so dark.”
“I can actually see you perfectly.” He doesn’t answer my question.
“I can’t see anything.” To prove my point I wave my hand right in front of my face, there’s nothing. Ares snatches my hand out of the air.
“Lay down, I thought you were tired,” he grumbles. I was, when I felt safe cuddled into the couch with all of them around, now I feel more alert than if I was at home alone. Patting the bed, I search for the pillow and I slowly lower my head, facing in his direction. I’m relieved to know he’s right next to me, but I’m also a little frightened for the same reason.
I draw in a deep breath through my mouth and hold it for a second before releasing it down over my bottom lip.
Eventually, when he doesn’t move or speak, my body begins to relax into the softness of the mattress. There’s a cool breeze flowing over my back and arm, the air vent must be pointed in my direction.
I lay awake for what feels like hours with Ares sleeping peacefully beside me, his breathing is even, steady. At some point I turn over, too chilled to stay still any longer. Reaching for the edge of the blanket I pull it over me, burrowing into the warmth.
The click of the door wakes me, I didn’t even realize I’d fallen asleep. There’s a heady warmth behind me. Blinking, I get my first impressions of the room. It’s dark. The walls are a textured slate gray. In front of me is a curtain of heavy black drapes reaching from floor to ceiling. The light shining into the room is coming from behind me. I peer over my shoulder aware of the heat there. The top of Ares’s dark hair is against my back. Movement catches my eye. Squinting I look at the other side of the room. Dante is standing in the open doorframe. His hard eyes focused on me. I sit straight up, dislodging Ares as I do.
“What’s wrong?” My voice is thick with sleep. Kicking the blanket from my legs I push my feet to the floor and rise. The bed is low to the ground and covered in a heavy black comforter. That’s about all I have time to notice before Dante is in the room, stalking over to the bed and giving Ares’s back a shove. He grunts in response, still sleeping deeply.
“What the hell, why is he still sleeping?” Dante’s eyes search mine. “What were you guys doing that he’s still passed out?” Realization dawns, I know what he’s implying. I cross my arms over my stomach, hurt by his assumption.
This isn’t the first time Dante has assumed I’m an easy lay. I don’t bother giving him an answer, he wouldn’t believe me, but more importantly, I don’t owe him one.
“I’m so tired of your wishy-washy back and forth crap Dante. That’s twice you’ve treated me like a whore,” I growl at him through my teeth, uncaring if I wake up Ares or not.
His mouth pops open like I’ve shocked him. Did he think because I choose to go unnoticed at school that I was some wallflower? The thud of fast footsteps draws his attention to the hall. Ollie slides to a stop next to Dante, his eyes go from me to the bed, then up to Dante, then jerk back to the bed.
I look down too, Ares’s naked back is on full display. A little of the wind leaves my sails. I don’t know when he took his shirt off, but maybe Dante isn’t completely to blame for his assumption. Looking away I jut my chin out. It’s none of his business either way.
“Fuck off Dante,” Ares mumbles from the bed. All eyes watch as he pulls the pillow I was using over his head, covering it with his arm. I narrow my eyes—how long has he been awake and listening, and why didn’t he say something sooner?
When no one else bothers to say anything, I shove past Dante and Ollie. I take a few steps and stall. I have no idea where I’m going. It was way too dark last night to venture a guess at which way the kitchen is.
I spin on my heel. “Don’t we need to get to school? Why are you guys just standing there?”
A door opens across the room revealing a youngish dark-haired woman. Her legs look impossibly long in a pair of black stiletto trousers. A cream fitted sweater with