Damage Me (Crystal Gulf Book 2) by Shana Vanterpool Page B

house alley. A straight stretch of road where the college kids bloomed. Rows and rows of houses flying Greek letters proudly aligned the street. The dark sky could not douse the fluorescent lights pouring from the houses. Women wearing close to nothing danced in the middle of the street. Men surrounded them, salivating.
    What was I doing here?
    Jasmine and Emery weren’t the only wolves in Crystal Gulf. I’d known this; it’s what Mom protected me from. They were everywhere. I think even at one point, Mom might’ve been a wolf too; that’s why she feared it so much. She was that girl in the street with a drink and sin in her lungs. I was her lamb, her one chance at rectifying the wrongs in the world. And I was about to do the one thing she never wanted me to do. I’d done it before, but this time, felt different. I’d gone with only Piper, not the two sin twins in the back. Somehow letting them alter my thoughts felt like they were really altering far more.
    They were changing me .
    “So we all meet up here at … say two?” Jasmine checked.
    “Sounds good to me,” Piper agreed, checking her makeup in the mirror.
    “Two’s fine,” Emery said, joining them.
    I felt six eyes on me once more. Two o’clock was almost tomorrow. We were going to stay out here until tomorrow? I looked away to hide my unease, mumbling, “Two’s good for me too,” under my breath.
    “I’ll just take these,” Jasmine said, reaching into the front seat to take my car keys.
    I watched them fearfully. Without my keys, I would be stuck here. I didn’t want to be stuck here.
    “Let’s go,” Piper hissed, tugging on my arm.
    I followed all of the girls out. Once I left the safety of my car, I could hear the music from frat house alley under my feet and the rap music blaring from the house the girls were walking toward. There were no Greek letters on this one, so I assumed it was lucky enough to be close to the constant party going on down the street. Country music mixed with the rap. It was twang and urban, creating an intimidating mixture.
    I ran to catch up in my heels and saddled alongside Piper. She looked down at me, grinning from ear to ear. This is why I came here. For that smile, for Piper to shed whatever was bothering her. I wrapped my arm around hers and smiled timidly back. I could do this.
    Just pretend , I thought supportively, figuratively patting myself on my back. Lambs get eaten. Your claws are temporary .
    I let Piper lead me into mayhem. Red cups, women wearing nothing, asses against groins, and smoke in the air. I had to admit there was a level of excitement in the atmosphere. It traveled over my spine, giving me chill bumps. Everyone looked like they were having fun. I wanted to have fun too. Granted that fun involved the beach and the sun, not vodka and rap music. I started to lose my cool at the thought. I couldn’t pretend to be a wolf. I shouldn’t have to either.
    But it was like Piper knew I was fading. She gripped my arm and pulled me after her and the girls. They headed for the stairs. Why were we going upstairs? There was nothing good upstairs at a party. When we got there, we went down the hall and Emery knocked on a closed door.
    “What are we doing?” I asked over the bass of the music.
    “Pre-gaming,” Jasmine explained, winking. “Don’t look so scared. Piper, talk to your friend. She’s annoying me.”
    Piper gripped my arm too tightly, warning me. “Hillary’s got no problem pre-gaming. Does she?”
    “What is pre-gaming?”
    All three girls laughed, breaking the tense bubble, just as the bedroom door opened.
    Oh, my …
    A tall guy wearing nothing but ripped jeans answered the door. He had tattoos wrapped around his torso and side, coloring his muscled abs. There was a beer in his hand, and his nipples were pierced. He was disturbingly good-looking, with hair shaved close to his scalp and startling intense eyes. When he smiled crookedly at us, I felt a nervous twinge in my stomach.