by Kiki Howell
By the time the reception started, same room, tables brought in while a few pictures were taken outside of the bride and groom, and caterers had brought in the food, Tallan breathed a sigh of relief to have the day at least half over. She'd go home and jump straight into pajamas at this point, fuzzy robe, thick socks, as the night air cooled and streamed through her window. She preferred to be fighting off a good chill with heavy clothes than trying to cool down with barely anything on, but she always wore more than the weather demanded to cover up, and that only compounded the problem. Luckily, her sister chose to get married in the fall.
Dreaming of that moment cuddled up in front of the television or with a book, she hadn't noticed that Luke had come up next to her. So, she jumped when he spoke, forcing his first words to her to be an apology she had to graciously accept though she had had it with the fake politeness of these events.
"May I have this dance," he said, his hand out, a smirk on his face that brought a scowl to hers.
"Excuse me?" she answered, a huff following her spat out words. Her annoyance built as her cat started up a heavy purr inside her head.
"It's time for the traditional dance. Your sister and Lyle are already out on the floor. Your mother's scowl says she is impatient for you to join in. I'm again, just trying to help, though I get you don't need it."
She looked up at the dance floor. Shit. She'd clearly daydreamed her way through the pomp of the ritual dances beginning. With an animated sigh, forcing her frisky feline to stop the incessant noise she had no business making in this man's presence, Tallan reluctantly flattened her palms down on the table to push herself to standing. Glancing at his still outstretched palm, she rolled her eyes as she gave in and palmed the offered hand.
"I get it. This is torture for you, this whole event, not just me, but Trina asked me to remind you that this is for her. Her day."
"Yes, anything for Trina. She plays that card against me often, knowing she has the one soft spot in my heart."
"From what I hear, from her and Lyle, you have many, are there for everyone, but never for yourself other than your need to stay home on the rare occasion you have any down time from your save the world goals."
To her glare, he continued, "These are all positive things. Compliments if you didn't recognize them as such. Trina said you were impossible to give one to. My apologies, I only meant that I've heard many nice things said about you. Trina said she is so lucky to have you, in fact doesn't know what she would do without you, and Lyle feels himself lucky to be part of this family now."
She sighed rather than respond with the awful retorts raging in her head for this bear shifter, and gave in as much as she could manage when they hit the dance floor. As he pulled her in closer than need be for this obligation dance, she ignored the tingling all up and down her front where their bodies touched. Her panther had gone back to that annoying, throaty purr of contentment as soon as the man pressed her close. Had to be one too many glasses of wine, she mused as she caught her mother's scowl right before the woman turned away.
This had to be tough on her mother to see her with the bear shifter, especially given her brother Jason had shown up to the wedding with his significant other, an eagle shifter named Micah. Their cross species relationship had been the subject of many a family argument in the past months. Trina had only won the fight to allow Jason to bring Micah to the wedding on the fact it was her day, and her mother would take a back seat in the planning of it. A hard won fight only her sister could manage to win against their mother. Parents shouldn't have favorites, but at the moment, hers did. Trina had done right by the family; not only getting married, but to another panther at that.
Tallan, along with Jason and Trina, knew the talk would rage all around the room about the couple, but didn't care. The sisters were happy that their brother was happy and in love, even if their parents couldn't come to the same feeling about it.
As Luke turned her around the dance floor with little effort, given his hulking frame, she blamed her dizziness on her thoughts and the brutish way this beast man handled her body. It was as if she didn't weigh anything at all while in his arms. Not letting that odd occurrence go to her head, she attempted to refocus on her contempt of this man, for no other reason that he was a bear and she a panther. Not that she agreed with her parents old-fashioned thoughts on the subject of panther only marrying panther, but she didn't care to date anyone, let alone a someone that would cause more family strife. The fact that her kitty seemed attracted to the bear only added to the frustration she felt and she once again pressed the animal down with a firm, internal chastisement. No way would she allow the cat to set her claws on any bear, not even just for tonight.
The dance could not be over fast enough for her. The never-ending song her sister had chosen continued on as she swore it seemed Luke held her tighter, closer to him each second, crushing her breasts against his hard chest and abs, making them spill even more from the tight bodice of her dress. She looked up to see him appreciating the show, and used her arms to put a few inches between them, trying to control her need to push away from the man completely and run like the wind into the night. Her panther fought for control. She may have to shift and get in a run when she returned home if this kept up. Clearly she hadn't allowed the beast out to play enough lately and this was how it planned to punish her for that. Yup, punishment. She'd fix that issue soon enough and then both her and her panther could go back to being content in their quiet life.
"I'm sorry, Tallan, have I done something to offend you other than enjoying this dance that you were apparently loath to participate in? Trina warned me you would only dance with me out of obligation, but I have to confess to wanting to dance with you. You are stunning in this dress."
"Let me stop you right there, bear boy. You need not feel the requirement to compliment me, too. Just dance. It is all you have to do in the here and now. No talk necessary. Honestly."
"You think I just gave you a compliment out of duty? Damn, have you seen yourself in a mirror today, woman? This dress...wow. It hugs all of your amazing, womanly curves just right. What man wouldn't want to hold you in his arms, hope for more."
"In reality, only you, if you or I are being honest. I don't turn heads. If I did at all today it was simply because the old maid of the pride, not by age but by choice of lifestyle, well, she wore a tight-fitting dress rather than a dumpy sweater or old t-shirt. It was the uncommon factor that wowed them, not my looks. I'm both aware and fine with that."
"I'm hurt, and offended," Luke said.
She complimented him on the genuine way his face reflected hurt, his eyes darkened, his face downcast. "You'll get over it," she said, her voice softening despite her. "Trust me."
As the last note played in the over long song, She pushed herself from his arms the second she could and headed straight for the makeshift bar in the corner of the room. She planned to devour a stiff drink alone, wait for the cake cutting and enjoy a slice of heaven she more than deserved for her troubles today before running off for the night. The two glasses of champagne she'd consumed so far had not cut it.
However, it seemed her sister spoiled her best-laid plans once again as she found herself cornered. Tallan scowled in response to Trina's tight, almost smug grin, crossing her arms instead, though this didn't stop her sister one bit.
"Thank you for everything today, sis," Trina said once she got close enough not to have to shout over all the conversations going on in the room.
A bunch of shifters together to celebrate always got rather loud. She'd grown used to it long ago, just as she did the ringing in her sensitive ears that followed these celebrations like after she'd attended a concert. Of course, she'd only gone to a concert on one occasion, to please her little sister when it had been the only way her parents would let her go. She'd never stop doing for Trina, even if she gripped about it. She usually didn't. Today had just been a bit much. Though, so much she'd joyfully, with a full heart, sacrificed for her sist
er's happiness, and she'd continue to do so for years to come.
"Of course. Anything for you, sis. You know that, and take advantage of it, but this time, really, you owe me once you get back from your honeymoon. I want dinner, dessert, a movie, maybe more," Tallan said, giving her sister a little nudge. "I hope today was all you dreamed it could be."
"It was and more. Now, if only I could see you but so happy."
"Oh, give it a rest with that quote already. Jane Austen is rolling over in her grave."
"It's true, though. I want to see you happy, Tallan."
"I am happy. I don't need a man to achieve such a state. I am ecstatic that Lyle makes you so blissful your face may break from that smile you have been wearing all day, but I don't need the same in my life. I am doing fine on my own."
"I want better than 'fine' for you. You do so much for everyone else, I want you to have someone who also takes care of you."
"I can manage that just fine on my own, too," Tallan said with a sly wink.
"Yes, I'm sure you can." Trina chuckled. "So, how was your dance? You two looked close."
"You mean my forced dance with the bear shifter? You want to give mom a heart attack already? I think she would go through the roof if two of her children married outside our own species."
"She'll get over it if she wants to maintain a relationship with her children. And we both know she does. It's our ace in the whole. As I've told Jason several times, she is just flexing her claws now, making her point. Once she comes to miss the closeness she once had with her son, realizes that he is not giving up Micah, especially after almost losing his mate once and nearly driving himself over the edge, mom will come around. I know she will. She will make it a hard won fight to save face, but she'll come to accept the relationship."
"Says the girl who married a panther." Tallan rolled her eyes. "Regardless, this is a pointless conversation. I don't want a man right now, and even if I did, it wouldn't be bear boy."
"Ah, a pet name already." Trina grinned, her eyes flashing with mirth.
"Stop it, Trina. Don't make me yell at you on your wedding day," Tallan feigned irritation in her voice, though in truth some had seeped in at this point in the evening.
She'd completed all her obligations, most with a smile outside of that dance, the dress, so in her opinion she'd be in the clear soon. Finding her joy in helping, making others happy, today it had been a bit much for even her. Something had stirred her up, set her on edge. Something she couldn't put her finger on, nor cared to identify, only ignore until it went away—the whole clutching in her stomach, the jitteriness in her bones, the lack of oxygen in the room, and her typically quiet panther's atypical reactions to some situations. She hated crowds. Had to be it.
"You'd never yell at me. We all know it. Now, I want you to meet someone," Trina said, grabbing her sister's hand.
Tallan's fingers stiffened, refusing to curl around her sister's hand as she stood her ground, refused to move an inch despite the tugging on her arm.
"I will not be fixed up tonight. Don't think the whole lonely maid of honor thing happened to me today. You have no in here. I stand firm on that." She near growled at her sister.
"Oh, I don't think I do. Heaven knows you will not change, not give an inch when it comes to men. I see bear boy's woeful face after just one dance with you. It's a woman anyway. Shit, Tallan. Chill."
"Okay," Tallan said on an exaggerated sigh, letting her feet move as she allowed her sister to drag her across the great hall through the throngs of people.
Trina navigated the room quickly, having already made the rounds with Lyle. The pair of them only received exaggerated nods and pasted on smiles, rather than anyone stopping them to talk. Her sister had that affect on people, getting them to give into whatever she wanted. Her beauty, inside and out, she used as her weapon. Trina had both in spades. Even with a bit of sweat from dancing messing with her makeup, and curls having made their way out of the updo she'd paid a pretty penny for this morning, her sister stunned, outshined most in any room. Of course, despite any obligations, anyone could see that Trina was on a mission, so they stepped aside willingly, more into their drinks than conversations at this point in the day. Panthers knew how to party. No one would ever argue that. A wedding was only another excuse to get drunk and carry on in human form like the animals they were inside.
As Tallan heard voices reach a higher pitch to their right, no one batted an eye. What would any panther event be if not for at least one, maybe two fights, friendly fire grown out of hand due to some ill-timed slurred words and a short hold on their beasts wanting to play, too.
They stopped suddenly, interrupting a conversation yet to happen she assumed, judging by the look on the women's faces: eyes squinted, mouths set in tight lines. An almost solid tension filled the space, and she figured her sister had sensed it, too, and stopped to dispel it. A gift of Trina's, without the fancy college degree in psychology Tallan had, she could calm people, make them see reason. It even worked on their mother from time to time, for a few moments at least. A miracle in and of itself Tallan could only marvel at.
"Tallan, this is Sylvia Ludus and Samantha Morgan." Trina gestured to each woman as she spoke their names.
Tallan had heard of both of them. Sylvia, a short woman with long, honey blonde, to-die-for natural curls flowing effortlessly down her back and yet not a single hair out of place, owned a dating agency that specialized in matches between shifters. Her record for successful matches was beyond legendary among the prides. Samantha was her newest project, paired with the wealthy Ian Michaelson, a cousin of theirs. So far, this had been the talk of the last few weeks among the pride. The pair didn't seem to be hitting it off, though they had been seen together enough times. Rumors of the renowned Sylvia being off her game had circulated, though the woman didn't seem too concerned about this. It'd been said this more powerful than life, confident as hell lady always had something up her sleeve, something she knew or sensed that no one else could. In Tallan's opinion, Sylvia would have been good in the psychology field had she not been so bent on meddling in peoples love lives, even though her success rates were top notch.
Tallan followed through with her end of the introductions, happy to help with the interruption to a brewing discussion that she felt in her bones was not going to go well. A shifter thing or a psychologist thing, the body language, the waves of emotions coming off Samantha, who she'd heard it rumored to be a witch, didn't lie. In fact, something crackled over the woman, a fierce energy. Self-preservation maybe. Tallan recognized it well.
"Sylvia, I think you should work some of your dating magic on my sister," Trina said, not looking back to face the shock and horror that sent a burn to Tallan's cheeks.
"Oh, good luck with that," Sam said to Tallan with a huff of a laugh.
"I'm sure Sylvia has a plan for you, Sam. Although I will admit to wondering what is up with this match, Sylvia is always right in the end," Trina gushed, her hands on Sylvia's arm only increasing the look of confidence on the dating agency owner's face.
"I plan to break her record," Sam said, defiance in her voice.
Tallan sized up the other curvy woman in the room. Her match through Sylvia, Ian, was the one man every single woman in her pride wanted to land, save for her. She liked this Sam immediately, sensing camaraderie with the witch, not just in size but in spirit.
"I'm not worried. I see my plan for Samantha going just as I expected it. It's my bit of magic for the world, knowing who should go with whom. Sometimes these things can't be rushed," Sylvia added.
"Magic huh? Well, I'm not sure I would call it such, more misguided meddling in my case," Sam said to Sylvia before turning to Tallan. "While I won't go into the gory details of Sylvia's bizarre plan for me, I will tell you that I am only going along for my mother who is beside herself to have a daughter my age not married. To be honest, I'm just not interested. I have a career, a life that needs no man to complete it."
"Well said, S
am," Tallan praised. "I get you completely. My well-meaning sister here feels the same about me. But, I'm not going along. Sylvia can set up someone else. I'm good. I don't need a bunch of dates with random strangers to know that."
"Wise choice," Sam remarked, and the two exchanged looks of immediate friendship. "I don't know how I got roped into this. Wait, yes I do, a daughter's love for her mother. The woman gets me every time, but enough is enough. I will win this one by walking away. Now. Tonight I am done. Tallan, don't get started. Stand firm."
"Oh, I plan to. I'm not giving into either of them. Trust me."
"Before you both go ganging up on me," Sylvia retorted, "I am sure of my plans for Sam, still, despite her impatience. And Tallan, I already have a plan for you, too."
"Oh no. No, thank you." Tallan shook her head and took a step back, her eyes wide. "I'm quite happy just the way I am."
"Please, Tallan, for me," Trina begged. "Sam agreed to her dates with Ian for her mother, now you agree for me."
"I'm not going to start dating someone. Not even for you," Tallan argued, her irritation of the evening finally spilling over despite her attempts to hide it.
"Just one date," Sylvia argued. "What can it hurt, right? Just one, to make your baby sister happy on her wedding day. You can't say no to that."
The woman's grin set Tallan off balance, figuratively making her stumble. It became clear the woman knew Tallan's penchant for giving in to her sister and had no qualms about playing her trump card right at the start gate.
"Don't do it, Tallan," Sam warned, grasping Tallan's hand. "Stand tough, girl. Curvy girls united. Learn from my mistakes."
"Sam, you are not helping," Trina warned. "And, I liked you. But, my sister, she will do anything for me."
