Page 10 of Shifting Forms For Clumsy Felines

"Hey," Jeremy says softly.

I turn to face him, a small smile on my face. "Hey," I return. "You look good." The words are out before I think twice about it. His open-necked shirt fits him well, which isn't a surprise given the rugby induced muscles he's sporting.

"And you look gorgeous," he responds.

A blush creeps to my cheeks and I pull down the admittedly short skirt of my dress. I know I look good, but there's something different about Jeremy saying it than someone else. "Thank you."

"Whoo, Bernie!" Michaela calls as the vampire reenters the room. "We're all here, that means it's time to start."

Bernie chuckles. "It doesn't seem like you've been waiting for me too hard." She pours herself a healthy measure of vodka into a glass and tops it up with tomato juice.

I wrinkle my nose. I hope I'm not going to have to drink a dirty pint with that in later, I can't stand tomato juice.

"Will you hand me the tabasco?" she asks Cyprus.

He nods and tosses it over to her to add to her drink. That's going to be vile when added in with everything else.

"All right, I'll start," Michaela calls. "We have a couple of hours until the taxis come to take us to the club, so that gives us plenty of time."

"Did someone at least invite Craig tonight?" Dylan asks.

"We put a note on the fridge." I wave towards it.

"Seven," Michaela calls, holding up the seven of clubs. "Boo, that's a boring one."

"Yes, but you get to control it," Bernie points out.

"What's seven again?" Jeremy whispers to me.

"Heaven. When Michaela points to the ceiling, we all have to, and the last person has to drink," I say.

"Has towhat?" Essie asks with a teasing note in her voice.

I groan. "I'm no good at drinking games."

"That's twice! You need to take two consumptions of your beverage," she responds.

"You sound ridiculous," I point out, being careful to pick up my glass with my left hand so I don't get dinged again.

"I have an eight," Fiona says, holding up her card. "And I pick Dylan."

"What did I ever do to you?" the reaper asks.

"Nothing, you just seem the most sober."

He chuckles and leans back in his seat, not protesting too much about the fact he has to drink every time she does. The game may be competitive, but it's also a lot of fun.

My voice grows hoarse from the shouting and laughter that ensue. By the time we get to the club, I'm going to be ready to dance the night away without a care in the world.

And I can't wait.

5

Jeremy

It'shard to make sense of anything happening in the club with the music pounding and the swaying bodies of hundreds of students. Not all of them are from Obscure Academy, but I recognise a lot of them from my lectures or from around.

Someone bumps into me and I turn to apologise before realising it's Krissi. Her cheeks are flushed with a combination of the heat and the drinks she's been putting back, but it only makes her more beautiful.