More Than Flesh & Bone

Chapter 30

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE

"And then he left," I said, shaking my head. I shook out the last of the Taki crumbs into my mouth and discarded the empty bag on the corner of the bed next to the other two bags I'd already finished off. "I don't understand."

"He wants you," Bree said, holding up lingerie sets in front of her body while looking in the mirror. She stood shirtless in a pair of skinny jeans and a lacy white bra. "I don't see how that's hard to understand."

"I have his psychopath brother locked up in my basement. That's kind of a mood killer, you know?" I muttered.

"Maybe. Maybe not," Bree mused. "Some people are into exhibitionism and totally get off by being watched."

The chip I was eating got stuck as it turned to ash in my mouth at the thought of Zed's brother- correction, murdering bastard of a brother- watching us.

"Ew," I groused. "Why would you even go there?"

Bree snorted. "Cause it's amusing when your face turns that bright shade of pink."

Some best friend she was.

I sat up on her bed and peered over at the baby blue bra she was holding up. "Why are you even looking at lingerie right now? It's not like you can go anywhere."

Bree turned her head to look at me, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"No one said anything about going anywhere," she said slowly.

"Oh no…" I popped up off the bed. "Please tell me you're not planning a…"

The sound of the doorbell cut me off. Followed by another five rings as whoever pressed it kept doing so. Bree grinned unabashedly. From the living room, a high feminine shriek rang through the walls as the words were formed around her screeched. "House party!"

"Bree," I groaned. "You know there's a curfew."

"There is," she agreed. "But it doesn't say anything about what house people are in when the sun goes down." She peered out her window, and I followed the movement. The sun was just slipping below the horizon, the sky painted in violet and crimson.

"This is not what the Council had in mind."

"Since when are you a rule follower?" Bree asked lightly, opting to switch her bra for a racy black halter with fringe that stopped just above her belly button.

I sighed. "Since Zed's dad is looking for any excuse to come down on us."

"Well, you're not breaking any rules. So lighten up. It's just one night." She shrugged, holding out a bright red piece of cloth.

"Um, what's that?"

"A top. Try it on. Your tits should fit in it just enough… I think."

Because all great life choices started with that sentence.

Tired from the last week and not wanting to fight with her, I tugged my shirt and bra off, because let's be real, you can't wear something sexy with a sports bra. I pulled on the red number and hoisted my boobs up so they weren't pressed flat against my chest.

Bree let out a whistle.

"You know, you really make that look work," she said.

I glanced in the mirror. My black skinny jeans and low black boots did look good with the red. It really popped against my pale skin.

"When Zed finishes with his rounds of the other sorority houses and comes back here, he's going to be pissed that you threw a party," I said, not commenting on the halter top.

"When Zed sees how you look in that shirt, I think his thoughts will be elsewhere. It'll be fine. Seriously. This Zayne thing has you majorly stressed, and you need to chill out." Bree put both her hands on my shoulders, pulling my attention to her. "It's just one night. That's all I'm asking for. Hell, a few hours even, if you can't manage the whole night. You need this."

My resolve wavered, mostly because it wasn't all that strong to begin with.

She was right. I was tired. Exhausted. Feeling burnt out and at the end of my rope with everything going on.

"A few hours," I said.

Bree beamed. I should have realized then that I'd given her an inch and she was planning to take a fucking mile.

The music was already blaring when she latched onto my hand and pulled me out of her room. But this wasn't just some basic college party. The music was some sultry tune with a heavy bass beat. And while couches had been pushed to the side to create a dance floor, beautifully woven fabrics had also been strategically hung around various couches, creating little alcoves where people could enjoy a thin veneer of privacy. If a brothel and a sultan's harem could have a college-aged baby, it would have looked something like the SU house.

"Can we have, like, a code word or something for when the devolves into a full-on-orgy? I'd like to head out before that part," I said in a low voice, and Bree dragged me over to the makeshift bar.

"We call those safe words, dear. Meatloaf is a good one, in case you don't have one."

"Meatloaf?" I asked, dragging my eyes away from a succubus who was mid-burlesque dance to gape at my friend.

"Yeah, like the singer. The guy who sings that song about how he would do anything for love, but he won't do that?"

I snorted. The reference so absurdly perfect that it broke through the last of my reservations.

"Here," Bree said, handing me a red solo cup filled with shimmering green liquid.

"What the hell is this?" I asked, lifting the cup to sniff it, but only smell anise and a little bit of mint.

"We call it euphoria. I think you'll enjoy it."

I gave her a narrowed-eye glare. "Just how fucked up am I going to get?"

"You might want to take it slow," she said.

"So really fucked up, then," I surmised.

Bree winked at me. "It's basically the supernatural version of absinthe. Don't worry. Your bad-ass metabolism can handle it. It's just going to help you relax a little."

Famous fucking last words.

Not even an hour later I was two euphorias in and feeling no pain. I was about to start a burlesque act of my own when a blonde-haired succubus I sort of recognized tapped me on the shoulder.

"Uh, Addison?"

"That's me," I said, giving her a massive grin as I reached out to stroke her hair. "Soft…" I murmured, taking the ends and rubbing it against my cheek.

The girl looked startled, but then let out a laugh. "I came over to apologize, but I guess there's no need."

"Apologize?" I tried to force my eyes to focus, but I was too distracted by the music notes swirling around her to place her face.

"Yeah, for the other night. When I accidentally came on to your boyfriend?"

The soft pink bliss bubble I'd been living in flashed scarlet as the memory slammed in place. "Ooooh, you're the bitch who tried to compel Zed."

Her blue eyes went wide. "No, no, it was a misunderstanding. I'd been told one of the girls brought a snack home. We do that sometimes when we find a willing supe who's looking to get off with no strings attached. I just, uh, ran into your boyfriend instead of…"

I was giggling again as the thought of Zed dressed up as my favorite snack flitted through my brain. "He is yummy," I said.

She smiled softly. "He is, but I promise to keep my hands to myself. I just wanted to clear the air. I felt terrible about it afterward, and I didn't want you to get the wrong impression about succubi."

I blinked, the words slowly filtering through. "What impression is that?" I asked, more confused than anything.

"That we do bad things to people without their consent," she said, her smile turning a little sad. "Succubi get a bad name for things that happened hundreds of years ago. Sometimes we push the bounds, but I would never do that to someone. Zombie or not."

I squinted at her, and this time when her face looked a little dewy and soft at the edges, I had a feeling it was all the absinthe. I set my drink down and extended a hand.

"Come on," I said, speaking loudly to try to be heard over the music. "Let's dance."

"Are you…" She stopped mid-sentence as I grabbed her arm forcibly and dragged her onto the dance floor behind me. In my defense, she wasn't resisting very much, and by the time we reached the middle and bodies pressed in around us, she was twisting and twining to the music even more than me.

It was reckless and fearless and worriless.

It was euphoria.

I felt alive as every inch of my skin buzzed with foreign energy. In college, parties had never been my main scene, but I knew how to get down for one when the time called for it. This was more than that, though.

There was an energy in the air that whispered sweet nothings. It lowered my inhibitions until they were nearly nonexistent as the whole world boiled down to this moment. I was rolling my hips side to side, leaning into the succubus whose name I couldn't remember. My skin was slick with sweat and the lights pulled me into a beautiful daze.

Cool fingers skimmed my waist, pulling me back.

I let them do it. Not recognizing the hard chest or the scent of peppermint and aftershave until lips brushed against the hollow of my ear.

"What are you doing?" Zed asked softly. His voice was dangerously deceptive. I couldn't read him with my head so fuzzy and his body so tight. I recalled my words from this afternoon, but they seemed brash with euphoria talking.

Still, I answered, "Patrolling."

"Uh-huh," he murmured. His lips skimmed my jaw and a tingling sensation ran through me. I needed to stop this, but I really didn't want to. "You realize patrolling involves being sober, right?"

"They must have forgotten to mention that in my orientation," I said, trying to speak over the music.

"Right…" he drawled, his voice warm. It echoed the things I was already feeling as he turned me around and pulled me flush against him.

I stared up into his warm brown eyes. It was too dark. Too comfortable. The music was too sensual. His body too hard. I felt hot and cold all at once.

I was confused, and I didn't like the feeling.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I blurted out.

His expression turned amused. He twisted sideways and began to wade through the crowd, pulling me along. As soon as we stepped free from the writhing bodies, I pulled away, feeling a bit like a ship without an anchor as I searched for the bathroom.

My head was swimming, and it was nearly impossible for me to pull up my mental map of the house. Everything looked different, although I couldn't be sure if that was because of the hasty redecorating or my buzz.

Taking a chance, I pushed open a door on the left. Thrusting hips and loud moans had me slamming it shut with a rushed, "Sorry!"

Zed laughed. "It's this way." He held out a hand, and I stared at it like it was going to turn into a snake. But it didn't.

As soon as I placed my hand in his, I felt grounded again. Zed easily maneuvered us through the writhing couples crowding the hallway, holding open the bathroom door with a flourish.

"I'll stand guard," he offered with a wink. "Make sure no one tries to sneak in and take advantage of you."

"What if I want them to?" The question came out in a breathless whisper, and my heart lodged itself in my throat.

Zed's smile fell, and his eyes blazed. "Tempting," he murmured, "but you'd be pissed about it tomorrow."

A part of me knew he was right, but it was a small part, nearly impossible to hear over the very insistent voice screaming at me to just give in.

"Do what you gotta do. I'll be right outside." He gave me a little shove, and I stumbled into the bathroom, closing the door and leaning against it for a second.

"Baaaaad Aaaaadie," I whispered, appreciating the cool wood against my flushed skin.

As the seconds passed and my head continued to clear, I was increasingly thankful that Zed had taken charge. I was all over the fucking place. It was like the alcohol had peeled back all but a fraction of my self-control, and completely obliterated my good sense. I glanced in the mirror, half expecting to see an angel and devil Addison on each shoulder, but all I saw staring back at me was a glassy-eyed, wild-haired version of myself.

"You've got to get yourself together, dude," I told my reflection. "Just because you're shitfaced doesn't mean the reason you pulled the plug on this earlier doesn't still exist. Keep your priorities straight and your legs closed."

My voice was growing stronger as I talked, and the fuzzy edges of my face and the objects around me sharpened as my will reasserted itself over the effects of the euphoria.

"I know it feels good," I said as if my reflection was trying to stage a protest. "Really fucking good, actually, but he's right. You'd be pissed once the euphoria cleared. It's too messy getting involved right now. Especially with his punk ass brother still around."

I groaned and hung my head at the reminder of Zayne. He was a giant speed bump in any possible relationship with Zed. If we didn't find a way to contain him that didn't involve murder, I wasn't sure there was a future there at all.

Zed may have feelings for me, and his brother might be a sack of shit, but he was still his brother… and chances were he was going to wind up dead from either me or my aunt at some point. Leaving aside the morality of whether I did or did not want to be a killer, there were just too many complications to jump into things with him right now.

Even if he was too much of an arrogant, pig-headed idiot to see it.

Attractive though he might be.

I leaned over the sink and splashed my face with cold water, using the hand towel to dry it. The girl that stared back at me in the mirror looked like a goddamn train wreck.

That's about how I felt, though, so things were all good on that front.

I took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. Zed had an arm against the wooden trim. He leaned sideways, watching me with those damning eyes. One look at him made my resolve weaken and strengthen simultaneously. I wasn't even sure how that was possible.

"You look clearer," he remarked.

"I am," I said, twining my hands together. When I realized what I was doing, I pulled them apart. "About earlier…" I started.

"You were drunk," he said. "I know what euphoria is."

A kernel of flame ignited in me and I glared at him. "Well, I'm happy you've managed to figure that out," I said, starting to walk past him.

He grabbed my hand, pulling me up short. "You were drunk… this time. That doesn't mean this is over."

My lips parted. I turned, not sure what to say to that. Yelling from down the hall saved me from having to decide.

The music screeched before cutting out.

I ran toward it.

"What the hell is going on…" My words were swallowed up in the pounding fists as two guys went at it. People were crowded against the walls, trying to give them a wide berth.

Right before my eyes, I saw them grow bigger. Taller. Their fists hit harder and their nails grew longer.

I sensed a full shift coming on as their eyes both turned yellow.

"Gentleman," a soft croon said. Their fists slowed as both their heads turned, drawn to the beautiful blonde I'd been dancing with earlier. Her eyes met mine from across the room, and she smiled. "Now you know there's no need for that here…" her voice trailed off as they both stopped and looked at each other.

One of the two seemed to start to come out of it.

The other took one look at her and swung.

A scream of warning left my throat, but there was no need.

A single word, quick as a whip and just as harsh was all it took.

"Stop."

Her eyes glowed a brighter blue for a second, and his fist froze before her face.

"Put your hands by your sides and get out. You know the rules, Paul. No fighting at SU house parties. You broke them. You can face the Council's wrath if you get caught walking home."

Just like that, the guy named Paul turned and walked out the front door.

A shiver went through me. I blinked. The beginnings of a thought taking form in my still slightly hazy brain.

When the door slammed shut, it was like lightning striking.

I'd found the answer to my problems.

My solution.

I turned and looked at Zed, who now stood beside me. The makings of a grin crept up my face and for the first time that night it had nothing to do with the liquor in my system.

"I know how we're going to get Zayne to talk."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm sorry I haven't posted in a few weeks! I was on vacation and then it took me a while to get back into the swing of things.