Katie's Hellion

Katie watched the world go by as they drove, half-listening to Hannah's chatter. The grey skies of winter and grey cement of the city depressed her. This place had nothing to the castle in the Alps, though she never wanted to go back.

In fact, the normal world --while comforting --seemed a bit boring after her trauma. She relaxed and sank into the soft leather seats of the Town Car, telling herself she was being granted a chance to be normal. She didn't doubt that the only creature Rhyn would listen to was Gabriel, and that Gabriel had told him to leave her be. She was grateful.

Sorta. Part of her ached with loneliness even her sister's presence did nothing to help.

They reached the trendy teahouse in the wealthy section of DC, Hannah still talking about Paris fashions. Katie trailed her into the stately Georgian mansion and glanced down as the polished wood beneath her feet creaked. A butler took her coat. She forced herself not to cover her tattoo with her hands as she followed her sister to the second floor, where the private rooms were.

Hannah warmly greeted her friends, four coiffed women in expensive clothing with diamonds the size of her thumbnail on their ring fingers. Most wore trendy boots and coats, sat in designer jeans and sweaters worth a month of her salary, and wore make- up that coordinated perfectly with their expensive clothing and hair.

She felt frumpy the moment she stepped into the room. The women --even if not beautiful --were dressed beautifully.

"I think you all remember my sister, Katherine?" Hannah said, fully knowing they did. "She just returned from a trip to Ireland, where she got her tribal tattoo. She's a bit jet- lagged though."

Katie bit her tongue. Hannah was apologizing for her pale features and dark-rimmed eyes. The four women looked at her, one gasping as her gaze fell to the tattoo and another paling, while the other two looked down their noses at her.

As usual. She'd shocked them all. Hannah sat and began talking about Paris again to an audience eager to hear her.

Except for the one who'd gasped, Molly, the half-Asian, half-Italian with beautiful coffee eyes and olive skin. She was tall and willowy, a former model that'd made it big. Her gaze stayed on Katie's neck until one of the others addressed her.

Katie wondered if she'd shocked her that badly or if there was some other reason Molly was so surprised. She knew very little of Hannah's friends, except they were all richer than sin.

"What took you to Ireland this time of year?"