The wrapping has been conveniently removed, and the cork is precariously sitting in the neck. Artemis steps off the elevator with a cart full of additional bottles a few moments later.
“To the winners,” he shouts as he raises a toast.
They all hoist their bottles in unison; clinking them together. I too raise my bottle, nearly dropping it when Wes knocks his into mine.
I feel silly and light headed the more I drink, but I feel no pain and no worries at this moment. I spot Artemis watching me, grinning as I take another sip. His eyes sparkle more than when I first met him, hair tousled carelessly around his face. I feel a flush, a warmth building in me the longer I watch him then look around and realize we are the only ones left at the table.
“Where did everyone go?” I mumble, placing my bottle down.
“Wes and Aidan are in the game room, and I believe Corinna, Matt, and Raven went down to the hot tub.” He picks up a glass of clear liquid and walks over to me, sitting in the chair next to mine. He gently rubs my right arm with his fingers, tugging slightly at the Velcro strap around my bicep. “How bad of an injury is this?”
My brain is fuzzy, so I can’t formulate a lie too quickly. He notices the lengthy pause in my response, but doesn’t push for an answer. I finally gather my thoughts enough to give a vague response.
“Mangled…it’s a really bad injury…horrible accident.”
He leans over, brushes his lips against the sleeve on my arm, kissing it gently as if to heal it. I want to push him away, but I can’t. My body is hoping for something else.
“What was in that bottle?” I slur.
“Champagne, of course, why? Did it not taste right?”
I can’t answer as he moves his lips up my arm, my neck, my cheek, and finally my lips. I resist for a moment, and then kiss him back. I feel the heat rise between us and find myself in his arms, lifting me out of the chair, and carrying me down the hall to his room. The little voice in the back of my head is pleading with me to stop, to run away, but my body wants differently.
His hands wander as they unfasten buttons and pull off my shirt. He leaves the sleeve on my arm untouched. The silk sheets on his bed feel cool against my hot skin. Eventually we tire, nestling together as we both drift off to sleep.
The pounding is what rouses me from my first pleasant dream in years.
At first it’s in my head, but as I slowly open my eyes I notice the noise is coming from Artemis’ bedroom door. He groans in annoyance as he gets up and puts a robe on.
“Artemis!” Raven is shouting, as she continues to pound on the door.
He ties the sash as he unlocks the door and opens it, allowing her to storm into the room.
“Where is she? What have you done with Corinna?” she screams, arms flailing about.
“I’m surprised it took you this long to notice your roommate is gone. Or perhaps you were sleeping elsewhere last night, Raven,” he says in a controlled voice, though his tone is one of irritation. “I sold her last night.” He turns around and begins to walk back to bed when Raven grabs him by the shoulder and whips him around.
“What do you mean you sold her? She won the battle yesterday, how could you do this?”
“It’s very simple,” he begins, as he sits down at the end of the bed. “I’m a business man and when a great deal comes along, I take it. I was offered a lot of money by the Superior of the Tyre hatcheries for her. It was an offer I couldn’t pass up.”
“You asshole,” she says, as she slaps him hard across the face.
He grabs her wrist, almost bending it backwards.
“I’d be careful if I were you,” he hisses harshly. “I would sell you also to the hatcheries if you had working parts, and there are other places to offload your kind.”
He shoves her away, causing her to fall onto the floor, straightens his robe, and walks out of the room. As she stands up, our eyes lock. I lay there gripping the sheet tightly up under my chin covering my naked body.
“Well, sweetheart, you will never have to worry about your fate. Sleeping with the boss always keeps someone employed.” With that, she walks out of the room.
I lean over, pick my clothes up off of the floor, dress, exit into the hallway, and enter my room. Disgusted with myself for allowing my hormones to overwhelm me, I force myself to throw up in the bathroom. Yet, I don’t feel what happened was entirely in my control. The champagne did have a weird taste to it, different from that of the second bottle.
Taking a hot shower, I scrub myself until I’m raw then dry off quickly, brush my hair up into a ponytail, and brush my teeth. Upon reentering my room, I spot a new outfit laid out for me on the bed. Shiny metallic blue pants, white studded belt, blue sequin tank top, and white leather jacket. My footwear consists of matching white leather boots with blue trim.
I’ve decided now is the time to run, to leave Artemis and Tyre before something else happens. I rummage through the drawers in the dresser, looking for something else to wear, only managing to find a black tank top, which doesn’t show up under the blue sequined one, as well as tight black leggings that hug my body so they aren’t noticeable under the blue pants. I will just have to make do with the boots.
Everyone
