"Go ahead and try," I laugh, "try to steal me from him." I point as a huffing and puffing Xavier stands in the doorway. He stares at our linked hands with thinly veiled disgust. I smile, ready to play my own little game. "I thought you were gone for the day!" I exclaim, ripping my hands from his so forcefully that I almost turn around, and rush to him, "I'm so glad you're back!" I give him one of his own bone-breaking hugs, and out of the corner of my eye, I see him wince slightly. "Act like a lover," I hiss in his ear while searching for a kiss on his neck. He burns when I touch him with my soft lips, tingling with the passion that is about to come off his collar. Xavier is bewildered for a minute, then he joins me, his arms wrapping around my form. For a minute, there is no place I would rather be. I unconsciously close my eyes, drowning in his intoxicating aroma... "I know you're faking it," Ian says confidently.

I waltz through a dirty courtyard, stained with beer cans and cigarettes, in disgust. A huge house stands before me, music beating furiously from within. People bubble around the entrance, many lounging on the many chairs outside. There is a lot of movement inside the house, several girls in bikinis and others in dresses like mine. There must be a pool around here, for there to be so many people in swimsuits. Suddenly, I feel overdressed. I stumble to the door, slowly making my way through the crowd. People immediately rub up against me as I am swallowed up by the crowd, many whispers beginning. I stick out like a sore thumb and momentarily regret letting Lauren dress me like a Barbie doll. I should have insisted on jeans and a top, instead of settling for this... Suddenly, I see Xavier's blue-haired head, talking to a random girl in the crowd. She is wearing a light swimsuit and has brown hair. He takes her away, piquin

He doesn't look at me when I walk into the room. I have never felt this way before. His cold, icy treatment has never escaped me. In the two and a half weeks I've been here, his aura has always been warm, comforting. But now I feel unwanted. Everyone can feel this sudden change in behavior. Xavier's face is like stone, incredibly beautiful, but unchanging. Yi is just sitting at the kitchen table, playing with his spoon. Wes doesn't flirt with me, giving me a brief, encouraging smile. Jake hands me a small carton of milk and a bowl of yogurt. "Eat up," he says briskly. I grab a spoon from the table, shove it into the sweet, delicious goodness and let it linger just in front of my lips before closing my mouth on it. "Please sit down," he directs me to a chair; "We need to talk to you about some things." Being careful not to make eye contact with the blue-haired beast, I dropped down, staring into Jake'

~Mona~ The grass tickles my toes as I move slightly, sleep releasing its strong hold on me. The warm sunlight bathes my bare skin, my hair lying on the grass. I stagger to my feet, wondering why I am here in the garden. My gaze turns to the fountain, then it all comes back to me in a flash. I blush as I think back to my time with Ray earlier, with the fountain and the statue. Ray's warm embrace was very comforting, of course, but at the same time, it was terrifying. What if Xavier had seen us? What would he have thought? I hate to admit it, but I miss him. I want him to laugh and joke with me like he used to. He's really grown on me, so much so that I almost want a touch, a touch of his fingers. However, he is really impatient. It hasn't even been a month yet, and I've changed my old skin, cured people of their diseases, and had guys flirting with me. Even now, my brain is about to go into overdrive. Why can't it underst

That's when I realize how bad our situation is. "I'm going to get ready." I take a step back and sit on the plump mattress in a daze. Ray seems to sense my hidden dismissal and slips out into the hallway. I set the bag down beside me and look around, looking at my various belongings. What should I bring and what should I leave behind? After a second of thought, I grab my emerald ring from the bedside table. It's not necessary for protection because I have very bright green eyes now, but the fact that he gave it to me makes it definitely worth having in my bag. I would wear it, but it seems to symbolize the good times we have together, and those are times I don't want to remember right now. "Mistress," a small, soft voice whispers from the hallway. My head snaps up as I see an unfamiliar Phœnae peering into my room. Her ebony hair is long and wavy, surrounding a heart-shaped face. With large bro