Page 2 of The Vampire’s Ballerina

“Oh my Goddess.” Maddie, Wesley’s younger sister, covers her nose. “Imogen, seriously?”

I flick my eyes towards her, working through thirty-two chews of my food before responding.

But Maya, Haven’s former roommate and the costume designer for our ballet company, speaks first. “Are you really surprised? They were undressing each other with their eyes all night and playing footsie under the dinner table.”

I frown. “How’d you know that?”

She gives me a sharp look. “Because at one point you were rubbing my calf instead of Reid’s.”

Maddie snorts. Haven continues eating her food, even though she’s watching me the whole time with questioning eyes and raised brows.

“Can you blame me?” I decide to play up the moment to hide the deep-seated regret blossoming inside me. “He’s hot. And he was—”

“Nope. I don’t want to hear it.” Maddie covers one ear with her free hand and shrugs her shoulder up to the other. “He’s my bonus brother, and I don’t need to know anything about what you did or did not do together last night, or about how good or not good he was at whatever you did or didn’t do.”

I take another bite of my burrito, letting my twinkling eyes and my morning walk of shame tell them everything they need to know about how good it was.

“Wait…” Maya’s brow furrows as she crumples up the wrapper from her burrito. “Wait. Did you spend the night with him? Because he never does sleepovers.”

“Rule number three!” Maddie lifts three fingers into the air.

“Rule number three?” I repeat, looking at all of them.

“Reid has four rules he lives by,” Haven says. “No kissing, no pack members, no sleepovers, and no mate.”

“Oh.”

“Wouldn’t Imogen count as a pack member though?” Maddie asks. “Which would mean he broke rule number two and rule number three.”

“But I’m a human,” I remind her.

“Yes, but you’re our luna’s best friend, and you know everything about us, so you’re basically family,” she says, shrugging. “An honorary pack member of sorts.”

“Well, thanks. I think.”

“It’s a good thing.” Maya puts her hand on my shoulder. “Wolves protect their family.”

I blink at her, my heart stalling in my chest, and force a weak smile to cover my discomfort. Then I set my half-eaten burrito aside and glance around the room, desperate for a subject change. Attention onstage, under the beaming lights? That’s what I live for. Attention in close quarters, when the subject matter is family? I’d rather not.

“So, where are these fabulous dresses you’ve made for us, Maya?” I ask.

“Ooh!” She claps her hands together and springs to her feet with the speed and nimbleness all werewolves seem to have. “Right here!”

Maya pulls a clothing rack into the center of the room—borrowed from the ballet company’s costume shop, no doubt—and hands two of the three garment bags to Maddie and me, keeping the third for herself.

We change into our bridesmaid dresses as quick as a wink, then stand side by side in front of the wall of mirrors, twirling and examining them in the reflection.

“I’ve got to hand it to you, Havie. Letting us pick our colors was the right choice,” I say, taking the three of us in.

Our dresses are all velvet, but each has a unique cut and color to fit our distinct individuality. The golden yellow of Maya’s is gorgeous against her dark umber skin and even darker brown eyes, giving her a radiant glow. The dark teal green of Maddie’s perfectly complements her ivory skin, violet-blue eyes, and long chocolate-brown hair. And the deep wine red of mine reminds me of—

“I still wish we could’ve all done the red.” Maddie eyes my dress. “It’s hot.”

My lips curl into a smile. I turn, lifting my hair to show off the open back of my halter dress. “Is it the color that’s hot or the design of my dress?”

“Well, both, if we’re being realistic.” Maddie’s gaze lingers on my back. “But—”

“But I’d have all four of our ranked males on my ass about it if I let their pack princess wear something as revealing as Imogen’s dress.” Maya rolls her eyes while pinning the hem of Maddie’s dress. “So you’ll wear your green wrap dress with sleeves and be very, very happy about it.”