ShortFF:The Wallflower:End updated(25/12/09) - Page 12

Originally posted by: ducky_euro

cant wait to read pia's reaction

and ran-ran story

and jb story

better be 2 looooooooooooooooong parts :D

cont soon

SA

PS: and, are u ready with a neww ff after those 2 parts :P

Chapter Thirteen

Bani had never seen so many versions of pirate wench and pirate captain in all her life. The wenches ranged from modest, immodest, to downright er*tic. One woman actually bragged that her pirate costume was by Playboy! Considering how little there was of it, Bani didn't doubt the woman; compared to her Bani felt as covered as a nun. Then there was the usual assortment of ghosts, vampires, witches and ghouls, with a rare werewolf thrown in for fun. Daksh and Purva Randheria had both come as gunslingers in matching black outfits and cowboy hats, both looking happy and proud enough to burst over the success of their party. They were the first to notice the ring on Bani's hand, and, with warm smiles and friendly hugs, they congratulated her and Jai on their mating.

As Jai and Bani moved through the crowd, other people came to congratulate them. Danraj Rathore was polite, if somewhat cool. It irritated Jai, but Bani understood on some level that Mr. Rathore was taking a "wait and see" attitude. In fact, Rathore's attitude was the one that prevailed among the men as more and more people became aware of Jai's mating. Everyone had expected him to pick someone as strong as he was, and none of them truly believed Bani was strong enough. The women, on the other hand, were, well, cattier. By the time they found Aditya, Jai was trembling with the need to force his will on all of his Pride and make them accept his mate, something that would diminish Bani further in their eyes.

"Hey, Aditya." Bani smiled wearily. By the end of the first hour, she'd become so busy holding Jai back that she didn't have time to worry about her outfit.

"Hey, Bani. Congratulations." Aditya dipped his head to her with a warm smile, shocking her. She'd had no idea Aditya was one of them.

Jai nodded back, and Bani followed suit. "Thanks, Aditya. Have you seen Ranveer yet?"

"Oh, you mean Zorro?" Aditya grinned, gesturing with his hand. "He's over there, trying to chase down this cute little bandita."

"Rano's here?" Bani craned her neck and went on tip-toes, but it was no use; she was just too damn short to see over anybody. With a huff, she settled back down and glared at Jai, waiting.

"Would you like to go see Rano now?" Jai asked, smirking. He was staring off to his left, tracking someone through the crowd.

"Frigging tall people," she muttered, trying to see past the crowd of bodies to where Jai was looking.

She squealed with surprise when Jai bent down and picked her up, practically sitting her on his shoulder. She daintily crossed her ankles and held on for dear life as she scanned the crowd. "There! She's heading into the garden. Aw, son of a b*tch."

"What?" Jai asked, holding her steady with little effort.

"Ranveer's just been waylaid by Arushi. By the way, she so picked the right costume."

"Witch?"

"Catwoman. From the movie."

"Ah, s*xy yet lame." Jai winced when Bani tweaked his ear. "I'll rescue Ranveer, you find Rano." He set her down gently, careful to make sure her skirt didn't fly up, up and away. With a quick kiss and a nod at Aditya, Jai went after Ranveer.

Bani found moving through the crowd without Jai at her side more difficult. It seemed like people went out of their way to get in her way. "Excuse me, pardon me, excuse me." Bani tried to be polite as she shimmied around more than one person. When she reached a particularly large knot of people, she tried the polite route, though by this time she was becoming seriously irritated. She tapped the broad shoulder of a vampire standing in front of her. "Excuse me, let me pass, please."

The vampire ignored her, laughing with his companions.

"Excuse me, please, I need to get into the garden."

The vampire continued to ignore her.

"Will you please excuse me?" Bani practically shouted.

The vampire turned, frowned down at her, and turned back to his companions with a shrug and a laugh.

Bani lost it. Her temper, frayed by the tension in Jai and the subtle snubs to herself, snapped. Bani could feel a strange power flowing through her, tied to yet separate from the Puma, and without thought she used it.

Her eyes narrowed on the group in front of her. The tone of command was the same one Jai had used on her several times, the same one she was able to (almost) ignore. Power flowed out of her, surrounding her till she nearly glowed with it.

"Move out of my way."

The crowd behind them grew quiet as the men stopped laughing. The men in front of her visibly cringed and got out of her way, their heads bowing down, their shoulders hunching against Bani's anger. Using her power like the prow of a ship, Bani forged her way through the rest of the crowd, her head held high as she stepped into the garden.

With a deep breath, Bani sucked that power back into her body. It settled in, warm and cozy, purring but ready to pounce. The Puma, she sensed, was pleased with her display of dominance.

The garden was well lit, except in strategically placed spots where pools of darkness prevailed. Bani was pretty sure what went on in those spots, and hoped her nose would help her keep out of other people's business. Sniffing cautiously, she tried to scent Rano.

The sharp tang of coppery blood filled her senses, mixed with Rano's earthy scent. Bani stepped into the garden and made a beeline for the smell. Halfway there, she heard Rano scream.

Bani began to run.

Jai finally pried Arushi off Ranveer by ordering her off. With a coy shrug, the woman finally let go, but not before giving both men a peek at what they were walking away from.

"Ugh." Ranveer shuddered. "You'd think she'd get the hint. 'Get off me, get off me, what the hell are you doing, get off me' just didn't seem to get through to her."

Jai snickered. Ranveer was brushing at his shirt as if he could brush Arushi's scent off of him. "Rano seems to have headed into the garden. Bani went to find her."

"In this crowd?" Ranveer stopped brushing himself and straightened his hat. "I heard a couple of the young bloods claim they were going to 'test' Bani."

Jai growled. "How?"

"The usual. Forcing her to use her powers. She's small enough that simply not getting out of her way will do it."

Jai's smile was feral. "In that case, they're in for a surprise."

"Never doubted it."

The two men waited until they felt the burst of power flowing from a point not far from the garden doors. It was strong enough to nearly have Jai bowing down before it. Ranveer actually grimaced before pulling himself upright by force of will alone. Bani had finally gotten fed up and was forcing her way through the crowd, her strength clearly a match for, if not slightly greater than, Jai's. Jai and Ranveer managed to find spots where they could watch her regal exit from the ballroom. Her head moved neither left nor right; her eyes were pure molten gold. She flowed towards the garden doors, her stride sleek and sultry, commanding the attention of all around her. There was more than one shocked face in the crowd as Bani, her power swirling around her like a cape, stepped out of the double doors and into the Rathore's garden, every inch the Curana Jai had claimed her to be.

"My God, she is so f*cking hot." Jai grinned as he watched his pissed-off mate saunter out into the night, the s*xy sway of her hips riveting to more than one pair of male eyes. He was unsurprised at how the Pumas around her practically scraped the floor in her wake.

"Yeah. Good for you. Go home soon, f*ck like bunnies, make little Alphas for Uncle Ranveer and Aunt Rano to play with. Speaking of which, can we go get my woman now?" Ranveer grumbled, already beginning to push through the crowd.

Jai merely grinned, too pleased with and proud of Bani to call Ranveer to task. He moved through the crowd on Ranveer's heels, almost barreling into him when the man stopped. "Ranveer?"

Ranveer looked over his shoulder at Jai, confusion and fear mingling in his expression. "I smell blood."

Jai sniffed. There, on the evening breeze, was the tang of blood mixed with Rano, Bani?and Pia?

Ranveer's eyes went gold as his claws ripped through the leather swordsman's gloves. "Rano's bleeding." He took off into the night, following the blood trail of his mate.

"F*ck." Jai chased after his friend, knowing that if Pia had hurt Rano it would take a miracle to keep Ranveer from killing her.