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Or perhaps she was just deluded.
“You might find things a little shocking from here on, but fear not.” His voice crooned close to her ear, a whispered breath that still managed to sound no-nonsense. Her body reacted, shivering at the intimacy. Then he snapped to attention and stepped down the cavern before she did, where relief spread over his features. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are back, and it seems like we just made it in time.”
She jumped and landed beside him, then stiffened at the feel of fingers on her elbow, ready to steady her balance. They were gone in an instant, and her focus zoned in on the other parties in the room, who were significantly more clothed than earlier. The smell of sex still reeked in the air, a faint tinge that made her nose itch. She wrinkled it, then put on a placid expression when all attention swiveled towards her.
“She’s back.” A male with glitter-filled lashes smiled at her, showing off blindingly sparkling teeth. “She’s different.”
“Yes, different,” a female piped in, just as glittery as the male and wearing the tightest lingerie that displayed most of her sinuous muscles. “Did you fuck before you got here?”
Alexa opened her mouth in protest. Edmund waved a hand in dismissal, unperturbed.
“No. Just hurried to get here, hence the adrenaline rush. She’s Alexa, and she will just watch for tonight. So, let’s get to it.”
It was enough to put a halt to the others’ questions as they scrambled into place. She counted ten. There was a woman she hadn’t seen before walking to the center of the gathering crowd, flushed with excitement. Edmund sauntered towards them and began moving them about, then stepped back in triumph.
“Good posture. Stay there, please…and now.”
The scene transformed and so did her ruminations. Astonishment hit her hard as she watched the glitter spread all over, the wings flutter high up…then there was the woman in the center with her black fur out and her head thrown back in utmost pride.
“Beautiful, all of you. Don’t be stiff. Get comfortable. Talk in low tones. Think of happy memories.” The croon was back, infusing the atmosphere with even more intimacy as the man set up his canvas and art materials. She caught a glimpse and realized only the center was blank, but he turned it before she could observe more. When he glanced at her, her gaze snapped back to the crowd, who got comfortable as he had commanded. He made pleased noises, the praises coming at a rapid pace. “Yes, that’s it. Fantastic. Keep going, my love. Good. That’s so good.”
Heat sparked in her cheeks as her brain pictured another scenario altogether, matching the bedroom tones his voice had taken on. She shook it off. She kept her focus trained on them, the conversation rising to a murmur that held words but kept the meaning secret. It added to the hushed state until Edmund quieted down, too. A brush moved over cloth, a distinct sound she knew all too well. Longing hit her belly, but she tucked it in and pretended like she couldn’t care less.
“Master Edmund, is everything okay?”
The woman at the center looked worried, but Edmund nodded. “Yes, of course, Millicent.”
Belatedly, Alexa realized that his fingers had stopped moving, and he was frowning at the canvas. He offered a faint smile at the woman named Millicent, who was appeased and continued her low conversation with a female Fae. Then the frown was back, his brows furrowed as he scrutinized his work. His fingers tensed as he looked up, locking gazes with her.
Understanding dawned. Immediately, she shook her head, not about to replace a woman’s shining moment just because he wasn’t satisfied. A sense of purpose pulsed in her blood as she approached the crowd, ignoring Edmund’s puzzled look.
“Miss Millicent?”
The chattering stopped. Millicent turned to her with wide eyes. “Yes?”
“Your fur is amazing. The shiniest I have seen from a panther in a while. I think it means that you keep shifting.”
Worry came, then wariness. “If that’s a problem—”
“It’s not. Shifting is a part of your nature and is where you shine the most. Don’t ever deny yourself that identity, no matter how hard things get. I hope you continue embracing who you are and owning that wonderful part of yourself. It’s as beautiful as you are.”
The wariness cleared. Hope and shock warred before delight bloomed so fast that Millicent practically glowed. A glance at Edmund showed his disbelief, but his fingers were moving again in blurry strokes.
Her spine tingled, prompting her to tear her attention away from him. While the rest of the Fae resumed their giggling, violet spheres clashed with hers. A silent man sat on a block at the edge of the crowd, the most detached from the ongoings of his peers…the closest to her, too. He shifted slightly, a subtle leaning.
“Join us?”
She knew interest when she saw it. She knew intention when she glimpsed it. Panic bloomed, choking her with its rush of intensity until her claws were out. Horror followed, a pulsing that tightened her body as she tried not to drown in it.
“I must decline.” The words were perfunctory, careful. “Thank you for the offer.”
She walked away and liked to think she was as stealthy as a ninja. Ten seconds later, footsteps caught up to her, deliberately loud.
“Wait. Where are you—”
“Out. I have to go.”
“But you haven’t—”
