Page 22 of Forged in Blood

They’re even bigger assholes than I thought they were, and that’s saying something.

Axl’s laughter subsides while Xavier goes on snickering. “Do you mean Delilah? The one you, me, and Kai ran a train on?”

“You’re both disgusting,” I spit out the words, and while it’s true that the callous way they speak about women is disgusting, there is something very not disgusting about the images flashing through my mind. Only they’re not of them with Delilah, whoever she is. They’re of the three wicked yet undeniably hot vampires. And me.

Warm breath tickles the nape of my neck, making me shiver. “So why is your heart racing, Pyro? Why is the skin right here…” Axl traces a fingertip down the side of my throat. “As pink as your hair?”

“Because you’re both a pair of animals and I hate you,” I blurt, before I can accidentally say anything remotely close to the truth.

I squeeze my eyes and my thighs closed and try to think of anything but the way Axl’s touch has electricity sizzling under my skin. How Xavier’s possessive growl earlier, while annoying as hell, also made me feel seen, if only for a fraction of a second. I don’t want to see Axl’s sandy-blond hair or Malachi’s sparkling green eyes or Xavier’s dimples. And I definitely do not want to think about their toned abs.

“Which peppy little cheerleader should we fuck tonight?” Xavier’s voice slices through me, and it’s enough to stop all the ridiculous fantasies racing through my mind.

Axl hums like he’s deep in thought. “That one with the curls who keeps jumping up and down like the ground’s on fire. I walked past her earlier. She smelled good.”

Xavier grunts. “What did she smell like?”

“Like apple and cinnamon. Plus, did you see how easily she did a split? I mean, the wider they can spread their legs, buddy…”

They both laugh again, and I look down at the girl I assume they’re talking about. She has a huge smile on her face as she plays to the crowd, trying to get them to cheer for the Dragons, who despite their new quarterback, still manage to put on a terrible performance according to the scoreboard. She doesn’t deserve what Axl and Xavier have in mind. I’d warn her if I thought for a millisecond she’d listen to me.

“Almost halftime. You think we can grab a quick bite before the second half?” Xavier laughs at his own joke.

Why are they here taunting me when they’d so clearly rather be sinking their teeth into a cheerleader? I manage to stifle the sob crawling up my throat, but I’m unable to stop a solitary tear from running down my cheek. Thankful that the two monsters sitting behind me can’t see it, I wipe it away.

Chapter

Thirteen

OPHELIA

The usual hum of chatter in the Dionysus Commons dining hall seems to have gone up a hundred decibels. A group of about twenty students, some of whom I recognize from high school, are crowded in the corner, and I crane my neck to see what’s causing all the fuss. Too many people block my view, so I give up and turn to study my options for lunch.

“Penelope!”

My feet and heart falter. Surely it’s a coincidence that someone just called out that name. It isn’t totally unique.

But when I turn around, the crowd parts enough for me to see that my misfortune is real. My worst nightmare comes alive before my eyes. Standing there, larger than life and surrounded by sycophants, is Penelope Nugent. The girl who made so much of my time in high school a misery. The same person responsible for the nickname that will haunt me forever—Opeelia.

The memory of that night in the school auditorium sears my brain and makes my knees wobble. I grab onto the back of the nearest chair to keep myself from dropping to the floor. Emotions wash over me like I’m back there—excitement at playing Lady Macbeth in our school production, then the humiliation and crushing despair. The sting of their taunts.

I suck in a deep breath and drag my eyes back to my tormentor. I heard she went to some fancy college in California, so what the hell is she doing here? Please tell me she’s just visiting. There are a few people from our old class in the year above me, so that’s entirely plausible. Please God, do not be this cruel to me.

“Everything okay there, sweet girl?” Malachi’s concerned voice cuts through the fog in my brain.

“I’m fine,” I grit out.

“You sure?”

“She said she was fine, Kai.” Axl’s voice carries its usual bored tone. “Let’s go.”

I tear my eyes away from Penelope and her crowd of admirers. Xavier is watching her with an amused look on his face, and Axl is scowling, seemingly at nobody in particular. Malachi stares at me, the look in his eyes mirroring the concern in his voice. “You two go ahead. I’ll catch up,” he says, not tearing his gaze from mine.

“Don’t take too long.” Axl shoots me a look filled with disgust before getting in the coffee line next to Xavier.

“Who is she?” Malachi asks.

“Who?” My voice comes out in barely a whisper.

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