Clasp {Book Two of the Deathly Consequences Series}

Chapter 2

"Rise and shine you horny rabbits! Today is a life-changing day!"

I startled awake at the abrupt way too cheery feminine voice who interrupted my precious sleep. I scowled at the female ghost who hovered above our heads with an impish grin as her powder blue eyes lit up with a wicked light.

Even after a decade, Luna is still the alarm clock I never wanted.

"Fuck off." I grumbled, snuggling back into Lucian's side as he still snored obliviously.

"Nuh-uh. No can do. I'm under strict orders from a certain bitchy someone to get this lazy cow's ass from bed two hours before the Assembly. I'm a loyal servant so I must follow whatever my chain of command demands." Luna said and I cracked open an eye to glare at her.

Luna cackled, unaffected by the mental daggers I was throwing at her from my eyeball. She floated away as I released an irritated sigh, exiting my warm comfy bed and hot as fuck bedmate to immediately hit the shower to clean up. Lucian was awake and dressed when I emerged from my connected bathroom, his hair still damp from his own shower as he waited for me.

"Morning." I muttered to him before ducking into my closet, anxiety crawling beneath my skin as I struggled to find an appropriate attire to possibly die in.

Lucien joined me a couple of moments later, laying his hands on my shoulders to still my frantic movements as I discarded at least three potential outfits.

"It will be alright Ana." He told me, massaging my shoulders.

I shrugged off his touch, picking out a lacy black cocktail dress and frowning at it in rejection before haphazardly tossing it over my shoulder. This went on for a couple of time-wasting minutes before I admitted in defeat and summoned Luna to my side. She appeared with a shit-eating grin, scanning my wardrobe with a styled eye before picking out a dress that had my mouth opening in denial before I could even pluck it off the hangar. She lifted a finger to shush me before I could utter a word.

"This is the one. Don't even bother denying it." She said.

I huffed, muttering a foul string of words towards her as I stripped down to try on the blood-red, silk dress that practically molded to my body in all the best ways. A spark of feminine satisfaction bloomed in my chest as Lucien's mouth dropped an inch as I zipped the dress into place. I still wasn't going to admit that Luna was right though.

But damn the ghost had a expert eye for fashion. I looked stunning in the off the shoulder, floor-length gown. My olive skin tone and black hair popping from the color. The clinging fabric revealed both my physical beauty and my strength, leaving nothing to hide as the low-cut neckline gave peeks of my cleavage and my eclectic array of tattoos. The top of my mural of the dark angel, gravestones, roses showed on my right arm. My Roman numeral date stamped into my left wrist was covered by the long sleeves of the dress. However, a spinal tattoo of Ancient Greek lettering is also revealed by the deep v-cut in the back of the dress. No one but Luna and I knew what the words said, which in reality were the names of the men who I have lost. The men who had always had my back until the end. Another secret I kept from Lucien.

I opted to keep my hair down, snagging a pair of subtle but fashionable black sandals to put on my feet as I headed over to my vanity to begin the task of straightening and primping the nearly unmanageable mane. My vanity was still filled with clutter as always; numerous daggers, knives, jewelry, and makeup littered upon the surface. It took about an hour, but I was satisfied with my work before I painted on a mask of makeup to hide just how tired and scared I felt on the inside. I lathered foundation on top of my eye bags after I finished up with my smoky eyes, making my crimson irises appear to glow. I topped off the look with hooker red lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara before I twisted around to acknowledge Lucien as I clipped in a multitude of small silver hoops and diamonds into my ears.