Seduction First, Love Never

Chapter One

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  The music pulsed through the house and sweaty bodies glided against each other. Long blonde hair flicked around my face, sticking to my forehead, wet with sweat. I got lost in the feeling, the high of forgetting all but the chaotic sounds around me.

"Valeria!" A voice shouted behind me.

I turned, still dancing, to face one of my best friends. She had a somewhat panicked look on her round face as bodies pressed up against her.

Devva winced when a drunken body stumbled into her. She cupped her hands around her mouth and all but screamed at me. "Can you come to the bathroom with me?"

I nodded and shoved everyone out of the way, making a path. They were so drunk they wouldn't even notice. I grabbed Devva by the hand and we made our way up the stairs. There was a small line of people outside and I heard Devva whimper from beside me.

"The line is so long." She started to prance in place and I stopped a chuckle from escaping me. She shot a glare my way but didn't stop her anxious movements.

I tapped my foot against the ground, feeling more and more impatient as we slowly moved further up the line. One more person to go.

"I almost didn't believe it when I heard you went to Creston, Belladonna." I stilled at the nickname. There was only one person who called me that. I turned slowly towards the voice.

"Toryn."

He grinned, flashing his white teeth. "Me."

"Um, Val?" Devva questioned. I heard the door to the bathroom open and a girl stepped out, awkwardly sliding between Toryn and me.

Not moving my glare from Toryn I waved her away. "Go to the bathroom, Devva. I'll be here."

She seemed to hesitate but it wasn't long until she scurried to the room, leaving us alone.

Now it was just me glaring at the man in front of me as he leaned casually against the wall. His dark hair hung messily in his face, in an effortlessly disheveled way. His brown eyes flickered with amusement. He looked even better than he had three years ago, back in our sophomore year of high school. I scowled.

"Why so angry, Bellado-"

"Stop calling me that." My lip turned up in disdain.

He pouted. "But you used to love it."

"Key words, used to, asshole."

"Aw. We both have little nicknames for each other." My scowl deepened and he threw his head back, laughing.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm going to school here of course." His grin turned wolfish and my mouth hung open slightly.

"No, you're not." He couldn't be going to Creston, he had never cared about his grades there was no way he could've gotten in. "You couldn't give a shit about your grades. How did you even get in?"

"You hated parties, revealing clothes and alcohol back then." He eyed my body clothed in a short, skin-tight, lilac, silk dress with straps crossing over my back. He didn't appear critical just...curious. "Seems we both changed."

The door opened behind us and Devva walked out, seeming relieved. She glanced between the two of us and raised a questioning brow at me.

"Let's go find Fenia." I grabbed my friend by her arm and dragged her away, shooting one last glare at Toryn.

"Who was that?" Devva asked as we pushed our way down the stars.

"Someone from high school."

She frowned. "If he bothers you, let me know. I'll take care of him."

I laughed. "Sure you will, Dee."

Devva made me order for her every time we went out, there was no way that girl could ever "take care" of someone. Both her and Fenia weren't the most sociable. Dee because she was shy and Fenia simply because people bored her. Caelan, another member of our small group, was the only one who would actually enjoy a good party with me. The only reason they weren't here now was because they were out at dinner, meeting their boyfriend's parents. They were completely confident about the whole "meeting the parents" thing until about thirty minutes before. They ran over to my house, all decked out in a fancy dress, struggling to breathe and rambling on about his parents not liking them. I was positive his parents would like them. Caelan made straight A's, strived to be a English professor, and was the most charismatic person you'd meet.

"There you guys are," Fenia shouted. From her tone and the expression on her face I knew she was planning on leaving soon, with or without us.

She looked like she had gotten mauled. Her light pink lipstick was smeared across her dark skin, almost glowing white under the bright blue lights pulsing to the beat of the music overhead. Flower clips sat in her short kinky hair, some of them broken or half hanging off. The front of her pale pink dress was wet and stuck to her skin. Everyone in a five-foot radius of us was hyperaware of that.

"Fucked or robbed?" I asked, taking note of the lines between her full eyebrows. She was pissed.

"Neither." She huffed, blowing a stray curl from her face. "Some dickhead dumped his drink on me because I rejected him."

"Where is he?"

Fenia rolled her eyes. "I already took care of him. Let's go home. The bruise he'll wake up to in the morning is good enough for me."

"You sure?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Yes. Can we just go?"

I turned to Devva. "You ready to go?"

She nodded eagerly. I was thankful, Toryn ruined my mood. I didn't feel like partying anymore, I just wanted to go home and shower.

We pushed our way through the sweaty college students and found the door to whoever's house we were at. No one at Creston Univerisity cared enough to learn the names of the host. As soon as they heard there was a party everyone was planning their outfits and snorting a before-party line of coke. Creston had a reputation. Preppy rich kids with Mommy and Daddy's money. That they were right about. What they failed to mention were the dirty drugs and habits of the students here. Everyone knew about it, no one talked about it.

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Back at my apartment, I shed off my clothes and shoes as soon as I walked in the door. I threw my keys on the kitchen island and made my way to the bathroom. I twisted the shower knob until steam fogged up the glass doors, closing it in. I sighed and stared at myself in the mirror over the sink. I smiled slightly. I loved how I looked after a party, unkempt...free from stress. My blond hair stuck to my neck and forehead, my shiny purple highlight blended with the sweat, making my entire face glow. My lipstick and mascara were smeared. I turned away once the mirror fogged up so much I couldn't see my reflection anymore.

I stepped under the steaming water and leaned my head back, letting the water drip down my neck. I slid down the stone shower wall and sat in the corner. I ran a hand down my face, dragging my already smeared mascara further down my cheeks. I thought back to Toryn. He looked similar but he had lost that boyish look. His face was more sharp angles, his lips fuller, his shoulders broader. He had always been lean but now he had slim, toned muscle peeking out from under his short-sleeve T-shirt. Even just thinking about him had my blood pressure rising. Out of anger. Nothing else. I dropped my head back, wincing at the thud as it bounced off of the stones. I let my hand drop down to my thigh. My fingers gently slid over the old scars back and forth until I felt calm again. I exhaled and a slight smile touched my face. Everything was fine now. I was fine.

Toryn went to Creston. I was going to have to tolerate him whether I liked it or not. Pretend not to care. That or play with his feelings like he had mine. I hadn't quite decided yet but I had until Monday. That gave me one day.