BLUE BLOOD

14 | because of the cliffs

Satin only smiled. "Vesper is just a girl. Isn't that right, Vesper?"

I wasn't about to answer. There was no way I was getting in between these two. Avery was lounging on a nearby couch with Cole now, both of them brooding.

Mason groaned, joining them. "Can we just eat?"

Helen, Gloria, and Blake entered last as Avery promised they would. Helen even had twigs in her hair, which horrified her when she, Satin, Helen, and Gloria had a fantastic time reuniting, whispering, glaring, and gossiping, in a tight circle two seconds in.

"That was a shitty game," Blake declared before joining Avery and Cole.

"It was only warm up," Satin reassured him.

Just when I thought every person had arrived, one more newcomer came.

Erik Solar.

He looked older, more handsome. Erik was always more uptight, formal with his suit and briefcase. It should have looked comical but Erik was born to wear a suit. His light hair shone. He wasn't as tall as Avery but his shoulders were broader.

I didn't think he'd notice me but as his eyes swept through the room, they locked to mine. The shock that splashed in his amber eyes froze me to the spot. A faint memory of lips touching mine flickered through my mind.

Then, whatever emotion that I felt was replaced by panic.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

Erik knew who I was. He knew too much. He was just another liability that would endanger me. I hoped to the stars that he didn't give me away but Erik wasn't thinking. He was feeling, as always.

"Vesper?"

The recognition in his eyes was too obvious to miss because Kalina suddenly grinned like a feline. "Erik, you know Vesper?"

Erik couldn't help but scoff. "Know her? She was-"

"He used to go to the same boarding school as me," I cut him off, quickly.

Erik stared at me but caught on that I didn't want him to reveal anything. Even though he could never quite read me, Erik always knew when I had a plan. He also knew to follow them, even when he didn't like it.

Erik nodded slowly, never breaking his stare. "I haven't seen her in a while, that's all."

Satin broke the silence. "I'm sorry but what is she doing here?"

Gloria crossed her arms in agreement. "That was exactly my thought."

"Well, your thought doesn't matter," Shannon snapped, scowling at both of them. "Vesper is here because she's a blue blood."

"What?" Satin practically shrieked. She had finally lost her cool. "But- no one told me that! She just came here... yesterday!"

"Friday, actually," Kalina corrected and it struck me odd that she was speaking up for me now. "And she is because it was Avery's birthday wish for Vesper to become one of us."

Satin whirled to Avery. Erik looked to him, puzzled and almost upset. "You used a wish on this... this nobody?"

I heard the unfinished part of her sentence.

And you didn't for me?

Every person expected Avery to speak up for me but he knew me well enough to know that I could defend myself. It shocked everybody that Erik was the one who tried to defend me. "Satin-"

While I appreciated the intention, I didn't need his help for anything.

"Satin, do you know how many owners this island has?" I cut through him. Now, I had every person's full attention.