Aerin would put up more of a fight, but she knows when she’s bested. Quinn can be just as stubborn as Aerin, especially when it comes to something as serious as having a good time.
“Fine, fine,” Aerin concedes, to which Quinn flashes her another one of those grins. Aerin stands. “But if I’m going out tonight then I need to go study.” Quinn opens her mouth to protest but Aerin cuts her off, “and you’re paying for this.” Aerin gestures to their mostly empty menagerie of plates and coffee cups.
“Okay, agreed. Love you,” Quinn calls as Aerin walks away. Aerin throws her friend a wink over her shoulder and Quinn blows her a kiss in return.
Aerin leaves her friend and the quaint café behind, mourning the fact that despite her current proximity to the Valtara City University campus she has to travel to her apartment downtown for her books and come all the way back before she can dive into her studies.
Working on her sixth degree in eight years, classes keep Aerin busy and mostly out of her own head. Quinn and Vyx don’t understand why she does it, but they are heiresses that matter, both only children. Aerin is not even the spare heir, that title falling on her older sister. Yet, her father still goes to great lengths to control her. Aerin, like a golden bird in a gilded cage, often finds herself convinced she wouldn’t have survived these last eight years without the focus university brings her.
As Aerin crosses under the arch at the entry to campus she does a double take. The coffee shop across the street is normally bustling, today being no exception. It isn’t the crowd that catches her eye, but rather a male in line. His towering, brown, membranous wings hide the rest of his features, but Aerin would recognize the species anywhere. Their kind are reclusive, rare, and exceptionally powerful. Almost never seen inside a City-State, let alone as far South as Valtara.
Despite her awe and downright curiosity, Aerin doesn’t let herself stare at the Dragon-Fae. She’s well aware of the eyes that follow her constantly, ones who find her much more interesting than a Dragon-Fae. They track her every movement, ‘Party Princess’on their breath same as their coffees. Aerin forces herself to keep moving, leaving the rare creature behind.
3
AERIN
The bouncer of their favorite club in Valtara, Tower 77, smiles at Vyx, Quinn, and Aerin as they approach. Even in his Fae-like form, the Ursine Shifter is bulky, his fuzzy brown ears poking out from the side of his head. Without them he’d be indistinguishable from a Fae.
Sandwiched between Vyx and Quinn, Aerin slips past him with a warm greeting. The club is dark inside, decorated in greens and golds. It thrums with music and churns with bodies of residents and visitors alike.
Vyx leads them through the crowd. Her sleek, black hair is in a tight ponytail, swinging low over her bare back. Quinn holds Aerin’s hand, a step behind her. Always the slightly more approachable of the three, Quinn wears curls and a smile.
Sometimes, Aerin loves how similar the Vipers look, and how different they look compared to her. Aerin, like all the Tolvare siblings, is gold on gold on gold. Monotone. Whereas the Vipers are dipped in contrast, with their pale white skin, striking green eyes, and stunning black hair. Standing between them Aerin shines brightly. But there are some nights when Aerin doesn’twant to be bright—doesn’t want to be recognized, cooed at, respected, or feared.
Tonight is one of those nights. So instead of standing between the Vipers with golden blonde hair, tanned skin, and shimmering gold eyes, Aerin wears a different set of features. In clothes that show more skin than they cover, Aerin appears as an amalgamation of Vyx and Quinn. Black hair hanging halfway down her back in waves, green eyes as bright as the leaves after a rain, and a smile only half as friendly as Quinn’s.
Aerin’s magic won’t last. Her grip on it will waver with the addition of drugs and alcohol to her system, with the passage of time, but for the moment, she relishes in being someone other than herself.
Despite her magic, when they reach the bar, the bartender recognizes the three Vipers as exactly who they are: heiresses with a standing tab and publicity that makes this club the most sought-after nightlife in all of Novhelm. He pours expensive alcohol into shot glasses.
While they wait Quinn twirls Aerin’s black hair around her finger. “It’s always so fun when you play dress up,” Quinn teases.
Aerin’s magic is peculiar, though not completely unheard of. The majority of Fae have elemental magic. The Tolvare’s are fire-Fae, as are most Fae in Valtara. Esalin, Aerin’s mother, hails from a supremely powerful line of fire-Fae. The combination with the ruling Tolvare blood from Aerin’s father, Oberyn, resulted in two extremely powerful fire-Fae: Cisera and Bruin.
When Aerin’s powers manifested, her parents found few examples to reference in the Fae histories. Most Fae with powers outside their element are considered weak. Despite the unique ability to shift her appearance, or the appearance of anything she wishes, Aerin’s magic is no exception to that rule. Regarded as mostly useless. A party trick.
The shots are pushed to them, and the three girls swallow down the burning liquid without hesitation. A second bartender gives them cocktails, courtesy of a group of Cougar Shifters down the bar. Quinn gives the Cougars a wave and flirty smile before Vyx drags the girls away from the bar. She pushes through the throng of creatures to reach the stairs leading to the second-floor VIP balcony. The bulky Jaguar Shifter working the rope opens it for them. Marcus doesn’t speak all that often, but he nods as Aerin passes, aware that the middle Viper is no Viper at all. Aerin gives him an appreciative once over and a wink that earns her a small smile.
Entering the relatively private VIP bathroom and locking the door behind them, Vyx fetches a baggie of Pixie Dust from her top. Aerin passes her a blade she keeps in the sole of her heeled shoe. Quinn leans against the wall, taking a sip of her drink before sighing, “It’s packed tonight.” It’s not a complaint but a compliment.
More creatures means more fun for the three girls who often grace the club. The line to enter had been around the block, filled with creatures traveling down to Valtara for the weekend from Keylar or Zeneith. Aerin’s never stood in one of those lines, but she imagines it would be quite tedious.
Vyx hands Aerin back the knife after using it to maneuver the pale-pink, shimmering powder into three straight lines. The Viper leans down to inhale the first line of Pixie Dust through her nose.
“They must be getting sick of the cold up North,” Aerin remarks, bending down to take her own line.
When she stands again, Vyx is leaning close to the mirror, adjusting her lip liner with her sharp, painted black, pinky nail. Despite their similar appearances, Vyx and Quinn could not be more different. Like two sides of the same coin, it’s as if they are always trying to oppose one another. Where Quinn is soft, Vyx issharp. Where Quinn is dramatic, Vyx is serious. Where Quinn is kind, Vyx is vicious, always trying to cancel each other out.
“Gods, I love our city.” Quinn laughs. “Imagine living in Zeneith.”
Vyx’s nose wrinkles in distaste at the idea as she moves to allow her cousin to take the last line.
Rubbing her nose after inhaling, Quinn continues, “I’d rather cut my arm off than party in Zeneith for more than a long weekend.”
“Everyone fun just comes down here anyways,” Aerin agrees, adjusting her black hair in the mirror.
After stuffing the baggie of Pixie Dust back into her top, Vyx wipes away any remaining evidence with a wet paper towel. Quinn bullies them into posing for a picture that she captions ‘my favorite cousins’with a wink. Before they exit the bathroom Aerin downs the last of her drink.
