Page 21 of Veiled

Grayson, Ryder, Hunter, Zane- Fucking deal.

I smiled to myself and snapped myself out of our messages and started to walk up the stairs. One of the boys' friends tapped another and they all stopped to stare at me. I ignored the looks and smiled brightly, especially when I saw the heated looks from my boys. I kind of like how that sounded. I strutted up to them but before I could get very far, a guy grabbed my elbow gently. I turned his way with my eyebrow raised.

“Most people speak before touching,” I said, pointing at his hand with a small smile on my face.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry. I just had to actually come talk to you before everyone else had the chance to. I have a feeling after that entrance it is going to be hard to actually get a word in edgewise in a few moments.” He laughed and rubbed his neck, looking nervous and embarrassed. I sort of felt bad, he was cute, only a couple inches taller than me with dark hair and hazel eyes. Despite how nervous he looked, he had a very easy smile, “Okay, that’s fair.” I laughed. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Joshua. I’m a senior here.” He reached out his hands to shake mine and I took it, very sweet indeed.

“Well, hello, Joshua. I’m Hudson, it is a pleasure to meet you.” At that moment, two guys bumped into me, laughing.

“Wow, you are hot. Fuck this loser, let’s talk.” As I was about to open my mouth, Xena decided to make her appearance, bounding through the door, knocking them down on their asses, roaring in their faces, swiping at their heads, keeping her nails sheathed.

“Holy shit,” Joshua whispered. I laughed.

“Joshua, this is Xena, she’s my familiar. She doesn’t really take kindly to people being disrespectful. Neither do I, for that matter. Tsk tsk, should I ask her to get off? I mean, that’s 200 pounds of muscle.” I pretended to think while the guys on the floor continued to shriek. Distantly, I realized that the room was pretty quiet, and the heated angry stares from the guys burned into me. I looked up and smiled at Grayson and nodded at him. Let him deal with it.

“X, we’re good, get off of them.” She roared loudly one last time before prancing off to my side, pausing and taking a long whiff at a now nervous, Joshua.

“He’s good. Other boys are bad. Grayson must eat them if I can’t.” I laughed out loud. Grayson had already grabbed them by the scruff of their collar and was walking out the door.

“Hey, Gray, X said if she can’t eat them, you can.” His angry scowl turned into a wide smile while he ‘escorted them out the door’.

I turned my attention back to Joshua. “She said you’re okay. Since you have her approval, how about I save you a dance later?” He smiled and nodded.

“Deal. I’ll talk to you later. I need another drink after that, or six.” He laughed and sauntered away. I smiled and turned to face the guys and their friends.

I walked up to them and snatched Zane’s beer from his hand and took a deep drink, he wasn’t officially my instructor yet, so fuck propriety. Not to mention, I’ll be twenty-one in just a few weeks, October was close. After a few quiet moments, where the strangers stared between me and Xena, jaws open, I rolled my eyes and introduced myself.

“Hello, I’m Hudson Jacobs, nice to meet you, and this is Xena,” I said pointing at the gorgeous girl next to me. She nuzzled me affectionately before focusing her gaze on the men in front of me.

“Jacobs?” said one of the men, who looked about the same age as the guys, looking at Zane curiously. Instead of introducing himself, fucking rude.

“I believe the proper response is’ hello, my name is, insert here’, but since your curiosity won out over proper manners, yes, Zane was adopted into my family when he was a teenager. Would you also like to know the color of his bed sheets before you tell me your name?” I said evenly with a raised eyebrow. Grayson, who had walked back in at that point, choked on his beer and Ryder laughed outright.

Hunter shook his head and smirked instead of laughing. “Hudson, angel, that idiot with his foot in his mouth is Logan. He will be your instructor in complex magical history and theories. Come Monday, you’ll call him Professor Logan. To his right is Reed, he is a senior here. To Reed’s right is Blair, he will be your instructor in human studies, and because of your schedule, you’ll also have Professor King, who is next to you and he will be your potions professor. Gentlemen, this is Hudson, she will be living here and is on the accelerated path.” Xena, lifted her paw and smacked Hunter. He laughed. “Yes, and this is Xena, Hudson’s familiar.”

They all had a fit physique and attractive faces. King had that sexy man bun thing going on with black hair and blue eyes, laughter and mirth in his eyes, laced with interest. Logan was the opposite, he had blonde hair and dark eyes, his eyes filled with a strange manic glee, like a mad scientist. It would have been funny, if I wasn’t sure or not if it was for show or his actual personality. Overall, weird. Blair, well, he was more attractive with silky looking hair and hazel eyes, a sensual mouth and eyes filled with lust, no mistaking it. Pure lust, it was disconcerting, then he smiled at me and the look faded into one of welcome. Well, that was something to tuck away for later.Multiple personalities, check.Reed was your regular boy next door, nothing truly memorable about him, other than a kind smile and kind eyes.

I smiled at all of them. “It is a pleasure to meet you all, I’m looking forward to Monday. You’ll get to know me more very soon, although I hope it's not in one of those awkward, tell me one thing about yourself introductions.” I pretended to shudder, and they laughed.

“Familiar, huh. I have never seen a familiar quite that large before. There is a theory that the bigger the familiar, the stronger the magic user. That is quite the display of power there, Ms. Hudson,” Logan, I believe, said.

“Yes, well. I don’t like to be cocky,” Zane cleared his throat. I rolled my eyes. “Okay I do, but yeah, I guess you can say that. I take pride in my studies is what I sure Zane was trying to insinuate. You know how big brothers are.” I smirked. He scowled at me. Xena stared at Logan for a long time, unblinkingly.

Something is wrong with this one, strange. I will watch. I frowned, I caught that too, but knowing she shared my opinion was good. Then she suddenly snarled at Blair.This one is bad, I kill.

I grabbed her by the neck. “Xena, baby girl, why don’t you go hunt? I’m sure I’ll be good here with the guys.” She looked at me sullenly and slinked away out the door, throwing one last look at me before she nodded.

Ryder, Hunter, Gray, and Zane raised their eyebrows, and I shook my head subtly. “She’s a little protective, new place and all.” I smiled. They all nodded and started talking to each other while I spaced out. Xena’s reactions were always spot on, so that was rather interesting, I can shelve that information away for later though. I really did want to have fun.

The room was quickly filling up with people, looking around I saw quite a few cute boys and pretty girls here. It was nice to be around people who were in your general age group and it made things easier for me to attempt to blend in and have fun. I turned back to the men who were going down memory lane, and I noticed that King, Blair and Logan seemed to be diverting their attention and pretty much just staring at me.Have to admire their ability to multitask.I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and just stared back.If you can’t beat em’ join em’.Grayson noticed where my gaze was, and his entire body tightened.

Biting back a laugh I purred out, “Hey, Grayson, remember that bet we made earlier?” Ryder, Hunter, and Zane’s eyes snapped to me while their friends looked on curiously.

“Yes, I remember that bet you made with Zane. why do you ask?” He casually sipped his beer, looking at me. I narrowed my eyes at him and stepped a little bit closer, my breast on his chest with my new heel height. Awesome.

“Grayson, I plan to collect on that bet. Do not interfere, before I put your ass down on the mat instead of Zane this time. Clear?” Then I leaned up and whispered in his ear, “Besides, I’m with you guys, so chill, no one else matters. Xena would eat them anyway.” I winked at him, and I turned my ass around and walked to the kitchen, my hips swaying. Not that they can help it, I had a natural swing. I ignored the beer and went straight to the whiskey. I took a sip from the cup I poured and sighed. My mission was to make a friend tonight and definitely get some. So, let’s see I took a look around the kitchen and my eyes focused on a girl about my height, dressed in a similar tight dress but hers was black and she had bright blue hair and a bottle of whiskey in her hand instead of a cup. I laughed at her no care attitude.

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