Page 1 of Facets of Attraction (Betas in Waiting #30)

A sel sat with her sister and continued eating while the locals were dancing with some of the contestants. That looks like fun.

Honey chuckled. I haven t actually danced with someone in five years.

Well, your moves got you through business school.

And you managed to swivel your way into an accountancy.

Yes. And got nabbed three weeks after graduation.

That. Yes. I hired investigators, and eventually, we found your trail, but that was where it ended. I knew you were alive, and we just had to wait.

Asel chuckled. And you are so patient. Not.

Honey wrinkled her nose. I am getting the urge to dance.

Asel looked to the servers nearby. Can we come back after a few dances?

The server nodded. Of course. We will clear the table and have additional refreshments ready when you are.

Honey grinned, and Asel stood up as they went to do a little victory dance.

* * * *

S kaay recorded the women dancing and had to admit that if he were asked to describe what sex looked like dancing, this would be it. The women moved, slid past each other, and it wasn t a seduction; it was a mirror. They moved with unnatural grace, turned, and stepped toward each other again until the music ended, and they paused, laughed, hugged, and returned to the restaurant.

Male and female gazes observed them, but no one had the nerve to follow.

Skaay chuckled and continued to record the dancers, knowing that every person on the floor was thinking about the twins that had just burned themselves into their memories.

* * * *

A sel was a little tired , but her body was energized. That was fun.

Honey nodded. Oh, yeah. I had forgotten how much fun that was.

Not as much fun as cheerleading, but still entertaining. A bit disappointing that no one else was dancing with us. She giggled.

I am sure that once they clean up the drool, they will be fine.

Asel sipped at the juice and coconut water. Did you have fun here?

I did. I feel a bit exposed as myself, but soon, I can cram myself back into my beta self and get back to the club. The Onyx Facet is a pretty nice place to work. Foreign owners, so we don t have to dodge a lot of groping hands.

Oh, wait. We were supposed to dodge them?

Hah. How are you enjoying your day job?

It s helping me get a grip on being back in the normal world. Even though we live together, we never get to talk.

I am afraid to ask.

Oh. Well, I know you could feel what happened first.

Yeah. That s what I didn t ask about. How are you?

Loving the emotional support chickens. She chuckled.

Do you mind my little diversion here?

Nope. You needed something new. We get it. But isn t it weird to be out as ourselves for the first time ever?

It is nice. I didn t know about your forehead mark.

It showed up while I was at the Stronghold. Same as the black diamond. She smiled. Your vines are the same.

Yeah. Well, they are creeping up a little. I think they are trying to get noticed. Putting makeup on them is taking longer and longer.

I can seal them with illusion.

That might work. Is it working with your marks?

Uh... no.

Honey chuckled. Well, my regulars are shifting into creepy and dangerous-looking, so I will stick with the body paint. They know what it smells like already and just think it s me.

Asel nodded. Right. I have a shift tonight, I just wanted to come by and do the fire dance. Now that it s over, I should get back to the ladies so that Lydia can prepare herself to rejoin her family.

Honey smiled. Yeah. I guess so. Weird how her daughter-in-law happened to be here.

Punkin, I don t trust any kind of chance anymore. Thanks for inviting me for a mini-break.

I just didn t think it had to be this mini. I will be back in two days.

I will have the ladies ready.

Are the other two any closer to leaving the farm?

Nope. Their time isn t up yet. Asel finished her beverage. So, I am still on the hook for the fire dancing?

According to Estrya, yes. Back at Emerald in two weeks. They are really pushing this program.

Honey grinned. She s got her hands full.

Asel chuckled. Yeah. That s a lot of snake.

Estrya spoke from behind them. How do you know what they are?

Asel glanced over her shoulder, where Estrya was standing with her mates. I could see them. On you. Two really big snakes.

Estrya smiled. And who are you waiting for?

Asel shrugged. No idea, but they are fancy.

Honey laughed. Mine are thugs.

You have met them?

No, but I have dreamed of them, and that was a helluva dream.

They giggled. There were so many things that they couldn t discuss when the others were near. Lydia was fine, but the other two were still recovering two years later. They needed more chicken therapy.

Asel walked up to the house and knocked three times on the door before letting herself in. Maybel lowered the crossbow the moment that Asel came around the door. Hey, have you had fun while I was gone? She lifted the bag in her hand. I brought coconuts.

Maybel spluttered a laugh. Thanks. What do we do with them?

We drill open the eyes and drink the water, and then we crack them open and scrape out the coconut.

Maybel smiled. I am going to look it up. I don t trust your remembering of the order of things. She took the bag and walked into the kitchen, grabbing her phone and looking up how to open a coconut.

Dari came in, saw Maybel reading, and grinned. So, I hear Lydia is negotiating to go home.

Her family loves her and wants her back. We are going to stand there nicely and wave her off. When and if she is ready to see us again, we will be there. Right?

Dari nodded. Right.

Maybel didn t look up. Right.

Dari looked at her. You went to that island looking like that?

Yup. People looked, but no one commented. It was so cool. I wouldn t mind finding a place out there, but Honey would really have to put her ass into it. Asel laughed.

Maybel grinned. I am sure she would. She would do anything for you.

Survivor s guilt. She knew I was different when I came back. Markings were the least of it.

They are pretty. Dari smiled.

Asel grinned. It makes me nervous about what my mates will look like. Pretty men are difficult in my recollection. She heard movement upstairs. Is Lydia packing?

Maybel nodded. She s trying to figure out what to wear to make a good impression on her family.

Asel nodded. I will talk with her. You two good?

Maybel nodded. Yup. Dari, get the power tools.

Dari grinned and scampered off.

Asel headed up the stairs and knocked on Lydia s door. Hey, Lyd. It s Asel. Can I come in?

Come in. I need help.

Asel came in and laughed at the clothing tornado that seemed to have occurred. Whoa.

Asel, I don t know what to wear to meet them. It s been over a decade. She looked at Asel with her eyes wide and brilliant green, her hair soft and ivory mixed with gold.

What will you be comfortable being hugged in? I was listening, and your family is eager to have you back. Your son has a mate, your daughter is an omega, and your husband has never remarried. You weren t discarded; you were taken.

Lydia sighed. I know. And I didn t look like this then. It happened after.

I know. Magic soaked in, and then it kept going.

Yeah.

Wear a sundress in a dark colour. No jewellery. I will do your hair. Asel smiled. Just let me get into my other wardrobe. I will be right back.

Asel went to her room, shrank, and got into jeans, sneakers, and a button-down men s shirt. She rolled up the cuffs and quickly braided her hair into a thick column behind her.

She walked back into Lydia s room and said, Only take clothing that we have bought since we got back. Any of the stuff that we came home with, I will keep for you if you want to sell the jewellery for cash.

Right. That would be good. The clothing was pretty.

Yeah, it was so nice that they played dress-up-dolly before they locked us in those chambers.

I am amazed that you fit.

Asel laughed and got to work on Lydia s hair. When are they coming to see you?

I asked the others, and they said they could come at six if you don t mind. They are waiting for your call.

Classy. She finished brushing the hair, wove a solid ribbon into a braid, wrapped it around Lydia s crown, then took a curling iron and set the hair in soft waves.

She set the iron aside and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She punched in Lyric s number and smiled when it was answered. She kept it on speaker. Hey, Lyric, this is Asel. I am with your mother, and she is eager to see you.

Oh, my god. Rayd says we can be anywhere in the next half hour. Where are you?

Cradock Farm Road. We are the farm where the road ends. Green car in the drive.

Wait. Cradock Farm Road?

Yup.

We will be there in five minutes.

Okay, not many lines here. Land where you like, just not in the chicken coop.

Lyric chuckled, and there was the whine of rotors starting up. See you in five.

Lydia was shaking with tension.

Asel smiled. Sweetie, put your clothes on.

The dress was pulled on, a bolero jacket over it, and then the sandals were strapped in place. Asel flicked her fingers, and everything else was packed in a duffel bag. She picked it up and laughed as Lydia gasped.

Come on. I think I know what direction they are coming from. They will only get to their assigned altitude before they start coming down again.

Lydia muttered, My palms are sweating.

Good. I would be worried if you didn t feel excited and terrified at the thought of seeing your family again. Do you feel better than on the day we escaped?

Absolutely. You were right. We needed time. You gave it to us.

Asel wrinkled her nose. I borrowed it. I will have to return it to its owner one day.

Lydia blinked. I didn t know that. One of the Elite?

Sort of. There was another omega in there with us, but it was male. I took it from him.

I had no idea.

I was closer to the front and near to him. He was released when the escape started. They broke him out, and that is where I wedged the door open. If they hadn t come for him, I don t think we would have been found. She spoke, and the other two were listening. Lydia s family is coming to get her, so if you don t want to be seen, stay in, but if you want to see some friendly faces, come on out with us.

They left the house and settled on the porch. The helicopter came straight toward them over the hills.

Lydia clutched her arm while Dari and Maybel sat next to them on the bench.

The helicopter swooped over the Cradock farmhouse, turned, and settled in the west meadow.

Lydia got up and kept a death grip on Asel.

They walked toward the meadow, and an Elite omega burst out of the helicopter and ran at them full tilt. Two alphas were not far behind.

Lydia clutched at Asel, then let go of her hand, and ran for her family. Asel smiled, and the other two came to stand next to her.

Dari sighed. Dang. She s breaking up the band.

They live literally twenty minutes away driving.

Maybel said, I think I remember how to drive.

We can do practice runs once she s up for company if her alpha is amenable.

Lyric was chattering away, but Lydia was being hugged by her husband. The tears on his cheeks were unmistakable as joyful relief.

Lyric beamed and walked over to them. Which one of you is Asel?

Asel raised her hand. I am enjoying the ability to hide what I am. It s nice just to be a beta sometimes.

She smiled and was swamped in an omega hug that put her face near Lyric s collarbone. Thank you for getting my mom out. We missed her more than you can imagine.

Asel smiled. I can imagine it. This is Dari, and this is Maybel. We were all confined together in the Stronghold.

Lyric paused. Win didn t mention you.

We were the living dead. It is a long story, but today is for you to get your mum home and take care of her. Here is her current wardrobe, and none of it is Stronghold produced. Just until you can get her a proper set of clothes.

Dari chuckled. Asel has no sense of taste, and Honey is too busy to stop and give more than passing critiques.

Maybel snorted. Lydia s coming back.

Lyric took the bag and smiled at her mom.

Lydia looked at Asel. I will take the chickens. And Dari and Maybel if you like. Lyric and Axel say we have plenty of space. If they want to come.

Dari smiled. We will give you a few days and then come to visit. I am sure that Asel and Honey will be glad to see the back of us.

Maybel shrugged. I don t blame them. My ass is fantastic.

Asel laughed.

Lydia beamed and then said, You know where I will be?

Yes, I do. Just call, and we are twenty minutes away. Well, when I am off the night shift.

Back to work tomorrow?

Yup.

When is Honey back?

Two or three days, and then I have a month and have to perform at the launch of that video series, but that is just two days.

Lydia lunged and hugged her. I can t thank you enough.

Axel walked up, and when Lydia finished the hug, he hugged her as well. Thank you for returning my heart to me.

She inclined her head when he backed away. Thank you for loving her so well that she never doubted you.

Axel looked like he would tear up again, but Lydia turned to him, he picked her up and carried her off with Lyric holding her bag and Lykon helping them into the helicopter.

Rayd nodded from the controls, and Asel inclined her head with a wink. She had worked at the Shattered Diamond for a few months until the Elite started showing up regularly. She and Honey had split up and gone to different establishments and made enough money to clear the mortgage on the farm and pay off their student debts. Rayd was an evening manager, and she had recognized him on sight.

* * * *

R ayd found the number he had been given and made the call.

Themak, I have located that woman you were looking for.

The voice on the other end of the line replied, I have sought and found many women.

This one has a second form that is very tall and loaded with magic.

Where can I find this woman?

Rayd knew her address, but when he tried to say it, it escaped him. I... can t remember it.

Intriguing. I will let Vemel know of your find. I am sure he will be interested for a while.

This woman was with three others.

Themak paused. What?

You heard me.

That is a woman of a different colour. Definitely. Thank you for the call, Rayd. We have it from here.

The call ended, and Rayd rubbed his skull. When he realized what had just happened, he called Lyric and explained.

The strength to push the mind of a demon had to be strong, and to plant the idea was complicated manipulation. He had just exposed a woman he didn t really remember meeting, but she looked like a dancer he used to know. Of course, unless she was working, he couldn t look for birthmarks.

He hoped that the information he had just given wouldn t put her in harm s way.