“Sabra Patterson, is that you, hun?”

Sabra swung around to address the faintly familiar voice. She scanned the crowd of arriving guests looking in the direction of where the sound came from. That’s when Sabra saw the bane of her existence push her way through to approach.

“Why Sabra? Aren’t you positively glowing?” the woman added, looking down at Sabra’s slightly rounded abdomen. “Fancy meeting you here, right? I thought you would have moved away from Atlanta by now.”

Sabra didn’t miss the jab in the woman’s voice. Remembering herself, she maintained her cool and address the woman. “Hello there, if it isn’t Melanie Peele. It has been ages since we last saw each other. You know, I think it was in in a courtroom when you tried to sue me for emotional duress and cyberbullying? Isn’t that right, hmm?”

“Oh that. You know I don’t hold a grudge. I was over that as soon as the judge dismissed the case.” Melanie waved off the charge like it was a little misunderstanding and leaned in as if to kiss Sabra.

The quick instincts inherited from her Dragon mating enabled Sabra to dodge the showy gesture. Sabra’s sidestep was enough for Melanie to almost stumble forward. That damned Melanie Peele had managed to wrangle an invite to the launch of her first perfume line. Here Sabra was at a very public event with her mortal enemy ruining her night.

“Don’t you just love Sherice Heron? She’s such a great actress. I can’t believe she’s here to promote her new perfume.”

“Yes, she’s a spokesmodel for the line.” Sabra didn’t include the fact that the South-African actress was a beautiful were-puma. Through Tilar and Ellie’s connections, she’d become fast friends with the blonde beauty. Deciding to figure out who dropped the ball to allow this woman into her event, she asked, “How did you manage to get a ticket? I heard the event was an exclusive affair.”

“I know, right? Well,” Melanie lowered her voice. “I sort of snuck in. Don’t tell anyone, but when I found out one of my favorite actors would be here, I knew I had to meet her. Thought I do double-duty to get her and my Maddie connected.”

“I see.”

Sabra remembered Melanie’s haughty daughter. The child was always so above everyone else. Sabra almost bristled at the memory of how Maddie had screamed bloody murder at the prospect of having to share a dressing area with the “little kids” at a Little Miss Pageant. It was soon after that she politely dropped her as a client. That’s when Melanie made it her life’s ambition to become Satan’s staunchest rival. That damned woman took glee in all the hell she unleashed on Sabra. Now, the woman had the nerve to stand here at her event and admit she snuck in to get her spoiled child’s info to Sherice. Melanie did this while trying to act like she hadn’t tried to bankrupt and shame Sabra into oblivion.

“What brings you here?” she heard the woman ask through the haze of red she fought to see through. “I didn’t think you’d be at something like this.”

“You didn’t, did you?”

“Oh, I don’t mean anything by that. It’s just that you never seemed like the glamorous type. Oh, that didn’t come out right either. What I mean is that you were great with your little hair business. I never knew of your interest in haute couture and high-end luxury items like this.”

“Is that right? Well, I guess you can’t know everything, now can you?” Sabra refrained from compressing the air around Melanie into a small rain cloud to wet her ass up. Now that she was pregnant, it seemed her baby boosted her magical abilities. Choosing to take the high road, she said, “I’m full of surprises.”

“I know you’re here and looks like you even managed to get yourself pregnant. Is the baby’s daddy here with you too?”

Ragged slashes of red streaked through Sabra’s mental eye strong enough for Colson to check in.

Is everything all right? Your vitals are way up.

I’m fine, just ran into Melanie Peele. She managed to crash the event, she answered through their mental connection.

Colson, having heard many stories about her nemesis, was quick with his reply. Stay put, I’m on my way. Sherice wanted me to make sure her vitals were okay since she still has bouts of stage fright here and there. Oh, she says to tell you ‘thank you again,’ for having her here tonight.

Tell her I would love to see her before the event starts to give her a kiss for good luck.

Done. We’re on our way to you. Sabra don’t do anything to call attention to yourself. Wait until we get there.

Oh, how her mate knew her so well. Sabra honored Colson’s request and smiled as she looked around ignoring the woman. Melanie didn’t take the hint and seemed unwilling to leave without at least one last jab.

“Sabra, you didn’t answer.” As if figuring out the answer the woman had the nerve to say, “Oh, I get it. You must be working the event. I guess I’ll move along as not to get you in trouble with your boss while you’re trying to work.”

With her sharpened hearing, Sabra heard the faint chuckles underneath Melanie’s breath. Enough was enough. The fiery power of the Dragon ignited her blood to boiling. Sabra could even swear her baby put in a little-added oomph of power as well. He was such a good baby. She was about to unleash a torrent of verbal blows when the crowd gasped and parted the way.

“Why hello Sabra Kelnar!” Sherice said, leaning in to kiss her on both cheeks. “Thank you so very much for allowing me to be the face of your new perfume collection. To the swelling crowd, the actress turned and addressed them. “Don’t I smell divine? Tonight, I’m wearing Aviá. I love it so much. The delicate balance of youthful and ageless undertones is magnificent.” Directing her attention back to Sabra, Sherice added, “This entire line is a testament to your genius as a Nose. Thank you for sharing your creative talent with us all.” Sherice then looped an arm around Sabra’s waist and leaned in as the phones snapped pictures and recorded video for a long moment.

Security worked with one of Sabra’s assistants to disburse the crowd until the party was set to begin. Sherice eyed her, allowing their now easy-to-open channel of subvocal communication to open. Sabra clued Sherice in on who Melanie was. Sabra tapped into her were-panther heritage to push the words to her sister were-cat. After finding out about the subvocal connection most supernaturals used, Sabra had practiced with Sherice until she communicated with ease. Their friendship bolstered Sabra’s confidence as a new member of the supernatural community.

Melanie stood a few feet away in shock from the famous actor’s presence. Sherice cut an eye at Sabra before turning to the other woman.

“Well, hello there. And, who might you be?”

Melanie extended a shaky hand to shake Sherice’s extended one. “I’m Melanie Peele, one of Sabra’s friends.”

You look more pissed than you let on, Colson’s voice came through loud and clear.

I am. This Bitch had the nerve to ask where my baby’s daddy was, and assumed I had to be working this event.

I see. Remember what you’re here to do. I’m staying back to keep an eye on everyone. I’ll wait until Sherice has had a bit of fun before making an excuse to get you both away from the area.

Okay, and did I tell you that I love me some you?

Not in the last hour, but I’ll take it, my love.

Sabra returned her attention to the conversation in time to hear Melanie lying some more.

“Sabra and I go way back.”

That was enough of her bullshit. “No, we don’t. She was one of my clients from my previous business that caused me a lot of suffering.”

Both Melanie and Sherice’s eyes grew large.

“Say what?” Sherice asked.

“I didn’t—well it was harmless you see. We just had a slight misunderstanding,” Melanie fumbled her words.

Sherice allowed a little of her puma’s presence to come to the surface. The result was almost comical as Melanie’s fear level spiked not understanding why.

Colson stepped closer ready to pounce if Melanie made any sudden moves. The woman’s eyes darted to him. Her eyes dilated with instalust as she took in the exceptionally tall and fit man. Evidently choosing to shift her focus off Sherice for a moment, she launched into her fake southern hospitality drawl and extended a hand toward him.

“Hi there. I’m Melanie Peele. Aren’t you a sight—well I’m not going to finish that with all the me—tooing going on and all. Got to respect, and not turn folks into objects. Am I right?” she turned to asked Sherice. Thinking she’d made the connection between the two, Melanie asked. “Ms. Heron is this wonderful man your escort?”

Sherice let out one of her signature snickers and beamed a smile that had made her a fortune on the big screen.

“Well actually,” Colson spoke up and moved to stand next to Sabra. “I’m Sabra’s escort for the night. Let me introduce myself. I’m Doctor Colson Kelnar, also known as Sabra Kelnar’s baby’s daddy.”

He gave his mate’s hand a light squeeze in solidarity as Melanie’s face turned white and then red.

That particular shade of pinkish-red didn’t go well with Melanie’s complexion. It especially didn’t help when Colson nodded to the security officer standing off to the side next to Sherice’s bodyguard.

“Ma’am, I’m going to ask you to quietly come with me,” Sabra heard the hired off-duty police officer say.

“Why, what did I do?”

“You’ve trespassed into a private invite-only event.”

“Uh, no, that’s not true. Tell him, Sabra, I’m your guest for the evening. Come on now, tell him,” she begged.

“Uh, nope. You admitted to me personally that you’d crashed my event.” Sabra looked over to the security officer and then back to Melanie and said, “thank you, Officer, you’re free to take her away.”

Melanie made a fast breakaway, opening her purse to pull out a headshot of her daughter. She almost made it back to Sherice before the Security officer caught up with her. Melanie waved the crumpled picture feverishly at Sherice and yelled, “Please, take this headshot of my daughter. She wants to be an actress like you. Please—okay, I’ll leave it here for you to pick up,” Melanie said dropping the picture to the floor as another officer joined the first to all but drag her away.

The growing crowd of movers and shakers had their phones at the ready. Pictures and videos, destined for social media, recorded the spectacle of that damned Melanie Peele as she was carted away from Sabra’s perfume line private launch party.

Sabra didn’t dare attempt to hold back the satisfaction that rode the wave of glee ripping through her. She wasn’t going to lie. Sometimes it felt good to be a petty Bitch. As if on cue, Chloe came up to their group.

“Hey, my Bitch, I’m loving this whole set up. Looks like y’all did your thing.”

Colson laughed like he always did when Chloe opened her mouth. He then proceeded to usher the small group to their green room. Inside, Sabra saw Doctor Hassenberg and another towering man who definitely looked supernatural. A moment to take in his golden hair, eyes, and complexion and Sabra knew. He was a Dragon as well. The two joined them with the man introducing himself to Sherice first.

“Hello, Ms. Heron, my name is Petrov Gideon, and I’ve enjoyed your work immensely.”

The actor, used to such displays, smiled and thanked him. Sabra didn’t miss how Doctor Hassenberg’s eyes darted around the room, taking in the interactive dynamics at play.

Colson spoke up when Doctor Hassenberg’s eyes fell on them. “Nina, save it. I know what you’re up to.”

“Do you now? I see that what I’m up to worked out well enough for you,” she said looking down at Sabra’s small baby bump.

“Why don’t you give it a rest for one night?” he asked, allowing that hybrid negotiation-plea tone he unsuccessfully used on Bronwyn and Ava to seep through.

“Why don’t you let me live?” the older woman said, making Sabra laugh at the youthful expression the woman used.

“I am, but you can’t meddle in everyone’s life as you please.” Colson lowered his voice to add, “I know it was your assistant who spilled the beans on my grant to Sabra.”

Overwhelming joy filled her when Jon finally relented to give Sabra the name of her top donor. Colson hadn’t been too happy with him or the good doctor. When Doctor Hassenberg reminded him that she’d had nothing to do with it, Colson could do nothing but pout about it. Sabra and Ava took him on a Dad-Bod shopping spree to make up for her prying.

Sabra laughed at how her man managed to agree to one outfit. He'd set his heart on a Halloween costume idea that he and Ava could wear when the holiday rolled around.

Sabra’s attention rounded back around to hear the end of Colson and Doctor Hassenberg’s spat.

“Watch me.”

Sabra and Colson watched as the woman strolled over and interrupted Petrov’s chit chat with a thankful Sherice. She led the man over to the table of food where Chloe stood. Doctor Hassenberg didn’t say a word, leaving the two standing there staring at each other.

Sabra wished she could have had a bucket of popcorn for the sparks she sensed flaring between the two. For the first time in forever her friend, the loud-mouthed Chloe was speechless.

Petrov made the first move. Sabra could tell everyone in the room listened to his words as he said, “Ah, so there you are. Not what I expected but lovelier. You are a rare beauty indeed.” He looked down at the tall woman as she remained this shy of being completely stunned.

Colson maneuvered to stand behind Sabra as they watched a possible new mating unfold.

Chloe visibly swallowed, looked up at the incredibly tall and well-built man and proceeded to say, “Nope, never going to happen, fuck off, you fucker.”