Shadows of the Ancients (9 page)

“You cannot be serious!”

“What?” I questioned innocently.

“Get over here, and find yourself something to wear.”

“I brought some of my own jeans, since you’re short. I just need a top that’s going to look classy, yet flatter my figure.” I sorted through a few, and while they would have fit the bill on Ashley, they would have draped over my thin, barely-there-boob frame like a potato sack.

“No! Not more boring, Jess clothes!” Ashley whined as I grabbed a t-shirt out of my bag instead. “What about hot, sultry Jess from last night? You know the one that rocked that dress like there was no tomorrow? I liked her style!”

“Mmmhmm, her style got me in trouble, remember?”

“Pssh, trouble my ass. You’re going to be mated to a Prince now instead of douchebag Zach. I’d say that dress got you out of trouble!”

I sat down for a minute, taking it all in again. “I can’t believe that was last night. I mean, what the hell? I feel like my life is not my own all of a sudden.”

“Good, because aside from me being in it, your life was pretty boring and lame. You needed something to shake things up, and you definitely needed a special someone to do the shaking.” She thought for a minute as she pulled out a beautiful blue silk shirt that had a ribbon closure on the top, leaving a teardrop opening that would dip almost down to the middle of my breasts. “This is the one! He’ll love it. It’s flirty, sexy, and still modest enough for you, Jess.” She shrugged as she added, “besides, my boobs don’t really fit in it.”

I rolled my eyes at her, but secretly I was jumping for joy. I’d always wanted to try that blouse on for size. “So, what do you think of Evan?”

“Um, I never got to talk to him yet, remember? I just saw how he tried to become one with you at the bar, but I have to say, I approved of that. Lord knows, it’s about time someone got you all hot and bothered!”

I groaned. I know she meant well, but I always felt like a kid next to Ashley, even though I was technically a few months older than her. “I keep forgetting you weren’t there today for pack business.”

“Not yet.” She said offhandedly. “Maybe one of these days soon though.” I took note of the glazed look that crossed her face. “I wonder if I’d transition as smoothly as Jack?”

“You never know, Ashley.” I tried to sound positive when I said it, because there was a huge part of me that wanted it to be true. I needed Ashley to be by my side in this life, for my whole, unnaturally extended life.

“I just worry. What if I try, and I don’t make it? What if I didn’t live enough and it’s all for nothing, and I just cease to exist?”

“Oh, Ashley, let’s not think about that right now. If and when you are ready, we will try. I think your chances of becoming a wolf are phenomenal after watching Jack go through it.”

My phone went off indicating that I had an incoming text. “Later isn’t soon enough. I want to see you now!” A stupid grin broke out across my face. Ashley noticed, and smiled at me.

“I take it that was lover boy?”

“Ash, I’ve been swept away by how I feel around him.” The grin slowly seeped away, replaced by the worry that creased across my brow.

“How is that a bad thing?”

“It’s literally been a day, and when he says this,” I turned the phone to show her my text. “I want to leap up and run down to the club to see him too.”

“Again, I’m not seeing the downside here.”

“You know, I’ve always worried about losing myself like some of the women I’ve seen, where all they live for is the wolf they mated. They cook and clean, they have his babies, but they have no identity of their own anymore. I don’t want to be swallowed up whole by someone who’s larger than life.”

“Jess,” Ashley came over to wrap her arms around me, “you could never be swallowed up by anyone else’s presence, your own is way too big for that.” She pushed the blue blouse into my hand again, “Now, go get dressed. It is okay to be excited, and invigorated by something new. You’ve never really been interested in someone before. It’s okay to get carried away in the feeling of it, Jess. I promise. I will be here to reign you in if I see you start to look like a Stepford Wife or something, okay?”

“I’m going to hold you to that.” I stood and walked to the bathroom with my outfit in hand.

Fifteen minutes later I was still standing there awestruck by the way the shirt looked on me. It was like the damn thing had been custom designed to highlight everything I needed it to. There was the added bonus that the shirt was almost the identical cobalt blue color of Evan’s eyes. I had to mentally make myself pull it together when the thought of Evan’s eyes led me to think about being back in his arms, and how it felt when I had been leaning against his solid chest, feeling his arms around me. I imagined the spicy scent of him wrapping around and...

“JESS!” Ashley yelled for me. “Come on, the anticipation is killing me. Did you forget how to tie the ribbon, or what?”

I opened the bathroom door and stood there without going any further. Ashley’s jaw literally dropped. “Oh my God!” She said as she moved closer. “Why did I not give you that shirt sooner? Never mind, forget that question. You got it at the perfect time, your man is going to shit himself when he sees you tonight.”

“Um, let’s hope not literally.”

Ashley smacked me lightly on the arm, but laughed. “Jesus, this fits you so well. Turn around, let me see. Thank God you didn’t pack your mom jeans.”

“My what?”

“You know, your comfy jeans that are baggy and don’t really flatter your shape?” She waved me off when I looked mystified. “Seriously, between the skinny jeans, that shirt, and oh…” she stopped there. Your boots are going to look great with that. Here,” she said putting them in my hands. “Put them on, so I can see the complete package.” I slipped into the boots after I put some socks on my feet too, and Ashley literally clapped at me when I stood back up. “Perfect!”

I did my own makeup tonight, going a little lighter than what Jess had done for me the previous night. I added in a little blue highlighting around my eyes to match the shirt, but otherwise it was mostly dark liner, mascara, and a lip stain for effect. I kept my hair down straight too. It fell stick straight to the middle of my back in long layers. Once I was done, I only had to wait on Ashley to finish up. She came striding out of the bathroom in a black mini dress with a royal blue cardigan layered overtop, because this was not going to be a warm fall night. The temperatures had already dropped into the 30s over the past few hours.

She stalked over to me, hopping on one foot as she slipped a black, five inch heel onto her right foot. The minute she was in it, she was almost as tall as I was. After she slipped the second one on, she came over to stand beside me, both of us facing the full length mirror on the back of her door. “Oh, we look amazing!” Her red curls were draped over her shoulders, while the blue in the cardigan made her eyes stand out even more than they already did. “Let’s get going, because it’s a waste for us to be the only two people seeing this magnificence.”

“I don’t know why you bother waiting to become a werewolf. You already have the ego of one!” I was laughing with her as we walked out the door.

“Well, that should just make the transition that much easier when I do!”

“Ah! That’s different. You said, ‘when’ not ‘if’ this time.”

“I guess the idea is growing on me more and more. Especially now that I have seen there are such fine specimens of werewolves outside of your pack. Tonight, you will introduce me to that hulking man-beast that your Evan was with last night.”

I smiled, “Asriel. Evan calls him Asi though.”

“Asi, I can live with that, especially if those tanks he calls arms are perched around me.” Ash attempted a throaty growl to make her point, but it came out all wrong, and she ended up in the midst of a coughing fit as a result.

Of course, I laughed at her. “Maybe, try not to growl at him though. We don’t want him to think you have some incurable disease!” Ashley smacked me across the shoulder as I continued laughing at her.

“Damn it, did my mascara run?” She asked, while rubbing her fingers gently under her eyes.

“No, you’re good, Ash.”

“At least I got that out before we got there. That could have been really embarrassing. So, no growling at the wolves for me tonight.”

“You don’t need to growl, just flip that flaming red hair of yours around, and bat those beautiful blue eyes. He’ll be eating out of your hand in no time.”

“Hmmm, I wonder what I have to do to get him to eat out…”

“Ashley Leanne Reynolds!” I gasped, pretending to be shocked by her dirty mouth.

“What?” She grinned at me. “If you weren’t such a prude, you’d be thinking the same damn thing. As a matter of fact, weren’t you telling me earlier about an ice cold shower you had to take? Maybe we’re two perverted peas in a pod, sister!”

“I’m beginning to think that’s very likely, Ash!” We were walking up to the front of the club when I turned to Ashley, “remember, they’re werewolves. They can hear everything when we’re in there. Even a whisper. If you have something really embarrassing to say, just text it to me.”

“Aw, you take all the fun out of everything!” Ashley laughed as I gave her a knowing look. We both knew Ashley ran her mouth a lot when she got drunk.

“You’re not welcome here.” The bouncer from last night said to us as we walked up to the entrance of Hypnotic, the club Evan had just purchased.

“Excuse me?” Ashley said as her hand went to her hip.

“Why not?” I asked.

“After last night, you really have to ask?” He smirked. “We’re lucky that little punk isn’t suing us for a new nose.” He shook his head. “I’m not even sure how such a skinny little thing could manage that kind of damage, but I do know I’m not letting you through these doors again.” The bald man exuded confidence that any werewolf might possess, but he was definitely just human. I would have sniffed him out, even if he had been a different type of shifter. He wasn’t. His bald head was reflecting the light of the neon sign above, as I texted Evan.

“I think you’re about to change your mind,” I said to him with a wink.

“I don’t think so, sweetheart!”

A text buzzed back on my phone, and my face lit up as I waited for someone to come deliver the message to this bouncer that he was overstepping his bounds. “Do you know the new owner?” I asked innocently.

“Haven’t been introduced yet, and it doesn’t change a thing.”

“I see,” I stepped back as the door to the bar opened from the inside, and Evan stepped out, looking like a million bucks in a tailored, black suit jacket, that fit him to perfection. He was wearing it over a blue button down shirt, paired with dark blue jeans, and shiny black boots. His cobalt eyes sparkled above the whole package when he looked at me, and the smile on his face made my insides melt.

“We haven’t been introduced yet,” Evan said to the man as he held out his hand. “I am Evan De’Lune, the new owner of this establishment.”

“Yes sir, good to meet you. Name’s Pete Fontaine.” He pumped his hand in greeting a couple good times before letting go.

Evan looked back over his shoulder at Ashley and I then. “What seems to be the problem with these two ladies?”

“This one,” Pete nodded in my direction, “broke a guy’s nose in here last night. I talked him out of suing, but only just barely. He didn’t want people to know he got his ass beat down by a girl.” Pete had the good sense to laugh a little at that. “I banned her from the establishment, so that it wouldn’t happen again.”

“Ah, I see.” Evan turned to me and looked me up and down long enough that goose bumps erupted across my skin under the scrutiny before he turned back to Pete. “Well, Pete, I was here last night, and heard what that punk ass said to Miss St. Marks before she punched him. I have to tell you, had she not been able to handle herself, I would have done it for her.” His smile was starting to light up the entire street, or maybe it just felt that way to me. Pete looked a little confused, and a tad bit of worry was starting to creep in around the edges of his own smile. “Now, neither of these girls deserves to be placed on a banned list, nor do I wish it. They will always have access, no matter the time of day or night. Am I understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Pete said, and then he turned to me and added, “sorry for the misunderstanding, Miss St. Marks.”

“Not a problem, Pete. It happens.” I gave him a wink before I slipped inside behind Evan.

We were only a few steps in when Evan reached back and grabbed a hold of my hand, pulling me up beside him. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “you should be right here by my side, not walking behind me.” My heart was fluttering to its own rhythm now, and I maneuvered myself closer to Evan so I could catch his scent better. I couldn’t quite pinpoint what he smelled like to me, except to say it was manly, intoxicating, and had my stomach pulling tight with the thoughts that were flowing through my mind now. “What are you drinking tonight?”

“Captain and Coke.”

“Vodka Cranberry,” Ashley added. “Hey, where’s your buddy tonight?”

Evan ordered our drinks, and then turned back to Ashley with a knowing look on his face. “Asi has some business to attend, but he’ll be along a little later.”

“M’kay.” Ashley said as she took the drink she was being offered.

“Come on, it’s quieter in the back.” Evan walked us back to the room with the pool tables, but skirted us around the outside of it as we went. There was an alcove back there that led to a semi-hidden little lounge area with a couple couches and tables.

“Seriously, how many times have we been here, and I never knew this existed?” Ashley asked as she plopped down on a couch, nearly spilling her drink with the momentum.

“Yeah, I didn’t either. Then again, we don’t play pool, so neither of us ever came back this far.”

“Ladies, you have to be a little more adventurous!” Evan sat down on the opposite corner of the couch Ash had just took up residence on, and he pulled me down into his lap.

“You look absolutely stunning tonight!” He whispered into my ear.

“Thank you, I could say the same of you!” I tugged on his blue dress shirt with my fingers, “this is a really good color on you. It brings out your amazing eyes.” The smile that bloomed across his face then, made me warm all over, but the noise he made in the back of his throat built a fire inside me.