Chapter 64 Xander
Xander
There is something different about tonight.
Aurelia returned in the early hours of this morning from her nighttime stalking with a frown between her dark brows.
We didn’t follow her this time. For some reason, it felt intrusive.
For much of her life, she was left isolated, and it was something she’d become used to.
Something she still sought when her mind was unsettled.
I understand that; it’s something dragons naturally crave too.
A part of me burns to know that while Scythe, Savage and I had each other, and Lyle had the lady phoenix to help him, Aurelia had no one.
“I think that’s why it hurts her so much,” I explain to Savage as he, Eugene and I smoke at the top of the Animus dorm as the sun sets. “She never knew that someone had been there after all. It’s almost like a betrayal.”
“It is a betrayal,” Savage says viciously. “I hate that she thought it was just her. No one to pat her back while she slept, no one to check if her coffee was too hot. It’s not fair, Xander. It’s not fucking fair, and I hate the planet.”
“Me too,” I sigh. “Because I was the one who kept making it worse.”
“Yeah,” Savage agrees, patting Eugene on the head and offering his joint to the rooster.
“But you tried to make it right. Ghoul is just a plain old nightmare.” We sit in silence for a moment as Eugene puffs on the joint.
“Where do you think she’ll end up tonight?
” Savage wonders, pulling the weed away from the bird.
“I gave her an extra-strong coffee so she wouldn’t get tired again. ”
“I gave her vitamin B supplements earlier today, so that should help,” I say, blowing smoke into the sky.
“I don’t think we should give her coke.” Savage shakes his head. “If I’m not allowed to have it, she can’t either.” Savage had tried wolf-strength cocaine all of one time before we put a ban on it. We don’t talk about that night.
“Always making good choices, Sav,” I say. “Nope, we’re—”
A little cobra slithers by the school wall.
It looks left and right before ducking into the bushes and disappearing completely.
Since the university lecture event, she’d figured out that we were following her, and she’s going to extra lengths to stay concealed tonight.
A second later, both of our phones buzz, and I look at the notification on mine. It’s from Minnie:
Club Venom 10pm
Of course she’d told her little tigress bestie before us. I scowl at my phone just before Scythe and then Lyle’s feet storm up the stairs. “Eugene,” I say. “Get your goggles. The monsters are hitting town tonight.”