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outside. Nerves were making her perspire. She rubbed her palms on her thighs. She was thankful she’d taken a double dose of hunter’s block, particularly if she was going to be perspiring like this.
    The cabin wasn’t lit, but that didn’t matter. Her shifter senses would give her the vision she needed. The one thing she really wanted…
    She opened what she hoped was the restroom door.
    Eureka!
    A mirror in the restroom. Not full length, but at least she’d be able to see what she was doing when she tried to fix her blonde mop.
    Thirty minutes later, she looked down at the black dress, holding it away from the floor so it wouldn’t be trimmed with dust, then took a last glance at the mirror. Her black and gold mask covered three-quarters of her face. Black feathers rose from one side, curling over gracefully. The mask and the shoes were the only thing she’d bought new. The dress was one she’d had from years ago, when she’d attended some event and had then stuffed it into the back of her closet, where it had been since then, forgotten and unused.
    She let herself out of the cabin and threw her bag onto the front seat, on top of the creased and tear-stained invitation, and closed the car door quietly. She picked her way among the pine needles, leaves, and roots that had eased their way aboveground. Her heel sank into a soft patch. She pulled it out of the dirt and wiped it off with a handful of leaves.
    The sun had fallen; the forest was under a blanket of darkness. She could hear the sounds of revelry and followed them. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found the driveway. At least walking would be easier this way.
    Making better time on paved road, she spotted the oversized marble staircase at the front of the mansion within moments. Seconds later, she’d just climbed to the top of the stairs, and paused to get her bearings…
    Her tigress growled.
    Fine. Fine. I’m looking for him. I admit it.
    “Miss?” A masked man with a clipboard approached. “Your invitation, please?”
    Natalya froze.
    Now what? She left the invitation in the car, but she’d be discovered if she’d given him the invitation, anyway. Lézare would know she was here. His sisters would. Vax would; everyone would. And they’d shame her.
    All I want is to see him. I don’t mean anyone any harm. I won’t create any problems.
    Her tigress snarled.
    “Miss?” the man said again.
    “I didn’t bring it. Was I supposed to?”
    “Yes, but I can look you up by name.”
    Oh, shit. No, that won’t do. Not at all.
    She couldn’t give him her name. She wracked her brain to come up with a name. The only ones she could come up with were Arceneaux and Tiero names, and there was no way she could use either of those. She’d be caught in a heartbeat.
    “Delaney Devereaux.” What the hell? She surely wasn’t good at improvisation.
    “Ms. Devereaux.” He used his pen as a marker and checked each name in the letter D column.
    Natalya tapped her foot as if she was in a hurry and impatient to get inside.
    He ran through the whole column again. “I’m sorry, Ms. Devereaux. I don’t see your name.”
    “Then perhaps you should go check with Lézare Arceneaux. He personally sent me an invitation.”
    Beneath the man’s mask, his lips drew into a tight line, then curved into a forced smile. He looked around. “I’m not sure I should leave my post.”
    “It’s your decision. I don’t care if you piss Lézare off and he never uses your company again.”
    “I’ll be right back.” He spun around and slipped through the front door.
    Natalya waited until he was out of sight, then picked up her skirts and darted as fast as her heels could carry her toward a set of French doors on the other side of the veranda.
    She shimmied past a couple that was embracing and leaned against the wall.
    Whew.
    She was inside!
    The room was semi-dark lit only with candles. It didn’t take any time to adjust, with her shifter vision. The glow from the