Page 80 of Tainted Gifts
She groans, shaking her short wet hair in frustration while pulling on a loose, one-shoulder shirt that also doesn't belong to her.
"She ripped my clothes off," she whispers, grumbling the whole time.
I stifle a laugh, almost forgetting I'm supposed to be mad at her. Then she turns to me, sincerity and pain in her eyes.
"I'm hybrid. I realize that, but I usually draw the line at girls. I hope this somewhat makes up for the crazy shit I've done," she says hopefully.
I sigh out, all my humor leaving. "You're my sister, Simone. I can't stay mad too long. And you did fuck a girl for me," I mutter, letting my humor return by the end.
She laughs and cries at the same time while wrapping her arms around me in a much needed embrace. I grimace against her hybrid heat, but I hug her like the sister she's always been.
"I love you, Aria. I'm sorry," she whimpers, genuinely emotional which is unlike her.
"I love you," I sigh out, running my hands through her wet strands to comfort her as she hugs me tighter, making the heat unbearable.
"Shit," she murmurs, pulling back instantly when my clothes start to sizzle. "Sorry."
I force a grin, though it's obvious how fake it is. "It's fine. Jase can cool me down."
She nods, accepting that, and then we walk out to the grinning faces of the crowd. Simone rolls her eyes, ignoring their mockery, and then she holds her hand up in a preemptive objection.
"I don't want to talk about it."
Everyone giggles, and then Kellan holds his hands in front of him in a playful, begging manner. "Please, please talk about it."
For the first time ever, I see Simone blush fiercely. I almost laugh as she fidgets awkwardly, not acting like the cool, poised, sassy hybrid I know at all.
I think Simone has a major crush on Kellan. That's why she kissed him.
Jase frowns, nodding like he already knows.
Don't look so sad. That's perfect.
Jase seems confused, almost surprised by that. I smile as Kellan continues to tease Simone, but all the fun is brought to a halt when the lady in the red robe walks in to join the party, two glasses of whiskey in her hand.
She hands Simone the extra glass, offering her a wink directly after, which makes Simone roll her eyes.
"So, I take it Araya needs some info. I guess I sort of owe you my life, so what do you want to know about?" she asks, sipping her whiskey while going to sit down on the chair across from Kellan and Jase.
I return to sit by Jase before my head explodes, and he instantly cools me with his incredible touch, taking all the pain away by simply wrapping his arm around my shoulders. He's not going with the respectable hand-barely-on-my-knee right now.
Mmm, I love you so much.
He fights a grin, his eyes avoiding Kellan's glance. Then Kellan chimes in to voice a question.
"We were under the impression you would need a playful interrogation."
She lets a chuckle free, her eyes settling on Simone. "I've been thoroughly seduced, fucked, and had the need for closeness sated after tasting hybrid blood for the first time ever. I'll tell you anything you want to know right now."
Simone groans slightly, shaking her head shortly after, and then she goes to sit down beside Melania and Rex on the second couch.
"Do you know anything about the Scorpions in power or the thing leveling compounds as big as Seminole?" I ask, sounding like my mother in my blunt and to the point relay.
"Scorpions, no. Big bad mother-fucker destroying everything she runs across, yes."
My heart patters quickly, and I notice everyone caught the same key piece of that comment as I did when I see their widened eyes.
"This thing is a she?" Jase asks, pulling me closer instinctively when his protectiveness kicks in.
