In Heat: Mating Call (In Heat Shapeshifter Romance Series #2) by Felicity Heaton
Authors: Felicity Heaton
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reluctant as she was.
Sean looked disappointed. “Come on, you agreed that after your non-attendance to the ball at my house last year you'd make up for it by hosting the ball this year.”
“Kim doesn't like to fly,” Erik said, his voice laced with the anxiety she could see in his eyes.
“I really don't... I'm petrified of falling to my death in some big lump of metal that clearly shouldn't be able to break the laws of gravity and fly.” She blushed when Sean gave her a look that said her explanation was a little over the top. She couldn't help it. Whenever she thought about flying or being in a lift, she became a babbling nervous mess.
“We'll host the ball.” Erik took hold of her hand and squeezed it. “I won't let anyone come between us and it might be a nice distraction for you. You could help Rose plan it all.”
She perked up at that. She'd never had to organise so much as a birthday party before, and now she was going to be arranging everything for a grand ball. Well, if she was in charge, it was going to be the best party the lycan community had ever seen. Throwing herself into planning it would be the best cure for her worries—she'd be so busy that she wouldn't have time to think.
“It's been years since we hosted the ball,” Erik said, looking around the room as though he was looking around the whole house and remembering the last time they'd held the party.
“The last time was just before your parents...” Sean trailed off when Erik's gaze dropped to his lap and he fell quiet.
She placed her hand over his so she was holding it in both of hers, and chafed the back of it. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly and then fell again. She could see the hurt in his eyes, could feel the pain in him.
“So how many people are we talking about?” she said, hoping to draw Sean's attention away from Erik so he'd have time to gather himself. “Thirty?”
Sean laughed. “Try nearer to one hundred...”
She gasped. How the heck was she supposed to arrange everything for one hundred people this close to Christmas? She really hoped that Rose knew some great caterers that weren't going to be booked up already. Surely Sean should've dropped this bomb a little earlier in the year, say July. Every musician, caterer, ice sculptor and all the other little party businesses were bound to be booked by now. Still she wasn't going to let that deter her. Even if she had to raid the local supermarkets and cook everything herself as well as play all the instruments, they were going to have a good ball.
“...and we've got a special guest this year.” Sean finished, still grinning.
“Who?” Erik and her said in unison.
She was glad Erik was back with them again.
“Prince Kristian of Denmark.”
“A prince?” Kim's brows rose and her heartbeat accelerated. “A real prince? And he's a lycan?”
“A real prince,” Sean said.
She looked at Erik. He didn't look very impressed. She tried to act cool too. So a prince would be coming to the ball. It didn't mean she was going to flip out and go over the top with the food and decorations.
Everything was going to be exactly the same as it would've been had there not been royalty in attendance. Except maybe she'd order finer champagne and more ice sculptures.
And some caviar. Rich people liked that stuff, didn't they?
She smiled absently.
A real prince.
CHAPTER 5
K im ran into the bedroom, eyes darting about as she tried to find her mobile phone. It was bound to stop ringing before she got there. Hopefully it was the caterer phoning back to confirm they'd be available for the Christmas Ball. She was amazed by the contacts that Rose had, stunned that some were still available for the party, but what surprised her most was that all of the businesses were run and staffed by lycans. She told herself that there were ordinary lycans too. Not all of them were part of the elite like Erik and Sean. She remembered the bouncer at the club Erik always took her to
Sean looked disappointed. “Come on, you agreed that after your non-attendance to the ball at my house last year you'd make up for it by hosting the ball this year.”
“Kim doesn't like to fly,” Erik said, his voice laced with the anxiety she could see in his eyes.
“I really don't... I'm petrified of falling to my death in some big lump of metal that clearly shouldn't be able to break the laws of gravity and fly.” She blushed when Sean gave her a look that said her explanation was a little over the top. She couldn't help it. Whenever she thought about flying or being in a lift, she became a babbling nervous mess.
“We'll host the ball.” Erik took hold of her hand and squeezed it. “I won't let anyone come between us and it might be a nice distraction for you. You could help Rose plan it all.”
She perked up at that. She'd never had to organise so much as a birthday party before, and now she was going to be arranging everything for a grand ball. Well, if she was in charge, it was going to be the best party the lycan community had ever seen. Throwing herself into planning it would be the best cure for her worries—she'd be so busy that she wouldn't have time to think.
“It's been years since we hosted the ball,” Erik said, looking around the room as though he was looking around the whole house and remembering the last time they'd held the party.
“The last time was just before your parents...” Sean trailed off when Erik's gaze dropped to his lap and he fell quiet.
She placed her hand over his so she was holding it in both of hers, and chafed the back of it. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly and then fell again. She could see the hurt in his eyes, could feel the pain in him.
“So how many people are we talking about?” she said, hoping to draw Sean's attention away from Erik so he'd have time to gather himself. “Thirty?”
Sean laughed. “Try nearer to one hundred...”
She gasped. How the heck was she supposed to arrange everything for one hundred people this close to Christmas? She really hoped that Rose knew some great caterers that weren't going to be booked up already. Surely Sean should've dropped this bomb a little earlier in the year, say July. Every musician, caterer, ice sculptor and all the other little party businesses were bound to be booked by now. Still she wasn't going to let that deter her. Even if she had to raid the local supermarkets and cook everything herself as well as play all the instruments, they were going to have a good ball.
“...and we've got a special guest this year.” Sean finished, still grinning.
“Who?” Erik and her said in unison.
She was glad Erik was back with them again.
“Prince Kristian of Denmark.”
“A prince?” Kim's brows rose and her heartbeat accelerated. “A real prince? And he's a lycan?”
“A real prince,” Sean said.
She looked at Erik. He didn't look very impressed. She tried to act cool too. So a prince would be coming to the ball. It didn't mean she was going to flip out and go over the top with the food and decorations.
Everything was going to be exactly the same as it would've been had there not been royalty in attendance. Except maybe she'd order finer champagne and more ice sculptures.
And some caviar. Rich people liked that stuff, didn't they?
She smiled absently.
A real prince.
CHAPTER 5
K im ran into the bedroom, eyes darting about as she tried to find her mobile phone. It was bound to stop ringing before she got there. Hopefully it was the caterer phoning back to confirm they'd be available for the Christmas Ball. She was amazed by the contacts that Rose had, stunned that some were still available for the party, but what surprised her most was that all of the businesses were run and staffed by lycans. She told herself that there were ordinary lycans too. Not all of them were part of the elite like Erik and Sean. She remembered the bouncer at the club Erik always took her to
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