Seraya's POV
"Impossible." Liora breathed, slowly crossing the room to me. She looked between Drazien and I with wide eyes. "You are not pulling my leg with something so important are you?"
Drazien grinned, a roguish show of teeth and I found myself staring helplessly, unconsciously trying to imprint such a rare display in my memory.
"Why would I?" He said and looked at me. My heart stuttered a beat when he turned the full force of that smile on me and I forgot all the tidy speech I had prepared. Alarm bells sounded in my mind, I would need to be careful around this man before I found myself doing anything to see that smile again. "It has taken me centuries of searching to find her but now that I have… she was worth every second of waiting."
He raised my hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to my knuckles. He was good, I realized. I was the only one that knew he was lying and yet heat climbed into my cheeks and I knew they had turned a blazing red.
"Oh goddess." Liora whispered. "Oh goddess!!!" She practically screeched and then I was snatched from Drazien's grip and enveloped in a tight, perfumed hug. I released a shaky breath that I didn't realize I was holding.
She released me with a laugh. "I'm so sorry for that, I couldn't contain my excitement. My brother… he has searched for you for too long." Her voice got choked up. "I'd given up hope."
Her eyes suddenly filled with tears and I acted on instinct, drawing her into another long hug and she clung to me.
"I hope I can live up to your expectations." I said after we separated and she laughed.
"Don't be silly. You are even more beautiful than I dared to dream. But you could be a troll and as long as you were Drazien's mate, I would lay down my life for you." She said, suddenly solemn.
"Well, well, I just lost a shit ton of money after betting that this day would never come." The last male came to a stop beside Liora and stared at me, his lips tilted into a crooked smile. Before I knew it, I was yanked into another hug, this one way more masculine and encompassing.
"That's enough." I heard Drazien growl behind me and the male laughed and released me.
"You're Corvyn Eryndor." I said and he gave that crooked grin again.
"That's me." He replied. Drazien mentioned him briefly but he was just as infamous as the rest. His reputation was that of an incorrigible rake that left a trail of broken female hearts. The myths said that he fought all day and fucked all night. Obviously, the myths neglected to add some family time in between that.
"Drazien has said alot about you." I smiled, finally daring to relax.
"All bad things I hope." He gave me a wink and I laughed. I liked them, I realized. I should have never feared their rejection. All they radiated was warmth and welcome.
They both parted and there was the last one. He would be Riven Aetos. Drazien also mentioned him in passing but the myths didn't have much to provide either. He used to be lively, quick to laugh until several hundred years ago, he lost his mate and that killed something inside of him that can never be revived. He was a shadow now, mentioned only in whispers.
His gaze met mine and I saw a fractured light that I didn't see in them before. It didn't excuse his lack of manners earlier but my heart went out to him. He was so strong. Emotional connections to your mate was really so strong that once one half dies, the other usually follows within days. How was he even alive after hundreds of years?
He slowly stood, towering over all of the rest, even Drazien who was at least two feet taller than me. His height accentuated his weight-loss starkly such that he looked like a gargoyle statue.
"I…" He started and trailed off, shook his head. "You're welcome." He said finally. "I need another drink."
He dropped the unfinished bottle and headed towards the back. I froze, wondering what to make of that and the silence stretched for a beat too long before Liora came back alive, hooking my arm through hers and dragging me towards the couch.
"Sorry Drazien, you will have her to yourself later but for now, she is mine. Come, you must tell me all about how you two met." She gushed. I threw a look to Drazien to find him watching me with an intense expression.
While attendants settled food and drinks between us, I finally allowed myself to relax and fully enjoy the light company of Drazien's family. Corvyn and Liora were like cat and dog afterall, and Drazien sort of filled the role of big brother. From across the room, they dragged Riven into the conversation every now and then but he kept to himself while I pretended not to notice that he watched me like a hawk, as intently as if I was an alien that he couldn't make sense of.
"So, Raya dear." Liora said and I smiled because that is what my friends called me. I realized suddenly that I hadn't even tried to reach them with everything that happened. "Tell me, how did you actually meet Drazien?"
I smiled, we had this story down pat but as I glanced at Drazien sitting opposite me, I felt a little adventurous streak.
"It was at a carousel, I was just dancing and having fun." I started. Drazien glanced at me but I didn't look at him. "Then he smelled me and he shifted. People were screaming, gawking, i don't think they ever saw a Lycan shift before then, some probably thought it was part of the circus act." They both laughed. "I was afraid too, who was this terminator carving a path straight for me? I thought I was going to die for sure and then for the next act, about a thousand balloons were released into the air. They started popping simultaneously and suddenly this huge alpha male that was gunning for me was flinching with every balloon pop."
"No way!" Corvyn said and Liora giggled.
"I couldn't believe he was afraid of balloons!" I gushed and we all dissolved into laughter. I could feel his stare burning into me as I deviated from our planned storyline but I didn't dare meet his eyes. "I didn't know when I went to meet him, pulling him into my arms to shield him from the big bad balloons."
Liora and Corvyn howled with laughter.
"That is an exaggeration." Drazien growled and I finally met his gaze.
'You will pay for that one later.' He told me silently.
I grinned and blew him a kiss. 'Bring it on.' I dared him silently.
Hutch made his way in and I waved at him. He gave me a flourishing bow. "The grills are ready."
"Riven is at the grill!" Liora announced excitedly, jumping up.
"No, I said I would man the next grill." Corvyn said, standing and hurrying towards the back.
Liora yanked him back and twisted his arm behind his back and he howled with pain.
"Hell no, I'm not eating burnt meat today." She objected.
"Have some faith, Sister. I will man it religiously. You're going to break my fucking arm!"
"And beat you unconscious with it. You won't touch that grill today. I refuse to subject Raya to that torture."
I laughed as I watched them locked, fascinated by how comfortable I felt with them. Drazien came to stand before me, taking up my view and offering me his arm.
"Come, they will be at it for another ten minutes at least." He said.
I was the right amount of tipsy as I took his hand and we went out the back. Riven was already at the grill, spicing the beef.
"Wait, I'll meet you at the table." I told Drazien and hurried towards Riven. He looked surprised when I stopped beside him. I handed him the paprika pepper and he took it.
"I feel like we got off the wrong foot. Perhaps we can start all over again?" I started and he grunted in reply. I cast him a sideways glance. He had been really rude in our first interaction but here I was, being the bigger person and he didn't look like he gave a fuck. "Well, it is nice to officially meet you." I said finally.
"Mm." He said again. If I didn't speak with him earlier today, I would think he didn't speak at all.
I spun away to leave.
"Wait." I froze mid-step and turned to find him running his fingers through his hair. I thought he was finally going to say something but he just shook his head. "Forget it." He said finally.
I didn't outright dislike him anymore, mainly because Liora and Corvyn were such amazing people that they made up for his moodiness.
"Okay." I said and left.
I slipped onto the seat beside Drazien and propped my chin on my hands.
"What do you think?" I whispered. "Stellar performance or not?"
"Are you having fun with this?" He asked and I grinned.
"Is it that obvious?" I asked.
Liora and Corvyn stepped out and started making their way here.
"Why don't we make this performance even more believable then?" He asked.
Before I could process that, his hand gripped my waist and he lifted me off my seat with one hand. I squealed with shock as he dropped me on his lap.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" I hissed and I felt his lips at my ear.
"Shh." His lips grazed the sensitive tip of my ear and I shivered violently. "You wouldn't want to ruin the stellar performance now, will you?" He whispered.
Liora slipped onto the seat opposite ours, an endearing smile taking over her face as she took us in while Corvyn whistled.
"No fair, Brother. You don't intend to keep the pretty lady all to yourself do you?" He said, sitting beside Liora.
"Get your own damn mate." Drazien growled, his fingers splaying possessively over my belly.
I snuck a glare at him and he grinned at me, nearly stopping my heart in my chest. I was in major trouble.