#i could write such a dance school AU if i had an inkling of plot for it | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

illyrianwingspans · 8 years ago

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The House of Beasts, part 5

This part has like direct paragraphs I took from the book because I legitimately had no inspiration at all to write this chapter... And I realized I had quite a few plot holes, so I’m here to make a change that’s EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: HYBERN IS NOT THE PRINCIPAL, HE’S THE PRINCIPAL OF HYBERN UNIVERSITY. I will go back and make the necessary corrections, so for all those who’ve read it up to now, sorry! But I make mistakes lol that’s what happens

Summary: Prythian University, the grounds where frat houses wage wars and throw the best parties yet. Feyre, an art student and girlfriend to the Head of House of the Spring House, discovers secrets everyone’s been keeping from her for the last year and a half. An ACOTAR/ACOMAF AU, which begins as Feylin then evolves into Feysand. Begins as ACOTAR, includes AU of Under the Mountain, but will focus more on Acomaf.

Word Count: 2749 words

Once again, thank you all for withholding any hate and supplying only constructive criticism (I really need it!) and sending any requests, suggestions, etc. Disclaimer: All characters and some direct and or modified quotes belong to Sarah J Maas, as well as some of the plot points. I take no credit for them whatsoever

Part 5: Bargains

Under the Mountain was definitely what I thought it would be.

The place was littered with thugs, crooks and criminals. The stingy smell of weed clung to the air and made me wrinkle my nose. Few heads turned to my direction once I reached the bottom of the stairs, and I clung to the wall to keep from drawing attention to myself. The room was strangely built, all corners and squares attached to each other with no definite shape or pattern. It was all open though, yet the bodies made it seemed more cramped than it was. To my left was a bar, and to my right a dance floor littered with grinding and public displays of affection I could have lived the rest of my life without seeing. There were strippers and prostitutes, both male and female, and to my surprise I even recognized a few students from school. Overall, it was rancid. Despicable.

Finally, in the far corner of the room, were two chairs, with two occupants. One, a stranger, the other, the all-too familiar face I’d been missing all this time. My heart dropped into my stomach.

Tamlin. Tamlin was here, Tamlin was safe. Or was he?

His features were forced into boredom and neutrality, his posture slightly slackened but his shoulders tense. I was pretty far back, I couldn’t see much, but he didn’t seem injured. Thank God.

The woman, on the other hand…was gorgeous. Too gorgeous.

With hair that glowed like fire and bright green eyes that pierced wherever set her gaze upon. People shied away from her look, and her chin was held high, a queen holding court. She was draped in a fine gown, which seemed regal compared to the rags that some of these people wore. Her fingers curled around the arms over her chair, a delighted grin on her face, and my blood boiled when she tossed a glance at Tamlin. The elevated surface they sat upon seemed almost like

“A throne?” I muttered to myself. None of this made sense.

Then someone grabbed my arm.

I’d come so close to screaming I had to snap my mouth shut from making a sound. I spun around to see that my supposed attacker was Lucien, eyes vivid, tousled hair and sweat upon his brow. Silently, he dragged me to the nearest supply closet, looking around to make sure no one was paying us unwanted attention.

The door closed just as quickly as it opened.

“What the hell were you thinking?” was the first thing Lucien demanded, his face dimly lit by the broken light bulb that illuminated the rancid smelling room.

“You both disappeared! I wasn’t just going to stand by and watch!”

He sighed, then rubbed a hand over his face. “Feyre, you’re an idiot. You can’t be here. She’s going to torture you.”

I swallowed, shifting on my feet, my blood pounding. “Explain. The whole truth.”

He met my eyes from where he was standing and sighed, turning so he could face me. Then began recounting, as quickly and clearly as he could, the story of how we’d all ended up here.

Amarantha had been a student at Hybern University, the neighbouring school, for three years before she transferred to Prythian. Lucien said when she arrived, she tried to make a friend out of everyone. She threw parties Under the Mountain, a place she’d discovered while taking the zip lining course. It was the tunnels from the old building they had, years ago, which they’d torn down because it was way too small. The tunnels didn’t go very far and were all sealed up, though they did have a multitude of rooms in the different branches of corridors. There was only one entrance and exit, though: that door that I’d come in through.

Everyone thought that she was being friendly and courteous, trying to make friends as quickly as possible to enjoy her last year of university. Then she revealed her true self.

One night, at a party she was hosting Under the Mountain, she’d poisoned everyone’s drinks and made everyone sick for weeks. People suspected her, but nobody outright blamed her. Then more things started to fall into place.

There were more and more newcomers at these parties she hosted, people nobody had seen around campus, and began to grow suspicious. It turned out that all these people were part of a street gang: the Attors. Most of the people occupying the club were part of this gang, the other small portion were the Heads of Houses and their closest friends. She had leverage on each of them: whether it were the locations of their closest relatives or the members of their respective Houses, whenever someone didn’t agree with her: she’d pull threats out of the wazoo, threaten you with secrets you’d kept in the private corners of your own mind.

She’d had a personal wanting for Tamlin ever since she’d set eyes on him, though every attempt of approach she’d made at him in the past had failed. In spite of it, she managed to strike up a deal with him: find a student with hate in her heart for the House to fall in love with him within the span of six months and she’d leave him alone for the remainder of his days at PU. But, if he failed, then he’d have no choice but to join her.

And it was true. That night in June, when I’d made the shot for the mascot, I was terrified. But I wanted it. So bad. To show those rich scum bags to feel an inkling of the loss we faced. And look where it had gotten me now.

“The reason,” Lucien said quietly, with resign, “that we kept you away, is because you are leverage, Feyre. You are the thing that will tear him apart. Because if she hurts you then Tam’s gonna be a goner. He’ll do anything for you.”

I shook my head. “I can try, Lucien, I can try to escape but I want to put an end to this! I can’t just stand by while—”

But I never had the chance to finish that sentence when the same man that greeted me in the cabin was there, in the doorframe, several heads peeking in behind him to catch the scene of Lucien and I huddled in the corner next to a mop and a variety of cleaning supplies.

My stomach dropped. Oh God. What have I done?

Before I even knew it, there was a crowd of limbs around me, hands grabbing at my arms, and I think I was screaming and Lucien there was the faint sound of hard knuckles meeting soft skin, my skin, and one swift blow to the head had me limp as they dragged me to what I thought was the main room, a hushed murmur overtaking the crowd.

My eyes opened, and I blinked against the harsh lights that had been switched on and pointed in my direction. After blinking for a few moments, two faces came into view, and a deep, seductive laughter sounded in my ears.

“What’s this?” Amarantha said along with the adder’s smile she offered me. There, hanging on her creamy neck was a long slender chain, and hanging from it was a scruffy worn bone the size of a finger. I shivered, never wanting to know how she’d procured it or whose it was, and this all but confirmed the ruthlessness that everyone had warned me about.

“What I presume as Spring House trash I found huddling in the supply closet with Lucien,” the bouncer hissed.

“Oh, how lovely,” she crooned, and instead of acknowledging her, I focused on the black shoes, the ones of the boy I’d fallen in love with, whom I’d unforgivingly risked myself for by walking down the stairs to this club. Tamlin was sitting there, ten feet away, and it took everything within me not to run to him. “But what is she doing here?”

A foot jabbed into my side, and I hissed between clenched teeth. “Tell her why you were sneaking around. Who are you?”

My hands, though, were at my back, underneath my coat, fingertips brushing against the handle of the gun. It was my only leverage, my only defense within this place, yet I was debating it over and over in my head: would it be better to go after the bouncer, or straight to Amarantha herself? The bouncer kicked me again, and I winced as his fingers dug into my arm and squeezed hard enough for his dull nails to draw blood. “Tell her, you piece of filth.”

I needed time, time to figure out a plan, because there were too many variables—I had no clue who was carrying a weapon within this place, and how I would get out or would be on my side if I tried to take this place down. Surely, the only two people I’d have to back me up were Tamlin and Lucien, but we were seriously outnumbered, and I could be killed within seconds if I wasn’t careful. Yet still, time was running out before the bouncer could do any worse, so I cleared my throat and looked up and stared at Amarantha’s gold gown instead of her eyes.

“I came to claim the one I love,” I said quietly. Maybe the bet could still be one. Maybe I could free the Spring House from her reign. My gaze flicked over to Tamlin once more, and those emerald eyes relaxed me ever so slightly.

“Oh?”

“I’ve to claim Tamlin, the Head of the Spring House.”

There were a few murmurs here and there, even a gasp, but Amarantha tipped back her head and laughed—a true crow’s laughed that made me cringe. She turned to Tamlin, and her lips curled into a wicked smile.

“Well now. This is…interesting,” her fingers curled over the arm rests of her grandioso throne, and she dipped her nose slightly forward to speak with me more forwardly. “You’ve definitely been busy these last few months, Mr. Atwell.”

I swallowed nervously, not daring to look into her eyes, keeping them trained on her dress or her shoes.

“So,” she said, looking me up and down. “This is the girl you made move in with you. And the girl you kicked out for ‘disruptive behaviour’? To keep her safe? Oh! You lovely thing! You actually made this hateful worm love you. Marvelous.” She clapped her hands, and Tamlin just looked away from her, the only reaction he’d shown this whole time.

“Let him go,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Amarantha laughed again. “Give me one reason I shouldn’t destroy you where you stand, girl.”

Everything within me was screaming not to anger this women, and my blood pounded in my ears when I said, “You tricked him—he is bound unfairly.”

“Well, Tamlin,” she said, curling an arm around his, “What do you have to say?”

Tamlin glanced at her before turning to me, looking me dead in the eye and saying: “I’ve never spoken to this girl in my life. She was at the House, yes, but I kicked her out a few days ago after complaints of disruptive behaviour. No more, no less. I don’t even know her name. This is all probably some sick joke that Rhysand’s trying to pull off.”

He was still trying to protect me, after all this time. I wanted to kill him for it.

“Oh, come on. We all know that’s a lie.” She tutted and shook her head. “Oh, this is so fun. It really is possible that you turned this poor little rag and made her anew and actually made her love you.” Another fit of cackling. It rattled my bones, but I made no sign of reaction. Only a steady, calm face.

“You’ve come to claim Tamlin?” it was more of a challenge than a question. “Well, as it happens, this shit show has bored me to tears these last few days. And I’m willing to make a bargain with you, worm.

“You complete three tasks of my choosing—three tasks to prove how deep that sense of loyalty and love runs, and Tamlin is yours. Just three little challenges to prove your dedication, prove to me that you can indeed love true, and you can have your Head of House.” She turned to Tamlin. “Consider it a favor, Atwell—this dreg probably made you so lust-blind that you lost all common sense. Better for you to see her true nature now.”

“I want his curse broken too,” I blurted. “I complete all three of your tasks, and his curse is broken, and we—and all his friends—can leave here. And remain free of your manipulation and schemes forever.” When making a deal, you always needed to be specific, especially with this woman because she felt like the type of person to pull a loophole out of her ass.

“Of course,” she purred. “And I’ll throw in another element, if you don’t mind—just to see if you’re worthy and smart enough to deserve him. I’ll give you a way out, girl,” she went on. “You’ll complete all the tasks—or, when you can’t stand it anymore, all you have to do is answer on question. A riddle. You solve this riddle, and his curse will be broken. Instantaneously. I won’t even need to lift my finger and he’ll be free. Say the right answer, and he’s yours. You can answer at any time—but if you answer incorrectly…” she pointed her throat and made a slitting motion that sent shivers down my spine.

I studied her words again, checking for traps or loopholes, but everything sounded fine. “And if I fail your tasks?”

Her smile became almost grotesque, and she rubbed a thumb against the rests of her chair. “If you fail a task, there won’t be anything left of you for me to play with.”

That sent shivers down my spine. Lucien and Alis had warned me—warned me against her ruthlessness. Everyone had. And now, facing her, I knew that these tasks were going to be much, much worse than I thought there were. “What is the nature of my task?”

“Well, revealing that would spoil all the fun,” she grinned, a feline smile. “But I’ll tell you one thing: you have one task every two days, spaced over the next six days.”

“And on the off days?” I dared a glance at Tamlin.

“In the off days, you’ll either stay in your cell or do whatever is expected of you.”

“If you run me ragged, aren’t I at a disadvantage?” I knew she was losing interest—that she hadn’t expected me to question her so much. But I had to try to gain some kind of edge.

“Nothing beyond basic housework. The occasional party here and there.” I nodded. “Then we are agreed.”

She waited for me to echo her response, but I went over it once more. “If I complete your tasks or answer your riddle, you’ll do as I request?”

“Of course,” Amarantha said. “Is it agreed?”

Tamlin’s face was ghastly white, and his eyes widened almost imperceptibly as if to say No.

But it was all or nothing. When it came down to it, this is really what tested your love for someone: if you would lay yourself down on the line for them, or just bow out and walk away.

I knew. I knew, with all certainty that I would not walk away.

I glanced at Tamlin one last time before I said, “Agreed.”

A feline grin lit her face when she called, “Bouncer, give her a greeting worthy of this club.”

My head snapped up and whipped from side to side, and the man’s hiss was his only warning before his fist jabbed into my side.

I was thrown sideways, stunned from the sudden pain, but another brutal blow awaited for my face. It was a constant pounding, over and over, to my ribs, my face, my legs—everything. Crunch, crack, crack…it was like being slugged with a brick. My bones were screaming in agony. I was screaming in agony.

Blood sprayed from my mouth, and I knew the sweet relief of nothingness that greeted me once I passed out from one too many blows to the head.

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