Page 71

I looked in the mirror again. My eyes were done with a sultry smoke and a line of tiny crystals winking under my lower lashes. My hair had been coaxed into an elegant coil of braids and loose curls. Thank god for TikTok and YouTube. I was typically a bare-faced, messy-bun kind of girl during the day, but Cordelia After Dark had an audience to impress.

Moving to the bed, I unzipped the garment bag and stared at the fabric pooled there like liquid silk. The gown really was stunning. A deep blue that landed somewhere between midnight and smoke, with silver threads throughout that made it shimmer like scattered stars in the night sky. The fabric was cool and luxurious against my skin as I slipped into it and secured the halter-neck that left my back bare. A daring slit up one thigh offered a peek at even more creamy skin with every movement.

My breath caught as I looked in the mirror. I didn’t know the woman looking back at me, but damn if I didn’t want to be her. Sexy. Confident. Taking no prisoners. I slid my feet into gladiator-style heels and threaded dangling silver chains through my earlobes with trembling fingers.

“Wish me luck,” I said to Orion as I left the room. I made for the stairs, following the sound of murmured male conversation down. A collective hush fell over them when they caught sight of me, and for a minute, we all just stared at each other.

The vision of five breathtakingly gorgeous men with their hungry eyes locked on me made my heart skip a beat. Alaric was in a tailored suit the color of my gown, while Rami wore a traditional white shirt and black coat. Lucian was in all black, with the sleeves rolled to show off his tattooed forearms and his tie loose around his neck. Bellamy was in a chocolate-brown coat sans tie, and Quinn wore a tweed pant and vest combo that had my inner schoolgirl drooling.

“Fuck, little fury,” Lucian broke the silence. His silver eyes flashed as they ate me up. “The things I want to do to you right now.”

There was a chorus of agreement from the others, and Rami muttered something in Finnish. I needed a reminder of why we were going out tonight, because staying in was sounding better and better.

Alaric met me at the bottom step and extended his hand. “You are stunning.”

My cheeks flushed as I placed my hand in his. “Me? You guys look like you just stepped off the set of a GQ photoshoot.”

Bellamy stepped up and kissed my cheek. “You look like you stepped out of my wildest wet dream,” he whispered, lips brushing my ear. I giggled even as heat rushed through me, pooling in my belly. Before I could reply, Quinn was shoving through the front door. Bel sighed and pressed another kiss to my flaming cheek while Ric squeezed my hand. We moved to follow him out, but Rami intercepted, pulling me into his arms. He stared down at me, his usually pale eyes dark with hunger.

“Odotan innolla, että näen tuon mekon lattiallani.”

My thighs squeezed together at his words, the sound of them alone enough to have my core clenching. When I asked him what they meant, he just gave me a knowing smirk.

I think the big Finnish teddy bear might be a dirty-talker.

We filed outside to Bel’s brand-new X7, the replacement for the SUV totaled in the wreck. “Seven-seater,” he announced, patting the side-view mirror like it had done something to be proud of.

“So,” I started once we were all settled—Rami riding shotgun with Bel driving, Alaric and Lucian cuddling either side of me in the far back, and Quinn left to scowl all by himself in the middle row—“will you tell me where we’re going now?”

Alaric stretched his arm along the back of the seat, teasing his fingers over the nape of my neck and sending pleasant shivers down my spine. “We’re going into Newbridge City for a gallery exhibit.”

“A gallery?” I blinked, processing his words. Newbridge City was a big metropolis. “Wait, is it for you? Is it your paintings?”

His fingers stilled. “Is that okay?”

“Yes!” I squealed, momentarily losing myself to excitement. But the feeling quickly subsided. “Does that mean I’m going to have to share you? I’m not okay with other women touching you guys.”

His warm laughter was something I wished I could bottle. “No, Pixie. No one knows who Gryphon Holt really is.”

“Good,” I muttered with a nod. The night would not end well if someone got handsy.

Lucian smiled with a flash of fang that said he’d be the first in line to help.

46

CORDELIA

It was surreal to walk through the exhibit, knowing every piece in it was inspired by me. The people drifting between displays looked like works of art themselves, and I felt like I was walking through a movie. I pulled my elbows in tighter. I’d never been in a crowd like this. Even though I supposedly had control over my magic and wasn’t exactly dangerous anymore, I still felt exposed.

I took absent sips from the champagne in my hand, hoping it would calm the fluttering in my chest. People murmured as they studied the paintings, unaware that the artist and his muse were right beside them. Alaric’s hand was warm and steady against the bare skin of my low back, and I leaned further into him.

“Is it vanity to tell you that your work is beautiful?” I looked up at him through thick lashes, and he chuckled. “The feathers, are they all…?”

He nodded, hazel eyes dark with hunger. “Yes.”

I liked that in a primal way that reached my bones. He’d been marking me with his claim from the beginning. But even with that knowledge boosting my confidence, the space started to feel confining as the crowd continued to grow. Anxiety pricked at my nerve endings, and I attempted to drown it with another glass of champagne. I felt warmer as a result, but no less claustrophobic. I was ready to hide in the restroom for a few minutes to breathe when Lucian pressed against me.

“Want to get out of here?” The words were full of dark suggestion, but I didn’t want to hurt Ric’s feelings by being too eager. He was a few feet away, speaking with Rami, but his gaze hovered on me. When I gave him a questioning look, he gave me a wink and tipped his chin.