Shiver : 13 Sexy Tales of Humor and Horror - Aurora Belle (читать книги онлайн бесплатно полные версии TXT) 📗
As though I were a slightly addled nitwit, she stared at me, unblinking, and repeated slowly. “You. Are. Not. Wearing. That.”
I smoothed my hands down the snug bustier that caged my torso in leather and boning. It lifted my already impressive assets to new heights and made me question how corsets ever fell out of fashion to begin with. Then I tried to take a deep breath and understood. No wonder women suffered vapors back in the day, they probably passed out due to oxygen deprivation.
“I’m not sure who exactly you think you are, Donna, but, newsflash, you’re not my mother and I can wear whatever in the hell I want,” I murmured.
“What?”
I turned my head and glared at her over my shoulder. “You heard me.”
She threw her hands up and fell back on the bed. “Fine. Fine! Just don’t come whining to me when one of the werewolves actually does hump your leg like a dog. Those guys can’t control themselves, especially around boobs. I swear their brains must be more canine than human.”
I rolled my eyes. I’d met several werewolves since the day that they helped rescue my friends and me from the clutches of evil vampires. I know, it sounds like a bad movie script, but those fuckers planned to chop us up and send us back to Donna and Conner piece by piece. It didn’t seem much like a B movie at the time.
Anyway, all the werewolves I’d met were great. Sure, they were usually a little more aggressive than the average guy, but, if I was being completely honest, it gave me a tingle in all my naughty places.
“Donna, just shut up and tell me if I look wenchy enough,” I said, turning around with my arms held out.
Under my leather bustier, I wore a sheer white shirt with billowing sleeves, tight breeches, and knee high boots. My hair was styled in a wild tangle of curls. All I needed now was my low-riding leather belt that held a scabbard for my cutlass. I was supposed to be a pirate wench, a la Cutthroat Island. I loved Geena Davis’ character in that movie. I also liked the saucy feeling the outfit gave me.
Donna looked me over, sighed, and rolled to her feet. “If you looked any more wenchy, I’d have to lock you up to keep you out of trouble.” Face serious, she walked over to me and rested her hands on my shoulders. “Look, I want you to have fun tonight, but you need to be careful who you flirt with. Everyone that was invited tonight is a friend and will be nice to you, but the dynamic among the species is different here. Flirtation can be misconstrued.” She paused. “Also, I’m serious, watch out for the wolves. They will literally screw anything that moves. I’ve seen them hook up with two, three, even four women at these parties.”
I nodded. I wasn’t here to flirt. Okay, maybe a little. I honestly wasn’t interested in dating a werewolf because their attitude toward monogamy sounded a little too much like my dad’s and my ex’s, but I wasn’t averse to a mild, casual flirtation with a vampire. Maybe even a kiss or two that would make me weak in the knees. Even though I was twenty-eight, I wasn’t exactly ready to settle down, especially with someone who’s dick was like a divining rod for easy pussy.
“I understand,” I said. “Don’t hook up with werewolves. I’ll write that on my hand so I don’t forget, Mama Donna. Hey, that rhymes!”
Donna ignored the comment and studied me closely, the expression on her face skeptical.
“I understand!” I repeated.
She shook her head and replied, “Just call my name when things go wrong and I’ll ride to the rescue.”
I glared at her, not appreciating her lack of faith in me, even if she did have a point. “Whatever.”
I was saved from further conversation by the peal of the doorbell. Donna released me and headed out of the bedroom. Before she walked out the door, she turned and pointed a finger at me. “Best behavior, got it?”
Without waiting for my response, she whirled and headed down the hall. Unable to resist, I made a face at the open door.
Donna’s voice floated into the room from the hallway. “I know what you just did!”
Groaning, I grabbed my belt and scabbard from the bed and cinched it around my hips. After one last quick check in the mirror, I hurried out of the room. I’d come over early to help Donna with the set up. Conner had a party planner he preferred to use, but I knew that Donna wasn’t overly fond of the woman’s flirty and aggressive attitude. As a result, the party had been planned by my friend. I helped her as much as possible, but Donna was a bit of a control freak and it was difficult for her to loosen her grip.
Satisfied that I looked okay, I picked up the cutlass from the bed and slid it into the sheath hanging from my belt. Then I walked downstairs to help Donna finish setting up for the party.
Two hours later, the party was heading into full swing. Donna had released me from hostess duties and Conner had dragged her out onto the dance floor of the ballroom. I snaked my way through the crowd to the bar and ordered a vodka tonic. Donna insisted that all her friends either stay the night or use a car service to get home. I’d opted for a car service. I drove my ancient compact over this afternoon and Donna promised she would have one of Conner’s lackeys bring it by the next day so I could drink and enjoy myself.
Though I loved spending time with my girlfriends, I could not handle all the loud sex that seemed to occur on a regular basis at Donna’s. There was some things I didn’t need to know about my bestie and the fact that she was a screamer was one of them. I really didn’t want to know that, much less experience it.
I saw Shannon standing at the bar, deep in conversation with a tall, handsome vampire with jet black hair and Native American features. He was dressed in black and had an earbud in one ear. I realized he was one of the vamps on security duty. Since Shannon worked in administration for a personal security company, I figured they were talking business.
She glanced at me as I slid by and I winked at her. Shannon didn’t even pause, merely gave me a finger wave, and continued to talk to the vampire who seemed to be completely enthralled with her. It seemed even vampires weren’t immune to her good looks and general badassery.
Shaking my head, I sipped my drink and watched a group of handsome men diversely dressed in everything from sharp suits to ragged jeans and I decided that I should introduce myself. Ignoring the echo of Donna’s overprotective spiel in my mind, I squared my shoulders and moved toward them. As I strolled across the room, I felt as though I were being watched. Surreptitiously, I glanced around.
At first, I didn’t see anyone openly staring, but, on my second sweep of the crowd, my eyes were caught by two brilliant green gems shimmering in the shadows. I blinked several times, wondering how I hadn’t noticed a jeweled statue in the ballroom before. The crowd between us shifted, parting slightly, and I realized I wasn’t staring at a statue, but at a flesh and blood man with the most incredible eyes I had ever seen. That was saying something, considering Conner had a pair of blue eyes that seemed to see straight into your soul and his friend Finn’s eyes were such a deep purple you could barely stand to meet his gaze. Was it vampire law that they could only change gorgeous men with unearthly eyes? If so, I definitely approved.
I sucked in a shaky breath as my eyes ran down the man’s taut, athletic frame. He wasn’t as tall as most of the men in the party, but his very presence seemed to expand, making him seem larger than he truly was. He wore a pair of dark, ragged jeans and a black oxford shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows. While he didn’t seem bulky, I could see the definition in his forearms from twenty feet away.
I swallowed hard and realized my throat was dry as dust. I managed to tear my eyes away from the beautiful man and lift my drink with a shaky hand. After a quick sip, I forced myself not to look back to that corner and continued on my way to the group of gorgeous vampires that were now watching me with blatant appreciation.
