Escaping Death

Chapter 59

Solana

This is way more than I signed up for. It was supposed to be a quick show of my face and then make myself scarce with the guys. Not be passed around from family member to family member — each of whom has their own special well-intended lecture for me.

I saw my opportunity to slip away and bunker down in a dim corner of the room where I can keep an eye on the party without being noticed by anyone, especially my family.

All of the guys except Ace have been coerced into dancing with my sister and cousins, which was fine. I know they're just trying to be polite — turning down members of the royal family might not end well for them.

I didn't appreciate the lust each of them wore for each of the guys. Calla laughed a little too loudly, Clover nuzzled her cheek against their shoulders a little too intimately, and Iris stared at them with stars in her eyes.

Eli was lapping up all the attention, Dean was polite but sure not to fan the flames of their budding infatuations, and Tate looked like he'd rather be getting his fingernails pulled off than be dancing with them.

They're my naive younger cousins, and when the guys are cut the way they are like Grecian masterpieces carved from stone, I can't blame my cousins or my sister for getting swept up in the fairytale.

But when the wholesome, family celebration dies down and shifts to cater to the pre- to young-centenarians, things go from PG to R real quick.

Dragons and wolves pair off under the fleeting light, the music shifts to heavy, sinful beats as inhibitions go out the open windows. I thought this would be the point in the evening where we all retire back to my room — I am unusually tired tonight. I'd bet money that I'd be out cold in seconds after laying my head on my pillow.

Another more illicit thought was that one of the guys might ask me to dance. Or better yet command me to dance. While scanning the room I notice Tate first. He's dancing closely and comfortably with a gaggle of she-wolves, no doubt loving every moment of it. Dean isn't far away, surrounded by his own fan club pawing and clawing at him. My chest begins to tighten and heat crawls up my neck, but I shake it off in search of the rest of the guys.

Ace is propped up against the bar, immersed in conversation with my father Rohanor, Beta Runidar, Xander, and uncle Incandis. My mom is dancing with my dad Varian in an adjacent alcove, looking every bit in love as ever. Rhys has fucked off to Gods know where while Cole takes several girls up on their offers to dance with the birthday boy.

I consider my current options. I could join Ace at the bar and subject myself to further scrutiny by my family and likely hostility from Beta Runidar, I could go back to my room on my own and tuck myself into bed, or...

Or I could rip those she-bitches off of Tate and Dean and crack their fucking skulls together.

"Interessante," Eli's syrupy smooth voice sounds from behind me.

"I'm really not in the mood for games right now, Eli." My honesty brings him around to my side, fisting his hands in his pants pockets, and tipping his head to the side, regarding me quizzically.

"Green is a lovely color on you," he says softly, lifting my hand up to expose the green flames that are idling between my fingers before dropping a kiss to the back of my hand, "mas inveja não."

He blows a gentle flurry across my knuckles, extinguishing my flames, but I'm no less defensive. "Envy? What makes you think that I'm envious of something?"

He harpoons me with a weighted glare, his eyes shifting between mine and the hand he's holding that had been wrapped with green flames. "Mentirosa. Like you weren't just fantasizing about decapitating one of those she-wolves."