Releasing the Dragon (Brides of the Kindred) Read online

  “That’s me. I helped him write his papers.” At the mention of Christian’s name, Annie’s ear’s perked up and she unconsciously straightened her spine. “Is he here tonight, by the way?” she asked as casually as she could. “I’d love to say hi for old time’s sake.”

  “Oh yes, he was one of the first to arrive. You’ll probably find him over by the bar.” Amy smiled and handed her the name badge. “If you don’t mind me saying, you look a lot different than you did in high school.” She leaned forward. “I mean, a lot.”

  “Thank you.” Annie flashed her a dazzling, braces-free smile. “I know.”

  Then she sailed off, clipping the name tag to the neckline of her little black dress, in search of Christian.

  There was a dance floor set up in the middle of the gym which reminded Annie of the school dances she’d never been invited to back in high school. Colored lights were flashing in the darkness, lighting up the floor. No one was dancing just yet—it was probably too early in the evening—but the DJ was playing songs she remembered from her high school years.

  Annie made her way around the edge of the dance floor, the familiar music putting a little spring in her step as she headed for the make-shift bar set up in one corner of the gym. Christian was probably already there, nursing a scotch and soda or some other manly drink and Annie planned to sidle up next to him.

  “Strawberry daiquiri, no whipped cream, please,” she’d say in her throatiest, sexiest voice. Then Christian would turn to her and say…

  “Well if it isn’t Little Orphan Annie. Isn’t that what we used to call you back in the day?”

  The familiar, mocking voice shattered Annie’s fantasy like a delicate wine glass dropped on concrete. She turned to see Michelle Prouty, Bella Jenkins, and Kristy Smithers standing right in front of her. All three of them were dressed, appropriately enough, as sexy devils, with horns and forked tails attached to their sheathe-like dresses. It reminded Annie of the way her trio of tormentors had always coordinated their outfits back in high school and for a moment it seemed that not a day had passed since graduation and she was right back where she’d started from.

  “Michelle?” she somehow managed to say, though her throat suddenly wanted to lock up. The three women confronting her were the same ones who had made her life so miserable all those years ago. And to Annie, they all looked exactly the same.

  Michelle was still slim and blonde—in addition to her horns and tail she was wearing a scarlet dress with a plunging neckline and an elegant little diamond tennis bracelet to match the teardrop diamond at her throat. The women on either side of her were similarly thin and pretty—making Annie suddenly feel more plus-sized than she had in a long time.

  “That is you—right Annie?” Michelle peered at her, as though not quite certain in the dim room. “It’s hard to tell without your braces and glasses. But it seems like we used to call you something else—what was it?” She put one finger to her perfectly sculpted chin as though deep in thought.

  “Yes, it’s me,” Annie said tightly.

  “Well, you’ve changed some since graduation,” Bella Jenkins remarked, tossing her long black hair over one shoulder.

  “Well we all have, haven’t we?” Kristy Smithers giggled. “Don’t tell but I’ve put on a few pounds.”

  “Oh me too—isn’t it awful?” Michelle widened her eyes dramatically. “I mean, I’m actually a size four now—and you know I was a two in high school.”

  “I got up to a size eight when I was pregnant with my first little girl,” Bella confided in hushed tones of someone admitting a shameful secret. “Of course I lost it all again the minute she popped out,” she added quickly. “Breast feeding, you know. Takes the pounds off in a flash.”

  “Better a size eight than an eighteen.” Michelle Prouty’s eyes flickered over Annie’s figure and she suddenly felt every bit as beach-ballish as she had back in high school. “But then, not everybody can keep their figure. You know what works for me? Cross Fit. I tell you girls, my hubby Doug and I are absolutely addicted to it. I go every day after I leave the office. Did I tell you I just got made the regional director of sales?”

  Annie felt like she was suffocating. She had to get away from her old tormentors—every minute she spent with them made her feel fatter and uglier and more and more worthless.

  “Well, it’s been nice seeing you again but I need to go,” she began, starting to edge away.

  “Oh, I remember what we called you now!” Michelle Prouty’s voice trilled out above the nostalgic music playing in the background. “It wasn’t Little Orphan Annie, it was Little Oinker Annie—isn’t that right?”

  Annie wanted to sink into the ground. From all directions, heads were turning. Just like it had in high school when she called out the cheers, Michelle’s voice carried amazingly well.

  Just then a well-dressed man with light brown hair came up and put his arm around Michelle.

  “Hi, Honey-bunch,” he said, kissing her on the ear affectionately. “I heard you from across the room. What’s going on—you found an old friend?”

  “Something like that.” The sneer on Michelle’s perfect face was unmistakable. “Girls, this is my better half, Doug—he owns Douglas Manufacturing up on Stickler road.”

  “Oh, I see my Barry over by the bar,” Kristy said and waved. “Barry, over here! I want you to meet Michelle’s hubby.”

  “My Brad just went to call the nanny and make sure everything is all right with baby Madeline but he’ll be back soon,” Bella announced.

  “What about you, Annie?” Michelle Prouty turned wide, innocent eyes on Annie who still wanted to die. “Did you bring a significant other tonight? Or are you all alone—just like you were in high school?”

  Annie felt sick. She’d lain awake many nights as a teenager, thinking exactly what she would say if she ever had the nerve to speak up to Michelle Prouty. She’d imagined cutting remarks and stinging insults that would pay the other girl back for every bit of misery she’d caused. But now all her carefully planned barbs seemed to have deserted her, along with most of her self-confidence. She no longer felt pretty and competent and in control of the situation. Instead, it seemed like she was suddenly back in high school unable to fight back against the other girl’s nasty remarks.

  “I…” She cleared her throat. “I, um…”

  “Don’t tell me you’re here all alone tonight,” Michelle remarked, opening her eyes even wider. “Why, that would be so sad, especially since I made sure to put on the invitation that spouses and significant others were welcome to come.”

  “I…I don’t…” Annie didn’t know what to say or how to get away. Just like back in high school she was paralyzed with shame and self-loathing. “I just…”

  “She is not alone. She brought me.”

  The deep, rumbling voice was strangely familiar and suddenly a long, muscular arm encircled her shoulders. Looking up, Annie saw the huge Kindred from her dreams—Drugair of the Drake Kindred, she reminded herself—standing right beside her.

  “Oh…” Michelle murmured, her eyes going wide for real this time. For once, she seemed to have nothing to say and Kristy and Bella were similarly struck dumb.

  “I am Drugair—Dru for short, as I believe you humans like to say,” the big Kindred went on in a conversational tone. He held out his hand to Doug, Michelle’s husband who took it uncertainly. From the wince on the other man’s face as they shook, Dru’s grip was very strong.

  Annie still didn’t know what to say but she couldn’t miss the contrast between the big Kindred and Michelle’s husband. Dru was huge and muscular and even in the darkness his black eyes seemed to glow with some inner light. His uniform gave him a certain dashing air which was much more exciting than any boring business suit. In short—he looked amazing next to the nondescript Doug.

  Like some kind of male model, Annie couldn’t help thinking. She’d been frightened of him when they first met, which had definitely kept her from noticing. But now sh