Lycan on the Edge: Broken Heart Book 13 (7 page)

visits. She was a fae, like Zerina, although a great

deal less prone to revenge magic. Zee was well

known for changing people’s hair colors—or

removing the hair entirely in the case of one

particularly persistent werewolf—if she got

miffed.

“I love you, Bri. But there is no brunch on this

earth grand enough to make me get out of bed.”

“You’re impossible.” Brianna heaved a

melodramatic sigh. I’ll be there tonight at six sharp

so we can get all dolled up.”

“Okay.” Dolled up? Crap. “Wait. Remind me.”

“You forgot.”

“I did not.” She bit her lip. “I’m nursing a

sleep hang over. Brain’s fuzzy.”

“I put together a magical soiree once a year,

and you can’t even bother to mark your calendar?”

“It’s been a difficult year.”

“I heard, sweetie,” said Brianna. “And I’m

sorry. What happened to you was awful. But I will

not let you sit around on your cute werewolf ass

and miss
my
party.”

Sophie knew there was no way she’d get out of

the fae’s annual Halloween bash. This was the first

time that Brianna had hosted it in Broken Heart,

and Sophie had promised, eight months before, that

she would attend.

Besides, she didn’t want to risk Zee’s ire and

suddenly have fur the color of an Easter egg. “All

right. Six tonight. I’m all yours.”

“That’s my girl. Smooches!”

Sophie hung up the phone and lay her head

back down on the pillow. She would rest her eyes

for a little while longer, she told herself. But just

as she drifted back to sleep, the sounds of

hammering bolted her awake.

THE SHOE HIT him in the head. Trent stopped

hammering and looked down. Sophie was a sight

to behold. Her long white T-shirt nightgown read,

“Mornings Suck.” She wore no bra, and he saw the

faint outline of her panties. Her hair stuck up as if

it were trying to leap off her head. She had the

other shoe in her hand, ready to lob at him. She

looked bleary-eyed, puffy, and he wanted to kiss

her again.

“Not a morning person, huh?” he asked.

“I hate you.”

He grinned. “Well, if it helps, there’s only two

hours of morning left. It’s after ten a.m.”

“I’m aware. Do you have to fix the staircase

now?”

“I guess I can risk breaking my neck a few

more times.”

She sighed and grabbed the previously thrown

shoe from the ground. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Fully recovered. And I slept well.”

“I did, too.” She paused. “Thank you. For

taking my pain.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Do you need any help?”

“If you want to help, go to the kitchen. I think

your grandmother’s cooking breakfast in the wok.”

She groaned. “Not the wok.”

“Afraid so.”

They stared at each other for an endless

moment before he cleared his throat. “I heard there

was some kind of party tonight.”

“Yeah. Are you going?”

“I might. If you’ll go with me.”

He saw a flash of disappointment in her

expression.

“I’m going with the host,” said Sophie, regret

evident in her voice.

“Save me a dance?”

She nodded. “It’s a fae party. Be prepared for

glitter.”

“Noted.”

“Guess I’ll save breakfast.” Sophie stepped

back, turned, and walked away.

Trent watched her walk into the house. Last

night, it had taken him a couple of hours to deal

with the pain and panic he’d siphoned from

Sophie. He knew more of her struggle now, and he

was more determined than ever to help her.

Even if he had to go to a fae party to do it.

NANA WAS NOT in the kitchen. The wok was in

the sink. Considering the nostril-burning stench

wafting from the disposal, Sophie guessed

breakfast had not been a success.

She found her grandmother in what Sophie

dubbed the “Shopping Channel Rejects” room. It

used to be the sewing room, but the sewing

machine had long since disappeared under the

growing pile of junk: Elvis prints, neon-glow

blankets, flower-shaped candy bowls, and

something called The Atomizer. Nana claimed the

pretzel-shaped contraption strengthened thigh

muscles. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the

blinds, giving a rosy hue to the crap crowding into

every available space. Nana pawed through a

bright purple trunk, muttering as she tossed out

random items.

A neon yellow high heel barely missed Sophie.

She moved back to avoid getting whacked by

tennis racket and a bag full of yarn. “Nana! What

are you doing?”

“I gotta find my lucky bingo marker. Betty Lee

is picking me up so we can go to Ultimate Bingo.”

“What’s Ultimate Bingo?”

“Big prizes. Shiny trophies. Free drinks.” Nana

continued her frantic search.

A curling iron sailed through air, followed by a

large stuffed teddy bear wearing a glittery red tutu.

Wow. She needed to cancel the cable. Her

grandmother was addicted to buying useless

products.

“Ah-ha!” Nana triumphantly held up the large

green bingo marker. She rose to her feet, holding

her prize.

Sophie

watched

as

her

grandmother

straightened the rest of her outfit—a mauve

pantsuit, short-sleeved white blouse, and low-

heeled white pumps. She wore her pearl necklace

and earrings. Her grandmother looked charming

and fragile—someone right out of a Hallmark card

commercial.

Nana burped. “Wow. Breakfast is really doing

a number on me.”

Scratch the Hallmark moment.

“What the hell happened to your hair?” Nana

poked at it with her bingo marker.

Sophie batted away Nana’s hand. “Stop it.”

Poke. Poke. Poke.

“Nana!”

“You are such a grump in the mornings.”

“I know. How long will you be gone?”

“What are you, my mother?”

Sophie arched an eyebrow.

“Oh, ignore me. I’m just overly excited.” Nana

kissed her cheek. “I love you, honey. Now wish me

luck!”

“Good luck.”

A car horn beeped, and Nana waved, her smile

wide. “That’s Betty Lee. I’m outtie.”

She clacked down the stairs and slammed the

front door shut.

Well. Okay, then.

AT A QUARTER till six that evening, Sophie

opened the front door. Brianna entered, carrying at

least four shopping bags. She dropped them and

hugged Sophie so hard her spine cracked. The fae

wore a white skirt, white calf boots, and a

beautiful green silk shirt, which matched her eyes.

“So happy to see you! We have much work to

do.”

“But you’re already dressed for the party.”

Brianna laughed. “No, sweetie. This is the

outfit I’m wearing to doll you up. Then I’ll switch

into my fabu party dress.”

“Hey! What’s wrong with me?”

“Your hair, your make-up, and your clothes.

Did I leave out anything?” She grinned impishly,

revealing dimpled cheeks.

“What are in the bags?”

She looked expectantly at her. “The Sophie

make-over kit.”

Brianna worked her magic, and an hour later,

Sophie stared at a stranger in the mirror. Her

blonde hair was pulled up in a Grecian style. A

gold band glittered from the top and long curls

draped her neck. Brianna had applied her make-up,

giving her sultry eyes, slimmed-down cheeks, and

pouty lips. The outfit, however, skirted the edge of

decency. The filmy light green material of the dress

swirled in layers at her mid-thigh. The top hugged

her curves and gave her an amazing amount of

cleavage. A jacket made out of the same filmy

material draped her arm. Dazzling gold heels,

dangling gold earrings and a gold bracelet twisting

up her right arm completed the ensemble.

“Wow, Brianna. I don’t recognize me.”

“Oh, this is you, honey. We just had to peel off

the rough layers, is all.” Brianna clapped her

hands. “My turn!”

PATSY ROUNDED THE corner of the one-of-a-

kind oak desk, walked past the chrome bar that

housed expensive wines, dodged the mini-

conference table with its plush chairs, and rounded

the corner of the massive desk. She rarely used her

office located in the Consortium’s compound.

Being the queen of the vampires, and mom to four

blood wolves and a human, was a lot of damned

work. Good thing she was getting better at

delegating. Her office on the second floor with its

large windows had scenic advantages, and she

stared at the darkened land that stretched out

before her. The night called to her. She wanted

nothing more than to shed her human skin and enjoy

the wild. Especially if she could do so with

Gabriel.

Her husband planned to meet her at the fae

party. Tonight, she’d take off the crown of the

werewolf king and wear instead the mantle of

wife.

Patsy sat down at the desk and leaned back in

the brown leather chair. Propping her feet on the

cherry wood desk, he scanned
The Broken Heart

Banner
. After, she stared at the stack of files in her

inbox.

When had being the vampire leader been

reduced to paperwork and meetings?

Patsy sighed.

How much damned adulting was a blood wolf

supposed to do in a day?

She heard the click of the doorknob turning.

Gabriel entered purposively. The expression on his

face had Patsy straightening in her chair.

“We’ve sighted a group of Alberich.”

“Where?”

“New Mexico. Humans have been reporting

sightings of Bigfoot across the state. We checked it

out. It’s confirmed. The Alberich are headed in our

direction. They travel at night, and for the most

part, have kept themselves hidden. They’ve got the

protection of someone very powerful.”

“How many?”

“Five.”

“Five is plenty enough to destroy Broken Heart

and everyone in it. Hell, it’s enough to ravage

Oklahoma and beyond.” She shook her head. “We

need to find out who’s controlling them.”

Gabriel flopped into one of the wingback

chairs that faced the desk. “I told Damian and his

brothers to stay in Germany.”

“How’d that go over?”

He shook his head. “Not well. I had to call in

Aufanie and Tark.”

“You
told
on him to his mommy and daddy?”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,

my love.” He captured her gaze. “We can handle

this, right?”

“Hell, yeah.”

“Should we call off the party?” he asked.

“No need to panic everyone just yet. Besides,

Brianna would have both our pelts if we dared to

cancel it.”

Gabriel chuckled. He sobered quickly, though.

“Will Sophie be ready?”

“Trent’s

working

with

her,

but

she’s

traumatized. She doesn’t understand why she

survived. And her memory is patchy.” She stood

up, rounded the desk, and sat in her husband’s lap.

She smoothed his brow. “We need to tell her.”

“Let’s give Trent a little longer. If we try to

force Sophie’s memories, it could do more harm

than good.” Gabriel wrapped his arms around his

wife and kissed her.

“We may not have a choice,” said Patsy.

“I know,” said Gabriel. “Let’s hope for the

best…”

“…and plan for the worst.”

CHAPTER FIVE

THE BARN, LOCATED on an abandoned farm on

the outskirts of Broken Heart, had been