Mirrored

By Mallorie Griffin

What would you do in a world with no consequences?

Kat is above it all, a frigid ice queen who holds herself at arms length from everyone around her. She's happy that way too, to merely be an outside observer but never experience anything for herself as she toils her way through college.

At least, that was what she tells herself.

Everything changes one evening when a doppelganger steps out of her dorm room mirror and introduces Kat to a world she never knew about. Her mirror self, insisting on going by the name Black, is everything Kat isn't and pushes her sexual boundaries straight into the stratosphere. What's more, she pulls Kat into the mirror world with her, a world without consequences, and encourages Kat to experiment in ways she'd never dreamed. Encouraged by the lack of reprecussions, she does things with a boy from the mirror world that she'd never done to anyone else ever before.

Somehow she keeps this mirror world a secret, separate from the real world and another would-be paramour who also vies for her attention.

But her experiments come crashing down around her head when she learns something devastating about that mirror world. Kat is risking everything without knowing, and now she risks losing it all.

Mirrored is an adult novel, with frequent and graphic sex scenes and is intended for mature readers only.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mallorie Griffin
• Release date: Jan 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301157792

Mallorie Griffin

Mallorie Griffin is an up and coming romance and erotica writer, specializing in paranormal, werewolf, vampire, mythological and fantasy scenarios.

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Mirrored

Mallorie Griffin

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Mallorie Griffin

Check out other works by Mallorie Griffin

If you enjoy this story you may also like:

Faithful, Unfaithful

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Chapter 1

She held herself above it all.

Kat wouldn't describe herself as a frigid bitch – no, she just chose not to interact with people very much. She regarded herself more as an anthropologist of her own society than anything. She was there to observe, take notes, and write studies on the very people that surrounded her from day to day.

Most people described her as a frigid bitch.

If she took an honest view of herself, she had to concede that it was probably true. She could see how her distance made her seem cold. Her terseness made her sound catty. But she didn't really care. She was just here to observe.

That was always how she felt. From the moment she was born, she was an inconsequential number among seven siblings. She wasn't the firstborn, or the lastborn, so what did she matter? Her father and mother both had always been cold to her, so that's what she learned. That shell became her armor through middle and high school, and it continued to serve her well into college.

Kat? her roommate Bethany called her tentatively. Kat sighed and ran a brush through her thick dark hair one more time before turning away from the mirror and glaring at the girl.

I need help with my computer, Bethany continued, oblivious to Kat's dismay. If Kat was a frigid bitch, Bethany was a burning whore. She was blonde and beautiful, a polar opposite to Kat in every way. And she was the only person who could put up with Kat's peculiarities, which was good, because she lived with her.

What's the matter? Kat said shortly, dropping her brush on the dresser. She couldn't ignore the fact that she had to at least remain cordial to the girl. They were roommates, after all. It was a good thing she was used to sharing her space. She'd never had a room to herself in her entire life.

I think I have a virus, Bethany said sheepishly.

Have you been downloading torrents again? Kat growled and pushed Bethany, chair and all, away from her laptop. Indeed, she was getting pop-up after vicious pop-up. The more Kat tried to close, the more they proliferated. She grimaced and hit the power button.

Maybe, Bethany said.

Restart it in safe mode, Kat replied before stalking back to the mirror and dragging the brush through her hair a few more times. As if she didn't have enough on her plate.

At least it was coming to an end. She had her last semester at this hell hole of a university, and then she would be free. Free to move on to get her Master's in Anthropology, or a fellowship if she was lucky. She snorted. It didn't matter, as long as it would be away from here. And she would get her own damned apartment. She'd been working full time at a local art supply store for the entire four years she'd been here, scrimping and saving every dime she made while paying her own tuition. Kat was going to be responsible about this. She was driven. She was focused. Nothing was going to get in her way.

Except Bethany's laptop, apparently.

Okay, I restarted it, the blonde girl called. Kat set down her brush once again, and contemplated not helping her. She got a virus or Trojan every other week on that cursed laptop, mostly from torrenting the latest albums from her favorite artists. Irresponsible and Bethany knew it. Kat had warned her about illegally downloading things in the past. Music was especially dangerous, but Bethany just wouldn't listen.

What did you download this time? Kat asked tersely as she pushed Bethany out of the way and sat in her chair now. She furiously tapped and tabbed through the usual suspected folders, looking for anything suspicious.

Nothing! Bethany protested. Well, maybe another album.

Kat sighed and punched a key, looking through the registry now. It's another virus. I told you not to download those things. If you do it again, I'm not helping you. Not only was it another virus, it was the same one she caught last week. Luckily, that meant Kat knew how to delete it. It was gone within five minutes, but she decided to be vindictive and have the computer run a deep virus scan as well. It would take hours, and incapacitate the machine while it was running.

She punched the key to start the scan. Don't touch it until it's finished.

How long is that going to take? Bethany whined. I have class in less than an hour!

Tough, Kat said as she stood, pushing the chair into the other girl. It needs to run. And if you get another virus, don't come running to me. She returned to the mirror for a third time and finally finished with her hair.

She hated her hair. It was a messy, difficult beast to tame, and she usually ended up pulling it back into a ponytail.

I can help you with your hair, you know, Bethany offered.

I don't need help from you, Kat shot back. After she yanked her hair into one thick bundle, containing it with a bit of elastic, she dabbed a bit of makeup on her face. Not much – she didn't care what other people thought of her – but enough to cover up an unsightly pimple that was forming. She hated pimples as well. Thankfully she didn't get them terribly often anymore.

I'm off, she stated as she grabbed her satchel and made for the door.

Thanks for the help, Bethany called after her.

Just don't download anymore goddamn albums, Kat replied, slamming the door after her.

As soon as she hit the outside world, Kat shivered and wrapped her coat about her a little more tightly, wishing she'd remembered to grab her scarf and hat. It was far too cold out here for her tastes, but that's how February was in New York. Frigid at best. Just like her.

There was no way she was going back to the room, though. She gripped her bag and braved the icy winds instead.

She was lucky enough that the science building was close to her dorm, so the walk was blessedly short. Even so, by the end of it her fingers and ears felt like little more than meaty icicles. Her nose was dripping, and her eyes stung from the harsh cold. She hated being so cold.

Hey Kat, Zachary called, holding the door to the building open for her. She hadn't even noticed him; she was so cold and focused on herself and her misery that everyone else receded in her vision.

She didn't respond to the boy as she walked through the door, but he jogged along after her. Zach was one of the other students she saw often. Far too often. He was also an Anthropology major, and one of the few graduating with her this summer. A summer that seemed miles away at the moment.

How's your paper going?

You mean my thesis? Kat said snidely, trying to walk even faster now. It was no use. Zach kept pace easily with her. He was taller, and had much longer legs.

Well, yeah, Zach said.

It's going fine.

What's the subject on?

Kat swiveled her head around to glare at the boy. You think I'm going to tell you so you can snipe my ideas?

When have I ever done that? Zach replied, looking hurt. Kat didn't care.

Last year. You stole my idea about the malls.

Oh come on, that was hardly an original idea, Zach sniffed and wiped his nose on his coat sleeve.

That's foul, Kat wrinkled her nose in disgust and pulled out a small packet of tissues. Here. She thrust one in his hand.

Thanks.

Don't thank me. I'm just trying to stop the spread of disease. She stalked right through the door to a small classroom, now.

Thankfully, there were a meager ten students in this class. It was a high level one, and Kat loved it. She didn't have to deal with people, or ridiculous group activities or projects. The only person she had to depend on was herself, and that was the way she liked it.

Zach sat down next to her, and she groaned. She couldn't get away from him, and she didn't understand why he kept chasing her. She saw how he flirted with her on the first day in the first class they had together, three years ago. She still remembered it. Anthropology 101. The class that had sparked her interest and given a name to all the people watching she did through her entire life.

She'd given this boy more than enough signs that she wasn't interested, but he was like a dog with a bone. He just wouldn't leave well enough alone. He was attractive enough, she supposed, in a gawky, nerdy way. He had unruly gingery brown hair and green eyes that sparkled whenever he was about to deliver a horrible joke. He was wholly unlike her, with her dark hair, and her dark eyes that never sparkled because she never told jokes, horrible or otherwise. But then again, it seemed most people were wholly unlike her. She thought that in another life she might have tried something with the boy, but not in this one. In her life, she was focused on herself, and had little use or time for extraneous, unnecessary relationships.

So the way he pursued her was more annoying than anything.

She whipped out her notebook, and began taking notes as the professor entered the room. Professor Cadigan. She'd had him three times so far, and greatly enjoyed him, both as a teacher and a person. He didn't fool around telling stupid stories or anecdotes. He got straight down to business in his classes. He was efficient, almost robotic. Kat strove to be the same.

Class passed in the usual fashion – Cadigan lectured and students listened, with Kat the most attentive of all. She wrote down everything the man said. She admired him far too much to let any of his words go to waste. After the lecture, there was individual review with each of the students on the progress of their thesis paper. Kat loved this one-on-one time most of all. First of all, she didn't have to waste time and brain cells listening to the more moronic of her classmates asking stupid questions, and second of all, she felt that this was where her money was really spent. Cadigan had opened her eyes on the subject of Anthropology, and she craved to know even more. She wanted to pick this man's brain for hours.

But all she got was fifteen minutes. It was a glorious fifteen minutes though, and Cadigan praised her for her thesis idea and research thus far.

She left class that day feeling more accomplished than usual.

Chapter 2

Evening came, and with it Kat returned to the dorm. As it was a Friday, Bethany was out partying, and nowhere to be seen. Kat liked that. Sometimes Bethany didn't return until Sunday evening. Kat liked that most of all. It was rare, but she hoped the girl would do it again this weekend.

As she entered the small room and threw her bag and books on the floor, she happened to glance at herself in the mirror. Her lip curled in slight disgust at what she saw.

Kat wasn't a looker, and she knew it. Her hair was difficult to tame at best of times, and right now it looked like she just walked through a hurricane. Her face was thin and narrow, her nose pointed. Her lips were thin. Everything about her was thin, right down to her bony frame.

There were times when she had a moment of weakness, wishing that she had a better body. Something with more curves. And her face – she wished it was rounder, fuller. But then she dashed those thoughts from her mind. The only reason to wish for a body like that was for carnal purposes, something she'd sworn off. She was a good girl, and she obeyed her parents. They had forbidden such activities from her, as she was a proper Christian. And she obeyed them, of course, even as she hated them.

And this was easier. It was difficult to be rejected when she didn't put herself in the position to be rejected in the first place.

She shuddered, shooing away those vicious little thoughts, but still they persisted. She knew the real reason she didn't date, didn't hold a boy's hand or kiss him. She didn't do any of those things because she was afraid. Afraid that for all her hard work, she wasn't good enough to attract a boy – a man. She was afraid of the inevitable rejection. And she was certain that it was inevitable.

So she preemptively took herself off the menu. She'd rather be unattainable than someone's trash.

As Kat stared at herself in that floor-length mirror though, something funny began to happen. It shimmered, like there was a slight heat-haze in the air. Slowly but surely, the shimmering became more and more violent, until the image in the mirror was vibrating erratically.

What? Kat mumbled and paced around to the back of the mirror. It was attached to the wardrobe, so she looked inside the wardrobe, checking to see if Bethany had planted anything there. She wasn't exactly known for pranks, but Kat knew that it wasn't above the girl.

There was nothing in the wardrobe however. Kat turned to look back at the mirror, hoping the odd vibration had diminished.

To her relief, it had, but her relief was short-lived, for the mirror version of herself was no longer obeying the real Kat. Her eyes widened as she saw her mirror self stalk right up to the boundary of the glass, pressing the tip of her nose ever so lightly against it. The mirror Kat grinned and tilted her head slightly.

What was going on? Kat shook her head, willing the strange optical illusion to vanish, but it only got worse.

Mirror Kat was stepping into the real world now. Daintily, she lifted a foot and slid out onto the tile floor on Kat's side, as if there was no mirror there at all. She followed that step with another, and within moments Kat was face to face with a doppelganger.

The other Kat grinned devilishly. It was a facial expression totally alien to the real Kat.

I'm hallucinating, Kat finally stated, concluding that she'd somehow been drugged during dinner. She frantically thought back to what she ate. A grilled cheese sandwich, some tomato soup. A hot coffee and an apple. And it was all from the dining hall. She idly wondered if other students were experiencing similar hallucinations.

No you aren't, mirror Kat said smugly. I'm as real as you are.

That is impossible, Kat replied dryly, enunciating every syllable. You cannot possibly exist. One cannot just step through a mirror. You are a reflection gone haywire.

Oh really? I suppose this won't convince you." Mirror Kat grabbed her hand now, and Kat gasped at the solidity of the other girl. This was one convincing hallucination.

This is worse than I thought, Kat said, more to herself than to her strange doppelganger. I need to go to the doctor immediately. She tried to wrench her hand away from mirror Kat, but the girl held her fast.

I don't think so, mirror Kat said, casually pulling her to her bed instead. There's nothing wrong with you, I promise.

I highly doubt that, Kat said, but she was curious. Where had this mirrored version of herself come from? She was a hallucination, that much was certain, but what purpose did she serve? Was she a manifestation of some suppressed part of her psyche?

Ever the scientist, mirror Kat laughed, seemingly reading her thoughts. And don't think of me as mirror Kat. Her smile now turned darker, more sadistic. I'm much more than that. Call me 'Black.'

Black. As in Black Kat. Kat sighed and rolled her eyes. There was no way this Kat was a part of her at all. She wasn't this ridiculous.

Not ridiculous. Fun. Black grinned and kicked her legs up before letting them drop., back to the floor.

I highly doubt that, Kat replied. Black wasn't holding her back now, so she stood and gathered her bag and books up, putting them in their place. Books went on the tiny shelf on her desk; bag was hung on the hook on the door. Black watched her the entire time, her large dark eyes glittering. Kat was slightly distressed by the fact that it was essentially her own eyes following her. She didn't know what to make of it.

You're always so meticulous, Black commented as she now watched Kat sit down at the computer desk. Kat had intended on getting some more research done this evening, and she wasn't going to let an apparition stop her from her work. You need to loosen up a little. As she spoke, she grabbed a pillow, holding it in her lap.

Don't even think about it, Kat said shortly, but that was all she had a chance to say, for the next thing she knew, a pillow was flying at her, hitting her full in the face.

With a stifled shriek, she instinctively grabbed for the fluffy mass and hurled it back at Black. Don't do that! she said sharply. I'm trying to work!

Work, work, work, Black sneered. All you do is work.

I do things that will take me farther in life, Kat said, her voice strained.

No time for games, Black agreed, rolling her eyes now. How dare she? Kat knew what she was, and