She held the dress a moment and then nodded her head happily. “It is my favorite too.” She set the dress aside and looked at the dresses we had picked out for me. None were as perfect for me as the summer dress was for Sarah though. I had picked out a summer dress that was a soft blue color, a tight fitting black dress that did not leave much to the imagination, and another summer dress made from cotton which was emerald green with beads in swirling patterns. “The green one,” Sarah said with a firm nod. “Brandon will like that one.”
“I am not dressing up for Brandon,” I said angrily.
She picked our two dresses up and kissed my cheek. “Whatever you have to tell yourself honey.”
I wanted to argue with her, but I left her alone and walked outside to stand beside Mark while she paid. Lions were stubborn in general, but alpha lions were the most stubborn of all.
“Did you find a dress?” he asked as he watched the street and passersby for possible threats.
“Yep,” I said as I leaned against him.
He unfolded his arms and wrapped them around me. “Are you sure that you are alright?”
I nodded my head. “Yes.”
“I haven’t been that scared in a long time,” he whispered into my ear. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
“I’m too stubborn to die,” I whispered back to him.
He exhaled and stroked my hair. “If you had died I would have gone into the Minters den alone to get that wolf.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned into him for comfort. “I’m here, Mark. I’m fine. I’m safe.”
He growled softly and buried his nose in my hair. “I know.”
Sarah came out and cleared her throat. “Let’s go.” She handed me my bag and turned her face away from me like she was trying to hide her emotions. Had I done something wrong?
We started to walk to the car when I saw a guy with an ice cream cone step out of the shop two doors over. I looked up at Mark with a pleading look and he looked at Sarah for her decision. She smiled. “Girl you read my mind.”
I grabbed her hand and dragged her into the store. I looked at all of the flavors in the display case and then looked up at the guy behind the counter. Brandon. I swallowed my shock and looked at Sarah who was smiling innocently. Damn she was good. I was going to have to get her back for this. She had set the whole thing up so I would have to see him in a human environment.
“What’ll it be?” Brandon asked as he twirled the ice cream scoop in his hand with a smile on his face. He had to know how hot he was. That had to be the reason he was smiling like that at me. Did he know that I thought he was hot? Oh god. I needed to take acting lessons for my facial expressions.
“Never mind. I don’t think…” I started to say as I turned, but Mark grabbed my shoulder, putting his arm around me to stop me and keep me facing Brandon.
“She will have a double scoop waffle cone with chocolate ice cream,” Mark said with a smile. “That’s her favorite.”
Sarah snapped her fingers. “I forgot shoes. Mark will you come help me get shoes?”
Mark nudged me forward, closer to the counter. “Sure thing.”
I glared at them as they left me alone in the store with Brandon. Good for nothing lions.
“So, you and Sarah seem close,” Brandon said as he scooped my ice cream.
“Yeah, she is like a second mother to me. Well, really she is more like a mother to me than my real one is,” I admitted then pressed my lips tightly together to keep any more secrets from falling out of them unexpectedly. I barely knew him and for some reason I was already trying to tell him my life story. What the heck?!
He looked at my bag. “Did you get a dress for the dance?”
“Yes. I don’t usually bring pretty things to wear since I am almost always playing outside with the pride when I am here. Plus it’s not like any of the males care for me that way anyways. But Sarah forced me to get a dress to wear.” For you. I thought as I looked down at the counter. Why was I telling him about the males not being interested in me?! My mouth and I were going to have a serious talk later.
“Here,” he said as he held out the ice cream cone.
“I don’t have any cash on me,” I admitted in embarrassment, keeping my hands by my sides.
Brandon moved the ice cream closer to me, forcing me to take it and smiled. “It’s on me,” he said as he pulled cash out of his pocket and put it into the register. “Consider it a peace gift.”
“Peace gift?” I asked curiously.
He wiped the counter with a rag and avoided looking at me. “Yeah, a peace gift to apologize for upsetting you the past couple of days. I really do not try to upset you.”
I stared at the ice cream in my hand and wondered if I should accept it. I did not think him paying for the ice cream counted the same as if he had cooked me food or given me food, but I did not know the ins and outs of lion society completely. I wished Sheila was here to help me.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I turned to head for the door.
“Victoria?” Brandon whispered. I stopped and turned towards him. He smiled and said, “I’m glad that you are okay.”
I smiled back and then walked out of the shop and towards Sarah and Mark who were talking quietly with smiles on their faces. “You two are so in for it!” I yelled angrily. I pointed at the ice cream and asked, “Can I eat this?”
Sarah asked, “Why couldn’t you eat it?”
I looked at Mark since she was playing dumb for some reason. “Can I eat this or do I need to give it to you?”
He shrugged. “It’s your choice. I can’t make the decision for you. But it is starting to melt in this heat so you had better decide soon.”
We walked to the car and I decided to give in to the sugary goodness staring at me tauntingly. I took a bite and then groaned as I realized that I had done it right in front of the ice cream shop where Brandon could see me. “Son of a mother,” I growled as I licked my lips.
Sarah laughed. “This is so much more fun than beating you up.”
If the ice cream hadn’t been so good I would have thrown it at her. I shared the ice cream with Sarah as we drove back home and then leaned against her shoulder. “Why am I so sleepy?”
Mark rested a hand on my leg to soothe his worry by touching me. “Because your body is trying to heal itself and that takes a lot of energy. Remember when your Dad went into a healing sleep for two days after that big fight with the Gruthers werewolf pack?”
I nodded my head and then yawned. He parked the truck and was thankful we had made it home already. “I think I am going to take a nap,” I said as I walked away from them. I carried my bag into my room and fell asleep as soon as my face hit the bed.
* * *
“We need to wake her up to eat,” Sarah said softly, “It’s been 24 hours.”
I opened my eyes and sat up slowly, stiffly. “What’s going on?”
Dad wrapped his arms around me. “You have been asleep for an entire day.”
“What?!” I asked in shock. He nodded his head. “Okay, well I am up now.” I stood up and stretched my body. “I feel perfect.”
“She was in a healing sleep,” said Tony, Dad’s third in line and the sweetest guy ever, from the doorway. “I watched the muscle heal over her rib while she slept.”
“That’s what I had guessed was happening,” Dad said even though I could still tell that he was worried about me.
I darted to the bathroom and used it and then brushed my teeth before walking out to the kitchen for food. Brandon and Paul were talking quietly in the kitchen when I came in, but stopped when they saw me. “Hey guys,” I said with a smile as I moved towards the fridge trying to play as if I had not just slept for an entire day.
Paul hugged me tightly from behind. “You okay?”
“Yes, Pauliana. I’m fine.”
He nipped my earlobe playfully. “Good. Now I can beat you up.”
“Leave her alone,” Brandon said with a sna
rl.
Paul turned towards him slowly, holding me and turning us at the same time. “Don’t Brandon. I am not really going to hurt her. She is my little sister. Look, does she look scared of me to you?”
I smiled at Brandon and leaned into Paul. “You don’t have to worry. Paul couldn’t beat me up if both hands were tied behind my back anyways.”
Paul grabbed a plate with chips and a sandwich out of the fridge and set it on the counter. “I made this for you a few minutes ago.”
I took it and walked past him to the stool. “Thank you.” Paul was one of the few males I knew I could accept food from and not have it mean anything.
Paul took a soda and opened it before setting it in front of me. “How do you feel?”
“Perfect,” I said around a mouthful of sandwich.
Sheila walked into the kitchen and Paul’s smile widened. “Hey, cupcake.”
Sheila walked to me and took a bite from my sandwich. I growled at her. “Get your own.”
She smiled. “My mate made it.”
“Yeah, but he made it for me,” I said as I moved my plate away from her.
She plucked a chip off the plate. “Yeah, but only because you are a lousy hunter.”
“Only because you steal my food all the time,” I said as I slapped her hand away from my plate as she reached for another chip.
Paul pulled Sheila around the counter and rested his hand on her stomach. “Are you hungry?”
Sheila shook her head. “I just shared a deer with Mark.”
Mark walked in the kitchen in his lion form and stood up with his front legs on the counter. I pushed at him. “No lions in the kitchen!” I yelled as he ate the last bite of my sandwich.
Brandon took out sandwich stuff and started to make a turkey sandwich. I tossed the last chip on my plate to Mark who gave me the lion version of a grin before heading towards his room down the hallway. I walked to Brandon, grabbed two pieces of bread and was about to put mayo on it when he asked, “What are you doing?”
“Making a sandwich since I am still hungry,” I said.
“I’m making you one,” he said with a smile.
I shook my head. “I do not accept food from males my age.”
“You ate his ice cream,” Sarah said as my Dad and her walked into the kitchen.
Dad looked at me in shock. “You did what?”
I pointed at Sarah in surprise, feeling like I was in trouble. “She set me up! You know I can’t turn down ice cream!”
Dad frowned, his forehead furrowing deeply. “Brandon, outside,” he said shortly.
He looked at my Dad and I saw fear on his face. “I wasn’t…I just…they all stole her food. Paul made her a sandwich so I didn’t think…”
“Paul is her brother, more or less. Outside, Brandon,” Dad said as he headed towards the slider.
“Don’t hurt him,” I said softly as Dad left. Sarah reached for the chips and I slapped her hand. “Get out!”
She pouted. “Victoria…”
I pointed the butter knife at her, then at Mark, Paul and finally Sheila. “Stop trying to set me up for a relationship that is going to fail. I do not live here and besides, I am just a freaking rabbit, remember?!” I stabbed the butter knife into the kitchen counter and left it vibrating upright as I walked out of the house.
This visit was a complete disaster. I pulled my cell phone out and growled as I remembered there was not any service here. I walked to the pond and sat on the dock with my feet dangling in the water. A minute later I heard someone walk on to the dock behind me, but I refused to turn around to see who it was.
“We just want you to be happy,” Mark whispered from behind me.
“How can I be happy? I’m not lion enough for the pride. I’m not human enough for my mom. And no human man would ever be able to handle you all. I would be forced to isolate myself in the human world and not see you guys anymore. I am going to be alone for the rest of my life.”
“You are never alone. We are always here for you,” he said as he moved closer to me.
“I am going to be an eighty year old virgin with a hundred cats in an eight hundred square foot apartment.”
Mark growled. “I hate cats.”
“Sometimes I think it would have been better if I did not exist. Sometimes I wish I didn’t.”
“Victoria Anne!” Dad yelled from the trees a hundred or so yards away, “Get your butt over here now.”
I sighed and walked past Mark, who followed close behind me as I walked to my Dad. “Yes, Dad?”
He stared into my eyes. “What has gotten into you? You were never like this before.”
I did not answer. I couldn’t. Not to him. He would not understand. “Victoria!” Sarah called from the house. “It’s time to get ready!”
The party. I had forgotten about it. “May I go?” I asked my Dad softly, hoping that he would not try to make me answer him.
Dad sighed. “Go on, but we are not done talking about this.”
I walked away from Mark and Dad towards Sarah who was smiling wickedly with Sheila beside her. “You ready for your makeover?”
I smiled, releasing all of my sadness and letting the fun and happiness of being with my two favorite girls sink in. “Of course.”
Two hours later the three of us were standing in front of the mirror doing final checks. My dress looked amazing and with the half up-half down hairstyle Sheila had done. I even thought I looked beautiful! Sarah looked like a goddess and Sheila looked über cute in a pregnancy type dress that accentuated her round belly.
We walked out of the bedroom and out of the house where those from the pride who were going to the party were waiting. Dad watched Sarah walking and I saw desire in his usually calm eyes. Yep, he liked the dress. Score one for Victoria. Dad took Sarah’s hand and led the group as we began our walk to town. It was the first time I had seen him hold her hand and was a definite positive for them. The pride would have taken cars, but there were too many of us and besides, it was a beautiful night and perfect for walking. Paul pulled Sheila away from me, nibbling on her neck and talking sweetly to her. They were the cutest couple ever and it made me incredibly jealous. Even more jealous than when I was around Sandy and Devon.
Mark walked beside me silently. I began doubting my looks because usually he would have complimented me by now, but he had hardly even looked at me. Mark scanned the trees and the road as we walked, no doubt looking for any sign of the Minters pack and thus ignoring me so that he could protect me.
Everyone giggled and talked excitedly as we neared the large barn that served as a community center for Canaville where the party was being held. Our group dispersed as everyone went their own ways, mingling with the humans of the town. A beautiful blonde woman whose name I couldn’t remember from the pride pulled Mark onto the dance floor and I was finally left unguarded. I stood off to the side and watched alone. For the first time in Canaville I felt completely alone even though I was glad that I was not being protected at the moment. I walked to the table where the punch was and poured myself a glass, wishing it was alcohol instead of punch. A tall guy about my age with thick black hair that hung over one eye in an emo hairstyle whispered, “Hey, you want a little bite to that?” and shook a flask at me.
I smiled and held out my glass, glad someone else was thinking the same as me. “Thanks.”
He poured a generous amount in and smiled. “I’m Bob.”
“Victoria,” I said as I shook his hand. He was attractive, but not as attractive as Brandon. I took a drink and exhaled happily. “Vodka, one of my favorites.”
He moved a step closer to me. “So, are you new here? I don’t think I have seen you before.”
“I’m from out of town. My Dad lives here though and I am visiting on spring break.”
He smiled. “Okay, because I know you aren’t here a lot. I would have remembered someone as beautiful as you walking around here.” I smiled at the compliment and he asked, “Would you like to dance?”
I set down my now empty cup and let him lead me onto the dance floor. Surprisingly he was also a decent dancer. We danced to two songs and then I felt lightheaded from the heat and alcohol in my system. “I need some water,” I said loudly into his ear over the noise of the music.
He nodded his head, picked up my hand and maneuvered us out of the crowd. I grabbed a water bottle and then Mark yanked me away from Bob fast enough to give a human whiplash. “Victoria, are you alright?” Mark asked seriously as he kept his eyes on Bob.
I looked at Mark in shock. “What is wrong with you?” I asked as I jerked out of his hold. “Of course I am.”
Mark continued to glare at Bob. “Your pack would be smart to keep your distance from her.”
Bob raised his hands in the air. “Hey, I was just dancing with a pretty girl. I didn’t know she was yours.”
I looked at Bob and realized what I should have noticed immediately. Werewolf. “I’m sorry,” I said to him, “They are a little overprotective at times.”
“Do not apologize to him! They tried to kill you, Victoria!” Mark said angrily.
Bob took a step closer, his ego hurt. “I have not done anything except dance with her and show her a good time.”
Mark’s lip lifted in a snarl and I pushed his chest, making him step back. “Knock it off, Mark!”
Bob shook his head. “I’m not your enemy.”
I turned to him. “I’m sorry, Bob.”
He picked my hand up, ignoring Mark’s growl and kissed the back of it. “Thank you for the dance, beautiful. Maybe we will get to see each other again, when your lion is not here.”
“You come near her again and I’ll…” Mark began, but Dad stepped up next to us and Mark stopped talking.
Dad looked at my hand in Bob’s and then at Mark’s angry face. “What’s going on?”
I pulled my hand back. “Nothing, Dad.”
Bob’s eyes widened in shock. “He’s your Dad?!”
I nodded my head.
Bob whistled. “Wow. Okay. Sorry, sir. I’m leaving now.”
Daughter of Lions Page 5