Compounding Traumas (Artemis University #6) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,21

bikini, but he also had my hair hanging off and cascading into the water, which I thought was cool.

The fourth was a racing suit with shorts, full coverage, and honestly was pretty slick. The shots were of me popping up as I swam, so easy on me.

The last was not as easy. This was the super sexy, super typical, smaller bikini and shot coming out of the water. It wasn’t over-the-top, but it was more than I was comfortable with the supe world seeing of me.

So was the lingerie, but I’d have to get over it.

“Holy fuck me,” a guy groaned from off to my left as I stepped out of the water. “She’s single now, right? She broke up with the vampire?”

“Darby,” a different guy said. “Yeah, I think they’re done, but they’re private, so there wasn’t the official announcement like we’re used to.”

“Right, Darby. Good guy, but I’m not sad for him if she’s back on the market,” the first said with a chuckle. “I want to lick every fucking inch of her and—”

“Shut up,” Hudson snapped. “She can hear you.”

“Let’s go again,” the photographer said, clearly getting why I messed up the shot.

Whoops. I hadn’t even realized I had stopped walking. I glared over at the gathered group to let them know Hudson was right and I could hear them… While making sure not to look at the dragon I wanted to avoid.

“Dive back in from there, hon,” the photographer directed.

I sighed, knowing he wanted some of my ass showing from the back. Still, I did it quickly just to get it over. This time, I did it right, and he got what he needed.

“Okay, let’s get you a quick shower so we get all the chemicals out of that gorgeous hair before we get you done up for the next shots. I’ll take care of the guys while you do, so take your time,” he instructed as I wrapped a towel around me.

“Why are they here?” I asked, not always paying attention to the plans as I should.

The photographer knew that and gave me a wink. “Since the hobgoblins are partnering with Lady Jean, who is also partnering your friends’ company, Recast Wardrobes, the royal and noble dragons of North America are supporting them back. They’re the models for the fall clothes and doing a spread the lovely witches altered for them to show off their talents. We’re squeezing it all in today.”

“Gotcha. Glad we can.” I walked off towards where the ladies locker room and spa changing area was when I felt Hudson approaching. I was glad they were helping.

That didn’t mean I wanted to see him. It hurt to look at any of them, my heart not close to healed yet. Which was why I was blinking back tears in the shower. I sucked it up though, remembering a lot was riding on all of this and hurried through the motions.

I went back out to the group in one of those super plush hotel robes. I would have preferred getting ready away from the guys posing for pictures, but the people doing makeup were needed for last minute touchups for their photos too. It was fine.

I needed to be fine.

I wanted to be mature enough to sit there and watch, given I was part of it too, but I turned the chair they asked me to sit in away from it. If anyone caught the fib that I did it because of the sun coming close to us and my eyes, they were kind enough not to bust me.

“It’s started,” Mel informed me as she handed over her tablet. “The manager for this location took a few of the shots and posted them to social media, and the responses are coming in fast.”

I took it from her, seeing it was a few pictures from before I had arrived and then one of me on the beach running. The caption was simple: “The official gallery will be coming soon on our website, but here is a glimpse of the first few.” It was posted less than an hour ago, and it already had three hundred comments and a thousand shares on the supe version of Facebook.

And lots weren’t saying they were pretty pictures.

“Do we have to see her everywhere? What is she doing involved in this now?”

“She’s an attention whore. She does it all for attention, and people are stupid if they believe otherwise.”

“I wonder how much Photoshop they had to do so her horse