Wolf's Bane

Party

Desiree's new dress arrived in the afternoon. She could only stare at it for a while. It was blue with purple streaks down the skirt. It looked like something better suited for a duchess than a waitress. She had a full-length mirror in her room, which she stood in front of, holding the dress up as she imagined wearing it. She considered trying it on right then, but was afraid she might ruin it.

She wound up staying in her room for most of the day, worried she might get in the way of everyone preparing for the party if she left it. She had a few books she'd borrowed from Andrew, which allowed her to learn a lot about werewolves and their culture. The books talked about them quelling the vampire population, which raised questions she wasn't sure how to ask. It didn't go into great detail, though.

A couple of hours before the event, a woman came in to do her hair and make-up. Desiree figured she could handle the latter herself, but she wasn't about to argue. She realized she needed to look her best if she wanted to fit in at the party.

Once that was done, it was finally time for her to put on the dress along with some silver shoes that had accompanied it. They were the most comfortable pair of heels she'd ever worn. She turned to look in the mirror and paused. She could barely recognize herself. How long had it been since she'd dressed up even a little? Here she was in a beautiful dress with her hair and make-up professionally done, getting ready to go to some fancy party full of werewolves. She wasn't sure which part of that was the most overwhelming.

There was a knock at the door and she answered it to find Andrew, wearing a tuxedo and looking more handsome than ever.

He stared at her. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you, so do you." She didn't really know what else to say

"May I come in?"

She backed away to let him enter.

"I trust the dress is to your liking."

"I'm afraid it's too nice for me to wear. I feel like it should be on display, instead."

"But it wouldn't be as beautiful locked in a glass case as it is when you are wearing it."

Desiree nearly laughed at how cheesy that was, but he sounded sincere, so she resisted. "I'm still a little nervous about tonight."

"There's no need to be," he assured her. "Everyone will love you. I just know it."

She managed a smile at that.

"I brought you a gift to commemorate the occasion." He held up a small box and opened it, revealing a bracelet with purple and blue morning glory charms.

"It's beautiful," Desiree said as she stared at it.

He set the box on her vanity and lifted the bracelet, holding it in front of him. "May I?"

Desiree held a hand out to him in silence and his snapped the bracelet onto her wrist before taking her hand.

"A prefect fit," he said with a smile.

His hands were warm and soft. She had no desire to pull away. With him there, her worries faded. She knew he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. She may not have known this man long, but she found herself trusting him. In a way, that scared her more than anything else.

"We should head downstairs," he commented. "The guests will be arriving soon and we should be there to greet them."

"Okay." Desiree wondered if he could hear her heart pounding as she allowed him to lead the way.

When they reached the stairs, he offered her his arm and she took it, clinging to him like he was a safety blanket as they made their way down the steps and stood in front of the entrance.