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“This theme is harder to steal,” Victoria says.
“You really look like a crow.” Scarlet watches me with a flat expression. It’s hard to tell whether she means to compliment or insult me.
“And you look great,” I say earnestly.
Scarlet usually wears all black, or something close, so she doesn’t appear much different than usual.
“You really came with Sterling?” Farrah asks, grinning. “I thought he was lying when he…”
“Gods. Has he been telling people about us?” I blurt, shaking my head. “I mean, there’s nothing to tell.”
Another gulp of the drink. Something to keep my mouth and hands busy. I glance back at Sterling, who’s speaking to Axel—a werewolf in his mid-thirties who works at the diner.
“This is the first I’m hearing about it,” Dave says,” so he can’t be telling too many people, but it’s good. For both of you, I imagine. Sterling hasn’t been the same since—”
Farrah elbows Dave in the stomach, but it feels like I’m going to be the one who’s sick.
Sterling is taking this seriously. I guess.
I’m not ready. Not ready to care. Not ready to lose another person. Why did I kiss him? He obviously got the wrong idea, and I’m the only one to blame.
I finish the rest of my drink and hand it off to a server. “It was great seeing you guys.”
That’s what I do for the rest of the night: hop between groups of people I barely know and avoid Sterling. Drinking. Chatting. Now and then, he checks on me, putting a hand on the small of my back and asking if I’m okay, and I want to melt.
But I run away instead.
Until my feet won’t take me any longer. I trip over them, stumbling, and someone is there to catch me—strong arms and magic that surrounds me so beautifully, holding me in the air.
“You’re an angel,” I breathe, as Sterling sets me upright.
He’s not smiling. “And you’re about ready to go—”
“I’m not.”
“You can barely walk. I’m worried. Did I do something—”
Donnie approaches, beaming and holding up an envelope. “Aurora! Guess who won the pumpkin carving contest?”
Sterling huffs through his nose. “Great…”
“It looks like you finally have some competition,” Donnie says to Sterling. “The constellations—so creative.”
“Thanks,” I mumble.
Are his horns swirling? I can’t tell. I take the envelope from Donnie as he tells me about the contents—gift cards to some local shops. All the while, Sterling’s arm is around me, keeping me upright.
I lean into him.
“Need to get her home,” Sterling says, fixing Donnie with a tight smile.
“You don’t—what?” Those are the only words I can get out.
There’s no arguing when Sterling hoists me over his shoulder and carries me out of the party, attracting way too much attention for my liking. Donnie’s laughter follows us out, and there’s no denying that quite a few others are watching us.
This should probably be embarrassing, but…
Sterling’s hand covers my ass, and all I can think about is him putting me over his knee and showing me who’s boss.
