Page 3 of Radiant Shadows

I finished tying the black tie that had been hanging cockeyed around my neck and sat back on my bed as I waited for her to finish her pruning process—apparently, it was an arduous task, and a futile one as I preferred her without makeup.

After a good forty minutes of focused silence punctuated by the occasional whir of a blow dryer and thetinkof brushes and tools, she stepped out of the bathroom and proved my previous belief completely wrong.

She was a vision of beauty in her fitted white gown, her hair styled masterfully in a half-up-half-down fashion, and her face accentuated to perfection with various shades and glitter that highlighted the high points of her delicate features. I hadn’t thought any product could do anything but hinder her natural beauty, but somehow, her cosmetic magic only enhanced it.

“Wow, you look…” I floundered, unable to find the right words to describe how her stunning appearance made me feel.

She snickered. “Thanks. Shall we?” She held out her arm in an invitation for me to escort her.

I nodded like a dumb fool, pushing off the bed and coming to her side. She slipped her delicate hand through my bent arm, and as I ushered her out into the hall, I prayed that Shea would find the right spell to break the curse.

The clock was ticking, much more quickly than it ever had before. My romantic resistance wasn’t long for this world, and I didn’t know how much longer I could keep my heart under lockdown—especially when Arya held the key.

Chapter 2

Ashlyn

Tonight was the big night, and every girl in the school was busy getting ready for the New Year’s Eve Ball—every girl except for me.

No, I was using the better part of my day training in the gym. I didn’t have a date or any major reason to doll myself up outside of bringing in the new year with some class, so I opted for the low-key approach. I’d get a good sweat on, then throw on a killer dress and some makeup at the last minute.

I hadn’t realized Jackson was also in the gym until after I’d finished my third set.

He had a thin, black headband in his hair to keep it out of his face, and the way the sweat made his shirtless, muscular chest glisten definitely had me appreciating his physique. When he caught me staring, he flashed me a smug smirk right before I averted my gaze and went on about my routine as if I hadn’t noticed him at all.

While our date hadn’t been a complete disaster, I was still pretty adamant about keeping whatever this was platonic. Playing pool with him had been surprisingly fun, and his were friends weren’t as crazy as I had expected. Most of them had grown up like me, kids from the wrong side of the track, the product of absent and neglectful parents.

Though Jackson was a bit of an exception—he came from a long line of weres, passing the bite down from generationto generation—he still fit the bill. Apparently, his family was affiliated with the mafia in some way.

I definitely didn’t need that in my life.

He kept his distance, but he also wouldn't stop giving me the side-eye and occasional sexy chin jut. And I was pretty sure the show he was putting on of curling his rather impressive biceps was for my benefit.

It might have been working, which made it hard for me to focus on my workout reps. Especially when he started doing pull-ups, his abs rippling in all their glistening glory.

Stop ogling him; that’s what he wants!

As I grabbed my water bottle and towel to leave, he jogged up to catch me.

“Hey, you looked great out there doing your little workout reps.”

I wasn’t sure he knew how offensive he sounded. “Little? I would murder you in there.”

“I’ll take that challenge,” he said with a wink.

I rolled my eyes, mainly to keep them off his lickable chest.

“Yeah, sorry. Gotta get ready for the ball.” I didn't intend to bring up the ball, but there it was.

“Oh? Who’s the lucky guy?” Even though his eyes were roaming up and down my body in a gesture that said he wanted to eat me like Red Riding Hood, there was a vulnerability in them that was very slightly endearing.

“I don't have one.”

His confident smile returned in full force. It kind of annoyed me, but at the same time, the smolder he was giving off made mycheeks—and my core—heat. By the way he took a step closer, I figured it was written all over my face.

“Do you want one?” he asked, looming over me in a way that made me feel like prey.

I swallowed. “Not really.”

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