Willow lifted her gaze to Sebastian, then to the spot where a classical orchestra was playing. A few couples were dancing to the music.
“Um... sure,” she agreed, finishing her drink in one gulp, hoping it would calm her nerves. It did, a little.
She let him lead her to the dance floor, her hand resting on his shoulder, the other in his hand.
When his hand touched the bare skin of her back, she gasped.
He noticed her reaction and smirked, pulling her closer to him as they began to dance.
“Are my hands cold?” he asked, his smirk never leaving his face.
She looked up at him, her breath hitching for two reasons. One, his sharp cedar cologne was so strong, it made her imagine him in the woods... taking her against a tree. And two, with her heels on, she was at eye level with his collarbones. When she tilted her head up, their lips were closer than she expected.
She didn’t often wear heels, so she wasn’t used to being this tall.
“A b-bit.”
She mentally kicked herself for stuttering, a blush spreading across her cheeks. She looked down, focusing on her steps. She didn’t want to step on his feet.
“I do apologize,” he said, his voice filled with amusement even though she couldn’t see his face.
Sebastian led her through the dance with ease, but all she could think about was how his hand had slowly moved down her back, resting just above her butt.
Even though his hand was cold, she felt hot.
He pressed her body against his with a gentle pressure on her back.
She looked up at him, but he was looking at something behind her.
Before Willow could ask what he was looking at, another arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against another man.
She turned her head to see Damon glaring at his brother.
“Something wrong?” Sebastian asked, a smile on his face, seemingly unfazed.
“I told you—” Damon’s eyes darkened, he stopped himself, his arm tight around Willow’s waist. “Just go,” he said, his voice low.
Sebastian chuckled, and in one swift move, he stepped forward, placed two fingers under her chin to tilt her face up to his, and whispered against her neck, “Till next time.”
And then he was gone. As she turned her head, she saw his back disappearing out of the ballroom.
Finally coming out of her daze, she slapped Damon’s arm. “Let go of me right now.”
He chuckled, the sound deep and rough in her ear. “Or what?”
“Let go,” she said again, and this time he did, letting her turn to face him.
“Why did you do that?” she asked, letting him lead her back to the bar. He waved his hand, and the three people sitting closest to them quickly moved away.
“Why did you do that?” she asked again, glaring at him.
“Because I don’t like seeing his hands on you.”
“From what you told me, you didn’t like your hands on me either, Damon,” she snapped, standing up.
He grabbed her wrist, easily pushing her back into her seat. “I didn’t—Why do you think I invited you?” he asked, changing the subject.
She shrugged. “How should I know? It’s not like anything happened between—”
“Well, look who it is,” a snarky voice interrupted from behind Damon. They both turned to see Blair Whittling, his ex.
She looked stunning as always, her long legs on display in a short dress, her hair perfectly styled, and her makeup flawless.
“Great, take him with you, crazy bitch,” Willow snapped, glaring at both Damon and Blair.
“I’m not going any—”
Damon was interrupted by Blair grabbing his sleeve. “I need to talk to you about Jacques.”
Blair rarely kept her cool when people called her a bitch. Something was definitely up.
Damon tensed, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her before deciding she was telling the truth.
He turned to Willow. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
After she’d finished her drink and Damon still hadn’t returned, she scanned the room.
She couldn’t see Lorie or Luca anywhere, and she figured the chances of running into Sebastian while trying to escape were slim.
She stood from the bar, a little unsteady on her feet, before collecting herself and slipping out of the ballroom and down the long hall to the front door.
The doorman gave her a warm smile before opening the door for her.
She wondered if he knew what was happening in that ballroom.
She made it three steps down the concrete stairs before she almost lost her balance, grabbing the railing just in time.
“Get it together, Willow,” she muttered, taking a deep breath.
She looked around; there was no one outside that she could see. So she sat down on the steps, her dress pooling around her as she pulled a cigarette and her phone out of her clutch.
Was it classy to sit outside one of the nicest places in Seattle smoking a cigarette? Probably not, but she didn’t care.
She needed to clear her head so she could make it down the sixty-something stairs to the gate and catch a taxi home.
She fumbled with her lighter for a moment before successfully lighting the cigarette. She dropped the lighter back into her clutch and closed her eyes.
She took another drag of her cigarette before unlocking her phone and opening the app.
She flicked the ash over the railing and out of sight before taking another long drag.
This whole night had been a bad idea from the start.
She ordered a cab and stood, looking back at the door one more time before deciding that no one else would be leaving at this time.
She slipped off her heels, cradling them in the same hand as her cigarette, as she navigated her way down the steps toward the gate.
The road beyond the imposing wrought-iron gate was shrouded in darkness. She wasn’t about to venture out there until her ride showed up.
She placed her shoes on the ground and checked the estimated arrival time—ten minutes.
Just as she was taking another puff of her cigarette, the doors swung open and an unfamiliar figure emerged.
He was quite tall and lean, but there was an undeniable authority about him. He paused, seeming to study her for a moment before heading her way.
As he drew closer, Willow’s unease grew. She gripped her cigarette a little tighter, ready to jab it in his eye if he tried anything.
When he was just a few feet away, she noticed his eyes were a startling blood red, with black veins spidering out from them.
“Hello, little one. What brings you out here in the dark all alone?” he asked, his smile revealing a set of razor-sharp teeth.
