Conquest Of The Fallen: Dark Dominions

RAFEL'S PLAN TO GET CORAZÓN was a party.

He recalled the invite he'd gotten from the bricked baller two days before at the gym. The flyer was still in his beside drawer, and Rafel promptly fished it out and handed it to his friends. "This guys, this is our way to get Cora over. A fellow player at the courts handed me this. I suppose it's an invite to some kind of night rager. And it's happening tomorrow.

We need to be at that party, and Cora needs to be there too."

Mikhail warily eyed the black flyer. "Why wasn't I invited?"

"I was," Ravenna jumped in, "if that helps."

Rosamunde said, "I was too. I think the hosts favor those of Raven Arc. We aren't called the Goth troop for nothing. Everyone knows Raven Blacks bring the life—and death—to the party. This is the first rager of the school year. Their party has to be lit."

Mikhail rolled his eyes. "And pray tell, Miss Spears; who are these hosts?"

"Personally, I agree with Rosa. The Ravens do host the darkest and raunchiest parties," blonde haired Percival added, "at least better than Pegasus blue," he taunted. Mikhail made a face and soft growl at him. "Your faction isn't better than mine. It's all smoke and mirrors in Griffin Gold. All YOU GUYS care about is your tan, and fucking flowers."

"Boys please!" Ravenna admonished. She grabbed the flyer out of Mikhail's hand and pointed to the spot of an S-shaped Hellenic alphabet. "To answer your question, Mik, THAT is the party host."

Mikhail's eyes rounded. "HOLY SHIT! SIGMA HOUSE? How didn't I notice that before? Fuck me!"

Rafel rubbed his temples with a sigh. "Romanov, mind telling the rest of us killjoys what this Sigma House is?"

"Uh, only like the greatest party planners in fuckin' history!" Mikhail answered in slight frustration. "Are you kidding me right now, guys? As the saying goes, there's no rave like a sigma rave! Of course, the liveliest rager of the school year will be hosted by them. I have to be there YESTERDAY. And to think, Israfel that you wouldn't have showed us this if not for your beloved brained-out CORA?"

"She's not brained-out!" Rafel fired.

"I'm sorry I said that." Mikhail apologized. "Either way, a Sigma House party is the party to be at. It features the sexiest hotbloods on campus. . ."

"Frat boys, you mean," Aya Naamah cut in.

"Macho men!" Rosa added in a tight smile.

"Rapists!" Brunhilda asserted quietly, and every one on the table turned to her.

"Hell nah!" Mikhail broke the silence. "BOYS! I mean boys. You can't blame them for being teens and hitting on girls. If you hate them so much, then don't come. You'll only fuck up our stuff anyway.

But if Rafel was given a honorary invite, that means, Sigma House is considering him for their most notable, secret induction.

Freaking Sigma! Aww man, I'm so green right now. I wish I got a chance."

At that moment, Erika was passing by their table, heading off from the dining hall. Her catty eyes lowered on the black rave flyer and she smiled so sweetly, Ravenna's eyes hurt. "Oh, you got one. I got one too! One of the few in my Arc to be invited. Griffins are not popular with the goth club.

See you there, Israfel!"

And she sashayed away, wiggling her tiny waist like the sway of a flag.

"Right! Just what we need!" Percival scoffed. "But if this party is so exclusive, how the hell are we going to get in without invites?"

"You don't need one," said Rafel. "You're with me."

The girls at the table smiled. "You know that is supposed to sound condescending, but coming from him, it doesn't," Mikhail smiled too. "I guess we're going to a party!"

This conversation was ten hours ago.

[🎶 Gagnam Style – PSY]

Sigma House was a fine and small white villa a block off the street for the three student Halls. It was owned proprietarily by the quote-unquote, all the hot boys on campus. The decorations for the rave were flirty and brazen. A fully nude sculpture of a nymph stood on the yard opening into the porch.

Several boys on the House's stone patio above pointed at the cream breasts made of whitestone but so realistic.

Rosamunde walked up the red carpet flowing out the open doors, eyeing the [Nereid] statue warily.

"Oh, quit with the judgement, Rosa!" Mikhail raised his voice to be heard above the din of club music as they walked in. "Boys will be boys. What did you expect of a frat house party? We all need something to look at, including you, Rosa. Is that a grin I spy on your face for Israfel?" Find your next read on m_v l|e'm-p| y r

The girl blushed as Rafel made contact with them.

Rosa whispered just before he got near. They we're leaning against a bar with a full wine deck behind. Expensive whiskey bottles sparkled under the strobe lights. "I mean guys at campus are pretty good-looking but this, this is next level Adonis-type hot!"

"So you do have a crush on him?"

"Quiet!" Rosa hushed Mikhail out just as Rafel reached them.

The blinking neon turned his red hair deeper, kind of like crimson gold. He stood a head taller than most in the room. This was just the vestibule of Sigma House and the main area. The lobby was a mix of dancing bodies on the floor. Hands were raised, flesh merging and teasing; just the fine line between morality and lust. Rafel took Rosa's side and watched Ravenna go at it with Aya on the dance floor.

Blending in was the plan.

...and with Aya twerking her spandex-clad butt into Ravenna's front, they were blending in impeccably.

No one had even noticed the others walk in without invites. The mere mention of Rafel's name, the man with a roaring fan club ever since hospitalizing Olivar at the Guild, was enough to move the frat boy bouncers aside.

"You think she'll be here?" Rafel leaned into Rosa, inhaling her hair oil as they stared up at the girl drunkenly dragging two hunky jocks up the silver staircase to the upper storeys—where the more private rooms were situated.

"Aside the many bad decisions that'll be made here tonight—" Mikhail winked at the [BBG] throuple, "yes, my liege. I think Cora will be here. She'll be at her wit's end before she misses all these..." He stretched his hand to the eclectic dance floor. "...look at this: it's the party of the century! Not to mention, from what you told us, she is a Raven Arc member.

The macabre theme of the rave is right up her alley."

Rosa shook her head at Mikhail.

"She'll be here," he finished. "I properly slipped the flyer under her dorm room door."

Rafel had given his invite to Cora.

Just then, the dark doors of the stately villa swept open, its purr carrying on the cool wind. In came a very striking platinum blonde. Her pants fit about gazelle legs and thighs that could only belong to a woman. She had a model's figure. And like Athena the goddess, she carried herself well in it. Her fierce alligator boots and black jacket had the boys stares hitting the floor just as they looked.

But they still looked.

It was impossible not to.

But in all her seductive allure, it was her soft ocean eyes that appealed to Rafel.

"There she is," he whispered, "my Corazón."

"Oh, I see the appeal!" Mikhail taunted.

—but Rafel wasn't listening. Whatever it took, a mystical painting or not, he would make her remember. He would make her remember him.

Rafel turned to the bar and ordered two shots of fine brandy.