“What the fuck?” I growled, dropping the makeup brush with a clatter onto the bench.
How did other women make this shit look so easy? I was starting to sympathize with Simone and her braids. Hair and makeup were hard, and unless I wanted to show up looking like a clown, it was best to just wipe everything off and start again.
By the time I was done, my face was mostly bare, with just a little darkening across my eyeline, some mascara, a touch of red on the cheeks, and deep rich red lipstick. That would have to do.
My hair, though, was working for me for once… Thank the Shad—
Actually, screw that. I was thanking no one.
Perfect curls cascaded down my back as I slipped into the red gown, and when I couldn’t get the zip secured, I called for Inky, who was waiting in my bedroom.
“Inky! Buddy, can you get in here and help?”
The swirls of dark smoke slid under the door and I tried not to freak at how creepy it looked. Inky is our friend. Or frenemy at least.
“I can’t get the zip done up,” I said, talking to smoke like it was a living, breathing entity. “Can you help me?”
Icy chills traced across the bare skin of my back—I couldn’t wear a bra with this style—as Inky drifted closer. When Inky touched me there was no pain, just an icy electric zap over my skin. It had no issue zipping me up, and just like all the other clothing from here, the dress fit as if it had been custom made.
One absolute truth of my time spent here—there was no way I could go back to buying my clothes off the rack.
With a final glance in the mirror, I smiled at my reflection. I seriously had to dress up more than once every twenty-plus years. Don’t get me wrong. Jeans, shirts, and mom buns were my jam, but there was something to be said about stepping into some glamour on occasion.
Tonight was my night.
Pulling on the matching heels that had been provided, I wobbled around for a minute before finding my balance. When I was ready, I left my room and entered the lair. It was fitting that a beast would have a “lair” and I wondered if there would come a point in which I’d get to see his real beast. Did Shadow actually have a furrier side?
Walking toward the veil, I realized I had no idea where this dinner was being held. The only place for eating that I knew of was in the hall, and I doubted that was what Shadow had meant when he’d had Gaster demand my presence at dinner. Especially not with the style of clothing I’d been provided.
When I neared the fireplace, I heard a deep burst of laughter and about died. My hand dropped to my stomach, trying to calm what felt like a thousand butterflies having a rave. Laughter?
I’d never heard Shadow actually laugh, not in an open and relaxed manner like that. It was disarming, and enticing, and completely unnerving. Who was with him causing this sort of happiness?
Unable to help myself, curiosity hammering in my chest, my stomach still a mess, I moved forward, my heels clicking on the wood floors as I walked. The heat of the fire reached me first, every one of my senses expanded to try to pick up a new scent or unnatural energy.
But there was nothing.
Whoever was with Shadow was as powerful as the beast himself, able to mask their power with ease. Inky wrapped around me suddenly, and I ground to a halt. “What?” I whispered. “Is it dangerous?”
I was released immediately, and before I had time to question it again, Shadow was looming before me. The warmth I’d thought was fire had actually been him. His presence had a liquid heat trailing down my spine to settle in my six-inch-heeled feet.
Shadow’s gaze was heavy, the gold in his eyes like a burst of sunshine, matching the burning flames of his power. “You’re late,” he said. How two words could sound so ominous, I had no idea. “We don’t like to be kept waiting.”
I pasted on my broadest smile, praying the red lipstick wasn’t smeared on my teeth. “A woman is never late, Shadow. We arrive precisely when we mean to.”
Thank you, fictional character, for the perfect quote once again—I’d been waiting years to use that one. Shadow shook his head like he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what the fuck I was going on about.
So the usual with us.
“Wait, we?” I burst out. “Who is we?”
His teeth flashed in the low light of the nearby fire, and I had the distinct feeling I was about to be eaten by the big, bad wolf. “It’s time to figure out what you are, Sunshine. Outside of a pain in my ass, that is.”
I crossed my arms. “Look. Being a pain in the ass is my calling in life. I’m never going to stop, not even for you.”
His eyes drifted down to where my arms were firmly secured under my free-boobing tits. This position pushed them to new heights, and in a low-cut dress like this, my nipples were about to salute the world.
We both stared at the impressive display, and in all honesty, I felt no need to be shy and cover up. My body was the only one I had, and I would wear that fucker with pride. She kept me strong and moving, and I was grateful every day I was still alive.
“So, gonna take me to dinner?” I finally said, cutting through the heavy tension.
Shadow’s focus returned to my face, his jaw a little more rigid, his eyes blazing. Both of which probably had nothing to do with my tits and everything to do with him being annoyed by my existence. It wasn’t as if he’d noticed me in a sexual way before now, treating me more like I was a pet he had to temporarily keep alive.
That was made all the more obvious when he clicked his fingers for me to follow as he walked with Inky toward the couches. Couches that were not empty.
Swallowing down my shock, I halted on the edge of the fire’s glow, trying to take them all in. I’d expected there would be one guest—since he’d said we—but five males were seated around the fire, casually chatting, crystal glasses filled with a deep red liquid in their hands.
There was a low, hypnotic rumble filling the air as they talked, and I couldn’t understand a word of it. Their lyrical language swirled and surged in the oddest cadences, and I was desperate to know the words. Unlike the Library of Knowledge, though, here in the lair, there was no magical translation system. A true shame because whatever they were discussing had them super animated.
Even still, the simple act of staring at each of these truly spectacular specimens of the male species was probably more than enough entertainment for the night.
“She’s here,” Shadow said, and almost immediately, the others shut up and turned our way. “This is Mera, the shifter I was telling you about.”
Five sets of eyes landed on me, and in a less confident body, one would have melted to the floor at the intense level of power and sex appeal in a small area. Demure wasn’t my style, so I decided to just proceed as normal. “Where has Shadow been hiding you five?” I said, blatantly admiring each and every one of them…
Wait… five? Shadow had told me he trusted five beings. Looked like I was about to meet Shadow’s friends. Lucky me.
All of them got to their feet, and as they moved closer, Shadow crowded into my back. I had no idea why he was so close to me, but I was too distracted to worry about his weird behavior.
The first one to approach was a good head over six feet tall, dressed in long, silver robes, adorned with what looked like real jewels of varying color and size. He had shoulder-length hair, and it was so icy white, that if snow drifted onto the strands, it would blend in.
In actuality, he was, in his entirety, built in shades of silver and light, with silvery eyes—more elongated and cat-like than a human’s—unnaturally glittering as they stared without blinking. He also had slightly pointed ears, the tapered peaks sticking out from the sides of his partly braided hair.
“I’m Len of the Silver Lands,” he said in perfect English, reaching out to me in the human gesture of shaking hands. The moment we touched, tingles of ice ran across my skin, his power surging into me. It didn’t hurt and wasn’t invasive enough for me to jerk away, but it felt like more than just a mere exchange of energy.
“Silver Lands,” I repeated, my hand still firmly in his grip.
He smiled, and it was how I imagined an archangel looked right before they cut someone’s head off in a vengeance quest. “Yes, I’m a prince of the silver providence in Faerie.”
Ah, right.
I decided to keep a tally.
Friend One: Len, the silver fae prince.
Len’s gaze was full of mischief and amusement as he released me, and I didn’t miss the way his gaze went straight to Shadow. Len shook his head minutely, and I was guessing that was his signal to the beast that he couldn’t read me, either.
Good.
Next up was Len’s complete opposite. Even taller, he was broad and powerful in every way, dressed in black leather pants and a long-sleeved bone-colored shirt. His dark hair was almost shaved to his head in an easy-to-manage style.
As he approached me, the very deep, dark blue of his eyes remained locked on my face, like he was trying to read me from afar, and I spent just as much time examining him because he was just so damn pretty to look at.
I mean, gods, he had eyelashes that one could see from outer-fucking-space.
“I’m Reece, from the Desert Lands.”
He didn’t touch me as Len had done, but he did stand close enough that we were all but touching. Far too close for strangers, but for some reason, it didn’t bother me. Tilting my head back, I tried not to sound breathless. “Desert Lands, hey? Let me guess… you’re a prince as well?”
Reece didn’t smile. Something told me this guy smiled even less than Shadow, and why was I so into these dark and damaged assholes?
“He’s a deity,” Len piped up from where he’d seated himself again. “Competes with our Shadow in power. And broodiness.”
My lips twitched at that, and I already had Len slotted into the smartass friend category. Every group had one—the clown. And while that didn’t mesh at all with his regal looks, it fit his personality perfectly.
Friend two: Reece, the desert deity, was harder to categorize, but I had a sneaking suspicion he was the muscle.
The next one to approach was around six feet tall, with the most defined physique I’d ever seen on a man. Easy to tell since he was wearing the equivalent of male boxer briefs—and nothing else.
“I’m Alstair,” he said, his voice a whisper across my senses, like a casual breeze on a summer’s day.
I placed my hand in his, and it was cool in a different way to Len’s. Soothing, making my head spin as I was reminded of days by the creek.
“You’re from Karn,” I breathed.
Alstair nodded. “Yes.”
I shook my head. “You look nothing like the inhabitants I’ve seen from your world.”
Alstair was far from the androgynous figures I’d previously observed from the water world. And while his skin had a slight blue tinge to it, it was without the translucence of his brethren. His hair was my favorite part, though, a tangle of green and blue curls that sprang across his head. They matched his eyes, which were almost completely aqua, the smallest pupil dot in the center.
“I’m a warrior of my kind,” Alstair said softly, and once again the simple act of him speaking was calming. “A rare race who is born into their position, tasked with keeping our people safe.”
Friend three: Alstair, the water warrior.
The cool and calm in this hotheaded group.
“It’s very nice to meet you,” I said softly, adopting his manner unconsciously.
“And you,” he returned before he walked back to take his seat near Len. Reece hadn’t returned to the seats yet, and instead remained at Shadow’s side, the two giants in the room standing at my back, making sure I at no point felt completely relaxed.
I could feel Shadow’s eyes on me, watching and assessing as each one of his powerful friends approached me. It made sense that these would be his trusted friends, each of them strong and powerful. His equals… or almost.
The second-to-last was definitely from Honor Meadows, and his appearance answered my question about whether there were male figures there. And just like the females of his world, this male was a sight to behold.
Pure gold wings on his back, he wore a simple pair of black trousers, leaving the rest of his golden skin on show. His long, honey brown hair was braided in a thick and complexly interwoven style that no human could have achieved. And his eyes were so dark, it almost looked like his iris and pupil were one.
I’m Galleli.
Those two words landed in my head as I looked around frantically, trying to figure out what the hell was happening.
“Galli never speaks out loud,” Len called out, the unofficial MC for this meet and greet. “You’ll get used to him being in your head.”
I gulped. “Can you read my thoughts?”
He shook his head. Not unless you allow me access to your mind. This is simply me sending my words in the manner most comfortable for me.
Not sure if it was comfortable for me, but I wasn’t about to tell him that.
“What’re your special skills in Honor Meadows?”
It seemed all of Shadow’s friends held positions of power and worship in their worlds, and I was sure this dude was no different.
I am one of the Chosen. We are gifted with extra power and skills and are considered to be oracles of a sort. Images from the future and past will come randomly to us.
“Like a psychic?”
Those black eyes bore into me. Nothing at all like a psychic.
Okay, then.
Friend four: Galleli—not a psychic.
He turned abruptly and walked away, and he was now slotted firmly into the spot of reticent talker. In more ways than one.
And as spectacular as he was to look at, he also made me feel uneasy in a way the others who’d come before him hadn’t. There was a repressed fury simmering below the surface that could erupt at any time, and I decided then and there to keep my distance from that one in particular.
The final of the friend group approached, and when he stepped closer, I was surprised to see he was the most classically human in his beauty. Bronze skin, striking green eyes, tousled blond hair shorter on the sides with a little more length on top. But while he looked like a genetically blessed human, his energy was far from normal.
“I’m Lucien.”
The moment he touched my hand, a jolt of icy electricity hit me, and I gasped. This made him smile, and I caught a glimpse of sharp incisors before they disappeared from view again.
“Valdor,” I guessed.
He nodded. “Why, yes. Nice to see you’re both clever and stunningly beautiful.” He leaned in closer. “I’m a vampire master from Valdor, and I think you should ditch the grumpy beast and run away with me. I would shower you with jewels and more treasures than you could ever need.”
Friend five: Lucien, master vampire.
The smooth-talker—I’d been waiting for him.
“Come on,” he said in a charming manner, bringing his face close to mine, bending his head to press a kiss to my hand.
“Enough,” Shadow demanded, interrupting for the first time. “You’re here to help me work out what the fuck she is, not seduce her.”
I snorted. “And I thought it was hard in Torma to lose my virginity. Apparently, it’s going to be even harder here…”
There was dead silence as I trailed off, six sets of eyes locked on me, some wide with shock, others with interest.
“Are you trying to tell me…” Shadow started. “That you’re untouched?”
The laughter burst out of me before I could stop it. “Definitely not. I’ve touched myself more times than I can count.”
More silence, although there were a few smiles around the room now—Len and Lucien in particular.
Shadow leaned closer. “Don’t deliberately misunderstand me. You know what I’m asking… you’re untouched by another?”
Wow, this was not the sort of conversation I’d expected to be having in a room full of powerful men. Since it was none of their business, I just shoved past Shadow, taking care not to touch him before dropping into a squishy sofa.
“One of you assholes better get me food,” I said grumpily. “Since this is supposed to be a dinner.”
There was laughter, although Reece and Shadow, who were still doing their stoic enforcer thing, remained silent.
“She’s legitimately not afraid of us,” Len said, shaking his head. He leaned forward in his chair. “Why are you not afraid of us, lamb?”
I mimicked his movements, crossing my legs as I leaned forward, no doubt flashing everyone way more cleavage than they’d expected to see tonight. “I’ve been tortured by powerful men my entire life. Growing up in my pack as an outcast, there’s very little that wasn’t inflicted on me, outside of rape. At some point, I had to stop fearing my demise and start living for every day I got to remain on Earth. I choose to embrace my power and strength—and never show my fear. This is who I am now, and I won’t change for anyone. Not even you six scary motherfuckers.”
Len was no longer smiling. Instead, he was staring at me like I’d just stripped butt naked to wave batons and do a cheer.
Reece took his first step from Shadow’s side, watching me closely in a way he hadn’t until this moment. He didn’t say anything, and while he still looked somewhat pissed, much of the tense anger had left his jaw. My words had thawed a little of his chill. Very little.
“You don’t need to fear us,” Alstair told me quietly, drawing my attention from Reece.
Shadow grumbled. “Speak for yourself. I’m still trying to figure out if my best move is just to kill her and forget about Earth. Would save me a shitload of trouble.”
I flipped him off, because why not, right?
His eyes darkened, and as he started toward me, he grew in size.
“Ah, fuck. She’s gone and done it now.” Lucien groaned. “Shadow is going to beast out and we’ll all have to pick up the pieces. Just leave her alone, man,” he called out. “She’s too beautiful to tear apart.”
“Silence,” Reece demanded. “This is Shadow’s property, and he will choose what to do with it.”
So I flipped him off as well because fuck you, dude.
Len was in hysterics at this point, half out of his chair as he held his stomach and laughed. “Fuck.” He snorted. “I hope Shadow brings home more stray humans for us to play with. This is the most interesting night I’ve had in ages.”
“Enough!” Shadow rumbled, and it was almost impossible to understand him with so much beast in his words. “Get the fuck out. Now.”
His friends didn’t sweat his mood swings, taking their time getting to their feet and finishing off their drinks. Half of them waved or saluted goodbye and left the lair. The other half probably thought Shadow was going to murder me tonight and they’d never see me again.
And they might be right.
