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  She leaned her head on his shoulder.

  “What’s going on? I’m sensing something’s up with you, Alexandria.”

  She gave him a playfully dirty look at the use of her full name. “Nothing. I’ve got this feeling. Maybe it’s stress, or Evie and Mason.”

  “She needs to relax.”

  “I don’t think you understand the depth of her feelings. You’ve never been in…” She bit down, clamping her lips shut. She didn’t want to say her brother had never been in love.

  Had he? Had he ever experienced heartbreak?

  She had. Then again, had she really? Alexa wondered about it, thought of the man she’d known when she’d been in New York that one summer. A handsome polar bear shifter. She pushed the memories back. It didn’t work out. That’s all that mattered.

  Lézare was talking. “If they have feelings for one another, they should act on them.”

  The door on one of the vehicles opened. A squeal escaped from Alexa’s lips before she could have thought to quell it.

  “It’s Callie! You didn’t tell me Vax and Callie were coming.”

  Next to her, Lézare covered his ears.

  Then Alexa saw the rest of her cousins and their mates—all but Sophie, who’d stayed in Europe to have the baby. The baby that Sophie had kept a secret, with Alexa and Lézare’s help.

  “No Sophie?” Lézare asked.

  “She decided to stay abroad a while. She’ll be back.” A wistful note Alexa couldn’t hide colored her voice. She loved the blonde tigress who was the baby of the Tiero shifters. Alexa and Sophie had formed a special bond. “Let’s greet our family.”

  Chapter Three

  Lézare and Alexa greeted their friends and family from Dallas on the front lawn, then they took everyone down to the cabins to show them their accommodations. After a few moments, Alexa took the opportunity to slip away to her room to ready herself for the evening’s cocktail party.

  She glanced in the mirror. The black dress was perfect. More or less. She’d have liked it better if she could have a little less than the exaggerated hourglass figure she had, but you did what you could with what you had. She sucked her breath in.

  Yeah, that’s no help.

  Just made her boobs look bigger.

  Not what I want.

  She was already self-conscious enough about their size.

  A knock sounded at her door. She listened with her shifter hearing. The pulse was Evie’s, for sure. Though Evie’s and Valencia’s were similar, and both faster than Lézare’s, Alexa already knew that Valencia still hadn’t made it in.

  She was going to have a serious talking-to with their baby sister when she got here.

  She opened the door for Evie, and stood back to admire her. The shimmering emerald dress brought out the green depths in Evie’s eyes, and offset her auburn hair.

  All three sisters had auburn hair, just like their mother before them, but in varied shades.

  “Let’s fetch Lézare and get the show on the road.” Evie’s gaze glittered a dangerous green, though her mood was joyous.

  The two sisters made their way down the Oriental rug that ran the length of the upper hallway. At Lézare’s door, Alexa knocked.

  “Enter.” Lézare opened it, handsome in a black suit that set off his olive skin and mysterious eyes. “Ready?” He put his arms out.

  Alexa took one, Evie the other.

  He escorted them down the wide hallway toward the even wider staircase that opened up to the reception room.

  The sounds of the cocktail party announcing the merriment was well under way.

  Evie’s smile beamed sharp white teeth between a set of full lips. “Ready.”

  It’s almost like she’s ready to do battle.

  Alexa shoved that thought aside. It would be better not to have battles.

  Thank God Mason’s not here.

  “And you?” Lézare turned toward her, his fingertips on her hand, pressing gently. “Are you ready?”

  She pushed a smile to her face. “I was born ready.” She knew she was going to have fun, but why there was this niggling thought that kept pressing on her… like something was going to happen this year.

  She should have visited Leandra to figure out if the feelings that plagued her had any merit. It was Leandra Mathieu in the bayou who had provided the concoction that allowed Sophie to keep her pregnancy a secret. Though she was sneered by some, Alexa believed in the powers she had.

  Lézare wasn’t fond of the idea that she visited Leandra on occasion, though even he couldn’t argue that she had been helpful when Sophie needed assistance.

  The trio of siblings reached the base of the stairs where a waiter held a tray of champagne flutes. The rest of the family, the Dallas Tieros and their group were already in the reception room. Also in attendance were a few dozen of the shifters they’d invited. Most were from the continental U.S., but some were from Europe, the Middle East, even Africa.

  All guests were unmasked, as masks were worn for the ball, not the cocktail party. A few of the guests had wristbands, black satin with a gold stripe that ran down the center of the band, lengthwise. This indicated that the shifter was taken, thus avoiding any clashes.

  The Arceneaux had seen deaths and duels arise in the balls of 1891 and 1897, prompting the incorporation of the bands. It kept things simple, and for the most part, no shifter encroached on another’s mate.

  The skin on the back of Alexa’s neck prickled, the tiny hairs rose. She paused to get in touch with her shifter senses. The sensations were cause by the energy coming from Evie. She glanced at her sister. Evie’s face was flush, her jawline tight, her hands gripped into fists.

  Alexa looked toward Lézare to see if he’d picked up anything. He seemed oblivious.

  Evie stopped, midstride. “He’s here.” Her words were a hiss.

  Lézare looked around. “I see,” he said around the smile that looked phony to Alexa, but would fool the guests.

  Alexa’s shifter senses could feel her sister’s pulse racing.

  If this is what love does to you, I’ll have nothing to with that, thank you very much.

  Evie gave Lézare a dirty look. “I thought you said—”

  “I never said anything. I don’t know anything. I invited him because I had to. He’s family now.” Lézare’s voice was dangerously low.

  “This is unbelievable.” Evie’s tone was controlled, though her eyes had that glittery look again. “My own brother and sister side with anyone but me.”

  Lézare gave Alexa a pleading look.

  What the hell am I supposed to do? She shrugged slightly.

  “Let me…” Lézare began.

  “Monsieur Arceneaux.”

  Alexa glanced behind them. One of the temporary help was approaching, a concerned look on his face.

  “You have a phone call,” the help continued.

  “This isn’t a good time. Tell them to call back.” Lézare turned back to Evie.

  “I did mention the timing was not good. I was told it was urgent.”

  Lézare heaved a sigh of exasperation and gave Alexa a pointed look as if saying, can you deal with this? Then he said, “I’ll take it in the den.”

  Great. Just great. And I get to handle this.

  Alexa looked at Evie.

  And that.

  Alexa turned her gaze toward the guests.

  You owe me big brother.

  She looked at the seething Evie.

  “Can’t you fake it?”

  “No. I’m going to my room.” Evie’s whisper was vehement. She turned on her heel, and hastened back up the staircase they’d just descended.

  Alexa downed her glass of champagne. She coughed as the bubbles tickled, then she plastered a smile on her face and stepped into the throng, toward Veila and Lila.

  Alexa hobnobbed with her cousins and the guests, but her mind was distracted.

  My energy is off tonight. Should have gone to see Leandra. Maybe she could have helped.
<
br />   Alexa glanced at the oversized gilded ornate carriage clock with its embossed bands and lacquered case, perched on the side table. What was taking Lézare so long? A phone call shouldn’t take this long. She noticed Vax slipping into the den and closing the door behind him.

  What the hell? Why was Vax going in when Lézare should be coming out?

  Two shifters, both male, one from Italy and the other from Africa were talking to her. She couldn’t remember for the life of her what they’d been saying, so engrossed she’d been in her brother’s absence.

  Or maybe they just bore the shit out of me.

  She slipped away with a murmured excuse and took the stairs as fast as her dress and heels would allow. Just before she reached the door her shifter hearing picked up the sound of their voices.

  She reached the door, clasped the knob, a frown drawing her brows down.

  Vax opened it, inadvertently pulling the knob from her grip. He waved at Lézare as he stepped into the hallway, almost colliding with Alexa.

  “What happened?” She looked from Lézare to Vax then back to Lézare.

  Vax headed into the hallway.

  Concern marked Lézare’s features, a furrow between his brows. “Can you handle this if I leave for a few hours?”

  She worried her lip. “Sure, but can’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

  Could it be Valencia?

  Surely not. He’d tell her if it was.

  “Some other time. I’m not up to talking about it right now. I’ll be back in time for the ball, I promise. Have I ever let you down?”

  She put her hand on his wrist, felt his pulse—way fast. “No, but I’ll be concerned about you and whatever is making you leave the whole time you’re away.”

  Lézare kissed her forehead. “You’re the best sister a brother could ask for. I’ll tell you when I get it figured out.”

  Vax stepped in the room, put his hand on Lézare’s shoulder, interrupting their embrace.

  “The Nielsens just arrived. I asked them if they could let us know what’s going on with that underground fighting ring.”

  Lézare hesitated.

  “Tell them to wait until brunch on Sunday morning. It’s not like anyone’s going to leave to look into this,” Alexa answered for him.

  “True.” Lézare tossed her an appreciative smile.

  Vax mock-punched Lézare’s arm. “Indeed. Go take care of this thing you have to handle. We’ll be here taking care of this. We’ll try not to miss you.”

  “Much,” Alexa added, lightening her joke with a kiss on her brother’s cheek.

  She turned back to look at her brother as Vax escorted them from the room and found a contemplative look on his face.

  “Good luck,” Lézare whispered.

  Alexa was left wondering why he, who would be going to help someone, would be wishing her luck.

  I’m the one staying home, where nothing happens.

  Chapter Four

  For Alexa, the next hours at the cocktail party passed mercifully fast. The party was a success. Though all the shifters stayed up late, none of them were inebriated, as alcohol didn’t affect shifters. Their bodies tolerated alcohol, and it had no more an effect than water.

  She’d played the role of hostess, one she usually played at these events, though typically she had Lézare next to her, taking the brunt of greeting and seeing to things. Lézare was a great big brother. He handled most everything and coddled his sisters, though Alexa received the least of the coddling.

  She smiled at one of the guest shifters and promised him a dance at the ball.

  Her shifter senses went on alert. She felt eyes on her.

  She looked around the room to see who was watching but came up empty.

  Probably Theo.

  Her brother’s head of security had long harbored feelings for her, and he made no secret of them. She had thought once, when she was younger that she was interested in him, but the chemistry just wasn’t there, and she couldn’t fake it.

  A hand on her arm tugged her from her thoughts.

  “Veila.” She hugged her cousin. “Here to save me?” she whispered close to Veila’s ear.

  “You look a little strained. Vax mentioned Lézare had to go. Seems Evie’s still absent.” Veila frowned her disappointment at Evie’s antics. Then a worried look crossed her face. “And as far as Valencia goes… no word?”

  “Nope. She hates flying, but she should stay in touch when she’s driving in. It’s natural we’d be worried about her.”

  Veila nodded. “When is Lézare back?”

  Alexa shrugged. “At the very latest before the ball.”

  “That’s tomorrow night.” Veila scowled.

  “Tell me about it.”

  “So what are you doing tomorrow?”

  “Hiding.” Alexa flashed a mischievous smile.

  “That’s what you want to do.” Veila hugged her. “But what are you really going to do?”

  “I was taking the bus to New Orleans, before Lézare pulled his vanishing act. Now it seems I’ll stay here and supervise. It’d be nice if I could get Evie to go on the bus.”

  Veila pulled back and made a grimace. “You could, if Evie were assured that Mason wouldn’t be on it.” She cocked her head, her eyes lit up. “I’ll tell Mark to ask Mason not to go. You tell Evie he won’t be on it.”

  Alexa nodded. That should do it. “I’ll go to her room after the party and talk to her.”

  “She’s still locked in?”

  “Still.” Alexa released a sigh.

  “Maylene’s…” Veila glanced around, as if to be sure no one was paying attention to their conversation, then continued, “She knows about shifters.”

  Alexa nodded. “I know that’s not how it’s normally done.”

  “Our help, the help of everyone I’ve known, all my life—none of the humans know. It’s strange.”

  “How’d you figure out she knew?”

  “I saw Evie for a second as I passed by the kitchen area. She was talking to Maylene, she was angry—probably involving Mason—and she started to shift, mid-conversation. She didn’t complete her shift, but the thing was,” Veila leaned closer, “Maylene seemed to take it in stride.”

  “She’s been with us a long time.”

  “It was shocking at first. I thought I was seeing things.” Veila’s wore a look of chagrin.

  “We should have told you. We don’t make it a habit to shift in front of her when we have guests. Lézare will be pissed when—if he finds out.”

  “He won’t find out she was shifting in front of the help from me.”

  “Don’t worry. Enough about that, let’s talk about something more exciting—a baby! How’s our expecting mother Callie?”

  “She’s gone to her room to rest. Doc’s keeping an eye on her.”

  “Is Vax nervous?”

  “He’s doing a great job of hiding it.” Veila drummed the tips of her fingernails against her champagne crystal.

  “How are you holding up?”

  “First Tiero grandbaby. First in the next generation. My father hasn’t stopped texting. He’s driving me crazy with worry. I wouldn’t be surprised if he and my mother came in.” Her smile was rueful. “Except they’d find out we aren’t in Dallas.”

  “He doesn’t know that Vax and Callie came to Arceneaux Point? He’d have a problem with it?”

  “Are you kidding? Giovanni Tiero’s firstborn’s first child being born in the woods of Louisiana, away from modern medicine? He’d lose it.” Her laughter was loud.

  And contagious.

  Alexa couldn’t help the laugh that burst forth. She hugged Veila.

  She was thankful that her brother and Vax had connected a few months ago. Her newfound cousins were good to have in her life.

  “Giovanni Tiero sounds as bad as my father was.”

  “I’m glad my father learned what matters before it was too late.” Veila took a sip of the bubbly drink until all was gone but the strawberry that had sun
k to the bottom of the flute.

  Alexa nodded. “Too bad mine never had the chance to mend fences.”

  “The older ones can be so set in their ways,” Veila commiserated with her. “Lézare told us a little bit about your father when he was at the Shifter Council Meeting. Do you think if he hadn’t been killed he would have come around, like my father did?”

  “I’d like to think so.”

  “Hey, what’s up with the long faces?” Lila walked up, holding hands with Cy.

  “Just reminiscing.” Alexa pulled away from the memories of her long gone father.

  “Fathers,” Veila elaborated.

  “Understood,” Lila said.

  Cy nodded.

  Alexa had heard Cy lost his father when he was much younger. He would understand.

  “Good party,” Cy said.

  “True,” Alexa agreed. Glad it’s almost over.

  Chapter Five

  At the party in the reception room at Arceneaux Point, Reese adjusted his tie. He rubbed his palm over his thigh. The scar had been acting up lately, itching. Tonight, it buzzed as if a measure of voltage had been applied to it. He ignored the discomfort. What else could he do?

  Like a bolt of lightning, sudden and fierce, searing pain on the length of the sixteen-inch scar made him clench his jaw.

  His wolf released a snarl,

  So much for ignoring it.

  He gritted his teeth.

  She appeared in his line of sight. A redhead in black. The closer she got, the more that damned scar seemed to burn.

  He swiped at a film of sweat that popped up on his upper lip.

  Reese tried to concentrate on his surroundings, on the others in the room. He couldn’t. He was being sucked into a vortex, where only this one woman existed.

  He tried, but couldn’t stop staring at the redhead in the clingy dress. Her hair glinted with the candlelight that flickered from sconces on the opulence-covered walls.

  He ran his fingertips over the ridge of the scar, palpable even through the fabric of his pants.

  Alexa.

  The name appeared in his mind as if someone had told it to him.

  He knew that name. Of course he did, he’d heard one of the Tiero sisters say it. He even remembered some of the things they’d said about her.