Page 27 of Monster's Heart

“Watch it, fatty,” a familiar voice snarled behind me.

I turned around, eyes wide as I came face to face with that fucker, Gunner. He looked completely deranged. His hair was spikey and unwashed, and his facial hair looked unkempt.

“Your little boyfriend isn’t here to protect you this time,” he said, forcing me to step back as he stalked toward me.

“Amrin Cordoza,” Professor Wainwright came down the hall, calling out to me. “Come with me, please. You have an urgent call.”

“Coming, professor,” I replied.

“Run along, Witch. I’ll find you later,” Gunner whispered, way too close to my ear.

Hiding my shudder, I moved away from Gunner, walking backward so I could keep my eye on him, until I was far enough away to turn around. I tightened my grip on my bag and jogged over to the professor. There was a call for me from a Coven portal apparently, and I frowned as I went to the admin office to answer it.

* * *

An hour later, I was back in my dorm and getting dressed for the festival. I didn’t know why my mother felt the need to check on me, likely because she thought I was about to fail out. I gritted my teeth as I slathered lotion on my skin, replaying her words in my head.

“You are a Cordoza, Amrin, try to remember that and act accordingly.”

“I am trying, Mom—I mean, Mother,” I replied, knowing how she preferred a more formal title.

“You are not trying hard enough. I understand there is a Wolf Shifter there sniffing after you. Gunner McFadden. His father has sent me a proposal for you to mate with his son—”

“What? He hates me!”

“Well, there is a fine line between hate and all that, and since you have no other claims on you, I told him he had my blessing to initiate courting you,” she said, and I could not believe my ears.

“Are you out of your mind? I have, I mean, I met someone, Mother. And I will not allow Gunner, that creep, anywhere near me.”

“You will never speak to me like that again, Amrin. I am your mother and your leader. Be sensible, girl. Who else will take a powerless Witch as a mate? I command you to do this for your family.”

“No, I will not. And you can’t force me, Mother. If I embarrass you that much, then consider this my official notice. I am withdrawing my membership to the Cordoza Coven,” I said, chest heaving with anger.

“You can’t do that! I will refuse to pay your tuition. You horrible girl. I told your father seven was the number. Seven daughters to bring us fortune, but you... you have been nothing but a curse on our name—”

“Then allow me to remove myself from your name. I am no longer Amrin Cordoza. No longer of your line. I am leaving your Coven and never going back. Goodbye, Mo—just, goodbye.”

I knew I needed to find Headmistress Blackthorn, to explain my situation, and see if there was something I could do in terms of a scholarship. It wasn’t likely, seeing as how I was barely passing my classes. But I had to try. I was just not ready to talk about it all yet.

Truth was, I needed Sten. I needed to see him. One day was too long, and I missed him dearly. Sighing as I undressed, it was only when I looked down that I noticed a package wrapped in the most beautiful blue paper sitting on my bed.

It was not my birthday or anything, besides, even if it was, who would give me a present?

The paper was beautiful, and I did not want to rip it, so I grabbed a letter opener from my desk and carefully unwrapped the box. Inside was tissue paper, but it was fancier than any paper I had ever seen, and when I opened it, I gasped. Tucked away behind the folds was a shimmering dress in midnight blue. When I lifted it out of the box, I was taken aback by how beautiful. I was wrong about the color. It wasn’t one shade of blue, but thousands, and depending on how the light hit it, it would change.

“This is beautiful,” I whispered, running my hands across the gossamer like fabric.

I’d never seen its equal and since I was raised in a house with ten girls, that was saying something. Chills ran up and down my spine, and I took off my robe, pulling on the lace thong I’d planned to wear. The straps of the dress were skinny, and I didn’t think I could fit a bra beneath it, so I tried it on without. The fabric seemed to heat and change, like it was doing alterations by itself, and I stood, mouth agape as I watched it mold to my body in the floor-length mirror.

“This is amazing,” I said to myself, turning around to see my reflection.

The dress had morphed into something spectacular, and beyond my wildest dreams. It was soft and shimmery, making me feel like a princess. Even better, it seemed to understand my quandary about bras, and built one inside, lifting my breasts high. The fabric wove itself to form a sweetheart neckline with draped off the shoulder cap sleeves. The fabric ghosted over my curves, layers, and layers of it, and when I walked it glittered and shined. Like I was wearing a piece of the night sky.

I ran back to the box, hoping to find something else.

A letter maybe?

Something from Sten. It had to be him.

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