"Hey, I'd like to meet her." He nudged his twin brother, Kenny. Kenny looked up, watching her sling a black backpack over her shoulder and run for a nearby building.

"Looks like she's late to class."

"We're going to be, too. C’mon."

They walked slowly, noting the details of their new campus. The heavy trees were still green, the autumn turning having not started yet. The air was crisp and clean, the looming, world famous Pike’s Peak mountain not far in the distance. Students milled around, sitting under trees reading or chatting.

Grabbing the fence with one hand, the girl nimbly jumped over it, running inside the building.

"Wonder what else she can do." Kenny muttered. Damian snickered.

"She seems rather . . . limber." he replied with a candid smile.

They had been at the University of Denver for a week, moving in and getting settled in their new apartment. Today was the first day of class.

"There's supposed to be a big sign or something." Damian's pale blue eyes scanned the hallway.

"There. The Inquisition." Kenny started walking towards it. Damian followed.

Pushing the door open they saw a group of about fifteen students, laughing and joking with each other. A pretty brunette stood at the front of the large room, writing on the white board. Around the classroom hung copies of previous issues and various pictures of the staff over the year.

"Hi." a petite, cute redhead approached them. "I'm Em. Are you new?"

"Yeah, just got here." Kenny smiled sweetly at her while Damian repressed his laughter. Kenny never failed to turn on the charm with the ladies.

"Great. Take a seat anywhere, once our editor returns we'll get started."

"Thanks." Kenny winked at her as she headed off.

"Schmooze." Damian hissed.

"All right, people! Let's go! Quiet down!" The blond girl who had been running, emerged from another room. Damian nudged his brother.

Her fair skin as set off by a coral colored tank top, gloriously long legs extended from a pair of khaki shorts. Curvaceous and solidly built, she was an Amazon to be reckoned with, Damian decided, toying with the idea.

"Em ‑ The new system up yet?" she called, shutting the door behind her.

"Five minutes, Auren." the redhead called back.

"Ok, everyone ‑ you should have gotten the info packets on how to use this new system. The editorial staff has been working on it all summer, so we can guide you through if you get caught. After the meeting, I'll answer questions about it."

Auren turned to pick up a stack of white papers and saw the twins. Gray eyes narrowed as they appraised the pair in front of her. Twin brothers, taller than her, slender firm builds, she noted. Light blue eyes, one pair gentle, one roguish with a grin to match.

"Can't you see we're having a meeting?" she asked coldly.

"They're the new writers." Em called to her.

"Since when? I wasn't notified of anyone new." chips of ice flew through the words as her steel eyes bore holes into the twins.

The brunette at the white board turned and whispered to her. Auren glared at the twins.

"Sit down and try to follow. Have either of you ever written for a newspaper before?"

"No." Damian said hesitantly. She sighed.

"Just lovely. Try to keep up, all right?" she snapped. She started distributing the papers.

"This is the staff phone number list. We'll have to add you to it. My cell phone and pager are both listed, so you can reach me at anytime if something big breaks. I'd rather lose a few hours of sleep than a good scoop."

"Now, first order of business. There's a lawsuit that was filed against the school last week." A murmur ran through the group. "Who's interested?"

Several hands went up.

"All right, Jane and Tom, it's yours. Em is your supervising editor. Start your interviews with the Academic Dean. If he stonewalls you, go to the President. It's against Professor Graves of the English department. Try and get ahold of her for comment, I don't know who the student is just yet."

"Okay, a little more boring but important . . .interviews with Admissions for incoming numbers." Someone made a face. "Jim, since you seem so eager, it's yours."

Quietly, the twins sat watching. Several times the brunette looked at them thoughtfully. Kenny winked at her and she smiled back shyly. Auren was reading off a list of stories, and assigning them. Studying the pair, Kenny realized they had to be sisters.

"Letch." Damian whispered. Kenny chuckled softly.

"All right everyone, that's it for this meeting. Get moving and I'll see you back here on Thursday." People got up and started leaving. A few sat at the computers. Auren walked over to them.

"Now, who are you?" she asked. The brunette hurried to her side. The fair skinned twins sat quietly, waiting. The twinkling roguish eyes set off short, light blond hair and a killer smile. His twin was more conservative she noticed, more patient.

"Damian and Kenny Webber." Kenny smiled at her.

"Auren, I was trying to tell you last night about them." the brunette said. "They're the late submissions."

"Well, I don't have any stories ready for you. Let me get you some introductory stuff." She headed for the room she had come from.

"Wait here." the brunette winked at them.

"Talk about ice." Kenny remarked.

"Diamond. Hard and beautiful." Damian said thoughtfully. Kenny looked at his identical twin.

"Why do you always go for the ones who will break your heart?" he asked.

* * *

Nicky shut the door behind her.

"What has gotten into you? I've seen tapes of Hitler being friendlier than you!"

"I'm irritated, Nick. I had no warning about those two."

"So what. I think they're babes." she grinned. Auren looked up at her sister and laughed.

"Yeah, I guess. The shorter hair is cuter."

"Mm..nah, I want the one with long hair . . . something wicked about him."

"Flirt." Auren rifled through a tall filing cabinet.

"So, why were you such a bitch to them?"

"Nick, don't start."

"No, I will. They seem nice and you just gave them the iciest greeting they've probably ever received." Auren's bad mood returned.

"Too bad . . I'm not going near men for the rest of my life, you know that."

"Yeah, well, just because they're hot doesn't mean you have to be a bitch."

"I can be if I want to. Here, this ought to keep them busy for a few weeks."

"I'm going to ask him out."

"Go for it."

"Maybe I'll ask them over tonight."

"Them?"

"Twins, sis. Just like us. You know it's a package deal." Auren groaned and stormed out of the office. Nicky, chuckling, followed.

"These are introductions to journalism and the new system we've switched to. I'm Auren, the Editor in Chief. This is my sister Nicky, my Assistant Editor."

"I'm Damian, he's Kenny." Damian, the polite one, had the shorter hair.

"Great. I have work to do, be here for Thursday's meeting. Try to be on time." she snapped, marching back to the office. Damian's eyes followed her.

"Ignore my sister. She's a bitch sometimes." Nicky smiled at them.

As tall as her sister, which was only a few inches shorter than the six foot two twin brothers, her hair was similar style and wave but chestnut instead of flaxen, same gray blue eyes and curvy build. Wearing a snug, black tank top, jeans and dark cowboy boots, she had a bright smile that currently was aimed at Kenny.

"Did we upset her?" Damian asked, watching the door shut. Through the window, he could see her slip on a headset phone and turn on a computer.

"No, she's just moody. She's sworn off men."

Kenny groaned inwardly. Just the challenge Damian liked, and the one that always got him hurt.

"You guys busy tonight?" Nicky asked.

"Nope. Don't know too many people here." Kenny winked at her. A flirtatious grin crept over her lovely features.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to come over tonight. We can go over some of that stuff. Kind of tutoring for journalism."

"Sure." Kenny grinned at her. "Where do you live?"

While they exchanged phone numbers, Damian continued to watch Auren through the window.

"And don't worry about my sister. Once she's out of editor mode, she's really rather human." Nicky told them.

Kenny laughed. Damian was still watching her through the blinds.

* * *

When the twins rang the doorbell of the old, Tudor style house, they were greeted by Auren. Coldly, she stepped aside to allow them in. Long, golden hair was braided back and she wore a loose, dark shirt and shorts, and sneakers.

"Nicky! Em! They're here!" she yelled. Sliding around them, she stepped outside.

"You're not staying?" Kenny asked.

"Time for my night run." she replied, slamming the door behind her on her way out.

"Ice Princess." Kenny muttered. Damian nudged him to be quiet. A minute later, Nicky appeared from another room.

"Hi, guys. Come on back this way."

They followed her to what must have been a den, with a large computer setup and printer, and a long, flat table. Next to the larger computer was a smaller one. Em, the redhead from earlier, sat between the two, munching on a bag of potato chips. She'd type on one and then roll the chair to the next one.

"Hi, sorry I can't get up just yet." she called, waving behind her.

"Em is our cousin, third roommate, and computer whiz. I asked her to hang around tonight because I'm still kind of slow with the new system." Nicky explained. "Takes her five minutes what takes me an hour."

"That's okay. I can hardly turn one on." Kenny winked at her.

Slyly, she smiled, not missing the double entendre. Damian groaned inwardly. The pretty brunette was Kenny's next victim.

"My bitch of a sister went running for a while. She gets uptight when there are men around. Do you guys want something to drink? Got a lot of beer and milk. The milk is Auren's, but she'll share. The liquor cabinet is off limits without her around."

"She drinks a lot?" Damian asked.

"No, she's a professional bartender and doesn't let anyone get near it. Kind of anal about it really."

Both boys opted for beer. Nicky disappeared from the room.

"Have a seat, guys." Em motioned to chairs scattered around the room. Kenny noticed one computer was online, the other was scrolling through pages. The phone rang. Em, tiny as she was, was able to reach for it past the computer.

"Yeah. Hey, sweetie. . .no. . .a few hours prolly. . .I'll be over then. . .I love you, too." She hung up.

"Boyfriend?" Kenny asked. Damian almost groaned out loud. Kenny never wasted time.

"No, girlfriend." Em replied, typing furiously in an email. She turned around, smiling. "Hope you're not homophobic."

"Trying to shock people again, Em?" Nicky returned, handing the beers to her guests. Damian was trying not to laugh at the startled expression on Kenny's face. So much for macking on her!

"Em loves the shock value of telling people she's a lesbian." Nicky leaned over her to see the computer screen. "Anything interesting happening today?"

"No. All quiet on this front. Another whore claiming she got it on with the President."

"Who hasn't gotten it on with him? God, some reporters can be so one track minded." Nicky sighed. Em sat back in her chair, propping her feet up.

"I thought that was our job." Damian said.

"Our job is to find and report the truth. Protect our sources and be true to the integrity of a truth‑seeker." Nicky replied dryly. Kenny's mouth fell open.

"Maybe I signed up for the wrong class." Nicky laughed.

"That's what my sister will try to grind into people's heads. Something to that affect."

As the four sat around chatting no one noticed the time until Damian looked out the window, noticing it was dark.

"Is it safe for Auren to be out after dark?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah. She does it all the time. We grew up here. Besides, she's a ninja."

"A what?" the twins asked. Nicky smiled.

"Well, almost. She gave up her training to join the air force, and her instructor moved away, so when she got back she just kept doing what she had been taught. She can take care of herself."

* * *

Though Auren knew better than to stop suddenly while exercising, she did a few stretches and sat down on a large rock. Running further than usual, she had spotted the inviting rock, and directly above it was the full moon, burning brightly in the dark sky.

Damian Webber. As soon as she laid eyes on him she knew there was something special about him. How any man could be special, she didn't know, but the instant their eyes had locked in that room, a strange chill ran over her. He would play an important role in her life, she knew. But what the role was, she didn't know, and it scared her. Blinking, she almost missed a shooting star.

"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might ‑" she murmured.

"Make a wish for your life!" A gloved hand clamped down over her mouth and she was pulled off the rock from behind. A second figure in black appeared in front of her.

"Looks like we caught you again. Never learned about running alone at night." he hissed. Auren saw the switchblade glimmer in the moonlight. 

***

"Creature of habit." one said. She felt the knife blade against her throat. Staring blankly at him, she began to gather her chi.

"You messed us up last time, but this time you're alone. No one out to help you." Of course she knew the voice. Cadet Wilkins, the one who had been thrown out of the service. She had broken his arm in two places and he had required plastic surgery for his nose.

"And there's also one more this time. Still can't handle a woman can you?" she sneered. "You know you prefer your buddies here for your sexual pleasure. Were you nailing the judge to have me thrown out?"

Wilkins backhanded her. A cold trickle of blood ran from her lip where his ring cut her.

"Never did know when to shut up. But that's no problem. Not only are we going to finish the job we started, but you won't have a tongue when we're done. Might be missing a few other things, too."

"You're such cowards you can't take your masks off." She spat in his face and he hit her again.

Swiftly she broke the grip of her captor and snapped his arm back, spinning around to slam her knee against his chest. Crumpling to the ground, she snapped his arm up and he screamed when it broke.

Using him for balance she shoved him down and spun herself into a kick, her foot connecting with another's jaw. Falling backwards, he nursed his wound. Jumping up, she kicked first with her left leg, then her right, hitting Wilkins in the chest and sending him to the ground.

Then the ground spun up quickly as she was hit in the shoulders from behind. Her arms were pinned down, then her legs.

"Hold her tight, boys. I like to see her squirm." Wilkins got up and approached her.

"Take a rain check!"

Wilkins was grabbed from behind and Damian's fist smashed into his jaw. Auren got one leg free and kicked her captor in the face. Blood spurted from her nose as she flipped herself up and grabbed the other one, flipping him over her shoulder. The fourth and fifth were already on the ground, one still screaming from where Auren had damaged his arm.

"Go!" Wilkins yelled. They quickly grabbed the friend and started to back away.

"I ought to turn you into the cops after I rip your arms off." Damian snarled. Wilkins retreated and ran quickly. Damian turned to see Auren in an attack position, ready. Damian approached cautiously as the guys ran.

"Auren." he said softly.

"I'm ok." she answered, hatefully staring after the men.

"That's one hell of a bruise you're going to have." Damian looked closely at her bleeding lip. Her eye was starting to swell shut.

"I've had worse." Auren rubbed her shirt against her mouth.

"Let's get back to the house and clean that up, ok?"

* * *

Auren sat holding the washcloth against her mouth. In her other hand was another that she had wiped the dirt from her face with.

"Auren, we need to call the police." Nicky said quietly. Auren shook her head.

"No."

"Auren ‑"

"No. You know what happened before! I won't go through it again."

"Auren, I was a witness. They'll be put away." Damian told her. Auren stood up quickly.

"No. I don't want anyone to know. And I don't want to hear about this night ever again." she ordered, leaving the room.

Nicky put her head down and started to weep. Kenny moved to her side, holding her. Damian followed Auren up the stairs to her room.

Standing at the window, she stared out. Dirt streaked her clothes and hair. Angrily she turned to him, sensing his presence. In the car, she had quickly wiped a few tears from her eyes and shut him out, riding in silence.

"Why did you come up here?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"To see if I could help."

"Help? You want to know how to help me? Wipe out every male on this fucking planet and then you can help me!!" she snarled. He flinched.

"Look, I had a bad feeling from the moment you walked out that door. Once Nicky got it too, we went looking for you."

"Why? So you can get in my bed, too?" she spat. "Isn't that what all you men want? Dominate us into bed and then throw us away like trash??"

"You don't know me, I realize that. But I want to help you." he protested.

"Real knight in shining armor, aren't you?" she sneered. He threw up his hands.

"You know, I've been fascinated by you from the moment I saw you today. I wanted to get closer to you, but you're so damned convinced that all men are evil that you're going to be alone for the rest of your life! I'm not a bad person because I'm male, Auren. Maybe someday when you move past your paranoid delusions you'll realize that."

He was halfway out the door when she called to him. Turning back, he saw the tears leaking down her face.

"I apologize. I've never had good luck with men and I've been hurt just one too many times. You're right. I shouldn't take it out on you.

"Apology accepted. We're not all bad people." he said gently. She nodded.

"Would you . . . mind waiting a few minutes? I'm going to go clean up.

"Sure. Do you want me to wait downstairs?"

"No, I have a private bathroom."

His eyes followed her as she walked into a smaller room and shut the door.

* * *

Kenny watched Nicky sip the water.

"I don't always drink this much. The beginning and end of a semester are really hectic. I didn't even realize I had done it."

"No need to apologize." He shrugged. His pale blue eyes glittered at her wickedly. "I'm an honorable man. I won't take advantage of you."

"You disappoint me, Kenny." She laughed hysterically at the look of shock on his face. Kenny couldn't believe it. For the first time in his life, a woman had shocked him into silence.

* * *

Damian was sitting on the edge of the king sized bed, made up neatly with a dark green, floral patterned comforter and an absurd amount of pillows. The room was decorated in dark blue and green, a few movie posters on the wall. On the large, dark oak desk sat a laptop computer. Next to the bed, on a matching night stand, was a lamp and several Anne Rice novels. The dresser and vanity table matched the rest of the furniture, the mirror above was tall and square.

Engrossed in his observation, he didn't hear Auren step out of the bathroom. When her hand touched his shoulder, he flinched.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to scare you." she said quietly. He shook his head.

"Not a problem."

He noticed immediately the damp hair around her face, and her face was splotchy from the cold water she had thrown on it. A white bandage marked her knee from where it had been skinned when she fell, and she had changed to a different pair of shorts and a faded sweatshirt, her feet bare. He noted the slender long feet with peach‑colored toenails.

Not seeming to care he was entranced by her, she moved to the other side of the bed and slipped in under the comforter. Drawing her knees up, she stared at him.

With the golden hair loose, falling in her face, she suddenly looked 16, not twenty‑something. The sharp, cold gray eyes were locked on him, making him uncomfortable. They alone betrayed her innocent appearance.

"How are you doing?" he asked. She shrugged.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose."

"Who hurt you so badly that you hate men?" he asked suddenly. There was no reaction. Damian wondered if that was just her personality or Air Force training.

"I'll be back in a minute." she said abruptly, leaving the bed.  She paused in the doorway. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked.

"Uh . . . water is fine." She was gone again.

Five minutes later she returned, carrying a glass of water for him and a very large cup with something yellow. He guessed a margarita. Damian remembered Nicky's warning about Auren and liquor.

"That's a big margarita." he remarked. Shrugging, she returned to the bed. Damian tried to ignore her long, supple legs. Once under the covers, she picked up the margarita from the night stand and sipped it.

"Do you want the long version or the short version?" she asked. He sipped his water, pondering her sudden willingness to talk about herself.

"Up to you. I don't have class till one tomorrow, so I have all night."

It took a long drink before she answered.

"My dad walked out on us when we were eight. Nicky doesn't really remember him, but I do. He beat the shit out of my mother. He preferred Nick because she didn't question him. I did. So he beat me, too."

She sipped the margarita again, her eyes blank and staring into the distance. Damian didn't know what to say so he stayed quiet. Her bottom lip was swollen from where she had been hit earlier. By morning, her right eye would be black and purple.

"He was fucking everything that walked, usually 20 year olds. Finally he just walked out one day and never came back. A few months later my mom got the divorce papers." The margarita was disappearing quickly. "She worked herself into an early grave trying to support the two of us. She died when we were 14. My grandma was raising Em, so she came to live with us. She died two years ago. The three of us split everything between us. It works out well."

Damian watched her sip the drink quickly, mildly alarmed by how fast she drank. And it occurred to him, he didn't even know how much was in there.

"I dated this guy through high school who basically told me I couldn't live without him. He hit me once or twice and I broke his arm. He of course made me feel guilty, and like an idiot I apologized and went back to him." The gray eyes were becoming unfocused. "Then I joined the Air Force."

Gray eyes suddenly focused on him. "Nick told you, didn't she?"

Reluctantly, Damian nodded. Auren took a gulp of her drink. "I could have handled them tonight. I only needed another ‑"

"Moment to be raped?" Damian asked. The gray eyes turned away from him. "That was no walk in the park, Auren. Those men could have killed you. You were outnumbered and one got you from behind. You're lucky he hit you in the shoulders and not the head or you could have died."

"I could have taken them." she said, sulking. Damian resisted the urge to laugh. The tequila was certainly changing her personality. "I'm a ninja, didn't you notice?"

"Yes, you have some fabulous moves. Please don't go running at night alone anymore." he said. She shrugged.

"I usually don't run on Tuesdays. I did it to avoid you."

"I know that. You could have just hid out up here or something. Do I scare you that much?" he asked. She shook her head.

"No. You don't scare me. The prospect of getting close to you scares me. I haven't been able to get you out of my mind all damn day and that scares me."

"Auren ‑" He touched her hand gently. "I will never hurt you. I'm not a jealous beast, I have never hit a woman, and I sure as hell have never cheated on a girlfriend."

Auren finished the margarita and reached for a second that wasn't there. She looked surprised to not find one.

"I could have sworn I made two." she muttered. Her eyes were completely unfocused when she looked back at him.

"Stay with me tonight." she said. His eyes widened.

"What?"

"Stay with me."

"Auren, I don't think that's a good idea." he said. "You don't even know me."

She giggled. "You just told me you're a nice guy."

"Yeah, I am. And that's why I'm not staying here tonight." he said. She looked puzzled. Her eyes were drooping. "Auren. Lay back." he said softly.

She did so, uncertain. It was hard to tell if her eyes were closing from liquor, fatigue, the bruises or a combination.

Damian reached over and turned her light off. She was already asleep. Picking up the glasses, he took them downstairs. From the corner of his eye he saw his brother and Nicky kissing on the couch. Trying not to laugh, he made enough noise in the kitchen, once he found it, to alert them to his presence.

When he returned he found them cozied up on the couch, laughing about something.

"Is she all right?" Nicky asked, when she realized he was standing in the room.

"She's asleep. That girl can drink something fierce."

"Yeah. Air Force again."

Damian sent his brother a silent message. Kenny turned to her.

"We should go. You don't seem overly sober yourself."

Nicky laughed. "Realize ‑" she told him, "If this was a one night thing, I guarantee your career on the paper is as good as over."

Kenny flashed his charming smile. "I promise, it's not." he kissed her again before standing up. She walked them to the door.

* * *

Damian became concerned when he hadn't seen or heard from Auren by four o'clock the next day. The newspaper room was locked, but he hung around anyway, hoping she'd emerge.

At five thirty he gave up and headed for his Jeep. Stopping to tie his shoelace, he heard the building door open. Turning, he saw her, walking quickly to her Explorer.

"Auren!" he called. Quickly she turned, taking a defense stance. Seeing it was him, she relaxed slightly. Quickly he walked to her side.

"Hi."

"Hello." she said coolly. Damian almost swore out loud. Everything from the night before was gone.

As soon as his hand moved, she flinched. Slowly he brushed her hair back from her face. Her eye was almost swollen shut, dark purple, blue and black. Her bottom lip was darker red and swollen. The dark blue of her baggy sweatshirt made her eyes grayer.

"Jesus." he muttered. She moved her face from his hand.

"It doesn't hurt." she muttered. His blue eyes looked into hers.

"Would you admit it if it did?" he asked. One side of her mouth twitched to hide a faint smile.

"No."

"That's what I thought." They started walking towards her Explorer. They were silent until they reached it. Opening the passenger door, she set her backpack in the seat, then faced him.

"Damian, about last night ‑"

"Don't." he warned her. "Don't apologize and don't tell me I'm like your brother."

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

"I don't usually . . . act like I did. I don't invite men I hardly know to spend the night with me."

"You had a traumatic experience last night, it's perfectly understandable. You drank a hell of a lot of liqueur, too."

"I know." she sighed. "I always make mine pretty hard. Little bit of mix with my tequila."

"Auren, what are you doing tonight?" he asked quickly. Gray eyes narrowed at him in suspicion.

"Copyediting some stories."

"Would you like to go out for coffee?" he asked. She paused.

"I . . . suppose so."

"Great." A weight lifted from his heart. "Then I'll pick you in an hour?"

"Sure." she shrugged. "I'll see you then."

Damian waited until she got in the car and it was running before he walked towards his Jeep.

* * *

"Hello?" Auren called, stepping inside.

"In here!" Nicky called. Auren headed to the living room where Nicky and Em were watching the Princess Bride. "Hey, sweets."

"Hi, guys. I have a problem and I need your help."

"And what would that be?" Em didn't look up from her laptop.

"I think I just made a date for tonight."

Both girls looked up. "You think?"

"Well . . . he just said coffee. Nothing else."

"Did he say the words nothing else?" Nicky asked.

"No."

"Then it's a date." Em said, returning to her computer. When Auren didn't respond she looked up. "What?"

"That creates more of a problem." Auren sat down next to Nicky and stretched her long legs out across her sister's.

"Christ Almighty, Auren. You are the only person I know who can make a federal case because a guy asked you out." Nicky said.

"Who is it?" Em asked. Nicky smiled slyly.

"He wouldn't happen to be about six foot two, with short, platinum blonde hair and a great body would he?" she asked. Auren blushed.

"Yes."

"Damian? They are hotties." Em agreed.

"That's half the problem!" Auren said. Em and Nicky exchanged glances.

"Auren . . . start making sense, please, before I return to my theory that you were switched at birth." Nicky said.

"This gorgeous guy who I poured my heart out to last night has asked me out. I don't know him. I haven't had a date in almost four years. I don't know what a 'coffee' means. I don't know what to wear. And I look like I have an eggplant on my face."

"My God, I think she actually likes him." Nicky sat up straight. Em laughed.

"Man, I thought I had convinced you to join me on the other side."

"When is he picking you up?" Auren glanced at her watch.

"Half an hour."

"Shit, girl! You don't give us much time!" Nicky leaped to her feet. Em closed down the laptop. "Upstairs quick."

In her room, Nicky pulled out a white tank top and threw it at her sister.

"It makes my boobs look large!" Auren protested.

"It's sexy. Put it on. You a have a nice tan. Show it off."

Grunting in protest, Auren switched her sweatshirt for the tank top. Em grabbed her brush and began to brush the curls out. "Up or down, Nick?" she asked.

"Ouch!" Auren protested.

"Mmm . . . clip the sides back and let her curls fall." Nicky decided, looking at her sister. "Wait ‑ go brush your teeth first."

When Auren returned Nicky pushed her into the chair. "Close your eyes." she ordered. Em had dug out Auren's make‑up.

"He's going to think I did this!" she protested.

"Do you like him?" Em asked.

"Well ‑ yeah, I guess."

"Then it doesn't matter." Nick snapped, brushing pale brown shadow over Auren's closed eyes. Em grabbed the long hair and started braiding.

"I feel like a fool." Auren muttered. Nicky grabbed some lipstick and applied it to her sister.

"Blot." She held the tissue out to her sister.

"Ok. Vast improvement. At least you don't look like you just crawled out from a rock. Remember to stand up straight." Nicky handed her a different sweatshirt, also dark blue but this one zipped up the front.

"Try not to offend him with male bashing."

"Don't drink anything with alcohol."

"Avoid messy food like spaghetti or salad."

"Enough!" Auren yelled, frustrated. Em looked out the window.

"Hmm, one black, and one red Jeep. Looks like black is Damian's."

"Christ, he's here." Auren murmured. Nicky picked up her jacket.

"Now, pay attention. Money ‑ for emergency. Condom, for extreme emergency."

"Nick ‑"

"Just listen. You can't wear your jacket all night, it's rude. If all goes well, at least kiss him good night."

"What am I, fifteen again?" Auren demanded angrily. Nick kissed her on the cheek and dashed out of the room when the doorbell rang.

"C'mon." Em shoved her cousin out the door. "If he needs a place to go, tell him Café Matisse. It's on Arizona and South."