Page 87 of Shadowblood Souls: The Complete Series

Jacob’s expression goes totally rigid, his hands balling at his sides.

Andreas gazes at me so avidly I feel the tingle of his attention through our marks. His throat bobs as he swallows.

I can’t stop myself from folding my arms across my chest, self-conscious. “I—I don’t get it. You just wanted us to dress up?”

Andreas motions to the room around us. “I wanted to make it like something out of your favorite TV show. They were always going to fancy soirees and things. I thought you should get to have something like that in real life—as close as I can give you.”

That’s why this scene feels so familiar—it’s like a moment out of the soap opera.

A nervous giggle bubbles at the base of my throat. “What do we do now?”

Andreas shrugs. “Eat. Drink. Dance. Whatever you want. Rollick said we can have the room for the whole evening.”

“Back to tests and practice tomorrow,” Zian puts in with a faint grimace.

My insides have gone all wobbly. I’m off-balance but thrilled at the same time.

For just this moment, we don’t have to be fugitives or monsters or anything other than people at a party. Like we don’t have any problems bigger than who’s been making eyes at whom.

I turn toward Dominic with a smile. “Let’s dance, then.”

I don’t actually know how to dance with a partner to this refined music, but it turns out that’s okay.

Dom sets one hand on my waist and takes one of mine with the other, I rest my fingers on his shoulder, and we drift around the room under the lights, stepping in time with the melody in slow circles.

My grip on his hand tightens as one song fades into the next. “I can dance with just you the whole time, right?”

Dominic leans in to give me a quick peck on the lips. “Whatever you want.”

I steal glances at the other guys as we continue our swaying path around the room. They’re doing a good job of at least acting like they don’t mind being here.

Jacob has poured himself a glass of one of the champagnes, though I can’t tell if he’s actually drinking it. Zian plucks up the meatiest appetizers from the spread.

And Andreas leans against the wall in a casual pose, watching all of us like I used to watch the TV.

Like he isn’t totally part of this scene he arranged.

After the first couple of songs, Billy materializes in the corner. He raises a pan flute to his lips and adds an accompaniment to the music that lifts my feet faster.

My mouth twitches with amusement. I tug at Dominic, and he takes that as his cue to spin me in front of him.

My skirt fans out. My heart lifts.

There’s plenty of magic in this moment without the work of any supernatural powers at all.

The faun gives the next few songs a spirited extra melody. Then Pearl appears and draws him over to fill out more of the dance floor.

They beam at the décor and the rest of us as if this is a gift to them too—a little piece of mortal life they’re getting to try out. My own smile widens.

It’s been a while since lunch. When my stomach grumbles, I ease back from Dominic and wander over to the snacks table.

Zian glances up at me. His gaze skims over my body in the dress, and a whiff of attraction rolls off him potent enough to make my cheeks blaze.

He takes a step back as if realizing his appreciation is obvious—and potentially intimidating. I come to a careful stop and pick up a morsel that looks tasty, letting him have his space.

“Are you planning on doing any dancing?” I ask him before popping it into my mouth.

Zian’s jaw works. “I—I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

My stomach tightens, even though I should have expected his answer. “It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

He glances at the floor and then back at me, oddly tentative. His voice comes out gruff.

“It would, though. And I don’t know— I like watching you with Dom. It’s good seeing you happy. You should keep dancing with him.”

It’s the weirdest rebuff I’ve ever heard. I don’t think even my soap opera heroines would have known how to answer him.

So it might almost be a good thing that Jacob approaches just then, with a wary air that’s offset by his usual aura of authority.

“If you’re looking to mix things up,” he starts, and then hesitates as if he’s not sure how to finish that sentence. He sucks in a breath. “I’d be happy to dance. We wouldn’t have to get too close if you still feel uncomfortable. You call all the shots.”

The way he’s looking at me sets every inch of my skin tingling, but I don’t want to explore the feeling. I don’t want to let it cloud my memories of how he treated me before even a little.

“I’d rather not,” I say awkwardly. “But, um, thank you.”

Jacob dips his head in acknowledgment with a flicker of regret I can’t help noticing. “It’s a lovely dress,” he says, the compliment coming out stiffly. “But it doesn’t hold a candle to the woman in it.”

My pulse flutters despite my reservations.

How do I respond to that either? I’m not going to tell him he looks stunningly gorgeous as always.

Dominic saves me, tucking his arm around my waist and tugging me back onto the dance floor. I bow my head by his chin, my voice dropping.

“I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know?—”

“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “No one is expecting anything. It might be hard to believe it after everything, but we really all just want you to enjoy yourself.”

Enjoyment isn’t something I really got to expect from most of my life. But for another song or two, sticking close to Dominic and following the rise and fall of the melody, maybe I do manage it.

Then Dominic lifts his head and draws me into the center of the room. I realize that Pearl and Billy have disappeared.

Maybe to give us our privacy. Because as Dom eases away, Andreas walks over to meet me.

“I don’t really want to dance with you either,” I blurt out, and bite my tongue at my bluntness. As true as that might be, I’m also not out to hurt him.

Andreas’s expression twitches with what might have been a restrained wince. But his mouth forms a crooked smile.

“That’s not what I came over for. I didn’t just set this up so you could have a soap-opera party. I figured you deserve a soap-opera showdown too.”