Page 46 of House Ignis

We headed back inside. "I need water," I groaned, pressing my palms to my throbbing temples. "My head is splitting."

Ember guided me through the heat and magic until we reached the bar. She shoved a water bottle into my hand, which I drank greedily, before ordering herself a glowing Moon Eclipse.

"Are you insane?" I asked, wiping my mouth.

"Don't judge me," she chirped, already sipping. "One more dance, Ava. Come on."

Before I could protest, a smooth, reckless voice cut through the pulse of the music. "I can dance with her."

Ezra appeared, grinning like the god of mischief himself, his auburn hair damp and his eyes burning like coals.

"Fine," Ember laughed, taking his hand. They vanished into the crowd before I could blink.

I looked down, nearly tripping as Aether flicked his tail at a rogue boundling getting too close.

"Aether, stop it," I hissed, reaching out to grab his tail.

It was a mistake.

He whirled, his instincts sharpened by the chaotic energy of the party, and swatted at me. I yanked my hand back with a sharp gasp as a line of blood bloomed across my palm.

"Aether! What the—!"

"Sorry about her. She's moody tonight."

The voice was a low, velvet drawl that made my heart skip. I froze, then turned slowly.

Asher stood there. He was shirtless, his dark hair dripping, rivulets of water tracing slow, torturous paths down his neck and over the hard planes of his chest.

His silver gaze locked onto mine, heavy and expectant.

"I..." My brain stalled. I'd definitely had too much to drink.

"Yes, you have," Aether growled, his focus shifting abruptly. "But bigger problem. Why is there another panther?"

I blinked once. Twice.

Everything tilted as a second shape emerged from the shadows behind Asher.

Another panther. Larger than Aether, her coat a shimmering, iridescent violet-black that seemed to swallow the light. Her eyes were twin pools of icy silver, identical to the male standing before me.

My breath caught. Asher's boundling.

The two predators stared each other down, tails twitching in a silent, deadly conversation, while Asher took a step closer, his scent of rain and smoke drowning out the jasmine air.

"That’s Zya. My boundling. She doesn't like attention during the day," Asher said casually, leaning against the bar. "Only shows herself when she feels like it."

Water slid down his collarbone in glittering droplets, and—gods help me—I had the most ridiculous urge to lick them away. What is wrong with me?

"That's… exactly like Aether," I blurted, a shaky laugh slipping out.

Zya stepped forward, her massive form shimmering with violet hues. Shadowed light curled around her ears, and her tail flicked with the same rhythmic arrogance as Aether's, leaving rippling shadows in its wake. When she looked at me, those silver eyes were unsettlingly familiar. Magnetic.

My gaze drifted past her to where Darcy was locked in a flirty, lethal tango with another woman.

We watched as a man stormed over, yanked Darcy's partner away, and launched into a furious tirade.

Darcy didn't even blink; she just smirked and strolled through the crowd.