Page 5 of Misfit Monsters (Pack of Outcasts #1)

Raze

M y new, incredibly unwelcome roommate appears to have fallen asleep.

How the fuck is that even possible? Doesn’t she feel doom breathing down her neck?

All I have to do is walk through the school halls in physical form, and the other students scatter in my wake. Even the instructors tense up when they meet my eyes, despite the contacts I conjure to stifle my gaze’s killing power.

But I outright demanded that this little ball of vivid fabric and hair get out, with all the brutality I could put into my stance and voice, and she just… sat down on the other bed and proceeded to ignore me.

It doesn’t make sense.

I thought it had to be an act. She’d break down eventually in shivers or tears and take off the way I expected .

Instead, she’s lain down on the mattress, pulled the blanket up, and taken a nap.

She really is asleep. My predator instincts pick up the shallow rhythm of her breaths, the slowed thump of her heart.

Somehow, even with me lurking in the shadows, she relaxed enough to drift off.

Maybe she was really tired? There’s no way of knowing what she was doing before the administrators caught her.

Not that she seems particularly dangerous.

I didn’t get close enough to tell for sure, but she looks so short her head would barely reach halfway up my chest. Even under the blanket, the slopes of her shoulders, breasts, belly, and hips give the impression of total softness.

I have the bizarre urge to go over and lean my head into the dip of her waist to see if she’d make as comforting a pillow as I can’t help imagining.

Why is she in the reform division at all? What harm could this bit of fluff with glowing hair possibly do?

It couldn’t be enough to protect her from me.

I hold steady in the shadows around my bed for several more minutes, as if the answers might present themselves out of thin air. All I get is my new roommate’s scent, bubblegum-sweet, filling my lungs.

Making me wonder how good she’d smell if I did tuck my head right against her.

She shouldn’t be so… so whatever she is.

Finally, my confusion overcomes my distaste for mingling with my dormmates. I slink along the edge of the room to the strip of shadow beneath the door.

There’s no need to go into the hall and announce myself. Whatever frivolous or awkward conversations they’re having I can hear just fine from here .

If they knew I was listening, they’d probably shut up anyway.

As usual, the other beings are giving the entire area around my room a wide berth. Maybe wider than usual, as if they’re still expecting the newcomer to come bolting out at any moment.

It seems like they’re as confused as I am.

The largest group is gathered around Hail, as usual, even though as far as I can tell the callous winter fae is about as warm and friendly as a blizzard. He even looks like an icicle, frost-pale from head to toe except those dark blue eyes.

Something about his chill draws other beings in, though, especially the female ones. A cluster of seven is hanging around now, chattering with each other and shooting him coy glances through their eyelashes.

At the moment, they’re yattering on about some class for a level above my own. I shift restlessly in my shadow.

Then a couple of the women glance toward my room. One of them elbows Gloss, the fancy interloper who’s always coming around to our dorms even though she doesn’t belong here.

“What do you think happened to the newbie?” the first woman asks.

Another titters. “I’m surprised the door even closed without her scampering back out here.”

Gloss shrugs as if the subject doesn’t matter to her. Her tone is equally careless. “Maybe Raze has already eviscerated her. If he hasn’t yet, I’m sure she’ll be lizard kibble soon.”

Even in the shadows, I have the sense of my hackles going up and my lips drawing back from my basilisk fangs. But my anger at her mocking words prickles with a deeper discomfort.

Of course that’s what they think of me. I do “eviscerate” people, don’t I ?

I’m fucking poison, and everyone knows it.

Now they think they can use me as a tool in their mindless jostling for dominance, as if anyone should give a shit who rules this ridiculous school. The whole point of it is to prepare us to leave this place.

Not that it’s likely I ever will.

A fourth woman makes a scoffing sound. “Did she really think she was going to get away with it, coming in here acting all sweet and then taking a jab at you of all people?”

Gloss offers a sharp smile. “If she hasn’t learned her lesson quickly, she’s an even bigger imbecile than she seemed. We’ll just have to teach her what her place is as often as she needs it.”

Hail dips his pale head to her. “It’s always fun to watch you work.”

She slips her hand around his elbow. “The dorm has gotten tiresome for today, don’t you think? Why don’t we see what the reform division is getting for dinner, and maybe I’ll join you for that too.”

As the clot of them saunters out of the dorm, I pull back into my room. My essence simmers with uneasy heat.

My attention slides to the small, curvy form tucked into the other bed.

I can’t tell whether the fact that the newcomer stayed was a show of strength or idiocy. Either way, it’s hard to imagine her insulting Gloss on purpose. She was nothing but respectful in her approach to me.

A gentle sort of respect that feels strangely different from the panicked variety I’m used to.

I’ve seen how Gloss operates. The snow wraith might not have fangs of her own, but she makes sure her targets are eaten alive one way or another. This bit of fluff doesn’t stand a chance.

I don’t want her in my room. But if she’s going to insist on staying for now, I can at least do my best to stop anyone from going out of their way to hurt her.

Staying in the shadows, I stretch out along the edge of the rug, making a barrier between the door and her. Still keeping a careful distance from her myself.

She might not have figured it out yet, but no matter how vicious Gloss gets… the being here who’s most likely to hurt her is me.