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Wishing he could be just as unaware, Magnus came up with his own solution. He withdrew his arm and walked tall and naked toward the bathroom.
"Where are you going?"
"I think a shower is in order before the fair, don't you?"
Alexis gave him a devilish smirk. She jumped off of the bed with newfound energy and grabbed his hand.
"Let's get you cleaned up," she said before leading him toward his spacious bathroom.
As they stepped into the marble-tiled shower, Magnus turned on the warm water and adjusted it to their liking before pulling Alexis under its soothing spray.
SIXTEEN
ALEXIS
Alexis tightened her iron grip on Magnus’s hand. Looming in the distance was the community fair, an event she couldn’t believe she was attending.
Excitement ran through her body with a shiver as she wondered what to expect. Magnus reassuringly squeezed her hand, casting a sidelong glance at her.
“Almost there,” he said. “Are you ready?”
“I think so,” she said, breathing in through her teeth. “What usually happens at these kinds of fairs? Is it any different from, well, a regular human fair?”
“It’s nothing like the Full Moon Masquerade, that much I can assure you. Whether that’s good or bad news is up to you.”
Alexis laughed and tightened her grip again. This time, though, it wasn’t from exhilaration.
“Are you all right?” asked the pride leader.
“I’m just a little nervous,” she admitted, speaking at a low volume.
“Don’t worry, no one’s going to eat you,” replied Magnus with his handsome smile. “Well, maybe I will, so watch out.”
Alexis laughed again, confidently raising her head as they drew closer to the entrance. She knew Magnus was only trying to distract her and that he’d be there for her should she feel the need to leave.
At the same time, she didn’t want to be a burden to him on a big day such as this one. Her nerves weren’t anything new. She’d often felt the same way before approaching investors on her skincare line.
You can do this, Alexis, her inner voice spoke.
They walked underneath the decorative archway from which balloons of varying colors hung. The festivities were already underway. Everywhere she looked, Alexis saw children and adults alike enjoying the events.
Some were drinking, others were dancing, and some were doing their best to win a prize at the game stalls. It reminded her of the fairs she would attend as a kid, and for a moment, she was at ease.
“This is pretty cool,” she marveled.
“I bet you were expecting giant scratching posts,” chuckled Magnus.
“Certainly doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”
“I’ll keep a mental note of that for the next one,” he remarked sarcastically. “Come on then, let’s introduce you to some of the folk around here. I’m eager for you to meet them.”
“Just don’t leave my side.”
“I promise I won’t. If you need anything, you just let me know, okay?”
Everyone they walked by turned and greeted Magnus with a smile, some even leaving their social circles to come over. Alexis noted that the sight of her seemed to draw a mixed bag of reactions.
Most of the pride greeted her warmly, their smiles growing when informed she was a regular human. Here and there, though, some seemed to withdraw, their faces pulling a neutral expression while others quickly excused themselves.
