XVII | Friday Nights Are for Cleaning But That Doesn’t Mean I Can’t Break Into a Witch Party

Persephone's point of view

♕︎ ♕︎ ♕︎

As I listened to the audiobook of Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton, which I had started on my last day at home before vacation ended, I cleaned the penthouse, with only pair of black lingerie on, 'cause those are the perks of living alone and not letting anyone come near your home, I wondered why did they had the absolutely dumb decision of officially staring this year's classes on a Friday.

We would only have one day of classes, then two days off, and then back on the Monday. Why not just start on Monday? Everyone has more to do at night on this particular day. Like me, since Friday nights are always the time I use to clean up the penthouse while listening to some good audiobooks.

This book in particular, is a dark (really fucking dark) smut romance that I saw my maternal aunt, Nyx Anastasia Bathory─ my mom's youngest sister, who is the current strongest Grand Duchess of the Pink Dragons─ reading two weeks ago when she came to see how I was doing, and make the tattoo in secret, on my back, after I swore (AKA lied) to her that I only wanted it 'cause the tale of the gorgon Medusa was one of my favorites from Greek mythology, and not 'cause I had gone through any kind of sexual abuse.

She was always into those filthy dark romances book, and always gift me five different ones on my birthdays since I turned 17, and she judged me old enough to be able to read it. I confess that it shocked the hell out of me in the beginning, and I was disgusted, until I wasn't, and now I secretly enjoy reading it quite a lot.

Aunt Nyx did told me that I should read the trigger warnings many times before I hoped on the Cat & Mouse Duet 'cause, to her, it was the darkest dark romances she read so far. Which meant a lot, since it's the only thing she reads. Might be 'cause she's still single, as she's waiting to find her mate, whom the oracle told her would be a vampire, which will definitely widen the Drakyre race, that is solely made of me and my brothers so far. Five, if you count my unborn baby siblings that died by Lust-Rhae.

I just know that her mate will have to be very open sexually, 'cause my aunt is definitely the kinkiest person I've ever met. And if the books she's addicted to are anything to go by, she'll need a monster to satisfy her. In fact, in my eyes, my aunt is like Nestha Archeron from the A Court of Thorn and Roses series, which is funny since she has the name of Nestha's nephew, Feyre and Rhysand's son. But with the looks of Evangeline Fox, the female main character from Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber.

Well, she did pass the dark romance taste to me. I only avoid the ones that contain that specific trigger that affects me the most. That is, unless it's a dark romance with revenge on the one who abused the main character with the trauma.

And though Zade did kind of push himself a bit on Adeline in the infamous gun scene, I don't consider it triggering, since Adeline was totally on him and loved it so much that she was pretty much dripping. I mean, they are both morally grey to me. Zade Meadows is something else, and weirdly enough, he's one of the dark romances male main character that attracted me the most.

The whole stalking-obsession is something I like, as sick as it may sound to mentally-healthy people. Maybe it messes with my feels 'cause I am the type to stalk and get obsessed with stuff like he does. Not like I never knew I'm a red flag myself though, my bloodlust and anger issues are warnings enough of those bad tendencies I can relate to.

Either way, Aunt Nyx is my favorite out of mom's three youngest siblings and dad's two youngest siblings. We just connect in a different level. She's badass.

When I got to 64% of the audiobook for the first volume of the duet, the book stopped as a call came and Dark Paradise by Lana del Rey, the ringtone I set for all the ten girls of Tartarus played on my sole right ear pod, since I lost the left one at sometime during the day. Not surprising though, I always lose them, it's a pain in the ass. I'll buy another later, if I remember. One will do for now.

Fading to where I left my phone over the dining table, I picked it up and saw Adeline's name on it. "What a timing," I chuckled to myself and accepted it.

"Captain, I'm sorry to bother you at 2 am," her sweet voice came in.

"You do remember I'm half vampire, right, Adeline? I can't sleep in the same way you can't. My dragon genes don't help on that. And you know Friday nights are the time I use to clean my place. So, what is it that you want?" Jumping on the dining table, I waited for her to speak her mind.

"Valhalla is throwing a party tonight for all the last four years, and we all the houses will be following suit every day. So, we were wondering if we could be next and throw a party tomorrow night," oh? Captain duties then.

They do need my permission to do that. It's usually one of the only reasons why the girls, almost solely Adeline as the vice Captain, contact me. "If you let any soul get near the penthouse, I'll torture the person, got it? I've done it twice last year and I'll do it again if anyone dare to come to my place."

"So, can we?" Adeline beamed.

I rolled my eyes, "Of course. My penthouse is soundproof, so I won't be listening to all the noise you will be making. So, yes, you can party. Make sure to clean everything up on Sunday, understood?"

As she told the other girls that are probably surrounding her right now, she and the others let out a happy high-pitched lil scream. "Don't worry, Captain. It'll be all clean by Sunday night. Thank you, thank you, thank you, I-" hanging up on her face, I chuckled to myself and put on the audiobook to play again from where her call had stopped it.

But to my dismay, after not even five seconds, Heartlines by Florence + The Machine, the ringtone I set for both Apollo and Atlas, rang in my ear pod and I clenched my teeth. "What do you want?" I growled.

"Who pissed you off?" Atlas asked, music playing loud in the background.

"You did. I'm trying to listen to an audiobook and you just interrupted an amazing scene," I growled. "Spill it, Vincent. What do you want?"

"I'm bored. Apollo is out hooking up with Neo. Can you come stay with me here?" He must be drunk to ask me that, even though he knows I don't like any of those stupid parties.

"Can't. I'm busy cleaning my place."

"Didn't you said you were listening to an audiobook?"

I rolled my eyes, "I am. While cleaning. My answer is no."

But my brother swallowed hard, and only then I noticed something must be wrong with him, which made my body freeze. "Please, sis," his voice broke.

My entire body went on high alert, "Attie, what is going on?"

"I thinking I'm starting to have a panic attack, and this place is loaded. I'm in Valhalla, Freya invited everyone to her party, since yesterday was Sirena's turn. I don't want them to see me like this. I locked myself in the office that's on the second floor, but I don't have spatial magic like you to teleport out of here, and if I fade, they will know, since I never fade always from a party," the words left his lips snakingly and too quick, which always happens when he's overly anxious.

Fading to my room, I went straight to my walk in closet. "Does anyone knows you're inside there? Where the hell is Apollo with Neo-Brynolf?" In a second I put on a high-waist pair of black pants, knee-high black boots with 15cm wider heels, a long sleeved turtle-neck black tight shirt that marks my waist and cleavage, and my thin black gloves.

"I… I don't know if they know. I'm blocking the way in by sitting with my back on the door. Pollo left with Neo to Elysium, since his place is empty after all the boys came to Valhalla to party. Ali and Pedro are also out hooking up with some girls somewhere. I only… I only have you sis… I don't know… I…"

Putting on some mascara, crimson red lipstick, my pair of crescent moon earrings, a crown-ish diamond tiara on my hair, and my strawberry perfume. "Wait for me, Attie. I'll be there in a minute."

"T-thank you, sister. Bring blood for me, I'm thirsty. AB+. Please, c-come quickly, I'm shaking and my heartbeat is uneven," his voice now a whisper.

Feeling agony take over my entire body, I clenched my hands in fists, "I will be there. Wait for me. Don't leave. Don't let anyone inside either. Breath in and breath out, deeply. Hold on, Attie, please. Breath. Don't look at the screen of your phone, it'll give you a headache. Wait. For. Me!" I hang up and put my phone on my back pocket.

"I… am… waiting," shite. This is not good.

Putting on the magical ruby ring that has the changeling magic that makes my hair red and my eyes golden, I faded to the balcony and jumped from there, no being able to teleport to where he was, since I've never really been in Valhalla, or in any of the other houses aside from my own. It was easy to find it though, as it was the only fancy building lightened up and bursting with loud songs. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of people that freaked me out a bit.

There are too many males in there. Too. Many.

Swallowing hard, I pushed my terror of the situation aside and strode into Freya's territory, and the second everyone saw me, their gazes all turned to my direction. Probably shocked since the last party I went to in Sky-Eden was when I was 10 years old, before my mother was murdered.

"Persephone?" They eyes widened and their jaws dropped.

Not having any patience to their bullshit, I used my gravity magic to push all of them out of my way and divide them like Moses divided the Red Sea in the Christian Mythology, opening a wide pathway for me to walk through from the garden to where the stair was.

"What the hell?" Freya yelled, reeking of whiskey. "Why are you here? You never go to parties."

"You can't come in here and break into out party!" Hanna Fleur, the fairy who's the third in command of Valhalla growled annoyed.

I glared at her, "Watch me then," I said loud and clear and faded to the stairs, but before I could go up, I looked around and inhaled their scents, letting my gaze fall to Kyra Papadaki, one of the female black nine-tailed foxes from senior year who's blood type is AB+, the one both me and Atlas drink. "You."

She gasped scared, "Me?"

"AB+ blood, aren't you?"

The girl gulped loudly, "Y-y-yes."

"Are you single?" I can't take a compromised girl to my brother.

"What?" She frowned as if I had asked to kill someone.

"Are. You. Single?"

Again, she swallowed hard. "Y-yes. Yes, I'm single!"

Fading to her, I grabbed her arm, "You will do then," then I faded with her to the stairs but the freaking devil popped up there, surrounded by his bunch. Why the hell is he here?

"You can't break into a party and kidnap a girl like this, Scarlet!"

I scoffed viciously, "I think I can. Get out of my sight, Pride-Niklaus."

"Not until you leave the girl," he arched his eyebrows stubbornly.

"You and your sister are both AB+ blood, I can take you too, if you are happy to switch places with oh-so-dear-Kyra here!"

Her eyes widened, "You know my name?" Is she stupid?

Pride-Niklaus's amethyst eyes glowed with something I won't dare to name it. "Are you that thirsty?"