Chapter Five
Duncan
“Yeah. My parents swear by him so I took a chance and saw him. Here’s his contact information,” I say, showing the woman, whose name is Wendy, my phone. She quickly copies down the information with a smile.
“Thank you so much, Duncan. This is incredible,” she says, reaching out and touching my wrist. I startle at the touch. She purposely touches under my jacket, running her thumb over my skin.
Oh.
Oh my gods, I’m so stupid. Of course she’s flirting! We are literally at a matchmaker masked ball! But can’t she see I was already talking to someone?
I pull my hand away, tucking it into my pocket. Then I turn around, ready to apologize to Viktor for keeping him waiting. Except, he’s already gone.
“Fuck,” I murmur to myself, looking around and unable to find him.
“Oh,” Wendy says softly. “I didn’t realize. I’m sorry!”
“No, no. You’re fine. I just… did you see where he went?”
Wendy’s cheeks are red and she looks disappointed. Despite that, she points in the direction Viktor went. “I think he ducked into the fortune teller tent.”
“Thank you. It was really nice to meet you.”
She sighs. “You too.”
I hope she finds someone while she’s here. She seemed really nice, but she wasn’t Viktor. It startles me, how strong my feelings are coming on. I’ve just met Viktor but already, I feel like I wouldn’t be able to handle not getting to know him more.
I just have to break through all the anxiety thrumming through my veins so I can actually talk to the other man!
This is supposed to be a matchmaking ball.
I’m supposed to be meeting other people and maybe, if I’m lucky, even finding my mate!
But getting over that bundle of anxiety trapped in my chest is easier said than done.
With a deep breath, I slowly duck into the tent. Gods, I hope I’m not interrupting anything.
Wendy was right, Viktor is here. He’s sitting at a table across from the fortune teller. There’s already a few cards laid across the table but as I duck inside and the fortune teller shuffles, one card flies out, landing in the center of the table.
“Well,” the fortune teller says, looking up at me. “The cards sure had something to say about you.”
“Shit. I’m so sorry,” I say, stumbling over my words. “I didn’t mean to fuck up your time, Viktor.”
Viktor looks over his shoulder, giving me a soft smile. “You can join me if you’d like.”
“Okay,” I say before I can think better of it.
The fortune teller holds up the card that went flying. “Look what popped up for the two of you. The World upright. This card represents completeness. It means there’s a new beginning in store for you that’s filled with fulfillment. Quite interesting, don’t ya think?”
My heart beats so loudly I can hear it in my own ears. My face is bright red but I can’t stop staring at the card. Completeness? Fulfillment? The start of something new?
I turn towards Viktor who’s already looking at me. That soft smile is back and my stomach feels like I might hurl but like, in a good way.
“That’s incredibly interesting indeed.”
The next card that falls out during the shuffle is the Ace of Swords.
“Oh, that’s fun,” the fortune teller murmurs. “You’re having a breakthrough that has to do with your mindset. Something has been holding you back but you’re on the right path to finally push past that. You’re finally finding some clarity.”
One last card flies out.
“And to wrap it all up, we have the Queen of Wands. You’re gonna find joy when you finally get this breakthrough. At first it’ll feel scary but you’ll find your courage to push through.”
I don’t think it’s possible for my face to get any hotter. I really wanna bury my face in my hands and groan but I really don’t want to mess up my mask. Instead, I nod at the fortune teller.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice breaking. I clear my throat. “Thank you. This is really reassuring.”
“Good. Nothing is guaranteed but you’re on the right path. Now it’s your turn to take life by the horns and make it happen.”
I’m still anxious as fuck and feel like I’ve done nothing but make a fool of myself in front of Viktor since meeting him, but at the same time, that’s okay.
I’ve just gotta keep moving forward and find that bravery the fortune teller was talking about.
I can do that. Tonight of all nights, I can make that happen.
“Shall we?” Viktor says, standing up and holding the tent open for me.
I smile as I stand. I like the way he takes the lead. I like the way he smiles at me, his eyes lighting up behind his mask. Somehow, already, I like him.
“Are you hungry?”
“I could eat,” I tell him. He puts a hand on my back and leads me away from the fortune teller tent and towards one of the tables filled with food.
His touch is somehow grounding but also leaves me feeling flayed open and exposed.
I’m warm all over yet it’s not enough. I want to tuck him against my chest and bury my face against his hair.
“Why don’t we grab a plate and sit down together? I’d like to sit and talk with you, if that’s okay?”
“Yes,” I say right away, nodding a little too enthusiastically. “I’d really like that,” I add, a little softer.
We make our way through the line. I fill up my plate with some finger foods. There’s veggies and pigs in a blanket and even some fries. I also grab a brownie at the end of the line because I can’t resist having something sweet.
Viktor brings us to a table that’s away from the dance floor. There are a few people still wandering around but already, I can see a few people pairing off and sitting together at various tables.
We sit down next to each other. Viktor purposely moves closer until his knee is brushing against my thigh.
I tingle all over in the most delightful way.
My stomach is a mess, my heart keeps racing, the back of my neck itches like crazy but none of that matters because all of these feelings mean I’m here with Viktor.
My body thinks Viktor is special and my brain is inclined to agree.
“I’d like to get to know you better,” Viktor says softly, taking a bite of a potato wedge.
“I’d umm, like that too.” Then, because he feels it necessary, he blurts out, "I'm sorry about before! I didn’t really wanna talk to that woman. I get overwhelmed really easily so I’m sorry if I don’t have the right words to say or if I go quiet.”
Viktor chews softly, his eyes wide. When he swallows, he nods. “That’s okay. That’s good to know, Duncan. Thank you for telling me. If things get to be too much, I can back off.”
“I don’t want you to back off.”
“Okay,” he says, smiling softly. “Then I’ll stay.”
“I’m just not used to this. I’m an artist. I do most everything inside away from other people. I’m not good at putting myself out there.”
“That’s okay. You’re doing a great job so far.”
The praise washes over me and I just barely keep myself from shivering. Oh. Viktor’s voice telling me I’m doing a good job makes me want to start running laps around the building. I’ve never felt anything like this before.
“Thank you,” I manage to say.
“It makes sense that you’re an artist. Your voice reminds me of music,” he says and then chuckles to himself. Does he have any idea what that does to my heart? His compliments make me feel like I could fly. “What sort of art do you do?”
“I prefer paints, especially acrylic, but I dabble in a variety of things. The main way I get paid though is through murals.”
“Really? That’s so interesting! Like big public ones or private ones?”
“Both. My most recent was a commission by an individual. He wanted me to paint a room in his house to match his base in a video game.”
Viktor’s eyes light up as I talk about this latest commission. Now that I’m talking, it feels hard to stop. He’s attentive and interested. I want to tell him everything. I want him to know me.
That’s such a scary feeling.
Viktor’s soft smile makes it a little bit easier.
“What do you do?”
Viktor gives a little shrug. “It’s complicated,” he says, taking another bite of his food. “I’m kind of in between stuff right now? Like I said before, I just came into my magic recently.”
“Right. That must have been scary, especially if you didn’t know about the paranormal world.”
“Yep. I was completely blindsided. Thankfully, I very quickly found a pack that welcomed me in. They helped the transition so much.”
“That’s amazing,” I say, something inside my chest twinging. That must be nice. To have a pack. People all around you, helping to take care of you.
“They really are,” he says, letting out a little sigh. “They’re this family that I didn’t know I needed until they drew me in and forcibly adopted me.”
“I’m a little jealous,” I say softly.
“You don’t have a pack? I know what they say about making assumptions but you’re a wolf. I guess my brain automatically assumed you’d have a pack.”
I shake my head, picking up another fry and popping it into my mouth, giving myself a moment to chew so I can think.
“My mom and dad are both wolves but they were raised in money. They sort of isolated themselves without even meaning to. They have friends and colleagues and stuff like that, but we don’t have a pack. ”
“Oh,” Viktor says. Reaching towards me, he runs his fingers over the back of my hand, a shudder running through me. “I’m really sorry to hear that, Duncan.”
“It’s been okay so far,” I say, trying to reassure him but I can tell he sees right through me. Thankfully, he jumps back to my question.
“Right now I’m mostly learning how to take care of our pack lands. There’s a section of forest that we use for shifting, a place that’s safe from prying eyes. I’d also like to get strong enough to put protections over our entire community, but I’m a ways out from that.”
“That’s amazing that you can do that! Do you like enchanting? Do you feel like that’s where your magic lies?”
Viktor shrugs. “Enchanting is what comes easiest so far,” he admits, pulling a necklace out from inside his dress shirt. “This was the first thing I made. It glows when there’s ill intentions around.”
The necklace is pretty, a hemp rope twisted around a little black stone. Viktor’s fingers run over the stone and I feel mesmerized, unable to look away. His hands are long and delicate, his nails painted black. I have the image of kissing them and my stomach floods with warmth.
“Here,” Viktor says, pulling the necklace off his neck. “Why don’t you try it on?”
“What? No, I couldn’t, Viktor!”
“Yes, you can,” he says with a small smile. “I like people being able to use what I make. Plus, you’ll always know when someone is around who doesn’t deserve your time.”
I hold the necklace in my hand, worried my heart might actually leap out from my chest with how hard it’s pounding. I look Viktor in the eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
I can’t help but smile as I carefully pull the necklace over my head. I tuck it into my shirt and then place a hand over my chest. I can feel it against my skin, a little piece of tonight that I get to keep. A little piece of Viktor.
“Thank you, Viktor.”
“You are so very welcome, Duncan.”
We continue to eat, watching people walk around and mingle with each other. This is nice, having someone next to me as I people watch.
Viktor makes all of this so much easier. He puts me at ease in a way I haven’t felt with anyone before. I like just being near him.
“Do you have much experience with jewelry making?”
I look over at Viktor in surprise. “I’ve done it before but not very often.”
“Oh,” Viktor says, shaking his head. “Sorry, I was just having a silly thought.”
“What is it?”
“It’s stupid.”
“I doubt it,” I say. Feeling brave, braver than I’ve ever felt before, I reach over and run my fingers over his hand, the same way he did to me earlier.
I’m rewarded with a soft smile. The things I would do to keep that smile on Viktor’s face.
“Nothing you’ve said so far has been stupid and I like hearing what you’re thinking. ”
“Okay,” he finally says. “I was thinking about how cool it would be to have an actual artist make jewelry that I could enchant.”
My mouth falls open. “Oh,” I manage to say, my mind already spinning with ideas. I might not be the best at jewelry making but it could be a fun project, especially because I would be working with Viktor. “I think I’d like that.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say, my face breaking out into a grin.
The music starts to swell as the people playing the stringed instruments come to an end. They take a bow and we all clap for them. There’s a DJ booth next to the dance floor that suddenly comes to life.
“Welcome everybody! I hope you’ve all had some time to mingle and get yourselves some food and something to drink!
If you haven’t, now is the perfect time to do so,” he says into his mic, letting us all know.
“We’re going to start getting the dance floor going.
We’ll start soft, that way you can finish up with whatever you’re talking about and then we’ll slowly get the party started!
If you’ve found a dance partner, I wanna see you out on the floor and if you haven’t yet, get out there anyway.
Music has a way of bringing people together, people! ”
The music starts off soft, mostly instrumental just like the DJ promised. I look down at my plate and then over at Viktor who’s already looking at me. I’m about to ask him what he thinks of dancing when he asks me something instead.
“How do you feel about pickles?”