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“He wanted me to bite him.”
Another silence hung between us. Every second took a year off my life, I was sure of it.
Natalie’s face didn’t change. “And…?”
“And I did. I thought maybe it would be terrible and weird and just plain awkward because I don’t have fangs and I’m only half demon, but it wasn’t. It was actually fucking phenomenal, and it’s all I’ve been able to think about since that night.”
My heart was about to explode in my chest before Natalie’s face changed—slowly—into the largest grin I had seen in weeks.
“Lyra Sol,” she said, hardly containing her laughter, “are you telling me that you bit Alekzander Black?”
I nodded, too mortified to speak.
“And are you, Lyra Sol, telling me that he liked it?”
I covered my mouth to keep from smiling.
And I nodded again.
Nat erupted into laughter then, unable to hide the excitement and entertainment as she flew back onto the bed, kicking her feet and covering her own mouth with her hands as she howled.
“I’m glad this amuses you!” I yelled over her incessant shrieking. “Because I’ve been having an identity crisis over here!”
She settled down enough to sit up, but was still smiling as wide as ever as she met my gaze. “Lyra, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Is that why you’ve been avoiding Alek? He practically cornered me in the hallway yesterday and asked me if you were alright!”
“How do I face him?” I demanded. “How do I look him in the eye after… I mean, it was a lot more than simply biting him, Nat. Something changed between us.”
“Oh, I know exactly what goes on when one is bitten. I’m sure Alek had a great time with your teeth embedded into his flesh, if that’s what you’re so worried about.”
I rolled my eyes. “Hardly. What happens if he thinks I’m some crazy bloodsucker now? What happens if he wants me to do it again?”
She raised a brow. “Do you not want to do it again?”
“It’s not that. It’s… it just wasn’t me.” I frowned.
Natalie’s smile slipped completely as she stared at me, the expression on her face changing slowly as her eyes softened.
“You spent twenty-two years without a single chance of getting to know the real Lyra. I love you, but you have no idea what is and isn’t you. If you bit him and liked it, you have nothing to hide from. You are half-demon, Lyra, as much as we all pretend that isn’t the truth. Alek loves you, and he would do anything for you. The last thing he wants is for you to feel guilty about something that you enjoy, especially if that something includes him.”
Damn. I hated that she was right, and I hated that she was now the one to sound reasonable and level-headed.
“What do I do now? Show up at breakfast and pretend nothing has happened over the last two days? Pretend like everything’s normal?” I asked.
“No,” Nat argued. “You’re coming with me. We’re buying dresses for tomorrow’s ball, because you, my friend, are attending that thing whether you like it or not.”
CHAPTER 7
Lyra
“I’m glad you’re here, because otherwise I might run away forever and never return. This is absolutely ridiculous.”
I could hardly look at myself in the mirror. The black-laced ballgown dripped from my figure, hugging my waist so tightly that my breasts tripled in size. Natalie had insisted on preparing for the ball with me, though I was certain she just wanted to ensure I wouldn’t try to bail at the last minute.
“You look phenomenal!” Natalie cheered as she entered the room. “Holy shit, Lyra! Look at you! Nobody will be able to keep their eyes off you tonight. That much is true.”
“Not exactly what I’m going for,” I said flatly.
This black gown that I had chosen was sleek and strapless, letting my chest practically spill from the top as the corset left nothing to the imagination.
