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Gag.
With a bat of her lashes, she makes her way out of his house.
Leaving, that’s a great idea. I head for the back door, snagging my water bottle to take with me.
“Vix.”
“Thanks for the message to get me over here. Please never do it again.” I slip onto the porch, ready to be in my own borrowed home.
“That’s not why I asked you over.” I ignore him, sliding the glass between us. He catches it before I’m able to get it closed, forcing it back open. “I didn’t think you were going to be back yet.”
I want to be mad at him, but I’m the one who just let myself in. Seeing way more than I ever wanted is really on me. I let out a sigh, then stop walking. “Fine. What?”
“I heard you’re going tonight.”
“I’m considering it.”
“Well, reconsider it.”
Rolling my eyes, I continue forward.
In typical Rhenn fashion, he follows after me. “Don’t go to the bonfire, Vix.”
“I’m finally making friends here. I’m not going to let you ruin it.”
“Those people aren’t your friends.”
“How would you know?” He’s only mad that I’m getting out of the house, that I’m not miserable like he wants.
“Why are you always so stubborn?”
“Why are you always so bossy?” I slam my door between us before he has a chance to answer. Not like he’d explain himself to me anyway.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SUMNER
Everyone’s already here. Moxin and Rai are sitting by the fire. Ashen and Siena are tossing a pair of pants back and forth, keeping them away from a large bird with long talons and golden wings—Cedric, I believe. I’ve seen him like this only one other time. Granted, he was soaring at least a hundred feet above the ground then. It was honestly pretty amazing to see.
“Sumner, you made it!” Rai’s perky voice calls. “I wasn’t sure if you’d actually come.”
Honestly, I didn’t think I would. I probably shouldn’t have. Even now, standing here, I can’t say it feels like the right choice. But the second Rhenn told me not to, that they weren’t my friends, that was all the reason I needed.
Not to prove him wrong. I’m not delusional. I don’t think these people are waiting to pull me into some warm, welcoming circle. But I came anyway because I wanted to get under his skin. I wanted him to see that he doesn’t get to make decisions for me.
Rai and Moxin stand from their place on the log, making their way in my direction.
Rai is much shorter than Moxin, with long black hair and shimmery green eyes, where Moxin has caramel skin and shoulder length auburn locks, with a pair of soft hazels which light up when she smiles.
I caught Cedric eyeing her one of the days they were all hanging out at Rhenn’s. I think they could be cute together, if that’s something she wanted. In his unchanged form, he’s not bad looking. Gilded hair, the same shade as his wings are now, and a matching pair of dimples on either side of his cheeks.
“Have fun,” Rhenn muses beside me, leaving to hang out with the other blood sucker in the group. Against his wishes on me being here tonight, he showed up at my door and made the trip with me.
I’m fairly certain the man’s bipolar.
Moxin slips her arm through mine, pulling me closer to the fire while Rai continues past us. The moment we sit down, she starts chatting like we’re two friends finishing a conversation we never started. The ease in which she speaks, so casually, has me immediately feeling more relaxed.
My focus falls to her necklace, made entirely of bright pearls and seashells. She sees me eyeing it and lifts it up for me to get a better view. “You like? I made it myself.”
