Figment of Dreams
Chapter Fourteen: Mixing it Up

I had spent way too much time on my appearance that night. Having slept little since the earth was destroyed. This time it had nothing to do with wandering around dreams with my dream boyfriend Ethan, being hunted by a serial killer because those nightmares had completely stopped. I lay awake for entire nights stressed out about my future. The bags underneath my eyes were about ready to be sold in a mall, they were that expensive. Fortunately, Rainer make-up could literally be called magic, courtesy of Avital.

I had no idea what kind of party I was getting myself into. My violet dress was covered with the softest flowerlike peddles I have ever seen. It had a low neckline and cut-open shoulders. I had the necklace in the shape of a bird, a present from my mom, still around my neck. My hair was curled and hung in ringlets to my back. This outfit would be way too much for a party in my old world… but I guess this will have to do for now . I probably would still be underdressed though.

I strutted into the party and spotted Jax’s blond mane from a mile away. He was wearing a light blue suit that matched his eyes perfectly. We had this weird truce going on. I had no idea what that meant but I wasn’t going to provoke the old Jax to come out and play so I stayed clear of him. I was making a beeline for the cocktail table when this huge tree of a guy, wearing a light navy suit cut me off before I got there.

‘I guess you must be the human girl?’ he had a deep baritone voice that cut right through me. With the same dignified posh accent that Maddox had. He also looked older than Jax and Kai, probably hitting his thirties soon. With a short-cropped black hairdo, that was a little longer in front and fell over his forehead. He had bright blue eyes and a roman nose. I also spotted a tattoo on his wrist that may be part of a larger one that covered his entire arm, or body who knows.

He was accompanied by another tall guy. I had to bend my neck to look them in the eyes. The other one spelled danger in every sense of the word. His hair was white as snow and in a man-bun. His eyes were so blue, it was like looking at a winter sky. He was wearing all black from head to toe, which contrasted with his white hair nicely. They looked identical. Twins I assumed.

I nodded at them. As if that wasn’t enough, another one appeared behind them. This one is closer to my age. He was very tall, slender but lean muscled, with tattoos on his arm, long wavy brown hair, and light brown eyes that cut straight through your soul. He wore his hair unruly, slightly curly, and his smile cheeky. Black nail polish on his nails. He had a light brown blazer on with an orange squared overlay, a white top, and casual jeans underneath. Sneakers to match.

‘Well… it’s not hard to spot a human in a crowd like this.’ He drawled.

I glanced at my doc martens lookalikes, which were still hidden under my long dress. The ‘orange blazer one’ reached out and grabbed my left hand. He curtsied. ‘The name’s Sebastian, these two are Oak and Asher.’ I’ve heard these names before. They were Paramore’s. Maddox had told me all the Paramores were in college, but these two twins looked nearly thirty years old, so how was that possible?

‘It’s a pleasure.’ I said for god knows what reasons since I didn’t replace our meet and greet so pleasurable.

‘Everything all right here babe?’ Kai was at my side, probably sensing my unease from a mile away. His hand was on my lower back. Giving his three fellow Paramore’s dead stares. I shrugged out of his grip again. He should really stop touching me. I nicked a cocktail and glared at him.

‘Just fine Kai. Thanks.’ The sarcasm dripped off my voice.

Sebastian hooted. His posh English accent was so thick I could barely understand what he was saying.

’What you do to this one Welkin? Play with it a little bit too roughly?’ I snapped my neck back. Anger seeped through my veins. ‘What did you just call me?’

Sebastian feigned a heart attack by slapping his hand in front of his heart.

’Marry me, sexy little human, please.’ He drawled.

‘No thanks.’ I snapped dryly.

Ash and Oak were not amused with Sebastian’s joke and the fact that he had called me an it. Clearly not entirely agreeing with their younger friends' antics.

‘Damn she got some spunk in that tight body. Got me all hot and bothered.’ Sebastian whispered that last part in my ear while chuckling. I felt goosebumps all over my arms from the close contact.

‘That’s enough.’ Jax appeared out of nowhere and roughly took the cocktail from my hands which spilled a little on Oak’s pants, grabbed my arm, and dragged me away from all four of them.

I could vaguely tell that Kai was arguing with them about me. I felt a little thankful for him still defending me. Jax on the other hand had forgotten our truce or so it seemed. He dragged me to the hallway, into the library, and shut the door with a loud bang. He ruffled through his blond hair like he was debating what insult to yell at me first.

‘What’s your problem?’ I shouted before he could. ‘I was just talking to them!’

He stepped toward me and I flinched back. ’Sebastian was trying to fuck you or fuck with you Lux!’ he was so angry the vein on his forehead started to protrude again.

’Wait, what? Not all guys who are talking to me are trying to fuck me Jaxson.’

He shook his head as if I was a complete moron. ’You know nothing of this world. Nothing!’

‘Then please enlighten me, your majesty.’

‘This is not a joke! Do you think I want you here?’

Auch… that hurt.

He took a breather and saw that his words had hit home.

I looked down, blinking away tears. Suddenly feeling very lonely.

’I guess I could just go. Your father offered me a house. That doesn’t happen to a girl like me every day.’ I tried to bypass him so he couldn’t see the tears in my eyes.

’Don’t you fucking dare walk away from me freckles!’ He growled.

I halted in my tracks at hearing my nickname.

’There is something you need to know and you need to listen to me carefully. When you arrive at that college every girl in there is going to want to seize you up. Every guy in there is going to want to claim you. You will stay close to me or Kai at all times. If you happen to get lost, the twins will do too. The Briareves have a moral code they will not break, they can be trusted. But stay away from Sebastian. Do you hear me, Elmrose? We need to see how the other Rainers respond to your presence until we know it is not safe here. Do you understand me?’

‘That’s going to be quite the trip for you, me being close at all times. Since you can’t stand the sight or smell of me.’ I smirked. The hurt clawed its way back up. Jax opened his mouth a few times. Trying to say something but decided otherwise.

‘Yeah well, that is something that we will have to deal with.’

This guy…. Never the most sensitive one in the room.

‘Is that all?’ my voice didn’t crack. I was proud of myself for acting strong.

‘Humans are very wanted here so stay away from the other Rainer males. They see you as their own personal little game. All they want to do is have you for a night and then never look at you again.’

I turned the handle of the door and looked over my shoulder. My voice was the coldest I could make it. ‘That’s nothing new to me.’

And slammed it shut in his stunned face.