Page 3 of Distant Heart

“Dibs,” the word was past his lips before his brain could even process he wanted to say it.

“Uh, pretty sure he came with Ellery, so…”

“So?” Illya lifted a brow. “It’s Praeda.”

And on Praeda, only the strongest survived.

Chapter 1:

“Quit pretending like this wasn’t your idea.” Ellery Norwood slapped a hand on Rexton’s shoulder and squeezed. “Ready to tell me the reason for your sudden visit, or you saving that answer for someone else?’

Rex rolled his eyes and shook his cousin off. They both already knew he’d needed a break from Vitality, what with everything going on there between his best friend Aneski and a Brumal member. Ell and he were close enough that they kept in constant contact, so the reason for his cousin’s probing was mostly just to be an ass.

“Shut up. Your friends are watching us,” he motioned with his chin up toward the stairs, “aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Ellery quirked a brow and then let out a sharp laugh. “You want me to introduce you to the Black Harts? You’re really something, you know that?”

“Actually, no.” Rexton crossed his arms and took a pointed glance around the crowded entrance room. “What kind of event is this again?”

Now he was the one being an ass. He knew exactly what went down on Cor Night, he just wasn’t going to let that stop him from attending. It was better than sitting at home doing nothing.

“I warned you not to come,” Ellery reminded. “You insisted. Remember that if—”

He snorted. “Please. Are you forgetting I’m a Shepard?”

“That pathetic little fake gang?” His cousin didn’t bother pulling any punches. “Let’s be real, you’ve never had any interest in that lifestyle. You’re only doing it for Aneski. Which is kind of pathetic, by the way.”

“So you’ve told me.” Only, like, a million times.

“Once more can’t hurt.”

“Whatever.” Rexton hadn’t come here to discuss his home life, he’d come here to run away from it.

Usurn was as good a place as any. Though, now that he was actually standing there, amidst the throngs of unfamiliar faces and flashing ridiculous heart-shaped pins, he was starting to second guess himself. Maybe it wasn’t better than staying in. Maybe heshouldhave opted to stay holed up in Ellery’s dorm after all. Waited for the night to be almost over before—

“Try not to stand out too much,” Ell cut into his thoughts and motioned up at the stairwell toward his friends. “We both know if anyone makes the moves on you tonight, there’s going to be hell to pay, and I really don’t want to deal with that shit.”

Rexton swatted the back of his cousin’s head, giving him a dull look when Ellery cursed and spun around to glare at him. “I’m older than you, remember? Besides, this is your turf. You’re supposed to look out for me here.”

He snorted. “Since you’re older, I’m sure you can be left on your own, actually.”

“Hey!” Rex really should have seen that coming, but he was still surprised when Ellery sidestepped and suddenly vanished within the crowd. He swore and spun, trying to catchsight of him, but his cousin was a stealthy motherfucker, gone in a flash with no traces left behind.

Feeling attention on him, Rexton risked a glance up, breath catching in his lungs when his gaze met a mismatched pair of eyes.

Convincing himself he wasn’t fleeing, Rex searched for the nearest exit. There were several options leading out of the grand foyer and he chose the closest one, slipping beneath a large archway and into a wide hallway. The blood-red carpet stretched as far as he could see, disappearing at the end of the long hall that branched off in either direction. Gilded portraits decorated the stone walls, golden plaques with names engraved at the bottoms.

This place was a far cry from Guest Fine Arts Academy which he attended, back on his home planet Vitality. Not wanting to get lost, Rexton ducked into the first room on the right, letting out a sigh of relief when he entered what must be a ballroom.

Long tables lined the perimeter of the room, surfaces packed with various foods and drinks. Some students lingered about, plucking morsels off golden platters, while others filled the dance floor, partying to some upbeat rock tune Rexton was a bit surprised was allowed to be played in an establishment such as this.

The uppity, elitist kind.

He snorted at his own thoughts and then moved toward one of the tables. A cloth the same shade as the thin carpets in the hallway was draped over it, several golden dishes laid out with dessert type foods he only somewhat recognized. He didn’t visit this planet or his cousin often, and when he did, he was usually too busy with other matters to bother experimenting much with the cuisine. Maybe he should change that.

Hell, the whole reason he was here this time was to escape his problems back home, wasn’t it? May as well live a little, have a bit of fun. Or…a lot of fun, if luck was on his side. There was something he’d always wanted to try, yet had never had the balls to do…

Rexton selected a corndog shaped food, biting off the tip and hardly noticing the burst of sweetness on his tongue. He was too lost in his own thoughts, wondering how brave he could actually be, to pay much attention to what he was eating, or the man suddenly appearing at his side.

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