24. Grace

Chapter twenty-four

Grace

I didn't think I'd ever been to a party like this, it was a jarring change from the rest of my week. I'd been so in my head these past few days, focusing on learning how to sign and doing some amateur detective work on the internet. I was sick of feeling so… alone. Even in a house full of men, I was adrift, and I had been my whole life. Up until I met them, I'd considered my brother and I to be anomalies. Statistical outliers. But now I knew that we weren't the only freaks in the world, or even in California. So how many more of us were there? I was dying to know.

Without risking my own security, I left a couple of breadcrumbs on an old chat room forum, hoping someone else might stumble across them someday. It would be nice to know if there was someone else out there like me.

This gave me a sense of purpose at least, and kept me from losing myself in the sea of pheromones seeping around every corner of that damn house. No more flirting, no late night ‘playing' as Anders described it, nothing. I might as well have been a nun, except my thoughts were anything but holy.

It didn't help that every single one of the assholes living in the house cleaned up so well, especially Anders, with his slicked-back hair and fuck-me eyes. I hated how flustered he made me feel. They all looked like they should be on the cover of some magazine, selling expensive suits; meanwhile, I felt like I was playing pretend, trying to look sophisticated in an awkwardly short dress that made me feel very… on display.

I sipped my champagne quietly, falling into my old role as the silent arm candy as Erik and Jesse introduced me to a dozen or so random people at varying stages of drunkenness. A man in a dark Armani suit eventually dragged them away, and Erik kissed my temple chastely before abandoning me to the crowd.

My eyes drifted across the room, searching for a source of sanctuary as I clutched my champagne, looking behind me and smiling in relief as I spotted Levy lurking awkwardly nearby. I approached him quickly, hoping he wouldn't try to avoid me as he had been all week. If anything, he looked a little relieved, clutching his own glass, which was already empty.

"What are we supposed to do?" I asked him, wondering where Anders had run off to. Maybe he had friends. I'd be shocked, but weirder things had happened.

"Just… mingle, I guess." Levy shrugged, looking around uncomfortably. His eyes narrowed slightly, and I turned to see someone who could only be described as drop-dead gorgeous approaching us, holding two very full glasses of something.

"No fucking way! Leviathan, babe! You actually showed up!" he shouted, making Levy cringe. I moved closer to him, offering a little bit of light as his own seemed to waver under this man's heady gaze.

"Hi, Seb," Levy smiled, and the man got right into his personal space, kissing his cheek intimately and thrusting one of the glasses into his hand before he turned his sights to me, staying firmly planted against Levy's hip.

"You are absolutely precious, I want to put you on my mantle," he announced, making me blush. "What's your name, doll?"

"Grace," I told him, and he leaned into me, grasping my hand and pressing his lips to it, lingering awkwardly long.

"You are too cute my darling. Are you Levy's?" he asked coyly, raising his eyebrow at Levy, who shook his head quickly, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Well then, more for us," he murmured, not letting go of my hand. I smiled, feeling a little breathless under this beautiful man's attention. I felt lit up under his gaze, like I was the only one in the room. It was a heady feeling, that was for sure. I took a gulp of my champagne, feeling incredibly warm all of a sudden.

"Were you about to abandon her to the wolves?" he asked Levy, turning to crowd both of us. I immediately stepped back, my back bumping into Levy, who put a steading hand on my waist.

"I didn't realize there were wolves here," I replied breathlessly, more at ease with Levy's arm around me.

"When lambs like you are out, there will always be wolves." Seb grinned, stepping even closer to us. He wasn't nearly as tall as Levy, but his presence was huge, like I was staring at a Sun god made mortal.

"Don't scare her now, Seb," Levy murmured, his hand tightening around my waist. Seb glanced up at him, grinning even wider.

"Hm, a little possessive of your dolls, are we?" Seb teased him. "I'm sure I could convince you to share." He took a swig of his drink, shooting him a wink. I looked over his shoulder to see Anders watching, his eyes sharp and dangerous. A shiver went down my spine, and I finished my champagne in one gulp, leaning into Levy to draw his attention.

"I need another drink," I told him, peering up at him through my eyelashes, hoping he'd catch the hint. Seb chuckled as Levy looked caught off guard momentarily.

"Come on doll, I'll show you where the bar is," Seb announced, taking my hand unbidden and drawing me away from Levy and into the crowd. I let Seb lead me to the very obvious bar set up in the middle of his living room, which I could have spotted from anywhere in the room.

"How long have you known Levy?" I asked, the champagne weighing down my tongue, enough that I sounded a little tipsy already. Seb beamed under the attention, drawing me in front of him as an excuse to put his hands on my hips as he brought me to the front of the bar.

"Long enough." He smiled, his voice full of innuendos. "But not long enough to get to know you, evidently." I laughed for his benefit, catching Anders out of the corner of my eye and nodding briefly to let him know I was okay.

"I haven't known him that long," I explained as he flagged down the bartender, ordering something I didn't recognize.

"So, what have you been told about me then?" he asked, leaning into me, his lips nearly brushing my ear. This man was going to be skinned alive, and it was such a shame, he was so beautiful.

"That you're very rich and you throw the best parties in the hills." I smiled, trying not to react as he leaned further into me, pressing me into the bar as the bartender slid a very full glass of something in front of us.

"Oh, so only the nice things then, that's sweet." Seb chuckled. "You should ask Leviathan about me, if you want the truly salacious details." A prickle of jealousy crept up my spine as I lifted my glass off the bar and turned around. Instead of stepping back to give me some space, Seb stayed rooted to the spot, forcing me to rub against him as I moved to face him.

"And what would Erik have to say about you?" I asked pointedly, and his eyes widened slightly. "Or Anders, or Jesse? Would they tell me salacious details too?" A flicker of worry crossed his face, and I lifted my chin, hoping he would get the message before he was forced to lose his fingers. Levy chose that moment to reappear, his hand moving around my waist in a possessive claim. "Thank you for the drink." I smiled politely, and Seb nodded slowly, his eyes shifting from Levy to me. He muttered something about meeting the other guests as he backed away into the crowd.

"What was that about?" Levy murmured, and I looked up at him, eyeing him coolly.

"Nothing that concerns you, Leviathan," I replied, sipping my drink as I stepped out of his grasp. "I'm going to go and mingle ," I announced, tossing my hair over my shoulder.

"You should stay close," Levy warned, and I moved away from him, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not yours, remember?" I pointed out sharply before turning and slipping into the crowd. I had no real plan, I just wanted to have some fun, and Levy's dismissal of me had left me rankled. I sipped the mystery cocktail Seb had gotten me as I wandered around the party, watching people jump into the pool, getting louder as the evening carried on.

I could feel eyes on me as I moved through the crowd, more than likely it was Anders, skulking somewhere out of view. At one point, I spotted Levy, back at the bar, doing a shot of something clear as he flickered briefly out of view. Erik and Jesse were long gone, it seemed. My blood was getting warm as I finished my drink, the hold on my light slipping as it struggled to get out. A few times people approached me, introducing themselves and inquiring about me. Most seemed to think I was some B-list starlet they didn't quite recognize, which was fine by me. I didn't feel like advertising my identity to the masses here.

Walking back inside, I placed my empty glass on the tray of a passing waiter, looking around for someone I actually knew. Instead, I caught the eye of a stranger. He was at my side in two long strides, a smirk playing over his lips. "You look lost, baby," he mused.

"Not lost, just passing through," I explained, taking a step around him.

"Let me get you a drink." He smirked, blocking my path.

"It's an open bar," I replied, arching an eyebrow. He just laughed, trying to put his arm over my shoulders. I side-stepped quickly, having reached my quota of strangers touching me tonight. "I'm here with someone," I told him sharply, and he made a show of looking around.

"Oh, really? Well, their loss, that'll teach them to let you out of their sight." He shrugged, advancing once more. "One drink baby, what could that hurt?"

For you, that could hurt a whole lot , I thought bitterly, my face flushing with warmth. My light started to ebb out, spreading around me like a cloud. I saw when it hit him, his face going slack as he sighed, his shoulders relaxing. I opened my mouth to warn him off, but a hand shot out, catching me by the waist and spinning me around. My breath caught in my throat when a pair of lips pressed against mine, warm and firm. My first thought was Levy, but the hand on my waist was smaller, more possessive. I leaned into them, whoever they were, wanting more. I let out a soft whine as they pulled away, still holding me tightly against them.

Anders was glaring at the man who'd been bothering me, and he stammered an apology and wandered off. My jaw dropped open, staring up at him. Never would I have thought he would kiss me, not even if there was a gun to his head. "What are you doing, Kitten?" he demanded, and I forced myself to straighten and stop leaning into him.

"I was just exploring, he approached me and wouldn't leave me alone," I replied coolly, and he shook his head, his jaw clenched.

"No, I mean with your… power," he hissed, and I quickly reeled my light back in, tucking it inside.

"It just wants out sometimes, I didn't mean to," I murmured. His hand was still on my waist, his fingers tense as they gripped me, and I got the strange impression that he didn't want to let me go.

"Grace," Levy called out, walking up to us, two drinks in his hands. He looked… lively and relaxed, his eyes almost sparkled as he smiled at me.

"You were supposed to be at her side," Anders growled at him, and Levy looked down at me, surprised.

"I lost sight of her, Seb dragged me downstairs for a bit," Levy replied, his cheeks tinged pink, and Anders's eyes flashed with a palpable anger. Was that… jealousy? "Just to get a drink, Anders. You know that," Levy murmured, stepping so close I was practically sandwiched between them.

"Don't run off again," Andres snapped, shifting his hand and guiding me into Levy's arms. Levy handed me a glass of what looked like gin, and I considered it for a moment, wondering if that would be pushing my luck.

"Sorry baby. About… everything," Levy murmured, downing his own glass in one shot. My blood was spreading fire through my limbs, making me feel reckless.

"I want to dance," I told him, taking a gulp of my drink. "Let's go." I grabbed his hand, glancing at Anders with a raised eyebrow before pulling Levy toward the basement stairs where the music was filtering up from the party below. I didn't bother to check if he was following as I dragged Levy downstairs, finishing my drink and setting it on a passing tray as I headed for the group of people dancing in front of the DJ stand. What kind of party had a live DJ? Seb must be insanely loaded.

I couldn't hear anything except the music now, and it was perfection. Levy's hands found my hips, holding me close as I started to move with the music, the heat in my veins growing into an all out inferno. My light pooled out of me unbidden, spreading out across the makeshift dance floor. People around us closed their eyes, losing themselves in the music as their bodies writhed against each other. I sighed happily, swaying with the beat as the crowd around us pulsed with heat. It felt so fucking good, like basking in a sunbeam on a cool day.

Levy tugged on my hip, turning me to face him and pulling me close. His pupils were huge under half-hooded eyelids, a sultry smile playing on his lips. The inferno burning in my veins coiled lower, rekindling the ache that had been a fixture between my legs for the last week. I stared at Levy's lips, biting my own to keep myself from trying to kiss him. My head was swimming, I thought I imagined it when Levy lowered his lips to skim along my jaw. It was only when he began to trail them down my neck that I realized he was actually touching me, and I wasn't dreaming. A soft moan escaped my lips, and I fisted my hands in his shirt, arching into him. His hands lowered to my ass, gripping me with a surprising roughness as he nearly lifted me off the ground.

We are in public , I reminded myself as his teeth skimmed my collarbone. I could feel him, hard and wanting, pressed into my stomach, and I wanted it. I wanted him. Hands on my shoulders tugged me away from Levy, breaking the contact as my feet hit the ground, leaving my skin hot and prickling. I turned to see Anders pulling me through the crowd, his hand firmly on my shoulder as he led me down a nearby hallway and through a doorway. I stumbled out of his hold, looking around at the— closet? —he'd pulled me into. I turned to glare at him, but the fury in his eyes stopped me short. His hair was messy, an errant lock falling into his eyes as he stalked closer, like a predator. Levy appeared behind him, looking as confused as I felt, and quickly shut the door behind him.

"What did I do now?" I demanded. "I didn't touch anyone except Levy," I told him, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Anders, what's wrong?" Levy asked, his tone gentle, walking up behind him. Anders whirled on him, and Levy's eyes went wide with shock. I saw Anders glance around quickly, his gaze landing on the closet rod half-full of coats. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out something metal that made Levy shudder.

"Hands," Anders ordered, and Levy walked to the closet rod, taking a handful of coats and tossing them to the side, his hands going up to clasp the rod. Anders walked up to him and I heard the clink of metal. When he stepped back, I realized that Levy was now handcuffed to the closet rod, standing with his hands raised above his head, watching me with desperate eyes.

"Anders…" I murmured, glancing at the door. Anyone could walk in here, it was not like the door could lock. He turned and stalked toward me, freezing me with his gaze.

"What should I do with you Kitten…" he muttered, his eyes raking over me. I shivered, backing up until I was pressed against the wall, glancing over his shoulder at Levy, trapped on the other side of the tiny room.

"Did I upset you somehow?" I demanded, squaring my shoulders in defiance as the space between us closed, and I was forced to look up at him.

"You're infuriating," he whispered, grabbing my chin and tilting my head up further, studying me closely.

"Right back at you," I replied haughtily, my heart hammering as his face drew closer. I wanted him to kiss me again, every atom in my body screamed for it.

"Fuck," he swore, dropping his hand like I burned him. He ran a hand through his hair, turning away from me and muttering under his breath. Levy looked as bewildered as I felt, watching Anders nervously. He looked… flustered. I'd never seen him flustered before, he was always completely controlled.

"Just, turn it off, would you?" he snapped at me, not turning around. "You're making everything hazy, it's not- it's not right!" I blinked at him, startled by the outburst.

"I don't-" I took a tentative step toward him. "I'm not doing anything to you, I swear," I insisted as he began pacing. "Anders, what's wrong?"

"I need you to fucking stop!" he snapped again, and I flinched, making Levy jerk his hands against the handcuffs, testing their hold. They looked like official ones, I doubted he could break out of them easily, but he might be able to bust the closet rod if he needed to.

"Hey, you're in control, Anders. Right, baby?" Levy told him gently, glancing at me. I nodded quickly, watching Anders carefully.

"You're in control, Anders," I agreed, and he came to a stop in front of me, his chest heaving. "What do you want me to do?" His hands clenched and unclenched several times until he was able to slow his breathing.

"Oh fuck," Levy groaned suddenly, his back hitting the closet wall as he stumbled. I glanced at him in alarm, moving to check on him, but Anders caught my wrist, tugging it until it was pinned behind me. He pressed up against my back, trapping my arm between us, and pushed me closer to Levy.

"He's been desperate to touch you," Anders murmured in my ear. "Even though he won't admit it. Just look at how much he needs you." Levy was straining against the handcuffs now, the metal biting into his wrists. I leaned back into Anders, tipping my head to look up at him.

"What would you like me to do about that?" I asked softly, feeling Anders tense against me. His other hand gripped my hip, pulling me flush against him. I realized with a jolt that he was hard, which was a first. I rubbed my ass against him, and his grip tightened as he let out a hiss of breath between his teeth. This was like playing with a live grenade—reckless and very, very stupid. Without another thought to my own self-preservation, I pulled the pin. "Tell me what to do, Sir."