Figment of Dreams - The Skylar Rains Series I

I was shown around campus, still impressed with the otherworldly elegance everywhere. From the fanciest classrooms I’d ever seen to the state-of-the-art library and food court.

People stared at me—sometimes hostilely—so I clung to Kai’s arm for dear life. Just as we finished admiring the main dining area, we ran into the Briareve twins.

I was still figuring out why they were here; they didn’t seem young enough for college. That soon became clear.

"Miss Elmrose, nice to see you again. Welkin," the dark-haired twin, Oak, greeted, kissing my hand and shaking Kai’s.

His white-haired twin winked brazenly at me, nodding at Kai. Their blazers read “Professor Briareve.” They were professors, after all.

"Have you gotten your schedule yet?" Ash asked warmly. I nodded, digging it out of my bag. “They gave me an adapted schedule since I’m missing a lot.”

Ash and Oak shared a look and smiled. "Seems we’ll be seeing a lot of each other, Miss Elmrose," Oak added with a genuine smile.

Kai stiffened beside me, not as pleased. Ash continued, “It’s rare to interact with humans. My Paramore brothers got to go to Earth, but my brother and I missed that chance.”

He winked again. Or did he have something in his eye? He turned to chat with a passing student, signaling the conversation’s end.

Kai took my arm, guiding me toward the dorms. “Everyone stays on campus. The Paramores can stay at home and come for classes, but Jax and I thought we’d stay on campus to fit in. Still, we’d rather you stay with the Skylars or at my place.”

I slapped his arm away, annoyed. “Are you kidding? You know I was looking forward to college life, dorms and all. I want to stay here on campus.”

Kai reached out, tugging my pouting lip gently with a laugh. “You’re going to be the end of me, you know that, right?”

"Good," I replied. “I’m staying here.”

Kai rolled his eyes. "Jax is going to kill us both when he finds out."

“That’s on him. I already stand out enough as the only human. Staying here might help me blend in a little better.”

Kai sighed. “You’re right.”

“Of course I am. When will you learn?”

He pulled me into a hug with a grunt. “So, what do you want to do? Classes don’t start till tomorrow.”

I shrugged. “I still have everything to explore. Do you guys have movie theaters, malls—normal things—or is it all weird forests and lavish schools?”

He laughed. “We have everything you could want. I know just the place.”

Kai spent the afternoon showing me Rivellin City’s quaint town square. White pebble streets, cozy red-roofed houses, and then, in the heart of the city, towering skyscrapers and neon-lit nightlife spots.

With some help from Maddox, I finally secured a dorm room. I’d be sharing with Skylark Briareve, the twins’ younger sister.

As I rolled my luggage into our room, I spotted the family resemblance: Skylark had Ash’s long white hair and Oak’s cobalt-blue eyes. She had a tattoo on her wrist, was dressed in a low-cut top and jean shorts, and wore white sneakers.

“You must be Lux!” she squealed, hugging me tightly. She smelled of rosemary and lemons.

She grabbed my heavy bag effortlessly, swinging it onto my bed. Our room was a mix of white and pink, with a luxurious bathroom on the right and a dressing room on the left. There was also a cozy living area with a big TV, some chairs, and a small terrace overlooking the forest. They sure liked their forest views here.

“Ready for the welcome party?” Skylark asked, waggling her eyebrows.

“Kai mentioned it, but I’m not sure. I’ve heard Rainers won’t be so welcoming.”

“Girl, you’ve got Kai, Jax, and me. Nobody’s laying a finger on you!” She pointed at me and winked. What was it with these Briareves and winking?

“Kai’s not my boyfriend.”

“He isn’t?” She sounded genuinely surprised.

“No, he’s my best friend. Maybe a little more, but we haven’t defined it.”

“Too bad. You two would make a great couple.” She winked again. “Now get your ass in the shower and get ready for the night of your life, girlfriend!”

She playfully swatted my backside, pushing me toward the bathroom. I already knew Skylark would be a good friend. I hadn’t felt this comfortable with anyone since Jax.

As I put on my earrings, there was a knock.

“I’ll get it!” Skylark called, sprinting in heels somehow.

“Hey, Sky,” Kai said. “I’m looking for my girl. She in there?”

I blushed. My girl.

Skylark let him in, and he joined me at the vanity, hugging me from behind and kissing my neck. “You look amazing.”

He whispered while kissing a trail from my ear to my lower neck, making my body squirm in all the right places. He was wearing that dark blue shirt I loved so much.

“Thank you.” I glanced in the mirror, really liking my little yellow dress. It was bodycon and a little tighter than I’d like, but with no choice in all the clothes I now owned, I figured beggars can’t be choosers, right?

I turned around as soon as my earring was in place and kissed him lightly on the lips, grabbing my purse from the countertop.

As I was passing Skylark, she whispered, “Yeah, not your boyfriend, right…” while rolling her eyes.

I playfully slapped her on the upper arm and grabbed Kai’s hand as we walked out together, joking about the campus, while they told me a few funny stories about their childhoods.

Skylark had indeed grown up with the Welkins. It appears Kai had also spent a good amount of time with the Briareve twins.

I also learned that Kai used to be best friends with that douche canoe, Sebastian Barrington. They had a falling out, and ever since Kai came to earth, they’d had no contact.

Because Jax and his twin brothers had grown up on Earth, he was kind of the odd one out among the Paramores and didn’t share any real connection to his Paramore brothers like the others did. Sebastian had three younger brothers who also attended this academy. I wondered if they were as unhappy as he was.

The welcome party was in the courtyard near the forest, at the back of the Academy. It was called “The Broom” and was one of three open-air nightclubs in the city. The only one on campus, actually; the other two were in the city center, according to Sky.

It looked like a midnight summer’s dream, with candles and wishing wells. Birds and butterflies in the brightest colors flew around our heads, and there were canapés and fancy drinks served by waiters in black suits. No expense had been spared.

A beautiful girl in a tight lavender dress, with long, dark brown, straight hair that fell to her hips, came our way with two drinks in her hand. She had bright blue eyes, dimples in her cheeks, and she was heading for Kai.

I felt a pang of jealousy. She was so beautiful; I looked like dirt compared to her.

“Brother!” she yelped. I felt stupid. Of course, she was his sister. They looked so much alike it was uncanny.

Kai hugged her tightly. “Little sister!” he chirped.

She handed one of her drinks to Skylark, who happily accepted it and kissed her on the cheek in welcome. Melixes let go of Kai, and I was expecting the same warm welcome she’d given my two companions, but instead, she scowled at me.

“This is her?” she said icily, her eyes roaming over my body, her nose crinkling in disgust.

Kai pretended not to notice her tone, but Skylark did. Together they said:

“This is Lux.”

I sheepishly waved at her. “Nice to meet you, Melixes,” ignoring her disapproval.

She eyed me up and down again. “I guess so.”

“Melixes!” Skylark piped up. “What is wrong with you?”

Kai was baffled by his little sister’s tone; I could tell by the way his eyebrows shot up.

“Lux has been through quite a journey after everything that happened on Earth. I was hoping you girls could help her around campus when Jax and I are in other classes. I’ve seen the three of you will have a lot of the same ones,” Kai added casually, shifting the subject.

Melixes kept staring at me, that smirk never leaving her lips. “Oh come on now, big brother, I’m not sure she’ll want to hang with my crowd.”

“I’m in your crowd!” Skylark squeaked, flipping her long white mane over her other shoulder. This time, she was more agitated than surprised. I was really liking her.

I hadn’t noticed that Melixes had company. Behind her, Sebastian Barrington wrapped an arm around her waist. He wore a flamboyant Bordeaux two-piece suit with no shirt, showing off tattoos that climbed up his neck, along with a couple of gold chains and a giant gold ring on his right index finger.

He kissed her cheek softly. Kai instantly tensed up, and Skylark rolled her eyes, clearly not liking them as a couple, which was obvious now.

“The little human wants to have a drink with us?” Sebastian’s English accent drawled mockingly as he handed me a cocktail. I took it without thinking, but Kai took it from my hands and tossed it over his shoulder. I shot him an appalled look, and he gave me one back that stopped me in my tracks. He wasn’t kidding.

“Sebastian, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t give my girl a drink that’s too intense for her right now.” I was confused, but Skylark noticed and whispered softly, “It was a Fae drink. It’s got stuff in it that humans will instantly black out from. Or do other stuff….”

Ice-cold fear went through me. He was trying to drug me?

“You see, little human…” Melixes sneered, mimicking Sebastian. “You won’t be able to hang with my crowd. Come on, Sky, let’s find other company. Brother, I hope you come to your senses.”

With a dramatic flip of her hair, she turned her back on us and stalked away. Skylark protested as she followed, sheepishly turning back to mouth, “I’m sorry.”

Sebastian kept staring at me. “This is going to be an interesting year for you, little human.” Goosebumps prickled my skin. His rude, intense gaze was under my skin already, his attention on me like burning daggers.

He took a final drag of his cigarette, puffed the smoke in my face, and dropped the butt at my feet. I just stared at it as if it would spring up and burn my face off.

Kai stood rooted to the spot, clearly not expecting his sister to be the first one to give me trouble. “Are you okay?” he sighed tiredly and turned to me, pulling me against him.

I felt like a ragdoll, frozen from that exchange. “My sister just needs time,” he added. I looked up and nodded. “It’s fine. I can handle it.”

I wasn’t so sure, but Kai didn’t need anything else to worry about. “Besides, Skylark seems cool. She has my back.”

Kai nodded. “She’s fantastic. I’m grateful for her. She’s always been a good influence on my sister. I guess the year I spent on Earth didn’t do much good for my little sis.”

“Melixes and Sebastian never went to Earth? How come?” I’d figured that out last night.

“That’s a long story… I’ll tell you some other time. For now, let’s have some human-friendly cocktails and have fun, okay?” He kissed my nose and led me to the cocktail table. My eye fell on a purple one that smoked. “Is that one doable for me?” Kai took a sip. “Yes, this one will work.” He handed it to me and grabbed a black one for himself.

The night continued. I spotted Jax and the Briareve twins on the side of the dancefloor, hanging back and scowling at the dancers.

Of course, they wouldn’t be dancing.

Kai and I, however, tore up the dancefloor. I felt happy, finally letting go of the horrors of the past few weeks.

Exhausted and out of breath, I ran to a chair on the edge of the dancefloor. Kai was still going strong with Skylark, who had ditched Melixes and Sebastian. I knew I liked her.

Kai turned to keep an eye on me, but I had no intention of moving anytime soon.

I smelled Jax before I saw him. He took the seat next to me. “How’s it going?” Oh, now he speaks to me. Go figure.

I shrugged. “Besides almost getting drugged by that Sebastian dude and losing my nose to Kai’s sister? It was a fun night.”

Jax growled. “He did WHAT?” He sprang up, frantically searching the dancefloor for Melixes and Sebastian, but they had just left for more drinks. “He is going to fucking die,” he said through clenched teeth and fists.

“Relax, Jax. Kai handled it. Sit your ass down!” I patted his chair and glared at him. He ignored me, scanning the crowd for his target. I rolled my eyes. Go on, then, for fuck’s sake. He never listened to me anyway.

“What’s got him so riled up?” Beside me, Ash took a chair, sitting with the back to the front, casually sipping from a pint he held toward Jax.

Oak was there too and slapped Jax’s back, murmuring something in his ear. I saw Jax answer in angry, hushed syllables. They were speaking Mons.

“Oh, you know…just some testosterone issues.”

Ash chuckled. “That’s Jaxon Skylar for you.”

“You have no idea,” I joked back. “So professors are allowed to drink at parties here? What a vibe.”

He tilted his head back and let out a booming laugh, his man-bun nearly coming undone. “You fucking humans with your weird little rules. We don’t have that kind of bullshit here.”

“Apparently.”

I was about to ask what he was drinking when I heard commotion.

Oh God, here we go.

Jax had spotted Sebastian and was barreling his way toward him through the dancefloor, pushing aside everyone in his path. Oak had his back, and I saw Kai moving toward the scene. They would handle it.

“Well, look at that. That’s about to be a fun watch.” Ash adjusted his jacket with a sinister smile as if he was going to enjoy the show.

“I think you and I have different definitions of fun.” I felt embarrassed for riling Jax up. I shouldn’t have told him, but a small part of me liked that he cared. It was almost like having my old Jax back—my best friend who would never let anyone mess with me.

“Sebastian can be a little punk sometimes. A good beating would do him some good.”

As he noticed my shocked expression, he added, “You can add that to my bad-teacher resume, sweetheart.” He ran a giant hand through his white hair, and his man-bun came undone, smirking devilishly. Damn, he was good-looking.

I was about to respond, but Skylark appeared beside me unexpectedly. “I’m about done with this stupid party. Are you ready to go back to our dorm?” she asked, glancing at Ash.

“Hey, brother. You still here? I thought you hated these things.”

“Yeah, but I found myself some interesting company who is shocked at everything I do.” He winked at me.

“I’m not shocked at everything,” I quipped.

“Whatever you say, sweet cheeks.” He sipped his drink, smiling slightly, and looked intently at the fight on the dancefloor, though he didn’t seem to be paying full attention.

I rolled my eyes and glanced at Skylark. “Yeah, let’s go. I need to say goodbye to Kai, though.”

“Well, he and Jax are busy giving it to Seb and Mel right now,” she said, her eyes glancing to the dancefloor.

Kai was holding back Melixes, who was furiously yelling at Jax, while Oak had Jax restrained. Jax was kicking and screaming at Sebastian, who was held back by two goons I’d noticed earlier around their clique. Kai saw me putting on my shoes and mouthed that I could go, that he’d find me later.

I shrugged that I could wait, but he mouthed again that it was fine. I turned to Skylark to tell her we could go, and she was already on her way.

“I’ll walk you girls back to the dorm,” Ash said, finishing his drink and straightening from his chair. He rose from the small wooden chair, which creaked under the giant’s release.

My feet were killing me. Note to self: never again go out dancing in high heels. Damn you, Sky, for the bad advice.

The little she-devil had no such issues, prancing around in her heels like she could run a marathon. Happily chatting away to her brother, who only answered in monosyllables, unable to get much in.

Sky loved to talk; I’d already noticed that. I fell further and further behind. “Fuck this,” I muttered and kicked my heels off unceremoniously.

I saw Ash stop in his tracks to look back, but Skylark continued on, oblivious to her brother’s absence, still raging about Melixes and Sebastian. She was clearly bothered by her former best friend’s betrayal. I had my heels in hand, my feet throbbing painfully. “I’m sorry… I’m coming though!” I winced as I took a few more steps on the cobblestones.

“No worries, I got you.” Ash came over and lifted me up. I yelped in surprise. “Ash, put me down! What are you doing?”

He chuckled. “Not a chance; you walk way too slowly, little sweet cheeks.” He patted my ass like I was a pet. Bastard.

The effortless way he lifted me felt nice, though. I probably weighed like a feather to him, as he held me with one arm, a hand splayed over my lower back. He even carried my shoes in his other hand.

Sky noticed our absence and waited up a little. “My brother, the hero,” she crooned.

“Yeah, more like your brother the barbarian,” I growled from behind his shoulder, and he chuckled, clearly amused by me.

His laugh vibrated through me, carrying me toward the dorm.

When we arrived, he gently set me on my feet again. “Are you okay?” His brows furrowed as he really looked at me.

I was a little nauseous from being carried upside down for a few minutes and probably looked as white as a sheet.

“Sure…”

He tilted my chin up to look into my eyes, staring at them for a few seconds before saying, “I can tell when you’re lying, sweetheart.”

“Okay, that made me hella nauseous, and I’m about to hurl all over your feet. Is that better?”

“Way better.” He let out a broad smile that reached his eyes, releasing my chin hesitantly.

Skylark was already inside and threw the door open again. “Are you about done? I want to go to bed.”

He looked at Skylark and saluted her. “Sweet dreams, little sis. Sweet dreams, sweet cheeks,” he added before turning his back and walking away without a backward glance.