Author's note: I have a lot of wonderful things planned for the next couple chapters. I bet if you read close enough, you can figure what I may have planned. I have a small exchange in Russian here that I got off a translator app, so if I out the wrong thing, let me know so I can fix it. I'll put the translations at the bottom.
Happy reading!
Chapter Twenty-Three
"I'm stealing your fiancée." Jill said as she walked into the apartment.
"Stealing her?" Adrian asked, looking between the pair of us.
"Yes. To get ready. You know, for the party. She's borrowing one of my dresses." She held out my coat.
I stepped close to Adrian. "I told you about this, didn't I?"
He smiled and cupped my cheeks. "You both did. I'm just so used to you being around." He kissed me. "Bundle up. And I'll see you at the palace?"
"Yes." Jill said. "We're all getting ready with Lissa."
"Who is this 'we'?"
"Who are you, her father?" She joked. "Rose and Lissa will be there, too."
"Definitely not her father. We both have too many daddy issues to even pretend." He kissed me again and then stepped away.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth. I felt him smile against my lips. "I love you." I mumbled.
"Me too, honey."
Jill grumbled and grabbed my wrist. "We don't have much time. I need to make you perfect."
"She already is." Adrian called after us, just before Jill closed the door.
She laughed and threaded her arm through mine. "So, I hope you're ready, because I have the perfect dress for you. And it will look even better on you than on me because of your shape." She gushed about it for a while as we walked, but I wasn't paying much attention.
"Jill, how experienced are you?" I asked suddenly.
"Experienced? Like with guys?"
"Yeah." I said uncertainly.
"I'm still a virgin, if that's what you're asking. But I know a thing or two. I've been naked with a guy. Exchanged favors. Not with Eddie, of course. He's very into his guardian duties." She smiled. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I feel like I'm behind."
"Nah, not behind. Just pacing yourself."
I snorted. "I guess we can call it that. Adrian probably just thinks I'm a prude for waiting so long."
"Of course not. But don't you know how many other things you can do other than kissing?"
"I know of them. I just don't know how to approach it."
"Like you approach everything else: talk to him. He really likes it when you tell him what you're thinking. He likes that he doesn't always have to guess with you. And most of all, he likes it when you take control in the bedroom, if last night was any indication." She tapped her head. "Helps that you've got a special insight into your man's mind. Eddie is still pretty closed off to me."
"Yeah, that does help." I chuckled and wrapped my arm around her waist. "If you ever want to talk about Eddie, you can talk to me, you know."
She smiled and wrapped her arm around me. "Thanks. I'll remember that. Lissa's too busy. Rose knows him the best, but she has other responsibilities. Adrian is very much a guy when it comes to that sort of thing and usually ends up threatening him with bodily harm." She sighed. "You're my other best friend after Adrian, just so you know."
"It's good to know where I rank." I smirked.
She laughed and we walked the rest of the way talking about how Jill wanted to fix my hair.
Rose, dressed in a magnificent black and white dress, opened the door when Jill knocked on it. She ushered us inside. She turned back and walked toward her best friend as she struggled into her dress.
"I don't like all these layers." The queen grumbled to the woman helping her dress. "I thought I would, but they are a pain in my ass." She sighed as they were finally able to button her in.
"You look great. This color matches your eyes perfectly." Jill walked forward and helped smooth out the skirt.
I stood transfixed at the sight. I'd seen the Moroi queen on several occasions, but the beauty I'd seen on those past instances was nothing compared to this moment. She was stunning. She looked like a goddess. My past fears long gone, I stepped closer to get a better look.
She smiled, "Well, I guess since I have the approval of a former Alchemist, I pass the test."
We all laughed. Rose sat her down and she and the other woman went about fixing her hair and doing her makeup.
"Here." Jill dragged me toward the dressing room. "Our dresses are in here."
Jill put me in a red dress that pooled on the floor. It had long sleeves and a scoop neckline. She handed me a pair of gold heels.
"These will work best. And I won't have to tack the hem too much." She explained.
I put on the heels and stood as still as possible as she worked to make the hem even. I stared in the mirror. My curves weren't as drastic as Rose's, nor was I as slim as Jill or Lissa. I was healthily in between. I'd gained weight in the last year and I looked good, despite not feeling that great about myself most of the time.
I smoothed my hands down my sides. "Wow, this is amazing, Jill. You don't mind me borrowing it?"
"Of course not. I don't look that great in red. And I knew this one would work best for you." She stood and draped an arm over my shoulders. She smirked. "Tell me, I'm good."
I laughed. "You're good. You'll be great at this."
"I sure hope so." She stepped away. "That hem should stay, but if it starts to fall, I can fix it in a pinch. I'll make sure to have some thread in my handbag."
"Rose is on duty tonight, right?" I asked as I helped Jill into a slinky white dress that fell to the floor. Hers was sleeveless and had a sweetheart neckline.
"Yes. But stylishly, as you saw." She put on her own shoes and then we walked into the main room together. "She was an invited guest but decided on somewhere in between."
Rose and Lissa looked up.
The guardian nodded appreciatively. "Looking good, Sydney."
"Really?" I smoothed my hands over my body self-consciously.
"Really." She nodded.
"Come have a seat." Jill ordered. "Ladies, I need some help. I need to make her look natural."
They worked on me for a long time, arguing about lip and eye color. In the end, they stepped away. My eyelids were purple and my lips only slightly more pink than normal. My layered hair fell around my face, framing it perfectly. I was gorgeous.
I helped as best I could with the rest of Jill and Lissa's preparations. Rose was ready, she said. She proudly showed us the stakes and other weapons she had hidden under her dress. Not that any Strigoi would easily penetrate the grounds, but better safe than sorry.
At two, there was a knock on the door. A group of male voices were raised on the outside. Rose opened the door. We were met with the sight of all our men and several members of the queen's normal guard. Eddie and Dimitri were dressed in the standard black and white of the guardians. They were on duty tonight, too.
When Adrian's eyes landed on me, he froze. I watched him swallow. His eyes burned into mine, telling me without words how amazing I looked to him. He pulled me into the hallway and smoothed his hands over me sides and hips the same way I had.
"My god." He sighed.
"Yeah?" I asked nervously.
"Oh, yeah." He said admiringly. He pressed a kiss to my neck, not wanting to disturb the lipstick.
I pulled the collar of his shirt away and glanced at the hickey visible there. I leaned down and kissed his neck in return.
Jill cleared her throat loudly. "There are several other people present. Could you keep that to yourselves until you're alone?"
Adrian chuckled and pressed his eyes into my neck a moment before stepping away, but only slightly. He kept me firmly at his side. We made our way to the ball room in the center of the palace surrounded by the guard. I noticed Rose and Dimitri on either side of Lissa and Christian exchange looks even as they kept their eyes on the people we passed.
Eddie walked close to Jill. She had her finger discretely wrapped around his. His eyes never strayed to her, but I saw every muscle was keyed toward protecting her. She removed her hand from his when we finally approached the doors into the main ball room.
Lissa was announced and everyone bowed as she walked into the room. Adrian kneeled beside me as everyone did. I remained standing as well as a few choice guardians keeping an eye on the crowd.
The rest of us waited until the queen and her husband were in the room for our own arrival. I held Adrian back. I really didn't want to be announced, but it was part of the ritual. Many eyes glared at me. Most of the room ignored me. A few looked interested.
Adrian guided me around the room, keeping me at his side as much as possible. He proudly introduced me. Many of those I met appeared to be annoyed at my presence.
A familiar Moroi in bright colors sidled up to us. "Miss Sage, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Abe Mazur greeted me, taking my hand and kissing it. "If it's all right with your fiancé, would you give me the pleasure of a dance?"
"I suppose that would be all right." I smiled nervously. Even with all the hang-ups slowly going away, there was something about Abe that still unnerved me.
Adrian gently scratched my back and gave me an encouraging smile. "Have fun." We winked.
I let Abe guide me out on the floor. We danced in silence for the first minute.
"I can see you are more comfortable with my people." He said casually.
"I'm trying to be." I said just as casually. "I'm treating them as I would like them to treat me."
"And not be eaten?" He joked.
I laughed a little. "I'm sure they would have your daughter to answer to if that were to happen. And my fiancé."
"You have a lot of friends among us, Miss Sage. You have nothing to fear." He gave me a dazzling smile.
"Thank you." I said softly.
He asked me about the wedding plans and the proposal. I told him that it had happened when we were hanging out at my house, which wasn't a complete lie.
"The ring is beautiful." He commented when we stopped dancing. He kissed the finger bearing the ring with a smile. "Congratulations. I don't think you could have found anyone better."
"I don't either." My eyes strayed briefly to the man in question. "Thank you for the dance, Mr. Mazur."
"Any time, Miss Sage." He bowed over my hand and walked away.
I watched him sidle up to a female guardian wearing the traditional black and white, unlike her daughter. She turned her eyes to him and smiled affectionately before returning to her perusal of the crowd. He continued to talk to her, leaning close. She pretended to ignore him, but as with Eddie earlier, I could see that she was paying attention to him at the same time.
There was a tap on my shoulder, bringing me out of the observation. I turned to see Eddie standing close.
He smiled. "I'm on a break and Jill has already promised to dance with Adrian. So I was wondering if I could have this dance with you." He held out his hand to me.
I smiled kindly and slipped my hand into his. He led me out onto the floor. The song was a fast number. He had me laughing as he hammed it up on the dance floor. He spun me away and somehow I ended up face-to-face with Adrian.
My fiancé smiled and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before continuing the dance. He was just as hammy as Eddie and I was in stitches by the time the music stopped. He kissed me again. We stood in the middle of the floor as the couples around us stopped to stare.
I pulled him away into the thick of the crowd. I felt my cheeks burning. We made our way outside to the cold night. We weren't the only couple braving the chilly air. He pulled me away from them into an alcove and wrapped his coat around me. He kissed me again.
"You're beautiful, Sydney. Amazing. In that dress. In my old tee shirts. In nothing at all."
"Did Jill say something to you?" I asked with apprehension.
He shook his head. "What would Jill have to say to me?"
"I got her advice about something. I don't want to talk about it here, but after this, I would like to…try some things with you."
He pressed me into the wall and pressed his knee in between my legs. "What sort of things?"
I smirked. "You're just going to have to wait."
He sighed and pressed his mouth to my neck. "I don't like waiting."
"You've done plenty of it."
"Yes, I have." He trailed kisses up my neck and took my ear lobe in his mouth.
I moaned and instantly felt embarrassed.
He chuckled in my ear and raised his head. He rested his forehead against mine. "I can wait a while longer." He reached into the coat pocket and pulled out a long box. "I was going to give you this tomorrow, but I thought it would work with your dress. I knew which one Jill was going to let you borrow. She had me help, actually."
I slipped my arms into his coat sleeves and took the box from him. I opened it and saw in the soft light in the courtyard that it contained a necklace. There were two hearts tangled together. Each had a stone.
"I know it's a little sentimental, but I thought you'd appreciate me getting something like this."
I tilted it a little more and saw the stones weren't just any rocks, but our birthstones: aquamarine and ruby. "A&S" was engraved on it. I pushed myself up on my toes and kissed him softly. "It's perfect. Thank you."
"Merry Christmas, Sydney." He said softly.
"Merry Christmas. Your present from me is at your apartment. I couldn't sneak it in and you wouldn't be able to wear it anyway."
He slid his hands under the coat and brushed one against my breast. "What is it?"
"You'll just have to wait and find out." I kissed him again and then started working on getting the necklace out of the box. "Help me with this?"
After the new necklace was in place, the one I had been wearing was replaced in the box. Adrian stuffed it back in his pocket as he took his coat back and led me inside.
"Let me see." Jill requested as soon as she saw us.
I posed as she and Lissa examined my new piece of jewelry. Adrian held my hand as they gushed. Rose made her way over, dragging Dimitri behind her.
"It's gorgeous." She commented
"I guess I know a way to a girl's heart." Adrian commented.
"Jewelry's way better than perfume." Rose commented snidely. "Nothing like telling a girl they need to smell better."
"That wasn't my intention." He explained calmly.
Rose laughed. "I know."
Christian came over and whispered something in Lissa's ear. She groaned. "Off to be a queen again." She waved as she walked of.
"You promised me a dance, Roza, and our break is almost over." Dimitri said to the woman attached to his hand.
"I did, didn't I? Pokazhite mne eti shagi, Belikov." She laughed and dragged him away.
"Vy poluchayete luchsheye." He chuckled.
Jill rolled her eyes and wondered off to stand with some of her friends.
"You want to ditch this place?" Adrian asked softly.
"Is it late enough?" I asked anxiously.
"I think so."
I looked around. "I think we should wait another hour."
He nodded. "Okay." Then he pulled me onto the dance floor. "Let's make the most of the hour, then."
Rose: Show me those moves, Belikov.
Dimitri: You are getting better.