Page 17

“Even that,” she confirmed. Her gazed darted to mine, and she looked away quickly, then turned from me fully and said, “Let’s see this gift then. I can’t wait.”

Warlow gave my shoulder a squeeze and we said our goodbyes, then I watched the three of them lead Ariana out of the party space and outside somewhere.

I looked around then and spotted Kai now away from his parents, and watching Ariana leave the area, a whole lot of intensity coming off him.

Yeah, this wasn’t good at all.

4

~Ariana~

The mind-fuck that tonight had become didn’t even begin to do it justice.

I couldn’t fully wrap my head around it.

It had been two hours since the… incident.

And through it all, Kai had ensured he was never far from my view.

He was haunting me.

Fucking taunting me.

Trying to laud his presence over me.

Trying to own me and make damn sure I knew that was what was happening.

Cheers rang through the mammoth dining room as theHappy-Birthdaysong came to an end, and I looked out at smiling faces, celebratory excitement, people toasting me.

All fakery for the most part.

I kept my smile steady, focusing on the positive.

Like my awesome family.

Like the amazing gift that Grandpa and Grandma had given me of a pimped-out silver motorcycle. I couldn’t wait untilthe party was over and I could ride it and feel the liberating sensation of tearing down the mountain roads around here.

As the noise died down, I did what I had been doing for most of the night, and searched out my grandfather again. He still wasn’t here. Gramps was standing with Pops now, the two of them raising their glasses to me. Pops was dressed in his usual bold way with a pair of shimmering navy leather pants and a white shirt with a zig-zagging navy pattern all over it that had a metallic look to it. Gramps ruffled his chestnut-brown overgrown crew cut, making him laugh, then flicked him with a spark of his magic.

“Everything okay?”

I turned at the sound of Papa’s voice to see him eyeing me with concern.

He stood there with his hands in the pockets of his fancy navy Armani pinstripe suit, his wavy, jet-black hair brushing his collar.

His beautiful sun-walker pendant rested against his silver tie. The circular charm that shimmered on its left side with silver and on its right with vibrant-green, was a gift from Pops and secretly bolstered by Grandfather’s magic to allow Papa to walk in the sun.

His striking red eyes focused on me with a whole lot of concern.

“It’s all good,” I assured him.

“You’re certain?”

“Why do you ask?” I responded, trying to keep my voice casual.

“Your loaded looks at the apparent golden boy, Kai Hunter.”

“I… what? No, I mean… wait.Apparentgolden boy? You don’t believe him to really be that then?”