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AT EXACTLY TEN O’CLOCK, the doors to the botanical gardens opened. “Ladies and gentlemen, you may now enter the gardens,” the man said pompously. He wore a tuxedo like everyone else, but I was pretty sure he worked here. I sensed he was a werebird when we walked past him.
Drake was standing with a few of his guards, probably talking about security. His head turned and heat flared in his gaze when he saw me. Raking his eyes from my head to my toes and back up again, I caught a whiff of his pheromones. My lust spiked and I had to stop myself from marching over to claim him in front of everyone.
Snatching a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, I downed it in a few quick gulps. It did nothing to clear my head, but at least the alcohol was too weak to mess with my reflexes or judgment.
“Try to have at least some decorum tonight,” Ruen murmured in disapproval. “We’re here for a specific task, not to party and get drunk.”
“I was thirsty,” I lied with a glower and handed my empty glass to the waiter. He bowed politely and offered the tray to other guests.
More people slowly arrived to fill the courtyard that was surrounded by exotic plants. The air smelled like flowers, bark and leaves, with the scents of supernatural beings mixed in with it.
Drake worked his way through the crowd to greet everyone, trusting his bounty hunters and guards to watch his back. I knew him well enough to know he was tense beneath his smiling exterior. Some couples were dancing in the center of the courtyard. The rest mingled, sipping expensive champagne and discussing whatever it was that rich people talked about.
Lady Galantine and the eleven other influential master vampires were among the crowd. They glared daggers at me, but I ignored them as if they were inconsequential. Lady Galantine’s glower was glacial each time she glanced in my direction. I didn’t like the tiny smirk she wore when she thought I wasn’t watching her. It hinted that she was planning to retaliate against me.
I spied Belladonna chatting with a few witches and assumed they were the leaders of their covens. Their inherent magic allowed them to pass through the barrier keeping normal humans away. It was a surprise to see Belladonna here, since she hated all supernatural beings. Tall, slender and icily beautiful, her stark white hair flowed down her back. She wore a dark gray dress that clung to her like a second skin.
Our eyes met and she gave me a small nod of recognition. I nodded back, then we pretended we didn’t know each other. The less attention I drew to myself, the better chance I’d have of mixing in with the crowd.
“Everyone is staring at you,” Ruen whispered in annoyance, destroying my feeble hope.
“It’s not my fault,” I hissed quietly, aware of the gazes that kept returning to me. “I didn’t choose this dress. Blame whoever chose it for me.”
“It isn’t just the dress,” my partner said. “Your breasts are a millimeter away from spilling out of your clothing.”
I looked down to see the dress had slid down a bit. The top of my bra was almost visible. Casually turning my back, I pretended to examine a tree as I discreetly hiked my gown back up. A breeze flicked my dress open to reveal my leg all the way up to my hip when I turned back around. Gasps sounded as my tattoos and machete were momentarily on display.
“She must have tattoos everywhere,” I heard a wizard murmur appreciatively. He was fairly strong for his kind, just like all of the magic users who’d been invited to the ball.
“She’d be pretty if she lost fifty pounds,” a catty witch sniped loudly enough for everyone in the nearby vicinity to hear her.
Ruen elbowed me in the side before I could utter a scathing retort. “Behave yourself,” he warned me with a dire frown.
It was a reminder that I wasn’t an honored guest. I was just an employee like the waitstaff who were handing out drinks and food.
Drake decided it was time to make a speech after an hour had passed. He held up his hand for silence and the music halted and a hush fell. The ring I’d given him flashed in the lights. I felt weirdly satisfied to see it on his finger. It almost felt as if I’d staked my claim on him, which was sheer wishful thinking.
When Lord Gilden had everyone’s attention, he lifted his glass of champagne to make a toast. “I’d like to thank you all for attending the ball tonight. Distinguished guests have traveled all the way from Europe to meet with the elite beings in the supernatural community of Nexus. Here’s to making new friendships and forging strong alliances.” He took a sip of his drink and everyone who was holding a glass copied him.
This would be the perfect moment for the fairy to strike. Drake was surrounded by bodyguards posing as guests. I’d taken a throwing dagger out of my purse and held it ready. Nothing happened and the crowd returned to their conversations.
The honored guests my boss had spoken about were a trio of weredragons. Two of them were female and the male was clearly protective of them both. His wife didn’t look much older than their daughter, who I hated at first sight. The daughter couldn’t take her eyes off Lord Gilden. Her hair was blonde with brown tips and was the opposite to his. Almost as petite as Aurora, she was undeniably beautiful and had a lean, toned body. She wore a gorgeous necklace with a large emerald pendant. It looked like it had cost a fortune.
Ruen and I were stationed a few yards away, so I could hear the bimbo flirting with my boss. Drake gave her indulgent smiles as she fawned all over him. I had no idea what language they were speaking, but I didn’t understand a word of it.
I knew I was scowling, but I couldn’t control my expression. Every muscle in my body ached to leap on my rival and rip her hair out. Her gold dress clung to her meager curves. Drake kept his eyes on her face rather than her boobs, but I knew he had to be attracted to her. She was his perfect match, just like his long-dead wife had been.
There were so few weredragons left that it was almost his duty to mate with her. Clearly, that’s why her parents had brought her here. Their expressions were doting and self-satisfied. They figured simply bringing her into Lord Gilden’s presence would be enough to kickstart a romance between the pair.
A few fae beings were scattered among the crowd, making me go on full alert each time one came close. A frail looking male fairy with brittle white hair approached the dragons. Ruen didn’t tense up and neither did Drake, which meant the fairy wasn’t the target. Our boss would be able to sense his evil intentions if he was really the malevolent female in disguise.
I listened with half an ear as the fairy spoke. My entire body went rigid when his words filtered through to my brain.
“May I offer you my congratulations on your betrothal, Lord Gilden?” he asked in a quavering voice. My head turned before I could stop it and I met Drake’s eyes. He flushed in reaction to suddenly having everyone staring at him in shock. “It has been a long time since there has been a wedding between two weredragons,” the decrepit old fairy said. “Will you be having the wedding here, or in Europe?”
Rage unlike anything I’d experienced before had me moving before I could stop myself. Drake opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I took three steps towards my rival, intending to gut her with the dagger that was clenched in my hand.
Ruen’s hand clamped down on my arm to yank me to a halt, then Drake flicked a look at a waitress who was walking towards him. I knew it was the target even though she was wearing a face I’d never seen before. Her power was muted, making her seem almost like a normal human. My vengeance on the bimbo weredragon was going to have to wait until after the threat had been eliminated.
