I had spent way too much time on my appearance that night, having barely slept since Earth was destroyed. This time, it had nothing to do with wandering around dreams with my dream boyfriend Ethan or being hunted by a serial killer—those nightmares had completely stopped. Instead, I lay awake every night, stressed out about my future. The bags under my eyes were about ready to be sold in a mall; they were that expensive. Fortunately, Rainer makeup could literally be called magic, courtesy of Avital.

I had no idea what kind of party I was walking into. My violet dress was covered with the softest flower-like petals I had ever seen, with a low neckline and cut-out shoulders. I still wore the bird-shaped necklace my mom had given me, a tiny remnant of home. My hair hung in loose ringlets down my back. This outfit would be far too much for a party in my old world, but I guessed it would have to do for now. I probably would still be underdressed.

As I entered the party, I spotted Jax’s blond mane from a mile away. He was wearing a light blue suit that matched his eyes perfectly. We had this weird truce going on, and I wasn’t eager to provoke the old Jax back out, so I kept my distance. I was making a beeline for the cocktail table when a huge, tree-like man in a light navy suit cut me off.

“I guess you must be the human girl?” His deep baritone voice cut right through me, carrying the same dignified posh accent that Maddox had. He looked older than Jax and Kai, probably nearing his thirties, with short-cropped black hair that was a little longer in the front, falling over his forehead. His bright blue eyes and Roman nose were striking, and I spotted a tattoo on his wrist that looked like it might cover his entire arm or body.

He was joined by another tall guy. I had to crane my neck to look at them. The second one exuded danger in every sense. His hair was white as snow, tied back in a man-bun, and his piercing blue eyes reminded me of a winter sky. Dressed all in black, he contrasted starkly with his white hair. They looked identical—twins, I assumed.

I nodded in acknowledgment. As if that wasn’t enough, another figure appeared behind them. This one looked closer to my age—tall, lean but muscular, with tattoos up his arm, wavy brown hair, and piercing light brown eyes that seemed to see right through you. He wore his hair in a slightly curly, messy style, his smile was cheeky, and his nails were painted black. He sported a light brown blazer with an orange plaid pattern over a white shirt and casual jeans, with sneakers to match.

“Well… it’s not hard to spot a human in a crowd like this,” he drawled.

I glanced down at my Doc Martens lookalikes, still hidden under my long dress. The “orange blazer one” reached out, took my left hand, and curtsied.

“The name’s Sebastian, and these two are Oak and Asher.” I’d heard these names before; they were Paramores. Maddox had mentioned that all Paramores were in college, but these twins looked nearly thirty, so how was that possible?

“It’s a pleasure,” I said, though I didn’t find this meet-and-greet particularly pleasurable.

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“Everything all right here, babe?” Kai appeared at my side, probably sensing my unease from a mile away. He placed his hand on my lower back, giving his three fellow Paramores a cold stare. I shrugged out of his grip again; he really needed to stop touching me. I grabbed a cocktail and glared at him.

“Just fine, Kai. Thanks.” Sarcasm dripped from my voice.

Sebastian chuckled. His posh English accent was so thick I could barely understand him.

“What did you do to this one, Welkin? Play with it a little too roughly?” I whipped my head around, anger flooding my veins.

“What did you just call me?”

Sebastian feigned a heart attack, clutching his chest dramatically.

“Marry me, sexy little human, please,” he drawled.

“No, thanks,” I replied dryly.

Ash and Oak didn’t look amused by Sebastian’s joke or the fact that he had called me “it.” Clearly, they didn’t agree with their friend’s antics.

“Damn, she’s got some fire in that tight body. Got me all hot and bothered,” Sebastian whispered the last part in my ear with a chuckle. Goosebumps prickled up my arms from his proximity.

“That’s enough.” Jax appeared out of nowhere, snatching the cocktail from my hands, which spilled a little on Oak’s pants, and grabbed my arm, dragging me away from the four of them.

I could vaguely tell that Kai was arguing with them about me, and I felt a flicker of gratitude for his defense. Jax, on the other hand, seemed to have forgotten our truce. He pulled me down the hallway, into the library, and shut the door with a loud bang. He ruffled his blond hair like he was deciding which insult to throw first.

“What’s your problem?” I shouted before he could. “I was just talking to them!”

He stepped closer, and I flinched back. “Sebastian was trying to mess with you, Lux!” He was so angry, the vein in his forehead was starting to pop.

“Wait, what? Not all guys who talk to me are trying to sleep with me, Jaxson.”

He shook his head, clearly frustrated. “You know nothing of this world. Nothing!”

“Then please enlighten me, your majesty.”

“This isn’t a joke! Do you think I want you here?”

Ouch… that hurt.

He took a breather and noticed that his words had hit hard.

I looked down, blinking away tears, suddenly feeling very alone.

“I guess I could just go. Your father offered me a house. That doesn’t happen to a girl like me every day.” I tried to move past him so he couldn’t see the tears in my eyes.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me, Freckles!” He growled.

I froze at the sound of my old nickname.

“There’s something you need to know, and you need to listen carefully. When you get to college, every girl there will want to size you up. Every guy there will want to claim you. You will stay close to me or Kai at all times. If you get lost, the twins will do. The Briareves have a moral code they won’t break; they can be trusted. But stay away from Sebastian. Do you hear me, Elmrose? We need to gauge how the other Rainers react to your presence until we know it’s safe. Do you understand?”

“That’ll be quite the trip for you, having me close at all times, given you can’t stand the sight or smell of me.” I smirked, the hurt clawing its way back up. Jax opened his mouth, trying to respond, but decided against it.

“Yeah, well, that’s something we’ll have to deal with.”

This guy… never the most sensitive in the room.

“Is that all?” My voice didn’t crack. I was proud of myself for staying strong.

“Humans are highly sought after here, so stay away from other Rainer males. They see you as their own personal game. They’ll want you for a night and never look at you again.”

I turned the door handle and looked back over my shoulder, my voice as cold as I could make it. “That’s nothing new to me.”

Then I slammed the door in his stunned face.