Undertow (28 page)

20

Ana was a living flam
e
as she inspected herself in the mirror.  The shimmering, slinky, floor length concoction had a back cut nearly down to her tailbone, which was crisscrossed with a cobweb-like pattern of crystal strands. The blood-red material clung to every one of her athletic curves and showed off the soft, trailing divot of her spine. The entire outfit stopped just shy of indecent.

Kian was going to have a coronary.

“You look . . . incredible,” I breathed, awestruck.

Ana smiled and I could tell that she actually felt like a Hollywood starlet.  It was a rare moment for her and I hoped she would remember it forever.

Looking at myself however, I wasn’t nearly so confident. Granted, the snowflake white gown did manage to hug my more ample curves perfectly, the tiers of silk fabric creating a flowing, full skirt. The beaded corset top managed to make my chest look full and Austen-worthy, even without straps.  Small crystals were sewn delicately into various areas of the skirt and bodice causing it to twinkle like stars on a summer night. It was gorgeous . . . and 100% intimidating. 

Ana adored it. “Raef is going to love it. It is so you – quiet elegance. A rare flower,” she said, smiling at me.

I turned slowly in the gown and the layered skirt trailed slightly on the floor and twisted around my ankles as I moved. The back of the gown also dipped low, but nowhere near as far south as Ana’s. I actually did feel a bit like a Victorian princess.

Collette had also supplied us with mile-high heels, make-up and jewelry, complete with a matching ruby headband for Ana and a diamond barrette for me. The sheer worth of what we were wearing made me insanely nervous, but the boys assured us that the baubles were not on loan from Tiffany’s.

Instead, the thousands in jewels and gowns were ours and Raef and Kian had footed the bill. Ana had to remind me, repeatedly, that Raef and Kian had plenty of money, but still – I felt uneasy being unable to repay such an extravagant gift.

By late afternoon, we had docked in Newport and I had barely seen the boys all day. They had been pouring over information on the Breakers, plotting ways to leave in a hurry if needed.

Ana had helped me with my hair and make-up, both of which I had been terrible at during my solo attempt to beautify myself. She took pity on me and then she took over.  Her killer ability to glamorize was shocking since she so often dressed like a tomboy without a speck of make-up.

She finished my hair by setting in the barrette, then left me to attend to her own needs.  I sat in Raef’s room, in front of the mirror with my robe on, watching myself. The elegant eveningwear Collette had chosen for me hung from the hook by the door
, and I wondered if it could ever hide my own self-doubt.

I sat there, alone in the room, and could hear MJ talking to Ana in the galley. They were only down the hall, but I suddenly felt truly alone. I couldn’t help but wonder if the past three days had actually marked the beginning of the end of my life.

We were operating on assumptions.  Utilizing a rough draft of a violent history between my kind and the Mortis, since neither Kian nor Raef ever actually saw those centuries of bloodshed. They were “born” into their dark lives at the close of the fighting and at the end of Rysse’s reign. Their information was sketchy at best and only derived from battle-stories of older soul-thieves and the other clansmen.

And stories handed down through the ages often become warped and twisted. At best, facts were exaggerated, at worst, completely inaccurate. I feared we were utilizing the later as our baseline of knowledge.

And if the Mortis were such loathed enemies, freaking
why
would they leave me alive when they had several chances to kill me? Something was going on and I had a terrible feeling we were going to end up dead. I knew one thing for certain though: no one was going to die for me. If I could protect them, I would. If I could trade my life for theirs, I wouldn’t hesitate.

I sat there, staring into the mirror for quite a while, when I heard Ana call to me through my door to hurry up. The limo was waiting. I glanced at the clock and was shocked to see it was 7pm.

I needed to pull myself together. “I’ll be right there!” I called back as I got to my feet. I took the heavy gown from its hanger as I heard Ana walking down the hall toward the galley stairs.

I
carefully stepped into the smooth fabric and shifted my body so I could reach around to my back to close the dress. I started to slowly pull up the zipper, but my hands were shaking, the fear wearing through my confidence jeans. My trembling caused me to fumble with the zipper and then it jammed. Frustrated, I tried to pull it back down and restart it, but it was stuck fast. I kept fiddling with it as the minutes slipped by.

Mercifully, Ana came back because the door started to open. “Oh Ana. Thank goodness. The damn zipper is . . .” I turned and saw Raef standing in the doorway. He stood there, looking at me, every inch the stunning, male model he was in a perfectly cut black tuxedo.

“Uh. My zipper is, um, stuck. Can you help me?” I asked, my body trembling slightly. I couldn’t get over how his clothing took his already beautiful self and launched it to the stratosphere. Damn.

He took a deep breath, heat simmering in his gaze and my body began to ignite in response. Brain. Must keep brain functioning.

“Of course,” he replied, stepping towards me. I turned so he could access the zipper, my arms still wrapped behind me, trying to hold the open fabric together. Suddenly I felt his strong hands holding my own, trying to soothe the trembling. My fingers instantly stilled under his and the electric flame licked up my arms.

Holy fish fry, my body wouldn’t follow directions.

He leaned toward my ear, “You are going to be alright. You won’t be alone and I promise to stay by your side, okay?”

I managed to nod as he released my hands, which I dropped to my sides, letting the fabric fall open on my back. He leaned back slightly to examine the zipper.

He had sacrificed so much to protect me. They all had. And here I was questioning our ability to survive this nightmare. Furious I could have such little faith in our crew, I shoved aside my doubts.

“You’re caught on a crystal,” said Raef softly as his hands brushed along my back, working the zipper free. I suspected he did so deliberately, conspiring with my mutinous body to overthrow my sanity. Yeah, Raef was absolutely a product of the darkside.

It was as if he was my power source, fueling my stupid hormones. Delicious ideas about his lips and my body raced through my head. I had to think of something else and get my mind off his hands. And lips. Visions of un-french fries and spiteful cheerleaders ran through my mind.

I felt a slight pull on the fabric and then he drew the zipper all the way down to my tailbone so he could restart it, but then he paused. “What? Did it rip?” I asked, breathless.

“Your mark does match the book,” said Raef and I realized he was examining the brand on my back. My heart was slapping around in my chest like a ping-pong ball.  I felt his finger softly trace the mark and electricity raced over my back.

His hand suddenly jerked away from my body and something painful sliced through my bliss where he had touched me.

I was instantly hit with the vision of Elizabeth, struggling to stand inside a blinding column of light, and Rysse enraged as he appeared locked to her. The brutal change of emotion caused me to stagger on my feet.

“Eila!” Raef exclaimed as I swayed, anchoring one strong arm around me from behind. He held my back tightly to his chest. “Are you alright?” he asked roughly, shaken himself.

“What . .  what just happened? Something felt like it was cutting into my back.” The vision of Elizabeth had faded, but the bliss was gone, replaced by the thoughts that haunted me when I had been alone.

“Your mark!  I
t . . . glowed. When I touched it, it gave off a blue glow,” breathed Raef.

I must have jumped slightly at the shock of hearing that my own mark came to life because his hands fell to my hips, as if he was convinced I was going to faint. I reached around between us to the brand.

“WHAT?” I yelped, my heart in my throat for more than one reason.

“It glowed! I’ve never seen
. . . wait. You said it hurt? Does it still hurt?” he asked, now concerned, looking into my face as I glanced over my shoulder to him. I shook my head softly, the pain having evaporated.

I swallowed back the lump in my throat. My heart was torn between loving him freely, but understanding if I did so, he would only be more crushed if I died. 

I should shut down the relationship that was growing between us. I should try to at least protect his heart, for mine was already beyond repair. My internal struggle must have shown on my face, for Raef looked pained as he watched me.

But then he turned my body into his and stroked my hair back from my face, cupping my cheeks. “Don’t be afraid, E. I will always be with you,” he said and he lowered his lips to mine and kissed me slowly, almost reverently.

I couldn’t deny how deeply I loved him and I kissed him back fiercely, fueled by both my passion and pain. My need shocked him for only a moment, but with a throaty growl he amplified the fire and ice we seemed to create.  He held me tightly to him, his hands pressing into my bare back. If my mark glowed when he lightly touched me, then it was an absolute beacon now.

We finally broke from each other and I remained in his tight embrace, breathless. Raef’s body quivered like a live wire and his face was graced with elegant, cryptic symbols. 

He drew a trembling breath as he swept a tendril of hair from my flushed face. “I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

“I know,” I whispered, reeling in my pain. I rose on my
tiptoes to press my mouth to his, kissing him deeply and knowing without doubt, I would die for him. I released my lips from his and dropped back down onto my flat feet.

“Damn E . . . you make it impossible for a soulless guy to concentrate, you know that?” he said with a smile, completely unaware of my doubts.

“E?” I asked, realizing he had apparently nicknamed me.

“Yeah. My E. My Everything,” he said, smiling. His hands traveled gently up my spine and he pulled me tighter to him as he kissed me again, this time softer and full of gentle love. I let myself pretend, for just a moment, that I would be with him forever. That not even fate could separate us.

I felt his hands shift on my back and the stubborn zipper was finally being pulled up.

21

Ana looked downright devastatin
g.
There were no other words for Ana in the fiery gown she wore, her short golden hair slightly wild with the ruby-headband tucked neatly behind her ears. It was a complete transformation from her typical look and I could tell Kian was having trouble keeping his eyes off her as we rode in the limo to The Breakers.

Kian, Raef and MJ were discussing what should happen if Raines turned out to have a serious distaste for the Lunaterra and, by extension, me. Ana and I just looked at each other silently across the car as the homes grew in size and elegance outside the window. I knew that she too was concerned for all of us. Tonight was a huge gamble.

I saw Kian glance at her again, but this time Ana saw it as well, and they held each other’s gaze for a few seconds. She was afraid for him as she listened in on what was clearly a plan to use themselves as shields to get us out of The Breakers if needed. I took a deep breath and Raef, sitting next to me, squeezed my hand.

“We’re just being careful, that’s all,” he said, looking at me. “It won’t be necessary. It won’t.” 

I was frightened, though not because of Raines. I feared the idea of ever having to leave Raef.  He reached up and touched my face. “It’s okay to be scared,” he said. It was an intimate gesture, as if he forgot we were not alone.

I glanced over to our company.  They seemed completely unfazed and I realized they knew about Raef and I. Even though we never showed the heat between us in front of them, they just knew. And they didn’t seem to mind.

“Oh for crying out loud, just kiss her,” said MJ, smiling. Raef glanced his way and, being the best gentleman he could, lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed my palm, causing my lifeline to tingle.

“Wimp,” said MJ, slouching back in his seat.

“A gentleman is never an exhibitionist with his . . . lady. Such things should be reserved for private,” said Raef. 

I turned five shades of scarlet.  Ana raised an eyebrow and I knew she was wondering exactly how far “intimate” went. I shook my head
no
very slightly but she gave me a disbelieving look. Oh hell.

Kian glanced at her again and tried to control a small smirk. She didn’t miss it and he quickly turned and looked out the window at the iron scroll gates of The Breakers.

Was my love life destined to be a regular topic of curious conversation?              

I wanted to crawl under the leather seat and hide.

Maybe with Raef.

Definitely with Raef.

*  *  *  *  *

To say that Mr. Vanderbilt likes his homes on the larger side was the biggest understatement of the century. It was a house . . . no, MANSION, overlooking the ocean.

Completely built of white stone with intricate carvings of cherubs, the home contained what seemed like 100 windows. The red roof three stories up was topped with more chimneys than I could count. It was opulence, glamour and an absolute fairytale in granite and gold leaf. 

A red velvet runner led to the doors, which were open and flanked by men in topcoats and tails. A footman opened the door to our limo and stepped aside as MJ climbed out, tugging at his tux. He looked like a young GQ model, and several other women that were walking in glanced at him and nearly swooned.  Hero Boy looked hot.

Kian got out next and helped Ana carefully. In the light of the mansion towering above, she glowed like the surface of Mars. Radiant, the other guests looked at her in awe.  She hooked her arm in Kian’s, equally stunning in a black, Armani-esque tux, and he leaned into her, whispering something in her ear. She actually giggled.

Raef looked at me as I gazed out the limo door at the entrance to The Breakers. “You ready?” he asked. Not really, but there was no turning back now.

Raef climbed out, turning to help me. “You are stunning” he said to me, quietly, “and I am not the only one who thinks so.”

He glanced at the people walking in past us and I was shocked to see they were actually looking at
me
and whispering to each other. One older woman, in a stunning red velvet gown, nodded to me and smiled.  People actually thought I was . . .
beautiful
. I couldn’t believe it.

As we entered the great hall that was the center of The Breakers, it was obvious why the Fire and Ice Ball was the party of the year. The room towered 30 feet above us with a massive balcony that ran the entire circumference of the area. Two imposing gold chandeliers hung from the center of the
ornate ceiling, casting a warm light over the entire room.

A live band was slaying a jazz tune from the 1920s and a large group of people were dancing. There were easily 500 people inside the great hall and the sound of everyone talking and laughing and dancing created a physical hum that traveled through my body.

I noticed that the guests ran the gamut of age, race, and style but all were connected by one common thread: money, and lots of it.

Jewels glittered as dresses and suits moved like pieces of art. Even the slate of bands that were to perform read like a who’s who of alternative rock and funky jazz. As requested by Mr. Raines, women could only wear red or white and the effect was amazing. It was surreal, a dream that you fall into when you pretend you are part of a music video shoot.

Before I knew it, Ana was rhythmically moving her slinky, glittering body toward the dance floor, Kian and MJ following. A beautiful girl with ebony skin and a cloud-colored gown spied MJ and slid her way over to him. Within a minute they were dancing together.

Kian and Ana moved in a liquid grace, seamlessly dancing as one. Occasionally he would spin her out and then gently back into his arms. The look between them could rival the center of a supernova. Anger and frustration melted away and their attraction to each other was undeniable. She was the sun and he could never break orbit from her overpowering gravitational pull.

I knew the feeling well as I glanced at Raef.

He reached for me and his hand slid to my lower back. I was sure my mark was shimmering beneath the three-grand worth of dress. “We’re supposed to blend, remember?” he said gesturing toward the dance floor. 

I gulped as he wove us through the crowd to where our friends were dancing and spun me out once, making me laugh as if the stress I carried was thrown away from me. He pulled me back to him and tucked me tightly to his chest, his hand between my shoulder blades guarding my back. I gave up control and just let him lead me on the dance floor. I would allow myself to be seventeen for as long as I could. For as long as it would last.

We had been dancing and laughing for the entire first, hour-long set when the music stopped and applause rang out.  Through the sound system a man’s voice filled the room.

“Is everyone having a good time?” he roared.  The crowd cheered in response. “Well, that’s what I like to hear! I wanted to thank everyone for coming and helping to fund the restoration of some of our country’s greatest gems, such as this magnificent home.” Another wild round of cheers and applause filled the hall.

I was craning my neck to see if it was Raines. I looked to Kian and mouthed, “
Is it him
?” Kian shook his head, unable to see as well. I looked over my shoulder to Raef, who was standing right behind me.

He reached out and tapped Kian and MJ
, gesturing to the edge of the hall and the stairs that led to the balcony. Kian nodded. From the balcony we could get a clear view.

We worked our way through the deafening room and climbed the stairs to the second floor. There were fewer people in the balcony so we walked to the edge and looked down. The man on stage did not appear to be Raines.

MJ shook his head, frustrated. “Where the heck is this guy?” 

Raef leaned against one of the massive pillars that held up the third floor as a new, rock-laden
music set started and the crowd howled. He crossed his arms and scanned the room below us. I sighed and began to think that maybe this brilliant plan would net us nothing. Well, except a fun, incredibly lavish evening.

I looked around the balcony and then I saw him.

Standing on the opposite side of the balcony from us, Christian Raines was 100% the Most Eligible Bachelor. A perfectly tailored tux hugged his broad shoulders and his picture perfect face was flawless.

A
face, which had not aged since Elizabeth’s party.

My heart took off at a sprint and I yanked Raef behind the pillar so he was out of sight. Kian saw my sudden dash to hide Raef and he quickly stepped back behind another pillar.

“What? Do you see him?” asked Raef, his arm protectively finding its way around my shoulders.

I nodded. “He’s on the opposite side of the balcony,” I gasped. My stomach was in knots. “He looks like he’s just watching the crowd below.”

“Damn,” said Raef. “We can’t follow her up here or he’ll see us.”

“Well, he doesn’t know me, right?” asked MJ. “I’ll head over there with Eila. You guys go back down to the hall and cross to the other staircase near Raines. That way, you’ll be only a few feet below him if we need you. Which we won’t, right?”

Raef looked at me, unsure. We came all this way to talk to Raines and now, here he was, in sight. I had to do it. “It’s a good plan,” I said trying to muster my courage, but Raef looked uneasy.

“I told you I would be by your side all night,” he argued.

“And you will, but we knew you couldn’t do this part with me. Raines could recognize you.” I glanced over to Raines who was talking with a few, star-struck women. Now was the perfect time.

I leaned up to Raef and kissed him, gently, on the lips. I could feel his hand tighten its grip on my own. I knew our friends looked away, out of respect, but MJ had a huge smile as he stared at the ceiling.

“Be careful. Take no chances. Please,” whispered Raef. “Please.” 

I nodded and turned to MJ, “Let’s go.”

I hooked my arm in his and we started walking around the balcony toward Raines. I glanced back and Kian, Raef and Ana were quickly heading down the stairs. I could see them crossing the hall below us as we walked the massive balcony, coming closer and closer to Raines, who was still talking to the women.

I swallowed hard and MJ held my arm tighter. From below, I saw Raef glance up, watching my progress. He disappeared with Kian and Ana into the stairwell that came up behind Raines.

MJ and I slowed as we approached Raines, who was trying to gracefully persuade the adoring females to rejoin the dancing below and leave him alone. He saw us approach and smiled, apparently oblivious to whom we were and I took it as a good sign.  A sign we might actually come away from this more informed and with our lives.

Finally the women started to disperse and Raines turned his attention to MJ and me. I felt my entire body tense. MJ could feel my stress ratchet up a few hundred notches and he decided to take the initiative as he spoke up.

“Mr. Raines?” he asked, acting ever the cool and confident wealthy young man he was supposed to be.

“Yes?” Raines’ voice was akin to
deep, burgundy velvet.

MJ cleared his throat, “We wanted to tell you that the party is fabulous. Well done.” I started to relax a bit. Raines didn’t scream soul-thirsty immortal
and it helped. Although, at this point, I wasn’t sure
any
Mortis actually looked like their real, inner demon.

“Why thank you, Mr . . .?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Marshall Williams and this is Eila,” he said, deliberately leaving off my last name for the time being.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Raines, reaching out and shaking MJ’s hand. I laced my f
ingers tightly together over my friend’s arm so I wouldn’t have to touch Raines, possibly revealing what I was a tad too soon. I nodded politely instead. “Are you from Newport?” He asked. I knew I had to answer. Lord, here goes nothing.

“We’re from the Cape.”

“Cape Cod? Beautiful place,” said Raines, a bit nonplussed. The announcer below us introduced the next band and the crowd cheered. Raines watched the happy throng below and was about to excuse himself from us, but I spoke up.

“Mr. Raines, I was hoping you could help me with an antique I have acquired.”
Be a friend, be a friend, be a friend.

Raines seemed surprised that a 17-year-old would want to talk shop. “Oh? Well, I’m not sure how much help I can be, but I’ll try,” he said, glancing at the crowd. I only had his partial attention.

I swallowed back my nerves, which was like gulping a Slurpie in one shot, freezing my brain. “I, uh, currently own a sea captain home in Centerville. The Captain Josiah Walker House. I was digging through records and found out that your company used to care for the home, in a trust.”

If Raines was only half listening before, I now had his full, unadulterated attention. A flash of something crossed his face, but he recovered himself quickly. “Why yes. It’s a beautiful home that you purchased. At auction, correct?”

MJ must have felt my pulse racing and he gave my arm a bit of a squeeze. I knew Raef and Kian were just out of sight, waiting to save the day if anything went wrong, but I was still terrified.