“What were you guys planning tonight?” I asked, but there was no answer from the other side of the door.

I wasn’t sure how much they were scheming or how much they were winging it, just like me.

15

Aurora

“Get up.” The command roused me from a deep sleep, but instincts had me shooting up in bed, looking manically around me for whatever threat was in my room. Something else The Demon had taught me.

I didn’t know how I'd fallen asleep in the first place. I'd been laying on my stomach working on homework and then…

I relaxed only slightly when I realized that it was Cain who'd given the order. He was leaning against my door with his arms crossed, his eyes caressing my skin and all that was showing as a result of the boy short underwear and tank top I'd been sporting while studying. I would've started covering more skin, in case of instances like this when they barged into my room unannounced, but it was so freaking hot in this room. Part of me suspected that they’d done something to the air in here, because it was the only uncomfortable room in the whole building. But my pride had kept me from saying anything.

Hence why I was practically naked at the moment.

"Get dressed," Cain ordered, throwing something at me. I looked down at the clothes in confusion. There was a pair of leggings that looked like they were made out of leather, and then some kind of scrap of cloth that I assumed was supposed to be a top.

"What is this for?" I asked, pulling the blanket at the end of my bed over my lap to try and cover myself up at least a little bit.

"I don't think you need to bother covering up anything. Is there anything on your body that I haven't seen yet?" he commented with a grin.

I threw the clothes back at him, ignoring his comment. Because he was right. “I'm not going anywhere with you. I have a math test that I have to study for. Thanks to Remington following me around all day, I've had a little bit of trouble concentrating in my classes."

"Not my problem, little devil. Now get dressed. We’re going to be late."

I folded my arms in front of my chest, lifting up my chin defiantly in a way that brought sparks to his eyes. Despite the fact that he seemed to love when people obeyed him, I think he got off more on forcing them to.

“I know you're dying to see Paxton fight. You're getting your chance tonight."

Something inside of me did perk up at that. Those unbidden images of fist hitting flesh, sweat and blood flying around the room, the grunts of pain…they completely filled my head.

I got up off the bed, still holding the blanket in front of me, trying to act disinterested even if I was anything but.

"I'll meet you outside the hallway after I get dressed," I told him primly.

Cain didn't make any attempt to move. He continued to lean against the door like he was in no hurry to go anywhere. His confidence was overwhelming. It flooded the entire room, like you could breathe it in, be suffocated by it. Its effect on me varied from day-to-day. Some days it pushed my confidence even higher, while other times it was all I could do to keep from feeling inferior. I'm sure he had that effect on everyone based on what I'd seen around campus.

Cain was dressed in dark jeans that had been artfully torn in that way that made you know they cost a pretty penny. He was wearing a fitted black Henley that showcased every muscle on his body, and made his golden features stand out even more. His hair was pushed back perfectly, and I had the insane urge to drag my hands through it, to make him look a little bit less perfect so that people could at least have a hint of the imperfection lurking inside of him.

"You have two minutes," he drawled. “Probably not enough time for you to waste it on continuing to eye fuck me."

He threw the clothes back at me and I let them fall to my feet. In a rush of ridiculous defiance, I dropped the blanket and slipped off the flimsy tank top that I was wearing, despite the fact that I wasn't wearing a bra underneath. He shifted against the door and my eyes flicked downward to where I could see the hardening outline of his dick. There was no hiding that monster in his jeans.

I bent down and picked up the top first, inwardly gulping when I realized it was basically just a bra with underwire...not that I wasn’t being extremely bold with my body right now.

Keeping eye contact with him, I slid it on, sliding each strap up slowly in an effort to torture him like he tortured me every day.

I didn't know who I was in moments like these. I've never been particularly body self-conscious. I'd been so busy surviving that I hadn't had time to think about things like if I was skinny enough or if I was pretty enough.

But I’d definitely never acted like this before. The Demon would have killed me.

After I put on the bra/halter top… or whatever it was I was wearing, I grabbed the leather pants and slipped into the bathroom to finish changing, ignoring Cain's soft laughter that followed me inside. The leather jeans were so tight I felt like I should've slathered my skin with oil in order to get them on, but somehow after a combination that consisted of hopping around and pulling, I did it.

I looked into the mirror and was a little shocked at my appearance. The clothing I was wearing fit me perfectly, showcasing every asset I had. My boobs looked good, I had to admit that, and the top provided just enough coverage that I wasn't going to have to worry about a nip slip the whole night. My hair was wavy from being up in a bun for a couple of hours, but I thought it looked pretty good.

For the first time in a while, I almost looked alive. There was a flush to my cheeks, I'm sure from the impromptu strip show I’d just performed, and a liveliness in my gaze.

“Not bad," I whispered to myself.