King Hall (Forever Evermore, #1)(71)

This year it was held at an abandoned house on the outskirts of Choep. Every year the party changed locations, but this house had been foreclosed on and mentioned as a possibility and, bang, it was a done deal. A Mage had magically turned the power and plumbing back on for the night and it was a good thing there wasn’t any furniture, because the place was packed.

I ran a hand through my hair since it was a little windblown. I’d had to sneak out tonight — as had my friends — since we were still “grounded”, dodging all bodyguards. Our elite guards were here, so we didn’t feel too guilty leaving the others behind.

Nikki poured tequila shots where we stood at the counter. Her expressive brown eyes were wide with excitement as the almost-too-loud music pumped through the air. She held up her shot, asking, “What should we drink to?”

Instant. Pearl held up her shot. “To no more homework. Ever.”

“That doesn’t really work for me since I’ve got one more year left, but whatever.” Nikki grinned at us happily. “I’m the minority here, so I cave.”

Jack picked up his shot, murmuring something against Nikki’s ear that made her laugh, before he said loudly, “To never having a number two pencil again.”

I held my shot up. “To no more detentions because I fell asleep in class.”

Gideon held up his shot. “To hoping I pass my finals.” He shrugged at our expressions. “It’s relevant to me.” His drink sloshed as Pearl swatted his lips with a kiss.

“To no more five-thousand count essays.” Ezra held up his shot.

“I’ve got one,” Nikki murmured quickly, blushing. “To new friends.”

We grinned at that and knocked glasses, downing the shots, carefully standing with a good foot between each other.

More shots quickly disappeared until we were all toasty warm, just a little tipsy, and that was when warm arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and Felix’s familiar voice whispered against my ear, “Dance with me.”

I closed my eyes, feeling how good he felt against me. His heat penetrated through my thin black dress, and I felt myself sinking against him. He was everything I wanted in a consistent sexual partner. No strings. Only heat, strength, and attraction.

It was really hard for me to open my eyes and turn around in his embrace, and say, “I can’t, Felix. You’re one of my two elite. I can’t mix business with pleasure when safety’s on the line.” I had figured this out right before we walked in here, knowing he was attending and would, more than likely, try this.

Felix held my gaze. His jaw clenched. “Lily…” He closed his mouth, lips pursed for a few beats until he spoke quietly. “You’re sure about this?” He wasn’t going to beg or ask twice. I knew he was stronger than that, so this was his last offer.

My nostrils flared, scenting him, and my eyes closed in remembrance. God, we had been really good together. My own jaw clenched, and I opened my eyes. Nodded. “Yes. I’m sure.”

Stooping slowly, he kissed my forehead. “At least we had a little fun in this godforsaken lifetime.”

My heart broke, because I knew his heart was still torn for his late mate. I hugged him, kissing his cheek. “Yeah. We had fun.”

He squeezed me tight, and then backed away, but not too far, still doing his job.

“That was f*cking depressing,” Gideon muttered as I turned back to my group. I don’t know what my face showed, but he mumbled, “Shit, Lily. Why don’t you just go be with him if you want to?”

I poured another shot, and pointed to Gideon around it. “Because I don’t want to so badly that I’d risk dying for it. He’s here to keep me alive, and he can’t do that with his hands on my ass.” I downed my shot. “Anyone wanna dance?” I needed contact. Not because of the Shifter need, but because of the woman-in-me need. I needed comforting.

Everyone wanted to, so we made our way to the dance floor, which was in the middle of what had probably been a living room at one time since it had a brick fireplace on one wall, the bricks rising to the ceiling, the only adornment to the navy-blue painted walls. We squeezed through the crowd and started dancing with one another. No-one picked any certain partner. We just piled together and moved.

Two songs later, I was laughing when Pearl bent down in front of me and crossed her eyes, bopping her butt in the air. So un-Queen-like I loved it. Seemingly, Gideon did too because he moved behind her, grabbing her hips, and both of them moved a tad different then.

Jack pulled Nikki against him, their foreheads together, and began slow dancing with her even though the music was upbeat enough to make a rabbit happy.

Turning, I crooked my finger at Ezra, who was being mauled by two Vampire girlies.

Tilting his chin up once, he somehow maneuvered out of their hands. He began pulling me against him right as I felt hands land on my waist accompanied by the smell of polar bear, but those unwanted hands released me as I moved away. Thank God, he had been quick. Jim had become a regular stalker most days, and it was all I could do to avoid him in the hallways at school.

“Thanks,” Ezra muttered, glancing over his shoulder.

I snorted. “I should be thanking you, not the other way around.”

He lifted his head, peering over mine. His lips twitched. “That guy seriously can’t take a hint. I thought you locking him in his own car three weeks ago was ingenious.”