Her Hidden Half (War Songs of the Courts #1)

Chapter One

"Aye, you alright?" 

I threw up a thumbs up half-assed as I stopped at the doorway, finding my underwear decorating the knob of the door. I twitched my eyebrow at it and wondered if it was my bright idea or his. I fumbled slightly as I slid them on and paused, giving him one last look. 

"You don't listen in bed," I said. I tilted my head to the side and shrugged a bit. "That's why." I shut the door abruptly and walked down the hallway to the living room. 

He needed that. I didn't remember much but I did remember him not listening to me literally telling him what I liked. I even said it in a hot way, which was nice of me. But his ego said he knew how to get me off. His ego was wrong and someone needed to tell him.

I sighed when I saw the rest of my clothes strewn across the floor and couch, cursing my drunken self for making this an issue in the first place. I would hate the intoxicated version of myself for making such poor decisions but I wasn't so much better sober, so I'd decided it was simply best not to judge.

Movement from the other side of the room caught my eye. A woman sat cross-legged on the counter, hunched over a bowl of cereal in the kitchen fully in view of the living room. She waved her spoon at me hesitantly. She chewed loudly as she watched. Like she was familiar with this particular show and it had become routine to tune in every time.

Well, that was cute.

The sides of her head had been shaved but the rest of her dark brown hair was full and curly, pointing in all directions from the bun it had been pulled into. Her thighs were plump with muscle, restrained by men's boxers. Something decidedly not straight was happening there and I liked it. I tilted my head seductively and smiled my signature up-to-no-good smile. She paused mid-chew at the flirtatious gesture. Almost lazily, I turned and walked to my clothes, fully aware she was staring at my ass. I grabbed my pants from the couch and turned toward her to look her in the eyes as I tugged them on. A smile pulled at her lips as she took another bite of her cereal. She looked down and shook her head, pink staining the tops of her cheeks.

"Your roommate can't get a girl off to save his life. Someone should have a talk with him about that," I said seriously as I buttoned my jeans, almost like I was talking about disappointing weather.

She made a choking sound around a bite of cereal and started coughing. She set her cereal aside as she tried to calm the coughing fit. It was almost as if I purposely waited until she took a bite to say something.

Okay, I totally did.

Containing my laugh, I grabbed my combat boots and started towards the door. I slowed as I got close to her, very intentionally drawing it out as I moved closer. She looked disheveled from the coughing fit, her lips wet with milk and her cheeks nearly red at this point. I leaned in and lowered my voice to almost a whisper. "May I?" I asked as I raised my hand to her hair, close enough to make it clear but not enough to actually touch. Her mouth was open before she swallowed and nodded, her eyes glossing over. I twirled my finger in a single curl, studying it almost before looking up at her to see how she felt. Her eyes blackened and I smiled a bit. I let my hand fall to trace her ear and she sucked in a breath. I followed her jaw with my fingertips and I leaned in further, pulling her lightly by the chin. She followed, breathing more heavily. I turned her chin to lightly kiss her cheek. I wouldn't put her through my breath right now. She was too cute for that.

"Bye, gorgeous," I blew a kiss and made my way to the door, pouting a bit at the fact that I didn't meet her the night before.

* * *

I climbed up the stairs and prayed for my bed. 

I need to stop drinking and start exercising. 

I snorted at myself. Okay, maybe I just need to start with not drinking. 

I paused outside the apartment I shared with Claire. We weren't the closest of friends, but we got along pretty well as roommates. It's really only worked because we know how to stay out of each other's way. I had a sneaking suspicion that she was a high-class escort, but we had this unspoken rule to never question each other on our oddities. I'd never gotten the chance to really get my suspicions verified because it would break our silent rule, but it didn't make me any less curious. I felt like we could be really good friends if we both weren't so closed off... but while I might be open enough for her secrets, I wasn't sure anyone could really handle mine.

Stillness met me when I finally pushed into the apartment so I knew Claire was still out. The absence of the music she liked blaring from her room at all times was appreciated immensely. I usually didn't care, but at this moment? I was grateful. I gave a sigh of relief and started tugging my boots off without any real effort. There was a strong possibility that I could've fallen asleep just thinking of my bed. 

I hobbled down the hall to my bedroom, bumping into the wall a few times as I fought with my remaining boot and cursed quietly. I had a few hours to sleep before I had to go to work and I really just wanted to pass out.

I worked at this little diner called Abby's Diner, named after the owner's late wife. I never thought I'd like to be a waitress. My mouth did this thing called being rude that only hipsters seem to like, but it worked. I haven't been fired yet, so I figured I could keep doing it until something else caught my interest. 

I opened my door and leaned against the side of it, pulling the socks off of my aching feet hazardously. My head shot up at a light crinkle of paper and I let out a sound strikingly similar to a noise I once heard come out of a dog when someone stepped on its tail. The frozen back of a man met me, the things from my desk flung across the top of it in front of him. Things that used to be on shelves now littered the floor. Every drawer in the room seemed to be open. He slowly turned until his cold eyes met mine, holding me in my spot for far longer than they should have. He breathed in loudly and I finally found it in myself to move. I stepped back with every intention of running, but before I could he was suddenly two inches away from my face, making me stumble back.

Someone clearly hasn't heard of personal space, I thought shakily.

I was used to the creatures by now. I pretended they weren't there and in return, they didn't bother me for the most part. Not much to worry about. I'd had encounters like this before, but I could just feel that this was different. His short black hair added to his overall intimidating look but it was his hard sharp facial features that made my heart jump in terror. He could almost be interpreted as gorgeous if he wasn't looking at me like I was his next meal. 

I had a feeling he liked playing with his meals before he ate them.

He leaned forward and breathed in deeply before taking a step back. There was something about the way he looked at me. It didn't inspire confidence that I wasn't about to be cut into tiny pieces and fed to my unknowing roommate. Two fangs revealed themselves from under the top of his lip and he licked them. A shadow fell over his face and he laughed almost to himself.

"You must be Echo," he said with a smile that was most definitely not for my benefit.

I swallowed and shook my head in denial.

He scowled. "Now, now. Don't lie to me, Echo."

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

My heart thudded loudly in my chest. I heard a shaky breath leave me as I gave a quivering smile. I forced myself to turn, letting my unsteady legs take me as fast as they could down the hallway. A hollow laugh met the back of my neck just before the pain registered and blackness fell over me. Nightmares would be filled with that laugh.

A U T H O R ' S    N O T E

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