“All cleaned up,” Lousen says, drawing me out of my inner thoughts. Her head cocks, and I don’t know what she hears, but behind me, the door to the bedroom slams open. Quick as a blink, Lousen shifts away.
“Yeah, you better run,” I chuckle as Ire comes storming in the room. He scans the space, clearly looking for Lousen. “You were too slow. I think she heard you coming, because she ran out of here as soon as she got me in this dress and shellacked my hair in place,” I tell him.
Ire narrows his eyes as if he can see the spot she just was before he stomps over to me, his blue eyes looking me over from head to toe. “You look good, Snarls. Very, very good.”
“So do you.”
He’s dressed in a light gray suit sans tie, the collar of his crisp navy blue shirt open. I roll my shoulders at the sight of him, wondering how he wears so many layers with his wings. It looks heavy and stifling, and my wings give a twitch as though they find it uncomfortably restrictive too.
Ire drinks me in with a heated gaze, but when my body responds to his molten look, I snort derisively. Yeah, don’t get your hopes up, body.
My wings twitch again, this time with annoyance, and Ire tracks the movement with a slight frown.
Before Ire can bring up my agitation, Toreon walks into the room. He’s also in a suit, only his is taupe, and his button-down is as black as his beautiful hair. When he sees me, he breaks out into a smile, and my stomach squeezes.
Touch me, I want to plead. Come over here and make me yours.
But he doesn’t.
I sigh and run my hands down my tulle skirt, trying really hard to keep the disappointment at bay in case Ire is spying on my thoughts and feelings. “We should go,” I announce, just wanting to get out of here and get this night over with. The restless itch below my skin is extra irritating right now, and I know my mind is spiraling more with every time I want them, but they don’t make a move.
“Sable—” Ire begins, but I cut him off.
“Don’t want to be late,” I chirp, a little too saccharine as I walk over to them, ready to be shifted to Tazreel’s.
Toreon lifts my chin with a finger, his golden eyes blazing when my gaze lands on his. “You look stunning, Sable,” he tells me, and the reverence in his tone cools some of my frustrated fire and softens my uneasy edges.
He leans in, pressing against me, and my lips part in eager anticipation. But just when I think he might lower his head and kiss me, he leans away, and disappointment makes my lips press together in a hard line.
“Ready?” Ire says. All of the guys grab hold of me, and then Ire instantly shifts us out.
To Pride’s house we go.
44
With Ire leading our shift, the four of us pop into an entryway of Tazreel’s house. It’s as grand as anything I’ve ever seen in a movie. My father apparently has a taste for golds, creams, and decadent materials...as well as sculptures and portraits of himself. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. He clearly takes pride in his whole package. I look around wide-eyed until a tall, lanky demon greets us and announces that he’ll escort us in.
Before we can take even one step to follow our escort, Delta and her mates pop in behind us. My gray eyes land on my sister, and then we’re both pushing our way past our mates to get to each other before wrapping each other up in a tight hug that I don’t want to end.
“I missed you!”
“I missed you too!” I declare, unapologetically squeezing the crap out of her as she squeezes me back just as hard. It’s like we didn’t know how much we needed this, to just be near each other again, until now.
“Hey y’all, can the other third of this triplet sandwich get in on the action too?” Medley asks, suddenly shifting in behind us.
Delta and I both squeal and pull her in, quick to show her what it feels like when you’re put into a vise as she strains to take a breath. I never saw myself as the squeal and hug kind of girl before, but that was before I found them.