Page 81 of Blood Moon
Seven leaned in, the air from his lungs tickling my cheek. “You look stunning,” he uttered. “No one will care that I’m a quarterback when they see you.”
I smiled, looked away from him. “I doubt that will be the case.”
He touched my chin, slowly lifting my face to his. “I’m serious,” he whispered. “Everything about you is breathtaking.”
My throat felt tight. I didn’t know what else to say besides thank you. He held my hand as we took photos, and soon enough, we slipped into his black Mercedes and drove east.
The venue was located in Kansas City, Missouri, close to downtown. It was enough outside the cityscape that it was surrounded by rolling green hills that dipped into a line of trees.
Inside, the ceilings were a mile high, painted with swirls of blue sky, followed by a golden sun. Curved glass windows overlooked a garden, bundles of twinkling lights wrapped around iron and vine. A grand crystal chandelier glistened above the dance floor. The opalescence was captivating, painting every surface and soul near it. Altogether, the building was magnificent beyond belief.
We were seated at a table with sequined black cloth. Moss and a variety of green vines were scattered in the center. Resting above it was a bronzed candelabra, dripping with wax.
My friends joined us, filling in the empty seats, and already, Abi had removed the flask strapped to her inner thigh, passing it around.
“Someone had to do it,” she’d said, and I didn’t fault her. In fact, I thanked her, taking a large sip before returning it.
On a stage, a band played blues, and soon waiters served a three-course meal. After a brief announcement from a faculty member, the dance floor opened, gradually filling with people.
A new song played, slow and ballad-like. Seven turned to me and asked to dance. I followed him to the floor, and he wrapped his hands around my waist, specks of light flickering in his hair, on his nose.
For a measure, it felt as though we were the only people to exist. A bend in my spine when he dipped me, and already I felt myself caving for him. Seven, he could be so easy to love. He was gentle and fond of all I was, all I’d become. I could envision a life with his dazzling smile. A simplistic, easy thing. We’d be so happy, living in a different city every week for his games. I’d cheer him on from the sidelines, and he’d find my face in the crowd, anchoring him.
But my heart spluttered like a bad omen. A glaring reminder that my cursed blood would only ever put anyone I loved in danger. He’d pay a cost he didn’t deserve, and that, alone, made me want to recoil.
Sev brought me back to standing position and my stomach sank as I tightened my grasp around his body. I pressed my head to his chest with an understanding that I could never jeopardize him. I’d only cast a rain cloud on the bright future that lay ahead of him.
The more we spun, the sicker I felt.I shouldn’t have come.What if, by simply being here, I put everyone in danger? Julian didn’t present me with a timeline or a warning—just said to be safe, to run if I saw any wolves.
Once the song came to an end, my friends rushed in, forming a circle. They swayed and jumped, enclosing me with their laughter. I forced a smile, falling into motion with them. How enchanting this was, an unforgettable happening we’d hold in our hearts for years. But I longed to disappear, to become one with the grass, the dirt. Water lined my eyes, and I tried to pretend it was an indication of my unforgiving happiness. Only, I existed in a realm of agony and torture, ripping at pieces of myself instead.
We persisted, dancing until my feet were numb, and at the start of a slower song, Seven was hauled away to dance with someone else.
“I’ll be back,” he promised, and I exhaled for the first time in hours.
There was no delay getting back to my seat. I made myself comfortable, leaning against the table, hand beneath my chin as I watched the crowd with greedy eyes, yearning for a world that didn’t aspire to destroy me.
Eventually, I found myself scrolling on my phone, until a shadowy figure appeared by the edge of my seat. “I hoped I’d find you on the dance floor, having the time of your life. Imagine my surprise when I found you here instead.”
My gaze trailed upward, landing on Julian.
CHAPTER40
For all love is ignorant to reason.
Article III, Lost Letters from Aadan the First
Julian’s hands were hidden in the pocket of his pants. He wore a white dress shirt with the first two buttons undone, a black suit jacket, and his chain gleamed against his chest. He’d parted his hair to the side and brushed it back, but a few strands fell forward. I couldn’t believe he was here.How? Why?
“You said … you said you’d be gone for the weekend. You said this wasn’t your thing.”
Moonlit eyes and a crooked smile—they scorched me like falling stars. “Plans changed,” he said, and he held out a hand. On the floor, he spun me gently before bringing me close. A palm against my back, left hand holding my right. We moved along the marble, accenting the first beat of each measure, dancing a waltz.
Lowering to me, Julian pressed his head against the side of mine. We were cheek to cheek as I breathed in the familiar scent of his cologne. “You look so beautiful,” he murmured. Even with the warmth of him on me making me want to melt into him, I swallowed that feeling, pushed it far down. He wasn’t supposed to be here, looking the way he did, making me feel so torn.
We spun together, and my glance flickered from body to body, watching how at ease and relaxed the others were. Smiles on their lips, a haze in their eyes. Bliss came effortlessly for them.
“That seems out of character for you,” I finally said, keeping my stare elsewhere because if I saw his face, if I looked into his eyes …
