Blood Rose

21

"Just do any color, I don't care." I muttered, making Alessandra laugh. Ever since I was woken up at eleven Alessandra has been making me get ready for the ceremony tonight. She had just finished her makeup to go with her own fiery dress and now she was working on me, figuring out I had no experience. What can I say? I loved the freedom my skin had without having a layer painted over my pores.

"Fine, I guess that'll work because it brings out the highlights of gold in your dress and it matches Fox's colors."

"Oh shit, I didn't even think about telling him the right color to get for his tie."

"Don't sweat it, I already picked his tie out to match your dress and it also goes with our house colors."

"You have house colors?" She picked up a palette and brush.

"You don't need foundation, your skin is clear. I'm just going to do contour and bronzer." She started applying makeup to my cheekbones and I cringed. "Have you noticed out traditional this pack is? The titles have house colors that reflect their abilities." I watched her pick up more product and go at my temples. "The Alpha family is a chorus of oranges, yellows, reds, and gold. They're usually all combined for events to create the literal illusion of fire. The Beta family does the same with blues, whites, turquoises, and silver. Deltas whites and greys, Gammas usually go for greens."

"Ah, so my dress is to match the fire family."

"You a part of it now, you have to start wearing the colors."

"So what color is my eye shadow gonna be then? Did you decide yet?"

"Maroon. We're going to maintain the darkness around your eyes to reflect your strength and boldness."

"Is that a thing?"

"Maybe, just close your eyes. We only have so much time."

•

After my dress was on and my hair was done half pulled back in loose curls, I stood in front of the mirror nervously look everything over. The top cut off high and had a deep neck line that stopped after going a bit past my boobs. The fabric went around the cup of my boobs and to my shoulders, coming into a long sleeve of continued lace. A small black belt wrapped under the end of the neckline and parts of lace flooded into the skirt, stopping after a couple inches as it faded. The black fabric continued down until oranges, reds, yellows, and gold bits flared into the color to create the fire effect. It was like I was walking on fire when I moved, the skirt flared out and moving around to make the fire crackle. Elegant and strength. Too elegant for me though.

"You look stunning. The eyes really go with the dress too, they're like a red-black it's so amazing."

"Well you did it." I turned around to look at Alessandra, her dress equal in length but the top of her dress leaked small bits of fire, not even close in size of the flames on my skirt. Her hair was pulled up in a complicated bun to show off many fancy earrings.

"I'm going to find Nicholai, he's probably lost. Fox is supposed to come meet you here any second and you'll be escorted out to the ceremony hall."

"Okay." I was still confused as to why we had to travel to the venue separately, but I wasn't about to start asking questions. "And I can smell the difference in your scent, Naomi. Finally got the job done, eh?" She nudged me with a smirk and I widened my eyes.

"I'd prefer to not speak about it." I spoke curtly in embarrassment.

"Ooh, he wasn't good?" My cheeks flushed and I gave her an incredulous look.

"I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about wanting privacy over it!" She smirked at me. "And isn't he your brother? Why the hell would you want to know?" She raised her eyebrows and shrugged.