AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My throat swelled a little.
“They’re good men,” she said, her voice growing softer. “Very, very good men. Most demons wouldn’t risk the wrath of our government to protect humans the way they do, and I respect them tremendously for it.”
I nodded, though I was still uncertain about that.
Rafe and I were close, for the most part, but there were things we didn’t really talk about. And his job was arguably the biggest.
“Rafael will treat you well for the rest of your life. If I had any doubt about that, I wouldn’t have been looking for mates for my boys for so long. They don’t realize how much happier they could be, and I want that for them.”
“You’re a good mom,” I said quietly, but honestly.
“I’ve had a long time to learn.” She took my hand and squeezed it lightly. “You remember how this works?”
“I just dance with every guy who asks, right?”
“Yes. After each dance, you kiss their forehead and take off their mask.” She tapped the center of her head. “When you find Rafael, you kiss his mouth instead. When you dance with his brothers, if there’s any question it might be him, simply try to drain a tiny bit of their magic. If you have anyone but your mate, it won’t work, and you won’t shift. Got it?”
“Got it,” I agreed, though I didn’t think I’d have any difficulties telling them apart. “How long is this party going to last?” The room was massive, and it looked pretty damn full. That meant there would be a lot of men to dance with.
“Alongtime. I’ll bring you coffee when you start to look tired.” She squeezed my hand one last time. “I’ll tell them to close the doors. After I walk down the stairs, give it two minutes, and then follow me down. Eldrich will be waiting at the bottom, to ease you into it.”
“Thank you.” I squeezed her hand back.
“It’s my pleasure.” With one last wink, she swept off toward the large double doors. Her black dress sparkled around her as she walked.
The woman was so damn stunning.
I watched her float down the stairs, and when she got to the bottom, gave it what felt like two minutes.
Finally, I started my own descent.
The layers of my dress flowed with every step I took, and I lifted my head higher as the fabric moved lightly.
Putting my shoulders back the way I’d been told to—lectured to—a thousand times as a kid, I let one last, long breath escape me.
It was showtime.
fourteen
TATUM
Eldrich whiskedme onto the dance floor after a quick request, giving me a smile that reminded me so much of Rafael’s, it made me smile too. Interacting with a man in his demon form outside of the usual stuff I did with Rafe was weird at first, but I adjusted quickly as I was spun around the room.
When every dance was over, I slid the man’s red mask over his head and left a kiss on his forehead. That was weird at first too, but I got used to it.
Dancing with my brother was shitty, and it was awkward with my dad, but none of the dances were too long, thankfully.
I noticed Brynn off to the side of the room, talking with a huge guy in a red mask that wasn’t a demon. He looked like… August, the dragon shifter.
She looked frustrated, from what I could see, but my dance partner whisked me away before I had time to think about it. My mind was quickly dragged back to the guy I was dancing with.
At another point, I noticed Miley talking and laughing with a guy who wasn’t in a demon form. He looked tall and strong, so I assumed he was a supernatural of some kind, but she looked happy. For her, that was huge.
When Rafael’s first brother took my hand, I noticed his eyes lingering on someone across the room.
I followed them back to Brynn, who was no longer talking to the dragon shifter.
Taking stock of the man in front of me, with his stiff position and clean-cut hair, I decided he was Sebastian—though Rafael had told me I had to call him Bash, because we were family.
