To Love a Shifter: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set (99 page)

         
Yeah, I bet,
George thought, secretly snickering. But it was really cute, the way Maricha had this huge crush on Adrijan. They would make a great couple.

          “Have you made your choice yet?” Maricha asked.

          George considered the photos of gowns spread on the table. She tried to summon up some interest in it, but she just didn’t have what it took to appreciate beautiful clothes. Give her money to burn on camera lenses anytime – that would have been so much more fun.

          She said finally, “I give up. I have zero taste in fashion. Is it okay if you choose what I should wear?”

          “Are you sure?” Maricha had never met a woman who did not love to shop for clothes.

          “Extremely so. Just make sure I look as good as you or as much as I can look beautiful next to you and I’m cool.”

          Maricha blushed at the older woman’s words. “I am not---”

“You are and don’t let any stubborn ignorant dude fool you into thinking you’re not,” George said dryly and jerked her head towards the balcony meaningfully.

Maricha’s eyes widened. “You guessed?”

The young girl did not sound happy. Oh, shit. So maybe she really did have a big mouth. George said hastily, “It was very hard to guess.”

Maricha did not look convinced.

And fuck – maybe she was really the worst liar on the planet, too. She tried thinking of a diversion and her gaze fell on the invitation on the table. She picked it up and when she realized what was written on it, she jumped to her feet with a muttered expletive.

“What the fuck?”

Maricha was startled. “What is it?”

“This ball – this fucking ball is…what the fuck…” She was so mad that she couldn’t finish her sentence.

“You did not know about the bride candidates?”

“No. I did not fucking know and I am so going to kill him for this.”

A ball to celebrate the homecoming of the Duke of Brimstone…

A ball where all the eligible maidens of the city of Asphodel were invited…

A bride quest for the future duchess of Silviu Draghici…

She thought of Silviu meeting all those women. She thought of all those women drooling after Silviu.

No. Hell no. Fuck no.

She bellowed, “SILVIU!”

Chalysian chameleon. Extinct species.

#throwbackthursday #byebye

          One elegant carriage after another rolled down the private pathway that led to the castle of the Duke of Brimstone. A red carpet was laid on the grand staircase that led up to the ballroom, and every once in a while, the butler’s stentorian tone would declare the arrival of new guests, all of them wealthy and titled residents from the City of Asphodel.

          Alone in the garden, hidden behind the shrubs, George sat on the bench, telling herself to be calm. She had a sudden panic attack, and not wanting anyone to know how weak she felt for experiencing this kind of anxiety, she had escaped into the gardens to be alone with her thoughts.

          Everything had sunk in, together, all at once, and it left her unable to breathe.

          Lady Beyotch was the Red Witch, whom she and the whole world knew as Delphine LaLaurie, one of the most evil women in history.

          Silviu was also the Duke of Brimstone, whom everyone seemed to think was a god. He said he was in love with her – and that he would kill the Red Witch for her.

          And what about her?

          What was she going to do now?

          Was she simply going to let everything happen without having a hand in it?

          “What are you doing here alone,
ma threa
?” Silviu sat next to her on the marbled bench. She was incredibly beautiful tonight, with her hair twisted into delicate curls over her head and her voluptuous body beautifully but modestly displayed in Maricha’s perfectly selected gown with its tight black velvet and lace bodice and full skirts, the turquoise shade matching her gaze.

          “I do not have a good feeling about this night,” she admitted.

          “Are you worried I will fall in love with someone else?”

          “Bastard.”

          He laughed softly and bent down to kiss her bare shoulder. It was such a simple touch, but it was enough to make her shiver.

          “Silviu,” she protested weakly.

          He loved her soft tone, knowing it was only for him, and he kissed her again, moving all the way up to her neck.

          She shivered again and quickly moved away before she lost herself in his touch. “I’m serious. I don’t feel good about tonight.”

          “Is it because of
her
?”

          Slowly, George nodded.

          “I am the Duke of Brimstone, milady. Do you think one such as her can kill me?”

          “Your arrogance will kill you, that’s what I think.”

          He laughed.

          “Silviu…please just take care?”

          He kissed her hard. “For you, milady. I will never give up on life.” He stood up. “I am needed inside. Will you come with me now?”

          “After a bit. I promise I’ll go in soon.” Seeing the reluctance on his face, George smiled. “You’ll miss me right away, won’t you?”

          “Not as much as I know you will miss me, milady.”

         
Arrogant bastard.
But she was smiling, her heart a little lighter as she watched Silviu’s powerful elegant form, loving the way he always strode with such strength and purpose.

          A few minutes later, there was a rustle behind her. She turned and saw Ilie walking towards her, still dressed in a plain shirt and breeches. Her eyebrows shot up. “Aren’t you supposed to be dressed by now?”

          He only smiled, taking his seat next to her but carefully keeping a distance between them. This made her sad. Ilie would not have done something like this in the past. Perhaps after what he had revealed to her in the inn that night, it would never be the same between them again.

          She said haltingly, “I can’t be the heartkeeper for you, Ilie. I just do not believe God would be so cruel to make me a possible match for you both.”

          Still Ilie didn’t speak.

          “Please do not let this come between you and the duke. I know you two are closer than brothers and I would never want the two of you to be at odds just because you both happened to have really bad taste in women.”

          His lips twitched. “Has he told you about our plans for Lady Beryl?”

          She glared at him. “Really? You’re going down that road?” So Silviu hadn’t told her about his plans, but it did not mean he distrusted her or did not really love her. He just had…misconceptions about her, that was all.

          Ilie coughed. “I am sorry. I have overstepped my bounds.”

          “Yeah, yeah. I’m sure you mean that,” she said sarcastically as she got to her feet. “You should change now. The ball’s about to start and I’m pretty sure Silviu will kill all of us if we’re late.”

          As she walked away, she was pulled back, a stinging pain shooting from the back of her head. George whirled around and saw Ilie smiling at her apologetically, a couple of strands of her hair in his hand. “There was dirt on your hair, but I’m afraid I pulled off more than just dirt.”

          She opened and closed her mouth several times, unsure of how to respond to that. George shook her head, muttering, “Demons.” They just didn’t know how strong or weak they were.

She turned around again and walked back to the ball.

          Behind her, Ilie started chewing on her hair.

****

          “Georgina?” She appeared so suddenly at the doorway, he had almost thought she was an enemy, his hand already poised to pull out his sword. Normally, she made more noise than a rampaging elephant.

          He finished shrugging into his coat. When he turned to look at her closely, his heart clenched at the sight of her tear-streaked face. “What is it, my love?” Silviu demanded.

          Her face crumpled even more. “I just can’t…I just can’t go through this anymore.”

          “What are you talking about?”

          “You. Ilie. Us.” She laughed brokenly. “All of this.”

          His heart started to hammer in his chest. “What…do you mean?”

          “I’m sorry, Silviu, but he kissed me, and I just…I wanted it.”

          “STOP.”

          But she didn’t stop, she only continued in a whisper. “I never thought I would feel like that with another man but it was…oh God…”

          “Stop talking, dammit!”

          “I wanted it. I’m so, so, so sorry, Silviu, but I wanted that kiss! I ran away afterwards, so he doesn’t know I feel this way. It’s just me, all me. So please – don’t let him know. After this ball, I’ll go away. Neither of you will see me again.”

          “SHUT UP.”

          “I’m so sorry. Maybe with this ball, you’ll find the real heartkeeper meant for you. But I know, oh God, I just know it’s not me when I feel this much for Ilie---”

          Silviu roared, “Get out of my sight!”

          She ran away, the sound of her tears haunting him and driving Silviu to the ground.

          What now?

          What was he going to do now?

****

          The ball was in full swing, with all the ladies already presented to the Duke of Brimstone – well, all ladies except Maricha – who was already known to him – and
her.
She was supposedly the heartkeeper to Silviu, but now it would be more appropriate if she was known as the Lady Who Was Ignored by Silviu.

          It did not make any fucking sense, but then…this was also how she had felt that night, when Silviu had suddenly abandoned her. She told herself that this was probably another dastardly devious plan he came up with, and she just did not know about it because Silviu thought she had a big mouth.

Granted, she was beginning to realize there was some truth to his words but---he really did not have to make such a huge deal about it.

          The Duke of Brimstone danced before her for the twentieth time, and it was yet another girl no different from the last one, all of them perfectly ladylike, tall, gorgeous, and thin. George did her best to keep her smile in place as she remained in hiding behind the curtains, wondering if this was Silviu’s way of torturing the words out of her.

          Did she love him? Was she in love with Silviu? It was so hard to tell when they only had mere days with each other.

          “Did you have a fight with Silviu, milady?” Mihail asked, appearing beside her.

          Before she could answer, she watched Silviu give the girl in his arms a little twirl as the music ended. The crowd applauded and when Silviu kissed the girl, his tongue actually slipping inside her mouth, the crowd applauded even more.

          She snarled, “Right now, he will.” She glanced at Mihail. “Get me Silviu or I swear I’m going to kill myself just so I can kill him.”

****

          “You called, milady?” Silviu’s tone was mocking, which confused her more than it hurt.

          Mihail had told her to wait for Silviu in the library and she stood next to the windows and waited, gazing outside without seeing anything. The moon was nowhere to be seen, the black clouds completely covering it.

          George turned at the sound of his voice, and she became even more confused at the hardened expression on Silviu’s handsome face as he stood by the doorway. “Won’t you even come in?”

          “What for?”

          Her temper ignited at the way he sneered at her question. “What the fuck’s wrong with you?”

          Silviu laughed harshly. “There is no need to explain. You can go after tonight. I won’t stop you from leaving. I can find a better heartkeeper easily.”