The Kelpie's Curse (book #1 in the Kelpie's Entrapment trilogy)

Day 1. Part 3.

***

"Are you almost done in there?" Evelyn called from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Just a couple more minutes! Hold your horses!" There was only one bathroom and she had opted to let the other two go ahead of her since she always took the longest. It wasn't that her hairdo was all that complicated, or that she was high maintenance because she really wasn't. It was just that it was so thick. It was both a blessing and a curse she supposed she could thank her Irish father for. She couldn't know for sure as the man had run off before she was born but her mother's hair was not nearly as thick and her half-sister's hair was almost too thin. For tonight's outing her long wavy, dark brown hair was curled, she wore a white shirt with wide bell sleeves, a pair of hip hugger jeans, black leather ankle boots, and her make-up was the right shade of gold to bring out her brown eyes.

It only took another five minutes to put the finishing touches on her hair but when she exited the small room she could tell that her friends were too impatient and any amount of time was too long.

Just as Renestrae knew she would, despite all of her protest, the second they got back to the house and started getting ready Evelyn got excited and for a moment they saw a glimpse of the old carefree, let's-have-fun-tonight side of their friend. The sight was so refreshing that Renestrae did not have it in her to be angry or even slightly annoyed at the way her friend was currently glaring at her.

"About time! What takes you so long in there anyway?" Evelyn complained as they exited the house and got into the car. Kaloria was driving since she had been given the directions and once seated both Renestrae and Evelyn gripped the armrests of their seats as if it was some kind of lifeline.

"I'd like to see you get done so quickly with this amount of hair. Do you have any idea how many brushes my hair has broken?" Renestrae laughed.

It only took Kaloria about ten minutes to make it to the ruins the party was being held at and as before Evelyn and Renestrae wanted to kiss the ground as they jumped out of the car.

"Okay, from now on I drive," Evelyn decided. "I still can't believe you brought that thing."

"Hun, I get the feeling that this party isn't exactly legal either. Don't worry I won't be drinking. Besides, I want some kind of protection if someone decides not to take no for an answer. Oh, look! Here comes your new friend."

"I'm glad ye could make it," Shawn said as he approached the three girls.

"We're glad to be here," Evelyn replied.

"So, who are your friends?" Kaloria asked, eyeing the two redheads standing about three feet behind Evelyn's suitor.

Renestrae almost rolled her eyes at her friend's expression. When it came to guys anymore Kaloria had become frightfully one track minded.

"Oh, that's Alec and Ainslie."

Renestrae noticed that he didn't bother to point either of them out, but since, from where she was standing, they seemed pretty identical, it was possible that he didn't even know which was which at the moment. Thankfully though they stepped forward to introduce themselves.

"Hello, I'm Alec Dunaid and the bloke over there tryin' tae romance yer friend is my brother, but I'm sure ye already guessed tha'."

She smiled. "Oh yes, that took some real guesswork on my part. I'm Renestrae Frank by the way."

"What's with th' bow? Ye goin' huntin' or something'?"

"Oh, not at all. I won't be drinking tonight and it seems to deter unwanted suitors. I never go anywhere without it."