Whispy clouds float lazily in a perfectly blue sky, birds singing gracefully overhead. Soft rays of sunlight peer through the trees and dance on your skin as you doze with a book laying neatly in your lap. Then suddenly the warm glow disappears, shadowed by a tall figure. You shiver and open your eyes to see a handsome man looming over you.

Whispers, chuckles, and gasps echo in your ears as you cross the threshold into your last class of the day. It hasn’t even been a week since you started your senior year of high school, and it already looks dismal. The other students turn to look at you, parting like the sea did for Moses. Sitting in the middle of the crowd is the one and only Jackson, looking smug as his smirk widens and he leans back in his chair, his feet up on the desk. The room goes still, everyone watching, waiting. Then you turn to your desk, and your heart drops into your stomach. There, written in huge red letters, was the word “LOSER”.

The ballroom was bustling with women in elegant cocktail dresses, men in freshly ironed suits, and servants all in neat uniform passing around hors d'oeuvres. Musicians played humbly in the background, jazz dancing through the crowd. This was your first experience at the Venne mansion, and it was so grand... You felt out of place. You turn to walk out of the room, hoping to get a breath of fresh air, when suddenly you crash into a noblewoman, spilling wine all over your clothes and her dress. She screams, her face turning red. "OH! You insolent little...!" Her palm connects with your cheek, stinging like nettles. A bruise immediately forms. The crowd erupts in shocked gasps. All eyes were suddenly on you. You wanted to hide. To flee. To disappear under the covers of your bed, away from all the judgemental stares and patronizing whispers. But then the music stopped, and the doors to the ballroom opened.

It's been a hell of a day. Your tire went flat on the way to work, the dog chewed up your favorite pair of nike's, and you spilled mustard on your white shirt. So, you decided to wind down with a friend. You text everyone, but only one replies. Janessa. Despite the fact she's one of your best friends, you've never gotten along with her brother, Felix. The first time you met, he gave you a wet willy. The second time? A noogie. By the fifth time, you'd had enough. So, you made him wet the bed during a sleepover one night and took a picture, posting it in the school newspaper. He's hated you since then, and you argue every time you're put in the same room. Today, you didn't want to deal with it. But it seems you have no choice.

You didn’t expect him to be here. . . . You didn’t expect to punch him. . . . And by the look of fire in his eyes, you didn’t know what to expect at all.

In this world there are two types of people; predator and prey. But animals have evolved and learned how to live together... for the most part. You were on the outskirts of your little village picking winter berries when a strange, dark carriage went by. The horses had sleek black feathers and large wings. You notice 3 men inside, one of them a very handsome man who seems to be staring at you.

Ty has been your best friend for as long as you can remember. Ice skating has always been his passion, and he's made it to the competition finals this season. You've taken a friend to go cheer him on, but during his final scoring your friend suddenly grabs your face and kisses you. Ty's heart drops when he sees this and he almost falls out of a jump. He doesn't see as you push them away.

The doors to your apartment elevator begin to shut as you pick a floor, soft music playing peacefully in the background. "Hold the elevator!" A man's strained voice calls out as his footsteps quicken and you reach out to stop the doors from closing. He smiles as he gets on and the doors finally shut. Silence fills the air, but you can sense a pair of eyes wandering down your body.

The setting sun paints the sky in hues of soft oranges, pinks, and reds as you lean on the balcony of your shared apartment. Thoughts swirl in your mind as you wonder if your roommate has gotten home yet. . . . Your roommate. . . . His silky black hair... His toned but delicate figure... The vague shyness under his hostile personality that makes you want so badly to know what it would be like to make him submit to you... completely.