Unstoppable (Their Shifter Academy #6) - May Dawson Page 0,92
A sexy, smug aristocrat.
I said as much, and Silas said, “Well, hopefully you don’t lose me in the crowd at the party, because it’ll be a castle full of smug.”
The rest of us underwent transformations too. Isabelle altered my face through clever makeup, contouring new cheekbones and changing the shape of my chin and nose with subtle extensions. She colored my blond hair to a chestnut brown, which made my face look strangely pale to me. I barely recognized myself in the mirror.
Rafe stared at me for a long second, then said, “I hate this.”
“Which part?”
“Every part. But most of all, I don’t like seeing you changed.” He sat on the stool that Isabelle had just vacated. He studied my face, a frown denting the space between those deep brown eyes.
“It’s only temporary.” I framed my face with my hands and gave him a big smile. “Enjoy the novelty. I hear monogamy gets old for a lot of men and anyway, Isabelle made a face for me that’s more beautiful than my own, and it’s a limited-time-offer.”
He stared at me. “You really do want me to spank your ass, don’t you?”
“What?”
“You’re the only girl for me,” he said. “There’s no more beautiful woman in the world. And I don’t like hearing you suggest otherwise.”
Even when Rafe was speaking sweetly, there was steel in his tone.
“Those are the most domineering compliments I’ve ever heard.”
He huffed a breath. “Well, Isabelle can change my jawline, but not my personality.”
“Good,” I said. I took his hand in mine. “I happen to like you just the way you are.”
“Even when Silas and I are fighting?” His eyes gauged me carefully.
“What are you fighting about?” I demanded. “It better not be me.”
Rafe hesitated. “It’s not just you.”
“Oh great,” I said. “That really clears things up.”
I wanted to keep talking to him, but there was a knocking sound on the side of the door.
Silas leaned in the doorway. “There is one kind of magic that will get by the sensors, and that gives us an opportunity to bring the equipment we need into the ball.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Everyone will have gowns made of magic so they won’t think twice about scans picking up magic on your dress,” Silas explained. “Mere fabric won’t make gowns spectacular enough for a bunch of spoiled nobility set on impressing each other. Even though they barely keep the gowns on.”
“Excuse me?”
“These balls are pretty debauched affairs,” Silas said. “We just need to navigate around the drunken public sex and get to the shield.”
“Does every world besides ours have lavish parties full of drunken public sex?”
Silas flashed me one of those dizzying smiles. “Makes it seem pretty odd that some of the Fae go to our world to vacation. Because our world seems like an Amish village compared to the others.”
Thinking of the Fae world reminded me of how much I missed Tyson. “Do you think Ty made it back to our world yet?”
“I hope so.” Silas said. “I miss him.”
I looked at him quickly, but he just looked away, clearing his throat. “Mm, I need you to undress so I can start making your gown. I’ll build the materials we need into the structure.” He held up narrow rolls of lock-picking tools and delicate weapons.
“Of course,” I said.
“I’ll… leave you to it,” Rafe said. He hesitated, then told Silas, “I miss Ty too.”
He clapped him on the shoulder and headed out of the room. Silas had a bemused look on his face for a moment.
I peeled off my shirt and trousers until I was standing in front of Silas in my underwear. He was studiously trying to watch my face or looking away, and I frowned at him. “What’s bothering you? You’re being weird.”
“I’m always weird.”
“No, you’re not,” I disagreed. “Weird, dreamy Silas was an act. I know you a little better than that, Silas Adelphus Zip.”
“Do you?” He turned to me with a challenge in his gaze.
“Of course I do.”
He shook his head. “I don’t understand what any of you are talking about half the time. Rafe wanted to murder me a day ago—no, that’s not true, it was worse than wanting to murder me. He’s always tempted to end Penn and Jensen and me for various iniquities. He wanted me to stay.”
Those final words came out flat.
“No,” I said. “Rafe wouldn’t…”
“Don’t get mad at him,” Silas said. “Maybe he has a point. Do I really fit into your world, Maddie? You’re a shifter princess. I’m not a shifter.”