I stand and walk over, the red-haired girl wraps her arms around his neck tightly and then peppers kisses all across his face but he tries to push her off.
“Hey, Dove,” he says, with a clear affection in his tone that I’ve never heard from him.
He eventually manages to pull the half-naked girl off him, and she bounces on the spot in excitement. She’s not actually half-naked now I get a better glance at her, but the small mini skirt and the short crop top she has on doesn’t hide much of her toned and slim body.
Of course, Caspian has a hot girlfriend.
I’m not jealous. Not even a tiny bit but I wonder if I could take this girl down.
He runs a hand through his hair and nods to me. This Dove girl finally turns my way. “This is my new partner; Autumn French but I call her Lilith.”
I hold out my hand out to her. For Caspian to tell her my real name, he must trust she can keep quiet. “Hi.”
She shakes my hand very enthusiastically. “Hello! I’m so happy to see another girl in the trials. There are only three of us this year, and we need to show these boys we are stronger than we seem.”
“Agreed. Dove, is it?” I ask.
“Yes, it is. I’m an old friend of the moody and gorgeous Caspian over here,” she tells me, her blue eyes twinkling with amusement. Can she tell I was jealous? Her random explanation seems thought-out.
“By the way, I’m totally jealous of your hair being such a dark red. Mine is always borderline ginger,” she says, reaching out and picking up a strand for a second before letting it drop.
“I love your hair,” I say with a smile. She walks in and Caspian closes the door. “How long have you two been friends then?” I ask her, following her into the living room.
She jumps onto the couch across from the weapon couch. Caspian shakes his head and goes back to his bedroom with a load of bedding in his hands.
“Oh, a couple of years here and there,” she tells me. “I was so upset when Caspian entered the trials last year and I thought he’d beat me to becoming a demon hunter. But here we are.”
“Yes, we are,” I say.
“Where are you from? I haven’t seen you around Stormfire before,” she asks, and immediately I feel nervous. We haven’t come up with a big back story, and I have to hope my lying skills have improved because usually they are shit.
“It’s a big city. I’m sure you’ve not seen everyone here. There are millions,” I counter.
“That’s true, but usually I make a point to see the redheaded girls like me. There’s not much of us around, you know?”
“Surprising, really, with so many red wolves,” I respond.
“True. So that means we’re going to have to be good friends, you and I,” she tells me, leaning closer. “Us redheaded girls need to stick together. Make sure the boys don’t one-up on us.”
“That would be nice,” I answer, well aware I can’t let it get too close to her. Getting close to her would mean she could find out who I am. That’s not something I can risk for a friendship, even if she is nice.
I smile at Dove, and she seems to look curious about something but we are distracted as Caspian comes back out of his bedroom. He sits on the sofa next to her, and she rests her head on his shoulder.
“So who is your lucky partner?”
“The other girl in the trials. She hasn’t said much. She seems like the silent but completely deadly type,” she explains with a sigh. “I gave up trying to make conversation with her but I can hope she is an expert hunter.”
“At least you don’t have newbie over here,” Caspian counters, pointing at me.
“Hey, I’m not that bad at fighting and figuring out demons,” I shortly reply. Truthfully, I’m clueless but I’m a quick learner.
He laughs, and Dove shakes her head. “I can help you train, you know, if you want. I’ve been training since I was young.”
“I can hold my own,” I state. “But thank you.”
“I hope so. The first test is tomorrow,” she replies. “It won’t be easy.”
“Don’t worry. I’m happy to carry all the weight in our partnership, songbird,” Caspian cockily states, stretching his arms across the back of the couch.
I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m sure I can be of some use.”
He smirks. “I highly doubt it.”
We glare at each other until Dove clears her throat. “So you two have made a good start to becoming partners.”
“Something like that,” I sarcastically say.
Dove very clearly and quickly changes the subject. “What did you think of the overdramatic welcoming ceremony from the alpha’s son?”
“Why the heck is he running this place and not training to be the next alpha?” I ask.
“Duh, he’s estranged from his father,” Dove replies, and Caspian shoots me a warning glare. Dove laughs. “What part of Stormfire did you grow up in? Because you should know about the alpha’s son, it’s like the most talked about gossip in the city.”
“Her parents kept her under lock and key, so to speak,” Caspian explains, saving my ass. “Songbird over here is the daughter of a friend of my mom’s. Her mum takes the saying ‘helicopter parent’ to a new level.”
Dove gives me a sad smile. “Strict parents can be a total buzzkill.”
Hearing the words kill and parents in the same sentence hurts my heart. “That they can.”
“We’re totally going to take you out to the nightclubs. They are to die for…literally.”
“Yeah, no, she’s not a party type. Little Songbird here is practically a nun,” Caspian quips.
“No, I’m not,” I snap, gritting my teeth, and Dove raises her eyebrows. I gulp down the urge to throw my boot at Caspian’s head. “No nightclubs for me, though. I want to focus on the trials and not be distracted.”
“Oh, that’s a shame, but I totally get it. I should be getting back to rest up for tomorrow,” she says around a welcoming smile. “Oh, I forgot to mention that there is food in the fridge, the welcoming food. The only half-decent things about these apartments.”
Caspian is already moving towards the kitchen before her sentence has ended. “I’m not sharing, songbird.”
I shake my head and walk Dove up to the door, considering Caspian’s not going to do it.
She pauses after opening the door and lowers her voice. “Caspian can be a bit of a dick, but if he’s on your side, he’ll protect you. He’ll die for you if need be, and I’d trust him with my life. He’s loyal like that.”
“I’m not getting that impression. I’m fully expecting him to throw me under the bus any day now.”
“Just give him a chance. Trust me,” she replies around a kind smile.
“Are you and him more than friends?” I question before she leaves.
She laughs and winks at me. “No, you and I? That could work if you want?”
I shake my head, feeling a bit relieved when I really shouldn’t be. “Sorry, I think I only go for male dickheads. It seems to be my type.”
She laughs. “Whether it’s female, male, or whatever, we usually end up going for the ones who are not good for us. It’s what makes it fun and sexy.”