Dark Wolfe

14- Amethyst is the swear word

(Song of the chapter: 'No Control' - One Direction)

AVALON

I finally found my brother. He was outside the double doors, leaning against a porch railing that overlooked a quite expansive backyard. People ran around the yard, giggling like school girls and opening their mouths wide to catch the liquid coming from the lawn sprinklers. The champagne sprinklers, I was guessing.

He wasn't alone. A blonde-haired girl with big boobs was attached to his side, stroking his arm and cooing sweet nothings into his ear.

Archer didn't even seem to notice her. He was watching the party-goers frolicking about with a distant expression on his face.

I decided to step in and save my brother. I walked over to them and cleared my throat.

"You're in my spot," I told the blonde when she turned to face me.

Her face curdled like milk. "Hey, back off! I was here first!"

My stomach turned in disgust. The only thing worse than having my brother treated like some hot commodity was having some stranger be under the misconception that I, too, wanted in on the action.

"Eww. No. Just, no." I shook my head, my hair bouncing against my cheeks.

"This is a family matter, blondie, not whatever you're thinking. Now leave my cousin to me. I need to talk to him."

Some of the feral light died in her eyes, but she didn't budge an inch.

"No, you can talk to him later. He's mine right now," she whined, gripping his arm tighter.

Archer still wasn't paying any attention – to either of us. I sighed. Time for a change of plans.

I reached into his mind and dialed up the volume on my thoughts.

ARCHER!!!

He jolted, finally alert. I watched as he turned and noticed me standing there for the first time. He blinked twice, as if wondering whether I was actually there or just a figment of his imagination.

I waved my solo cup at him.

Blondie, too, realized that Archer was finally present. "Hey, wanna get out of here?" she crooned sultrily.

I grimaced. I'd need to get pretty drunk to wipe the scene – and the insinuation – from my brain.

"I'm still here, ya know?" I protested, cringing.

Archer faced the girl, surveyed her from top to bottom, then firmly pried her fingers from his arm.

"Not interested."

She retracted, gasping in indignation. "Whatever."

She dramatically tossed her hair and sashayed away, looking back once to see if Archer was watching her go.

He wasn't. He was staring at me like I was a petunia in a bed of full of daisies. One of those things clearly was not like the other.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in obvious confusion.

"I was invited." I sipped my drink casually, like I got invited to college parties all the time and it wasn't my first time drinking alcohol.

"Why are you here?" I asked him, moving to lean by his side against the rail.

He shrugged. "Same reason, I guess."

"No, I mean, why are you here here? You look like you're hiding," I observed.