My feet were silent on the shimmering white tile, my wet, hair falling loosely over one of my shoulders and dripping down my makeshift top, then down my abdomen and to my pants.
I found Diora’s room quickly, and then knocked.
The door opened a moment later, Namir’s massive form filling the space.
As much as I hate to admit it, I took a quick step backward.
Men and I… well, it had been a long, long time since I’d met anyone of the other gender who hadn’t made my throat close up and my body kick into panic mode.
Except Espen, I realized.
Nothing about him had scared me.
I wasn’t dissecting that fact, though.
“Hey.” Diora slipped in front of her mate, and his hand slid over her hip, around the front of her to rest on the curve of her belly.
She didn’t even seem to notice the touch, which only proved to me that he touched her frequently—if not constantly.
Some part of me wondered what it might be like to be loved that fiercely, while another knew it would never be my destiny.
And the mother in me wanted to urge Diora to be careful, to take her time in falling in love, the markings on both hers and Namir’s throats proved that I was already too late.
“Are you okay?” Diora’s critical gaze swept the hallway behind me. “Which room did Horvis put you in?”
“I’m fine,” I lied.
She wasn’t the one who was supposed to worry; that was my job.
“Are you wearing pants as a shirt?” An amused, feminine voice asked from behind me.
I turned jerkily, my damned hair lighting up as I moved.
The woman behind me was from the couple I’d seen with Diora and Namir earlier. She had olive skin and long, dark hair, and was built like a warrior.
Now that I was looking closer, Diora was too.
The fact that I was still skinny and had just got out of jail yet again only made me more self-conscious… and more defensive, too.
“Espen gave them to me, and my other dress reeked,” I admitted.
“It’s kind of fun.” The other woman reached out and fiddled with one of the pant legs that was protruding awkwardly off my body.
“Akari, this is Lavee.” Diora introduced us to each other quickly. “Lav can cut and color your hair, and then spin around and kick your ass just as fast.”
Lavee flashed me a grin. “And you?”
I sighed. “I can make my hair glow, and throw knives.”
There was a snort behind me, and Lavee’s mate stepped up behind her. He was gigantic, with dark skin and intelligent green eyes.
When Diora glared at the man, he lifted a hand in surrender. “We were all feeling the same way.”
“It was fair. I deserved the laugh.” I raked a hand through my hair, and it got caught on the tangles. “Speaking of hair…” I focused on Lavee.
“I brought my shears. You want to chop this?” She gestured to the long, wrecked strands. Honestly, it was so unhealthy that my leftover hair would probably weep happy tears if I cut off the scraggly bits.
“Stars, yes.”