Morphed into Love, Book 2

20- The Blazing Purple Irises

OPHELIA

"Good grief," I massaged my throbbing headache at the breakfast table, "I feel as though I've been bucked to the temple by a horse."

Yoko snickered beside me, "Here, drink this."

She handed me some bungleberry tea, it smelt divine and was a sure cure for a hangover. I rarely drank, so continuing to down glasses of bubbles after I'd left Ronan's room had been a terrible decision on my part. However, I didn't regret it. The alcohol had loosened me up last night and many had seen a side to me that I didn't even know existed, I'd danced the night away and socialised with a smile on my face until the early hours of the morning.

"What a night." Yoko dreamily sighed, verbalising my thoughts, "They sure do know how to throw a party, huh?"

"Yes, I'll bet you enjoyed yourself a fair bit more than I." I smirked, gently elbowing her, "At least this time Lady Neera isn't here to witness your new love bite."

Yoko instantly flushed a deep red, "I thought I covered it up!"

"It's as purple as a Tyrian plum, my love." I scrunched up my nose, "And how is the perpetrator?"

"He's not a perpetrator! He's... Lucien is a gentleman!"

"And here I thought vampires were extinct, but the man seems to relish sucking blood from your neck. You ought to be careful." I pretended to be concerned, riling Yoko up.

"Goodness, Fee, you're awfully witty this morning! Anyone would think you'd finally had a prick up the--!"

I leaped to cover her foul mouth, "Speak with dignity at the table, Yoko."

She licked my palm and I retracted it in disgust, "Where did you go last night anyway? You were there whilst I was dancing with Lucien, the next you'd disappeared for over an hour!"

"I was..." I scratched my nose whilst thinking of a response, "Lying down, the alcohol went straight to my head."

"Fee," Yoko tutted, "that would've been a great lie if I didn't know you scratch your nose when you're fibbing. Where were you really?"

"I'm not lying." I sipped my bungleberry tea and avoided eye contact. I was a terrible liar, especially to Yoko.

She didn't look impressed, "Come out with it, I'm sure it's nothing illegal."

I winced.

"It's illegal?!"

"Yoko, you're so tactless." I hissed, thankful that the breakfast hall was relatively quiet since it was the later hours of the morning by now, "I'm not sure the Daxium family would be overly pleased if they were to hear that."

"Tell me, tell me, tell me!" Yoko practically bounced on her bottom, her long black hair swaying around her waist.

I sighed, deciding that it couldn't hurt to tell someone I trusted and perhaps even ask for advice, "I was with Ronan."

Yoko fought to not explode with glee, her face burned bright red as she grinned with excitement, "I see you've dropped the honorifics."

"Well... He's my equal, so..." I found great interest in my tea all of a sudden, then the table, then the chandelier, "And we kissed."

A strange fizzle of a noise pushed its way past Yoko's sealed lips, she gripped my arm with the nonsensical strength of a warrior and nearly yanked it off, "I won't scream, I promise I won't."

"I should think not." I shook her off, whispering, "It didn't mean anything anyway. It was just a kiss."

"You can't tell me you seriously believe that!" Yoko huffed, "Hundreds of men over the years have attempted to court you, none of them even got as much as a second glance. You broke your chastity agreement for him!"