Page 73 of Fanged Desire
Ethan froze mid-adjustment. “Wait – what?”
“Oh,” I deadpanned. “Did I forget to mention? The people we’re mingling with tonight are elves.”
His jaw dropped, and he gaped at me like a fish out of water. “You’re messing with me, right?”
“Nope,” I quipped, tweaking my mask and rising to my feet. “Full-on supernatural beings. Taller than you, sharper senses,and some of them might want to rip your head off if you look at them the wrong way. You’ll do great.”
Ethan blinked rapidly, his gaze darting to Addison, who was biting back a grimace. “You knew about this?”
She shrugged, shooting me a condemning glare. “It’s been… a week.”
“Great.” Ethan dragged a hand down his face. “Fantastic. I’m about to crash a party with mythical beings, and nobody thought to give me a heads-up?”
“You’re welcome to sit this one out.” I spoke over my shoulder, already moving toward the edge of the tree line.
Ethan groaned, shaking his head. “You owe me an explanation. Both of you.”
“I’ll fill you in later,” Addison murmured as she adjusted her mask, the deep crimson perfectly matching her dress.
I took a deep breath, scanning the mansion’s entrance. The elves had guards posted at the main gates, but the throng of guests arriving in shimmering gowns and tailored suits gave us plenty of cover. “Remember the plan. Ethan and I will handle the small talk and try to figure out what’s going on. Addison, you slip away when you can and search for Penelope.”
“And if we get caught?” Ethan asked, his voice a touch higher than usual.
“Run,” I said flatly, earning a groan from him and a nervous laugh from Addison.
As we stepped out from the hedges, my eyes wandered back to Addison again. I’d seen her decked out in fishnets and stilettos, seen her comfortable in oversized jeans. Now she was gliding beside me like a fairytale princess, on her way to a masked ball before the stroke of midnight.
Every iteration of Addison was stupefying; I could look at her all day long.
“You’re staring,” she whispered as we approached the crowds massing at the gates.
“Just making sure you’re convincing.” I held her gaze, grateful for the mask veiling my expression. “And don’t trip on that hem. It would ruin the illusion.”
She rolled her eyes, but her smile was undeniable.
Ethan fell into step beside us, his mask slightly askew but his swagger intact. “All right, let’s get this over with. If we survive this, I’m never complaining about my shifts at the club again.”
“Good to hear,” I chimed in, clapping him on the back as we reached the gates. “You’re not so bad, blondie. I hope you live.”
The guards at the gate didn’t look at all suspicious, though one of them wrinkled his nose, most likely at Addison’s stark fragrance. The taller of the two stepped forward, his silver mask gleaming. “Name?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Valerian Dusk.”
The name flowed like honey, pulled from Esmerelde’s memories. I just had to hope it would stick. “And my companions, Gillian and Seraph Mourn. We’ve traveled quite a way to join this little party, and I’d hate for our efforts to go unappreciated.”
Ethan cleared his throat, doing his best to look bored and lofty. “Would be a shame, wouldn’t it?”
The guard glanced between us, before checking his clipboard. His partner remained silent. I noticed the talismans pinned to their lapels and seethed inwardly but forced a smile.
There was a long pause, tension stretching taut in the air, until, finally, the guard stepped aside, waving us in with his clipboard. “Enjoy the evening.”
“Thank you.” I nodded to him, my tone gracious but edged with unnecessary superiority. As we passed through I felt Ethan let out a quiet exhale behind me.
“Seraph Mourn?” he whispered back incredulously. “What kind of name is that?”
“Deal with it, Mr Mourn,” I shot back, stifling a grin as we approached the grand doors of the mansion. The soft hum of music spilled out as the heavy doors opened, revealing a crowd of masked guests fluttering around in extravagant attire.
I turned to Addison, the crimson of her dress glowing under the golden light of the chandeliers overhead. I met her gaze, holding it for a moment longer than necessary.
