Seductive Peril

GIGGLE LOOP

For the next few days, I try not to take offense to my whole crew basically ghosting me. I mean, they're loyalty is to Ethan... I get that. And with both his parents and Zara in town, it's not like we can spend time together, anyway. So, I carry on as if none of it matters.

Because it doesn't.

Not even as I walk into class and see Zara sitting in my seat next to Ethan.

I'm not irritated at all.

But I'm pretty sure Ethan's parents arranged this.

Biting my tongue, I take the seat that's conveniently open next to Eden, but I have nothing to say to her. It doesn't stop her from flashing me an apologetic smile, though. And I give her a look that tells her exactly where she can stick her smile and her apology.

Ignoring her, I take out my books and focus on the lesson.

"Don't be mad at us, Ali," Eden is the first to crack. Sulking in her seat and staring at me with those miserable, sad eyes of hers.

"Mad at you for what?" I ask. "Ditching me at the party you begged me to go to. Or ignoring me afterward like I've got some incurable, contagious disease?"

Eden opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. So, she snaps her mouth shut and quietly goes back to focusing on her own assignments.

"Is this how it's going to be every time Zara and your parents show up? Am I going to be ditched and ignored?"

"No," she answers. But then she thinks on it for a minute and says, "I don't know. It's kind of complicated, Ali. There's politics involved that I can't even begin to explain to you."

"Whatever," I shake my head.

And another memory slides into place. This is one of the reasons I walked away from Ethan. I wasn't welcomed in his life. And I never will be if his stepfather has anything to say about it.

I wish I would have known this before I agreed to come back to Greenwich Academy. I still would've made the same choice, but I wouldn't have gotten my hopes up about Ethan and me.

My phone goes off, sending me to my next class, and I pack up and leave. Edith falls into step beside me. Followed by the rest of Lucas' harem of seductive daemons, and they walk me to my next class. Or should I say to their master. Because Lucas is leaning up against the wall waiting for me as I walk up.

He props out his elbow and I loop my arm through it. Then he walks me into our leadership class, where, once again, Ethan is sitting next to Zara (whose sitting in my seat), and she's staring at him with dreamy eyes.

Only, his eyes are on me. Watching me walk in with Lucas to take the seat next to him. Zara notices and glances between us. But me... I look away.

"Welcome back class," Mrs. DeAngelis smiles at everyone except Lucas and me. When she gets to us, she narrows her eyes and shakes her head. Angry with us for the display of power I used at the harbor.

Lucas slinks down in his seat, pouting like a toddler scorned. And I can't help but laugh on the inside. I don't know why it took me this long to realize it, but badass Lucas DeAngelis, is a total mama's boy. All it takes is one disapproving look from her, and this tall, muscles for days having boy, gets all up in his feels.

"What's so funny?" Lucas shoots me a dark look.

That's when I notice I'm laughing out loud, and everyone is staring at me. I try to stop this endless giggle loop I find myself stuck in, but it only makes me laugh harder. And looking at Lucas doesn't help. He now has a smirk on his face. Trying to stifle a laugh of his own. Because apparently this giggle loop is contagious.

"Is something funny?" Mrs. DeAngelis asks. Glaring at the two of us again.

Lucas quickly sits ramrod straight and wipes all traces of amusement from his face. Me... I'm not as skilled as he is at avoiding the wrath of a parent. Or in this case... Mrs. Devil.

She storms right up to me, her eyes locked on my throat, and my eyes widen as my throat starts to close.

Standing over my desk with her arms folded over her chest, she says, "If there's anything I dislike more than humans, it's the casual disrespect they have for authority, and the superiority complex they have in comparison to everyone and everything else. Like they're better than everyone else and don't have to play by the same rules. But I assure you, missAlexander, that is not the case."

As she's talking, I'm suffocating. And once again, the thing in me snaps. Fighting against her power with power of its own. Only, this is Lucas' mother. He would never forgive me if I hurt her in any way.

I try to tell her to stop. To warns her she's awakening something in me I can't control. But with my throat closed, words are failing me. So, I snatch Lucas' pencil from his hands. Writing a warning in my notebook that I slide over to Lucas to read. I make sure to write in all caps, with boldened letters I've traced repeatedly. I even go as far as to underline the words 'I can't control it' hoping to get his mom to back off. Quieting the monster inside me.

She doesn't.

Instead, it takes forever for Lucas to read it.

When he gets to the end, his eyes snap up to mine. Then at his mom. He opens his mouth to warn her, only, it's already too late. Power bursts from me, sending a shockwave throughout Greenwich academy that rumbles and shakes the building.

Every window on the GA campus shatters. Sending shards of glass flying everywhere. Including in Lucas' mom's direction.

One minute Lucas is sitting beside me. And the next... he's got his arms wrapped around his mom, shielding her with his body. But whatever power this is, it's still rippling out of me like a never-ending gust of wind. And the brick exterior of the building begins to crumble. Edith lunges at me, hoping to tackle me to the floor, but she's thrown clear across the room. Others try to get to me, but they suffer the same fate.

"Ali," Ethan slowly approaches me. His hands raised in the air. I'm expecting him to go flying across the room like all the others, but he doesn't. He seems to be the only one unaffected by this power.

That's when it dawns on me.

This is his power.

"You have to cut it off before you bring these buildings down on everyone."

And I want to.

Only, him choosing now to talk to me only makes me angrier.

"You have to stop her," Lucas growls. Still shielding his mother from me.

"What do you think I'm trying to do?" Ethan growls back.

"A whole lot of talking with little action. She's going to level GA and everyone within its walls unless you dosomething!"

At that point bricks crash through the ceiling right above Zara who quickly throws a shield up to protect herself. But her scream is all Ethan needs to hear before he savagely sinks his teeth into my neck. Siphoning my blood. Until finally, I lose consciousness. And everything stops.

The shaking of the buildings.

The crumbling bricks.

And the screaming students cowering beneath their desks.