by Leela Ash
“Hey, relax,” Kelly said catching her up by the shoulders. “You’re so young and you’re in love for maybe the first time. It’s a given that you won’t be so great at hiding your feelings. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just…”
“Just what?” Kathy asked almost desperately.
“Well, Drake is blind. I mean how can he not see how you feel about him and how he feels about you?”
Kathy’s mouth fell open. Now they really were getting ahead of themselves. “Drake does not—”
“Take it from us honey, he does,” Marissa said her eye serious. “I’ve known the boys since childhood, remember? Drake is never like this with any woman. He stares at you when he thinks you are not looking. He can’t stand anyone teasing you or even poking gentle fun at you. He protects you as if you’re made of seven eggs, he bends over backwards to fulfill your smallest wishes. And he thought you were the most attractive woman in the room, even before your makeover.”
“True that,” Megan laughed. “He’s been making puppy eyes at her from day one. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”
Kathy rolled her eyes, “Okay, I wasn’t that bad before the makeover.”
“No, you weren’t,” Marissa told her honestly. “You were a raving beauty who just had a constant bad hair day.”
That one was so helplessly close to the truth that they all dissolved into fresh gales of laughter.
Klyana’s bedroom door was slowly pushed open a few feet away, distracting the women from their mirth, and she emerged wearing a long black dress. Kathy stared. Klyana’s stringy hair had been cleaned up and sort of blown out and now it hung in lush waves around her head. Her eyes were very bright beneath the mascara fringing them and her lips had even been painted a small shade of red.
She looked beautiful.
Her gaze met Kathy’s brimming with such happiness that Kathy realized at once that she had done the right thing. If she had denied Klyana this happiness she would never have forgiven herself.
Klyana beamed at all five of them, “My. But the men of this home sure know how to pick raving beauties. And my Kathy looks like a million bucks tonight, doesn’t she?”
They converged on her, laughing, and Jeanine announced as they grabbed her, “Now let’s get you noticed by a man of your own tonight Klyana.”
“Me? I’m too old,” Klyana chuckled, but she looked pleased.
Few minutes later, they all descended the stairs of the Cox’s ballroom situated somewhere on the grounds. Kathy hadn’t realized just how large Joshua Cox’s home truly was. The man had to be a multimillionaire. She had noticed that other shifters regarded him and his boys as leaders. The humans of Weirna were oblivious to the presence of shifters and seemed to see this section of town as a select and exclusive area. Although of course, humans couldn’t truly see or enter it unless any shifter wanted them to.
A small hush fell over the crowd of shifters as they walked in. All eyes swung their way and Kathy could make out stirrings of interest, or envy and even lust among some in the crowd.
Kathy heard Jeanine mutter soto voce, “So, the Archstone boys are here.”
Kathy followed her gaze and noticed five men standing in a group. They were all tall with rippling good looks and muscle tones. And every last one of them was looking at her with more than mild interest!
Kathy swallowed, unused to such male attention and then she looked away, diverting her gaze back to Jeanine, “Archstone boys?”
“Only the worst rivals of the Weirna shifters for a thousand generations,” Jeanine said with a smile. “Luke single-handedly brokered peace with them when he and the boys stormed Archstone to save Caily, his daughter from the fake Nabradia. They ended up saving all five of the Archstone leaders too and they have been in his debt ever since.”
Kelly looked them over with a cold eye before whispering to Kathy, “I don’t care much for them. They are a handsome but murderous lot. They killed Joseph and they almost killed Derek when they met for the first time in Africa.”
Kathy’s ears perked up. They didn’t look murderous. If anything, they seemed very handsome and adorable together. They looked as though they should grace a centerfold depicting raw, masculine magnetism.
“Just remember,” Jeanine coached, “A man like Drake hates and fears commitment. So, if your goal is to be more than a notch on his player boy bedpost, you’re going to have to show him tonight that other men find you attractive.”
“Eww,” Kathy said, letting her disgust show on her face. “What century is this?”
Jeanine sighed, “Fine. Be that way. And when you watch that Desiree put her paws all over him, don’t come crying to me.”
Megan patted her arm, “She’s right Kathy. Drake is very stubborn. He knows he wants you, he just prefers to pretend he doesn’t. Back him into a corner where he cannot deny his feelings anymore.”
“What would be the point? We could never be together,” Kathy said tiredly. “The ancient laws —”
“Are ancient,” Kelly interrupted, with a twinkle in her kind eyes. “You’ve heard this before, I know. Remember, you’re a modern day witch and unless I completely mistake the matter, your Klyana is head of the witches alive and you’re her second in command. The law is what you say it is. Do you follow?”
Kathy nodded, “The laws will change if I want them to. I can be with Drake if I really want to.”
“Good girl,” Kelly beamed.
All the other women looked very pleased too, she thought looking around at them. They were all amazing and all wanted her and Drake to be happy. She bit her lip thinking of how much she would enjoy having these amazing women as sisters-in-law and she felt tears of joy brim in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered to all four of them, blinking back tears.
They all nodded, fighting back tears of their own.
“Now, enjoy the party,” Marissa murmured, her gaze drawn to where Luke was beckoning to her from the front of the room. That seemed to be the signal because she grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing waiter and traipsed off. The other women offered her smiles and drifted in different directions to meet their husbands. In less than a second, she was all alone.
Her curious gaze was drawn once more to the Archstone boys. One in particular had blue eyes the exact shade of the sky and he was staringintently at her, as though trying to see into her soul. She held his gaze in slight confusion and mild interest. All of a sudden, he tensed and frowned.
Before she could wonder why, Drake murmured in her ear, “Robin Krossings.”
She spun around to face him, “Pardon me?”
Drake jerked his head in the direction of the five men, “His name. The one who seems about to tear off your clothes with his eyes, that is.”
She smiled, watching as his eyes stroked over her hair, down her face, her body and all the way to where one of her painted toes, strapped in low-heeled sandals, peeked out beneath a daring slit at the side of the gown.
She thought she heard him add, “His eyes will soon be parted from him.”
“Did you say something else?” she demanded.
He shook his head. He was very handsome tonight himself. Every man in the room was dressed in a tux but somehow, he outshone them all. He was dripping gorgeousness and masculine goodness. It was all she could to keep herself from flinging herself into his arms.
“You are exquisite, Kathy. The ladies outdid themselves tonight,” he added. “I must compliment Kelly for adding magic to her many talents.”
Her simple pleasure in his compliment died. Sure, she looked good but did he have to sing the praises of his sisters-in-law? Couldn’t he just have said she looked good and left it at that?
He noticed her sour look and lifted an eyebrow, “What now? Kelly does have the magic touch. You should have seen how pretty Desiree looked on her birthday when Kelly was done with her.”
Ugh! Now he was talking about Desiree?
She shook her head. Maybe the other women had been right abo
ut pulling out the big guns. Now if any man at this party was likely to make Drake jealous, it had to be one of the Archstone boys. Apart from the Damaged Pack boys, they were the showstoppers in the room. Drake would hardly get jealous if she danced with any of his brothers especially with their wives looking on and beaming their approval. It had to be the Archstones then.
“I would like to speak to Robin Krossings. He, at least, seems interesting.”
Drake frowned at the obvious inference that he wasn’t. “Robin might be interesting but he is the very worst sort of rake, Kathy. He would have your skirts over your head in a flash if you went near him.”
She knew she should be upset at such colorful language, but instead she couldn’t stop a spurt of amusement. Drake was a rake of the very worst sort, and he thought someone else was?
Pressing her lips together, she murmured, “Well, I’m sure he only follows your lead.”
Drake’s cheeks darkened in anger at that summation, “Tread carefully. I would avoid an introduction, if I were in your shoes.”
Robin, it seemed, wasn’t going to wait around for an introduction anymore. He walked unerringly towards her, his gaze sharp on her face, moving as one with the other four men.
He reached her and said, in a very cultured and well-modulated voice as he extended a hand for hers, “It is a singular honor to meet the woman who helped heal the rift and save us all.”
Kathy placed a hand in his, wondering how he had known who she was. He bent over her hand, carrying it to his lips in a courtly gesture and muttering, “Very great honor indeed, Senorita.”
His voice was just the sort of voice women swooned over, she thought, her lips curving into a smile of pure welcome that made Drake grind his teeth.
15.
Robin’s eyes were very hot, roving over her with more than mild interest. His eyes learned the curves of her hips, stroked over her face and hair and managed to look hungry and thirsty all at once. By the time he was done, she felt ravishing.
She smiled, foolishly pleased at his effusive flattery. Then he proceeded to introduce her to the remaining four men with him. They all seemed delighted to meet her and told her so.
It was nice to be admired, she thought with a sly sideways glance at Drake. All he wanted to talk about was Desiree while her heart was pounding with love for him. Maybe it was time she distracted herself from her feelings for him; for one night at least, she owed it to herself to cut loose and have fun.
Ronan Veer, Jake Riley, Sam Vanderbilt, and Chirhiss Rolaj were all as delightfully gorgeous as Robin. They were all dark, sinfully handsome men, well-formed with thick sinewy muscled limbs and raw magnetism. She felt as though she were drowning in testosterone as they conversed with her in low, husky tones.
Drake ground his teeth, fighting back a ridiculous wave of jealousy.
“Alright, that’s enough now. Give her some space,” he ordered.
Robin grinned, his teeth flashing white, “Forget that giant oaf hovering around you and bless me with your company on the dance floor.”
Kathy smiled up at him. She really didn’t see the point in remaining here with Drake if he was going to yammer on about other women.
“I would dearly love to dance Mr. Krossings,” she averred.
Robin grinned down at her, “Just Robin, senorita. Mr. Krossings is my dad.”
“Although, I should probably warn you that I have two left feet because I haven’t gotten in much dancing over the years,” she murmured, her eyes locked on his.
“You? No! You move with such natural grace that I just know you’ll pick up the steps in a heartbeat under my expert guidance,” Robin declared arrogantly.
Kathy laughed at his confidence and let him lead her onto the dance floor. In two minutes they were flowing to the music in perfect sync.
“Who knew? You’re actually a great dancer,” she told him.
He grinned, “The grace is all yours, senorita. I’m merely a fortunate appendage to your awesomeness.”
It was the most outrageous statement ever and she threw back her head and laughed, enjoying herself immensely.
At the edge of the dance floor, Drake’s hands fisted at his sides when he saw how Robin encircled Kathy with his arms. He wanted to break the other man’s arms off. But what bothered him the most was how much Kathy seemed to be enjoying the moment.
She was so beautiful. Her hair was perfect, her smiles were like the rising sun and her dress accentuated every last curve of her hips, reminding him of how he had made love to her and reminding him that he had yet to see and caress her entire naked form. The small slashes in the sides of her dress revealed small bits of skin that made his hand itch to caress her skin.
When he had seen her for the first time tonight, he had gotten an instant arousal and had to fight down the urge to blur across the room and grab her up in his arms. She was ravishingly pretty.
She made him feel things he had never imagined he could feel: jealous, possessive, aroused, worshipful. Even now he wanted her with an intensity that defied all reason.
Watching her laughing up at Robin, he wanted to punch someone. No, he amended, he just wanted to punch Robin.
Robin twirled Kathy just then, and she giggled like a delighted little girl as he spun her around and around. Then he caught her up again in his arms.
Her hands held Robin’s shoulders and they continued to sway. Drake felt his anger build until it was a veritable volcano ready to erupt. Fire built in his eyes and he was ready to shoot it from his eyes. Drake turned away with a mild curse. If he lost control of his abilities now in the middle of Luke’s party he would create a sensational scandal; one he would probably never live down.
Besides, Kathy was her own person and entirely free to do whatever the hell it was she wanted.
He strode off towards the bar to fetch himself a fresh drink. Perhaps he needed to think about returning to his own life and work. He had worked for years as a Hollywood stuntsman and built quite a reputation for himself. The crisis in Weirna seemed to be largely over. He wasn’t needed here anymore. He could return to his home and his life of peace and quiet and luxury and… loneliness?
He heard Kathy laugh again and looked over at where Robin was swooping her into his arms and lifting her high up for a complicated move.
There was nothing else for him in Weirna, he thought as he downed his drink. He reached to pour another one when a feminine hand stopped him.
“Stop romancing that glass and come dance with me instead.”
Desiree.
She was ravishingly beautiful tonight, he thought as he let go of the glass and turned to face her. She was clad in a burnt-orange dress that clashed gloriously with her luscious red tresses.
“You look… stunning.”
She grinned, “Of course I do. Now let’s dance.”
He let her drag him onto the dance floor and as they started to dance, he reflected that Desiree had always been a gloriously good dancer. But Kathy… had a natural grace that put expertise to shame, he thought, flicking his gaze reluctantly to her again.
To his surprise, she wasn’t looking at Robin but focused on him and Desiree. His heart soared. Was she jealous? She had put him through so much when Robin had taken her in his arms and now? She didn’t look too pleased to see him with another woman.
With an inward grin, he twirled Desiree around with expert ease. If Kathy was jealous, he mused, then tonight just got a whole lot more interesting.
Kathy was not just jealous, she was livid. How dare he consort with that dragon who had helped burn Klyana? It was true Baxter had apologized, she thought looking over at where Baxter was leading a beaming Klyana onto the dance floor, but she thought it was in extremely poor taste for Drake to flaunt Desiree in her face.
Just like you’ve been flaunting Robin? Her subconscious wanted to know.
“Okay, fine. I did try to make him jealous a bit,” she muttered.
Robin lowered his head closer to her mouth, “I’m
sorry did you say something?”
She looked at Drake and Desiree again and felt bile claw at the back of her throat. She pasted an over-bright smile onto her face as she faced Robin again.
“Um, I need to use the bathroom,” she said.
He nodded, “Of course.”
He expertly danced them off the stage and released her with a flourish. She smiled her thanks at him and then carefully avoiding looking at Drake and Desiree, she fled for the bathroom.
She splashed cold water onto her wrists, trying desperately to cool her temper. Then she poured a little water onto her handkerchief and used the damp cloth to dab at her neck and jawline, careful not to muss up her makeup.
The door of the restroom clattered open but she didn’t bother turning around until whoever it was locked it behind them.
With a frown, she looked into the mirror to see who was coming in and her heart damn near stopped in her chest when she saw him.
“Drake,” she whispered, half-afraid he was an apparition who would vanish if she spoke too quickly. “This is the women’s restroom.”
“What the hell kind of trick do you think you were pulling, dancing with Robin like that?” he growled.
Kathy’s eyes widened at the fury rolling off him in waves. Why was he so angry?
“Drake, I don’t understand. We were only dancing,” she whispered, backing away as he came towards her.
He grabbed her around the waist and hauled her flush against him. “Dancing is one thing; making out on stage is another thing.”
“How dare you make such filthy insinuations?” she demanded, so furious she could scream.
He looked down at her, unperturbed by her angst, “Anyone with eyes could tell you both wanted to maul each other right there on the stage.”
She stared at him, “You’re being unreasonable.”
“Well if I am, it’s all your fault. You’re the one who’s made me this way. You’re driving me out of my mind,” he grated.
Kathy paused, searching his eyes as hope blossomed in her chest.
“What are you saying?” she whispered. Was he about to confess some feelings for her?
