Page 43 of Until the Stars Fall

Hannah walked up, beautiful in a dark moss-green velvet dress draped off her shoulders.

“You look stunning,” I said, hugging her.

“Thanks, sis. You’re gorgeous and sophisticated, as always. I still don’t know how you get your updos so perfect by yourself.”

I shrugged. “Practice.”

She winked at me and walked off toward the others, but I stayed where I was, sensing that Beck was just behind me.

“Gemma.”

I turned to see him smiling at me, and my heart fluttered. That smile lit every room, and the effect was magnified by how ridiculously handsome he was in a black shirt and suit. His green eyes twinkled in the relative darkness of his trimmed beard and loose dark hair. He straightened his suit jacket as he approached.

“You look—” He broke off, shaking his head and blinking slowly. “Wow.”

“That bad, huh?” I asked, twisting my fingers together. I glanced at the others across the room to judge their hearing distance—far enough—as his aura moved enticingly into mine.

He placed his hand gently against my lower back, just below the cut-out in my dress, and murmured in my ear. “If by ‘bad’ you mean breathtakingly beautiful, then yes. You look very, very bad.”

Warmth flushed my skin, and desire twisted through my body, but I didn’t have long to process it.

“Shall we?” he asked, removing his hand and offering me his crooked elbow.

“Let’s.” I slipped my hand into his arm and let him lead me to the buffet. I followed behind Hannah, adding New Orleans delicacies I’d missed to my plate: soufflé potatoes, red beans and rice, and fresh mini-French bread po-boys. I stopped still, jaw open, at the next small table where my cake was. The sides looked like a galaxy, with purple, blue, and pink smudges in a sea of black, speckled with white stars. A bouquet of buttercream flowers in the same hues sat atop the cake.

“Who made this gorgeous cake?”

Hannah slipped an arm around my waist. “It was a joint effort. Summer and I took a cake decorating class a couple of years ago. It’s a lil’ hobby.”

“You never told me about that!” I said. “You’re both so talented! Thank you. I love it.” The evening just started, and I was already getting choked up over a dessert.

I sat next to Beck during dinner, soaking up his happy energy, jumping into conversations with the rest of the coven. After dinner, we feasted on the cake, which was as delicious as it was beautiful.

Eyre handed me a little package wrapped in art paper painted with flowers.

“What’s this? You didn’t have to give me anything.”

“But I wanted to. We all did.”

Eyre gave me the softest fingerless gloves she’d knitted in my favorite plum color, Zola gave me a spa package full of her best bath bombs and salts, and Summer gave me a warming pillow she’d sewn herself, filled with lavender flowers and flaxseed.

Hannah took a small, open-sided glass terrarium planted with succulents from the table and presented it to me with outstretched hands. “I couldn’t wrap it, so I made it birthday table decor!”

“Thank you all so much. This is amazing.” I blinked my tears away. They were treating me as if I was part of their family. I hadn’t been part of a family in a long time.

“I don’t know about y’all, but I’m gonna dance! C’mon Summer!” Hannah cranked up the music, spinning on her toes like the ballerina she’d been as a child. The party wore on, and the wine flowed freely. Eyre even convinced Zola to break out her violin to play along with the records.

I danced a little with the others, but no wine for me. I couldn’t let my consciousness be altered by any kind of drug. That would just invite my magic to run wild.

Late in the party, after Beck slipped away to the elevator, I went upstairs to the mezzanine restroom for a refresh. On the way out, I stopped to watch from the balcony, my heart full. I’d dreaded spending time with this coven, but dammit, they’d won me over completely. Summer and Hannah were cozied up, talking in the corner, while Zola and Eyre laughed and shrieked, disco dancing together on the parquet floor.

Beck had returned, standing near his records. His back was to me, but as if he felt my eyes on him, he turned and looked right at me. He strode up the stairs to join me.

“You’re not partaking either, I see?” He toasted me with his water bottle.

I shook my head, slightly moving in time to the song. “I’m not a drinker.”

“Me neither. Listen, I’m sorry I disappeared, but I went to get your gift. I didn’t have anything to wrap it in, so close your eyes and put out your hand.”

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