The Crystal Warriors Series Bundle

by Maree Anderson

  This evening’s class had three too many women, including Esmeralda, so all the women on the dance floor would have to move down three men. Chalcey started the class, and once the melee of moving down was sorted, everyone relaxed and became absorbed in the lesson.

  “Right everyone,” Chalcey said, raising her voice to be heard over the chatter. “Now you’ve got the aptly titled First Move down pat, let’s move on. The next move is the Comb. It’s a move used by the male lead to change hands in preparation for a right-hand move coming up next. Jai’s gonna demonstrate it for you.”

  Esmeralda caught on really quickly and was soon flashing her sexy smile at her various partners. Chalcey noticed that she upped the wattage to devastating effect whenever she paired up with Patrick or Cliff.

  Both men seemed smitten. Chalcey wondered what Esmeralda would do if any man in this class made a serious play for her. Date him, and hope he’d be understanding when she revealed her true self? Be upfront right from the start and risk scaring him off? Esmeralda was a big girl and Chalcey had no doubt she could handle herself, but it had to be rough. Real rough.

  “All right, move down three guys. Cool. So now we’ll walk you through the First Move, followed by the Comb, and add on the Shoulder-pull.”

  She generally taught beginners between six and eight moves, which all joined together in a mini-routine. In the half-hour changeover period before the next class started, she and Jai would keep the music going to encourage groups to stay on and try out what they’d learned. Chalcey loved watching the students who felt confident enough to ask someone other than the partner they’d come with to dance. After a few weeks, if all went well, a core group would start meeting up to go clubbing and show off their new moves, which was good for business. Word of mouth beat formal advertising hands down.

  The hour-and-a-half-long class was about three quarters through when Wulf took up his customary seat on one of the stools by the water-cooler. Thank goodness he’d put on a shirt, meaning she might actually be able to concentrate on what she was supposed to be doing.

  “Okay, ladies and gents, let’s put these moves to the music.” She winked at him as she bent to select a track of appropriate dance music for beginners. “Hiya.”

  “Hello, Chalcey.”

  The way he said her name, all sensuous syllables and soft promises. The way he looked at her—like he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and cart her off to the bedroom. Her pulse raced and heat rushed straight to her sweet spot. Her nipples tightened as though he’d ran his fingertips over her breasts, even though he hadn’t even moved from his seat. And from the slight smile playing on his lips, he knew exactly the effect he had on her. He was pure seduction, all-consuming and addictive. She didn’t stand a chance.

  She sucked in a deep, calming breath. She’d already pressed Play on her iPod when the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood to attention. Turning to face her class again, she found every single gaze focused intently on her and Wulf. It seemed as if their private desires had suddenly become tangible, ensnaring her students, provoking them to respond in kind. Their glazed, hooded eyes and parted lips reflected Chalcey’s own lust. The entire studio reeked of sex.

  Jai stared at Wulf, his gaze glittering with hunger. He ran his tongue over his lower lip and his mouth curved in a sultry smile.

  “Jesus, Jai!” Chalcey grabbed her dance partner’s hand and dug her nails into his palm. “Snap out of it.”

  He blinked, and shook his head. “Shit, girl, I feel like I’ve just popped a handful of Viagra. The heat you two generate is dan-ger-ous!”

  “Sorry. I don’t know what just happened but—”

  He glanced down at his groin and grimaced. “Don’t worry ’bout it. More action than I’ve had in a while. Let’s get this class going again before we have an orgy on our hands.”

  She spared a glance at Wulf, but he appeared just as confused as she was right now. Chalcey had no choice but to put this bizarre incident behind her. “Right, everyone!” She clapped her hands sharply to get the class’s attention, and started in with the instructions. “Starting with guy’s left hand holding lady’s right, beginning with the First Move then Comb. Ready? Listen for that beat. And one, and two, and three, four! Step out, together, swivel and back—”

  As she yelled out the familiar instructions over the music, she swept an anxious glance over her students. The spell she and Wulf had inadvertently cast had dissipated, thank God. Their eyes had lost that burning longing. Everything was back to normal. Well, as normal as her life could be right now.

  From the corner of her eye, she spotted Sam making her way over to Wulf. Cool! She’d been nagging Sam for ages to come and watch a class. Or even better, join in.

  She wondered who Sam had brought along to partner her, or whether she’d come solo.

  Then she saw Ray saunter through the stairwell door. He glanced around and wandered over to the rear of the studio, where he lounged against the wall to watch the class.

  God. Why me? Please don’t do this to me.

  It would be damn hard for to act professional and suck up her animosity if Ray wanted to sign up for a class. Presuming that’s what he was hanging around for. Presuming he wasn’t waiting for Sam. He had some nerve. What the hell was he playing at?

  Screw being professional. As soon as class was over, she was going to ask him to leave. She wasn’t the type to pick and choose her students, but there had to be some benefits of owning her own studio.

  Sam jerked and then stiffened. She’d obviously spotted Ray but was pretending to ignore him. Smart girl. If Ray became a problem, she’d sic Wulf on him and—

  A noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl rumbled from the stool where Wulf was sitting. Oh crap. Sam, Wulf and Ray in the same room?

  Disaster potential: one hundred percent. Couldn’t get any worse.

  Duh. Of course it fricking well could. Marcus strolled through the doorway and made a bee-line straight toward Sam. He greeted Wulf with a handshake, and then bent to kiss Sam’s cheek.

  Chalcey’s heart fluttered with gooey relief. Sam had rung him and was gonna give him another chance. Woohoo! Go Marcus. Now if he could just hold himself in check and play it casual so as not to scare Sam off again, they might make it.

  Sam whispered something to Marcus. Marcus’s head jerked around. He appeared less than thrilled when he caught sight of Ray.

  “Move down three guys!” Chalcey yelled, her gaze riveted on the drama unfolding as the female students all moved down to a new male dance partner.

  Ray sneered at Marcus. Marcus glowered back. The ambience in the room cooled until it began to feel like Chalcey had been caught out buck naked during a hoar frost. Chilly didn’t even begin to describe it.

  Oh joy. With an inward groan, she focused on her students. Please remind me again why on earth I ever wanted to be a dance teacher and have to deal with real, live people on a daily basis?

  “Everything okay, doll?” Jai said. “You seem distracted.”

  “Tell you later.” Unless Ray or Marcus or Wulf—or even Sam—did something stupid. In which case she’d fill him in immediately. For now, all she could do was pray everyone would hold their tempers.

  ~~~

  As the class—thankfully—ended, Chalcey spotted Sam speaking earnestly to Marcus and placing a cautionary hand on his arm. He shook her off and headed straight for Ray. Sam turned a stricken face to Wulf, and he seemed to be trying to comfort her. Chalcey didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to know a potentially disastrous testosterone-fueled confrontation was headed her way. Again.

  “Er, Jai?” She yanked his sleeve to get his attention. “See that sleazy looking blond guy? Well, his name is Ray, and he’s not too popular with either Wulf or Marcus, the dark-haired guy with the Van Dyke beard heading for him.”

  “Oh?” Jai, scenting gossip, inevitably asked, “Why’s that?”

  “Long story. Tell you all about it later.”

  “You’d bette
r, if you know what’s good for you.” He practiced his most menacing frown and cracked his knuckles so loudly that Chalcey winced in sympathy. “Want me to tell this Ray guy to vamoose?”

  While she was weighing up her limited options, Ray solved the problem by slinking off toward the door, and she lost sight of him in the crowd of people who’d arrived early to get in some freestyle before the next class.

  Wulf had gone over to talk to Marcus and both men appeared relaxed. Chalcey heaved a relieved sigh. “Crisis averted, Jai. Target has removed himself from imminent peril by pissing off out of here.”

  “You know, Chalce, that faux military-speak’s sooo hawt! Suppose you and Wulf get off on playing Battlefront with his stiff little soldier, huh?”

  She whacked him on the arm. “God, Jai. You are so disgusting!”

  Jai preened. “I try babe, I try. Uh oh. Scanners reading a male of unknown origin performing an illegal maneuver, resulting in injury to his partner’s toes. Target acquired. Moving in to rectify situation before permanent damage is done.”

  She groaned at his attempt at a computerized voice. “Oh, do go away and leave me in peace.”

  He saluted as he marched off.

  Chalcey had just decided to grab a stool and put her feet up before the next class began, when he rematerialized at her side. “Some of the newbies want to see some real Ceroc, Chalce. Feel up for a demo?”

  She groaned. “Do I have to?”

  “Yes.”

  “But—”

  “C’mon, Chalce. Beginners are our bread and butter, and we need them to want to move up to Intermediate and Advanced. I know we both enjoy teaching beginners but it’s not exactly stretching our skills, so let’s show them a bit of freestyle to give them something to aim for. It’s good for business.”

  “I know, I know. Preaching to the converted. All right, choose some music and please, don’t try any of those new Advanced moves we’ve been practicing, okay? The last thing I need right now is to land on my ass in front of a load of beginners. That definitely wouldn’t be good for business.”

  “Darling, I promise that even if you do end up on your ass, I’ll make you look sensational. After all, as my old ballroom teacher used to say: The woman is the picture and the man is the frame.”

  She mimed sticking her fingers down her throat.

  He flicked through her iPod playlist and sniggered. “Jimmy Sommerville’s Comment Te Dire Adieu? Talk about blast from the past.”

  “Yeah, all right. Guilty as charged but it’s a solid one-hundred-thirty beats per minute for when my beginners are ready for a bit of a challenge. And as I’m not made of money, and don’t have the time to be fanatically up with the latest music like you are, Paulo very kindly ripped all my old CDs onto my old laptop and loaded them onto my iPod. If Jimmy doesn’t do it for you, how ’bout some Corona—Rhythm of the Night?”

  He made a face. “It’ll have to do, I suppose.”

  “Music snob.”

  “Music tight-ass. With, like, the most appalling taste in music evah.” He pressed Play and grabbed her hand.

  It felt good to be challenged for a change. Demos are choreographed to the nth degree, whereas freestyle has that element of surprise about it. She had to watch and feel her partner’s lead, be relaxed enough to be led by him, but vigilant enough to anticipate his next move. And if she got caught out, so long as she improvised and did something, rather than standing there like a ditz, no-one watching would even realize she’d stuffed up.

  Jai was nothing if not inventive with the way he put moves together, so Chalcey was having loads of fun. Until she spotted Ray again. He was like a bad smell that wouldn’t go away. He grabbed Esmeralda’s arm and yanked her toward him to whisper in her ear.

  “C’mon, you intermediate level dancers, don’t be shy!” Jai encouraged some of the more advanced students to take the dance floor.

  When she next caught a glimpse of Ray and Esmeralda, surprisingly, they were dancing. But Esmeralda was leading Ray—taking on the role of male lead. What stood out for Chalcey in that brief moment was the misery distorting her lovely face.

  Jai set Chalcey up for a Drop Kick, supporting her under the armpits as she shifted her weight to her left leg, and pulling her backward into his arms. He bent down so far her backside almost touched the floor as she kicked her right leg high in the air. When he brought her back upright, her eyes honed in on Ray just in time to see him grope Esmeralda’s breasts. Chalcey expected the über-confident Esmeralda to immediately assert herself and slap Ray’s face. She readied herself to stop the demo and back her up. Instead, she was shocked to see Esmeralda swipe at her eyes with the back of a hand.

  “Wind it up, Jai. We’ve got trouble.”

  “Sure thing, babe. Is it the same guy you mentioned before? I spotted him sneaking back in.”

  “Mmm hmm. He’s pawing Esmeralda.”

  “Asshole.”

  Jai finished with a Killer Pretzel, an Unravel/Ravel/Seducer combo, then stepped away from each Chalcey and bowed. Amidst applause from the onlookers, they both advanced upon Ray.

  Chalcey was beyond angry at his behavior. How dare he treat a woman like that! And in her dance studio. He was gonna be out that door so fast he wouldn’t know what hit his nasty ass.

  Before she could get to him, Marcus intervened. He dragged Ray away from Esmeralda and crowded him back against the wall. Chalcey heard him snarl at Ray, who of course took umbrage and swung wildly at him. Marcus ducked, and stiff-armed Ray across the neck, pinning him hard up against the wall.

  “Break it up, you two!” Jai barked.

  Chalcey had opened her mouth to back Jai up when from behind her, Wulf’s voice rumbled, “Or you will be forced to deal with me.”

  Marcus released Ray, and the two antagonists stared at Chalcey for a moment, as if trying to figure out how the heck that voice, so heavy with menace, could possibly have issued from her mouth. Recognition dawned on Ray’s face. His gaze darted about, searching for an escape route.

  Sam and Esmeralda stepped out from behind Wulf. Nothing like solidarity in the face of an asshole.

  Sam had her arm around Esmeralda’s shoulders. “Don’t, Wulf,” she said. “He’s so not worth the effort. And if he pressed charges, you’d lose your job.”

  “Wha’sa matter, Sam?” Ray sneered, refusing to be cowed. “Men not enough for you anymore? You hooked up with that—” he pointed to Esmeralda “—now, huh? Even for you, that’s a real lowering of standards.”

  Good one. He sure had some mouth on him. And a short life-expectancy, if Sam and Esmeralda’s narrow-eyed, furious faces were anything to go by.

  Both women lunged forward but were grabbed before they could inflict any serious bodily harm. Marcus took charge of Sam. Jai had his hands full with Esmeralda. Chalcey supposed she should have been grateful to both men for preventing a scene but secretly, she was disappointed. She would have quite enjoyed the spectacle of Sam and Esmeralda pounding Ray to a pulp. Sometimes it was a real bummer being a responsible adult.

  Revenge, however, was very sweet. “Ray,” she cooed. “I have some wonderful news for you. You’re no longer welcome at my studio and you’re banned until further notice—like when hell freezes over. Now you’re obliged to vacate the premises. But because I’m basically a decent person, you get to choose how you do that. You can either slime out of here under your own steam, or Wulf will kick you down the stairwell and turf you out on your sorry ass while we all cheer him on. Your choice.”

  Ray sneered some more. “That right?”

  Dick-for-brains. Couldn’t he see he was outnumbered big-time?

  “That is right.” Wulf stepped forward and cracked his knuckles. “It has been a while since I have been afforded the pleasure of a one-on-one fight with a worthy opponent. Unfortunately, I do not believe you to be particularly worthy, but one must take one’s pleasures where one is able.” He directed his next comment toward Chalcey. “I do hope his blood doesn’t ruin this shirt.
It’s a favorite of mine.”

  She swallowed a giggle. Ray visibly gulped and turned an interesting shade of green.

  “Are you ready to fight me, Ray?” Wulf bent his knees, dropping down into a fighting stance. He projected lethal power, his entire body coiled and awaiting the opportunity to inflict some major pain.

  Ray was obviously thinking along similar lines, for he straightened his clothing and opted to leave. His eyes glittered with impotent fury. Or drugs. Chalcey was ninety-nine-point-nine percent certain he was on something. He cast her a filthy look that promised retribution as he exited the studio.

  “I will follow to make sure he leaves,” Wulf said, striding toward the door.

  “Good idea. Be careful.”

  “Sorry about that, folks,” Jai said, for the benefit those who’d witnessed the altercation. “He’s just some scumbag who thinks he can come in here to feel up women, and make a nuisance of himself. But we don’t put up with that crap. Ever. Anyone got any problems with the way they’re being treated by another student, they come and see me or Chalcey, okay?”

  Chalcey noticed Patrick and Cliff, who were both walking the line with their antics so far as she was concerned, looking decidedly less confident. Good. At least there’d been a silver lining to this crap.

  “Glad that’s over,” Jai said, vast relief coloring his tone. “That Ray guy’s a real lowlife. Can’t think why any self-respecting woman would want to have anything to do with him.”

  “Yes, well.” Sam had the grace to blush.

  “So what are you and Marcus doing here?” Chalcey asked, eager to change the subject.

  “Marcus tracked me down and invited me along to watch a class,” she confessed. “We thought we might try the beginners Ceroc class.”