*** POV - Melaena
Axel is spread out on the couch waiting patiently for us to finish, his handsome face staring bored at the ceiling.
"Axel dear, is Damion still such a hunk?" Kiara wiggles her eyebrows at me and I pout.
"Don't know exactly what a hunk looks like?" Axel's mouth pulls up at one side.
"Ug, never mind. More than nine years of girl talk and you still can't communicate with your feminine side!" She puts down the lipstick and claps her hands together, making me jump.
"Okay guys, it's time! Let's do this!" Kiara is wearing a green dress with long sleeves that reaches mid-thigh.
I put on my pink high-top sneakers and look in the mirror. The short dress with a blue flowery-skull pattern and a low-cut v-neck, under my denim jacket, flatters my slim figure and C-cup cleavage. My light hair hangs loose in soft curls down my back, reaching my butt, and I wonder what Damion will think. Then I shake my head. What the fudge? Who cares what that dude thinks? I wonder if he can think, 'cause just like my brothers, his brain mostly hangs between his legs.
Axel stretches out and gets up, giving a small wolf whistle, "You know, you two are probably my favorite girls in the whole world." He flashes us a wide smile covering most of his handsome face just as Enrique walks past, his arm around a gorgeous redhead dressed in a skimpy skirt and top.
"Looking good, peops!" He shouts into the room.
"Who's the new flavor of the day?" Kiara asks - her mouth pulling into a smile.
"Not a clue, you know I can't keep up with my brothers' sex buddies, so I don’t even bother to ask for names anymore," I laugh as we walk down the stairs to greet Uncle John with a kiss on his cheek. Doc Barney is next in line. We've been in the ER so much over the years, the guy became part of the family.
"So where's Ren?" Uncle John is looking at me.
"He's going to be a little late, work stuff." Ren is working in his dad's business. Real estate or something. I scan the room just to find Jason staring creepily at me, so I move my eyes quickly away to where doctor Deimos Grimm is talking to one of Uncle John's executives. Next to him is a very pretty woman, probably his wife, and a young boy that looks a bit like Damion. Wondering if it could be his brother, the boy looks up and into my eyes and I almost choke on my spit when he wiggles his little eyebrows at me and sends me an air kiss.
I give a small wave back, still struggling to wrap my head around what exactly is happening. Geez, he's just every bit as cocky as his brother and then I feel that strange, yet slightly familiar, tug in my gut just as my eyes hook into those green monsters that every single frickin time suck the air out of my lungs. The ones that seem to mess up my love life and haunt my dreams. Damn, I just hate those lovely eyes.
I move my gaze over his tall body. He seems more grown-up, his muscles perfectly filling out his jeans and black T. He's got just the right amount of stubble on his square jaw, his black hair messy like usual, falling over his face and I can see an intriguing smirk on his lips. Hell, it's not fair for one man to be that handsome. I feel my stomach knotting tightly and it feels like electricity is running through my veins. I wish I could hack in and delete Damion from my system because he's like a virus slowly destroying my programming. Ug, I can't hate anyone more than I hate him.
Looking straight at me, he winks unexpectedly, and a little ungirly swearword, starting with a C and naming the place that's heating up right now, escapes my lips, maybe a bit too hard.
Flip, I'm sure everybody heard that! Fudge him for letting me swear, which I try not to do. Axel next to me is folding in half with laughter and I step on his foot. He stops immediately and looks at me, squinting his eyes. I know he'll pay me back somehow, but right now I don't give a damn. It's enough that everybody else is eyeing me like I'm Cruella De Vil. It took me quite some time to figure out that her surname spells 'devil', cause you know ... she's like Satan in female form. Did I say that I truly hate that guy and his annoying cocky attitude? And I'm sure he's related to Cruella or even the devil himself.
Jackson looks at me from across the room. Could he hear me from there? I didn't say it that loud. One side of his lip curls up into an annoying smile. Why do all sexy men always have to do that, as if they know it turns women's knees into mush? Then again, that's probably exactly why they do it. Now I'm starting to wonder if there might be a secret 'Hot guy sex training club' where they teach men how to seduce the opposite sex. Or I suppose the same sex if they're into that. I wouldn't be surprised if Boys Educational and Analytical Sex Training – or BEAST - for short, in fact, really exists.
And no, I'm not googling over my brother, but I'm not blind and I know that all my brothers are hot as hell. They're all carved from the same block as our father, tall, lean, muscled with perfect faces, and definitely VIP members of said club.
"Earth to Mel." Axel is waving a hand before my eyes and pulls me out of my brain-running. I try to act as if nothing happened, but I know I'm blushing. Looking straight ahead, I try to focus on the paint on the wall, but my eyes just keep wandering to the cocky bastard at the bar standing next to Logan, still watching me. Two can play that game, so I watch back, making sure my eyes and face portray a disgusted look.
Enrique makes his way to Damion, hand holding onto the perky redhead. He's always had this thing for red-heads, but he's not picky – as long as they are beautiful he'll screw anyone that agrees to his no-strings-attached policy. Enrique always makes it abundantly clear that he doesn't do the settling down or dating thing.
I notice a pretty brunette slowly walking over to them, swaying her hips with loads of extra slutty effort. My eyes move back to Damion who's now laughing at Enrique, and then the brunette grabs him around his waist, planting a kiss on his pink lips and I feel a strange feeling pulsing through my veins, causing me to pull my mouth up under my nose as if I'm smelling a skunk.
"He's even hotter than I remember if that's possible, and he for sure has the same effect on women," Kiara says, also looking at Damion who's now holding onto another dark-haired girl on his other side, the brunette still clinging to him.
"Ug, I wish there was some kind of delete button for him." A small hand grabs my arm, startling me, and I slab my hand over my mouth not to swear again.
"Hi, my beautiful princess, I'm Luke." I look into his dreamy amber eyes.
"Hi, Luke. I'm Mel."
"I have 4 girlfriends, but I'll let them off easily, then you can be my girlfriend. What do you say?" The boy pulls his lips into a serious pout, his light eyes smoldering with mischief. He's cocky but very cute. I smile back at him, thinking that boys probably start going to the BEAST club from birth, 'cause this little guy already got all the moves. Or maybe he just has a good teacher?
I look back to where Damion was standing, but he's gone.
"Hey dude, maybe you should leave some girls for the rest of us guys!" Says the guy who just had two girls crawling all over him. Damion must be standing right behind me 'cause I can feel the warmth of his body making all my hair stand on end. I dare not turn around because I already know that he will have that signature smirk on his face, you know the one they teach men at the BEAST club, and then he'll increase the sexiness of his grin with a few inches cocking his head to the side. And seeing that will take all my willpower not to push my hands through his dark hair, and I need my power for ... whatever I need it for.
Then he moves into our circle, his arm brushing against mine. I almost swear again 'cause it feels as if I was shocked by a cattle prodder, sparks shooting from my arm to my toes. I secretly scold my body for betraying me like that, but at the same time, I'm thinking about how it will feel to kiss his soft lips. I notice his eyes are even greener close up and he has some recent bruises on his overly handsome face.
Kiara and Axel excuse themselves and make a beeline for the bar, leaving me alone with him and Luke. Thanks, guys.
"So, how have you been? Enjoyed the year away?" Hearing his voice sends shivers down my spine. I could undoubtedly do with a drink right now ... an extra-extra-strong one.
"I'm good thanks, yep, a year away from you and my brothers – best time ever." He leans forward and his mouth is close to my ear.
"So you didn't even think of me once?" I gasp at his arrogance. Yes, I thought about him like a zillion times .... but that's not the point.
"Nope!" I push out the p. He just pulls his eyebrows up and plasters a sexy grin on his face.
"What if I don't believe that?" Ug, this guy just knows how to pee me off in an instant and I wonder if choking him will in reality feel as good as dreaming about it.
"Then maybe it's your problem." His smirk is now as big as a freaking banana. I don’t see anything to feel happy about … I'm angry and frustrated, especially when he continues to cock his head and pout his mouth. Damn this man.
He looks at me as if he wants to say something more, but then Logan grabs his shoulder. I take it as my cue to go join my friends and get that strong drink. Right now, I'll probably need more than one. As I'm walking, I notice the pretty brunette, throwing daggers at me with her eyes. I wonder what her problem is. I don't even know the bitch. Yep, I know that's harsh, but if she's so judgmental, she must be a big B. And a slut. Yes, she's a slut, didn't she just have her grubby little hands all over Damion? But I ignore her, right now I'm too angry to care about some bimbo with bad manners.
"Can I have something to drink?" I didn't notice Luke following me to the bar "And don't worry about that Chloe bitch," he points to the brunette still staring at me, “nobody likes her.
I get him a coke and a strawberry margarita for me. Luke babbles but I just hear a word here and there while I answer him instinctively - my mind somewhere else. He likes to play video games like 'Fortnite' and 'Call of Duty' and was flabbergasted to hear that I helped in the design of the latest 'Assassin's Creed'. I was freelancing for Ubisoft, doing both coding and design during my senior year, and earned a smack load of money in the process.
"That's so swag!" He doesn't give me a chance to answer him. "If only I was a little older I'd marry you for sure. Screw my girlfriends! But maybe you could date my lame-ass brother? That guy sucks in the female department." Luke shakes his head and gestures with his hands to prove his statement, then he moves in closer and whispers "Sometimes I think he bats for the other side, you know ... "
I try hard to keep myself from bursting into laughter, biting both lips. Just thinking about Damion being gay is hilarious. I mean, if there’s someone that’s the opposite of pink … it would be him.
"I'm sure this lame-ass brother can still kick your but!" Damion smirks, also suppressing a smile. "But I don't have a problem picking up girls."
Yep, he can say that again, unfortunately. I'm sure he can get any girl he wants, except me, of course.
"Yeh, sure, I'll believe it when you ask Mel out," Luke pulls a shitty face while looking sincerely at his brother.
"I'll see about that," Damion winks at his brother.
"See he's so gay!" Luke pulls his eyes at me with a sexy little I-told-you-so smile and then he challenges his brother with a cocky stance, chin in the air.
"And you're so dead," Damion threatens, and Luke walks away slowly, looking at his brother, pointing his fingers at Damion and then at his eyes, showing that he's watching him. Damion smiles and pulls a finger across his neck, making a cut-throat sound.
"Cocky little bastard." There's a soft loving glint in Damion's eyes. So the beast does have a heart after all.
"Seems to me it runs in the family."
"Yep, just like our great taste in women. So will you?" Damion blinks and scratches the back of his head, but his eyes seem serious. What? Will I date his brother? After what he did to me? My mind says 'no' but my body is leaning towards 'yes'.
"I’m not that naïve teenager anymore and I'm certainly not your kinda girl." I wiggle my eyes at him and give him a million-dollar smile. My mind winning this round for sure.
"And what kind might that be?"
"I'm not into one-night-stand screw-them-and-leave-them crap. And I'm not dying my hair dark to fit into your groupie spectrum." Yeh, it is old news that girls tend to dye their hair brown just because Mr. MotoGP doesn’t do blondes.
"Maybe you should not judge what you don't know. Things aren't always as they seem." Again his hand shoots to the back of his neck. His shirt sleeve pulls up, drawing my eyes to the rippling of his biceps and the tattoo on his arm. It's some kind of skull with wings. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining as it's super sexy and my mouth is super dry all of a sudden.
*** POV – Melaena Not as they seem? Is he trying to claim innocence? How can his affairs, which are plastered over the news every week, by the way, be anything different? I look at his confronting emerald eyes and start throwing ideas through my mind. Did he just tell me not to judge his affairs? Does it look like I'm the judgy type? "I'm not accusing you, but your shenanigans with the female species make for a very convincing closing argument. You could object that I don't have all the facts, and that's true, but everybody can witness the evidence of so-called flings in the tabloids and social media. Your face is plastered at least weekly, all over the internet, each time with a different brunette smiling at your side." I suddenly wonder what it is with him and dark-haired girls. It's definitely his type. And I'm definitely not. "Not to mention that I've experienced your love-em-and-leave-em deviltry first-handedly – TWICE. So, your honor, the accused is found guilty of b
* ***POV - Melaena "Who the fudge cares!" Jackson smiles eerily as a serial killer would at his victim, but I don't give a hooting hell at this moment. I'm mad – mostly at myself for being so weak - and take big strides towards the bar without a word before anybody thinks to ask some more questions. Like, why am I so worked up over my little brother's stupid bloody friend? That right there is a VERY very good question. The asshole enjoys making me suffer, getting under my skin, and making me angry on purpose. Gmf, telling me I don't know what I'm doing! Hell, excuse me for not being a total slut and not jumping everybody's bones. I hope I never see the likes of him again ... ever!!! I order a drink, trying to calm myself down. Ren pulls me into his arms and I rest my head on his strong chest. I'm glad my boyfriend is not a psychotic, unfeeling, heartless maniac like certain other people. Sociopath – I'm sure he pulls girls' hearts out for fun and buries them in his backyard
*** POV - Damion Logan drags me – irritated by the whole situation might I add - to pick up his sisters or something. We walk through the school doors to meet her inside, something about wanting to make her angry – I’m not sure, but I follow his lead. All the girls are checking us out, trying to get our attention, but I just ignore them – I’m so fed up with girls throwing themselves at me by now. I fake a bored yawn, feeling even more pissed off at my friend for landing me in this situation. But then I almost choke halfway through the yawn. The big number 13 on the back of the black jacket … my jacket … the one I gave to that girl. I quickly glance at the sleeve only to find my surname changed to ‘grim reaper’ with a cute chibi cartoon reaper painted where the second ‘M’ used to be … but it’s mine. My eyes scan over the rest of the girl standing at her locker, her blonde hair curling down to her hot as fuck ass in some tight jeans. It demands me to stand up and pay fucking attent
***POV - Damion Over the years, I truly tried to keep my distance from her, struggling to keep control when she’s around. I really did … and mostly succeeded. But once, after putting pink roses on the steps of the haunted house, I let my emotions numb my mind and I dragged her with me to sneak into the zoo. Everything felt so right, it was just amazing – one of the best times on the worst day of my life. I felt so brave … strong enough to face anything. But after I dropped her off, the shadows appeared from their hiding spots … I got scared shitless – frightened of the control she had over me; like a fucking voodoo doll. I realized that if she stuck a needle in the doll’s heart, I’ll never recover. Not to mention that I’ll have to break my rules, the only thing that keeps me in line, the only thing that keeps me from falling down the dark hole. So, being the dick I am, I made sure that she saw the brunette on my bike the next day. I got back control, but the hurt in her eyes would
***POV – Melaena D: Mayday! Mayday! A little actor is dying! I’ve changed his caller-id on my phone so I know when it’s him. I put away my phone. I’m not going to let one crazy guy ruin my life. He’s been sending me messages almost every day since that first time at the party. Mostly I just ignore them, but it’s starting to creep me out – this ‘mayday’ shit is something new because usually he just rants on about how I belong to him and that soon we’ll be together. And what does he mean by dying … could someone be after Enrique? Would he go as far as trying to kill my brother? Nope … it’s just a joke. Perverted ass-hat stalker! “This overall is ridiculously unflattering!” Kiara shouts while bursting into my bedroom, pulling at the fabric of the black overall covering her lean body. “I don’t think looking stylish on the paintball course was what they had in mind when they designed this.” I tease my best friend, looking down at my matching black outfit. “At least we’re on the same
***POV - Melaena I see Damion’s mouth move but my heartbeat pounding in my ears causes ferocious drumming inside the helmet, deafening me for a few moments. I take a deep breath and close my eyes to calm my ticker down and when the thumping slowly stops, I can hear his voice. “You okay?” He asks as soon as the grievous bodily harm to him stops. I nod and then I hear Enrique laughing from behind some logs. Douchbag! “Enrique, you’re going to be a bloating carcass when I’m finished with you!” Damion shouts, but Enrique just laughs harder. I smell that fresh, citrus, and woody scent I have come to associate with Damion over the years. Dior … he’s the face of Dior … and if I have to take a wild guess, today he’s wearing Sauvage. Mixed with sweat! But somehow it triggers my butterflies. They must be drawn to the musky smell of perspiration. I barely register the pain from the bruised wounds on my torso as it is being drowned out by the heightened, throbbing ache between my legs. Th
***POV - Damion I sit at the table with the guys in my grim-reaper suit next to Enrique. Ilkay, a psycho doctor, and Axel, a werewolf, are opposite us. Logan, a devil, is talking to Cat-woman in a dark corner. My gaze scans the room, secretly looking for a certain person. My heart gives a double beat when my eyes eventually find her walking down the stairs. She’s dressed in a short black skirt with white lace trimmings and small red roses around the hem; a short tight black crop top exposes her toned tummy, while black net stockings with knee-high black boots clad those perfect legs. Her face is painted lightly white with black circles around her eyes, red lips, and a stitched-in smile. Her light hair is hanging loose over her shoulders with red roses on the top of her head. Coincidentally, her sugar-skull girl theme fits perfectly with mine. My bitch-stick moves, but I just smile - I came prepared today. I didn’t get dressed as a reaper solely because of my surname … no, I can e
***POV - Melaena I run between the flowerbeds and up to the glass building where my class started ten minutes ago, wondering if it will be okay to rush in or if I should rather just miss it altogether. My professor hates it when we’re late, and I wonder if she’ll understand if I explain that Jackson was released from the hospital this morning. He was lucky - the knife penetrated his lung - but because Ilkay and Deimos were there, he survived with only a small scar to show for his ordeal. The frustrating part is that we still don’t know who D is or why he wants revenge. Jackson didn’t see the person sticking the knife between his ribs from behind, but he did manage to hit the man with his elbow. Axel and the police checked everybody at the party … but no one other than the paintball guys showed any marks on their bodies … which left us to believe that the attacker either escaped or he is one of the 20 or so guys that attended the paintball match. We’ve been going over the list, che