Once in a Dragon Moon - Ophelia Bell Page 0,40
Ksenia’s dragon answered with a purr of her own. Heat rose in her belly, and it took Jake and Gunther’s hands on each of their shoulders to pull them apart.
“C’mon, you two horndogs, we don’t want to be late,” Jake said with a shake of his head.
When their shared transport approached the Hot Wings house, other partygoers were arriving too and her stomach erupted into butterflies. What if they made fun of her for her screw-up? What if they thought she was as big and ungainly as her fellow Sandrekar back home thought? Most of the people attending this party were the champions she hoped to call friends someday, and she hadn’t gotten off to a very good start so far.
“It’ll be fine, honey. They’ll love you,” Gunther whispered in her ear. He settled his hand at the small of her back, which calmed her nerves as they headed into the party. Her dragon rumbled its encouragement too, and she straightened her shoulders and held her head high, striding ahead of her mates a few paces.
“That’s our girl,” Jake said from behind her.
When she walked through the doors, heads turned. But rather than being met with derision and malicious laughter, everyone seemed curious, and maybe even a little awestruck. Passing by one small clutch of shifters, she heard someone murmur, “That’s the champion who almost beat Midnight Star. Too bad she got disqualified. I’d have put money on her to win the title.”
She couldn’t help but smile a little at that and found a little more enthusiasm for the event.
“There she is! Desert Flame!” a woman called from across the room, and the whole party turned at the commotion as Astra Garrick herself tore through the crowd with a huge grin on her face, three bewildered men trailing behind.
Before she knew it, Ksenia found herself yanked into a vise-like embrace by the smaller woman.
“Uh, hi again?” she said, smiling down at Astra in surprise. The reigning solo champion was a spitfire of a woman with spiked blonde hair and dark eyeshadow around her blue eyes. She had the kind of self-assurance Ksenia usually wound up faking, but perhaps a little more time in this changed world would help her make it a reality.
“I’m so sorry, I don’t know your real name,” Astra blurted.
“It’s Ksenia. Ksenia San Velka,” she said, infected by Astra’s bubbly enthusiasm.
“Ksenia. I’m so fucking happy you showed! I was worried after, you know, that you’d be more inclined to lie low, which would be understandable. There are so many people I want to introduce you to!” She turned and scanned the crowd, then leaned in, murmuring under her breath, “And if we’re lucky, see about getting you back into the tourney, because your suspension was bullshit. Total bullshit.”
Astra’s gaze swept right past the three men standing in front of her, who all gave her long-suffering looks. The tall, dark-skinned one cleared his throat. “We’re right here, Astra.”
Astra waved a hand. “I know you are. I’m looking for Ig and Bry. Do you know where they went?”
The broad-shouldered one with a square jaw said, “Think they’re down showing off the gym to some wannabes. You going to introduce us, or what?”
Astra finally looked at the guys, then grinned and spun, swaying her body seductively as she gestured toward each man. “Ksenia, I’d like you to meet my guys. This tasty morsel of wolf is Javin, this sleek, sexy panther is Val, and this yummy hunk of hyena is Simon. He’d have been your next opponent if you were still in the running, but I’m sure you’d kick his sweet little ass.”
Ksenia laughed and shook her head. “I guess we’ll never know.”
“I’d be honored to have my sweet little ass kicked by you, any day,” Simon said with a big grin as he shook her hand.
Then Ksenia turned toward her three brawny mates, her heart thumping and her own smile widening at the sight, as well as the fact that she could return the introductions. “You probably already know my mates . . .”
“Mates?” Astra shrieked. “No fucking way, you landed those three? Damn, girl.” She gave the trio of burly bear shifters a blatant once-over that had all three of her own mates narrowing their eyes. Javin even started growling. Astra shot him a quick eye-roll before addressing Jacob and his partners. “You three have been the most eligible bachelors for years now. I always wondered who’d be the lucky girl.”
“That would be me,” Ksenia said easing closer