position. He smoothed down a couple of hairs that had broken free of the iron clad hair spray and watched me with pure adoration. Feeling slightly ashamed at my own lack of inhibitions, I felt myself blush as he took my hands in his. Then the lights went out.
I instantly latched onto him and heard him snicker. “It’s just midnight, love. It’s time for the meteor shower.” I could actually hear him smirking at me.
“I knew that…” I stood quickly, feeling foolish. He took my hand again and led me back outside. Everyone else had gathered on the dance floor, faces lifted to the sky. All artificial light had been shut off, so we could see the true beauty of the moon and stars. They were exquisite. No longer cloaked, I felt oddly exposed. Finn wrapped his arm around me and my heart swelled. I held on to him, reveling in our most recent cloaked make-out session. I glanced down at my dress to make sure it didn’t look too rumpled. The last thing Finn said before sweeping me off my feet popped into my mind.
He had foresight, too! A refreshing wave of relief washed over me, knowing I wasn’t alone in my random blackouts and visions. Is that how he knew I had the same ability? Suddenly, I had a million questions. Did he have blackouts too? What else had he seen? How long had he been having visions?
Unfortunately, my questions would have to wait. Oohs and aahs came from the crowd as the meteor shower began. Out here surrounded by only darkness and water, each burning meteor took your breath away. It was beautiful to behold.
“Do you see those two bright stars?” Finn asked me and I followed his finger. “They’re part of the constellation Aquarius. He’s the water-bearer of the sky. Right below him is the constellation Pisces. He’s pouring water down to Pisces, which we all know is a fish. The reason this meteor shower is important to us is because it originates out of Aquarius. It comes once a year, and symbolizes the water bearer showering the world with new life and spiritual awakening. It represents the washing away of the past, leaving room for a fresh start.” He peered down at me, somehow understanding the magnitude of his explanation.
Since arriving at Lorelei, I’d felt the past washing away, replaced by a new freedom to reinvent not only myself, but my future. A fresh start was exactly what I had been wanting, and I felt like Aquarius had been showering me lately with new life and spiritual awakening. I smiled up at the water-bearer and silently thanked him as he spun above us in the night sky.
Thirty minutes and two cramps in my neck later, the lights came back on. Beach music blasted from the speakers and Finn turned to me, eyes sparkling.
“It’s time for that dance,” he said as he extended his hand. I looked at the dance floor and noticed no one else had taken the opportunity to embarrass themselves, so why should we?
“There’s no one else dancing yet.”
“That’s because they’re waiting for us.”
He was right; all the other couples were watching us curiously. The guys seemed to know what was going on, but the girls all looked confused. My eyes met Olivia’s and she gave me a look that could wither every flower in a twenty mile radius.
“And exactly why are all of these people waiting on us?” I felt a massive attack of stage fright coming on.
“Tradition.”
“Is there a book somewhere that says no other Sons can dance until Finn Morrison does?
‘Cause if there is, I’d like to find it and burn it.” He just laughed at me and pulled me out on to the dance floor with our audience looking on.
“Just follow my lead,” he whispered to me. This couldn’t go well. I expected some sort of cha-cha or rumba or something else equally mortifying, but instead he took my hand and began moving his feet. I immediately understood which dance we were doing. Shagging is actually something I’d done before, but that didn’t calm my stage fright by any means. I started to relax a little bit, and got in step with Finn. Under the firefly lights with an empty dance floor, my adrenaline started pumping and I couldn’t believe how much fun I was having. Finally after ten anxiety filled minutes, other couples came out to the dance floor.
To our left, Ian was trying to teach Phoebe the steps, as she continually ran into him due to watching her feet the whole time. To our right, I saw something I never thought I would witness; Olivia smiling and laughing. She was dancing with a tall good-looking guy who was gazing at her as if the sun rose and set in her eyes. Smiling at my own dance partner, I couldn’t remember the last time I was this happy.
Chapter 28
Too soon, the lights flickered, announcing the end of the Ball. I found my shoes, which I had kicked off at some point between The Temptations and The Embers, and started to follow the other couple filing back downstairs to the catwalk, but Finn held back. He took my hand and guided me to the now empty dance floor.
“For my lady.” He bowed before me and presented me with a single rose he seemingly manifested out of thin air. Instead of the customary red or yellow, this particular rose was dark as midnight; a rich, soft ebony that reminded me of a raven’s feather. The embodiment of darkness was captured beautifully in its black petals, but the symbolism of the rose itself lit a startling contradiction between life and death; both intertwined within one fragile flower. A flower I currently held gently in my hand. Its sweet aroma drifted up to my nose.
“It’s beautiful, Finn,” I breathed, unable to take my eyes off it.
“Just like its new owner.” He flashed a dazzling smile down at me and took my hand.
He escorted me back downstairs, through the small hallway, and when we rounded the corner, it took me a second to realize what I was seeing. The other girls had been lowered via the basket of death to the yacht below. The catwalk stretched out before me with eleven Sons lining the left side.
Each held a single black rose just like Finn’s. One by one, they offered me their flower and nodded their head respectfully. I wasn’t sure if they were nodding at me or Finn, but it didn’t really matter.
I’d never had anyone show me that kind of recognition. I was used to hiding in the shadows. By the time we arrived at the basket, I cradled a dozen black roses in my arms. I knew my face had to be a bright shade of red from the heat I could feel coming off of it, but I didn’t care. At that moment, I felt like royalty; a princess swept off her feet by a dark, sexy angel of mystery. Finn produced a strip of black lace and wrapped it around the flowers, securing them together.
“You are too much,” I smiled widely at him. He narrowed his eyes and stepped closer.
“And I’ve only just begun seducing you with my unwavering charm, mademoiselle,” he purred in his horrible British/French accent, his mouth lifting up in a crooked grin I couldn’t resist.
Standing on my tip-toes, I gave him a light kiss. His arm went around my waist and his other cradled the back of my head as he pulled me to him for a much deeper kiss. The eleven Sons watching on the catwalk and the hundreds of girls waiting below faded from my consciousness as I willingly drowned in him. The dark magical quality of the roses in my arms and the night surrounding us folded around me, embracing and warming my heart. His kisses stopped abruptly as he cupped my chin, forcing me to gaze into his stormy eyes. My legs suddenly trembled.
“I will stop at nothing to protect you, Anastasia. I want you to remember that.” The desperation in his eyes and the urgency in his voice tightened my chest with trepidation. I nodded in agreement, not knowing how to respond to his sudden pledge of protection. What did he think I needed safeguarding from? Fear quivered in the pit of my stomach, but I tried to push it down. His shoulders relaxed and his crooked grin returned.
“Sweet Dreams, Stasia.” Finn kissed my hand, looking up at me through his long lashes.
“Sweet Dreams, Finn.” I didn’t want to leave his side. I knew I would feel his absence like a cold wind blowing around my heart. Reluctantly, I stepped into the basket, steadied myself and met his smiling eyes again.
