A'S

ppened. No glowing eyes. No strange man watching me. No cold,

forced smiles, answered emails, laughed at jokes I didn't find funny. Yet my stomach twi

ds had noticed. Talia, Mira, an

exted first. I rolled my eyes, ignoring

Time, grinning, fussing

ight?" Mira asked. "We can't le

feel like myse

Jade said. "Tonight is fun. To

hed, feeling s

the camera. "You need somethi

ns? Re

, laughing. "You're goi

office gossip. For the first time all day, laughter ea

s, bodies pressed together, music vibrating in my chest. I let myself

s, or so I thought. I sipped it, and the room tilted.

need the bathroo

y stretched endlessly before me. My fingers tre

hand gra

He dragged me toward a darker corner. My hands flailed, my voice

fted. A low growl rol

man

ly fast, radiating power. His golden eyes gl

me," I whisper

n back, screaming, swallowed by th

tly, almost a whispe

art raced. Voices ech

y friends appeared, worry

"H‑he... he saved me... that m

nothing. Just

ade said, almost laughin

d yourself," Mi

Talia insisted. My pr

stumbled away, I caught a glimpse of him again-half in s

en saved from something far