Ruffle My Feathers

I feel like I should keep pinching myself to make sure this is real. Two weeks ago, I was worried about being evicted from my apartment and today I'm on a private jet, flying to the Hamptons.

Talk about a lucky break. I'm thanking all the powers that be. I never dreamed I'd get this kind of opportunity. And the strange part is that it's all because of my friend, Ellie Whitehorse. Oh, wait, make that Ellie Whitehorse Marsh. She's married now. And living in Florida.

I found her on Facebook and we reconnected. We only live an hour apart. She has a beautiful place and oh wow, is her husband a hunk! Not only that, but he's a genuinely nice guy.

It was such a blessing to reconnect with Ellie. We hadn't spoken in over a year. To be honest, I thought she'd forgotten about me. Her cell phone number had been discontinued and even the emails I sent to her bounced back.

So when I found her on Facebook I was a little worried that she wouldn't respond to my private message. But she did and now it's as if no time has passed at all.

When I heard what had been going on in her life, I felt a bit like I'd taken a trip into Alice's rabbit hole. Not only has Ellie personally met Augustus Thurinus, the Prince of Vampires, but also she's friends with romance writer Layla Storm, who's marrying the vampire prince.

And get this, Ellie is fae. WTF? Fae? I thought she was kidding but she's serious. When she went to Florida to see the land her father left her, she discovered the truth of her birth and she found her brother and is looking for her sister who are also fae. What's even stranger is that her dad was some kind of fae king.

I knew when the announcement was made about The Seven that everything was going to change. Whether it'd be for the good was anyone's guess. A lot of people are gung-ho about the Preterhumans. A lot more are scared shitless.

Me? I'm just trying to make ends meet and if they need a make-up artist, I'm their gal.

Which brings me to Ellie's call the other day. Thanks to her friendship with the bride-to-be, I've been hired to be the makeup artist for the wedding party. Well, for part of them. Apparently, the mother of the groom, the Queen of Vampires, has no need for such things. Yet she demands it of all the other members of the party.

Whatever. I'm just over the moon excited. Not only am I going to make enough off this gig to pay my bills for the next six months, but I get to be at THE event of the year. Hell the event of the century.

I just hope I don't make a jackass of myself staring at everyone.

*****

Nevaeh yelped as she whacked into the heavy porcelain planter positioned on the sidewalk just shy of the entrance of the building. That hurt, but even the pain didn't interrupt her gawking at her surroundings.

Holy hell, just how rich is this woman?

She'd been met at the airport by a private limo and driven to what had to be one of the biggest houses in the world. It looked like a darn resort. The driver had deposited her at the rear of the estate where she was met by a man in a dark suit, complete with the kind of earpiece microphones worn by the Secret Service.

The man had escorted her to what he referred to as the "southern pool house." She'd be lodging there for the duration of her stay and it's where she'd set up to do makeup for the wedding party.

Her escort opened the door and held it for her to enter. She expected him to follow her in, but instead he closed the door after she entered. Nevaeh could see him through the glass of the door, headed back the way they'd come.

She set her bags down and turned around to look at the place. Wow. The room she stood in had to be fifty feet wide and at least that long. The wall housing the door she'd entered was entirely of glass, looking out over the Olympic sized pool and enormous surrounding patio with covered pergolas and statutes larger than life. A heavy metal fence that rimmed the raised patio area and looked out over the slope of the yard to the Atlantic. Across the wide expanse of pool and patio was another structure identical to the one she stood in. The northern pool house?

The furnishings were expensive, without a doubt. Why one of the knick-knacks on an end table probably cost more than she made in a month.

This great room, as she thought of it, seemed to be the hub of the house. There were doorways on the remaining three walls—large, towering affairs. She chose the one to the right since a massive dining table with a dozen chairs was positioned on that side of the room. The kitchen had to be nearby and she could use a glass of water.

"Woo." Neveah stopped just inside the kitchen with an appreciative woot. Man, talk about a dream kitchen. All stainless steel, top of the line appliances, granite countertops in a creamy color scheme that perfectly complemented the dark wood of the cabinetry.

She went to the massive refrigerator and opened the right-side door. It had been well stocked with water, soft drinks, beer, and milk, juice of every variety, protein drinks, and soy products. And that was just the drink selection.

Fruits of every variety imaginable along with at least a dozen different kinds of cheese, meats and fresh vegetables had the shelves and drawers packed. But arranged in a perfect sort of order so that it looked like something out of a magazine advertisement.

Neveah took a bottle of water from the refrigerator, opened it, and chugged down half of it. She was lowering the bottle from her mouth when the sound of someone speaking her name had her whirling around.

"Neveah?" A lovely dark-haired woman stood at the doorway.

"Yes."

"Hi, I'm Layla. I'm so happy to finally meet you. Ellie has told me so much about you that I feel like I should know you."

Nevaeh wasn't sure what to make of that comment. Ellie knew her as a woman struggling to establish herself in an industry that was hard to break into. So what did Layla think of her—that she was a loser who Ellie was trying to do a favor?

"Ellie tells me that you're really talented and well—hey, look at me, I can use all the help I can get."

That shocked Nevaeh. Layla was a lovely woman, with creamy skin, bright eyes, hair that had shine and body and a figure that women would find enviable.

"I think you look great."

"Oh thank you, that's sweet, but… well have you seen my husband?"

"Huh? I thought you were getting married in two days?"

"Oh!" Layla laughed and walked to the refrigerator to pull out a bottle of water. "Well, the truth is, we kinda got married last month."

"Ok, right, Ellie said you had a wedding at her place. But you're having one here? I'm confused."

Layla chuckled again. "You wouldn't be if you'd met my monster-in-law. Come on, let's go sit out by the pool. Oh, did you bring a suit? You can swim if you like."

"No, I didn't bring one."

"I bet there are some in the dressing room. Come on, let's go look. Maybe we can both find something."

Nevaeh followed Layla back through the great room and through the doorway on the opposite side. Layla made a right turn and opened another door.

Nevaeh stopped short and gawked. "Holy shit. Oh sorry."

Layla laughed. "Don't be. I said the same thing. Asha tends to overdo just about everything. But damn, this is like a department store so we may as well take advantage."

"Won't she be upset?"

"I doubt that she ever even steps a foot in here." Layla started going through the swimsuits on a rack, all still bearing size and price tags. "This is just for guests. Oh look, this would look great on you. You have that long lean torso and great legs. I bet you work out regularly."

"I run and do yoga."

"Oh, I think I hate you." Layla gave her a smile. "Just kidding. I used to run but I got lazy and now I really need to get back to an exercise program. Here, try this on."

Nevaeh accepted the swimsuit but made no move to take it from the hanger. "What about you?"

"I think I'll try this red… what are they called? Tankini? The changing rooms are right there." She pointed to two doors on a side wall. "Come on."

Layla took her suit into one of the rooms and after a moment, Nevaeh went into the other changing room. She hung the suit on a hook on the wall and looked at the tag. Shit on a stick! This costs more than my rent for a month.

"Holy shit!" The sound of Layla's voice startled her. "Look at the price on these things! Good god, I could feed myself for three months!"

Nevaeh felt the smile take shape on her face and relief wash through her. Layla might be marrying a prince but she sure seemed like a regular woman. "Tell me about it." She raised her voice just a little as she started taking off her clothes. "I've never worn anything this expensive in my life."

A laugh came from the next room. "Well, when in Rome, right? Okay, are you decent?"

"Almost." Nevaeh took the suit off the hanger and stepped into it. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she blinked. Layla was right. It really was flattering. It was fashioned to look like material wrapped around the body. It looped around the neck, crossed over the breasts, around the back, and then again to the front to attach to bottoms that she though were called Brazilian cut because they rose high on the hips.

She opened the door and stepped out to find Layla pawing through another rack of clothing. Layla looked at her and whistled. "Oh my god, that's hot. And I think I hate you. Kidding, just kidding but damn you look great in that."

"I don't see how you could possibly be jealous. You're beautiful and—"

"Luscious?" Layla laughed. "Don't worry. I know I'm not exactly toned."

"But you're not fat."

"No, just soft."

"It looks good on you."

"Thanks." Layla gave her a smile and held up two more hangers, these bearing filmy long shirts. "White or white?"

"White is fine." Nevaeh smiled.

"Then white it is." Layla handed her one of the hangers and removed the shirt from the other. She put it on and waited for Nevaeh to do the same. "Okay, let's hit the pool."

Together they went outside to one of the pergolas. Four long and deeply padded chaise lounges sat in its shade with small tables between each. Layla plopped down on one. "Come on."

Nevaeh took a seat on the chaise beside her. "I have to tell you that I'm feeling really out of place right now."

"So am I, so it's nice to have someone to feel out of place with."

"You feel out of place?" That surprised Nevaeh. "But you're like the hottest writer in the world and you're marrying this prince of…"

"Vampires." Layla smiled. "I know, it's kinda hard to really wrap your mind around it isn't it?"

"That falls solidly into the no shit category."

"Yeah, it does. But I'm not a hot shot. Hell, when I wrote that book I was so broke I thought I was going to end up on the street. And trust me, I never expected it to go insane the way it did. In all honesty it probably wouldn't have if I hadn't gotten involved with Augustus."

"What's he like?"

"Augustus? He's… god, I don't even know where to start. He's the man of my dreams. Strong and smart, kind and has a sense of humor. And sexy—oh my god, he's sexy. And he cares. About his people and our people, too.

"I'll tell you a secret. He was once Emperor of Rome."

"Shut up."

"I swear. Augustus Octavius, heir to Gaius Caesar. I read up on him and from all historical accounts he was really something. He ruled Rome for forty years and in that time, he nearly doubled the size of the empire. He secured alliances that basically gave him rule from Britain to India and apparently spent most of his time outside of Rome, working to consolidate power in the provinces.

"I read that he expanded the Roman network of roads, founded the Roman postal service and Praetorian Guard, and added a new forum as well as police and fire departments."

"And was he someone the people loved or hated?"

"From what I've been able to find, he was loved by his people."

Nevaeh shook her head. " Kinda hard to take in, you know?"

"Oh do I ever."

Nevaeh look a look around. "So it'd be okay if I get in the pool?"

"Of course it would. In fact, I think I'll join you."

They both rose, shed their cover-ups, and walked to the edge of the pool. Nevaeh stuck one foot into the water. "It's not cold."

"Heated." Layla frowned. "Personally I'd prefer it cooler, but I guess rich people like it to feel bath-like."

"When in Rome?" Nevaeh giggled, still balancing on one foot and dangling the other into the water. "Oh god, that's a horrible analogy if Augustus is… well you, know, an ex-emperor of Rome."

"Oh he doesn’t get offended by that stuff. In fact—oh look—Gabriel."

Nevaeh looked in the direction of Layla's gaze and what she saw had shock reverberating through her so strong that she lost her balance. She flailed, trying to regain her footing and Layla made a grab for her.

Nevaeh latched onto Layla's hand and over backwards she went, taking Layla with her.

Gabriel had just opened his mouth to call out a hello when the hot woman with Layla looked at him. Wow, talk about a punch. It could have been a totally sexy moment. Could have. But her eyes flew open wide and then she started to topple over backwards.

It would have been comical if it had not been for what happened next. Her body was canted back at a forty-five-degree angle to the water, and Layla was leaning forward in her fall. And they just… froze. Came to a total and complete stop for all of a second and then continued to fall.

Gabriel shook his head, just then realizing he was also frozen in mid-step. "Whoa" he whispered under his breath. "Freaky."

He continued toward Layla and her enticing, albeit clumsy friend, allowing the humor of the situation to rise up to the surface.

Nevaeh hit the water with a smack and a split-second later Layla landed on top of her. Nevaeh was pushed in deeper and for a few moments, they floundered in a tangle of limbs.

When Nevaeh surfaced and slung her hair back from her face, she saw two things. First, Layla was hanging onto the edge of the pool with one hand, adjusting the top of her swimsuit with the other. The second thing was a set of feet, attached to muscular calves, standing on the edge of the pool.

Her eyes traveled upward, over equally muscular thighs, an appealing male package and slim hips encased in a red boxer style speedo. As she treaded water, her gaze moved higher, over a delectable set of abs, a firm, full chest, and up to what had to be one of the most beautiful male faces she'd ever seen.

Full lips parted in a smile to display perfect white teeth and a strong nose. Eyes of a pure blue that rivaled a summer sky were set into a face of harmonious angles and high cheekbones. The face belonged in a dream. A hot and sexy one. And was topped with a full head of blond hair that cascaded down over strong shoulders.

Holy shit. If the figure of the man were not enough to take her breath, the outspread wings certainly were. An angel. An honest-to-god angel. And sexy as holy sin.

The angel grinned at her. "Nice day for a swim but personally I prefer the water to be a bit cooler."

"That's what I said." Layla hoisted herself up on the edge of the pool to sit.

"I knew you were a woman of exception taste the moment we met." The angel gave her a smile. "Well, aside from your questionable taste in men, of course."

"Yeah, right. Gabriel, I want you to meet Nevaeh Rockwell. She's an old friend of Ellie's and the best makeup artist ever. She's going to make sure we're all dolled up for Asha's circus."

She looked then at Nevaeh. "Nevaeh, this is Gabriel. Obviously, an angel and the first member of the Seven I liked at first glance. He's also Augustus' best friend and best man."

Gabriel bent over and extended a hand to Neveah. "Charmed."

She reached for his hand but paused when Layla muttered, "Uh-oh."

"What?" She pulled her hand back and looked at Layla.

"Let's just say it might be better if you were on solid ground when you do that."

"Huh?"

"Just trust me on this one."

Nevaeh noticed the chuckle from Gabriel. She swam over to the edge and pulled herself up to sit beside Layla.

"Towels, ladies?"

She looked up as Gabriel turned to walked over to a cabinet where there was a stack of folded towels. Layla nudged her in the side. "It's pretty amazing isn't it?"

"Those are honest to goodness wings." Nevaeh tried to keep her voice low. "Wings."

"Yep."

"And that body. My god."

"Yep."

Nevaeh cut her eyes at Layla. "So it doesn't affect you at all?"

Layla shrugged. "It does, in a way. I mean I acknowledge that he's a hundred kinds of fine, but he affects me in a different way."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when you were a child and some other kid you thought was so cool befriended you and you shared looks and phases that were just between the two of you? How it made you feel special and like you had a connection with them that no one else had?"

"Yeah, I remember that." Nevaeh couldn't take her eyes off Gabriel.

"Well, that's what I have with Gabriel."

"If you weren't hooked up with a prince I'd say that's a terrible waste. Good god, just look at that ass."

Layla laughed. "Oh I know."

Nevaeh turned to look at Layla. "Why didn't you want me to shake his hand?"

Layla leaned a little closer. "He has this… affect when he touches you. It fills you with this sensation of bliss. That's the best way I can describe it. When I met him he put his hands on my shoulders and I almost passed out."

"Are you serious?"

"Oh yeah."

Layla straightened and then stood as Gabriel reached them with the towels. After accepting one, she wrapped it around her and returned to take a seat on the chaise.

Nevaeh stood and accepted the towel, careful not to let her skin come in contact with his.

"Your name is Nevaeh?"

"Yes." Man did he ever have a sexy voice. And oh wow did he have the sexiest smile. And he even pronounced her name right—Nuh-vah-ah.

"That's heaven spelled backwards."

Neveah's gaze shot up to meet his. No one ever figured that out. "Yes."

"You were obviously very loved to have been given such a name."

She nodded. Thoughts of her parents brought tears. Her mother had died from breast cancer when she was only six and her father had raised her alone. He'd been so amazing. Now he was in a nursing home in Florida, suffering from the final stages of Alzheimer's. It had taken every cent she could scrape together to get him moved there where she could be close to him.

Even though he'd lost his memories of her more than a year ago, she still visited him almost every day, if her myriad jobs didn't prevent it.

"I'm very happy to meet you, Nevaeh."

"Likewise, Gabriel. And my friends call me Nev."

"So, we're friends?"

The tease was out of her mouth before she could stop it and even as the words poured out she felt herself blushing. "A girl can dream."

Gabriel laughed and strangely, she didn't feel that he was laughing at her. "I think we just may be, Heaven-spelled-backwards."

Nevaeh didn’t know if he was just being polite or meant what he said. All she knew was that she'd fallen under his spell at one look.

What an unusual woman this Nevaeh Rockwell is. According to Layla's friend, Ellie Whitehorse-Marsh, Nevaeh is quite talented and not at merely applying makeup to make people appear lovelier than they actually are. Her real passion is in special effects makeup and prosthetics for film and stage.

She reminds me a bit of Layla, when we first met. She's very curious about my kind. She has yet to voice her questions but I hear them churning in her mind. How do our wings attach to our bodies, and how do we manage to dress? Do we lose feathers in the same manner as a bird and do we have avian genetics in our make-up? Where did we originate? Were we born or hatched? Were we sent here by God?

While Layla is affable and outgoing, Nevaeh is quiet and seems to skirt the perimeter when other people are present, like an outcast watching from beyond the gate. I do wonder what makes her feel that she matters less.

Actually, after only one meeting I find myself wondering many things about her. Perhaps that's just my natural curious nature. Or perhaps it is more. I do feel something—some attraction—something that pulls at me when she dares to meet my eyes.

She is a mystery in many ways. I hear what is on the surface of her mind but not what lies beneath. That's uncommon. We angels are the most telepathic of all the Seven. Why then can she bar me from all but the mundane thoughts that flit through her mind?

Gabriel turned at the sound of footfall behind him. Augustus walked across the long expanse of the patio surrounding the pool. In his right hand was a six-pack of beer. In his left was what appeared to be a wine bottle. Gabriel knew the bottle did not contain wine. Asha, the Queen of Vampires, and Augustus' mother, had blood bottled in such a manner.

Augustus walked over to the rail that edged the patio and looked out over the lawn to the beach. Gabriel kept quiet. He knew Augustus was agitated and he understood all too well. Being around Asha and her minions was enough to unhinge even the most imperturbable soul.

"I should have said no."

"Pardon?" Gabriel wasn't sure which of Asha's demands Augustus was referencing.

"This entire spectacle."

Gabriel chuckled. "Ah yes."

Augustus took a seat in the chair beside him, holding out the six-pack. Gabriel plucked a bottle from the pack. "Thanks."

He popped the top from the bottle and took a long drink as Augustus placed the rest of the beer between them and open the wine bottle.

"Vintage 2015?" Gabriel asked.

"Who knows? I just know I need it to continue with this…"

"Circus?"

Augustus snorted. "That about sums it up."

"So why did you and Layla agree to do this? You're already married. Unless that judge in Florida wasn't legit."

"The marriage is legal."

"It was a cool wedding." Gabriel smiled as he remembered. "Eldric's place is something isn't it? I've never experienced anything quite like it."

"How so?"

"The whole thing about not being able to see it unless you're in his or Ellie's company. That's some cool magic and pretty strong."

"Yes, it is. From what the fae councilperson, Lucan, has told me, Eldric's powers are considerable. When he and Ellie link, their powers are increased exponentially. If they had their missing sister join the link they could wield enough power to not only open the doorway to the other realm but establish a permanent passageway for any of our people who wanted to return to that realm."

"Yeah, what's happening with finding their lost sister?"

"Thus far we've had no luck but we will continue to try. I gave Eldric my word and I intend to keep it."

"I'd expect no less. But back to the circus. Is Asha serious about having hair stylists and makeup artists for this thing? I don't know about you, bro, but I like my hair just fine the way it is and makeup is so not my thing."

"Too manly for that, are we?"

"Says the man who growls at a hairbrush."

Augustus smiled and took a long pull from the bottle. "Asha was… let's say she was highly displeased when she discovered we were married in Florida, but true to her nature she saw a way to capitalize on it."

"Oh? Seems to me it put a kink in her plans. The wedding was delayed for almost a month."

"Long enough for Ellie's baby to be born and both of them be fit to travel. At least so Asha thought. Layla spoke with Ellie about it and released her from any obligation."

"So they won't be coming?"

"Not the Marsh family, but Eldric is coming."

"That Alex chick, too?"

"Didn't care for her?"

"No. I mean she's fine, just something peculiar about her."

"Layla says that according to Ellie, Alex can communicate with the dead."

"Interesting."

"It is. Nevertheless, in answer to your question, yes. Layla and I gave her and Eldric a ride to North Carolina when we left Florida and she invited us to meet her family. Another interesting group of humans."

"How so?"

"Cam Marsh's brother, Colton is half fae and his wife has mixed blood as well. Both have unique abilities. In addition, Alex's blood sister, Teddy, is an empath and practices psychometry.

"Alex's adopted sister, Mikayla, is a witch and her husband and his brothers all possess mind control abilities and can communicate with animals."

"Looks like the Seven have been mixing it up with humans more than anyone realized. Those abilities had to come from some of us."

"Indeed. However, the point I was taking a circuitous route to is that Layla invited them all to the wedding."

"That girl makes friends easy, doesn't she?"

"Yes she does. However, the only ones attending will be Colton and Memory. She's actually going to photograph the event."

"Memory?"

"Memory Wells. She's quite well-known."

"Well kudos to Ellie for scoring a good photographer."

"Yes, and speaking of making new friends, I hear you've made one."

"Me?"

"Nevaeh Rockwell."

Gabriel smiled, set down his empty bottle, and pulled a fresh beer from the pack. "She's definitely interesting."

"And definitely mixed."

"Say what?"

"Andre brought it to my attention. No one here has been able to breach her mind. She has uncommonly strong shields. And Andre believes she is has temporal abilities."

"Temporal?"

"The ability to control space and time."

"That sounds impressive."

"It is. If it's true."

"It may be. I saw something strange when we first met. She fell into the pool and pulled Layla with her and from where I stood they seemed to…umm, how to explain it? They seemed to fall and pause and then continue to fall."

"And it didn't affect you?"

"No. Well maybe it did a little. Maybe I was too far away or it doesn't affect angels in the same way. But Andre thinks she's part wizard?"

"Actually he thinks she may be wizard or demon or a mix of the two."

"Daemon." Gabriel made a face. "Sorry but that word still just rankles me."

Augustus laughed. "Yes, it does have a negative connotation in human vernacular, doesn't it? The word as is used now first appeared in Middle English around 1350, from the Latin daemonium and Greek daimonion, which actually mean a thing of divine nature."

"As in deity?"

"Yes."

"And does Severin know that?"

"Oh you know he does." Augustus tilted the bottle up to his lips and drank its contents then set it aside.

"That still kinda grosses me out, man." Gabriel grabbed a beer and handed it to Augustus. "Here. And why doesn't he protest at the connotation given to the word demon?"

"Because he cares little for the opinions of others. And seriously, Gabriel? After all the years we've been friends?"

"Well that falls into the no-shit category, Captain Obvious. And yes, it still grosses me out. It's blood, dude. Blood.""

Augustus shook his head. "But not blood taken by force or violence."

"Oh you're a bit touchy."

"Trust me, dealing with Asha and keeping Layla from wanting to hire a hit man to kill her is enough to make anyone irascible." He took a long drink of the beer. "And you've done an excellent job of evading the subject I opened."

"What subject?"

"Nevaeh Rockwell."

"Ah, Nevaeh. Heaven-spelled-backwards."

"Pardon?"

"Her name. It's heaven spelled backwards."

"And you're smitten with her."

"Smitten? Bro, your age is really showing."

"Smitten."

"I'm not smitten. Intrigued."

"Smitten. It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Says the vampire who married a human and is about to have more media on his second wedding to the same human than the super bowl."

"Yes, says that vampire."

Gabriel grinned. "Go find your wife and make sure she isn't carving a stake for Asha's heart."

"I told her that wouldn't work."

They both laughed and Augustus stood. "In case I've neglected to say it, thank you for agreeing to go along with all this and stand beside me as my best man."

Gabriel set aside his beer and rose. "A man could do no less for his brother."

Augustus clasped Gabriel's hand in a firm grip. "A man could not ask for a finer brother. Enjoy your evening. I will see you at the rehearsal tomorrow."

"Wouldn't miss it. Rest well."

Gabriel watched Augustus leave and then took to the air, sailing out over the expanse of lawn and then sand to glide over the ocean, watching the play of light from the moon sparkle on the dark water.

Augustus was right. He was a bit smitten with Nevaeh. What puzzled him was his reluctance to act upon the attraction. When it came to women, he was not shy or hesitant. If he could not attract a woman with his looks or personality, he had only to touch her to have her literally falling into his arms.

The trouble was he didn't want to use his angelic powers on Nevaeh. He wanted her to be interested in him just because of the man he was.

Or angel, as was the case.

With much to occupy his thoughts, he ascended, closing his eyes and enjoying the sensation of the wind ruffling his feathers and cooling his skin.