I sigh. “I’ve not called him Prince Charming yet, how could I miss such a chance?”
Bryce chuckles, standing behind me and taking my shoulders. He silently motions me to roll them and I comply, fighting off the tension.
“I want you to focus on your energy core, feel it, visualize it,” Bryce instructs. “I’d like to maintain contact, to be able to feel and guide your energy if that’s okay with you.”
I smile. “It is, don’t worry.”
“Okay, now eyes closed, work on feeling that core.”
I lick my lips and close my eyes, focusing on the heat surrounding my heart and anchoring the core of my body. It feels stronger than yesterday already. I bite my lip, afraid that it can explode and destroy everything around me without control.
“No fear,” Bryce gently commands. “Never fear who you are.”
I take a deep breath, kicking the fear and self-doubt aside, focusing once again on the warmth inside me, visualizing it like a small nuclear reactor pulsing energy to my whole body.
“Good,” Bryce approves. “Now, I’d like to see a blast.”
I lift my hand and focus on a big stone about ten yards away. If I can do half of what I did yesterday to Nox, then I can hit it.
A flare of power flows from my chest to my right arm, stealing my breath. My sight bathes with orange as flaming energy bursts from my palm and collides with the stone like a massive laser. I gasp, watching the reddish surface of the stone blacken, aware of the tightening of Bryce’s fingers on my forearms.
A bubble of euphoria explodes, and I feel like laughing. Cracks begin to appear on the stone’s surface and I call my power inside me, feeling warm and giddy as the crazy energy bows to my will. I look down at my hands, they’re glowing subtly, coils of energy running up my forearms.
I giggle, turning on the spot to face Bryce. His azure eyes are wide as saucers, a small smile lifting his lips.
My grin grows. “So, that was okay?”
Bryce runs a hand through his hair. “Okay?” he snorts, “that was incredible, I didn’t have to guide you at all.”
I resist the impulse to clap like a loon. “It’s about time I can do something right. Gods know I am a horrible fighter and I can’t shield my mind to save my life.”
Bryce’s smile wavers. “You will learn to shield your mind, I know you will. And a certain grumpy demon says you’re not doing bad at all in defense practice.”
A flush of delight settles on my cheeks.
“Now, we have to work on your ability to shield,” Bryce says, taking a few steps back.
“Er, okay,” I mutter, nervous.
Bryce steps further back. “Your energy, focus on it.”
I take a deep breath and obey him.
Bryce bends to pick up some small rocks. “Now visualize a layer of it protecting you.”
I lick my dry lips and imagine a heliosphere surrounding the small sun inside me, expanding and enveloping me from head to toe. My sight bathes with a light orange glow, I realize my skin is faintly glowing when I look down at my hands.
“Ready?” Bryce asks as he lifts his left hand, a small rock clasped lightly in his long fingers.
I nod, he throws a stone at me; it collides with a barrier about five inches away from my shoulder. A gasp escapes me, then a little giggle. Bryce smiles with mischievousness and surprise and then pelts me with many rocks in fast succession; they all bounce from the shield and fall to the ground.
“I can’t believe it,” I laugh.
Bryce winks. “I can. Now, we need to try it out against something more challenging,” my jaw falls open as his eyes glow and turn feline-like, vertical pupils, the whites disappearing; a ball of azure fire ignites in his left hand. “Don’t be scared, if the shield fails, it won’t hurt you much and you get to zap me.”
I laugh. “I’m not scared, and I will take up your offer.”
Bryce grins and sends the ball of fire to collide with my right shoulder. I feel the heat, but the flames flicker against the shield, my skin unharmed.
“Again!” I demand, grinning so hard my cheeks hurt.
Bryce complies sending several balls of azure fire towards me, all repelled at once by my strong shield. Well, strong for me, I guess. I’m still not fully recovered and I have the sinking feeling Bryce is barely making an effort. The memory of Kazzian’s sulfuric black fire flashes through my mind; I don’t think my shield can handle that.
“Ow!” I cry out, feeling the sting against my left shoulder.
Bryce rushes to my side at once. “What happened? You were doing great.”
I bite my lip as he takes my arm in his warm hands, wondering why my white T-shirt is not on fire.
“I got distracted by not so pleasant thoughts,” I admit.
Bryce regards me with a firm look. “About Kazzian.”
I nod.
“Dinah, love, Kazzian might be stronger than you for now, but I guarantee you will be a match for him soon enough.”
I swallow hard, looking down at the reddish skin of my forearm, blinking rapidly as the wound becomes fainter and smaller within heartbeats.
Bryce smiles at my surprised expression.
“Why am I not on fire?” I ask, trying to distract myself from the accelerated healing and doubtful, unhelpful thoughts.
“The clothes you’re wearing are made from magicked spider silk,” he explains. “Otherwise there’s a good chance you’d end up naked after using your power.”
I squirm. “Spiders! All the eyes and the legs, no being has any right to have more than four legs and two pair of eyes!”
Bryce laughs, shakes his head. “I’ll agree with you on that. Wanna give shielding another try?”
I bite my lip and take a steadying breath. “Ready for round two.”
* * *
By the time Nox is back, I’m starting to feel a bit tired, but satisfied. Bryce increased the strength of his blasts and instead of just standing there, I began to dodge some and block others with my power. I got a bit enthusiastic about it and managed to zap his leg. Bryce simply shrugged and said we were even, I had the feeling he’d allowed me to hit him.
Bryce resumes his position, standing behind me while Nox portals us back home.
Home?
When exactly did I begin to think of Nox’s penthouse as home?
Meh.
As soon as my hands drop from Nox’s forearms, he’s gone in a flash, half blinding me.
I turn to Bryce. “Well, he looked happy.”
Bryce grimaces. “Don’t take it personally, Dinah, I’ve known him for over four centuries and he’s always been like that.”
“A grumpy pain in the ass?”
Bryce smiles. “Yup. Nice practice today, we’ll resume it on Tuesday.”
I groan. “Don’t tell me, I’ll be forced to wake up early to play roadrunner and get my ass kicked by tall, dark and grumpy.”
Bryce smiles as he opens the door for me. “Afraid so.”
Isir is waiting for us, sitting on the sofa. “Who wants pizza?”
My stomach roars like a lion. “All the pizza.”
Isir chuckles as I plop down next to her, Bryce beside me; he smells like fire, pine, and salt. I close my eyes and allow the feeling of comfort to envelop me. These people, these not so quite strangers, are doing their best to help me, even if I have nothing to give them in return except for danger.
Isir pokes me in the ribs, making me jump. “No depressing thoughts allowed. Pizza, ice cream, nap, and then we head out to Qetesh.”
“I can’t, I need to give the finishing touches to my project,” I say, scratching my eyes.
Bryce elbows me gently. “I’ve seen you obsess about that project all week, I’m willing to bet you’re dreaming about little green numbers on a screen.”
I snort. “That’s disturbingly accurate. Okay, time to be an irresponsible 23-year-old.”
Isir claps my leg and levers herself up. “That’s the spirit! And I’m dressing y
ou.”
“Oh dear,” I groan, my lips lifting.
Bryce chuckles, sending his arm around my shoulders and giving me a reassuring squeeze. I lean into his embrace for a moment, surprised at myself. Physical contact is something that takes me a while to get used to, but I can read his intent, friendship, and warmth, just like Spence.
I can hear Isir on the phone ordering four pizzas.
“I’m gonna call Spence and ask him if he wants to meet up,” I think aloud.
Bryce stretches, yawning, I catch it immediately. “Sounds like a plan.”
Isir sits down next to me again. “So, I think you’d look great on a little black dress.”
My eyes widen at once. “Not in a million years!”
Bryce wisely stifles a laugh.
Isir’s chocolate eyes glow with mischief. “Or maybe a little red dress.”
I groan and cover my heated face with both hands.
* * *
I stand before the mirror, forcing my eyes to take in my reflection. Only two weeks of training and I have light muscle on my arms, legs, and stomach. Never in my life had I imagined having a hint of abs, but there they are. My skin, previously pale, now glows faintly golden. I cock my head to the side; I feel a bit taller, and not just because I’ve stopped hunching.
There’s a soft knock on the door. “May I come in?” Isir asks.
I panic for a moment, I’m only wearing black underwear. Taunts and jeers echo in my head, the scent of damp earth and fire invading my nostrils.
Dammit.
I grit my teeth and force myself to vanish the memory. “Yes.”
Isir walks in, smiling but it doesn’t reach her eyes, she can feel what I feel. “I promise to make this a painless endeavor.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m already in pain.”
Isir chuckles and shows me the clothes she’s chosen. A surprised giggle escapes my lips. The mini dress is red and black, with thin straps and an asymmetrical cut. The top is scarlet, the color darkening into black. I sigh with relief as Isir shows me black leggings and I bite down on a smile at the sight of the knee-high, black leather boots with four-inch platforms.
“Okay, that looks like a mix of something two of my fave movie heroes would wear,” I admit.
“And you’ll look totally hot in them,” Isir affirms handing me the clothes.
I smile and hurry to put them on, Isir steps back and waits, eyes appraising.
The outfit is surprisingly comfortable and soft, I try to fight off the image of hairy spiders and creepy white silk. The task is not so hard, I’m transfixed by the way the clothes fit perfectly and the boots make me feel powerful. With a jolt, I realize that I have actually grown a bit taller.
I stop fighting against the grin that spreads across my face, Isir stands right behind me, smiling. Her little black dress is complemented by military-style boots that leave the seemingly endless perfection of her legs on display, her hair falling loose to the middle of her back in waves and blood-red lips.
Just in case I had any doubts ‘straight’ no longer defined me.
“I think some eyeliner and lipstick are in order,” she declares.
Too content to argue, I sit on the counter by the sink and allow her to apply the make-up. I swallow a gasp as I look at the results.
“I look nice,” I say.
Isir chuckles. “No, you look hot as fuck.”
I smile. She’s right.
CHAPTER 15
DINAH
We arrive at Qetesh about an hour later. Bryce and Isir stand protectively at my sides, and I’m grateful for it. I try not to squirm with the looks some males and females give me. My cheeks are on fire. It doesn’t help that I’m towering above most humans thanks to the boots. Isir lays her hand between my shoulder blades as I start to hunch. I take a deep breath and roll my shoulders.
The club is full, not until the point of suffocation, but there are certainly more people than I can handle on my own. A sensual song blasts through the speakers, the DJ barely looks of legal age, I’m amused to notice. We make our way to the bar, a blonde girl with brown eyes is serving drinks, her name’s Callie, we’ve not spoken much, but she seems friendly.
“What can I get you, boss?” Callie asks Isir.
“Martinis for us and—” Isir stops short as Bryce’s eyes meet Derek’s across the dance floor.
“I’ll see you guys later,” Bryce murmurs distractedly, stalking away.
“Aaaand we just lost him,” Isir chuckles.
“Indeed,” I agree, receiving the offered drink from Callie and taking a sip.
“So, who will you choose to be your dance partner for the night? Or are you going to try them all?” Isir asks, chocolate eyes bright with mischief.
“I can’t dance!” I protest.
Isir laughs. “Oh, no worries. There are a few humans, two lycans, and a fae that look eager to teach you.”
I follow her eyes flicking a glance to a few human males that stand together near the dance floor assessing me. My eyes dart quickly away before they can take it as an invitation and land on a pair of striking slate eyes. The tall male leans against a wall, almost covered in shadows. His sensual mouth is curved in a sardonic smile, sharp features too perfect, and slightly golden skin too smooth.
I turn to Isir, wanting to ask her what he is, knowing she won’t reprimand me for my curiosity; her brow is slightly furrowed, gaze fixed on the mysterious male.
“Do you know him?” I ask.
Isir shakes her head. “No, and I can’t get a good reading out of him with so many supernaturals around.”
One of the bouncers, whose name I don’t remember, approaches Isir.
“Sorry, boss, but we need you in the VIP section,” His brow is furrowed with concern.
Isir downs the rest of her drink and stands. “Duty calls. Stefan has an eye on you. Be good.”
I snort. “I’m always good.”
She squeezes my shoulder and walks towards the crowd with usual grace. A few seconds later, a warm arm wraps around my shoulders and I sigh with relief, inhaling a familiar scent.
“Spence,” I sigh. Reaching over and kissing his cheek, he kisses me back.
“Babe!” he cries, taking my hand and making me stand. Xander is standing right behind him, smiling. “You look dazzling!”
I blush again. “It’s Isir, my new roommate. She gave me a mini-makeover.”
“I must know the miracle worker,” Spence gushes.
“Shut it,” I grumble.
Xander steps around Spence, giving me a barely there kiss to the cheek and taking my other hand. “You do look stunning, Dinah.”
I smile openly at him. “Thanks, Xander. But really, the two of you would outshine me any day.”
Both are clad in suits, Spence a black one with a white shirt, Xander a dark blue one with a gray shirt. And as usual, it looks as if they just finished a photo shoot for a fashion magazine.
Spence flicks a hand and moves to buy drinks.
“Wanna hit the dance floor?” Xander asks, his fresh hand still on mine.
I nod, registering the double intent in his sky-blue eyes.
He finds a path for both of us easily and—after a moment of awkwardness—he pulls me to the circle of his arms, hands light on my waist, my hands fall on his broad shoulders. Thanks to the boots, I’m as tall as he is.
“You’ve grown an inch,” he says matter-of-factly. “And Spence is not stupid.”
I sigh. “I know that, what should I do if he asks? Even better, why hasn’t he?”
Xander smiles, peeking over my shoulder. “Because he knows you’ve been through a lot and doesn’t want to push you. There is something I must know, Dinah.”
I bite my lip, warily looking at his eyes. “And what is that?”
“How deep in danger are you?” Xander demands, and I know I have no way of lying to him.
“There’s a demon after me, and there’s a chance other Nephilim are looking for me too,” I con
fess.
Xander sighs, his cool, minty breath caressing my shoulder. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
“You’ll tell me to stay away from Spence, won’t you?” My hands clamp harder on his shoulders, he doesn’t seem to notice.
“No,” Xander replies. “Not only because he loves you too much to be away from you, but also because he’d kick my ass if I suggested it.”
I smile weakly. “Can he kick your ass?”
Xander’s eyes flash with mischievousness. “Not really, but I’d let him try.”
I snort.
“Don’t lie to him,” Xander says, surprising me. “Hiding the truth from those you care about does not protect them, believe me, I’ve learned that the hard way.”
The flash of ancient pain in his eyes dries my throat, I nod.
Xander takes my hand and leads me towards a sofa, Spence is waiting for us there.
“Dinah, how cheeky of you to steal my first dance of the night from my boyfriend,” Spence teases.
I roll my eyes as I sit and take a deep gulp of the Cuba Libre Spence offers me. “Don’t worry, I’ll steal your first dance of the night from him too.”
Spence chuckles, leaning closer. “Dancing voluntarily? You are trying to avoid being asked out by males who want to get inside your panties, aren’t you?”
I blink dumbly at him. He said males, not men, and the way he looks at me… He’s no longer pretending not to know.
“You know me too well for my good,” I groan.
Spence sends his arm around my shoulder, I lean into him. Truth is, I am fooling no one, Xander’s eyes melt when Spence smiles at him, even when they aren’t dancing or touching their connection is blazingly obvious. We sip our drinks in content silence for a few minutes.
“Come on then,” Spence says, pulling me out of the sofa. I wrinkle my nose but follow him.
Thankfully, the pop song currently playing is slow enough for my awkward sense of rhythm.
Spence slides his hands around my waist, keeping me slightly closer than Xander. “If you relax, it’ll come easier.”
I take a deep breath and release some of the tension.
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