The Legend of the Eight: The Gifted

14: Bad Moon Rising

FOURTEEN: BAD MOON RISING
JANUARY 29
PHOEBE DOMINGO

THE FRONT OF HER SHIRT was soaked with someone's rum-and-coke and as it dried, it stuck to her abs. She meant to go upstairs and change but became distracted when Xavier and Monty roped her into a game of Magic Pong. By the time she made it to the kitchen, she saw Xavier arranging the cups on the counter while Monty spelled each of them to levitate. The night, which was supposed to be full of movies and ice cream, quickly turned into a party and Phoebe found herself caught in the middle of it.

She took a sip of Witch's Brew and as she did, a handsome (and mildly drunk) Leo approached. He smiled at her and her stomach did that little flip like any other time she saw him. He stopped next to her and bumped his hip lightly against hers. She blushed.

"Guess we're partners then, huh?" he asked her as Monty and Xavier finished setting up. She nodded and he smiled again. "Good." He slipped his hand onto the small of her back and he did it so casually, like he wasn't even thinking about it.

She leaned into him. "Guess so..."

"Care to make this interesting?" Monty asked as he retrieved two balls and passed one to Xavier. "How about a little wager between friends?"

Leo turned his head towards Phoebe and there was a flicker of recklessness in his olive eyes.

"What did you have in mind?"

"THERE SHOULD BE A WARNING for people who try to bet against Montgomery West," Leo joked as he stood beside her, shivering and naked. He had his hands clamped over his groin to shield it from the brisk January cold as they stood on the porch outside of the North Hall. On the other side of the door, everyone looked on, waiting for them to start.

Having lost their game (and subsequently, the bet), Leo and Phoebe had to run a lap around the North Hall—completely naked. Phoebe had one arm across her a-cups and used her other hand to cover her vagina, giving everyone a clear view of her pert behind.

Snow sprinkled from the sky, coating the ground with a light blanket. And above, a full white moon hung in the sky. It was a perfect winter night—give or take a few dozen people shifting into werewolves.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Phoebe said through chattering teeth.

"I can't believe you've never done a naked lap before," replied Leo as the crowd behind the door grew and Phoebe looked out on the snow she had to run through. Then she giggled nervously.

"I'm not big on the whole naked thing."

"That's a shame," quipped Leo, stealing a peek at her tiny, fit figure. "You've got the body for it."

Her freckly cheeks burned with a blush.

Leo gestured to a spot on her hip she almost forgot about. There, her tattoo was visible for everyone to see and she debated using the hand covering her boobs for her side instead.

"That's new," he said, staring at it. "At least, since the last time we..." His voice stopped suddenly and he cleared his throat. "Since the last time I saw you."

He scratched under his jaw awkwardly and Phoebe diverted her eyes to the falling snow. Then, she exaggerated a shiver before asking,

"Are you ready?"

Leo seemed to forget about the tattoo completely and he nodded. "Am I ready to run around naked with you? Of course."

So they plunged forward, off the North Hall patio and into the snow. The crowd behind them cheered and Phoebe smiled. Leo stuck close to her like it would help keep it warm and she wasn't sure if it actually did or if the thought of him naked with her was enough to keep her from freezing to death. She pumped her arms through the freezing air and they rounded the corner of the building. Ignoring the stinging feeling in her feet as she raced through the snow, she laughed.