by Jaymin Eve
I came to a grinding halt at her suggestive tone. “Are you saying – you and Sam – like went the whole hog? Did the deed? Shoed the horse?”
She laughed. “Seriously? The whole hog. Shoed the horse? One would think we were farm animals. How am I supposed to use those mental pictures the next time I’m with all the sexiness that is Sammy?”
“I want to scrub my eyes, ears and mouth out. Brother, remember?”
Continuing to chuckle, she dragged me along the hall again. “Speaking of sexy, have I told you how much I am ‘in love hearting’ your marks?”
She hadn’t stopped gushing about them since I’d revealed them to her the other day. She had already known the basics about the Walkers from Samuel. But seeing the real thing had impressed her.
“They’re just gorgeous. It’s like a frame was made to showcase your unfairly advantageous beauty.”
I laughed. As she took my arm, her expression was calculated. We paused at the landing outside the ballroom.
“You ready, Abbs?”
Reaching up a hand, I attempted to pat my hair, which appeared to be piled on my head in an elaborate up-do.
Lucy snatched at my hand. “Starting to regret not checking the mirror before you left?”
Oh, that was just evil. I grabbed at her arm as she stepped away, stalling my inevitable entrance into the ballroom.
“I’m scared to see him, Luce.” I shared the unshakable fears I held deep in my heart. “He just doesn’t feel the connection.” My heart was heavy with a multitude of regret and despair.
“Who? Dumb-ass, hot-ass?” She raised her eyebrows, her nose wrinkled. “Abbs, come on. Don’t you see the way he looks at you?”
My eyes swung around to stare at her. She’d never mentioned this to me before.
“Like you’re the last piece of forbidden fruit in the bowl.” A slow grin ensued. “He wants you, to pick you, taste you, eat –”
“I get your point, Lucy.” I interrupted her drily. I stood there contemplating her words.
She leaned in closer. “He feels it. Something holds him back, Abbs, but he definitely feels it.”
She left me there then, stepping through the doorway; the announcement of her arrival was loud, even through the closed door. Lallielle had decided I needed to make a sole appearance or some such crap. I shook off Lucy’s words and attempted to focus on my entrance.
I’d had all of this procedure explained already. I probably should have paid closer attention. Burying my head in the sand had not prevented Lallielle’s crazy party planning. I slipped on my shoes, wobbling slightly before finding my balance.
Deep breath, Abby. You got this.
I stepped through the double doors to the top of a massive curving staircase.
“Announcing the arrival of Aribella, Contessa Frayre.” My new name and title.
The announcer dude had the perfect First-World accent. Deep and rich, it echoed throughout the room without the aid of a microphone. I stopped breathing as the entire room fell silent and faced me. I was not a shy or introverted person, but after so much of my life spent alone or with Lucy, I mostly hated crowds.
Two seconds from hyperventilating, I was turning to exit the way I had come, when I found myself tangled with a man.
“Oh, my apologies. I thought you’d already entered.”
Putting some space between us, I did a double-take. He was massive, typical of the advanced evolution of First Worlders. His features were blond, but his skin was an unusual golden brown. He had an icy cold beauty, almost inhuman. But he was definitely beautiful. Not in the same way as Brace, whose perfection encased a dark warmth that drove me crazy. Blondie was the opposite: a chiselled cold iciness.
“Announcing the arrival of Lucas Questialia, to-be Crown Emperor.”
I guess it was time for me to finally meet Lucas.
Reaching forward, he grasped my hand before bringing it to his lips. A jolt of something shocked my arm. It flowed between us. At that moment a slight smile crossed Lucas’s face.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aribella. I have been waiting a long time.”
His expression was unemotional, but there was something there that made me uncomfortable. As I pulled my hand free, the tendrils between our grips unraveled and his icy blue eyes flashed. With a slight nod, I turned away and moved forward to walk the massive staircase. He was another complication I didn’t need that night. I stumbled at the first step and almost made my birthday debut by tumbling to my death.
With a tight grip on the railing and my eyes focused on my feet, somehow I made the torturous journey down those stairs.
I stepped onto the ballroom floor and was immediately swamped by the crowd. Apparently, when there hasn’t been a celebration for years, First Worlders really let their hair down. I smiled at each introduction, but could guarantee I wouldn’t remember any of them by morning.
Except maybe Lucas.
He was standing near me, being fawned over by heaps of ass-kissers, although I noticed how easy it was for him to brush them off and move on to the next group. He paused a little longer with a strikingly tall blond woman whose red dress plunged to her navel. She had a husky laugh that floated through the throngs of people. Her red-tipped nails rested easily on Lucas’s jacket.
I was distracted from my observations as Josian reached my side. He had created a path so easily through the crowd.
“How are you going, baby girl?” He enveloped me in one of his amazing hugs. He was so huge it was like being engulfed. “You look so beautiful, just like your mother.”
“Honestly, Dad – this sucks. I want to escape. My eyelashes weigh two tons, my face is that stiff from this make-up, and I swear these heels are communing with Olden’s ghost and trying to kill me.” I vented most of my whining.
He caught me as I stumbled for about the tenth time in as many minutes.
“Well, you’re the right height for a Walker now.” He smiled down from his still much more impressive height. “Did you see the present table, though? Good haul.”
I looked over at the large table running along the back wall. It was packed with gorgeous wrapped packages.
This was becoming absurd.
“I don’t have to open those in front of everyone, right?” Pretending to love gifts from strangers was beyond my meagre acting skills.
Josian was distracted from answering. Lallielle was waving us over. She was a little away, chatting to a large group of people. I could see Quarn standing to one side. I waved and he acknowledged me with a nod and mimed a noose around his neck. I laughed. He’d be hating this.
“You go, baby girl. I’ll take one for the team.” Josian shooed me off in the opposite direction before he moved toward Lallielle.
I walked away as fast as the ridiculous heels allowed and managed to grab a glass of quant juice. Looking around, I noticed a nice quiet corner where I could kick off my death-trap heels and made my way there.
Sinking into a chair, I closed my eyes.
“What are you doing hiding in the corner at your own party, Red?”
I jumped at the smooth voice. When I opened my eyes, I found Brace standing in front of me. He stared for an immeasurable moment, his eyes heated and his expression unreadable.
“There are not words to describe how you look tonight,” he said finally before looking away. He let out a strangled breath as he turned back. “I want to say breathtaking and breathtaking is correct but it is not enough.”
I drowned in the heat of his eyes for a moment, and then I took in the full picture.
Speaking of breathtaking! My heart stuttered. Before that moment I’d never seen him in anything but casual clothes. Tonight his height was emphasized in a perfect fitted black tuxedo. His broad shoulders filled out the jacket. He was huge, solidly built, falling just short of being bulky. He looked dark and dangerous. The silky strands of his inky black hair fell along his forehead.
I stood then, torn between throwing myself into his arms, pride
be damned, or punching him in his perfect nose.
“Where have you been, Brace?” Angry words erupted before I could stop them. “Why did you bother to come at all?”
Okay, I was even more pissed off than I thought.
Before he could answer, I turned and walked away. The punching in the face option was definitely starting to win.
As I stormed off, I realized I’d left my shoes under the chair. Shrugging, I decided to retrieve them later, hoping no one would notice.
A hand caught my arm. Only at the last second I stopped myself from flipping the person over my shoulder. Old habits. I turned, expecting to see Brace, but it was someone else.
“Would you like to dance, Aribella?” Lucas stood before me.
I should have known. Although the jolt wasn’t as obvious, there was still some type of mild electric connection between us.
I looked to the corner where I’d left Brace. He was gone. I turned back and, with a sigh, nodded.
“As long as you call me Abby.”
I placed my hand into the crook of his outstretched arm. He smiled broadly.
“Abby it is then.” He spun me out onto the floor.
I swayed awkwardly a few times, uncomfortably, but at least I was more co-ordinated barefoot.
“Sorry, I have no idea how to dance.” I shrugged.
“Oh, really? I couldn’t tell. You do such a perfect sway.” Lucas smiled cheekily.
Flushing a little, I smiled back. “You should see me do the chicken dance. I was compound champion.”
Laughing, he leaned closer, the standard First Worlders’ perfect white teeth flashing, the cold iciness of his blond beauty softening as he smiled.
“I have no idea what a chicken dance is.” He looked down. “Do you realize you aren’t wearing shoes?”
I looked down at my bare toes. At least my toenails looked wicked. They were painted a shimmery black to match my dress.
“Yeah, they’re over in the corner somewhere.” I sighed. “They were killing my feet.”
Lucas threw back his head, laughing out loud. “You are definitely not what I expected.”
He wasn’t exactly my expectation of the spoilt future Emperor either. But there was still something about him that made me feel edgy.
I turned at a low deep growl. There was no one around us; I couldn’t tell where the rumble came from. Suddenly a hand appeared on Lucas’s arm. Brace appeared from nowhere to stand before us, serious and, as usual, beautiful. And, as usual, those damn eyes called to me, tantalizing me.
“Do you mind if I steal Abby away for a minute?”
I could hear the restrained anger in his voice. What was his problem?
Lucas looked down at me before facing Brace. He had to look up a little to meet his eyes, but eventually he nodded and stepped away.
I noticed Brace had my shiny black heels hooked over his right hand.
“Did you lose something, Red?” he asked me.
Shaking my head, I snatched the heels from him.
“Now, now, snatching isn’t nice, Abby.”
Screwing up my nose, I stuck my tongue out at him.
With great difficulty, I managed to finagle my shoes on. Brace stood back, grinning at me.
“Abbs, everything okay over here?”
Lucy and Samuel were dancing next to us; we were in the centre of the dance floor.
I nodded once and before she could question me further Samuel swept her off. As I watched them, Samuel laughed into her upturned glaring face, before leaning in closer to whisper in her ear. She turned back toward me, looking curious. I shifted my attention before she returned to rescue me again.
“So, how about that dance?” Brace held out a hand.
I glared at him. At least with those stupid heels we were much closer in height.
“How about ‘no’?” I turned to storm off.
He caught my hand, and hauled me back against his body. “Come on, you don’t want to create a scene at your own party,” he whispered into my ear.
I couldn’t move or answer. Electricity zoomed through our closely pressed bodies. I stopped struggling and just breathed. The connection between us was as strong as ever.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been around to visit you.”
We were swaying closely; the entire world disappeared as he spoke.
“I just had a few things to take care of. But Sammy told me about your adventure. I’ve decided you need me, so I’m coming along.”
I pulled back, spluttering a little. “What makes you think we need you?”
What was Brace up to now?
Shaking his head, he pulled me back into his arms.
“I said you need me and, more importantly, Sam doesn’t want to be the only guy on the trip.”
I continued to glare. But there was something I’d been wanting to say, and since this was the first time I’d seen him since Earth, now was it.
I took a deep breath. “Thank you for ... uh ... killing Olden ... saving me.” I stuttered over my words, I didn’t really know how to express my gratitude.
His light-hearted expression sobered. “I was too slow. There were too many distractions, but ... you should never have been hurt.”
I shook my head, but before I could satisfy my need to reassure him, his mood lifted and, grinning, he swirled me away, out of the main dance floor. We moved closer to the large balconies. The doors were thrown wide open and huge fire torches were scattered around. Along one wall were massive antique mirrors, with ornate gilded framing.
I caught the first glimpse of my reflection. I looked again, just to make sure that was really me. I looked tall and slim. My full glossy red lips were parted in surprise. The long black dress fitted flawlessly, contrasting with masses of dark red and black hair, which was piled up in messy curls, a few falling to frame my face.
Lallielle and Lucy had outdone themselves with my make-up. My skin was always clear, but tonight it glowed. And my eyes looked even larger and more cat-like than usual; the black kohl lining them enhanced the emerald green.
“I told you. You really have a beauty that is otherworldly,” Brace said, observing my stunned expression. “You have the beauty of a Walker.”
I turned away. Maybe for the first time I actually did have the otherworldly look of Josian. But that didn’t mean I wanted to be the world savior. Or that I even could be.
I turned at the sound of his name. A group of suit-clad men, his friends I assumed, were calling him over. With a regretful glance, he left me there, making his way to them.
I followed him across the room, where he was cajoled into a dance with ‘boobs’, my nickname for ‘vulture woman in the red dress’. Clenching my nails into my wrist, I turned away, attempting to calm my murderous thoughts. I was this close to ripping every strand of blond hair from her head. I stepped out onto the balcony, allowing the cool breeze and sounds of the ocean to soothe the ragged edges Brace always left me with.
Later that night, after numerous awkward dances, and countless introductions, the party was over.
Lallielle was off ushering the last of the revelers out the door. Lucy and I were lying on the ballroom floor, staring up at the massive ceiling.
“So, could you have ever imagined this would be your eighteenth birthday?”
Turning my head to the side, I smiled. “I was just hoping we wouldn’t be in some type of people-smuggling rape ring for my birthday.”
Lucy shoved me. “There’s still time, Abbs, twenty minutes till midnight.” She looked thoughtful. “What was with you and the blondie in the red dress?”
Lucy was referring to the incident that had taken place ten minutes earlier, when ‘boobs’ had been leaving with her parents. They had stopped to thank Lallielle; I was standing there as well. As our parents started chatting, she’d leaned in close to me.
“Don’t even think you can have the most eligible bachelors, Aribella. I don’t care what anyone else believes, I know you’re not the Empress.” That wa
sn’t the first time tonight I’d caught murmurs of that. She continued to sneer at me, “I was here first and I will be long after you’re done and gone.”
I didn’t even flinch at the snarling venom in her low voice. I smiled sweetly as I lowered my own voice. “Seriously, boobs, you don’t scare me. I grew up in New York and ran in the ganglands. Hormonal women are the least of my worries. And if you don’t get your bitchy ass out of my house, I am going to break your nose.”
Lucy erupted into laughter as I explained what had happened.
“You called her ‘boobs’?”
At my nod, she snorted louder.
While we were relaxing, the boys were off playing some game on a huge felt-covered table. They’d tried to explain the rules, but it was beyond me. Some type of cross between pool and chess, with large colored balls and stone statue people that had to be moved around in a pattern.
I changed the subject from ‘boobs’.
“Thanks for the earrings too, Luce, I love them.” I reached up to touch the beautiful emerald-colored stone studs. That and my necklace were the only jewelry I had on.
She shrugged. “I did have a vintage tee stashed back home. But these will do.”
I laughed.
“So give me a quick rundown on the tales of Abby, First Worlder and Walker.” Lucy’s side profile looked both worried and intrigued.
I tilted my head back further, staring into the massive and ornate ceiling. In each corner someone had painted an angel warrior. They each had a weapon pointed to the centre of the room. It was spectacular and unusual all at the same time.
“Well, first there is the whole ‘half-Walker shouldn’t exist’ theory. I’m apparently the one to destabilize ... no demoralize ... no that’s not right either. Oh, right, I think it was destroy them.” I rolled my eyes as I mocked the over-dramatics of Walkers.
“Maybe it was ‘delight them with your duck-face’?” Lucy offered helpfully. “Maybe that’s the ‘d’ word you’re looking for?”
“Duck-face?” I questioned.
She shrugged. “I got caught up in the alliteration.”
Laughing, I continued again, my eyes still locked on the entrancing angels.
“The next one is where I might be the Empress of First World. Apparently my husband-to-be Lucas is a top dude.”