by Anna Santos
“Don’t you like the idea?” Camille asked. “We can get dressed in my bedroom. I can do a beautiful hairstyle fit for a queen for you. I have a lot of hair products and makeup. Have I told you that I love the color of your hair? Before I became an angel, I had always wanted to be blonde. I was a bit pathetic like that. I thought that blonde chicks had all the fun. I got my wish when I became Jacob’s soul-mate. But your red hair is awesome! What color was it before?”
“Brown,” I answered, staring at her. I had never thought much about the fact that if I was different now, then the other girls would have also changed. Hearing Camille say that she wasn’t always blonde was interesting for scientific reasons. The little scientist in me started to connect the dots. “So you got blonde hair and your wings are white and gold. Your mate has black hair and his wings are black. If I have red hair, will my wings be red, also?”
“That’s a really good question that I’m afraid I don’t know how to answer. I have never heard about red wings before. I guess it is plausible.”
“There aren’t any angels with red hair?”
“Not that I know of. We have blonde, black, or brown hair with different shades. You are the first red-haired angel I have seen. So, maybe your wings will be red. Yet, brown-haired angels don’t have brown wings, they are normally white or light yellow. Mine aren’t a common color. I was lucky to have white and golden feathers. I guess it’s because of my gift, Jacob says it is a rare one.”
“What is your gift?”
“I’m a shield. I can build a protective barrier around me and my mate. It’s really cool, but it is a passive gift, I would have a bit more fun if I had an active gift.”
“Passive gift, active gift,” I mumbled, paying attention to her words.
I had a lot to find out about angels. I should ask Cedric. I was curious by nature and didn’t know how I was accepting everything so well without freaking out while asking a million questions. Probably because I was too busy staring at my soul-mate and sighing for him. It was hard to be rational when my hormones were going haywire. I didn’t care about boys until I found that blond, smiling, sweet angel-man, and it was messing with my feelings.
“I’m a protector. I’m okay with that because Jacob would freak out if I were sent to the frontlines of combat. However, I could be more of a help to them if I had an active power. What kind of power do you think you will have?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“I love X-Men. I used to dream that I was Storm when I was younger. I wasn’t always this hipster and cool. I was such a dork! How do you think I ended up being rejected?”
I shook my head with widened eyes. “I don’t know.”
Camille was rambling, and I was trying to listen to what she was saying and thinking about all the other things at the same time. It was farfetched to think that a gorgeous girl like Camille had once been rejected by some dude. She was so cool! Yet, it had happened. Still, Jacob and she were happily in love, and he seemed to worship the ground she walked on.
Camille continued to talk, “Well, I wasn’t. I was a bookworm and liked to be alone. I didn’t have many friends and was not one of the popular girls. People thought I was really strange and creepy. I liked to read comic books and novels, so I could escape to other worlds and places. I used to be a werewolf, you know?”
I shook my head and waited for her to continue to speak.
“Yes, I was kind of the omega of the pack. I wasn’t the only one. A lot of girls are omegas in packs. Most of the packs don’t mind that, unless they are ruthless and competitive like my mate’s pack. Besides being weak and clumsy, I was a dreamer. Dreamers don’t fit well in packs. My soul-mate’s pack was extremely aggressive, and they would favor the ruthless girls and the strong females. They wanted strong warriors, so the girls were handpicked to breed. When his pack came to visit my territory, I was taken away from my family, only to be rejected and abused by the Alpha. He was insane.”
“That’s sad,” I whispered, my eyes filled with empathy.
“Well, the worst part was that he rejected and humiliated me. My brother tried to stop them, but he…hurt him,” she said, emotionally. “Thierry did everything he could to protect me. He saved me, but he was no match for an Alpha.” Camille pressed her fingers against her closed eyelids. She breathed deeply as she opened her eyes again. “I shouldn’t be remembering these things. It’s been ages ago. I’m okay now. I honestly believe I was lucky to being rejected. He was an idiot, and he was far from being the Prince Charming I had wished for in a man.”
“You have Jacob now,” I said as I reached out to hold her hand. I felt sad for all she’d suffered. But I knew that Jacob loved her. I could see it in his eyes, and Camille was crazy about him, too. They were the perfect couple.
A smile tugged at her lips as her eyes sparkled with happiness. “Yes. I’m so lucky! He’s perfect, and he loves me. He may seem cold, but he isn’t. He just pretends to be like that. He is really romantic,” she said, linking our arms as we headed into her bedroom.
“The dress,” I said, wanting to go get it, so we could talk more and get ready at the same time.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll send one of the maids to get it. They need to iron it, anyway. We’ll start by trying on some makeup and fixing our hair.”
“Okay,” I agreed, following her.
“Where was I?”
I smiled at her and listened to her intently. If we were going to become best friends, I should know everything about her.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CEDRIC
It was the first party I was taking Aria to as my soul-mate and the future Queen of Angels and Gargoyles. Our allies were dying to meet her since they became aware I had found her. I was excited about showing her off. She was so gorgeous! I couldn’t wait to dance with her and introduce her to my dearest friends.
I was a bit nervous when I entered her bedroom and found her in front of the mirror, doing the final touches to her hair. My heart stopped beating, air left my lungs, and I froze in admiration. I studied her curvy figure in the blue dress we had bought that day. It made her look like a princess, my princess. My mouth watered at the sight of her. God, I was completely enamored by her. The most tantalizing fantasies came to mind and none of them took place outside of that bedroom. I could just lock the door behind me and try my luck with seducing her, so she would give in to my desires and slowly take those clothes off. But, I had to stay in control of myself and be patient. All those unfamiliar feelings of lust were getting the best of me. My sex drive was increasing every minute I was close to her. I was obsessed with my mate.
She was distracted, so I was able to stare at her in silence, taking in her beauty. Her hair was carefully curled into the perfect updo, revealing her gorgeous neck. I had a fascination with that neck, and not in a creepy vampiric way. Nothing like that. I didn’t want to bite her, I just wanted to kiss her there, smell her, lick her soft skin while running my hands over her delicious figure. She had a perfect waistline. Even if she thought her breasts were too small. I liked her like that. I had no unnatural infatuation with breasts and really didn’t want her to show more cleavage. My mate should look elegant and classy. I didn’t want a lustful werewolf or other type of supernatural to undress her with their eyes. I was possessive like that since I found her.
I was so distracted, holding a big velvet box in my hand, I failed to listen to what she was saying to me.
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, giving a sheepish grin and trying to put my thoughts in check.
She turned around and pointed at my hands. “What’s in the box?”
I smiled and put it behind my back. “It is a surprise. But I think you will like it.”
“Is it for me?” She held her hands out in front of her chest and tilted her head to peek behind me.
“Turn around,” I said, circling my finger, so she would face the mirror, and I could get close enough to put the jewels on her. “Now close your eyes
,” I whispered softly into her ear then placed a kiss on the back of her neck. Goosebumps erupted on her soft skin as I brushed my lips against her bare flesh, enjoying the pleasant sensation.
“That tickles me,” she complained as she tried to avoid my wandering mouth.
“Aria,” I whispered, putting the box on her vanity table and placing my hands on her hips as I pulled her gently against my chest. “You look so gorgeous that I can hardly breathe.” My hands travelled to her stomach and my mouth met the curve of her neck. She smelled so good, I could lose all sense of decency and start one hell of a foreplay session right then and there.
She didn’t give me a response, but I could hear her heavy breathing. In the mirror, I could also see her flushed face and that her eyes were closed. She was not trying to run away from me, either. But I had to stop myself before things got out of control. I didn’t want to ruin her hair and makeup. I would if I didn’t stop. I would probably lose my sanity, too.
Opening the box with a free hand, without letting her move, I placed the diamond and sapphire necklace on her neck. I had brought it from my mother’s jewelry box. Then, I looked in the mirror, waiting for her reaction to this incredible gift. “This is for you. I want you to wear it to the party. It belonged to my mom and now it belongs to you.”
“It’s gorgeous,” she said as she blinked in amazement. “It’s really beautiful. You shouldn’t have. You’ve already bought me so many magnificent gifts today. I...feel bad, Cedric. I don’t deserve nor need so many beautiful things.”
“You are my mate, you deserve this and more, Aria. My mother’s jewels now belong to you. Including the tiara over there,” I said with a smile, pointing at the opened box that held one more item I had yet to place on her. She was my princess, so she needed a tiara to match her title. Besides, I wanted to spoil her with gifts, and women liked jewelry.
“Oh my God!” She was out of breath, placing her trembling hands on the tiara and lifting it to see it better. “It’s so delicate and beautiful!”
“Just like you, darling,” I whispered, kissing her cheek. “Put it on. I want to see how it looks on you.”
“I have no idea how to put this on. I have never worn a tiara before.”
I chuckled at her words. “Here, let me help you. My mom always let me put her tiara on her head before she left for the parties. It was our thing.”
Aria giggled at my words, putting her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. That would have been an adorable sight. Did you have a nice relationship with her?”
“Yes. We were inseparable when I was younger,” I said, smiling and running a hand through my hair, a bit embarrassed. “Now, be still so I don’t ruin your hairstyle.”
Slightly bowing, she said, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her and did my best to stay calm and place the tiara without ruining everything. Then, I stepped back and enjoyed the look of perfection. She looked heavenly.
Turning around to face me, she asked, “Where is your crown?”
“I’ll have a crown when I’m king. Not that I’m going to use it. It is kind of old-fashioned, don’t you think?”
“So, why must I wear a tiara?”
“Because it’s not old-fashioned for women. A lot of them will be wearing expensive jewels. Plus, I wanted to see how it would look on you. It’s perfect.” I put my hands in my pockets to prevent myself from pressing her against me and kissing her so deeply, it would smear her lipstick.
“You look pretty good yourself in a tuxedo, mister. Where did you get dressed?”
“At the palace. I had to teleport up there and go over plans with my Chief of Security, to decide on the patrols tonight, and about which teams to send to Jean-Paul’s house. There will be heavy security measures in place for this party. We don’t want any vampire, rogue or otherwise, attacking and trying to harm the werewolves’ royal families. I also have my clothes there. I gave orders to bring some here, but I haven’t lived here since I was eighteen, when my curse triggered. It’s safer to live in a realm where no other beings can get in. We’re really vulnerable when we are statues.”
“I see,” she mumbled with wide eyes, really attentive to what I was saying.
I smiled, changing the subject because I didn’t want to worry her with those matters. I wanted her to have a good time. “Are you ready to dance with me tonight?”
“I guess so. I just hope you will be ready to be stepped on a lot of times. My dad taught me, but I can be a bit uncoordinated, and I tend to look awkward when I dance.”
“Nonsense,” I whispered near her face and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. “You just need to let me lead, and we’ll be fine. I’m a pretty decent dancer.”
“I bet you are.” She smiled and stared at my chest instead of my eyes.
I loved her shyness and the way her cheeks turned red, but, sometimes, I wanted her to look me straight in the eye and give me permission to kiss her on those tantalizing red lips of hers.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
ARIA
First impression when I stared out the limousine windows after passing the gates, the house was bigger than the place I was living in with Cedric! Second, there were so many other cars and people arriving, it seemed close to the Oscars and not a birthday party. Third, everybody was dressed like they were attending the party of the century. I was glad Camille helped me dress and Cedric loaned me his mom’s jewelry. There were women wearing so much expensive bling, they looked like a Christmas tree!
As Cedric helped me out of the limo, I was reciting to myself a little mantra of things: no falling off the high heels, make sure my makeup wasn’t smeared, don’t ever lose sight of Cedric, don’t stumble on my floor-length dress, and don’t look as if I had never seen wealth before.
If I had thought my prom had been a scary night, I was in for a big surprise. Once we entered the property of Alpha Jean-Paul Bertrand Durant, everybody stopped talking and bowed to us. Even the orchestra stopped playing. In the silence that ensued, one could have heard a pin drop. Yes, they actually bowed until Cedric raised his hand, so they would stop and resume what they were doing. Then the alpha and his mate, along with their son—the birthday boy—came to receive us. He was a small, dark-eyed boy, no more than seven. I pitied him. He should be having clowns and balloons, not a giant ball. But the little boy acted so politely, he could have been mistaken for a small adult. Besides, he gave me the most adorable smile as he kissed my hand to greet me.
Attending a party and being the center of attention was awkward and scary. I had more attention on me than the birthday boy, mainly because I was Cedric’s mate. I had to be introduced to everybody, and everyone wanted to make my acquaintance. Cedric was apparently revered by these people. It was scary to have so many guests around me, trying to get my attention. I felt extremely nervous and claustrophobic. The only thing that was helping me keep my composure and not feeling the need to run was Cedric’s hand in mine or his arm around my waist. He was possessively marking his territory like the werewolves liked to joke about.
There was nothing wrong with him being possessive at that party. I was glad he was not letting me out of his sight.
When Cedric took me to the dance floor, we were able to be alone. There, we danced to the sound of the waltzes that were being performed by the orchestra. I was really glad my dad had taken the time to teach me how to dance to classical music.
My parents were artists, both of them. So, imagine their surprise when I informed them I wanted to become a scientist!
My mom was a musician who also taught piano lessons at home to help pay the bills. But she was a violinist in a famous orchestra, and my dad was the orchestra conductor. That was how they met and fell in love. He also loved to dance, and I was his little girl. He liked to take me to watch him and Mom in ballroom dance competitions.
Meanwhile, I danced with the prince for a long time. I didn’t complain because I felt like I was floating along the dance floor in Cedric’s arms.
God, it was perfect! I could feel my entire body tingle with happiness and delight. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I was feeling light and graceful. I didn’t know why I was suddenly so confident and indifferent to everybody’s eyes on us. I didn’t care. I just had eyes for my gorgeous date. That night was becoming the ideal prom night I hadn’t had.
We swirled out of the French doors and onto the huge balcony, where other couples were talking and watching the night’s sky.
“That was amazing,” I said as he took my hand, and we walked to the balcony railing.
Staring down upon the Victorian gardens, he asked in a sultry voice, “What was amazing?”
“Us dancing. You truly are an amazing dancer! My dad would be really proud of me.” I looked at our fingers laced together and noticed the symbols glowing under the moonlight. They were beautiful and mesmerized me.
He brushed his lips against my hand while he whispered, “You lied. You aren’t clumsy at all. You dance perfectly.”
“I do not. At least, I didn’t. I always do some of the steps wrong. I think it’s you who makes it seem so easy. It’s like we floated. Isn’t it strange?” He had such a gorgeous smile on his lips that I had to swallow hard and bite my lower lip.
“We do float a bit, Aria,” he said, lowering his face to mine. “We are angels now. Our bodies are changing. You will have wings. You’ll also be faster, more agile, and stronger.”
“When?” I didn’t want to sound eager, but I was. “When will the transformations begin?”
“It’s already begun. But it will become faster when we kiss. A real kiss, a lover’s kiss,” he enticed me.
A kiss from my lover. I longed for him to kiss me. We had the moon over our heads, we had beautiful music in the background, and our faces were so near our lips almost touched. It was the perfect setting for the perfect kiss. And maybe, just maybe, my foot would rise behind me while doing so. Because it should happen when we kiss for the first time with the right guy, shouldn’t it? Well, at least, I hoped it would. But I wasn’t sure if that was true. I just knew I wanted to be kissed by Cedric. No chickening out this time. Brave little me would stare into his eyes and mentally ask him to kiss me.
