Author’s Note: First and foremost, I’d like to thank whomever nominated me for Some Kind of Wonderful’s Best Awkward Moment award. I was completely taken by surprise. Seriously. I didn’t see that coming, at all. I am humbled, and I love whoever did it. XD;

Anyway, forgive me for the long wait. I’m responding to previous reviews, now, so read on! See you at the bottom AN.

Chapter Seven

Aislin wound her way around student after student.

She would make it to the cafeteria, if she had to use force to get there. Goddess, she’d glamour herself into being the smelly, farting kid, if it helped move people out of her way.

Squeezing past a kissing couple, her stomach growled.

Yes, things would get ugly if she didn’t feed herself, and soon. At least she didn’t have to stalk the buildings in search for the cafeteria.

Darius hadn’t been much help in acclimating her into the academy. Off to run a project, he’d said. Need to check on something, but don’t go off campus without me, he’d ordered. Then ran to hide his the rising blush beneath his tan. He was like a nun, the way he avoided her as if she was temptation.

Thank the Goddess for Brandon. The lovely male had helped her navigate the large school grounds to her classroom. Then, at the end of the day, he’d proceeded to take her out and about campus for an hour, pointing out building after building.

That was more than his idiot twin had done.

Who’d have thought with a small 700-plus student population, the grounds would be so large? Llenroc had two dorms, one for lower level students and one for upper level. Six stories each. Evenly split.

She understood Llenroc needed separate buildings for each subject department: math, history, English, sciences, fine arts, practical arts, instrumental, and… etiquette?

But, what in the world did they need students to trek five-hundred feet of green grass and sparse trees for? Was this an attempt to increase exercise among adolescents? Stave off the inevitability of the U.S. obesity scare? She wanted to think Sidhe were exempt from obesity. Keep up her current diet, and she’d be exempt.

Shaking her head, her eyes sparkled with delight as she caught sight of the Cafeteria sign.

Yes! Food!

She’d forgotten all about breakfast – well, she simply hadn’t had the stomach for it – what with Keiran and Jen going at it against the wall of Jen’s bedroom. Did they fail to realize the wall probably stood about two inches thick, if that?

Thumping echoed, Aislin learned. As did the moans and grunts that pervaded her bedroom from the thin wall between her room and Jen’s. That, and the tacky music someone had put on to cover their sounds of coital pastime.

Aislin rolled her eyes. If only Keiran spent more time in his own suite, she’d be more willing to venture to the kitchen. She couldn’t help wanting to avoid him; she just didn’t know what he wanted, or what was on his agenda. Other than Jen.

Making her way towards the caf, she was bowled over by a trio of squealing girls. Dodging them, and plastering herself against the wall of the narrow hallway, she raised an eyebrow. Snippets of their excited conversation barreled towards her.

“They’re in the courtyard this time!”

“You’re kidding me! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!”

“No, I kid you not. In the courtyard!” A sigh.

“We can watch them! We can touch them,” one said, reverence coloring her tone.

“Do you think he’ll take my number? Do you?” Another sigh, followed by a fluffing of brown locks.

“Hah! I’ll give mine first before…” The words trailed off as the girls moved farther down the hall, making a sharp left towards the courtyard.

Both eyebrows flew up as Aislin pondered their words. What in the world?

She glanced at the Cafeteria sign, her stomach grumbling its plea for food. However, the conversation had piqued her curiosity. Who were the girls talking about? What were they off to watch? Why the avid fangirling brainlessness? What could induce that?

She edged her way down the hall as her stomach snarled at her.

A peek. That was it. She would take a peek at the cause of all the commotion, then head back for food. Pulling out her iPhone, she noted the time. Lunch lasted an hour, and she’d wasted only ten minutes of it. Fifty minutes to go see what the girls talked about, buy food, eat food. Easy peasy.

Rounding the corner of the hall, a boy sprinted past her, carrying a small banner.

Brandon, My #1!

Okay.

Watching the boy push his way through the double doors, Aislin followed.

Stepping out into the courtyard, she let her eyes adjust to the sunlight. Peering around at all the students standing in a half-circle, she pushed her way forward. Elbows planted into her side for her effort.

Grunting, she popped out at the edge of the mob.

Nothing unusual. The courtyard was empty, aside from the couple dozen boisterous students standing behind her. It was pavement, excited shriek, pavement, tree, grunts, patch of grass, a shrub or two, jostled movement from behind her, more pavement, and then the other end of the courtyard.

Until she spotted them, off to the left, darting in and out of one another’s hold.

Of all the things to expect – and she’d hypothesized males stripping down for dollar bills; cute puppies running around with hot, hot owners; or even on-spot filming of a scene from the next tween-hit book-to-movie blockbuster – she did not plan to see two half-naked men, battling it out on the pavement.

And, battle it out, they did.

Darius and Brandon, stripped down to shorts and sneakers, had one another locked in a grapple.

Okay, so in a way all her theories came true. Minus the puppies, the bills, and the cameramen.

A snap and a flash went off behind her.

Never mind, list amended: minus the puppies and the dollar bills.

Darius pulled back, twisting out of Brandon’s grip to play defense. As Brandon lunged forward, Darius dodged to the side, then swept down to the ground. Hooking Brandon’s ankle with his foot, Darius hurled his leg around, sweeping Brandon off balance to crash against the pavement.

Milliseconds passed as Brandon tucked and rolled, springing back up into a crouched stance, one hand to the ground for more stability.

Alarm settled low in Aislin’s stomach. What was going on? She twisted around to view the students behind her. No one seemed to care that the twins were pummeling one another. Certainly, no one cared to stop them.

Cheers from girls came left and right. The thin boy waved his Brandon banner proudly.

Right. No one wanted to stop Darius or Brandon.

Spinning back around to face the fight, Aislin raised an eyebrow as she eyed the twins.

This was a show. The boys had their own posse of fans, and this was their limelight.

Sweat slid down both boys’ bodies, splattering the pavement, as they circled one another. Their breaths came out in pants, their attention honed in on only the opponent at hand.

Who would give in first and attack? What were they waiting on? How much longer before clothes flew off? Why the fight? …What had happened to their uniforms?

A few girls giggled behind Aislin, chatting low and fast.

“This is the most intense spar, yet! I’m so happy I ditched lunch for this!”

“I know, I know! Their bodies—their bodies!”

“Shhh!” Multiple responses of shh’s chastised the two girls.

She ignored the girls and returned her attention to Darius.

Brandon reached in for his twin, feinting a punch to the face. As Darius ducked, Brandon slipped under his guard and jabbed him twice in the gut.

Oh, no!

Darius staggered back, hand to his abs as he rolled off the hits, edging back into the fight with fists up. He waited, and Brandon took a few seconds to strut, smug with his attack.

Circling one another, Darius dodged left when Brandon feinted right. Brandon spun Darius evaded Brandon’s kick, sized him by the ankle, and pulled.

Off-balance, Brandon hit the pavement on his back with an oomph. Darius was on the ground, digging his knee into Brandon’s chest.

Watching the boys play touch and go, Aislin grudgingly admitted how exciting it was to play voyeur. The rush from ogling both boys interact was fierce, and watching Darius focused on his quarry was pretty sexy. She realized with a jolt that she’d been so focused on Darius. She had only registered Brandon’s actions because Darius was moving with him.

“God, I wish I knew who was whom!” A freckled boy exclaimed.

“Are you kidding me? Brandon is on the left. He’s sooo hot! How could you miss it?” The brunette from the earlier trio chided.

“That’s Darius on the left—” Aislin cut herself off as she heard another voice speaking at the same time.

“Actually, the right one is Bran—” The assertion came from over Aislin’s shoulder.

Curious, she turned to search out the girl who could differentiate the twins at a glance. She found herself staring at a compact blonde with bright blue eyes and pink lips rounded in a small O of surprise.

“Cool, how’d you know that was Darius?” The blonde looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun with a hand. “Most people can’t tell the boys apart.”

“Oh, just a gut feeling. How about you?” Aislin smiled. Well, it was sort of true. She couldn’t exactly run around telling people she saw ‘auras’. She’d tried that number a few years back, and still remembered the stares of disbelief she’d gotten.

“I’m Danielle, their cousin.” A grin spread across her lips. Jumping up from her seat, she wound an arm around Aislin’s. “You must be Aislin. Call me Dani.”

“Hi, Dani…?” The sudden friendliness threw her off. It was appreciated, but Aislin didn’t know what to do with happy and bubbly people. She’d played the closed off snob far too long. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Ew, formalities. We’re teens, not adults.” Making a face, Dani led Aislin through the throng of students. “Come on, let’s get out of here. The spar’s ending in a bit and there are way too many people. Let’s hit the caf! I’m starved.”

Aislin’s stomach grumbled its assent. However, protocol kept her in check. Tugging herself loose from the other girl’s hold, she asked, “Shouldn’t we wait for the boys? You know, make sure they’re okay?”

She glanced over her shoulder to Darius. Only after she’d had her fill of his sleek back muscles, did she slide her gaze to Brandon, who was busy toweling off sweat.

“Nah, don’t worry about them. They do this every week. Plus, they’ll catch up. I haven’t seen you around the caf since you’ve gotten here. I kept telling D to bring you over, but he said it’d be better for you to figure out your way around first.” Stepping back into the cool hallway, Dani beamed at Aislin.

“Oh, well. We’re in the midst of a…prolonged awkward moment. He refuses to get over it.” The tips of her ears flushed. Figures, Darius would get all worked up about seeing her naked, but have no problem prancing about half-naked on campus.

“Oh?” Dani’s one-word question spoke volumes. Skepticism. Amusement. Curiosity.

“Yes. So, at the moment, Brandon’s helping me get situated until Darius gets over himself.”

“Ah, yes. D does have that problem sometimes. He’s pretty one-track minded, so give him an issue, and he’ll wrap it around his head until it snaps.” She patted Aislin on the back and winked. “Just be careful of B. He can get pretty one-track minded, too…if you know what I mean.”

Dani dragged Aislin into the cafeteria.

Aislin smiled and blurted, “Oh, I know. He’s offered himself to me numerous times.”

“Don’t take him seriously. D would kick his balls if he did something stupid.” Snorting, Dani stepped into the lunch line. “Heck, I’d kick his balls if he did something stupid.”

“Poor guy. No wonder he doesn’t get too wild. He’s got you and Darius as judge and jury.”

Dani laughed. “Damn straight.”

Aislin wasn’t sure where in the world this whirlwind of a girl had come from, but she knew one thing.

Maybe they’d be friends.

Pulling on a moisture-wicking tee, Aislin checked the time. Seven PM.

Perfect.

She’d have enough time to get in a run just as the sun was going down. Throughout the day, Aislin had been anticipating it. She could work off her jittery energy and think about her newfound friendship, among other things.

Rifling through her purse, she plucked out the iPhone. Attaching ear buds to it, she slipped it into an armband.

She’d get her mind off the boring campus greenery and how each block of pavement was exactly three-feet-by-three-feet with some music.

Humming, she slipped on her Nikes then tied up her hair, ignoring the music Jen and Keiran were making.

Honestly, how much longer was Keiran going to keep at it? For someone who condescended humans, he sure liked to sleep with them.

Poor Jen, too. Hadn’t she liked Darius? What in the world was she doing with Keiran?

Eyeing Jen’s bedroom, Aislin couldn’t figure the couple out.

Oh, well.

Slipping her copy of the dorm key into the space between her foot and sneaker, she locked her room and headed out, walking at a brisk pace.

Some people liked cardio in the form of sex; others liked good, old-fashioned jogging. Or maybe it was a Sidhe thing – the need to keep moving and to be a part of nature.

As she made her way out of the dorm, Aislin flicked on the iTunes widget of her iPhone and tucked in the earbuds. Music pounded in her ears just as her Nikes hit the familiar path she’d started running earlier in the week.

Jogging was a good pastime for her. Time to freshen the mind, time to think, time to plan.

Aislin needed a strategy. Going out and censuring herself just wasn’t her style. She enjoyed making friends, enjoyed opening up a little. Especially if they were easy to get along with, like Dani. At the same time, she had to be careful of whom she befriended.

She had to find a way to trap her attackers and figure out who they were.

Father always said he’d take care of it. Just stay out of the way and keep safe, he’d advised. However, month after month passed, blending into years – how much longer until the situation was taken care of? How much longer did she have to tiptoe around Aunt Sorcha? If only he’d include her in his damn plans.

Aislin wanted to be free to go wherever she wanted, without escort. Some outings were made for groups, some…. Well, some were meant to be private – admit one only, thank you.

Sweat trickled down the sides of her face as Aislin hit the outskirts of campus. She winced a little, knowing she was probably breaking Darius’ number one rule. But the edge of campus was safe enough, right? She didn’t want students and faculty ogling her while she ran by, and it seemed like a waste of power to glamour herself invisible. Plus, they’d hear the sound of her panting, stomping, and the music from her earbuds as she passed by.

The sun hadn’t set entirely and the main building and dorms were close enough. And if Darius wanted to keep her safe, he should have been making more of an effort to keep in touch. Silly peasant. He still kept himself aloof and distant since peek-a-boo night.

A ripple in her aural senses startled her. Pivoting mid-step to look around, she saw no one.

She reached for the iPhone and thumbed off the music.

Silence met her ears as she slipped off the earbuds.

Nerves. Just nerves.

She worried too much. The area was safe.

Backing away from her intended path, she started heading back for the dorm.

It was late. She’d pass on the rest of her jog tonight and ask Dani to come with her tomorrow.

Glancing left then right, Aislin rubbed at the raised goosebumps on her arms.

Something was off.

Something didn’t feel….

A portal! There was a portal!

The flickering structure was held open by some kind of device. It seemed unstable, but—

Aislin wasn’t about to stick around to find out what was intended to come or go through that portal.

She fled, sprinting for the dorms.

A dark violet aura crept up behind her. It was so dark it had blended in with the impending night.

Something sharp pierced her thigh, causing her to stumble. She hit the path on hands and knees. Trying to stand, she realized with horror that her right leg was numbing and failing to move.

Move. Move.

Why were her feet dragging? Panicking, she grasped for her iPhone and watched it tumble to the pavement.

Reaching out, she flicked aside the unlock switch.

Sharp pain pierced her arm, sending the numbing sensation away, but only briefly. Glancing back, she stared with disbelief at the dart sticking out of her upper arm.

Hurry! Goddess, hurry!

She turned and lowered a hand to the iPhone, shocked with the fatigue that was overtaking her limbs. Her sight blurred as she tried to focus on her cellphone.

She barely touched the glass surface when a third dart struck her between the shoulder blades. Crying out, she slumped forward, her cheek skidding against pavement.

Had she double-clicked the D-Man widget…?

The scenery caved in around her.

Author’s Note: I’ve been sitting on this chapter for like a month. Seriously. It’d been sent to my betas and everything. x.x Please forgive my long delay in editing. I hope you enjoyed it! :) Review to let me know what you think, please. :D

And, as always, thanks to everyone who has reviewed as well as VenaCava and Nota for their awesome and insightful comments. S2 Your support equates my muchos love.