Chapter
One
Sarah examined her reflection in the
mirrored glass as she battled the first date jitters that danced around in her
head and body in the form of anxious feelings and sweaty palms. She hoped she
wasn’t overdressed as she smoothed down the sapphire sequined dress, and
sprayed her golden locks into the submission. She vaguely remembered the days
of Aquanet freezing she did in high school and worried her lower lip, fearful
she’d primped too much at this point. Her golden-brown hair cascaded in curls
past her shoulders instead of the usual French twist she wore. She even
darkened her makeup and tried a new smoky look around her big blue eyes which
only made them pop out like those cartoon characters on Saturday morning. By
the time she was done foolishly agonizing over her looks she was pretty
satisfied with the finished product. She knew he’d be happy if she showed up in
ripped jeans and a t-shirt, but she wanted to make a dazzling impression and
the almost unrecognizable person staring back at her in the reflective glass
did just that.
“Wow!” Frankie grinned as she walked into
the room they shared. “You look fantastic! Got plans for tonight?” Frankie knew
full well her sister was going on a date with Devon, and believed it was about
time. Those two had been dancing around a relationship for months now. If she
hadn’t interrupted their one-night stand in Devon’s office at the nightclub
things might’ve been different.
“Shut up!” Sarah laughed and expelled a
breath she was holding. “So I look okay?” She really hated how James’
infidelity had clobbered her self-esteem.
“Yes, but, sis, he’s infatuated with you.
You do realize you could be covered in mud and he’d still be all over you.”
“That’s so not true.” Sarah misted a
little perfume on her neck and sat down on her bed across from Frankie’s.
“What’s happening between you and Fang?”
Frankie knew this conversation was coming.
She’d been doing her best to ignore it since she told Sarah that in order to
survive the mutated Ebola virus attack, Fang had to bond with her. Yep, as in
binding life forces which led to – ew - mating. “Tonight isn’t about my mess,
it’s about your date.”
“Come on, talking about it actually takes
my mind off tonight and the nerves that I’m feeling over this whole thing.”
Sarah wiped her hands with a Kleenex. Why she was perspiring was beyond her.
They’d kissed! Heck, they’d done more than kiss, but this date was a first step
to something more serious, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready. “I still feel
it’s a mistake. My friendship with Devon means the world to me, and I’m really
afraid that this is going to ruin it.”
Frankie snorted, “or make it better. Sis,
we both know what you and he have is more than friendship. Those sneaked kisses
and the smoldering looks coming from both of you, jeez a person could get
scorched coming between you two.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Nice, real nice.”
But she couldn’t wipe the goofy grin off her face if she tried.
“I’m just trying to get you to loosen up
and enjoy your good fortune. Not everyone has a drop dead – literally dead -
man fawning over them.”
“Not everyone, but you do. What is going
on between you and the Viking god that is Fang?” She made another attempt at
getting information.
Frankie laughed and wagged her finger in
front of her face. “This isn’t about me, sis.” Frankie jumped in front of the
mirror and started brushing her chocolate-brown curls. “What I don’t get is why
you’re not jumping at the opportunity to be with him. I mean, that first night
you met you were all over him.”
“Yes, I was also drunk.” Sarah fluffed
Frankie’s hair to bring life to it after the brushing had tamed it more.
“Wasted is the better word.”
“Okay, but the attraction is obviously
there. You’re single, free to mingle, and don’t give me none of this friend
crap. I know better.” Frankie frowned at her unruly hair, and started braiding it
to the side.
Sarah plopped down on the bed. “Am I
single?”
Frankie’s hands stilled, and she turned
her attention to her sister. “What do you mean?”
“What about what Felix said before he
disappeared?”
Frankie banded her hair and joined her
sister on her bed. “He said he loved you, but that could mean a thousand
different things.”
“Yes, but if Devon and I are destined to
fail, why try?” Sarah’s eyes pleaded with her sister to have an answer.
Frankie hugged her. “You will fail with
that outlook. Maybe that future was never meant to be. It’s obvious you don’t
have the same feelings for that cyborg as he had for you. We don’t know what
happened to bring that future together, but you could change all of that now.”
“Or continue on the same path to get the
same result. That’s the definition of insanity.”
There was hopelessness written all over
Sarah’s face. Frankie forced her sister to look at her. “I want you to promise
me something.”
“What?”
“Give this a chance with Devon.”
“You think we’re good for each other?”
“Yes!”
“On one condition.”
“Anything.”
“Give Fang a chance.”
Frankie shook her head. “Our situation is
different.”
“Yes, it is. He gave you a part of him
that he can never give to another. He sacrificed his own happiness to make sure
you lived. It is different. It’s like a modern day fairy tale.” Sarah’s eyes
sparkled.
“Or a nightmare, depending how you look at
it.” Frankie muttered. “I get what he did, but it wasn’t consensual. He’s a
brutish caveman with terrible social skills. He’s the exact opposite of what I
envisioned as my perfect man.”
“Sometimes what we wish for isn’t what is
right for us. He’d lay his life down for you. He did it once and will do it
again. Who doesn’t want a man like that?”
“Me, Sarah, I don’t want a man who insists
on protecting me. I want a man who sees me as an equal. Do you see him ever
doing that?”
“Well, he’s an alpha shifter. That may be
more difficult than you think.”
“Exactly! Aside from all the other things,
including my general dislike for the bear man, he can’t give me what I need in
a partner.”
“Have you told him that?”
“How?”
“I don’t know, but you need to find a way
to communicate with him. Your lives are forever bound regardless of your
choice.” Sarah walked over to the door answering the knock. She expected to see
her dark haired devilish man. Instead, she saw Frankie’s blond Adonis. Sarah
laughed. “Speak of the devil. It’s for you, Frankie.”
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