Testing Fate : A WolfPack AU
Word Count: 10011
All at once her night was lit up with stars, bright flashing bursts of white lights exploding in her eyes, making Nephi’s lashes flutter with a slight discomfort, nose scrunching as her bright green gaze moved to a sheepish looking girl who was already fiddling with her phone to turn off the flash. The excitement was still clear to see under the fear of upsetting one of the School’s queens, and Nephi watched, a light, distant amusement drifting over her as she watched the flushed faces of friends taking pictures as the music played in the background, a low bumping bass that threaded through her veins and called to her, made her desire to move and twist and dance, but she refused, turning away from the dance floor to look for her own friends.
All her life, she had heard stories of this night. She had heard the excitement that seemed to run through the veins of every teenager she had ever met, the happy wistful little whispers of girls as they entered high school, the one night that was supposed to make up for all the horrible bull shit that was the rest of your days in the confines known as public school.
Prom night.
Or THE night, depending on what girl you seemed to be talking to.
There was a lot of rumors that floated around about this night. With the way that people went off about it, you would think it was some sort of ritual or a rite of passage rather than a just extensively long and supposedly lavish dance. Nephi had never seen the appeal, her brother’s dates before her awkward and filled with ill fitting suits and shy smile as they handed over the flowers they had saved for, but her friends had been excited and had been giggling about boys and streamers and themes like it was the second coming. In the past month, Nephi had heard so much about prom, had seen so many bad movies based around the night that Nphi held no hopes or expectations for hers. She knew what it was supposed to be.
Tonight was a night of wonder, of days you spent daydreaming finally coming true before your very eyes and you get everything you ever wanted, all the attention, the recognition…
The boy you had been pining for since kindergarden….
Nephi sighed as she leaned a little, settling her weight to her left leg, long slit of her dress parting to allow a length of brown skin to peek beyond her Dresses folds. Her date had wandered off somewhere, a boy on the football team that she could hardly remember his name but he had asked her and had been the least repulsive of them in the way eh had asked, so she had ended up saying yes to save herself the embarrassment that was the only one of her family to not have had a date to prom. Her brothers would have never let her hear the end of it, and truthfully, Nephi was glad to lose him.
The boy may have been pretty to look at but he wasn’t the brightest bulb of the bunch. He followed her around like a lost puppy, telling her, often, frequently, like it was the only point of conversation that eh wanted to talk about was how great her legs looked or how her heels made her ass look great, a vulgar tongue she had not known before she had said yes. She was glad to lose him because it saved her a little bit of sanity she would need to make it through this night, but truthfully she wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand his company, her mind too used to the whipcrack mind of her best friend, Ryker Ecchevarria, or the strange unique taste of her perverted but bubbly other best friend, Braithe Durendal, or even Lunthe’s constant movement. This man was a dead rock in the water, about as entertaining as a cavity search, and had lost her ten minutes after arriving.
“Fucking hell. This night already blows. Where’s my real Date?” Nephi spoke, her voice low and muttered over painted lips as she cast her gaze back to the floor, trying to find her tiny friend.
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"Damn, I missed the entire thing," Braithe Durandal whispered overly loud to herself, but her body was moving forward, blue eyes finding her dark skinned best friend. "All those plans going up in flames and Nick losing his mind and wanting to machete someone. I slept right through it. Next time, wake me up! What was the point of getting a hotel room if we don’t get to see the crazy stuff?"
Deliberately, she glanced over her shoulder at Ryker and some other new guy, pretending to be covert, as if her booming voice was so low in her pretend whisper that they couldn't possibly overhear her or know she was talking about them as they trekked in single file through the narrow opening of the gymnasium doors.
Ahead of her, Ryker stiffened, but she didn't turn around.
Ryker pressed her lips together tightly. Braithe was only going to make things worse by being so boisterous, but she was teasing and the darkling knew that. She wanted to stir up trouble because neither Nick nor her sister would give her the time of day and her ego was bruised. She sighed and rubbed her hands against the back of her neck, stretching the other above her head as she pressed against the wall beside Nephie. She couldn't wait to make it to the end of the night, but honestly she had only came here for one hope. The hope of seeing the one person that had been missing for the past week. Although Ben Charger had stayed true to his word and kept a close watch for him, along with Jubal Sanders and Gary Jansen no one had seen him. His social media had died. No snapchats. No late night skype calls. For a week. And it was getting to a point where her feeling were in the way of being in trouble.
Ryker reached her hand back and brushed Nephi's arm. The touch was featherlight, but Nephie and Braithe could feel her fingers tremble slightly as she adjusted the dress that was a little too skin tight. She had gone very quiet, rarely speaking, her face pale and for the first time, lined a little with worry, her bright gold eyes flashing over the crowd. Braithe tried not to feel panic, but she honestly felt as if one of her best friends was retreating from her, slowing slipping away. Everyone had talked nonstop of the incidents in the middle of the night. And Ryker had been to afraid to come out of the bathroom for a good majority of the night.
Half the girls regarded Nick as if he suddenly had become a serial killer. But it was not as if nightmares weren’t a normal occurring thing. He just He didn't seem to remember much, just kept repeating it was a nightmare he'd been caught up in and how sorry he was. To be strictly honest, Braithe felt terrible for him. She was still afraid of him, but she couldn't help but see the misery in his eyes, and he had tried to resist that continual pressure and command in his mind. She'd seen him two or three times trying to go back to the bed, to stop moving around and trying not to defy the sleep that was beckoning him.
But after that she had knocked out. The rest of the night a blur to the intoxicated and then unconscious Braithe Durandal. But she had heard whispers of the things that had happened.
Ryker hadn't made a single comment, not even when Braithe had explained she'd seen him have nightmares before, this time he just reacted a little bit,... more than usual. She'd just looked at Braithe with hopeless eyes-almost with that same defeated look Nick had-and shook her head. She'd hardly eaten anything before they'd started out again. Nick and the other guys were hoping to get to the back to the hotel by nightfall. From there, each group would go their own way. Braithe had to admit, she wasn't as eager to part company with Ryker and Luneth and Nephie as much as she'd thought she'd be. There was something very reassuring about the three of them.
"I wish he'd stop talking," Braithe said suddenly. She rubbed her temples as if she had a headache. But her eyes flashed to the vice principal at the podium. Welcoming the incoming seniors and juniors in with a warm welcome and a lecture.
“I don’t think he knows how to.”
“‘Welcome to prom. Try not to get knocked up kids.’ We get the gist Mr. Portmen. Get on with it already.”
“I think the point is to not get it on Braithe.”
Braithe watched with a sly smirk as gold eyes rolled, pale hands reached out to grasp onto Nephi’s undisposed arm, wrapping herself around the sun kissed skin. They stood there after that, the three of them all trying to let the man finish. Which felt like it dragged on for too long, but they finally got through it. Ending the whole lecture with wild whoops and screams from the surrounding students. A small blonde bundle emerged from the students, her hands waving at some and her lips offering small smiles to others. But those matching blue eyes caught onto her twins as she approached.
“Looks like they already got to the damned punch. These damned hooligans.”
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The lights stung. Bad.
He could feel the sting starting behind his eyes.
The lights from oncoming cars hurt his eyes and seemed to pierce right through his skull, stabbing at his brain until he wanted to scream. He quickly tuned the radio station until the soft, voice of the Night Siren flooded the car. It was taped, but it helped. Helped calm the lump that was beginning to form in his throat. His vision tunneled, so that everything took on a dream like quality. Buildings flashed by, cars appeared as streaks of light rather than solid matter. Nerves should not have been settling in the way that they were. It should have been a time for excitement. A time to feel like he was truly alive for the first time. One of the only opportunities that he had ever actually taken a chance in.
Truth be told he was excited, somewhere deep inside him he could already feel the beast bubbling up. Unfurling and stretching as low rumbles escaped. But Heru sucked it down as he watched the students file into the building, all of them dressed to impress and all of them were happy. Unknowing. Almost innocent if he hadn’t known how they had treated him, he would have called them that at least.
“Where are we going?”
He jumped. For a moment he had forgotten he wasn’t alone. Throwing an impatient glance at the whore seated beside him, he felt the terrible pounding in his head, which had just begun to ease, return. In the dark she looked a little like the woman he needed. A little bit like the woman that he had already decided he was going to have one way or the other tonight. If she kept her mouth shut, he could pretend. Tempted to tell her she was going to hell very soon, he forced a slight smile instead. “You’re getting paid, aren’t you? What difference does it make if we drive around for a little bit?”
She leaned forward and fiddled with the radio. Tanned fingers skimming through the channels too swiftly. Light eyes transfixed on the flashing numbers in front of her.
He slapped at her hand. “Don’t touch anything.” He had the station tuned right where he wanted it, needed it. The Night Siren’s voice was drifting out over the airwaves, making his body hard and his head clear. The woman wasn’t going to make it through the hour if she touched that dial again.
Not when he was already on edge.
He kept his eye on the car he was following. He knew what he had to do. He had a job and he was damned good at it. The whore was such a good cover, and gave him such an anticipation of the pleasure to come later. He hadn’t been caught yet. Damn Arsen for his interference. The man had threatened to send someone else again. Stupid man didn’t like his reports. Well, fuck him. The man thought he was so superior, so intelligent, and was worried about the situation deteriorating. What a crock of bullshit. There was no situation, nothing was deteriorating. He could handle surveillance on a school any day of the week.
Arsen and Neket both seemed to think that since this decision happened they were all to be revered. Well, that was something Heru could whole heartedly agree with. He knew better now, more than ever that no one was going to every question him again. they were genetic mutations, aberrations, abominations, not the fucking miracles Arsen purported them to be, but Heru had no problem with it being seen this way. The entire lot of them should be wipe humanity from the face of the earth, and they were just the men to do it. They were nothing more than scum that should have been scrapped long before they were ever let loose on the world.
He saw himself as the guardian, the lone man standing between themselves and the humans. He should be revered. They should bow down to him, kiss his feet, thank him for his mere glances and his attention to detail…
“You never told me your name. What do I call you?”
The voice jerked him out of his reverie. He wanted to slap the girl by his side. To pound his fists into her face until there was nothing there but bloody pulp. To take her head between his hands and hear a satisfying crack just to shut her up, but that was for later. If she kept her mouth shut he could fantasize that she was...
She belonged to him and he’d have her soon enough. He just had to get rid of the rest of the pest once and for all. And then she’d do everything he told her.
“You don’t need my damned name.”
The girl had the audacity to roll her eyes at him, but he resisted the urge to punish her. Resisted that tingle in his hands as his fingernails pressed into his palms. He had other plans for her.
“I am a naughty girl,” she said and leaned over to rub his covered dick. “And you obviously like me that way.”
“Don’t talk, you sound like a fucking idiot.” he snapped, and sighed when she opened his pant suit. Let her just go to work on him while he took care of business. It would keep her mouth and hands occupied. He could look at her skin and hair and everything would be all right. It was going to be a long night tonight, and at least he could look forward to later.
Up ahead the car he’d been following pulled to the curb. It was a strange thing to do, but he couldn’t get caught and he couldn’t lose them. He pulled over as well and waited while the girl worked on him, the rush beginning to flood his veins like a drug.
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One night.
One night could change everything.
This. He knew. Neket knew the power of change, knew the pull and switch, knew intimately the feeling of rushing air about you as your world shifted and pulled out from under you, everything you knew shattering into a thousand tiny pieces. He had already gone through it, had faced Change and survived, had come out the other side of his sudden freefall better and stronger and better at the end. It had only take one night for everything to change in Neket’s life, the life he had long gone, a distant burn on his memory that eh could recall with vivid detail, but could not touch, could no longer connect with that person he used to be.
There was nothing to miss in his old life. He would like to say there was something to it, something good he could pull from his memories, but nothing, nothing that he hadn’t already reclaimed was really something he could call good. His life was nothing more then hit after hit, insult after insult, prank after prank after harassment and threats… It was Safe to say, Neket Dhouti never quite…. Fit in.
Starting at a young age, people seemed to avoid him, be it from his odd mismatched eyes or the way eh clung to his brother like a moment apart would be the end of him. Whatever the reason was, whatever it was that seemed to turn people away from him, it had become a constant pattern in his life, and everyone else seemed to just,,, pick up this vibe from him, this strange sort of air eh could not explain and avoid him and antagonize him. All Neket had ever known was ridicule and slander, all he had known of looks were nasty and disgusted, and all he had learned of touches were drunken slurs of how hot he was, how bad, how he was such a bad idea, so mysterious and alluring. People ignored him, people saw him as pathetic, the weird, fucked up kid, the one fucking idiot failing his classes and being yelled at in the back of class for not turning in some assignment…. Again.
But It only took one night to change your life, one night to change the way the world treated you, saw you, reacted to you. It only took one night to shatter it, and one night to make sure, nothing would ever be the same. There were only a few of those nights, only a slight few in the lotto that was your life.
And Tonight … he was feeling lucky.
The air rushed around him as he sped down the mountain roads he had long since learned by heart, twists and turns he could make in his sleep as the woods of his mountain home passed him by, slowly giving way to his small little no tourist town, a little dot barely on the map nestled between the mountains and the woods that covered them. He was flying through them, speeds far too high to be safe in any sort of situation, but there was something liberating, something wholly uplifting and relaxing to feel that sharp sting of pain as razor winds cut under the sleeves of his suit, already slightly rumpled from his fast paced ride down the mountain. The roar of an engine next to him made his eye drift, lips pulling in the slight smirk as he watched the sleek black care slide from the shadows, the low tint of purple flashing in the street lights as they passed by.
Neket inclined his head, a stiff nod toward the driver before passing him, the laughter spilling from his lips drowned out by the rushing of the wind past him and the roar of engines in the dark the surrounded him, his gaze brightening as his eyes landed on the hell he still managed to just barely call a learning institute.
His school.
The parking lot was practically full by the time he arrived, but Really, Neket didn’t mind the little bit of the extra walk eh had to make because he was parked so far away from the school, in the grasses barely used and some even in the parking lot of the fast food chains that had decided to make a good business move and place themselves next to impulsive buyers with little sense of the value of a dollar. Neket moved, taking off the helmet to shake his ink black hair out of the mold it had found itself in, his eyes wide, body shaking as he placed down the hemelt. He shifted, moved, pulling his leg over to settle himself as nervous hands found the wrinkles in his suit, pulling and twisting them before they straightened back out, the light smile on his face small and almost hesitant as he looked over himself, pleased with the look his messy hair and straightened suit.
The rest of his friends slowly pulled in, one by one by ne, filling up the rest of the empty spots easily as they filed out, dressed to the nines in their own sort of flairs and Neket watched each of them with a interested tick of his brow, seeing so many of his friends dressed so far out of character.
But Every important event required a suit. It was the only belief he had taken from his father, a distant angry bitter old man who was too busy fucking other people’s wives to pay attention to His sons. Every important event often had impressions attached and every event that meant anything required a suit if you really were serious about it, and Neket was nothing if cut throat serious about his long awaited night.
His Night. He loved the sound of it, the very thought filling him with an excitement that could not be held off his features.
“Everyone have their party Favors?” He spoke easily, fixing his cuffs as he asked, voice breezy and light, like eh didn't have a care in the world.
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“Hooligians, Or Prom savors? Let me tell you, I’m already feeling ten times better about coming here thanks to them.”
Lunthe Smiled as she brought her drink up to her lips, already the fifth glass she was on and the effects of the alcohol that had already found it’s way into the vibrant selection of punches lines along the wall were already beginning to appear on her skin. Her face was flushing, a light ghosting of dusky pink over her cheeks as she grinned, her eyes clear but bright, her body never stilling, little light movements in time with the music that played as she dance in her place, almost unconscious of the movements as she held out her hand, three cups placed precariously in her hands, held together only by balance and Lunthe’s fingers. She waited for each of them to take a drink, watching Nephi’s eyes narrow as Ryker grabbed hers, the clear worry written over her face at the sight of the extraordinarily tiny girl taking the drink to her lips.
“Ryker, You sure you should drink that? You weren’t able to eat this morning Or afternoon.”
“She’s fine, Momma Bird, stop hovering over her. One night of drinking is fine, plus there lots of little finger foods over there she can nibble on.”
Lunthe jerked her head behind her, toward the other wall that held lots of station, different arrays of food that were all line of prettily on plates and platters, waiting for the large jocks to devour everything and make the caterers struggle to keep up wit the demand. Nephi’s eyes softened slightly, but her back straightened as she took her own drink to her lips, a light, embarrassed blush fluttering over her features.
“Someone has to worry, cause none of YOU seem to.” She tried to defend herself, valiantly as always, but it fell a little short at Lunthe’s little laugh, the buzz of the poison in her veins making everything feel bright and hazy.
So she wasn’t exactly a heavyweight like her sister. So sue her. She knew that alcohol didn’t affect her sister like it did her, where as five cups in this would have done nothing to her sister but it was already making her world just that bit more colorful and alluring. She didn’t mind being a light weight,as It made it all the easier to forget that she had come here alone because no one had bothered to ask if she wanted to go.
Lunthe was Popular. This much could be said without any sort of doubt. Lunthe was Popular,She was loved, she was adored by the masses of her school, for reasons both that had to do with school and without. She was a popular girl, a cheerleader and energetic theatre kid all rolled into one, the kind of girl that got invited to parties and had a hundred people blowing up her phone at any given time. People liked to talk to her, liked to hang out with her. There was no shortage of people who would kill to spend even a moment at her side.
But no one ever really Liked her, not in the ways she ever liked them. In all her seventeen years, Lunthe had not had one single person ever ask her any sort of dance, any sort of person ever confess a crush or feelings toward her, and any time she happened to have plucked up the courage to tell someone she had a crush on them, it was always met with a sympathetic pitying face and the start of an awkward separation of friendship. Over time, it became easier for her to avoid those feelings, notably most happening when she was young, and so the disappointment of not being asked never really stung so bad…. She was able to ignore it, ignore the slight stings as The girls around her got boyfriends and dumped them, a rinse and repeat process that never really started for her.
But this was prom, PROM NIGHT, Night of fulfilled memories and awkward, weirdly sentimental first times in hotel rooms that cost way too much, and despite her promise to not place herself in that sort of situation again, Here Lunthe was, Pining and yearning for someone who could not, would not like her back.
She didn’t see him here, she had noted that a while ago…. But that didn't really come as a surprise. She didn’t really expect him to come, not with how the rest of the school treated him, but she had been hoping maybe she could trick a dance out of him if eh had shown up, all the weird desire in her chest churning in disappointment.
Lunthe took another drink. She almost hadn’t shown up either, the pressure of being popular and arriving alone getting to her as everyone started to clamor about dates and pictures and limos, Her acquaintances asking who was taking her and her making up vague little excuses before she managed to brush the subject off, her throat closing with embarassed waves…. all of it was making her head swim as she fretted over stupid things.
In the end a little rum and a pep talk was all she needed to go, and now here she was bouncing on her feet as her lips split into a grin.
If nothing else, Lunthe loved a good party.
“Braithe~ My Love, My sister, My Darling!”
Lunthe moved, sliding over through the bodies of her friends to wind her arms around her twin, mirror image of her own face staring back at her with artificial brown strands falling into her face, carefully styled to keep it’s hold but still look natural.
She had done some damn good work.
“Last night was weird, for sure, but it’s nothing that hasn’t already been resolved. Nick is practically sobbing at Your feet to get your forgiveness, and Ryker is okay. So let’s drink,and make tonight a better one. ”
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Heru Dhouti leaned back against the plush seat in the low-slung sports car and stared incredulously at his date, his hands wiping the debris off on the girl's white laced dress. He tapped a finger against the door's armrest, fingers sliding the window down. Excitement filled the air between the boys who were arriving but Neket’s voice was the only one to rise above all of them. There was a beautiful melody to his brothers voice, the happiness that laced through his words felt contagious as he opened the door to his car with one hand. The other came up to wipe at the blood that was beginning to settle on his lips, thumb brushing the liquid back into his mouth as he let multi colored eyes shift to the puppy like boy he called his twin brother.
“Nobody's going to forget them Neket… I know i didn’t.”
There was tilt to his voice as he spoke to his brother. His eyes gleaming in the same respect as Neket’s as he glanced at his twin. So engrossed in his plans that nothing could truly ruin his mood. Not even a sarcastic younger brother, those eyes just trapped him. Forced a smile to his own lips.
Inked fingers found their ways into his pockets, finding warmth in the shallow depths of the slacks.His fingers traced over the cold metal that clung underneath the thin cloth. The only part about this whole thing that felt too showy. But it was what Neket wanted. And who was he to deny a king.
There were very few things in life that Heru was not sure about. This plan being one of them. Really the plan here was to more make sure they got some sort of revenge on the beings that had made their lives a living nightmare. Not just to go in guns blazing and take them all out in one swift move. No they all wanted them to suffer. They all wanted some sort of retribution or at least acknowledgment from their fellow peers. A feat he was sure by the end of the night they would all be throwing at their feet. Not that any of his squad was going to listen. Another thing he knew for certain.
They were ruthless in their ascent. Knocking down who ever they wanted and who ever they needed in the last week. The last week felt almost like he was on top of the world. Like they were meant to be there from the very beginning. The gods had just been a little confused on their positions at first, but it had seemed that they had fixed their previous mistakes. So what could Heru say to that.
They knew where he stood, his rule to this low maintenance plan that they had thrown together so haphazardly. One that he hadn’t truly thought would be put into action, but here they were. Buttoning up their coats, slicking their hair back and trying for some reason to look some what appealing to these people. Something that without a doubt in his mind he knew they would all achieve.
Some of the girls were already flocking, their eyes on the men in awe and questions. Their dates seemed to stare in the same kind of awe. A trait that with this new found ‘power’ Heru found he could not really complain about. He could hear their shocked gasp, hear the small whispers. The doubt that they were who they thought.
A half cocked smile spilled over Heru’s lips. His eyes turning from his brothers to the small crowd, taking each of the gasping students in for a moment. Allowing them to bask in his gaze for a singular moment before he began forward, his hand extending out to the door while his eyes shifted back to the small group.
“Shall we get this started then?”
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The taste of victory was sweet on his tongue, washing away all the bitter hate that used to cling to his throat in heated lumps and stinging eyes, that hate, the bile, the bitter sting falling to his gut to churn into something so much darker. His hands found his pockets, the door slamming behind him as he locked the newly acquired car he had added to his collection, the sleek black nearly blending into the shadows the trees about them created, his eyes flashing, his lips parting, gleaming white teeth sharp as razors in the moonlight.
His gaze fell to Neket, the power the coursed through him hot with a new feed and the tang of blood still lingering in his mouth making his lips part in a slight sigh, a thrum of energy under his skin that allowed him to roll his shoulders smoothly, easily, his expression softening, warming, but in the most lethal of ways.
“Everything will be to your liking, Your Majesty. There’s not a pawn out of place…” His voice was a purr, low, dark, unhurried even as he shifted his own hand to his pockets to feel the bit of cold metal into his flesh in several different places as he shook his head, allowing the long brown strands to fall about his face…. The ones not currently held back in a bun that he normally never cared to wear.
He moved, sliding past them, toward the doors of the Gymnasium that hed the practical entirety of his school, of the people who had long since pushed him past the breaking point and had decorated permanent scars along his ego and psyche, wounds that would never heal, and scars that would linger forever on his skin, times, moments, years they had taken everything he had and god Arsen had only wanted out.
He watched them as they took him in, watched them as the stunned awe hit them first, a low darkly pleasured growl boiling in his throat as he made his way in, only flaring as the recognition hit them second, the realization of who he was more pleasing than anything else he had seen so far. This gift, this ability, whatever it was that Neket had granted him just that week ago, made the heads of girls who had long since scorned him turn with lust painted over their faces like a whores make up, the men blinking as they tried to connect the scrawny boy who sat in the back of class and got good grades, a natural target for bullies to try and get him to, stereotypically do their homework.
More often than not he did it, if only to avoid the beatings and the bullying that was sure to follow a no.
He wasn’t that boy anymore. Arsen was no longer the kid they could push around and get what they wanted.
Arsen moved, his stomach full but his body taking him to the steam of cooking food and heated whispers, the area of the gym everyone seemed to be gathering with unspoken social cues. He moved easily, picking up foods he knew he liked, foods he was curious about, things he simply saw someone else wanted and he took so they could not have them. It brought him pleasure to know he had obtained something someone else had desired, knowing they felt a little of the disappointment he had known too intimately and deeply for nearly all his life. He moved with ease, gaze flickering to watch as his brothers, his friends slid along the floor to mingle, relishing in the way the people stared, the recognition that it was the class losers that had stolen their girls attentions.
Then his eye caught sight of a group he had slowly been getting to know, his eyes narrowing in on the one girl who had been on his mind consistently, for years now, her thin form standing out next to her friends, exceptionally tiny even in her beautiful dress that only accented everything he loved about her.
From the moment he first saw her, He had known she would be his downfall.
It was a quiet knowing, a soothing rush of river currents over a sunburn you obtained yesterday, the play of the sun heating your skin as you dipped into ice to allow the chill to sit and settle into your bones. He knew it like you craved that cold, knew that she would ultimately lead to the ruination of his character, had known that when his life changed again, because meeting her was something that had so effectively altered his life he could not say that meeting her was not a life changing event, That she woulds be at it’s center, the catalyst that started it all. She would be the reason his whole world turn upside down, the whole reason he would change everything, for better or worse.
He was not wrong, but what eh could say was she had changed his life in a way he hadn’t expected at all. Ryker Ecchevarria was most definitely a girl worth changing your whole life over. However, He had expected it to be for worse. There was something about Ryker that drew you in. She was small, but she made a huge impression. She was gorgeous, that much inarguable when you saw her, pretty pink lips pulled into smiles and bright golden eyes framed by ink black hair. She had flawless skin, laughter that made his knees weak and eyes that made his heart flutter in his chest. She was more than that though, devastatingly smart and funny and poise, sweet and kind and she tried so hard to to offend him it almost made him cry. She cared, she saw him, she saw him as Arsen, not as the kid who would do your homework and not as the kid who you should push around.
She was different from the usual…
She looks stressed.
He mused as he felt Neket move beside him, hand outs to clap against his back, his gaze following his to catch onto the small group of four that were huddled by the wall, lips splitting as he took in his own little addiction, the social media Queen of snapchat, Braithe Durendal.
“Do you think they saw us?” He asked, the childish, almost playful tone still lingering only his voice as he breathed out his words, looking up at the brunette as he cocked his head, tilted it to look overly curious.
“Oh i hope so.” He answered himself, that smile bordering on madness as he straightened and turned away from him.
“I hope they all saw. The spotlight suits me, don’t you think?” He asked, practically twisting on heel as he spread his arms out a little, eyes bright, flashing, razors and all lethal energy under the guise of friendly conversation. “ I think It suits all of us so much more then the shadows they tried to force us in.”
There was a pause, before, Neket laughed, legs bending slightly in over exaggerated gestures of joy. He moved, faster than eh should have to keep a low profile, eyes wide, on him as he took his face in his hands, forehead pressed against his as a suddenly serious look drifted over the Freckled kings features. He shook him slightly, lightly, with meaning, his gaze steady, clearer than he had ever really seen it.
“We’re going to get absolutely everything we deserve Arsen. Everything will be handed to us on golden platters simply because we wish it to be. Do not forget it.” The words were a his, spoken with such reverence and determination Arsen could feel his heart stumble and jump at the intensity of the words.
Neket moved, danced away, the twist of a fae’s smile on his lips, the Dark king in his ballroom.
“Enjoy yourself, Enjoy others, Enjoy that ice statue over there, I don’t judge! Tonight is The last night, before the rest. Of. Our. Lives...So make it your bitch!”
Neket thrived in the spotlight, Arsen mused, shaking his head at the excited king as he moved through the crowds, relishing in the way the girls clambered.
“Revenge brought out a demon in your brother.”
-------------------
“For all my love birds out there, this is a special love song from the Dj to you.”
The Dj’s voice was loud, booming through the speaker systems so that everyone could hear him. His eyes searched over the crowd but he clearly couldn’t seen any of them their retinas probably burning from the blaring lights that were flashing in his eyes. Ryker had no sympathy for him, the boy had chose the position though she had warned him relentlessly that it was going to be hard on him., instead she let her own gaze fall back to the blonde that was strapping herself to her twin.
A sigh passed pink stained lips, gold eyes closing as she shook her head. Her thoughts shouldn’t have been so low but with her body the way it was right now. She knew there was no way to stay positive in this sort of situation.
“Five minutes in and it’s already about love birds and couples. Of course.”
Ryker sent her soft, whispery voice out over the airwaves, punched in the music, and stared up at the clock for the hundredth time.
Her head was shrieking at her, she had a sore throat, and she had wiped beads of sweat from her forehead more than once. She couldn’t even come up with decent dialogue for tonight's conversations between them all. The studious little sure to be harvard graduate was as sick as she could possibly be. She had been out of the hotel room for exactly two hours and she was ready to surrender.
Ryker rubbed her temples, trying to soothe the awful pounding. She had fallen asleep at six in the morning and, unusual for her, had slept most of the day away. The sore throat and headache had been with her from the moment she’d opened her eyes.
“Oh, yeah, you guys don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” she muttered resentfully. She had looked the epitome of health as she went off to start the weekend, but she had been distant. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Ryker was never distant, but she felt she was closed off to her friends, and she was never that. She sighed and laid her head against the cold of the cement wall, using her arms for a pillow. She was too sick to figure anything out.
Brian Hutton, her soundman, waved to her from the other side of the gymnasium, indicating the phone. When he mouthed the principal’s name, Ryker wrinkled her nose in distaste and shook her head. Just the idea of the louse increased the awful pounding in her temples. She was going to have to go home, crawl in bed, and hope she could fall asleep with the lights on.
She flipped a switch. “They told me it would be done when prom started,” she said with genuine regret. She had never missed a day of school, had never even been late. It meant nothing to her to be able to go to prom committee, however brief her stay always was. She liked having a clean record, knew they would think well of her after she left. But she moved, pushing through the crowd to the blonde that continued to beckon her over.
“You look like hell,” Brian informed her.
“Oh, thanks. I needed to hear that. Would you cover for me so I could go home and get some sleep?”
“Sure, Ryker,” he agreed sympathetically. “It’s just as well, the crazies are calling in tonight.”
Her fingers wrapped around the phone she had been reaching out for, and everything inside of her stilled. “What crazies, Brian?” She was exasperated and she knew it showed on her features no matter how hard she fought the expression down.
“Don’t worry about it,” he reassured. “I didn’t think you would be so upset over the news. We will get it under control if anything happens Ry. Just go home, get some rest. Don’t want your crush to see you looking like that.”
Ryker forced a laugh, forced her tense muscles to relax. “If they could only see me now.” But she would have to be more careful than usual. She’d grown too comfortable here. Too comfortable with Brian. “What did he want? The principal?”
“Nothing. He just wanted to see what was happening, how everything was going.”
Ryker breathed a soft sigh of relief, dropping her head into her hands. All she wanted was to crawl into a hole and hide.
Brian pressed closer to her and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. “You’re burning up. You okay to drive? Or do you want me to call you a cab? I can drive you home.”
She patted his hand, shifting out from under him on the pretense of gathering her things together. “I’ll be fine, Brian, thanks. Rest, orange juice, chicken soup, I’ll be here tomorrow Monday with bells on.” She held up her car keys. “I didn’t lose them this time.”
He grinned at her. “That’s a shock. Wait for the security guard. You know how Nephie is about you wandering around in the parking lot alone this time of night. He’d have my job first, then my head, if I let you.”
“Poor Nep.” Ryker smiled at the thought of her in spite of the fact that even her teeth hurt. “She really thinks I’m a pack of trouble, doesn’t she?”
Ryker took out the little phone from her purse, clutching it in preparation to call Nephie and let her know about the current situation. There was way too many pressures right now.
“I’ll call her, don’t worry about it.”
Brian grinned at her. “She’s right too. Come on, I’ll walk you down.”
“Thanks, I’m fine, really, but next time you want to take a day off, do it on someone else’s shift. On some other guys shift, like the Dj, whatever his name is…” The boy said chucking a finger back to the man that Brian called his brother.
She rolled her eyes. “He’s a grump and a bore. Last night was no fun at all working with him.”
He grinned at her. “I’ll be sure to plan all my future days off around your schedule.”
She thumped his shoulder, knowing sarcasm when she heard it. The sound of vibration humming from the boys tux pocket. “My phones lighting up all over the place.”
He shrugged, uncaring. “Probably that nut. He’s called six times already tonight. I don’t want to talk to him.”
“Might be,” Ryker agreed. “But on the other hand it could be our mighty boss. Ever think of that?”
Brian’s smile faded instantly. He was halfway through the gym by the time Ryker lifted a heavy hand to wave. She sighed running a hand down her neck as she sighed loudly. Her eyes shifting to the bar that she stood by, the smell of the food making her face turn in disgust. There was nothing in the slightest appealing to her on this table, her fingers coming up to press the cold of her phone to her lips. Trying to cover the expression.
There was a sharp turn on heels that were too high for her, her body shifting to turn away from the array of smells and smacking her straight into a brick wall. At least that’s what he felt like to her, her own body flinching from the impact, her head shrieking in protest to the pain. Thin fingers pressed her phone against the table, leaving it in its place so she could press cold fingers to the bridge of her nose. But her hand came up to wave lazily trying for the life of her to focus on the person in front of her.
“I’m sorry... Sorry. I should have watched where i was going.”
Gold eyes took in the burst of colors in front of her, allowing her eyes to roam over the well tailored suit, to the brown tendrils that dropped loosely onto his shoulders not stopping until they landed on violet eyes, smoldering. And she could feel her heart drop in her chest only to reappear in her throat. Those eyes were transfixed, and there was something in them that made her recoil, a fear jumping over her bones as she took a quick step back.
“Sorry! Sorry! So sorry,...”
Pale fingers reached out to snatch her phone, and run but she never got the chance her name a whisper between the two. She let gold eyes slowly flick back to the brown haired beauty that was in front of her. His smile drew her and forced her to suck in a breath, his teeth practically gleaming in the low lights of the thrumming prom. It took her a second, her eyes wandering over the man again.
“Ryker.”
There was an ache in his voice.
But that wasn’t what gave away who he was.
Ryker’s fingers clenched the edge of the table as she inhaled deeply Arsen’s distinctive male scent. It flooded her lungs and made her stomach do a strange little flip. He had been missing for a whole week, in one of her busiest weeks he had disappeared along with the rest of the squad he hung around, But now here he was, all smiles. Her mouth curved at the thought. He said her name and she could feel her already fragile heart flipping in her chest, but she loved his voice. The thought of it, of him solely talking to her, had a warmth spreading quickly through her entire body.
She took another breath, breathing in the heady aroma that she had grown so fond of, wondering whether she should leave immediately before she became obsessive over him, or stand there lost in him forever, slip him into her emergency pack so if she had to run fast she would always have him.
Arsen. He smelled so good all the time. He smelled safe and clean and so very male. With a little sigh she forced herself to back up. Having no idea what she was going to do with herself, she forced her body into motion, taking no time in throwing a smile over her lips, genuine, savoring the feeling of his gaze on her.
Now she wasn’t going to be able to get the boy out of her mind.
“Arsen! I’m glad you came,... you look incredible!”
--------------------
Tonight…. God, Tonight was absolutely magical.
There was a feeling, a light hum of burning energy that simmered under Neket’s skin. It was like a livewire, bright and snapping with cracks of vicious electric energy that simmered under the surface of the whispers that were spreading around the room. It was burning, bright, a hum even more apparent when they had walked into the room. Part of it was the natural sensual bubble of promised anticipation that happened at any sort of event like this, the pressurized simple things that held more worth than they really should. There was a charge to it, a lacing ribbon of something otherworldly twisting into the seams of the night and pulling it all together, his heart elated at the sight of so many eyes on him, the thought the retribution at hand.
His fingers found his hair, shaking even as they moved, soothing back the black strands into the sort of messy slicked back style that seemed to be working for all the girls that were around him, the sound of their little hearts racing for something they shouldn’t want only adding to the almost giddy elation that had found it’s new home in his heart, his throat, his mind. He let out a breathy laugh as he twisted on heel, turning as he allowed the world to slow, taking in the pathetically attempted decorations and the contrasting with the phenomenal catering service the school seemed to choose to pour the entirety of the Prom budget into.
Everything was so different with a view from the top.
“Neket!” He heard her call, the vision of red hair flashing in his head as he turned, smile still in place as he took in the sight of Vivianne Strides, A girl who, just last week had told him off for touching her desk when he was falling and tried to catch himself so that he didn’t fall straight to the floor and hit his head after some random pushed him. He smiled wider as his hand came up, palm up and extended, something she delighted in as she placed her fingers along his, her face turning smug for only a second, her eyes flashing back to him. He lifted her hand to his mouth, lips never touching her hand, but instead breathing in, before he dropped her hand suddenly, like it burned him.
She looked flustered, but undeterred, at least, Until he moved, pulling out a handkerchief out of his pocket to rub along his hands, his eyes unbothered but his lips pulling slightly at the edges.
“You’re not supposed to touch trash with your bare hands, you know. My mother would beat my ass if she found out I had forgotten. She was such a strict woman, lovely when company was around, Smiles, perfect hostess ...beat me and my brother with rulers and starved us when we made noise, or breathed or make less than an A on a test.”
He shook his head fondly, leaning back to bend his legs again as he balled up the cloth in his hands, rolling his head as he straightened back up to look at her with an almost child like innocent expression. He leaned forward, his hand up over to the side of his face like he was sharing some sort of secret, his voice low, whispered only for her to hear.
“She also told me not to kill her, begged me really, but I did that too; I really was never good at listening, I have a real problem with authority.”
He spoke this with a nod, laughing as she pulled away, the laugh catching in his throat as she lifted her gaze to him, absolutely disgusted.
“You’re a fucking freak.” Her words stopped his laughter, expression falling as he narrowed his gaze on her. He reached out, careful that the handkerchief stayed between them as he pulled her to the side, into a darkened corner that no one was paying attention to. She attempted to scream, but her eyes caught his, a shifting blend of colors swirling in her eyes as he reached into her, the strange compulsion spell falling over her as he lifted his fingers to his lips.
“Shhhhhhhh……” He hushed her, low hiss sliding past his lips. His gaze stayed steady on hers, her breathing growing faster as she realized he held her there with nothing more then his gaze. His lips quirked, a light lift of a half smirk that fell before it could fully form, his mind clearly racing, flashing with the option to completely fall or to allow this new persona to fall through.
“You’re not to say a word, not one more noise is to leave you until I tell you otherwise. I want you to suffer, silently, Quietly, without notice...as I have for the past eighteen years….”
He took a step closer, her body taking a step back to hit the wall, her eyes tearing up as she watched him grin, watched his finger, still against his lip move, curl away from his mouth as he leaned down toward her. The ability flexed in him, the compulsion a vibration to his words, a low sensual growl as he purred them, commands directly into her.
“You will live, as I have. And you will say not a word. You will not leave, you will not scream, or cry, or sob, but you will be plagued by your worst nightmares.”
He saw it when the visions started to appear before her, dark light and fading fragments shattering in her eyes as the darkness started to overtake her. He watched her eyes for those few moments, losing the light of a happy life as her mind filled with her own horrible nightmares, mind trapped in an endless loops as she had to live her reality. He watched it because he recognized it, the soulless eyes that just barely passed as living, a mirror image of his own. He watched with that growing smile as she shook, trembled, taking a step back to enjoy it, enjoy her fear, the fear of a girl he had once feared himself. Her nightmares came to him like knowledge, things eh could block out if he wanted, but he simply smiled, before throwing the cloth at her.
“Here, i’m sure you’ll be needing it to clean yourself up later after twenty men corner you in the bathroom to gang rape your drunken ass. No need to thank me, all in the spirit of Prom, no? Don’t bother returning it, I don’t want to catch anything you might get.”
She stared at him wide eyed, as he pulled away, shrugging like he was honestly doing her a favor and it really was no problem. She shook as he waved, grinning as he took those steps away from her with a carefree wave.
“Enjoy your night!”
And he was gone, the sound of her knees hitting the ground as she silently screamed her despair into a void in her mind making the giddy happy feeling rise again. God it felt great to put the filth in their place, to put someone who had once made it a rather nasty point a state why no one would ever want to date him or ever even want him and had encouraged him to take out the problem in his life, which she had assure him, was himself, into such a state of distress all she could do was shake and silently cry.
Tonight was shaping up fantastically.
Neket moved, stepping back into the crowd, standing up to his toes as he took in a deep breath, the hum of blood making his mouth water. He allowed his gaze to move, slide over the people to catch heads or tails of someone he knew, be it bully, Friend or….
Braithe.
He saw her, was able to pick her out of the crowd easily. She wasn’t dressed like the rest of them, was never one to follow what the rest of the masses like but rather stayed very true to her own cares and needs. She was popular, Her and her sister But Neket had never really had much interaction with Lunthe, but rather most of his free time was spent with Braithe over the internet. She stood out blatantly, something that made his heart stutter as he looked at her, cheeks heating as he watched her bounce on her feet, looking around like she was looking for something as Ryker walked away and Nephi seemed to panic.
Desire hit him like a freight train, and before he knew it, he was moving, sliding through the people until he manage to sneak up behind her, Nephi not seeing him as she looked around, his hand sliding along Braithe’s waist to pull her back, into his chest. He was already moving,twisting them, turning her in his hands in easy moves that had her dress spring out and her words shifting, before he settled, his hand finding the divots of her waist, holding her as he lowered her, dipped her so she had to rely solely on him to not fall to the ground. His other hand pulled up her leg, fingers finding her thigh and pulling, holding her tightly to him. He grinned at her, lips pulled into a half smirk, eyes flashing as he looked her over.
“Good Morning Beautiful… Well, Technically goodnight, but I have about a week of greetings to make up for.” He spoke easily, playfully even as he gave her a slow burning look that only grew the longer he looked at her. He purred his next words, a rumble of need in his voice that wasn’t present before, a longing only ever apparent for her.
“Did you miss me?”