The club had been evacuated because of a "situation" that happened. No one would say anything inside about what actually happened, but when we walked out of the club we saw it for ourselves.

There was a body lying on top of a smashed car. The police were trying to prevent people from getting closer and the paramedics were trying to cover the man on the car. The paparazzi not to my surprise was still here and they were firing questions at the police.

"I saw him jump!"

"Was this a suicide?!"

"Any comments on the incident officer?"

Xavier took my hand gently and brought my attention back to him. I glanced at him but looked back at the body and a dark flow of energy that made a shiver course through my body.

It was the same energy that I felt from Queen earlier, but I didn't think she could've been capable of this. She seemed too...nice to me. But how could it be a coincidence that the same night her human energy is changed, a man dies? Just by being around her, I could tell she wasn't a killer. I would at least listen to her explanation before I judged her.

Even the timing was suspicious. We hadn't seen Queen in the past thirty minutes.

"Where is Queen?" Caspian asked as he looked around. We all looked for her but saw nothing in the crowd of people. "Maybe she's still inside," he said.

We walked back up the stairs to the entrance but stopped when we saw Queen come out. She grinned at us with her phone in hand and came to us. "Hey."

I studied her and was surprised to see there wasn't anything off. She seemed as if nothing had happened, but I knew better than that. I was a smart bitch, she knew that- we all did. I reached out my hand for her and she took it happily. "Let's leave." I dangled her stilettos in my free hand and held them up to her. "You're shoes, madam."

She gave me a smirk and gently took it from my hand.

"Someone died," Xavier said as he pointed to the car.

"Damn," Queen muttered. Her head remained unmoving to look at the accident and at that moment I knew for sure she had something to do with it.

I let go of her hand and locked my arm with hers. "Are you okay?" I asked.

Her eyes met mine and I saw what looked like pain pass through them. "I'm great." I gave her a small smile and we walked to the sidewalk in front of the club.

"Cleo!"

I turned around to see Anna coming toward us and I rolled my eyes. I absolutely hated this bitch. She always managed to undermine me at every chance she got. "Hey, Anna!" I said cheerfully. She had a frown on her face and came up to us with her arms crossed.

"Can you believe this? Our grand opening is ruined!" she whined.

I desperately tried to hold back a laugh when I saw the look on her face, and I pursed my lips. "Aww, I saw. I'm so sorry, what happened is so...unfortunate." I turned to Queen who didn't seem interested in the conversation at all. "Don't you think so?"

"What?" She asked as she snapped out of her thoughts.

"What happened tonight...unfortunate right?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure of course." She smiled. The smile of course was fake. In my line of work, I had become an expert at smelling bullshit from a mile away. I still loved Queen though, she just needed to tell me the truth.

"Well I hope you still enjoyed your night," Anna said. "I have to go talk to the police about this crap. Toodles!" She waved as she walked away. 

"Toodles!" Queen and I mocked at the same time. We laughed as we realized we were thinking the same thing as I looked back at her. There was something going on, but she was still the same Queen that had become my friend in the short time I had known her. I wrapped my arms around her and she did the same thing with me as we kept each other warm and waited for the limo.

"I see the bitchiness now," Caspian said as he looked in Anna's direction.

"Finally," I muttered.

The car pulled up in front of us and the driver opened the door for us. Xavier and Caspian went in first and sat across Queen and me. They began having a conversation about funny moments from tonight and I turned to Queen.

Her head was laying on the window and she was looking out of it. I grabbed her hand that was in her lap and held it. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"This is the second time you've asked." She pointed out with a smile as she swung her head in my direction.

"And I'm going to keep asking until you're honest with me."

She looked at me silently for a long moment and then nodded. "Later." She turned back to the window and I laid my head on her shoulder.

I should've been scared of the things I now knew, but I couldn't help but feel comfortable around her. She didn't give me a threatening vibe. The only thing different about her now was her energy, it was a lot darker than before but it was still her.

I didn't know why I felt so close to her. I had friends, but never any real ones. Everyone I knew was fake or was trying to get closer to me for my money or husband.

When I met Queen I finally felt a calm and friendly presence that made me want to be around her. I felt the same type of energy with Xavier which explained why I liked him. Queen's was a much more warm and friendly type-I didn't want to kiss her or anything though, not that I wouldn't.

"We're here," Caspian said as he opened the door. Queen and I walked out first followed by the two boys. It was almost two a.m. and I was insanely tired. I was most definitely going to knock out after I had a little chat with Queen.

"Ohh." I moaned loudly as I removed my heels and tossed them aside in the foyer. Xavier picked up the shoes behind me and neatly took them to my room.

He was the absolute sweetest person ever. Caspian and I couldn't stop thinking about him after the night at the club. I was glad that we reached out to him to spend more time together. We had many threesomes before in the past, but Xavier was different. We wanted to get to know him more- we wanted more from him than just sex.

Queen walked to her room and closed the door behind her and I contemplated going to her...but before I could decide I heard footsteps from behind me. Caspian wrapped his arms around me and laid a kiss on my neck. "Hey baby."

I smiled and relaxed against him. "Sup bro," I teased.

He immediately let go of me and gently shoved me. "You're so weird."

I made a funny face and he shook his head as he softly laughed. I was always grateful that I met Caspian, he was the love of my life and I didn't know where I'd be without him. We had been together for years and had been through a lot more than we should have, but we made it together.

When we met I was a waitress and he was a struggling artist, but together we built an empire. Granted we had absolutely shitty moments that I'd love to forget, but I'd go through it all again if I had to.

"Kiss please."

He gave me a fake disgusted look but gave in to my request. His lips landed on mine quickly and he pulled away but I pulled him to me again and felt him smile against my lips. My tongue traced over his lip ring and he softly moaned as he pulled me closer to him. My hands moved along his toned torso and I felt my core ache.

Footsteps coming toward us broke us apart and I blushed as I saw Xavier walking into the living room and removing his jacket. Caspian looked at him with a small smile and I looked at him. He wouldn't admit it but I knew he liked Xavier. Maybe even more than I did. Caspian unlike me was less likely to reveal his true feelings about anyone though. He wasn't a secretive person but he was more guarded when it came to his feelings.

"I'm going to go shower," I said. I walked over to Xavier and planted a kiss on his lips and scurried away shyly. He made me a lot more nervous than expected. He was amazing, but whenever he looked at me or touched me I felt myself become unnerved.

That was a completely new experience for me because I was far from a shy person. Yet he managed to undo me quite often.

I quickly showered and threw on pajamas as I tied my blue hair into a ponytail. I walked back into my room to see Xavier knocked out in the bed and Caspian playing with his hair.

"Caspian, are you in love?" I asked with a gasp.

"Fuck off," he muttered.

I giggled and walked out of the room quietly. I knocked on Queen's door and when she said "Come in." I entered. I looked at her in the bed to see her wearing one of Caspian's shirts I had given her and a pair of shorts. She was hugging her knees and looking blankly at the TV.

"Hey," I said as I walked in and closed the door behind us.

"Hey, Cleo," she said.

I walked to the bed and she moved over to make space for me. I hopped onto the bed and she laughed softly as I squinted my eyes at her. "Tell me everything," I said.

"About what?" She asked.

I tilted my head at her. Really girl? "About what happened at the club. I know you had something to do with that guy's death."

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped as she let out a shocked breath. "How'd you know?"

I flipped my ponytail past my shoulders and looked at my nails. "High-class witch shit." She laughed at me and I smiled at her in return. "So what happened?" I asked as I sat up and faced her.

She sighed. "Well, he was the bartender at the club and he was flirting I guess, and asked me if I wanted to hang out. I agreed and on his break, he took me to the roof."I nodded and she took a deep breath and continued. "So he started acting weird and I just wanted to talk but he kept touching me." She closed her eyes and I reached out for her hand. "When I tried to leave he-...he pushed me against the wall and just-"

"It's okay." I said quickly. I didn't want her to have to go back tonight. "You don't need to continue, I get it." She gave me a soft smile and sighed. "I wish you did it differently," I said honestly, making her look down and nod sadly. "I wish you called me so I could've helped you murder his ass."

Queen burst out into laughter and I laughed along with her. She thought I was kidding but I was serious as hell. "Did you just push him off the building?"

"No. I told him to jump."

"And he just did it?" I asked in confusion.

"He didn't want to. He was trying to stop himself but it was like his body was listening to me instead of his mind." She said.

Compulsion.

I remembered learning about that in school a few years ago. "You compelled him."

"Oh," she said in awe. "Cool."

"You should do it to me," I said excitedly as I stood up from the bed.

"I can't control when it happens," she pouted. "I think it happens when my eyes turn red."

My smile dropped. "Your eyes turn red?" I asked as I sat down on the bed.

"Yeah," Queen said slowly.

"That only happens with like-... evil supernatural creatures. Like, ones originating from Hell."

Queen froze for a moment until she put her hand over her mouth to stop laughing.

"So now I'm evil too?" She asked with a giggle. She must've drunk more than I thought tonight. Her giggle became a full-on laugh as she looked at my expression and I couldn't help, but laugh along with her. "It's okay, I am too."

"Your eyes turn red and shit?" She asked.

"Yeah, they do."

"I want to see!" she said excitedly. I smiled and took a deep breath as I closed my eyes. When I opened them we locked eyes and hers widened in surprise. "How were you able to just do it so easily?"

"I learned how to." I shrugged.

"Wow," she whispered.

"I'll teach you how."

꧁꧂

The rest of the weekend went by quicker than any of us wanted it to. We spent time getting to know one another and by Sunday night, a bittersweet cloud was cast over us as Xavier and I packed our things.

Grabbing the last of my things and checking the room one more time, I rolled my luggage out to the living room. I laughed as I saw Cleo clinging to Xavier as he tried to stuff clothes into his bag. "I'll be back in a few days," he promised her. "I just have some things to take care of at the palace."

"You can leave." She shrugged, her arms still firmly wrapped around him.

"I can't tell." He laughed.

"Why are you taking everything?" She looked up at him and then at the suitcase he was closing.

"I'm taking what I brought...?" He said in confusion.

"Leave a damn toothbrush or something, asshole." She frowned as she pulled away from him and pointed to his things. "This makes it seem like you're never coming back."

"I'm coming back," he said. "I promise...both of you."

"Both of you?" Caspian spoke up. "Don't involve me in whatever is going on. I won't miss you at all."

"Right..." Xavier drawled. "We should get going." Xavier looked up at me and tilted his head for me to come over. "Are you ready to go home?"

Home?

"Yes...I'm going back to the villa," I replied, adjusting my purse on my hip.

"Why?"

Why do you think? "Xavier..." Come on now.

"Just come back to the palace, Queen," he said. "There are plenty of guest rooms if you want space from Syn, but you shouldn't be staying at that place alone."

I frowned. "Alone?" How did he know that I'd be alone? As far as he and everyone else knew, I was with my mother. "What do you mean alone?"

"Umm, when Cleo picked you up you were alone," he said.

"Oh." I nodded slowly. "...right."

"So come with me to the palace," he insisted. "Your clothes are still there anyway. It'd be a lot easier to relocate them to another room than to some house in the middle of nowhere."

I thought for a moment and sighed. He did have a point. If I admitted it to myself, the thought of being at the villa alone was pretty scary- scarier than some phantom chasing me through the dark halls of the palace. I did also miss Gen. I owed her an explanation after leaving the way I did. I only hoped she wasn't upset.

"Okay, I'll go with you," I gave in.

"Ughh," Cleo groaned as she made her way to me. "I'm going to miss you too...this sucks." She wrapped her arms around me and I gave her a tight squeeze.

"I'll call you," I said.

"You said that last time," she muttered with a small smile as she pulled away, "yet I didn't talk to you for a damn week."

"I said I was sorry."

"Don't be sorry," she sighed, "be better."

"Girl, please." She shoved my shoulder and I pursed my lips feigning pain.

"Cleo, make them a damn portal," Caspian said. "They don't want to be here with you anymore."

"I-..." She moved her hair behind her ear and looked toward him. "I know good and damn well I didn't hear you say shit."

"You heard me."

"If they're leaving because of anyone, it's you."

"I understand that." He nodded. "It is difficult to wake up every day and compete with such...raw beauty and talent."

"Aww." Cleo smiled as she batted her lashes. "Thank you."

"I was referring to myself," he said, making her smile drop. "But you're not so bad yourself, darling."

"Divorce." She clasped her hands together. "That's all I'm going to say."

"And that's our cue to leave," Xavier announced as he grinned at them. "Before this becomes another one of you guys' random arguments."

"You heard the man, woman!" Caspian teased. "Make the damn portal."

"You know what? I will." She nodded, clicking her tongue. "I don't want y'all to see me beat his ass. He's a screamer."

"True," Xavier agreed. I looked between them all and laughed at the small banter, but when Xavier's simple word of agreement with Cleo set in, my smile dropped.

"Eww." I shivered.

"They're lying, Queen. You've been here all weekend and if I were a screamer, you would've heard."

"Ahhh! I wanna leave." I covered my ears. I didn't care when or how they had sex, but I didn't want to know about it. They could've gone on letting me remain ignorant and at peace with what they were doing in their room while I was here. Now I was questioning every single noise I heard in the middle of the night.

With a laugh, Cleo created the portal to the palace and we all said our last goodbyes. Cleo's arms were wrapped around Xavier's neck as they shared a passionate and long kiss. Caspian shot me funny faces from behind them and I pursed my lips to keep from laughing-I didn't need to be the one to ruin their moment.

"Bye, Cleo," Xavier said to her as he pulled away.

She bit her lip as she looked away from him nervously and I laughed at her. I had no idea how she could be intimidated by Xavier, if anything, I'd think Caspian would be the more nerve-wracking one to face. Regardless, it was hilarious to see her act like she didn't care.

"Yeah umm..." she pat her chest, "bye dude." She punched his shoulder and turned away from him to face me with a terrified expression. She scurried to me with her eyes wide as she hugged me once again. "I just called him 'dude'."

"I heard," I whispered.

"That's so...humiliating." We looked at one another with a grimace as she pulled away and I laughed softly. She glanced at the portal before looking behind her. "Cas, say bye before they go."

Caspian crossed the living room space and gave me a large hug. "See you around, love," he said. "I'm glad you decided to come this weekend."

"Me too." I hugged him back.

Xavier walked towards us and I went to his side to go towards the portal. "What about Xavier?" Cleo asked him.

"Bye," he muttered to him, not meeting his eye.

"Umm, bye," Xavier said over his shoulder. He looked down at me and took my hand into his before squeezing it. "Ready?"

"Yeah, I-" Before I could finish my sentence, Caspian grabbed Xavier's shirt and tugged him away from the portal. His lips crashed onto his and my mouth dropped as they locked lips. Well, damn. Xavier still held my hand firmly during the kiss so I was forced to be close to their intimate moment, but I tried my hardest to look anywhere else. My eyes found Cleo who was silently laughing on the carpeted floor at my expression.

When Caspian pulled away, Xavier looked at him with a stunned expression. "Goodbye, Young," he said. He looked down at me and shot me a raised brow. "I'd give you a goodbye kiss as well, but Syn SinClaire is not an enemy I'm interested in acquiring."

don't scream!

Don't Scream!

DON'T FUCKING SCREAM!

"Ahhh! You're good!" I said nervously with a laugh, making him send a smirk my way. "Real charming, Caspian. I'm out of here."

He was hot as hell. Everyone in Juva knew it. I didn't want him, but he was the type of person that radiated the aura and magnificence of a freaking rockstar. That along with his voice made everything he said hot for no reason at all.

He knew that...and he abused the hell out of it. I mean, who wouldn't?!

I walked into the portal with Xavier, shaking my head at Caspian's laugh from behind us and we stepped onto the stone-paved driveway of the palace. I looked up at the large white ethereal castle and blew out a small breath. The things that hid in the shadows of the beautiful halls were unknown to the tourists that admired the building from behind the gates. They were unknown to me when I got here, but now they were a reality.

It wasn't all bad though...Syn was here.

"Are you glad to be back?" Xavier asked.

"Of course." I nodded.

He helped me take my things into a guest room not far from his and Syn's. I suggested moving back into the room that I was in when I first arrived, but he for some reason would not consider the idea. He insisted that this room was the best, and I gave in after little temptation.

After getting settled, I made my way to Syn's bedroom. He offered to help me move my things, but I politely declined. He looked like he needed sleep and besides, I may have broken down after going into the room after all this time and I did not need him to see that ugly mess.

"If you need company or anything, feel free to come to my room." He yawned. "I'll be up for a while."

"Xavier, Cleo, and Cas aren't here. It's seven, you can go to sleep early this once." I smiled.

"I'm not tired," he said as he walked back to his room. "Enjoy your packing or whatever. Take your time, you have a few days. Syn is in Hell with James."

"Alright, thanks."

He disappeared into his room and with his departure and confirmation of Syn being gone, I pushed open his door. I was hit with the same familiarity as when I stayed here before. It was exactly the same as it was when I left. I wasn't sure if I expected him to have some huge breakup change, but I guess it had only been a week.

It was just that nothing had changed. The book I was in the middle of reading was still laying on his nightstand along with a couple of scrunchies beside it. The teddy bears from our first date were still laying in the corner of the room untouched and my jacket was still laying over the chair at his table.

He must have left right after I did, because as mad as he was, I was surprised my things weren't destroyed or at the very least packed away. My eyes watered at the normality of the room, but I held back tears as I headed toward the closet.

Just like the rest of the room, it was untouched.

Pushing away the build of emotions threatening to spill out, I tied my hair up and walked towards my side of the closet. Handfuls at a time without care of wrinkling my things, I stuffed them into the empty suitcases. Every single thing I had brought into the room was thrown into the luggage that I brought into this place. I didn't even give myself time to think about packing the things Syn gave me, I left them where they were when I first walked in.

After an hour of numb and mindless moving, I plopped myself at the edge of his bed tiredly. I blew a strand of hair out of my face as I gazed at my things and I looked around the room.

"It was nice while it lasted..." I sighed. Realizing the weight of my statement, my eyes began to sting with tears all over again and I shook my head. "Nope, we're done. No crying."

I stood up and marched towards my items with a purpose. I couldn't spend another second in this place- the constant smell of his cologne in the air and the fleeting memories flashing through my mind when I looked at anything in here was suffocating.

But I guess that's how things were with someone as magnifying as Syn. He just pulled people in until you couldn't breathe without him around. Well...as true as that was, I was out. A part of me should've been thankful for that. I didn't get sucked into the entire idea of him.

Sure, I fell in love...but that was over now.

I was out.

The universe though, as intelligent as my mind was being in the moment, had other plans. Maybe a penance for all the sins I've committed, but they obviously wouldn't let me get off that easy.

HE wouldn't let me get off that easy.

My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I took a shaky breath as I stared at the notification from Syn:

Syn: I'll forgive you...under one condition.
8:57 p.m.

...and just like that, I was sucked right back into the toxic black hole that was Syn SinClaire.