She turned back to the armoire to extract the little black dress she’d brought, and the only thing that was there was the gorgeous ensemble that had been there before. She let out a short huff of annoyance and then opened the white velvet box. But the note it contained made her smile.
This time I’m not under a dark spell and this gift is not for you, it’s for my friend, Hunter. You will look ravishing and I hope he takes full advantage of you tonight. Enjoy, my darling, and thank you for giving me my castle back and not making me go to war with my ex-wife.
Your friend and comrade in arms,
Sir Rodney.
Please accept my humble gift in the spirit of the Fae alliance.
She now understood why the ice queen had melted, even if for a moment; Sir Rodney was a living doll. She took her fashion loot behind a dressing screen, laughing as she felt her hair twist up into a bun and delicate brushes dust her face. “Oh, Sir Rodney,” she whispered, “you guys sure do bibbidi-bobbidi-boo the best.”
“What’s that, baby?” Hunter said from across the room.
“Nothing,” she called out, laughing. “Have you decided what you’re wearing yet?”
“No… Working on it. I don’t do fancy affairs; you know I’m a beef and beer kind of guy, Sa…” Hunter’s words trailed off as she stepped out from behind the screen. “… sha.”
“You like it?” She turned around and then beamed at him. She couldn’t help it, it was such a contrast with the normal her.
“You look… wow,” he said, at an obvious loss for words. “I’ll put on the tux.”
“You don’t have to.”
“No, seriously. I’ll put on the tux.”
The grand ballroom made her heady as she looked around. Despite the tensions and sad losses in the Seelie Court, people seemed to have come to bury the dead through celebration. Food and drink of all kinds were so plentiful that there was simply too much to choose from. Her guys were having the time of their lives, and it warmed her heart to see Clarissa all dolled up and in Bradley’s arms, dancing a waltz as though a thousand other beings weren’t in the same room with them. Those two had found that magical place all on their own.
Shogun had challenged Hunter to shots, and as she watched, the brothers laughed and talked to each other, while three very beautiful she-Werewolves openly vied for Shogun’s attention.
“May I fill your champagne glass, milady?” Rupert said with a humble smile.
“Thank you so much,” Sasha said, allowing him to pour. “In fact, thank you for everything.”
He bowed. “No, you are our guest of honor, thank you. It is nice to have the castle back and put to right with everybody’s head on straight… Well, except for those who’ve committed treason, but we shan’t discuss such nasty business on gorgeous Midsummer Night.”
She smiled and lifted her glass to him, but his change of focus over her shoulder made her turn.
“Might I redeem my former bad behavior by asking a lady for a dance?” Sir Rodney bowed, but then stepped back a little. “Unless that would be out of line and your life mate would take issue? I would not ever want to jeopardize such a firm alliance, nor make you feel uncomfortable”
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” Sasha murmured, handing Rupert her glass. “I would love to dance, and my life mate is having the time of his life.”
“Good,” Sir Rodney said, leading her out onto the dance floor, but holding her with a little space between their bodies. “Thank you for coming back to my castle for the ball. I thought I might have chased you off for good.”
“I’m harder to scare off than that,” she said, chuckling.
But as his face grew serious she began to worry.
“Thank you for wearing the dress and the shoes,” Sir Rodney said quietly, moving her around the dance floor and never missing a beat. “Happy birthday.”
“You really, really-”
“Ssssh… It’s all right. The enchantment that we were all under wasn’t wholly evil… it worked with what was always there. Hunter is a lucky man. Shogun and I are old enough and wise enough to remain friends and philosophical about some things… but do know that you are completely bewitching.”
They danced on for a bit in silence and then he looked down as the song almost ended. “I do hope that the truth doesn’t make you sad.” He smiled at her and inclined his head. “I am Fae… Shogun is a Werewolf, the room is bedazzled-we gentlemen shall recover.”
She laughed and shook her head.
“Enjoy your mate, Sasha. We all want what you two have… someone loyal and kind in our corner.”
He let her go with a gallant bow and was off to find a pretty damsel that was available. She stood where he’d left her for a long time and then suddenly she had the urge to find Hunter.
It wasn’t just a “huh, I wonder where he is” urge. It was something akin to panic that made her quicken her steps and dash across the ballroom floor. She found him joking around with Woods, Winters, and Fisher, and their newfound dates, talking about how Bear and Crow had abandoned him in the game of shots with Shogun and his men.
“Hey,” Hunter said, obviously feeling no pain. “I was wondering where you were.”
Sasha laughed and put her arm around his waist. “You won the bet with Shogun, I take it?”
Hunter threw his head back and howled, gaining howls and laughter from his men and all the other wolves in the ballroom. Fae gave him jaunty thumbs-up as he pulled her onto the dance floor.
“You having fun?” She stared up into his face and touched his jaw.
“The most fun I’ve had in a long time,” he said quietly and then kissed her.
She hadn’t expected it, wasn’t prepared for it, but was glad that he did it.
“We’re always working,” he said as he broke the kiss. “After what just went down in New Orleans, who knows when we’ll get to do this again… especially after you meet the president.”
“That’s why I’m glad you came… why we got to do this.”
She snuggled in close to him, breathing in his fantastic scent, not caring that it was laced with whatever Fae shots he’d done. She didn’t care if a tux was foreign to him-he looked damned good in it. Didn’t care if he was a man of few words and didn’t possess the eloquence of some of his rivals. He was hers and she was his.
“With all this insanity going on,” he said after a moment, nuzzling her hair, “I never got to get you a birthday present. I had it made… but never got to go back and get it. I know that sounds lame, but you know I am no liar. Baby, I’m sorry… Happy birthday anyway. I’ll make it up to you.”
“I know you are no liar,” she said, cupping his cheek and looking up into his eyes. “This, right now, you being alive and laughing and dancing the night away with me, is the best birthday present in the world.”
“There were a lot of times I didn’t think either one of us would make it… I feel like Bradley did at the hospital all the time. I just never tell you how broken I would be if you never came out of the shadows.”
She brushed his mouth with the pad of her thumb and inclined her head. “There’s a really big bank of shadows over there by the pillars. Wanna get out of here and really celebrate my birthday?”
A slow half smile tugged at his cheek as he spun her around and danced her into the nothingness.
L A Banks
L. A. Banks, a native Philadelphian, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. Wharton undergraduate program. With many awards to her credit, Banks also holds a masters of fine arts degree in film and media arts from Temple University. She is currently at work on the next book in the series. She lives in Philadelphia with her family.
