Unbound (Forbidden Bond Book 1)(58)

Darren wrote on a small slip of paper. She had noticed the papers and a pencil at the center of the table when they sat down.

"What is that?" she asked.

He grinned and looked at her from the corner of his eye, dropping the  paper in a box carried by the bride's mother. "It's another tradition  I'm surprised Kayden didn't inform you of beforehand. All the single men  and women write the name of another single person they would like to  dance with on the paper, along with their own. No one will know which  one requested the dance except the couple, and oftentimes they have both  requested each other. You must dance with everyone who writes down your  name. It's bad luck for the new couple if you refuse. It isn't free,  though. You must pay for the privilege of the dance, and all the money  goes to the new mates. So you are doing a great service to them and  bringing them blessings of prosperity. The female's mother collects the  requests, and the male's mother will come around with a list of people  in order of the amount they paid to dance with you. The male and female  who bring in the most money for the new mates will dance the second  dance along with the bride and groom, and then everyone else is invited  to join the couple on the floor. Many beautiful maidens have gone to a  bonding ceremony single and left having met their future mates due to  this time-honored tradition."

Dani nodded. "Humans have a similar tradition, except you pay for the  privilege of dancing with the bride or groom. The maid of honor, another  human tradition, wears an apron, and people drop money into the apron  before dancing with the bride or groom for a minute. It usually only  lasts a couple of songs, and people line up for a dance that is  symbolically supposed to bring wealth and prosperity to the marriage."         

     



 

Darren smiled at her.

"Does that amuse you, warrior?" she asked.

"You amuse me. You speak so lovingly of the race we are all taught to  think of as beneath us. You make a lovely ambassador for the human  race." He touched her cheek, making her turn a little pink. He had no  idea how much of a true ambassador she was. "There is no way anyone will  get to dance with the bride or groom." He repeated her terminology.  "They will be inseparable for weeks to come, too wrapped up in the  building of the bond to be away from each other."

Dani went to refill her drink and enjoyed the lovely warm glow of the  room and the happy faces on the dance floor. Darren didn't follow her,  and she was grateful, until a dozen pairs of eyes burned through her.  She was stopped several times by people politely inquiring about her  "mating" status. That must have been vamp for marital status. She  finished one glass of wine while speaking with a lady who shamelessly  promoted her son, who sat at a nearby table with his head hung in shame  and embarrassment. Dani took a third glass minus the blood.

At the table, Koren laughed and shook her head. "Kayden is really going  to wish he'd come tonight. People wouldn't be nearly so bold, if he were  here." She giggled again.

"What do you mean?" Dani was lost again. Not to mention a little buzzed.

Darren chimed in, scowling, "I have a feeling your dance card filled up  quickly. Every guy in the room is dying to spin you around the floor and  tell you of the wonderful attributes and talents that would make him  the perfect mate for you. I believe the bride and groom will be in your  debt for the donations they'll receive on your behalf. Maybe they will  name a child after you." His tone was laced with arsenic, and his eyes  swept the room.

"Oh. Why do you think they will want to dance with me?" Great-she really  didn't need anyone else's interest. She had enough trouble already.  Dani was willing to bet her fangs she'd be back in Chase's arms before  the night was out.

Gage was on his cell phone, telling Kayden what a lovely evening he was  missing. He informed Kayden of Chase's presence and Dani's presumed-full  dance card for the evening. She never would have taken Gage for an  instigator, but he seemed to enjoy provoking his son.

"Don't be silly, Danielle. You're the most beautiful maiden here and not  yet bonded, not to mention powerful. You're quite a catch. Gage  shouldn't be torturing Kayden like that. I hope those heels are  comfortable, honey." Koren seemed to have no fear at all of Dani being  stolen away from her son.

The newly mated couple enjoyed their first dance and soaked up all the  love and joyful energy left on the floor by the mated couples who had  danced before them. The mothers of the newly mated couple went through  and made dance cards for people with requested partners. After dinner  was served, the music kicked up again, and the groom's mother began  passing out the dance requests. The mother of the groom stopped at their  table and beamed at Dani.

"Are you Danielle, the warrior?"

She nodded, grasping the warrior pendent that rested in the hollow of  her throat. She wasn't a warrior, but she was proud to be an honorary  member.

"Our family owes you a debt of gratitude for your presence this evening.  You are the maiden who has brought the new mates a small fortune. You  will be called to the floor very soon." She handed over the dance card  and hugged Dani tightly.

Dani handed it to Koren, not even wanting to see what was on it. Koren's  eyebrows shot up into her hairline, before she handed it to Gage. Gage  shook his head and handed it to Darren before retreating to the hall,  she assumed to call Kayden. Koren followed, scolding him.

Darren examined the card, cursed a blue streak under his breath, and  handed it back to her. She had sixteen dance requests. Chase was her  first dance, and he'd also secured three more dances throughout the  night. Darren was the second dance. He must have paid a pretty penny in  an attempt to be first and wasn't happy at being thwarted. It was worse  than she'd imagined. Darren turned his chair in the direction of Chase's  table and was shot flames from Chase's eyes across the room.

Chase leaned back in his chair, smiling and fiddling with his phone. Dani's phone chirped. Oh, shit. She had a text message.

 Tell him there's no room for another warrior in your life. You're  upgrading to a male who can outbid him. He shouldn't have interrupted  us, Lovely. He's your guard, not your boyfriend or your mate.

 "I assume that message is from him?" Darren inquired, still trying to ignite Chase with his eyes.         

     



 

"It is. Why are you behaving this way? Why would you pay to dance with me, Darren? How did Chase know you would?" She stiffened.

"Did he send a message for me?" He avoided answering by asking another question.

"It doesn't matter. Please, answer my questions." He was really pissing her off.

Darren snatched her phone off the table and started hitting buttons. She tried to take it back but he pushed her hand away.

"You have no right to mess with my phone! It's an invasion of privacy!"

Chase stood on the other side of the room, watching the exchange and sending Dani telepathic question marks.

"I am seeing to your safety, little Wrath," Darren growled. He gave back  the phone, only after looking at all her recent text messages. "I  requested a dance because I enjoy your company and I was sure if I  asked, you would give it to me freely. But this is a bonding  celebration, and I am a male of tradition. So I paid for the right to  dance with the loveliest maiden here. I am behaving in a protective  manner because it's my job," he insisted.

She didn't have time to respond to that load of bullshit before she was  called to the dance floor to meet the bride and groom. Darren shadowed  her to the floor. The male who was called for the traditional dance  having brought the couple the most money was, of course, Chase. The  sound that came from Darren behind her was not friendly. He stayed  close, all the way across the floor, and introduced himself to the happy  couple after they were introduced to Dani. They obviously already knew  Chase. The music started, and Chase twirled her around Darren before he  had a chance to leave the floor. She was really sick of  testosterone-filled vampires. It was a waltz, and Chase seemed surprised  that she had no trouble keeping time and danced with grace.

"You're a wonderful dancer, Lovely," he praised her.

"I guess the warrior class can hold their own, after all," she retorted.

"Stop that. You know that comment wasn't a shot at you. Darren was way out of line," he explained.

"It might as well have been a shot at me. You do realize the warriors  are actually above me in social standing, according to your people. So  how do you think that makes me feel?" Embarrassment and stress colored  her cheeks.

"Here we go with ‘your people' again. Lovely, there will never be anyone  above you. Just ask every male here clamoring for a moment of your  time. Hell, I'm not even going to tell you what I paid to have the honor  of your time."