Page 19 of Burn With Me

9

RORI

Istare into the mirror of Hel’s bathroom and finish brushing on another swipe of gold highlight along my cheekbone. I rarely go for an excessive amount of makeup, but every once in a while, I like it. Because sometimes, makeup isn’t just a way to make a girl feel pretty. Sometimes, it makes a girl feel powerful. Tonight, it makes me feel like the goddess I’m pretending to be. Beautiful. Ethereal.Dangerous.

I smile at my reflection. I look like a completely different person. Gold glitter covers the upper half of my face, from just above my eyebrows to halfway down my cheeks. My lips are plumped and painted in a shimmery, light pink.

The nearly white-blonde wig that is braided into a crown at the top of my head is frighteningly realistic with a few wispy curls falling against my neck, and with the white floor-length Grecian dress, I look like I really have transformed into a goddess of the night … or rather Dawn.

A high-pitched whistle reaches my ears and I turn, meeting Selene’s gaze as she looks me up and down. “Damn girl, you look good!” she says. I laugh at the baby pink dress she’s wearing. Even though it’s Grecian style like mine, someone has obviously adjusted it to look more modern. Instead of being floor length, it’s cut to just at her thighs with thick, gold ropes hanging around her waist to emphasize her hourglass shape.

Next to her, Hel looks ready to be going anywhere but to a college party. In lieu of a dress, she’s wearing cut black pleather pants that mold to her shape and a matching lace bralette.

“Who’s your goddess?” I ask.

Hel holds up her mask, showing a half mask made to look like a skeleton’s face. “It comes with a crown,” she says, lifting the crown in question in her other hand. My eyes widen. An array of sharp-pointed sticks pokes out of a ring of dead roses.

“Underworld or something?” I ask.

“Yup.” She pops the last syllable. “If anyone asks, I’ll tell them to guess, but I was thinking Hel—Norse Goddess of death.

“I’m Aphrodite!” Selene pops in.

“Oh, we can tell,” I say as I slide past her.

“What?” She puts her hands on her hips and glares playfully at me. “How?”

“You’re practically exuding sexuality,” I reply. “Are you planning on killing all the guys tonight or fucking them?”

She thinks about it for a moment. “I don’t know yet,” she finally admits. “I’ll decide when I get there.”

I shake my head. Lord help whoever tames her.

“Wait, who are you supposed to be?” Hel asks as I pick up my mask from the common room coffee table and slide it into place. I’m glad I went with a soft white mesh instead of something hard and plastic. The fabric molds to my upper face. The glitter looks like it’s leaking down—like I’m crying liquid gold.

“Eos,” I say.

Selene frowns. “Who’s that?”

“Aurora,” Hel replies.

I smile. She gets it. “What?” Selene scrunches her face up as she looks between us. “Am I missing something?”

"Yeah,” I say, “but you usually are.”

Her lips press together and she offers me a bland glare. “Just for that,” she says, “you have to dance with me tonight.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Come on,” I say. “We’re gonna be late.”

“Fashionably!” Selene calls after us as Hel and I move towards the door and out into the hallway.

Together, the three of us head out. Half an hour later, the town car Selene called pulls up in front of a luxurious mansion with large Roman pillars spanning the front of the building. Lights twinkle and glitter from all directions. The difference between this place and the bar Marcus had taken me to is like night and day. And yet, I feel as though I’m stuck somewhere in the middle of the two.

Born into wealth and luxury, bored with the fallacy of it all. Craving reality, and yet, also frightened of the darkness it holds. Dusk and Dawn. That is who I am—tonight it’s just a little more obvious than usual.

Just before we enter the house, Hel latches onto my arm. “Are you still planning on getting back at that guy tonight?” she asks.

Her words bring me back to reality and remind me of the real reason why I came tonight. I’d double-checked with Selene and asked her to ask around, and sure enough, Isaac Icari was invited. He should be here. “Yes,” I answer her without hesitation. I’m not backing down.

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