An Authorized Excerpt:
Kaitlyn watched the
tiny redhead squealing and bouncing with innocent joy. Mmm,
it was little gleeful moments like this that made all the
hassle of organizing today’s tryouts for her team well worth
it. She remembered when she had last tried out, just last
year, in fact. Though returning Dazzlers certainly had an
advantage over other auditioning dancers as far as dance
experience, they still had to audition each year in order to
return to the college’s elite, competitive dance team. All
except for the captain, who served as one of three judges in
choosing the new team each year. A highly coveted position
to be in, and one she had been voted into unanimously just
last month, thanks to the help of her lover, Soren.
But she didn’t want
to think about him right now. To think of Soren was to be
reminded of her current growing predicament. A tarnish on
what would otherwise be a highly enjoyable situation for any
other Demon Dazzler to be in. She’d deal with that tarnish
later. For now, she really had to meet this intriguing
little dancer before her with the blindingly innocent smile.
“Hello, you’re
Christa Jones, right?” Kaitlyn said, holding out a hand for
Christa to shake.
Surprised, Christa
couldn’t stop her jaw from dropping. “Oh! You’re Miss
Porter! Hi, yeah, um, I mean, yes, I’m Christa Jones. How’d
you remember that?” She placed her hand into Kaitlyn’s and
was surprised to feel an instantaneous heat spread from the
captain’s hand all the way up to her own elbow. Something
seemed so familiar about this woman.
Kaitlyn smiled
warmly. “As the Demon Dazzler team captain, it’s my job to
remember every Dazzler’s name. Welcome to the team. And I
have to say, you did a fabulous job during today’s
auditions. I especially remember your lyrical routine’s
performance. Have you taken ballet before? You positively
danced like an angel.”
Tanya thought she
might throw up. Kaitlyn seemed to her like such a fake.
Actually, she reminded Tanya of a slimy snake, just
slithering up to them like she had. And what was with her
best friend? True, Christa’s naiveté was almost notorious.
But did she have to respond so well to the older woman’s
shmoozing? Christa’s smile was practically drowning in
obvious adoration of the captain as they chatted about the
younger dancer’s formal dance training.
And just why was the
Dazzler’s team captain making such a point to talk to them,
or rather to Christa, since Kaitlyn still hadn’t said a word
to Tanya? After all, who cared about two high school girls
who had only just made the college dance team?
