by G. K. DeRosa
But she didn’t. My frantic shout unleashed the dam, and I spewed the entire contents of my stomach at her feet. On her designer Fucci stilettos to be exact.
She screeched and a flood of curses tumbled from her pretty pink lips. A hint of satisfaction perked up inside before it was swallowed up by my utter wretchedness. I collapsed onto the floor and puked some more.
Davina continued to curse me, my mother and my entire half-blood family, but at some point, I blocked her out. My head spun, my body felt like I’d been run over by herd of wild unipegs.
“Oh, my goddess, Sierra!” Cass’s voice brought me back from the haze, and I lifted my cheek off the cold tile.
How did I end up on the floor?
“Come on, let’s get you out of here.” Cass helped me off the ground, weaving her arm under my armpits.
“Thank the goddess you’re so tall and strong,” I blubbered.
A giggle tumbled from her lips as she led me out of the ballroom. Dozens of eyes pierced the back of my head as I staggered out of the hall for the second year in a row. Why, oh, why had I ever agreed to come?
We made it to the corridor before my stomach churned again. “I’m going to puke,” I cried.
“Hold on, girl, hold on.” Cass dragged me a few more steps as I gritted my teeth to keep everything inside. We reached the door to the courtyard and barreled through, not a second too soon.
My knees gave and I sank to the grass, spewing another wave of the nasty concoction. “Never again,” I muttered, my fingers clawing at the grass.
Cass muttered a spell, and a bottle of water appeared in her palm. “Here girl, take a sip.”
I took a few gulps and the cool liquid splashed around in my muddied stomach.
“We have to stop meeting this way.” The deep voice I’d been dreaming about for the past three-hundred and sixty-four days echoed through the quiet courtyard.
Kill. Me. Now.
Chapter Ten
Still Three Years Ago, AKA The Second Time I Met Dragon Boy
My heart leapt up my throat before taking a nosedive. No, no. Not like this. Not on all fours, with puke breath. I dropped the bottle of water, wiped the spit from my chin and hazarded a glance up at the approaching male. A pair of golden eyes lanced through me, mask and all.
“Dragon Boy,” I muttered.
“What?” He chuckled, his broad shoulders bouncing up and down.
Cass’s eyes widened, and she helped me sit up. “It’s him?” she whisper-hissed.
“Yesss.”
He wore the same mask, the same golden dragon with the ferocious snarl and sharp horns. A tight long-sleeve shirt and low-slung dark jeans completed the look that starred in my dreams. As he neared, that overwhelming sense of maleness crashed over me. I drew in a breath, desperate for my lungs to start working. “I’d ask how you’ve been, but I see you’re in worse shape than when I saw you last.” A grin played on his lips and in my inebriated state, it pissed the hell out of me. He’d left, disappeared without so much as a note—okay, well there was a note, but no name.
“Where have you been all year?” I blurted.
Cass stood and squeezed my shoulder, slipping a stick of gum in my palm. “I’ll give you guys a minute to catch up. Text me when you’re ready to head back to the dorm.”
I nodded. “Thanks, Cass.”
My friend’s soft footsteps grew faint before completely falling away and highlighting the thick silence between us. I popped the gum in my mouth, wrapped my arms around myself and shifted on the chilly lawn.
“I’m sorry,” he finally said and crouched down beside me.
I kept my eyes glued to the blade of grass tangled between my fingers. I knew I was being stupid and childish. This guy didn’t owe me anything. We were strangers and yet, that night I was certain I’d felt a connection. A connection that I thought had been two-sided.
He reached for me, gripping my chin, and tilted it up to meet his gaze. “You’re right, I shouldn’t have left like that, without any explanation. But you’d fallen asleep, and I didn’t want to wake you.”
“What about the note? You couldn’t even sign your name, H.?”
His lips pursed, and he blew out a breath between clenched teeth, punctuated by the rippling crack of his knuckles. “I’m not really supposed to be here, Sierra.” Those warm golden eyes seared into me, and I swore I could feel them penetrating my darkest depths.
“What do you mean?” I finally managed.
“I’m not a student at the academy.”
Was he a teacher? How could I have missed a body like that? No, I definitely would’ve noticed. All of our male professors were middle-aged, at least. “Then why are you here?”
Dragon Boy sat down and again, his presence pressed into me, something unexplainable thickening the air. He straightened out his long legs and leaned back on the lawn. His gaze lifted to the night sky, to the full moon overhead. “I’m not sure, really.” He paused and inhaled deeply.
“Cryptic, much?” The effects of the alcohol were waning, but it had definitely done its job in loosening my tongue.
“Happy birthday, by the way.”
I scowled. It had been even shittier than the last. The fact that he remembered did not melt my anger toward him. Not even a little.
He eyed me, his searing golden gaze raking over me. “Nice dress. Not quite as good as the last one though.” His lips curved into a wicked smile and heat flared in my core as memories of his arms cradling my naked booty darted across my mind.
“Very funny.”
“So what happened this time?” He ticked his head toward the ballroom. Lights shone through the windows onto the courtyard, faint music playing in the background.
“I was trying to force myself to have fun, and I made the mistake of thinking a homemade warlock brew was the answer.”
He suppressed a laugh, covering his mouth, but his eyes danced all the same.
“What about you? If you came to the masquerade ball again, why are you skulking out here in the shadows?” I held my breath as I waited for his response. It was stupid. I was setting myself up for disappointment.
“Maybe I was hoping to run into you.”
My heart catapulted against my ribs and with the roar of my thundering pulse I wondered if I’d heard him wrong. “Huh?” I mumbled.
“Nothing.” He shook his head, lips pressed in a thin line, his gaze intent skyward again.
“Why are you here?” I repeated the question, the warlock booze pumping me with liquid courage.
“Remember what I told you that night about anonymity?”
I nodded, my fingers itching to pry that mask off his face. It had to be near midnight by now, right? I’d actually managed to stay at the ball much longer than last time.
“It still holds true. I’m not exaggerating when I say I’m not supposed to be here. If someone found out who I was, I’d be jeopardizing my position and that of my family.”
“Then why risk it, H.?”
He turned to me, the twinkle in his eyes more vibrant than any star dotting the night sky. “It’s Hunter.”
I repeated the name silently, rolled it around in my mouth. It echoed within, filling me with an odd sense of happiness. As if knowing his name after all this time made him real. “I guess it’s too much to ask for a last name, huh?”
His head dipped slowly. “Risky, remember?”
“Then why?” I wasn’t going to let this go. Not when I’d wondered about him, about Hunter, for every day for an entire year.
His head finally turned to face me, those eyes peering through the dragon mask filled with some unnamable emotion. “To see you, Sierra.”
I gulped down the unexpected emotion building in my throat, closing off the passageway. “Me?” I breathed. It wasn’t all in my head!
Hunter pivoted his gaze to the stars once more. “It’s crazy, I know. It’s been a year, and I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. And we barely know each other… I don’
t even know what you look like underneath that mask. But the connection—”
My heart flipflopped in my chest, somersaults, cartwheels, the whole nine yards. “It’s not crazy,” I blurted. “I—I felt it too.”
Hunter cocked his head, and his hand reached for my face. His thumb grazed my mask, that stupid, stupid mask. I wanted to feel his skin against mine, I needed it. But even through the fabric, his warmth seeped into my cheek, setting it aflame.
Something rumbled in my belly, a deep guttural sound. What the what? Embarrassment flushed my cheeks as his eyes moved down. Oh gods, he heard that? “Sorry,” I muttered. “That disgusting concoction is still taking a toll.”
He laughed, his hand sliding from my cheek and the heated moment passed. “It’s okay. I have to go soon. I was waiting out here for a while. Can I walk you back to the dorm at least?”
I sighed, my shoulders slumping the moment he released me. I wanted to scream no. Please don’t leave me again. How could I be so infatuated with a guy I barely knew? I tamped down on my raging emotions and smoothed down my dress. “You have to go already?”
Hunter glanced at his watch, and his lips twisted into a pout. My eyes fixed to his mouth, and I wondered what he’d taste like. How his tongue would feel against mine. “It’s almost midnight.”
“Are you like Cinderella? Are you going to turn into a pumpkin or a mouse at the strike of twelve?”
His elbow dug into my side, and he offered me a cute smile. “Not exactly.”
“But I still can’t know who you are…”
“Right.” He stood and offered me his hand.
My fingers closed around his warm palm, his calloused skin shooting tingles over my flesh. My eyes darted to his to gage his expression. Did he feel it too?
His countenance remained impassive, except for a tiny flicker in his irises. It was faint, but I held onto it with every last shred of hope.
I took a wobbly step and bumped into his side.
“You okay to walk? Or do I need to carry you again?” A mischievous sparkle smoldered within those golden orbs.
“Very funny, Dragon Boy.”
Hunter’s arm came around my waist, and he tugged me into his side. He was all hard planes and firm muscle. My body hummed, even through our clothes, his heat seared into me.
We walked through the halls in a comfortable silence, my body leaning deeper into his with every step. At one point, I could’ve sworn he was purring. A low rumble vibrated his chest, and the sound echoed in my ear which was pressed into his side.
As we neared my dorm room, a swell of panic crashed over me. My chest constricted, each breath harder than the last. Was this really it? I couldn’t stomach the idea of him leaving. I stopped in front of the door, my fingers tightening around his hand. “This is me…” He didn’t say anything, just kept his gaze locked on mine as if I were some big mystery he was trying to puzzle out. “Do you want to come in? I don’t think Cass is back yet.”
Hunter glanced at his watch again, and his mouth puckered. “I can’t.” He huffed out a breath and leaned against the door jamb. “I want to, but I can’t.”
I nodded quickly, tears stinging my eyes. I had to get out of here before the angry tears spilled over. This was ridiculous. I couldn’t cry over a guy I’d spent a grand total of three hours with over an entire year. My uncontrollable feelings for him were ludicrous. Despite knowing all these things, I still blurted, “When will I see you again?”
“A year from today?”
“You can’t be serious!” I shrieked.
He took my other hand, squeezing them both in his. “I told you, things are complicated right now. If anyone knew I was coming here…”
“Gods, Hunter, who are you? Why is this such a big deal?”
“I wish I could tell you. I really do. I’ve never felt this connection with anyone--”
My heart doubled in size, its sullen beats kicking up a few notches. So it wasn’t just me. I stood on my tiptoes and reached for his face. Damned mask. I caressed the hard plastic, imagining the soft skin beneath. “Do you have any idea why we feel this way?” I had zero experience with guys, so I had nothing else to go by, but this couldn’t be normal.
He shook his head, but again something unreadable flashed across those burning irises. “I’m sorry. I wish I could say more, and I really wish I could see you without that mask.” His hand drifted to my neck, tiptoeing across my shoulder and snagged on a lock of purple hair. He twirled it between his fingers, slowly, leaning closer. His nostrils flared, and he inhaled deeply.
I lifted to my tiptoes again, my mouth uncontrollably drawn to his. He dipped his head and minty breath swirled between us. I breathed him in, a heady mix of cedarwood and warm vanilla, and a bazillion butterflies fluttered to life, their wings lashing at my insides. His hand closed around the back of my neck, and my pulse skyrocketed. His mouth inched closer, every second an eternity. My tongue darted out, wetting my parched lips and a deep growl vibrated in Hunter’s throat.
I started and goose bumps exploded across my flesh. The dragon’s snout loomed over me, all sharp teeth. Before I could pull away, his mouth captured mine, erasing all thoughts of the strange noise. His lips were soft, yet his hold was unyielding. His fingers tightened around my neck, tilting my head to deepen the kiss and fiery heat surged through my veins. His tongue tangled with mine, a sizzling intensity building with each tantalizing stroke.
Holy werewolf babies, this boy could kiss!
Hunter’s other arm came around my waist, drawing me flush against the hard planes of his body. I melded to his form, and my legs became jelly. I was fairly certain I would’ve melted into a puddle if it weren’t for his firm hold.
A faint moan slipped through my lips as he continued his assault, and a swell of embarrassment heated my cheeks. I pulled back, and Hunter’s eyes snapped open. Something like panic streaked across his expressive eyes.
“What?” I breathed, my voice all hot and bothered.
“I, I’m sorry, I have to go.”
He released me and I staggered back, grateful for the thick timber behind me. He spun toward the stairway, and my hand reached out for him, unbidden. “Hunter, wait.” His head whipped back and forth, and he took off.
“Hunter, please, wait!” I called out into the dim hallway.
When he reached the stairs, he whirled back, his golden eyes ablaze beneath the low lantern. “I’ll be back next year, I promise.”
His words hung in the air, a sucker-punch in the gut. He darted down the steps, and despite every bone in my body screaming to follow him, I sank down to the floor. Tucking my knees to my chin, I buried my face in my hands. A sob broke free and then the dam burst, tears flowing uninhibited.
Chapter Eleven
Present Time
Just breathe, Sierra. Breathe. There’s no way my new beta is Hunter. Not my Hunter. It wasn’t possible. And anyway, after how he’d acted the last time I saw him, I shouldn’t care if I ever saw him again.
I followed Vander through the dark tunnels of Silverstalker Lair, pretending I wasn’t having a total meltdown on the inside. “Wait a second,” I finally interjected, once my brain had a second to process his words. “I thought you said the beta’s name was Aristaeus.” And that was the name I clearly remembered from the first day of school.
“It is,” Vander answered, shortening his long strides so I could keep up. “It’s his formal name, but none of his friends call him that. Hunter is his middle name and the one he prefers for unofficial matters.”
Again, my heart jolted. It couldn’t be, right? I was getting excited for no reason. Aristaeus was not Hunter. It wasn’t possible.
We turned a corner, and a cavernous chamber sprawled before us. My head tipped up to stare at the soaring ceiling, which must have reached all the way to the mountaintop. A huge tapestry hung from the wall, a family crest of some sort inked in gold and green. In the center of the crest the images of a wolf and dragon intertwined—Dragos Pack.
I tore my gaze back down to ground level where shifters shuffled about, disappearing and reappearing through a series of tunnels that sprouted off the main room. Some were definitely guards, the silent sentinels moving in the shadows. Others seemed to be staff or servants or something. Most were in human form, but another good amount skulked around in wolfy form. I paid particular attention to those, scanning the furry beasts for that russet wolf that had tried to eat me.
Would I even be able to recognize him if he walked right up to me? Other than his reddish coloring, I didn’t remember anything distinctive about the male. Oh right, he was a male. I’d only realized that later, when my own she-wolf had emerged and detected the difference.
“There’s a pack meeting today, so hence all the hustle and bustle,” said Vander. He must have noticed my deer-in-headlights expression.
“Are they all wolf shifters?”
“Yes, that’s right, though the Supreme Alpha, Tyrien, is head of a few councils. He’s the alpha of his personal pack, the Dragos wolves, then he’s also high alpha of each individual wolf pack—there are dozens in Moon Valley, and finally he’s the supreme alpha of all shifters in Marlwoods. The meeting today is with him and the other wolf alphas.”
I tried to follow but half of my thoughts were still buzzing about the possibility of seeing Hunter. “Gotcha. So doesn’t Hunter or Aristaeus sit in on these meetings?”
“He does, but the council doesn’t convene until this evening, so he’s got time to meet with us first.”
Great. Vander motioned toward a tunnel at the end of the hall. “This way to Hunter’s private quarters.”
I forced my feet forward, despite their current predilection to grow roots on the spot. Hanging lanterns lined the earthen walls as the terrain began to incline upward. I couldn’t believe the wolves chose to live in caves like these when all the luxuries of the modern world were at their fingertips. I wasn’t sure I could get used to this. “Are all the wolf homes like this?”
“Dens.”