until it’s too late," Braxton commented.
"You make it sound like a gang."
"Something along those lines."
"How would you know?" I asked. His green eyes met mine and I noticed the gold in them looked more apparent tonight than usual. Maybe it was due to the flashing lights twirling around the room, but they were mesmerizing to gaze into.
"I was a part of it once,” he revealed. I blinked, completely confused by his words.
"But...isn't this your first time at Brighten?"
"No. It's Maximus and my second time. We both took breaks and it got approved by the administration because of our high marks. We could have started where we left off, but we decided to restart with the others,” he confessed.
We were both silent as a few girls walked past us, blinking their eyes and scanning us in a flirtatious manner. I gave them a small smile but continued drinking my beer. We waited for them move away to the next group of guys before we returned to our conversation.
"Can I ask why you dropped out?" I questioned.
"I wasn't a buff or overly attractive guy back then," he confessed. I fought not to roll my eyes and he grinned at my struggle. I could tell he was trying to lighten the mood a little. "In all seriousness, I wasn't the best student. I had power, sure, but I didn't know how to use it or control it. That led to a few screw ups and even though I was worthy of this club, I didn't have the control or guts to stick with it. I pulled out because I knew once I graduated, my brothers would be next up and if they targeted me for my power, they might do the same to them."
"It's that bad, huh?" I whispered. Gabriel. Were you a part of this?
"You said you're here because your mom mistook you for your older brother, right?" Braxton whispered.
I noticed the hint of magic in the air, ensuring our words were kept between us. I stared into his eyes, wondering if I could tell him about it. They could have figured it out by my last name, but many people forgot about the incident like they did anything that didn’t really impact them directly.
The world would always move on, it’s just the individuals affected that would have the lingering memory of their lost loved one.
"I bet everyone has forgotten or graduated since then but my older brother died here. You see the left tower where they would practice wind magic through flight?"
Braxton nodded. "Yes. The one they shut down and haven't used for years."
"It was closed after his murder. They are opening it back soon, but it's only for advanced students or you can be kicked out of the school or charged for being up there," I revealed.
"Your brother was the one who was pushed over the edge by that Huntly dude," Braxton realized. I slowly nodded. His stern expression showed hints of anger but then he hid it just as quickly.
"When I was a part of their club, that incident came up once in conversation. Some punk was asking about it. Your brother hadn’t been a part of that club, but they wanted to recruit him. He declined which led to them arguing and apparently they threatened him with something. I don't know exactly what, but it led to him taking the initiation test. They were supposed to scare him, but he and the person who was acting leader got into an argument and you know what happened next," Braxton concluded gravely.
I was silent, returning my gaze to the party happening before us. A part of me was happy to know Brother hadn't been necessarily a part of this club, but I was angered that he had been threatened and forced into something which ultimately led to his death. He didn't deserve to die.
I felt a hand rub my back and I looked back to Braxton, who was staring forward while finishing his beer. "I enrolled again not only to ensure my brothers didn't experience the bullying I did, but to try and shut down whatever this club is. Maybe it’s stupid and risky, but if I can prevent inconsequential deaths from happening, I'll do it. Maximus is willing to help me," he revealed. My female side was in awe that in this large crowd of people he was willing to openly give me comfort regarding the situation.
"I'll help," I replied; my deep voice was devoid of emotion which made Braxton turn to meet my hard gaze.
I was angry and sad but I was determined to stop this so-called club. My brother's death may have been forgotten by many, but it changed my entire life.
It ruined my innocent mind that thought the world was a nice place and showed me how cruel and evil it could really be. I had to grow up a lot faster than a child should have in order to support Mother who couldn't handle another loss in our little family, and later with the onset of her disease.
His hard expression softened and he reached up to ruffle my hair. "I'll think about it. I don't want Logan and Nixon deciding to kill me and hide my body,” he mumbled.
"Logan wouldn’t. Nixon...I don't know for sure. Wait, why only them?" I wondered. Braxton grinned before he starting chuckling. He turned around and calling the bartender for two more beers.
"Jinn, I know you’re getting used to the complexities of being a male, but even you should be able to tell Nixon's into you. Both sides of you, I might add."
My cheeks flushed and I turned around to rest my arms on the table, watching as the bartender brought us our beers.
"I don't see how being a male would make it easier to tell if someone likes you," I mumbled, reaching for my beer.
Braxton laughed and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Trust me, Jewel, we're a lot more direct in our approach." His deep voice made my cock twitch and I wondered if that was my body’s actual response to how seductive his voice sounded, or if it was just the beer making him sound heavenly.
"Tease," I mumbled under my breath, distracting myself by taking a drink.
"Make sure I'm third in line," he replied with a wink and I almost choked on my beer.
"You're can’t be serious," I mumbled.
"I'm very serious,” he replied, taking the beer from my hand.
I frowned at him. "Why are you taking that?"
"Because I promised Logan I would only let you drink two alcoholic beverages and your face is getting red."
"My face isn't red because of the alcohol," I huffed and blushed harder when he gave me a playful grin.
"I'm well aware of that, Jinn."
I grumbled under my breath something along the lines of 'I hate you and will get revenge.' Then I noticed a group of girls heading our way. The middle chick was the one who had complimented me earlier. Her blonde locks were in the perfect set of curls to match her bright blue eyes; she reminded me of a Barbie doll. She was Caucasian with large breasts that looked like they would pop out of her pink bandage top at any moment. She was skinny and wore short cut-off blue jeans that I could tell would give you a peek of her ass from the way they rode up when she walked. She and her two other brunette friends had proud smiles on their face, looking like they knew they were hot and at the center of attention .
I wasn't impressed and wasn’t attracted to any of them so I turned my attention back to Braxton who'd noticed their approach but seemed uninterested as well.
The girls came up to us and I reached out and took my beer, knowing I'd probably need the extra buzz to deal with this confrontation. Here comes trouble.
"Hey there, cutie. You've been the talk of the night," the blonde chick announced. I slowly turned on my stool to give her a playful smile.
"Who exactly do you mean, seeing as there's two of us here?" I pointed out, eyeing her up and down as if I was actually interested in her. I was glad Alice wasn't here or she'd laugh her ass off and lose it.
I side glanced at Braxton who had the biggest grin on his face as he continued to drink his beer.
"Ah...well, you're both hot,” she replied sweetly.
"I never knew a man's back could be hot enough to catch a girl's attention. I guess I should turn around again," I teased, slowly turning back around to finish my beer. Braxton's shoulders shook as he resisted the urge to laugh.
"That's not...I didn't mean it like that,” she faltered, trying to maintain her sweet voice which only made me roll my eyes and wish I could gag for added effect. Braxton turned slightly to look over his shoulder at the girl.
"Oh, my back doesn't meet the requirement? Alright," he sighed, finishing the last of his beer before pulling his wallet out to tip the bartender.
"Hey Jinn. Let's go find Nixon," Braxton suggested, handing a twenty to the bartender. Then he slid off his stool.
I grinned, turning my attention back to the girls. "I'll see you ladies later." I winked, hopping off the stool and following Braxton's lead.
We headed to the second floor, chuckling the whole way. "And you call me a tease," Braxton laughed.
"I'm just playing with them. I meant no harm. You, however, are gonna give women heart palpitations," I replied, meaning my words. I could only fathom how sexy Braxton's voice would sound while he kissed my neck and whispered sweet words...ugh, I had too much to drink to be thinking like this.
Braxton placed a hand on my shoulder to stop me from going forward, his once happier expression was now a stern look and his lip was a firm line. I followed his gaze, noticing a group of guys in really fancy clothing talking to Nixon. I looked around for Logan but couldn't spot him on this floor. The vibe and how uncomfortable Nixon looked told me he really wasn't enjoying himself.
I closed my eyes, enhancing my hearing with a bit of magic which was as easy as summoning fire with a snap of my fingers.
"I don't know. He's giving me gay vibes, that's all. I'm not picking on him,” a tall redhead scoffed.
"You’re a strong one though. Can't believe you’re a freshman. If you are gay, where's your boyfriend?" another male with shoulder-length black hair questioned.
"Not here yet," Nixon replied calmly with a blank expression.
"Or invisible,” the redhead laughed, shaking his head; the two other guys joined in. "You do meet our requirement though, but I really doubt you have a 'boyfriend.' Just admit you're here alone. We don't normally allow gays, but I guess if your 'partner' is pretty strong we'd let you off the hook."
"Ya. You wouldn’t want to have a tough time on your first day of classes now, would you?" the black haired guy joked, but I could sense the seriousness in his words.
I frowned and shook Braxton's hold from my shoulder and walked straight up to them.
"Jinn," Braxton snarled after me but I ignored him as I approached the group with a smile.
"Nixon. There you are," I greeted. His eyes went wide at my intrusion and the guys moved apart to look me over. I let go of my hold on my power for a second, wanting to make it known that I wasn't in the playful mood as I moved to stand next to Nixon. I rested my arm on his shoulder.
"I've been looking for you. I thought I said to meet me down at the bar?" I said softly, leaning in to press a light kiss to his neck. He blushed, turning his head to meet my stare.
"I was there earlier but wanted to check what was going on up here," Nixon replied, playing along.
"No worries. At least I found you. Who are these guys?" I asked, eyeing each of them. From the way the black haired guy and the third guy who had dark green hair shivered, I knew my eyes had shifted back to their gold coloring. The redhead stood his ground and smiled at me.
"Is this your boyfriend, Nixon? Everyone's been talking about a good looking freshman with red highlights who managed to pass one of the hardest entrance tests. Not to mention he got all five of the other guys through. Is that you?" he asked.
I chuckled, ruffling my hair. "Man, words spread fast around here. I just felt it was a better plan than doing the whole ‘every man for himself’ thing. Why work separately when we can work together and all win?" I shrugged, finishing off my beer.
The red hair grinned and nodded slowly. "I agree. So this guy your boyfriend? Wouldn't expect you to be gay.”
"Yup. Trust me, the pussy can take a good pounding but men know how to take it in the ass, nice and slow. A real turn on if you ask me." I glanced at Nixon who wore a small smile on his face.
"Hmph, I wouldn't know, but nice to see a confident couple, unlike some of these wimpy guys who are too afraid to admit their sexuality. Good to know. What's your name?"
"Jinn Starfire," I greeted, raising my empty glass.
The redhead raised an eyebrow at me. "Starfire?"
"Yup. My cousin is dating one of my buddies here. We invited her but I doubt she'll show," I shrugged calmly.
"Intriguing. Nice to meet you Jinn. My name is Nick. That's Andrew with the black hair and Eric with the dark green locks. I'll see you around in the halls. Let's chill," he winked and extended his hand. I smirked, shaking his hand firmly, my eyes never leaving his black ones.
"Definitely," I replied.
The guy name Eric huffed. "If you two are together, why didn't you kiss when you saw each other?" he questioned, eyeing me and Nixon with a frown. I noticed Braxton begin to approach us and could see how tense Nixon's shoulders got. I know neither of us thought they would ask, but I was in a relaxed mood and didn't give a shit right now.
"You're right," I chuckled, glancing over to Nixon who slowly turned to face me. I didn't delay, lowering my lips to his.
Kissing as a guy felt no different to me. I could taste the citrus of whatever he was drinking, and wondered if it was tequila. I slipped my tongue into his mouth and he let out a groan, giving in and kissing me back. I prolonged the kiss for a few extra seconds before I pulled back and turned to Eric's bright red face and Andrew and Nick's stunned expressions. Even Braxton who stood behind them looked shocked.
"I didn't want to be rude but I guess having an audience is exciting. Try not to get to hard down there Eric," I teased before slipping my hand into Nixon's. "Hey, Braxton! I found Nixon. Let's go find the others," I suggested, tugging Nixon to follow my lead.
"See you guys," Nixon said with a wide smile and we made our way out with Braxton, leaving all three of those guys speechless. They must have thought Nixon was some shy kid but the smile he gave them was wicked and full of dangerous intent.
We moved downstairs and Braxton shook his head. "Jinn, you’re a troublemaker. What if everyone finds out you just kissed Nixon?" He didn't sound mad at all, his tone of voice giving off more amusement than anything.
"Couldn’t care less. Everyone can talk shit. Doesn't give me good grades. If they have something to say, they can come say it in my face," I replied. Nixon squeezed my hand and I looked over my shoulder at him as we waited for the crowd at the bottom of the stairs to move.
"Thanks, Jinn,” he whispered. I nodded, squeezing his hand back. Hmmm, we should find the others and ditch. This party is so overrated. Fuck, I really need to pee. I shouldn't have had all that beer to drink..
"Braxton, I'm gonna go find the bathroom. Go find your bros and Maximus. I'll look for Logan after I’m done," I suggested.
Braxton looked hesitant but Nixon offered, "I'll go with him."
Braxton nodded. "Alright, meet up front and don't get distracted or cause trouble,” he stressed, looking at me.
"I'll be good for you," I winked and noticed a blush creep into his cheeks before he glanced away with a pout.
"You need to lower that charm of yours next time,” he grumbled and walked away. I chuckled and Nixon grinned as we made our way to find the washroom.
We found the washrooms which looked like the typical ones you'd find at a restaurant instead of what you’d expect to see in someone's home but I couldn't care less. I just really needed to pee. I walked in with Nixon in tow, about to head to the stall.
"Why you going to the stall?" Nixon asked.
"Because peeing standing up is weird and I don't have good aim," I confessed sheepishly. I'd tried peeing in the toilet at home. Let’s just say it was a horrendous disaster with urine flying everywhere OTHER than the damn toilet bowl. Why was aiming this damn thing so hard?
"Come here, Jinn," Nixon ordered. I looked back at the stall next to me.
"But I need to pee," I argued.
"I'm aware of that. Now come here,” he insisted. I frowned, before reluctantly going over to where he stood next to the urinal.
My face grew red as he moved behind me, his chest pressed against my back. He leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Take your cock out."
I gulped, moving to unzip my jeans. Then I unbuttoned the silver button and slowly slid my hand into my boxers to retrieve my cock. I tried not to think about how hard it was, blaming the fact I needed to urinate, not that I was turned on by Nixon's voice. Yes, it's because I need to pee. Not because of that sexy voice of his and the way his body pressed against mine and my urge to kiss him again. Ugh! This is getting out of hand. I should try to bail out of this somehow.
"I can do-" I began but his hand slowly wrapped around my cock. I froze, my breath catching in my throat from the shock and the cool sensation of his hand.
"All you have to do is aim it like this while you pee,” he explained.
I lowered my gaze to see the angle and nodded, trying to ignore his strawberry scent and the way my heart pounded against my chest. "Okay...I...can do that,” I whispered.
He nodded, letting go and turned around to let me do my business while he went to wash his hands. I did exactly as instructed and aimed perfectly. I sighed heavily, in both relief and frustration I can't think straight. I can’t believe he just held my cock...and it felt good? I'm so fucked.
The automated urinal flushed and I went over to the other sink to wash my hands, Nixon eyeing me carefully. "Why did you defend me?" he asked.
I blinked, lifting my head to meet his blank stare. "What?"
"You not only risked your reputation, but you kissed me in front of those guys and anyone else who was watching. Why?" he wondered. I closed the tap and walked over to where he stood near the door.
"Why should I care about reputation? This is school, a place that in three years will only be a memory and a name on a piece of paper to hang on a wall. The memories, both the good and the bad are what is going to linger with me and the friends I make along the way. I’d rather ensure no one picks a fight with you than live behind a reputation that makes me lose a friendship...or whatever we turn out to be." I whispered the last part.
"Interesting,” he spoke quietly.
"Trust me when I give you female advice," I joked. "I'm a girl, remember?"
He smiled for a moment but it turned into a confused look before he narrowed his eyes on the door.
"Wha-" He quickly grabbed me and we both went into the nearest stall, locking it shut and he pressed me against the door. I gave him a weird look and opened my mouth to speak but his lips crashed into mine, silencing me. My eyes went wide when I felt a stream of magic wrap around us, hiding our presence. Then I heard the door swing open.
"I swear they're in here!" the familiar female voice announced and I remembered the blonde chick from earlier. I stared into Nixon's black eyes which were now red; those hypnotizing black magic circles made me relax and I closed my eyes, kissing him back. It must have been the alcohol getting to my head, making me confused as to what I should do in my mind versus what my body wanted.
"Katherina! Why are you in the fucking male washroom?! No one is here!" I heard Maximus growl.
"I swear, I heard that red-haired guy and that hot dude talking! He said he was a girl! Like maybe he's one of those transgenders!" she shouted.
"Where, Katherina? Do you see ANYONE in here? Jeez, the alcohol clearly went to your brain. Go hit on some other guys who aren't trying to take a fucking piss," Maximus complained. She groaned loudly but I heard the sound of her heels as she exited the room and the door closed before the sound of a lock clicked in place.
I slowly opened my eyes as Nixon released my lips, making sure to bite my lower lip slowly and tug at it while his lust-filled eyes stared into mine. I leaned in to kiss him but felt suddenly dizzy. Nixon's arms supported me and I rested my head on his shoulder.
"Shit! Jinn?" Nixon asked.
"What's wrong with Jinn?" Maximus asked.
I heard Nixon unlock the stall I waited for the dizziness to stop before I tried to talk. "Uh. I think I had too much to drink and I should switch back," I admitted, feeling weak. It must have been the alcohol in my system making it harder for me to keep my appearance or maybe the distraction of kissing Nixon not once, but twice tonight.
"Switch back," Maximus ordered but I considered that.
"I'll be in nothing but lingerie," I pointed out. Nixon passed me over to Maximus, who rested my arm over his shoulder while his right arm wrapped around my waist to hold me up. Nixon walked to the door, putting a magic spell on it to ensure it was still locked.
"Maximus can fix that. Just switch, Jinn," Nixon encouraged. I looked up to Maximus who gave me reassuring look and glanced to Nixon who nodded, wanting me to switch back. I could see both his joy as well as a glimpse of worry in his eyes and decided it would be best to listen to them. I did say my cousin, AKA me, might show up. I guess I'll take advantage of this.
I pulled back my magic and opened my eyes when the switch was complete. My long hair fell to my back and I noticed I was in my red lingerie set. I blushed, feeling exposed but Maximus used his free hand and snapped his fingers.
In three seconds flat, I was wearing clothing: black jeans with red rhinestones all over them with little cuts on the thighs that showed my skin and a red crop top that had the word “Precious” in black rhinestones.
Even my hair was different, going from straight to curly and my red and purple highlights were gone, leaving me with my dark brown hair with hints of blonde highlights to add a pop of color. I glanced to the mirror to see my lips were cloaked with red lipstick and I even had on full makeup: eyeshadow that shifted from a silver to black, with eyeliner that was perfect and my eyelashes were curled to make my red eyes pop. I had to blink a few times, totally impressed by the overall look.
I looked up to Maximus who had a proud expression on his face. "Did I do good?"
"Precious?" I wondered.
"I remember Logan calling you that a few times. I thought it would be rather appealing, especially in the chest area,” he winked and I let out a weak giggle.
"Men," I scoffed.
"Admit it. Breasts are precious to every male,” he joked before lifting me up and walking over to a ledge that looked like it was purposely made for people to place their bags on. He sat me down and I took a calming breath, closing my eyes to let my mana do its thing in regenerating.
I heard footsteps and wasn't long till I felt a hand brush against my cheek. I opened my eyes to see Nixon staring down at me. His hand was a little cool but it was calming and made me relax even more as his thumb moved up and down my cheek.
"Does this help?" Nixon asked.
I nodded slightly. "How did you know to do that?" I asked.
Only Logan, his mom, and my mom knew that I liked when someone brushed their hand across my cheek. The simple contact always made me feel comforted and was a reminder of Gabriel when he used to do it to ease my worries.
"Logan told us when he was lecturing all of us when we first found out about you know what," Nixon replied.
Maximus nodded. "He wanted us to know what you like and don't like and told us if you ever felt weak or unwell to let you sit for a bit," Maximus explained, pulling out his phone that was vibrating.
He picked it up. "Hey. Ya, I'm with Nix and Jewel. Yes, Jewel, she wasn't feeling well so we encouraged her to switch back. What about Logan? Huh? Who's hitting on him? Ugh. We'll come bail him, hold up."
I frowned at the words "hitting on him," my female instincts kicking in and my mind already trying to determine which bitch was hitting on MY man. Nixon grinned at my expression, extending his hand to me.
"Shall we go catch a bitch and claim your man?" he asked with a humorous voice.
I bet he was still worried about whether I had enough strength to walk, thus offering his hand, but my mana wasn't going to let anyone attempt to get close to my Logan. Hell to the no, we were going to put our claim right in the open and make sure she didn't go near him the rest of the night. Actually, who am I kidding? We’re ditching this boring place and gonna have our own damn party.
I placed my hand on his and smiled. "Yes, please," I said sweetly and Maximus sighed.
"Women. Scary I tell you," he shivered dramatically, making me giggle before he walked to my other side and held out his hand for me to take.
"I thought you’re shy around girls?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at him but accepted his offered hand.
He grinned. "I am, but right now I may get to witness a cat fight and I want front row seats."
I sighed dramatically. "You guys say I'm trouble yet here you are promoting violence."
"If it's Katherina who is flirting with Logan, then I encourage you to bitch slap some common sense into her," Maximus replied as we walked towards the door. He peeked out to make sure no one was in the hallway before we made our way out.
"Katherina?" I asked, unsure who that was.
"The blonde who was flirting with you earlier," Maximus revealed.
"You saw that? WAIT! That bitch who was trying so damn hard to get a hook up with Braxton and me?!"
"Yeah tha-" Maximus replied but I let go of their hands and marched forward into the crowd. My eyes found Logan in five seconds in the corner of the room being confronted by this Katherina. Kage, Zane, and Braxton all looked equally pissed off and it looked like Zane and Kage were holding Braxton back to keep him from interfering.
I increased my hearing, tuning everything out to hear her words. "Logan Cross, is it? I heard so much about you. You keep saying you have a girlfriend, but where is she?" she questioned and I almost snapped at her flirtatious tone as she squeezed her legs together purposely bending over slightly to give him a good glimpse of her breasts.
"She's here," he mumbled, finishing his beer and placing it on the counter behind him.
"Oh really? Where? You've been here relaxing for a good portion of the night and I've yet to see her,” she whined and I swear my magic would love to burn her to bits. I took a calming breath before I began a slow walk towards them, purposely letting a bit of my magic flow out to make my aura strong, drawing all the guys’ attention. Even Braxton, Kage, and Zane turned my way, sensing my approach.
Logan's eyes locked onto mine and a serene smile formed on his lips as his once irritated expression softened and filled with joy. Katherina looked over to see me but I walked right past her.
"Logan love. There you are. I've been on the third floor searching for you," I hummed, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him into a heated kiss. He moaned and kissed me back and we both enjoyed a lingering kiss before I pulled back to give him a seductive smirk.
"I've been down here the whole time. Why didn't you text me?" he asked, his eyes lingering on my lips. I was impressed my lipstick hadn't smudged from our passionate kiss.
"I left my phone at home. Maximus was talking to Nixon down the hall near the washrooms and I met them on my way. They said you were here with the others. I missed you," I explained before kissing him again. His hands lowered to my hips and I purposely pressed my body against him, already feeling the slight bulge in his pants that hadn’t been there previously.
I pulled back and turned to Katherina whose face was red with anger. "Who's this? I didn't know they hired hookers for this type of an occasion. Didn't you say the theme was classy or gothic?" I questioned innocently. A few of the men whose eyes had been on me since I made my dramatic entrance chuckled.
"I'm not a hooker!" Katherina defended.
"You aren't?! Sweetie, you’re wearing hooker clothes. Shorts should at least cover your ass unless you bought them from the kid section and don't get me started on that top that can barely hold in your Lumpy Loompas. Last time I checked the Brighten fashion magazine, this week’s style is crop tops and ripped jeans. Rhinestones for the bonus bling," I emphasized, gesturing to my outfit.
"She's right. I checked,” one of the girls behind her whispered to the other who nodded.
"I knew we should have gone with the current trend,” the other girl whispered back. Katherina looked like she was about to explode, but I didn't have time for the meltdown.
"As much as I'd love to discuss fashion trends, I'd like to enjoy some quality time with MY man. Now if you excuse us." I grinned in satisfaction as I walked past her, my hand in Logan's as he followed my lead. The others gathered and joined up with us.
"Jewel! Glad you could make it. Wanna ditch this place and go party elsewhere?" Braxton asked.
"Certainly. I've seen enough hooker activity for one night. Let's go have some real fun," I replied, wrapping my arm around Logan's.
We made our way outside. I noticed Nick in the crowd and I saw the way his eyes looked me over like I was a prized possession before he slowly licked his lips. I looked away, feeling a cold shiver run through me. There was something about him that bothered me. I just didn't know what it was yet.
Logan's arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me close as we waited to get out.
"You didn't have to bail me out of that," he whispered for my ears only. I leaned in and kissed him hard, gently pressing him against the wall. I knew he loved when I showed him affection and I wanted him to know how much I loved him and his perseverance to ignore Katherina's obvious advances.
"I wanted to. You're mine," I whispered, kissing him again.
"Those two are gonna have sex right here if this line doesn't move faster," Zane sighed. We broke our kiss to look at the rest of the guys were staring at us with smiles.
"Hmm. That would be interesting to watch," Kage said quietly.
Braxton choked on his beer that he must have grabbed on his way back to us and Maximus laughed. "Kage, I think you're the one the ladies need to watch for. Totally innocent looking but knows all the tricks in the book."
Braxton growled. "Don't encourage him,” he huffed, elbowing Maximus who coughed.
"They could do whatever. I just want a chance to join," Nixon mumbled and Braxton coughed again while Maximus laughed and Zane and Kage blushed.
"This should be a rated R conversation," Kage mumbled.
"You're twenty-two," Zane reminded.
"Oh yeah,” he replied like he completely forgot.
"The exit's cleared out. Let's ditch, change into some awesome pajamas and watch Netflix!" Maximus encouraged.
"Netflix and chill with all seven of us? That sounds like some complicated twister," Nixon teased and Braxton's and the others faces grew red while I laughed.
"Nixon, never change," I laughed and I turned to Logan who smiled.
"Let's go and have a nice night celebration with friends,” he encouraged and we all nodded in agreement.
Friends...and maybe even something more.