“You could use a night out,” she said. “Maybe ditch the boys and go solo for a change.”
“I like my boyfriends,” I said, startled by the statement. Not because I was surprised about liking them, but because I’d never really said it out loud. I had four boyfriends. Four.
I sort of saw why Delores was mad. Though, I wouldn’t trade any of them for the world.
“You should come, either way” Violet said. “Bring them all if you want.”
“We’ll see,” I said.
I knew I had some things to figure out first. Like how the hell I was going to balance the next few months at school with four different men. While they were able to share from time to time, I knew they’d all want alone time. And I had to admit, I did too.
Having multiple boyfriends wasn’t something I’d ever heard of in the human world. How was I supposed to do this?
“You’ll figure it out,” Violet said.
“Figure what out?” I asked. “Don’t tell me you can read minds.”
She laughed. “No, but you look awfully serious. Whatever it is, stop overthinking it already.”
I laughed. “You know, it is good to have a vampire friend.”
A whistle sounded. “Alright you pathetic excuses for supernaturals. Head to the showers. Don’t expect tomorrow to be this easy,” Coach Miller shouted.
I did not need to be dismissed twice. Violet and I jogged toward the locker room door and got at the back of the line of girls heading in.
We’d moved on to discussing music while we waited and I shuffled forward in the line. As we got closer, I realized the lights were out. “What the hell?”
I turned to Violet. “Who turned off the lights?”
She shrugged. “I can’t tell but I don’t see anything weird.” She gave me a grin. “Another vampire perk. We can see in the dark.”
I smiled then turned back to the dark locker room. “Hey, someone turn on the lights.”
Inside the room, girls were screaming and laughing. Nobody seemed to care that the lights were out. I frowned, wondering if I was the only supernatural in the group who can’t see in the dark. Guess the human mage half of me won in the vision department.
“I’ll go find the light switch,” Violet said.
Carefully, arms extended, I shuffled in slowly. I just needed to get to my locker. I should get there by the time Violet turned the lights back on.
Someone grabbed me and I screamed. It was stifled by a hand going over my mouth. I kicked and fought, trying to get out of the grip of whoever had me, but they were strong.
Hot breath from heavy breathing hit my ear and my skin crawled at how close my captor was. I tried to free myself again, twisting and fighting with everything I had. They were just too strong. Who the hell was this?
“Calm down, little mage,” a male voice hissed. “You listen to me and you and your friends will be safe.”
I screamed into the hand, not intending to go along with whatever the hell this was.
“Hush, now,” the voice said. “You have something I want. An old book. Bring it to me and nobody will get hurt. Library. Midnight. Come alone.”
As quickly as the arms had grabbed a hold of me, they were gone. The lights flickered to life and I was left standing in the locker room, sweat covering my brow from fear.
Around me shrill cries of the other girls sprang up around the room and lockers slammed and conversation continued. Nobody else seemed to have just encountered a threat from a mysterious stranger.
Shit.
Just when I thought things were getting better.