“You do,” he pauses, his gaze flickers down my body and I flush. “Unless you want to share?”
“In your dreams, buddy,” I reply to him, knowing he’s kidding even if parts of my body are fully willing to override my brain and hop on his train. Down, girl.
He bites on his bottom lip and tilts his head, locking his eyes on me. I end up watching the way his bottom lip pops out from between his teeth, wondering what it would feel like if he bit me like that. I shudder and turn around, shutting the door behind us. The thud of Caspian walking away reaches me and force myself to not to glance at him. Instead, I focus on taking in the room, which is definitely designed as some kind of French style or maybe the French design came from Hell. This place is thousands of years old, after all. The walls are high as we walk through the front door. The same chandeliers are in the corridor that goes into a giant living room. The walls are the same dark green but plain, and there are no windows, which is a little disconcerting. It’s still pretty bright in here, thanks to the lights.
There are three light-green, old fabric couches in the middle and they are surrounding a large coffee table that has a massive mark in the centre that kinda appears like a sword cut through it and someone glued it back together. Badly. Caspian looks really out of place as he drops all his weapons on the sofa, clearly claiming it as his own. Instead of watching Caspian take his many, many weapons off one by one, I go through one door right at the back, which leads to a tiny kitchen. It’s a tiny space with dark-wood cabinets and an old yellowed fridge. There is an old microwave shoved into the corner, which seems like it’s a good ten years old. Leaving the kitchen, I open the door next to it and find one of the first bedrooms.
“This is my room,” Caspian states, stepping in front of me and into the bedroom before I stake any claim to it. “Finders keepers, songbird.”
“Stop calling me that!” I shout back as I walk away, and in response, and in response, a door slams. Dammit, I need to come up with a good nickname for him that isn’t just asshole.
Going to the next door, I find it’s a small bathroom, and every bit of it is green, including the toilet and bath. Even the showerhead itself is as green as the three cabinets and green-rimmed mirror. I really hope it doesn’t push out green water.
Whoever designed this place needs to find the other colours of the rainbow.
I head to the next door, the one nearest the door, and I open it to the other bedroom. My new home far away from my actual home. There’s nothing but a single bed lodged in the corner and an old chest of drawers that seems like it’s seen better days. One of the drawers doesn’t have handles by the looks of it. This room has a window, though, and I walk over, looking out of the pure glass that’s got a green board rim around the edge of it. I try to pull the window up for some fresh air, but it’s locked tight, and no matter what I try, it doesn’t budge. Dammit.
Giving up on the window, I sit on the bed, and it lets out a long squeak that sounds like a dying cat. Even with the squeaky bed, broken window, and chest of drawers without handles, I smile. It’s better than being out there, better than being dead, and I’m lucky to have this. To have Caspian trying to keep me alive at all. We both know if the alpha finds us, we are both dead.
I go out to the hallway to try the last door which I find to be an airing cupboard with several shelves. I find a few pieces of green bedding, (because what other colour would it be?), and some pillows. At the bottom is a duvet which I grab to make my bed up before lying back down on it, staring at the ceiling. Almost tempted to close my eyes, there’s a sudden bang at the door. I sit up to see Caspian and he walks past my room and puts a finger against his lips. I spot his other hand has a dagger closely held at his side as he opens the door. Unexpectedly, a girl throws herself into his arms, and he stumbles back, holding her with his arm around her waist so she doesn’t fall.
I stand and walk over, the red-haired girl wraps her arms around his neck tightly and then peppers kisses all across his face but he tries to push her off.
“Hey, Dove,” he says, with a clear affection in his tone that I’ve never heard from him.
He eventually manages to pull the half-naked girl off him, and she bounces on the spot in excitement. She’s not actually half-naked now I get a better glance at her, but the small mini skirt and the short crop top she has on doesn’t hide much of her toned and slim body.
Of course, Caspian has a hot girlfriend.
I’m not jealous. Not even a tiny bit but I wonder if I could take this girl down.
He runs a hand through his hair and nods to me. This Dove girl finally turns my way. “This is my new partner; Autumn French but I call her Lilith.”
I hold out my hand out to her. For Caspian to tell her my real name, he must trust she can keep quiet. “Hi.”
She shakes my hand very enthusiastically. “Hello! I’m so happy to see another girl in the trials. There are only three of us this year, and we need to show these boys we are stronger than we seem.”
“Agreed. Dove, is it?”
