"Yeah. I did too." She let her shoulder fall and grinned. "But no, I'm one of the freaks."
I lifted my hand from the shifter knob, and made a fist. "Freak power."
"Freak power." Tonya fist-bumped me, and we both laughed.
Terra and Alanna were waiting on the front porch when we arrived. Both bounced up to hurry to the car, and hugs ensued all around.
It seemed sort of funny they were excited about the sleepover. The clan held regular gatherings, and they spent a lot of time together every day.
Then again, maybe that was why, because spending a night elsewhere was unusual. Even if the elsewhere wasn't all that far from home.
"I bought stuff to make pizzas," I said once we were inside.
"I'll help." Terra left Alanna at the dinette table with Tonya, ignoring the lure of makeup and twenty different colors of nail polish.
"I cheated. Picked up readymade crusts."
"Okay." We pulled out all the makings while Tonya talked Alanna into being the first makeover victim.
Terra started slicing the bell peppers. "How was the big date?"
"We had a great time." My instant smile caused an eruption of giggles from them.
"Details," Tonya demanded.
I shook my head. "There aren't any to share. We had dinner, went to the carnival in the Barrows, and visited the gargoyles before he brought me home."
Alanna, her eyes closed to allow Tonya to apply dark purple eyeshadow, said, "Logan was in a really good mood for that to have been all."
"Well, we did cuddle on the Ferris wheel, and there may have been some kissing."
"Just kissing? No groping? How many bases?" Tonya paused to take a look at her handiwork.
"Nosy. I don't remember which base is what, but that's all that happened. We cuddled, kissed, and held hands a lot."
"Ooh."
I stopped dicing onions. "Please tell me I'm not the only one dating anybody."
"You are." Terra sighed. "Devon's too afraid of Logan to hold my hand, much less kiss me, and it's not like we could go anywhere alone anyway."
"You have the whole territory," Alanna said. "Have a picnic."
"Yeah, and all the snoopy clan in it. I'm talking about going to the movies and stuff."
Tonya broke in. "If that guy's scared of Logan, maybe he's not the right guy."
"But I like him."
"Yeah, but," Tonya shook her head. "I wouldn't want to date a guy who wasn't willing to take a few risks. Seriously, what would Logan do to him just for holding your hand, or kissing you? It's not like he'd rearrange Devon's face for that." She looked from Alanna to Terra, and then me. "Would he?"
"No." My response made her nod.
"See? Devon wouldn't even be taking a real risk there."
Terra frowned. "I guess."
Sensing her unhappiness, I changed the subject. "We're doing personal pizzas. What do you girls want on yours?"
After a night of scary movies, too much makeup, some really strange hairstyles, and a lot of junk food, I woke up to discover Tonya and Terra had given me a toothpaste mask while I slept.
In retaliation, I woke them up by pouring cold water on them. They erupted into shrieking wakefulness and chaos followed as they chased me around the house, trying to smack me with their soggy pillows. The dogs joined in, barking and snatching at the pillows.
Finally, I had to call a halt. “We’re running out of time.”
Terra threw her pillow at me. I ducked it, but not Tonya’s pillow, launched directly after, and was hit smack in the face. “Ow. Okay, okay.”
We cleaned up, had breakfast, and prepared for our trip to the mall.
The mall was packed, but at least parking wasn't an issue for us. I'd teleported us to a spot around the side of the anchor store, where there weren't any doors. Not much foot traffic there. "Okay, ladies, let's stay together. No wandering away from the group."
"We know," Tonya and Terra chorused, before trading grins.
"Because Mom and Logan will both kill me if I lose either of you." I checked the inside pocket of my leather jacket, making certain my wallet was secure. My purse was at home. The first few days after Christmas were always full of people returning or exchanging Christmas presents they didn't want, which made the mall a choice spot for pickpockets to work.
No one in our little group was carrying a purse. I'd seen Alanna put her wallet in the inside pocket of her jacket before we’d left.
Tonya grabbed Terra's hand, pulling her forward. "Let's go."
I followed them with Alanna. "Teenagers. Shopping's their drug."
She chuckled, hooking her arm around mine. "Let's pretend we're teenagers too."
“I can do that.” Probably easier than she could, thanks to my long, Melding-induced nap. “I just wish this shopping trip wasn’t because of that damn elf.”
“You’re not flattered at all by his attention.”
“Nope.” I had been, once or twice, because Thorandryll was gorgeous. Yet, he was also a lying schemer, which had rubbed all the shiny off having his attention. Our recent meeting had only solidified my decision to never get romantically involved with the elf. “Maybe if he was actually sincere, but I know he’s not. It’s all political with him.”
“Usually is with elves.” Alanna caught the door as the two girls went inside ahead of us. “Okay, fun time.”
“Right.”
We meandered through the crowd, window shopping as we went. My phone dinged, and I pulled it from my pocket to read a text from Logan: Having fun?
Loads, I typed. They pasted me.
Then I had to explain what that meant, which made it clear the toothpaste mask had been Tonya’s idea. I noticed the other three had moved to another storefront while I was busy. Gotta go. We’re running out of time to shop.
Okay, bye. He added a flower emoticon.
Shoving my phone back into my pocket, I hurried after the other three, and bumped into a man. “Oh, sorry.”
He shot me an annoyed look, and I flinched away, because his eyes were solid black. The human-suited demon hurried past without doing anything else.
Curious, I turned around to watch him, and wondered why he hadn't attacked me. Had they decided to let bygones be bygones?
That would be cool by me, except for the fact that a demon had just passed, wearing a human. Or what was left of a human.
After one incident, killing a demon and hearing a mental scream, I'd asked Mr. Whitehaven if possessed humans could be saved. He'd said no. That their souls were ripped out and couldn't return, because the bodies were too tainted.
Basically, demons murdered the owners of the bodies they possessed, which meant a killer was wandering around the mall. If there was one demon, there were probably be others.
"Cordi," Tonya called, and I walked over to join them in front of the boutique. "Look at that dress."
"It's nice." I glanced away, but could no longer see the demon. The urge to give chase struck, but I'd promised Logan I wouldn't let Terra out of my sight. He probably wouldn't like it if I took her demon hunting.
"I love that one." Terra pointed through the glass to a slinky, gold dress adorning a headless mannequin. "What do you think, Alanna?"
"You should try it on."
Into the shop we went. The girls examined the gold dress, while I tried to decide if we should leave.
A saleswoman appeared, and stripped the mannequin for Terra to try on the dress. Alanna touched my arm. "I'll go with her."
"Okay, thanks." I let Tonya pull me around the shop to look at other dresses, nodding and mumbling in response to her comments about each.
The auburn-haired teen witch finally planted her hands on her hips. "What the heck's wrong with you? Shopping, fancy dresses, and fun. Remember?"
"Yeah, totally." Crap, I wasn't being a good hostess.
"So what's ruining the fun vibe?"
I sighed, and decided to tell her. "I saw a demon a few minutes ago."
Tonya's ey
es widened. "Where?"
"Out there." I waved my hand at the shop's front. "He bumped into me, and kept going."
Her hands dropped from her hips. "I have a banishing potion."
"You do?"
She nodded, patting the pocket of her coat. "David and Jo said we should have one on us at all times. Just in case."
"Nice. Keep it handy."
"We're not going after it?"
I laughed. "Are you kidding? I'd be murdered twice, once by Mom, and the other by Logan, if I took you and Terra demon hunting."
"But..."
"No buts. If I see it again, you can banish him." My promise mollified her.
"Okay." Tonya turned her head as Alanna and Terra exited a fitting room. "Do we tell them?"
"I guess we'd better." Not that I wanted to ruin their fun, yet I didn't want a surprise demon attack to be a true surprise either.
"What do you think?" Terra did a catwalk turn, her head held high. The gold dress was a strapless sheath that clung from chest to a few inches below her hips. The rest of it swished and stilled, touching the floor.
"You look awesome," I said. Tonya clapped her hands and whistled. "You should definitely get it."
"I agree." Alanna's smile hinted at pride. "We'll need to find the right shoes."
Smoothing her hands over the dress, Terra nodded. "Have you found one yet?"
"Uh, not yet. Something..."
"Cordi saw a demon," Tonya blurted out. The other two lost their smiles.
"It's not out there now." I shrugged. "And it ignored me, so I don't think we're in trouble, but it's up to you if we keep shopping or leave."
Terra nibbled on her bottom lip, looking at Alanna, who was busy looking at the passing crowd beyond the shop's glass front.
"You have to find a dress," Tonya said. "You're already cutting it close, since the ball's tonight."
Alanna was frowning. "Are you sure it was a demon?"
"Yeah, saw the black eyes."
"What?"
"Don't know why, but their eyes look solid black to me."
"Interesting." She touched the ends of her dark brown hair. "If we stay alert, I think we'll be okay."
"Sure. I can teleport us, or call my hound, if something does happen," I agreed.
"I'll keep watch while you look for a dress," Alanna said.
Tonya went with Terra to the changing room. I hoped she wouldn't have to use the potion in her pocket.
Roughly an hour later, we left the boutique with dress bags, and in my case, a few hundred dollars deeper in credit debt. I'd chosen a sleeveless, dark blue dress, the skirt long and flowy. It was plain compared to Terra's choice, but then I wasn't a capital Q queen.
Also, I didn't want to glam things up so much that Thorandryll thought I was trying to impress him or anything. Because then he'd think I was playing hard to get, instead of being honest about the "not happening" thing.
Our next stop was a shoe store, and I sighed when I realized that once again, nothing had a price tag on it. The stupid dinner date was costing more than I wanted to spend on an evening of being trapped as the elf's date.
ELEVEN
At six pm, my doorbell rang. I took a last look in the mirror, checking my makeup and wondering if I was underdressed for hobnobbing with Santo Trueno's elite.
Probably, but nothing left to do about it now. Hurrying downstairs, I shushed the Chihuahuas, who were running in circles around the sofa while barking. "Door! Door!"
Leglin, Bone, and Diablo were sitting in a line in front of the door. Amused, I dodged around them to answer it.
Thorandryll looked absolutely gorgeous in black tie. Momentarily tongue-tied, I smiled as he lifted a smallish, golden box. "I believe it's customary to bring flowers."
"Right." I checked, and yes, he had a boutonniere of a white rose and baby's breath pinned to his jacket.
"Come in."
"Thank you." He stepped inside, noting the dogs watching, and smiled. "Good evening, gentlemen."
It struck me then, the disconnect between how he treated animals and shifters. He was polite to animals, or had been every time I'd seen him interact with them.
He was either rude to, or ignored, shifters. Kethyrdryll had told me it was stung pride over a woman, back when Thorandryll was young. Dude had had more than enough years to get past that, but he hadn't. Why?
Thorandryll opened the box and presented the corsage it held with a flourish. "I hope it pleases you."
"It's lovely." It was, a little bouquet of miniature white roses on a background of baby's breath and greenery. I stood still and let him pin it on me, while trying to ignore the high school prom vibe the situation caused.
It wasn't as though I'd gone to a prom. My "lost years" hadn't stopped once I'd woken from my coma. Two more were spent returning to normal physically, and learning to handle my abilities.
Twenty-three years old, and I still felt fifteen on a regular basis. Like a kid trying to pretend to be an adult. Most of the time, I thought I pulled off the charade well. Possibly because when people looked at me, they saw a grown woman.
None of them saw the awkward teenager who felt cheated out of the experiences she should've had. Fast forward was fine for commercials, but it sucked rotten goose eggs for real life.
Thorandryll was staring at me. I blinked, realizing he'd finished, and was standing with his arms down at his sides.
"Is something troubling you?"
"Kind of. Not you though. Just...life, I guess."
He tilted his head. "Life in general, or something in particular?"
I touched the corsage, the tiny roses velvet against my fingertips. "Mom doesn't have any photos of me dressed up for school dances. No prom photos, because when I should've been at my junior prom, I was in a coma. Senior prom, I was a walking skeleton who kept setting things on fire or freezing them."
"You're angry that you weren't allowed the experiences you expected to have."
I looked him in the eye. "Wouldn't you be?"
He nodded. "Of course."
"Not just angry, but sad." I sighed. "Doesn't matter. It's not like I'll get a do-over. No one's going to give me back those years."
"I am truly sorry for your loss," he said, abruptly turning toward the coat rack and taking down my faux tiger coat. "I presume you wish to wear this one?"
"Yes, thanks."
Keeping my eyes lowered, I put on my coat with his help. "Guard the house, guys. Don't close the little ones in a room." Tail thumps and lolling tongues answered me. "See you when I get home."
Thorandryll offered his arm once we were on the porch and I'd locked the door. I accepted the gesture, feeling uncomfortable with my oversharing.
A white limo waited in the driveway, its hood pointed to the road. I wondered how the chauffer had maneuvered it around, without driving onto the winter-crisped grass. Probably magic, since the chauffer was another elf.
How different would I be, if I'd grown up knowing I'd develop my abilities, instead of having them dumped on me? Maybe I'd have been as arrogant as any elf.
Nah, no way, not with my mom. She had no problem bursting arrogance bubbles when necessary.
"Champagne?"
"Huh? Oh, no thank you." I needed to quit wool-gathering, or risk setting the habit of being a terrible date. Not that I intended to be a fun date for the elf. Publicly friendly, sure. I had promised to play nice.
He poured a glass, took a sip, and began to talk. "This will be an interesting evening. The attendees are the elite of Santo Trueno, from both human and supernatural communities."
"A bunch of people impressed with themselves" is how I interpreted that. "I didn't think you counted shifters as important."
"We all have to live together, regardless of our preferences."
"Prejudices, you mean."
Thorandryll frowned. "I thought we'd agreed to be on friendly terms this evening."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm suddenly blind and deaf to some things. Beside
s, we're not in public yet." In fact, we were just turning out of the drive. "Seriously, what is your problem with shifters?"
"They're animals. Animals that believe themselves equals of true people."
"Funny. You like animals, and treat them like people. I've seen you do that. But people who can turn themselves into animals..."
He interrupted. "You don't understand. The first to shift their shapes weren't humans. They were animals. Animals who loved their human masters, and wished to emulate them."
I had no idea what expression was on my face, because I didn't know what to think about his statement. "Oh. But that was a really long time ago."
"Time doesn't change what they are."
"Shifters."
"Perversions of the natural order."
I sniffed. "Maybe to you, but not to me."
"You strongly remind me of those you're descended from. They thought the shifters' evolution a miracle."
"Isn't it? Sounds like one to me."
"Animals aren't people," he insisted. "They are companions, pets, useful tools, and food, but they are not people."
"Shifters aren't just," I did air quotes for "just", "animals, and haven't been since the first one changed. We're in a new millennium here, one of a few that have passed since then. You need to get with the times."
Thorandryll glared for a few seconds before reluctantly smiling. "My brother has said the same, though less bluntly."
"I like Kethyrdryll. He has common sense." I shrugged. "Anyway, it was nice that you decided to include the shifter leaders."
"You believe I lack common sense?"
"I think you're so used to being important, you have a hard time relating to anyone else, except those you believe are important too."
Instead of glaring, he looked thoughtful. "Kethyrdryll has expressed a similar opinion."
As though I needed more reasons to like his brother. I changed the subject. "Who else is going to be there?"
"The Mayor, city council members, wealthy citizens, and of course, leaders of all the various groups. Many of the vampire council will be present."
I hoped Derrick was one of them. "Why'd you invite the coven?"
"Your friends may be young, but they're becoming known among those who matter. They'll eventually take a place among the elite."
Black Magic Shadows (Discord Jones Book 5) Page 8
