OLEANDER
Hex and Celina didn’t return, and I ended up roaming around the building alone, trying my best to ignore the lingering stares and how everyone suddenly began to avoid me like I carried a disease.
Maybe I deserved that.
But I wasn’t the one who had attacked the guy, so why was I the one being silently judged?
Eventually, I made my way outside to the pool area and sank into one of the lounging chairs, wrapping my arms around myself against the evening chill.
I sighed softly and leaned back, letting the seat support my weight as my eyes drifted upward.
The moon hung beautifully above — full, glowing, and surrounded by a scatter of twinkling stars.
For a brief moment, I forgot where I was.
Forgot everything.
I let myself slip into the memory of one of the few happy times I had with my family.
A moment of peace, until a voice shattered it.
“Oh man, I guess it’s just the two of us stuck together,” Celina muttered.
She dropped into the empty chair next to mine, lacing her fingers behind her head as she reclined.
Her face twisted into a grimace.
“Why does he keep treating me like I’m a child?!” Celina grumbled under her breath.
“Sure, I’m still young, but he’s just six years older than me. It’s not that big of a deal!”
I tried to tune her out, slipping back into my thoughts, but her voice was loud and impossible to ignore.
She turned to me.
“Do you think that’s too much of an age gap?”
“Um…” I murmured, unsure how to respond.
“Come on,” she pressed.
“I don’t really—” My words were cut short by a sudden scream that pierced the air.
I jerked upright, blinking over at her.
“What was that?”
“Beats me,” she replied with a shrug.
“Probably nothing to worry about. Halloween can get rowdy and kind of dangerous sometimes.”
I had barely nodded to her statement when another scream rang out louder, sharper.
I flinched, glancing down at my arms as goosebumps broke out across my skin.
It wasn’t the cold.
Something about that scream didn’t sound normal at all.
“Maybe we should go check it out.”
“Rawr, grunt, masculine auras and feminine wiles… that’s pretty much all it is. I wouldn’t give that noise too much attention if I were you.”
How could I not?
The screaming grew louder with every second, the sound twisting in my gut and making my skin crawl.
I shifted uneasily, casting a glance at Celina, who, somehow, was still rambling about how hard it was to get someone’s attention.
The anxiety finally tipped over.
I shot out of my seat, unable to sit still any longer.
I turned toward the building, determined to find out what was going on.
But Celina was suddenly in front of me.
I gasped, stumbling back.
She moved so fast, I hadn’t even seen it happen.
“You shouldn’t go in there,” she said calmly.
“What?” I blinked at her, then frowned.
“Someone could be in trouble! Sitting out here, pretending like it’s normal, won’t help anyone!”
Maybe Hex was involved again.
Perhaps I could stop him this time.
Celina scoffed, folding her arms across her chest.
“And what exactly would you do if you were in there?”
“I’d try to help…”
She raised a brow.
“You barely helped yourself a few seconds ago. Hex had to jump in and save you.”
My cheeks flushed with heat, though I didn’t think I had anything to be ashamed of.
“Right,” she said bluntly.
“You can’t do shit. It’s best you sit your ass down before you make things worse. Because, honestly? You don’t know half of what’s going on here. And sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong could get you into real trouble.”
As much as I hated to admit it, she wasn’t wrong.
There was something off about this place.
Too much weirdness, too many secrets.
And yet, the idea of helping someone, of doing something that mattered, it was hard to ignore.
Even if I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, I still wanted to try.
Celina’s expression suddenly shifted, her serious demeanor melting into a wide grin like she hadn’t just been lecturing me moments ago.
She grabbed my hand and tugged me back toward the chair. This chapter was copied from novelping.com without permission.
“Come on,” she said brightly.
“There’s something way more fun than whatever’s going on in there. We could talk about boys…like Hex. Or Dante…”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” I cut her off.
Unless it had something to do with killing him, then I’d gladly listen to whatever method would get the job done.
But she was his sister, so I doubted she’d say anything that would actually harm him.
“Why not?” she asked.
“They’re both awesome. Well, Hex is the most handsome of them all.”
Her eyes turned dreamy, her smile stretching wider.
“And they’re the most eligible bachelors in this place!”
“I don’t care,” I said flatly.
“Don’t you like my brother? He’s the most powerful man here, and I think he has a thing for you.”
I gagged, making no effort to hide my disgust.
If having a thing meant forcing himself on me, keeping me trapped, using me whenever he wanted, then I’d rather jump into the damn pool and drown.
Celina probably wouldn’t let that happen, though.
I looked at her seriously, my voice blunt.
“I hate your brother, Celina. The only reason he’s still alive is that I haven’t had the chance to kill him yet.”
Celina giggled, not even slightly offended.
“Ah, you’re perfect for him,” she declared.
“Exactly the kind of woman I imagine my brother with.”
“He’s a psycho.”
Celina shrugged, as if to say it wasn’t anything new.
Then, just as she was about to speak, a loud crash sounded not far from where we stood.
I turned sharply to see people darting out of the door, running straight toward us.
Celina sniffed the air, and I felt the shift in her demeanor instantly.
“What the hell?” Her growl was inhumane.
She pulled away from me and sprinted toward the entrance.
“Celina!” I called after her.
“Don’t come anywhere near here!” she yelled back.
“What?!” I snapped, but she had already disappeared inside.
I scoffed, ignoring the warning laced in her voice, and decided to take a look myself.
But I wish I hadn’t.