Cursed To Death

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” Sasha murmured, handing Rupert her glass. “I would love to dance, and my life mate is having the time of his life.”

“Good,” Sir Rodney said, leading her out onto the dance floor, but holding her with a little space between their bodies. “Thank you for coming back to my castle for the ball. I thought I might have chased you off for good.”

“I’m harder to scare off than that,” she said, chuckling.

But as his face grew serious she began to worry.

“Thank you for wearing the dress and the shoes,” Sir Rodney said quietly, moving her around the dance floor and never missing a beat. “Happy birthday.”

“You really, really-”

“Ssssh… It’s all right. The enchantment that we were all under wasn’t wholly evil… it worked with what was always there. Hunter is a lucky man. Shogun and I are old enough and wise enough to remain friends and philosophical about some things… but do know that you are completely bewitching.”

They danced on for a bit in silence and then he looked down as the song almost ended. “I do hope that the truth doesn’t make you sad.” He smiled at her and inclined his head. “I am Fae… Shogun is a Werewolf, the room is bedazzled-we gentlemen shall recover.”

She laughed and shook her head.

“Enjoy your mate, Sasha. We all want what you two have… someone loyal and kind in our corner.”

He let her go with a gallant bow and was off to find a pretty damsel that was available. She stood where he’d left her for a long time and then suddenly she had the urge to find Hunter.

It wasn’t just a “huh, I wonder where he is” urge. It was something akin to panic that made her quicken her steps and dash across the ballroom floor. She found him joking around with Woods, Winters, and Fisher, and their newfound dates, talking about how Bear and Crow had abandoned him in the game of shots with Shogun and his men.

“Hey,” Hunter said, obviously feeling no pain. “I was wondering where you were.”

Sasha laughed and put her arm around his waist. “You won the bet with Shogun, I take it?”

Hunter threw his head back and howled, gaining howls and laughter from his men and all the other wolves in the ballroom. Fae gave him jaunty thumbs-up as he pulled her onto the dance floor.

“You having fun?” She stared up into his face and touched his jaw.

“The most fun I’ve had in a long time,” he said quietly and then kissed her.

She hadn’t expected it, wasn’t prepared for it, but was glad that he did it.

“We’re always working,” he said as he broke the kiss. “After what just went down in New Orleans, who knows when we’ll get to do this again… especially after you meet the president.”

“That’s why I’m glad you came… why we got to do this.”

She snuggled in close to him, breathing in his fantastic scent, not caring that it was laced with whatever Fae shots he’d done. She didn’t care if a tux was foreign to him-he looked damned good in it. Didn’t care if he was a man of few words and didn’t possess the eloquence of some of his rivals. He was hers and she was his.

“With all this insanity going on,” he said after a moment, nuzzling her hair, “I never got to get you a birthday present. I had it made… but never got to go back and get it. I know that sounds lame, but you know I am no liar. Baby, I’m sorry… Happy birthday anyway. I’ll make it up to you.”

“I know you are no liar,” she said, cupping his cheek and looking up into his eyes. “This, right now, you being alive and laughing and dancing the night away with me, is the best birthday present in the world.”

“There were a lot of times I didn’t think either one of us would make it… I feel like Bradley did at the hospital all the time. I just never tell you how broken I would be if you never came out of the shadows.”

She brushed his mouth with the pad of her thumb and inclined her head. “There’s a really big bank of shadows over there by the pillars. Wa

A slow half smile tugged at his cheek as he spun her around and danced her into the nothingness.

L A Banks

L. A. Banks, a native Philadelphian, is a graduate of the University of Pe