Page 65 of Savage Sacrifice
Bryony presses her thumb right between my eyes and my eyelids fall closed as a tepid warmth spreads across my face. It feels strange that, for the first time, my cheeks are not heating from my blush. It’s even stranger when I pry my eyes open again to find that they’re no longer blue, but a shimmering emerald green, and is that…? There’s a smattering of freckles dusted over my nose too.
Three little changes and I don’t look like myself at all.
I tilt my head to the side, trying to decide how I feel, but the main reality that holds me captive is the lack of bite-sized scars that were ingrained into my skin. I hate the fact that they’re gone again, but I guess it’s essential for the disguise.
My eyes meet Minnie’s in the mirror and I clear my throat. I feel awkward for asking, but now that I’ve thought about the wolf bite marks, I have to know. “Has Lincoln’s wolf made an appearance yet?”
She grimaces. “No, but I’m hoping tonight is the night since it’s the blood moon.”
I nod as my chest tightens with concern when Wylder appears behind me in the reflection. “Little Witch, it never fails to amaze me how hot you are, no matter what color your hair is. If the simple black hair threw him for a loop last time, I can’t wait to have fun with this.” He wiggles his eyebrows playfully and I shake my head as a soft hum of amusement floats from my lips.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him no, but the idea of somehow getting under Lincoln’s skin sounds exciting.
“Agreed,” Minnie interjects, turning to Wylder with her arms folded over her chest. “Now, get out so we can get dressed.”
Rubbing my lips together nervously,I look out over the acres of land we’re surrounded by as I let the atmosphere wash over me. It feels weird being at a wolf party that’s not in the woods on campus. Sure, trees frame the outskirts of the main setup, but it’s completely open otherwise. The focal point tonight is a massive bonfire where people are already dancing and mingling.
Witches, wolves, vampires, and humans.
They’re all here, lowering their inhibitions along with the invisible barriers between factions.
From my spot on the outdoor deck of the house, I have a few extra feet of height, allowing me to scan the entire crowd. Other than the bonfire, there’s a bar set up to the far left, Wylder in place, just like he was the first time I attended a wolf’s full moon party. The reminder makes me smile. Turning my attention to the other side of the gathered group, I find a food station set up too.
I should eat, we all should, but when Minnie links her arm through mine, dragging me down the few steps and into the crowd, it’s toward Wylder I find myself moving.
“Are we not eating?” Bryony asks, seemingly just as hungry as I am. Minnie has her other arm linked through hers, tugging us both along, and the wolf gives us both a pointed look.
“I need these boys to see her in this dress first,” she states, like that’s a valid enough reason, but as much as I shake my head in denial, my cheeks heat in anticipation of their attention.
Food can wait.
Just as my mind comes to the same conclusion as Minnie’s, Wylder lifts his gaze and his eyes instantly settle on me. I fiddle with the hem of my dress with my free hand, feeling his intense stare rake over me from head to toe as I watch a smirk spread across his cheeks.
There are a few people at the bar, waiting for his attention, but he doesn’t see any of them as he moves to the far end, pulling two shot glasses from beneath the counter before proceeding to fill them with the same liquor I shared with him the first time we met like this.
I know my cheeks are glowing as I come to a stop, and Minnie unlinks our arms, mumbling something about finding her own drink since the service seems to be lacking around here, but itgoes right over my head as all my attention falls to the man before me.
“You look fucking stunning,” he grunts, raking his eyes over me once again as I spy him readjusting his cock behind his black jeans. I smile, empowered by the effect I have on him.
“You like my dress?” I ask, peering down at the shimmering silver material clinging to my body like a second skin.
I had something picked out already, but when Minnie pulled this little number out, insisting I needed something silver to represent myself in disguise, I couldn’t say no.
“Like it? I fucking love it, but…” My forehead instantly creases with confusion as I blink at him and his ‘but,’ only for him to grin wider. “It would look better on my bedroom floor. Or the gym floor, or the locker room floor. Any floor, really,” he muses, running his thumb over his lip as he assesses me, and I preen under his flirtatious stare.
Tearing my gaze from his before I leap over the bar between us and give myself to him in front of all these people, I settle on the filled shot glasses. “Is this for me?”
“You know it.” He runs his tongue over his bottom lip as though he’s about to call me Little Witch, but he refrains. I offer him a reassuring smile. Knowing I already miss hearing it means he already misses saying it. But it’s just for tonight.
“Excuse me, are we going to get served?” A guy hollers, cutting through our moment, and I whip my head down the bar in search of the source, but before I can say a word, fists pound the bar as Minnie growls.
“Can’t you see they’re having a fucking moment, you doofus? Shut your mouth and wait patiently or I’ll make sure you’re drinking through a straw for the next month.”
I blink at her, surprised where the hell that came from, when Wylder snickers, drawing my attention to him.
“Don’t worry, it’s the blood moon. She’s always extra feisty on nights like tonight.”
I nod, although my eyebrows remain raised as I take the shot glass in front of me. The moment I do, Wylder is poised, ready with the salt and lime wedge. A shiver of excitement races down my body as he runs his tongue over my hand before sprinkling the salt.
