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Natalie
Iwasn’t sure how long I’d been standing in front of the mirror, but I couldn’t seem to do anything else. I was brimming with excitement for the night ahead. The last time I’d dressed up for something was before the war on Earth, and I couldn’t even remember what I’d worn that night or where I was going.
The woman I saw in the mirror now was so different from the girl I’d been then. And tonight, I was filled with excitement, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. And it felt pure, right.
My dress was silver and strapless, the entirety of it covered in shards of glass. It hugged my curves flawlessly, and the cape hanging over my shoulders, clasped around my neck by a delicate diamond, was covered in glass as well.
My platinum hair was straight and slicked back, and the white mascara I was wearing made my blue eyes look striking.
I couldn’t believe it was me! I’d really wanted to look my best tonight, and this dress showed off every curve like it had been made especially for me. It looked even better on me than it had on the hanger at the mall.
On Earth, I’d read all the fashion magazines and followed influencers on social media, eager to try out the latest tips and trends. Maybe that could be my purpose here, helping people look their best. That would be something I’d enjoy doing.
It felt good to think of all the possibilities open to me. I’d been so preoccupied with finding my mate, everything else had taken a backseat.
Tomorrow, I’d head into the city to check out some openings I’d seen in the newspaper. But for tonight, I was going to do my best to forget every troubling thought that whispered in my mind like a wayward spirit.
I needed to go to this ball, to have fun, to be myself again. I needed to remember who I was, long before the war changed me forever.
I smiled and ran a hand down the dress. Tonight, I’d be mingling with gods and goddesses. Was I ready for that? No, but I wasn’t going to let my nervousness stop me. I’d only had one vision of the future since I’d arrived in this realm, but right now, I’d have loved to have had some inkling about how this night would turn out.
A message from Lucian appeared on a hologram screen above my bracelet. He'd finally arrived and was waiting for me outside. I gave myself another once-over in the mirror, applied another few sprays of perfume, and made my way downstairs.
When I opened the door, I could do nothing but stand there, gaping, rendered speechless by the man standing before me.
He, too, seemed rooted in place as his eyes roamed up and down my body.
He was dressed in a full black tuxedo, with a black cape decorated with silver chains hanging from his right shoulder. His hair had multiple braids that joined into one down his back, making him look like the warrior he was, and the light beard he'd had the day before was gone.
“You clean up nice,” I said, closing the door behind me. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
To my surprise, a slight blush appeared on his cheeks. "Thank you." He cleared his throat, and I realized that he was as nervous as I was. I watched as he fidgeted, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. It was adorable. “You look—exquisite.” He cleared his throat once more, then more seriously said, “You look lovely, Natalie.”
I chuckled. “Thank you. See, that wasn’t so hard to say, was it?”
His brows drew together in response, and I frowned at the sudden change in him. He looked wounded, looking away for a second before tapping at his bracelet.
“Is everything okay?” I asked as he held his hand out to me.
"Yes." The warmth in his voice had disappeared.
What did I say?
I knew that we'd only just met and that he hadn’t had a chance to tell me everything about him—I hadn’t done that, either—but I couldn’t help feeling as if he was holding something back. Something that would matter to me.
I wanted him to feel comfortable talking to me about anything. And I wanted to be able to do the same with him. What I didn't want was to be the unexpected, unwanted mate that got dropped into his life, the one he would now have to struggle to adjust to.
Mate bonds were beautiful but complicated things.
I took his hand, still staring at him with concern. “Do you really want to do this? We don’t have to go.”
He gave me a gentle smile. “A few hours won’t kill me. I want you to have fun.”
“Did I say something wrong just now?”
He shook his head. “No.” He snaked his hand around me. “Hold on.”
We teleported and within seconds arrived outside a grand castle. It was something to see, its white and gold exterior only emphasized the dark sky hanging above it. Around us, several supernatural creatures were arriving by teleportation or portal, randomly appearing one after the other, all immaculately dressed.
