Laughing like two kids in a candy store, they moved inside. As Dusk held the door, Arron blew Dusk a cheeky kiss. Dusk grinned and winked, playing the cad. But as they entered the Red Letter Hotel Paris’ grand main lobby, all of Layla’s housemates stopped, ogling around in wide-eyed surprise – even Luke unable to stop his lips dropping open at the opulence.
Decorated to the nines for Yule, the massive French Baroque palace positively glittered with twenty-foot magical icicles, holly boughs, and greenery of cedar and juniper, with faerie lights winding around every grand column and gilded arch. Layla gazed around as her friends did, seeing it as if for the first time. This was the original Palace of Versailles, and rather than cherubs gazing down from the painted frescoes, the grandly-lit ceilings sported dragons, chimera, and fanciful beasts. Crystal chandeliers lit every soaring dome; gilded floor-candelabra illuminated every cavernous niche. Every marble column writhed with satyrs, sphinxes, and griffons rutting in scintillating decadence. So ornate it was disorienting, the Hotel’s glory was augmented by crimson accents that bound everything together, letting no one forget what this place really was.
A domain of unforgettable red-letter experiences.
The Hotel was packed for Yule, and Twilight folk of every sort, along with human tycoons and royalty, moved through the grand foyer. Layla appreciated the excitement as they moved through the enormous, airy hall burbling with the echo of fountains. Dusk was gregarious as he pointed out the sights, Layla’s Seattle friends speechless at the racy, fae opulence.
Even Arron blushed as they passed thebacchanaliosorgy on its crimson dais, led by the Hotel’s resident Smoke Faunus Imogene Cereste. Arrestingly haunting with her skin mottled like silver tree-bark, corkscrewing ram’s horns, shaggy silver-white hair on her legs, and slender branch-like fingers, Imogene fucked three men simultaneously in the center of the forty-person orgy, exhaling white-blue smoke from her luscious lips to push the fevered revelry higher. Charlie became rooted in place, his blue eyes enormous as Celia stared with her mouth open. With a clearing of his throat, Dusk steered the group past the spectacle and up the grand double-staircase.
Leading them up to the third level, Dusk brought them at last to their rooms. Hotel Guards stood at attention by each set of double-doors, throwing them wide as Dusk indicated each room, Arron’s suite next to Layla’s own apartment. Layla smiled as her housemates moved into their suites. She heard a squeal from Celia, and a laugh from Arron, and an astounded exclamation from Charlie. Stepping over to Dusk, who was grinning to beat the band, Layla lifted her eyebrows.
“What did you leave in their rooms?”
“Oh, just a little welcome present, as per their tastes.” Dusk winked.
Arron soon stepped back out his open doorway, shaking his head as he grinned at Dusk. “You are justimpossible, aren’t you?”
“Some have said so.” Dusk grinned, then addressed all of Layla’s friends as Luke, Charlie, and Celia gathered also. “I’ve arranged an early dinner for you all at four p.m. in Arron’s suite, though after that, you’ll need to get ready for the Yule Ball. Feel free to explore the Hotel until dinner, though I warn you, you’re going to have your mind blown. Don’t worry about getting lost; ask any Guard in crimson and they can get you back here. I will be escorting you all to the Ball after dinner. I do need to attend a few details now for tonight’s gala, however. If you will excuse me. Layla, a moment?”
As Layla stepped over to a marble column with Dusk, she laughed. “You didn’t tell me you arranged dinner for everyone!”
“It’s casual. Nothing special. Just slightly ostentatious and definitely delicious.” Dusk chuckled, delight flashing in his summer-blue eyes as he stepped close. Clasping his arms around Layla’s waist, he pressed his body close to hers. “I want this night to be special, Layla. I want this week to be full of pleasure while your friends are here. You’re debuting as a Hotel Courtesan tonight; that’s a tremendous event. With Adrian on the lam and Reginald away—”
But Dusk had no more time to talk as Luke stepped hesitantly towards them, clearing his throat. Layla flushed to be caught in an embrace with Dusk. But Dusk released her like a gentleman, flashing a kind smile as he kissed her hands and turned to face Luke. “Luke. Is there something you need?”
“Dusk, do you have a moment to speak about… that thing we’ve been discussing?” Luke spoke, his emerald gaze uncertain.
“Of course.” Dusk was all Head Concierge professionalism as he nodded. “Let’s move into your rooms where we’ll have fewer prying ears.”
“Sure.” Luke was strangely tense as he ran a hand through his thick black hair, his gaze darting to Layla.
“Layla, I need to attend this,” Dusk spoke to her as he gave a squeeze to Layla’s hands, kind but firm. “Have fun visiting with your friends and don’t forget your interview with the Associate Hotel Head at three p.m. I’ll be back at four to have dinner with you all. Enjoy.”
With a sweep of his arm, Dusk beckoned to Luke, moving into his rooms and leaving Layla out in the hall wondering what the hell was going on. Clearly, Luke felt he could entrust the details about his magical susceptibility to Dusk but not Layla, which was a first. Her brows knit as she stripped off her scarf and peacoat, bundling them over her arm. But before she could mull the situation over further, Arron stepped close, seizing her hands and hauling her towards his suite.
“Honey, your beau is so next-level!” Arron gushed as he tugged Layla into his rooms.
“What do you mean?” She asked, confused as she shut Arron’s doors behind her and tossed her coat and scarf to a table.
“Observe.” Striding to the walk-in closet of his sprite-themed apartment, Arron threw the gilded doors wide. Inside, the closet had been populated by twenty of the hottest suits Layla had ever seen, each one of them cut to perfection for Arron’s tall, lanky frame. They were Head Clothier Amalia DuFane’s work, in shimmering fabrics and ornate weaves humans just didn’t make. Each and every one was fancier than Prada or Armani, and Arron immediately strode into all that opulence and began rolling himself through the suits with a laugh, stroking everything.
“Wow!” Layla grinned as she touched a cream and baby-blue paisley smoking jacket with shiny cobalt lapels that was going to look amazing on Arron’s ash-blond coloring. “Well, Dusk does love a good suit.”
“And clearly he appreciates a good man wearing them.” Arron grinned back, lecherous. “My gaydar gets hits with him. Are you sure he’s hetero?”
“Dusk is bi.” Layla grinned, loving that her best friend was here at last. “A lot of Dragons enjoy both sexes. Though some are same-sex, and others are strictly hetero.”
“Ok. Dish. I’m here now, so you can’t avoid telling me all the sordid details. Are you and Dusk exclusive?” Arron gave an inquisitive lift of his blond eyebrows.
“Not exactly.” And here they were, coming into Arron’s favorite topic – Layla’s love life. As they moved to the massive four-post bed with a spring green silk duvet and flopped down, Arron snatched up a box of chocolates Dusk had left on his pillows. They were Layla’s favorite; alcoholic cordials from a Dionysian-fae chocolatier in Paris,Tout Chocolat. She and Arron tucked in, sampling this and that on his ample bed as Arron cocked his head, his grey eyes missing nothing.
“Last I heard, you were hot for Adrian.” Arron spoke as he ate a lavender bonbon with purple striping.
“I still am.” Glad she had a cherry cordial in her fingers, Layla licked it in lieu of fidgeting. None of her housemates knew the details about her Bind-magic, and they didn’t know about her becoming a Courtesan tonight. It was going to be a big surprise, if she couldn’t find a way to break the news before the Yule Ball – especially to Luke.
“So you’ve gotbothAdrian and Dusk on the line?” Arron blinked with a rascally grin. “Naughty madonna!”
“Actually…” Layla cleared her throat, licking her cherry cordial. “There are three of them.”
