Cody looked a little embarrassed as he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m with Anna all day today.”
Quinn looked taken aback for a second but then smiled mischievously. “Perfect. I will let Bea know that we need mud facials for three.”
Cody gave a sigh of resignation and I grinned along with Quinn. If I had to suffer through a day of beauty treatments, at least I would be entertained by watching my giant wolf get a pedicure and a mud facial.
Chapter 27
Anna
Hours later I was finally ready. I stood at the top of the stairs, waiting for Cody to finish getting dressed so he could walk me down. I resisted the urge to play with one of the curls that Quinn had put into my hair. He had done my hair while Bea worked on my makeup. Between the two of them they somehow managed to make me look like I belonged at a ball.
Cody came out of his room and shut the door but came to a complete stop when he saw me standing at the top of the stairs. “Damn, Anna. I don’t even have words for how beautiful you look tonight.”
I smiled at him as he walked towards me and took in the long red dress. He playfully loosened his collar before holding out his arm for me to take. While I loved the way the red gown made me look sophisticated, I hated the fact that I had to wear heels. I planned on taking them off the second we were in the limo.
Cody walked me down the stairs and into the kitchen where the twins were getting their final orders from James. When we walked in their jaws dropped.
Mason smiled at me. “I was expecting you to be in a fluffy pink princess gown.”
“You look beyond hot.” Jason added.
James gave them both a scowl. “She looks gorgeous and sophisticated.”
Cody laughed. “You know they don’t teach us big words like that in the marines.”
I gave him a playful smack on the arm. “You guys are smart, don’t try to downplay it.”
“We like to keep that a secret.” Mason told me as the twins walked towards me.
“You guys all look very James Bond in your tuxes.” I told them. “I am very lucky to be escorted by such handsome gentlemen.”
“Make sure you stay gentlemen.” James growled from across the room.
Jason smirked and turned to say something, probably in reference to the fact that he had found James naked in my bedroom, but Mason quickly gave him a sharp elbow to the stomach. Instead of saying anything to James, Jason bowed in front of me. “My lady.”
I giggled. James just rolled his eyes and came to stand in front of me. He took my hand in his and gave it a gentle kiss while holding my gaze. “Have fun tonight, Anna.” He told me softly.
I smiled. “I will.”
He frowned at the others, Jason in particular. “Behave yourselves. You are there to support Austin, keep our pack safe, and make a good impression on the other guests.”
The twins both gave serious nods in response to his words. James was satisfied with that and left the room. ”Do you like to dance, Anna?” Mason asked me thoughtfully.
I blushed. “I don’t know how to dance.” I admitted, a little embarrassed at my lack of experience in that area.
“It’s easy for a female.” Cody encouraged me. “Just follow the man’s lead; it’s our job to make you look good.”
I rolled my eyes at his generalization; I doubted it was that easy just because I was a female. “I have a difficult time picturing you guys taking dance lessons.” I laughed.
“We took ballroom dancing for our PE requirement our first semester.” Mason informed me.
“Yeah, we heard there were always like thirty girls and no guys.” Jason added. Mason elbowed him, and Jason’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second. “You know, so we wouldn’t have to worry about being able to find a partner.” He clarified.
“Uh, huh.” I said in answer. I was pretty sure that was not the reason they wanted to be in a class with thirty other girls and no men. But I was surprised because this was the first time either one had even hinted at girls they previously dated. I wasn’t an idiot; they were both good looking and could be charming when they wanted. I was absolutely not the first girl they had ever kissed.
I felt a little bit of doubt creep in from the old Anna. If they could have any girl they wanted, any time they wanted, why would they want to be with me? Why would they agree to share one girl with their pack-mates?
I tried to brush all my doubts aside. Tonight we were all dressed up, looking good, and going to a fancy ball. I intended to have as much fun as I could at a formal event packed with strangers.
It was a two-hour drive to our destination but since I had been unconscious for two days, we had plenty to talk about. The twins kept me entertained with stories of their cooking disasters, but I sensed that all had not been well while I was out.
“Any successful pranks on James?” I asked cheerfully.
Mason shook his head. “We’re not going to mess with James for at least a month. He has not been easy to live with the past couple days.”
“That’s probably best if you value your lives.” Cody told them, looking up from his phone.
“Speaking of James, Anna, I have to tell you that I feel a little jealous.” Jason said it in a teasing tone, but I could see a little bit of hurt lurking in his eyes.
“I thought we were your favorites.” Mason joked.
“Back off.” Cody grumbled as he shot them both warning looks.
“I just thought that we were the closest to you.” This time the hurt in Jason’s voice was clear. “Is it because of what happened at the range?”
“Anna doesn’t have to explain anything.” Cody growled at him.
I reached out to Jason; I did not like that I was the source of his hurt. I understood that he wasn’t trying to pressure me or criticize; he was just stating how he felt. “I’m not upset about that; you guys did everything you could to help me. As much as I wish that you had not shot me with a tranq, I realize I never should have put you in that position to begin with.”
“You’re not upset about anything else?” Mason pushed.
I let out an exasperated sigh. “Do you really think that I would fool around with James just because I got upset with you guys? I think you know I’m not like that.”
“That’s not what we meant.” Mason said abashedly. “We just wanted to make sure you weren’t mad.”
I gave him a look. I knew that they were a paranoid about being manipulated, but if they thought it through they would realize they had nothing to worry about with me.
“You guys are my favorite pranksters and partners in crime.” I told them reassuringly. “James is…” I tried hard to think of a term that could describe the way I felt about him. “My favorite sparring partner.” The twins looked pleased when I called them my partners in crime, but Jason’s face clouded over again when I said sparring partner.
“What you guys did at weapons training helped me, it didn’t hurt me. You guys challenge me and inspire me to be better, every day.”
I looked at Mason as I grabbed his hand as well. “I’m still learning and growing so I need you guys to be patient with me. But I hope you know that you can trust me.”
“Of course.” Mason murmured as he squeezed my thigh.
Jason gave me a smile but scooped me up to sit in his lap. I laughed and put a hand around his neck, pulling him in closer to me. My heart started to beat faster as we gazed into each other’s eyes.
I took a deep breath and decided to make the first move. I leaned in to close the distance between us and press my lips to his. I felt his body relax as our lips met in a tender kiss.
We shared a couple of kisses before Mason cleared his throat. “I need some affection and reassurance as well.” He joked.
Jason put me back down on the seat and I scooted closer to Mason. He touched his forehead to mine and murmured quietly to me. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” I said quietly.
He kissed the tip of my nose, which made me smi
le. I gave him a gentle kiss and he brushed one of my curls out of his face while pulling away with a smile.
“We’re almost there.” Cody interrupted. “You might want to clean the lipstick off your faces.”
I laughed when I looked at them both to see that they both had matching red stains on their lips. Luckily, I had the forethought to shove lipstick and a mirror in my clutch along with my phone. I carefully reapplied my lipstick while the guys scrubbed their mouths with tissues.
I peered out the window when we drove up to the house. It was a mansion even larger than ours. We were guided into the house and I was amazed at the wealth displayed; it was more of a museum than a home.
Well-dressed staff members escorted us to the ballroom and I looked around in amazement. It felt like we were in a modern day Great Gatsby film. Cody had kept a tight hold on my arm for the journey, with the twins bringing up the rear of our posse.
Once in the ballroom, Cody turned to the twins. “Go find Aus and stick by him. Trevor and Mike need to be outside before this event officially kicks off.” The twins both gave him a nod and me a kiss on the cheek, before they headed off.
“The event hasn’t started yet?” I asked Cody. There seemed to be quite a few people milling around in here. Servers wandered through the crowd with trays of fancy little snacks.
Cody smiled at me. “It’s going to get a lot more crowded in here. Most of the important people won’t be here until later.”
I shrugged. “Since we are here early, do you want to sample some of the food?”
Cody gave me a grin. “I think you know the answer to that.” Cody and I wandered around, occasionally stopping to chat with people that he knew. There were quite a few people who stopped us to ask if I was ‘the white wolf’ that was found. I guess it was my pale coloring that gave me away.
I was polite to everyone, even when I felt like they sometimes stepped over the line with personal questions they were asking me. Cody was the most perfect date I could ask for. Having him by my side made me much less nervous to talk to strangers and he quickly smoothed over any awkward moments.
“Where is Austin?” I whispered to Cody when we had a moment to ourselves on the balcony.
“He’s meeting in private with some of the more powerful men in attendance today. He’ll be out to mingle once the party is in full swing.” Cody explained.
I chewed my lip worriedly. “I haven’t seen him since… you know.”
Cody raised my chin, so I was looking in his eyes. “Anna.” He said softly. “Nothing that happened is your fault. We never should have taken you into that situation to begin with. If anything, Austin blames himself. Not you.”
I took a deep breath and I think I surprised him by wrapping my arms around him in an embrace and leaning my head against his chest. “I’m not some delicate flower that you guys need to keep safe.”
Cody kissed the top of my head and I leaned up to look up at him. “I’m a vicious wolf.” I told him seriously, trying to lighten the mood. A party filled with strangers was not the time for an emotional discussion like this.
It worked because he laughed. “One of the most vicious I know.” He assured me with a sparkle in his eye. He gave me a nudge “C’mon, Aus is on his way here with the big wigs.”
We made our way back into the ballroom and I saw that Cody was right, it was much more crowded in here. I followed Cody as he forged a path through the crowd for us, holding his hand tightly.
We met Austin and the twins as they were heading for us. Austin gave me a huge grin the second his eyes fell upon me. “Anna, you look absolutely stunning.”
I blushed but reached forward to give him a hug. I searched his eyes carefully as I pulled away, but I didn’t see anything to indicate he was anything but happy to see me. “You look very handsome as well.” I told him with a shy smile. It was true, he looked like he belonged on a red carpet in Hollywood.
In some ways, I felt like I was seeing Austin for the first time. I could finally feel what everyone else had described to me, it was obvious that Austin was the most powerful of our group. He radiated power and authority in the same way that the sun radiated warmth on a spring day.
He held out his arm for me to take while he escorted me back to a table. Cody and the twins followed closely but waited for me to be seated before pulling out their own chairs. I was seated between Austin and Cody with the twins on the other side of the round table.
“How did your meeting go?” I asked Austin curiously. I was hoping he would let some interesting information drop.
He gave me a small smile. “Good. But I’m glad it’s over so I can be here with you.”
I blushed, but I wasn’t going to let him flirt his way out of avoiding my questioning. “Me too. Congrats on your promotion, I hear you’re an important man now. I hope you will be able to still find time to spend with us common folk.” I teased him with a smile.
He chuckled and gave my hand a squeeze. “Always.”
“So now that you’re on the council, can you keep them from taking Anna?” Jason interjected.
Austin frowned. “We’ve had bigger issues on the table so far, but that is unquestionably one of the things I want addressed before they name an official successor to my father.”
“Any word on his location?” Cody asked.
Austin shook his head in denial before his gaze caught on a group of men heading towards us. The man in the lead was about Austin’s height with blond hair and striking blue eyes. Austin stood and the rest of us followed his lead.
“Anna, I’d like to introduce you to our host this evening. Arminius, this is the lady of whom I spoke.”
Arminius reached out for my hand and briefly brought it to his lips with a slight bow. “Anna, I’ve heard so much about you, it’s truly a pleasure.”
“Likewise.” I murmured nervously. This was the lamia whom everyone had spoken about? He looked more like he could give Chris Hemsworth some competition for his role in Thor than he did a vampire. Just like with Emerys, there was nothing in his appearance to suggest he might be a vampire. With my new heightened senses, I could feel a large amount of power emanating from him.
The two men standing beside him gave off a dangerous air that screamed bodyguard. He didn’t introduce either of them, so I assumed I was correct in my assumption.
“I heard you knew my mother?” I asked hopefully.
He gave me a warm smile. “I did. I have a history with white wolves that I would like to discuss with you.” He glanced over at Austin. “If your pack-master approves, I would be delighted to host you and several companions of your choosing for a weekend at my estate. There is a lot I would like to share with you.”
My eyes widened, and I looked at Austin hopefully. Austin tilted his head thoughtfully. “I’m sure we will be able to work something out.”
“Excellent. I need to greet the rest of my guests now, but I look forward to seeing you soon, Anna.” Arminius told me with a sparkle in his blue eyes. He gave Austin a nod. “I’ll have my people call your people.”
Arminius gave me a wink before setting off with his entourage following closely behind. Austin motioned for me to take my seat before following suit with a frown. I was practically bouncing in my seat with excitement. Tonight was turning out better than I had hoped.
Austin leaned in close to me. “Anna, I know the thought of hearing more about your mother is tempting, but we still need to be cautious. Arminius could have good intentions, but there is always a motive behind his actions.”
I gave him a frown. “You don’t think it’s safe?”
“I think he is an honorable man, and will hold to his word. But I want to make sure he gives assurances for your safety before I trust him with you.” Austin told me seriously. “I also want to know what he has to gain from this. The information may not be worth the price.”
I just looked at him in surprise. What could a lamia possibly have to gain from telling me about my mother? That seemed like an altr
uistic deed.
I just verbally agreed with Austin for now. Austin knew more about this world and the politics involved than I did. If he wanted to delve into the motivations of Arminius, that was fine with me, as long as I still got my meeting. I had not sensed anything suspicious or threatening from Arminius, but I had only met the guy for a minute.
Austin looked at me regretfully. “I wish I could tell you that tonight is going to be fun, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to make the rounds with me. Most of the people here are curious about you, and they are going to want to meet the lost female that has everyone talking.”
I smiled at him anxiously. “I’m not really good at making small talk with strangers.”
Austin just chuckled. “Just follow my lead and smile and nod when it seems appropriate. I’ve found that most people with big egos consider you to be an excellent conversationalist if you let them do most of the talking.”
I laughed, and he gave me a kiss on the forehead. “Anna’s with me tonight.” He told the guys. “Cody, I need you doing what you do best.”
Cody gave him a nod of understanding and Austin turned to the twins. “I don’t want anyone alone tonight.” He said pointedly.
Mason sighed and turned to Jason briefly. “I’m with you and Jason will go with Cody.” Mason told Austin after their brief consultation. Austin smiled at them approvingly. I wondered if he separated them on purpose?
During the rest of the night Austin and I went from group to group socializing with the other guests here. I was astute enough to pick up on Austin’s goals for tonight: strengthen the alliances we had and work on building new ones. Mason trailed behind us in silent bodyguard mode. I didn’t like that he was relegated to that role, but I noticed that all of the other pack-masters had one or two bodyguards of their own.
We passed Cody and Jason several times. Cody looked like he was having a great time, I was guessing that it was his job to socialize with the other wolves who were not pack-masters. Jason occasionally sent me bored looks, but Austin would quickly recapture my attention as soon as he noticed my distraction.
Finding the Fire Within Page 27
