Reckless Souls (Saints Academy, #1)(33)

open space.

It looks like every member of the Academy is here, there are that many bodies hovering around.

Some are dancing to the music booming through the speakers, some sit around a campfire lost in their

own worlds, while others remain on the outskirts huddling in their little groups.

I spy the table to the right, where drinks are lined up for people to choose from, and Harmonia

instantly pulls me in that direction. For a moment, while we walk around the edge, no one seems to

notice us, giving me a moment's peace as I take everyone else in.

There are definitely a few slutty nuns, witches, vampires—which is ironic as fuck—and even a

few shirtless werewolves. At least everyone is having fun and the drama seems to be low-key.

“What are you drinking?” Harmonia asks as we approach the table, and I cast my eyes over the

options.

“I’ll take something with a lid,” I mumble, not wanting to risk any of the open containers on the

table. Which leaves me with the option of a beer, water, or sealed plastic shot glasses. “Two shots

and a water,” I confirm, and she grins at my choice.

“I like it,” she replies as I grab what I want and she does the same.

Moving away from the table, I hear a few girls call Harmonia’s name, and she nods in their

direction at the edge of the opening, off to the right toward the lake.

Crossing the distance, drinks in hand, my gaze slips over to the fire burning brightly in the middle

of the space, and my breath halts when I see the four guys who intrigue me, standing on the other side.

With the fire blazing in front of them, the embers flickering into the sky, I can’t help but feel myself be

even more drawn to them.

I blame it on my attire. The heat attracting the devil in me to step closer, to challenge temptation,

but I don’t. The last words I spoke to any of them was Adonis, and that was when I chose the slur of

him being nothing. Clearly that was a turn off, and his off the cuff flirting quickly vanished right along

with him.

“Rhea, this is Cassandra and Thalia,” Harmonia says, coming to a stop before two blonde girls.

Both dressed as bloodied vampires, it’s clear they’re identical twins, everything about them is exactly

the same except for the color of their eyes. One with blue. The other with green.

“Hey,” the girl closer to me says, reaching her bottle of beer out to clink it against my water, and I

chuckle.

“Hi,” I murmur in response, glad there’s no awkwardness.

“How are you settling in?” The girl with green eyes asks as I place my bottle of water on the rock

nearby so I can peel open my shots.

Tilting my head to look at her, I gape for a moment because no one has actually asked me that yet.

Harmonia has given me the space to do what I need to do while being a much needed friend among

everything, but otherwise, I haven’t really interacted with anyone. I’m far too happy in my own

presence to want to try and fit in.

“I’m settling,” I respond, not really wanting to detail my woes so I don’t know what else to say,

and she responds with a soft smile. As if she gets what I mean without saying the words out loud.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m still settling in and I’ve been here longer,” she adds, and her

sister nods beside her.

“Thalia is extra antisocial, and from what Harmonia says, you two will get along well, hiding

away from having to deal with immature, horny assholes,” she says with a grin, and this time I lift my

shot glass out to clink with Thalia’s, whose green eyes sparkle in understanding as she reaches out for

a bottle of water.

“I can drink to that,” I say, lifting the drink to my lips and downing the sweet lemon liquor in one

go. A shiver runs down my spine as I lick the remnants off my lips. “Although, these are definitely

worth showing up for,” I say, looking down into the empty cup, making the others grin. I reach over

and grab the second one I picked up, doing the same again, tossing my head back as the sweetness

drips down my throat, before I shake my head.

We all fall into casual conversation, Cassandra and Harmonia taking the lead, letting Thalia and

me nod along happily.

“Have you had any thoughts on what you kind of hope you will be?” Thalia asks randomly, as we

watch Harmonia and Cassandra slink their way over to the dance area, and my eyes round in surprise

at her question.

It seems these sisters like to pull the tough questions out straight away or people are just too

scared to ask. I can’t deny the fact that I’ve thought them all through, but I have no idea because I

haven’t felt or seen anything manifest yet.

God.

Angel.

Vampire.

Demon.

Werewolf.

Five words that hold far more meaning than their simple names. Especially with Gods, Angels,

and Demons that come in all unique variations. None of them know their true powers until the time

comes. From what I’ve learned, it could be anything from healing wounds, controlling the weather, to