Chapter 119- Jealousy & Shots
Chapter Seventeen - Jealousy & Shots
Nyxaria POV
The party was already a living wildfire by the time we arrived.
Lanterns floated in spirals above the Moonglade courtyard, painting the marble in shades of silver and blue. Music pulsed through the air, bass heavy drums, and strings that shimmered like light through water. Students swayed, laughed, and shouted over the chaos. It smelled like moonwine, smoke, and temptation.
And I loved every second of it.
Lyri was still clutching the edge of her shawl like it might protect her from social interaction. I elbowed her gently. “Relax, sister. No one’s going to bite.”
"Not unless you ask nicely," Vhalra, my dragon, murmured in my mind.
“Quiet,” I muttered.
Lyri gave me a side eye. “Talking to yourself again?”
“Talking to someone much hotter.”
Vhalra purred, amused. "Obviously me."
We stepped into the courtyard together, all eight of us girls glittering under the floating lights. Heads turned instantly. The scent of perfume and dragonfire followed us like a comet tail. Mae waved at a few mages by the fountain. Azara was already flirting with two wolf guards. Seren rolled her eyes so hard I thought they’d stick.
But me? My eyes went straight to them. Lucen and Rhaen Velmira.
Golden amber eyes. Black hair. Wolf vampire hybrids built like sin itself. Every movement radiated lazy confidence, the kind that made people step aside without realizing they had.
They were exactly where I expected them to be, at the center of attention.
Lucen lounged against the balcony rail, his shirt half unbuttoned, and a blonde with ridiculous curves practically glued to his side. She laughed too loudly, touching his chest like she owned it. He smirked down at her, his sharp fangs flashing just enough to make her blush.
Rhaen stood a few feet away, one arm slung around another blonde who looked like she’d been conjured from a brothel catalog. Her dress was more neckline than fabric. He whispered something in her ear that made her giggle and press closer.
Disgust and something hotter curled in my stomach.
Lyri noticed too. I felt her stiffen beside me.
“Of course they’re here,” she muttered. “And of course they’re surrounded.”
“Of course they are,” I said. “They’re walking pheromones with fangs.”
Vhalra hissed softly in my head. "Their scent burns. They know, Nyxaria. They just don’t understand what it means yet."
"Good," I shot back. "Let them stew in it."
Lucen’s gaze flicked toward us then, just for a heartbeat. Amber eyes locking with mine across the courtyard.
The world slowed.
It was like the air itself drew in a breath. My pulse stuttered, and heat crawled under my skin. His pupils dilated, barely, but enough that my dragon growled softly in approval.
"He feels it."
Then he blinked, and the smirk returned, lazy and cruel. He looked away first.
Typical.
“Did you see that?” Mae whispered.
“Oh, I saw it,” Azara said, her eyes gleaming. “He looked at her like she was dessert.”
Lyri elbowed me. “Ignore them. Let’s just get a drink.”
“Gladly.”
We made our way to the drink table where enchanted glasses refilled themselves with glowing shots. I grabbed one, sniffed it, and grimaced. “What is this, fermented starlight?”
Maeve snickered. “Exactly that. It’ll kick like a chimera.”
“Perfect.” I downed it in one go.
Lyri followed suit, wincing as it burned down her throat. “Stars, that’s awful.”
“Another?”
She hesitated. Then grinned. “Another.”
Ten minutes later, we’d both had three shots each. Seren was laughing at something Saphira said, and Kerra had already vanished into the crowd, probably dancing on a table.
I felt warm, light, and alive. My dragon purred contentedly beneath my skin, humming along to the rhythm of the drums.
"Dance," Vhalra whispered. "Let them see what they threw away before they even knew they had it."
“Oh, I plan to,” I said aloud.
Lyri blinked. “You plan to what?”
“Make some mistakes.”
“Nyx....”
But I was already walking toward the dance floor.
The music shifted to something low and wild. Bodies moved in sync, and magic was flaring in pulses that matched the beat. I slid into the crowd, my hips swaying, letting my magic spark faintly through the air. A tall, handsome mage grinned and joined me, his silver eyes bright under the lights. He spun me once, his hand settling at my waist.
“Didn’t think the royal twins knew how to dance,” he said, grinning.
“Didn’t think mages could keep rhythm,” I shot back.
He laughed, pulling me closer.
Lyri was nearby, dancing with a fae boy from House Sylvendril, her silver and blue hair glowing as she moved. The crowd cheered as she twirled. She actually looked happy.
And then I felt it. That familiar burn. A predator’s stare. I looked up, and found Lucen watching me.
The blonde on his arm was talking, but he wasn’t listening. His eyes were fixed on me, unblinking, dark with something sharp and possessive.
Vhalra hissed in satisfaction. "He knows."
"Then why doesn’t he move?"
"Because he’s scared. Because he’s still a boy playing at being a god."
I smiled sweetly and deliberately turned back to my dance partner, pressing closer just to make my point.
Across the floor, Rhaen had gone still too. His gaze was locked on Lyrielle, and I saw his jaw tighten when her fae partner brushed a hand down her arm.
Oh, this was fun.
“They look like they're about to start a war,” I murmured under my breath.
Lyri’s voice came faint and amused through our twin-bond. "Good."
I grinned wickedly.
The song shifted again, the rhythm faster now. My dragon rose with it, energy coiling in my chest. The mage laughed as I spun under his arm, magic crackling between us.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucen’s glass shatter in his hand.
Oops.
"Vhalra, stop purring," I warned.
"Can’t. He’s fuming. It’s delicious."
Rhaen was worse. He’d pushed off the wall and was stalking through the crowd, still pretending to listen to the blonde clinging to his arm. Lyri caught his gaze, her smile faltering just a fraction.
The air between them crackled.
Our dragons hummed in unison, a twin resonance that made the lights flicker. The music stuttered for half a second before resuming, louder.
Vhalra’s voice softened. "They’re fighting it. But the bond’s awake now. They’ll dream of you both tonight."
"Good. Let them suffer."
"You sound like me."
"Maybe you’re finally rubbing off."
I laughed under my breath and let the mage dip me low, purely because I could. Lucen’s jaw clenched so tight I thought I heard it crack.
Lyri twirled nearby, laughing as her partner spun her again, her silver dress catching every glint of moonlight. She looked radiant, wild and free.
But then her gaze flicked toward Rhaen, and the laughter died on her lips.
The bond tugged. Hard.
I felt it too, deep in my gut, our shared blood, our dragons roaring in answer.
"They’re close," Vhalra hissed. "Their instincts are screaming. They don’t understand it yet, but soon they will."
Lyri caught my eye. We both felt it. The world was shifting under our feet.
The twins froze. Rhaen’s golden gaze flicked between us, confusion and something darker swirling in his aura. Lucen tilted his head like he was hearing a sound no one else could.
The crowd danced around them, oblivious. But I could feel it...the pull, the magnetic hum that vibrated through the air between us.
"Mate recognition," Vhalra whispered. "Half awakened. It’s starting."
My heart thudded once, hard.
Lucen blinked, breaking the moment, and turned deliberately away, muttering something to his date.
Coward.
Lyri rolled her eyes across the floor at me. "Typical Velmira bullshit."
"Exactly."
I downed another glowing shot from a passing tray, warmth flooding through my chest. “Fine,” I muttered. “If they want to play, we’ll play.”
Vhalra purred. "Make them burn, my chaos child."
I smiled wickedly. “Oh, I plan to.”
Lyrielle laughed softly, catching my energy, her own dragon Seiryn rising inside her. Together we moved back into the crowd, lavender and teal blurring under the lights.
From across the courtyard, two sets of golden eyes tracked our every motion, their owners pretending not to notice as the first threads of fate wrapped tightly around their throats.