Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
She had no idea that everything was about to go terribly wrong.
34
ABBEY
“Oh my God, that ring is gorgeous! What kind of gem did you say it was again? And where have you been? We were afraid you weren’t showing up!” Abbey’s friend Krista exclaimed all in one breath. She and Maria and Janelle had been waiting for Abbey at the entrance to the reunion—which was being held in their old high school gym.
The space was still as big and full of echoes as Abbey remembered and the retro music from the year they had all graduated was bouncing off the walls. She could picture it in her mind—she’d been too nerdy to get asked to Prom her junior year and the extra thick glasses she’d been wearing hadn’t helped. But she had blossomed a bit in her senior year and had gone to Prom with a boy on the chess team.
Of course, all that had been before the attack, which had happened near the end of her senior year. For a long time, Abbey had believed it had ruined all of her happy school memories but tonight she was determined to reclaim the joy she’d had attending high school with her friends.
“We were just walking around the school—I was showing my fiancé, Solon, all our old favorite places to hang out,” she explained to Kristen, who was still waiting for an explanation.
“So this is the hot and hunky Monstrum fiancé we’ve been hearing all about!” Maria exclaimed.
“He’s a big guy,” Janelle remarked approvingly. “Come on, girl—introduce us!”
Blushing and smiling, Abbey introduced them all to Solon, who bowed to them and kissed all their hands in a way that made her friends giggle. She was really glad she’d come to the reunion now—though she’d had an attack of nerves right before they left Aunt Rose’s house and almost stayed home. But apparently Chris Brander was nowhere to be found in the milling crowds and she felt safe on Solon’s arm.
I made the right decision, she thought as she and her friends reminded each other of old jokes and laughed and shared about their plans for the future. All three of them agreed to come be in the wedding as bridesmaids and Maria promised to be the Matron of Honor.
“Or maybe just ‘Maid of Honor’ since Jeff and I broke up,” she sighed. “Maybe I’ll meet a hot Monstrum warrior at your wedding who won’t mind helping me raise my three kids,” she added, clearly not believing it.
“That’s possible,” Solon said unexpectedly. “We Monstrum like young ones—we don’t consider them a burden. And of course, there are many warriors who would be happy to Bond with a lovely Elite such as yourself.”
“Oh, my!” Maria laughed and nudged Abbey. “He’s a keeper, girl—better hold on to him!”
They spent a long time talking and then Abbey decided it was time to dance a little and maybe get some champagne. The DJ was playing a slow song she remembered from her Senior Prom and she asked Solon if he could dance.
“From what I can see, most of the couples on the dance floor are simply holding each other and swaying,” he rumbled. “I believe I can manage that.”
“Good—because I want to dance,” Abbey told him. “Come on—take me to the dance floor.”
“As my Lady wishes. I love how ‘bossy’ you get when you’re excited to do something.” He sounded like he was laughing and Abbey grinned up at him.
“That’s right—I’m bossy. So let’s dance!”
Solon led her to the dance floor and encircled her with his arms. Abbey reached up to put her hands on his shoulders and swayed to the music, feeling happier and more at peace than she had ever believed would be possible in this setting after the attack. But she found that now she was able to let all that go and just relax in her Monstrum’s arms feeling safe and secure and—
“Hey, can I cut in?”
Abbey’s eyes widened and her breath caught in a painful gasp in her throat. She hadn’t heard that voice in over ten years but she knew immediately who it was.
“Abbey? That’s you, right?” the voice spoke again. “You’re looking hot, baby! How about a dance for old time’s sake?”
“Lelka, do you know this male?” Solon rumbled and Abbey was glad he wasn’t letting go of her.
“Oh shit—sorry I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Chris—Chris Brander,” the horribly familiar voice said. “I used to play Quarterback for the Lions back in the day.”
Now Abbey could smell him too—the scent of beer, sweat, and the harsh chemical odor of Blood and Bone Cologne for Men stung her nostrils. The mixture took her back over ten years and put her right in that spot, under the bleachers. Right after football practice when she’d been down there, looking for a lost earring and Chris Brander had seen her and—