SEDUCTIVE PREY

DRAGONS AND DECEIT

I can now add Sybil to the growing list of people who are pissed off at me all over again. But there's only one who's silence I can't take. One whose thoughts and opinions matter more to me than the others. And when he walks into our leadership class to take the seat next to me, my heart is beating in suspense. It continues to beat at irregular intervals until our last class is over. And surprisingly, Ethan waits for me to gather my things so we can leave class together.

We walk the hall, shoulder to shoulder, in complete silence until we reach the waiting car that's supposed to take Kyle, Celeste, Tristan, the Syth, and I back to my grandpas. Only, I can't get in. Not without talking to Ethan first.

"About Zayd-" I turn to him.

"I already know all there is to know about him." Ethan cuts me off. "And my anger isn't with you, it's with him."

Frowning, I reply, "I don't understand."

"Dragons are one of the oldest living supernatural creatures in the world. And do you know who their distant cousin is?" He asks.

"Who?"

"Medusa."

"As in-" I gesture to my hair.

"Yes. As in snakes for hair. And do you want to know what dragons and Medusa have in common?"

"What?"

"They're both enchanters. It's how they subdue their victims. They ensnare you with a single glance. A glance that robs you of your free will before you even know what's happening. With Medusa, you often turn to stone. But with a Dragon, you-"

"Believe you are in love." I finish his statement for him. My shoulders sagging with relief.

This isn't my fault...

"No," he responds to my unspoken thought. "It isn't. But we need to know why he set his sights on you. Zayd is bad news, Ali. The sooner we find out what he wants from you, the safer you'll be."

"Only, that information is locked inside this fractured mind of mine." I sigh heavily. "And I don't see Zayd readily coughing up that information."

"You're probably right, but we still must try."

Ethan briefly glances at me, but it's enough to make my heart somersault. Because even though we're just talking, simply being near him feels like privilege. One I know many aren't afforded, and one I almost lost being an idiot.

I won't make that mistake again...

"Come with me." I plead.

"I can't. I have a few things to take care of." He lets me down easy.

"Afterwards then?"

Ethan opens his mouth to reply but doesn't. Either way, all I want to do is hug him. Because I need to know the actions of old me-that have come back to haunt the new me-haven't destroyed my chances of rekindling our romance. There's absolutely nothing worse than losing the person you love. Except maybe losing them because of something you can't even remember doing.

Either sensing my emotions or listening to my thoughts, Ethan wraps his arms around me. Nuzzling his nose against mine before capturing my mouth with his.

"Careful." Victor walks up with Eden and Lucas. Eyeballing me like I'm in the way of his relationship with Ethan. "She might stab you in the back. Or the front. Maybe even the side... basically she can't be trusted."

"You're just jealous you can't get this close to him." I stick my tongue out at him.

His mouth drops open in surprise before curling into an approving smile.