by M Guida
She gave me a bag of peppermint. “Keep this with you.” She lowered her voice. “From what Anton has said, you don’t want to be caught out without it.”
She left me, and I munched on a stick of peppermint. Coolness rushed into my mouth, and I sat straighter. I’d had peppermint before but never like this. It felt like a winter storm brewing in my mouth. Energy pumped through me and my uneasy stomach calmed down.
Professor Soto came over. “Do you feel better?”
“Is this normal peppermint? It tastes different.”
“Professor Elfiel performed a little enchantment on it. Your color’s back. Do you feel up to going to your next class?”
I gathered my books. “Yes, I do.”
“Good.” She rubbed my back. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Make sure you have your peppermint with you.”
“I will.”
For the next month, I had to endure Professor Soto’s foul stink breath, and each time, I got sicker than a dog, but she was right––the peppermint really helped. The only good thing was that each the time the emptying of my belly was over more quickly. I’d only need a gigantic box of peppermint the next time I faced the dark demons.
Mina and I headed over to the cafeteria. The days had gotten shorter and Halloween was only a week away. Anton was going to let us have a Halloween Dance. Anton provided me with a break from Magical Intuition class, because right after the dance was my first dragon trial. Everyone else got to have their first one at the end of the semester. Lucky me.
A poster of a giant pumpkin and ghost flying out was on the cafeteria door. “With all the craziness of studying, I forgot to ask you.” Mina opened the door. “What are you going to go as?”
“You’re going to laugh.”
She crinkled her forehead. “Why would I laugh?”
We put our backpacks on the back of our chairs at the Royal table. “It’s Lucien’s idea.”
“Okay, now I am intrigued. What?”
“Romeo and Juliet.”
She smirked. “Seriously?”
“Yup.” I grabbed a tray and put a pumpkin spice latte on it. “He made Anton order us the costumes specially.”
“Actually, that’s kind of romantic. I can hardly wait to see what you guys look like. Are any other couples dressing up as famous partners?”
“I don’t know, but probably.” I got a breakfast sausage burrito with a side of guacamole. I smiled at our secret code word. Lucien and I had come up with it. We used it when we thought there were doppelgängers about. Luckily, this year, we hadn’t any trouble with those yet.
“OK, my turn. With studying and practicing for my trial next week, I forgot to ask who you are going with to the dance,” I asked.
She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I didn’t know how to tell you this.”
I stopped. “Tell me what?”
“Bo asked me.”
I blinked. “He did? Really?”
She put her hand down and avoided my gaze. “We’re just going as friends.” She bit her lip. “Are you mad?”
For a brief moment, a tinge of jealousy rolled through me, but I couldn’t deny Bo and Mina some happiness. Lucien walked into the cafeteria. My heart leapt at his handsomeness. His hair had gotten a little longer, and I swear his muscles had bulked out even more.
“Not at all. I’m a little surprised, but I think it’s great.” We sat down at our table. “Um, how’s Vivian taking it?”
“I don’t know. I’ve kinda been staying out of her way.”
Vivian walked in with Demi. I leaned close to Mina. “That’s probably a good idea.”
Ever since I made her float in the air, Vivian had refused to teach me. I had to admit, Demi was a great teacher, and she was teaching me more and more about Golden Demons. But she wasn’t the only one.
Anton had replaced Vivian, and having him twice a day wasn’t easy.
I dug into my burrito.
“Hey beautiful girls.”
I looked up and Bo had a big grin on his handsome face.
“Hi Bo.”
“Breakfast burritos, huh?” He almost seemed like his old self. He went over to Mina and stuck his finger in her guacamole. “Tastes good. Still not as good as you.” He kissed her on the cheek and disappeared into the hot line.
I elbowed her. “Wow, he’s into you.”
Mina’s blushed ten different shades of red. “Not like he was with you.”
“We’ll always be good friends. He’s really special to me and I couldn’t be happier for him for falling for the sweetest and prettiest girl at the academy.”
She elbowed me back. “Stop.”
Lucien came and sat next to me. “Hey it’s Friday.”
“Thank God.”
Rhys came over to the table, followed by Rhys who twirled around. “Guess what I’ve got back in my room?”
I rubbed my temples. “Oh, no. I can feel a hangover coming on.”
“Oh, yeah. High Tempest...” He rubbed his palms together. “And I’ve got something especially for Halloween.”
He winked. “You know you love it, Raven.”
I laughed. “Oh, great. Something else to knock me on my butt.”
Lucien rubbed his chin and stared at me until I squirmed.
“What?”
He took my hand. “Nothing. You’re just amazing.”
“So are you.” I kissed him, tasting guacamole.
I could hardly wait for class to end. Lucien and I were going to try on our Romeo and Juliet costumes tonight. Not even Magic Intuition ruined my day.
Lucien picked me up at Anton’s. I had just learned about the different angel magics, including magical energy absorption, which is very similar to my power, except Anton said that this power used magic to construct absorption effects.
I told Lucien what I learned.
“Well, the Angel of Death did write a prophesy about you. Maybe this was alluding to it.”
“Maybe.” I took his arm. “Let’s not talk about that. I want to have a good time tonight.”
He slipped his hand around my neck and pulled me close. “I’ve been waiting for this night for a long time.”
A shudder slid from my spine all the way down to my toes. Was he saying what I thought he was saying?
He maneuvered me toward a costume tent that had been put up in the middle of the courtyard where we could pick out whatever we wanted. Some students, like Lucien, had told Anton what they wanted ahead of time and had costumes reserved.
“I’m so excited,” I said as we entered the tent.
Students were going through the costumes that I swear came off a Broadway stage. There was a rack with a sign overhead that said Reserved.
Baron Germaine was guarding the rack with his legs spread out and his arms crossed as if his life depended on it.
Lucien escorted me over there and said, “Phantom of the Opera and Christine Daaé, please.”
My mouth fell open, and I couldn’t move. Warmth swelled in my chest, pushing against my ribs.
Baron smiled. “Yes, of course. I think you’ll both be pleased.”
He pulled out the same white short sleeved ball gown Christine wears when she first sings Think of Me on stage. The back had blue tails, and a lace-up white corset. It even had the starburst details and puffed sleeves, just like the one in the movie.
I covered my mouth, and tears hovered in the corner of my eyes. “Lucien.” It was the only word I could utter, but my feelings for him grew and grew.
He clasped my hand. “You are my princess.”
“Let’s see yours.”
Baron took out a white dress shirt, silk black vest and pants, a black cape, and the white half mask. I couldn’t believe it. He would be the best looking Phantom ever.
“Traditional, huh? Except I’ll wear my sword,” Lucien said.
Baron gave him a stony stare. “You don’t need to wear your actual sword.”
“No, I realize I don’t.”
I rolled my eyes.
That was a challenge, and of course, Lucien would wear his sword. Hadn’t Baron figured out yet that Lucien didn’t understand the word no?
We draped our costumes over our arms and headed outside the tent just as Bo and Mina were walking in.
“Oh, my god.” Mina pressed her hands together. “Your Phantom of the Opera costumes are beautiful.”
I finally found my voice and tilted my head. “They’ve got some really nice stuff in there. There’s a big crowd, though, so you’d better hurry.”
“Okay.” Mina wiggled her fingers as she waved. “See you later.”
Lucien and I departed with our costumes and I ran up to my room to try mine on, shaking with excitement. He had actually picked this out for me. I ran down the hallway to find Vivian standing by my door.
Her eyes were bloodshot and with her smeared mascara she looked like she’d gone on a drinking binge.
She crossed her arms. “Is it true?”
I knew what was coming, but I played dumb. “Is what true?”
“Did Bo actually ask Mina to the dance?”
I didn’t think it was my place, but at the same time I didn’t want Mina to have to deal with Vivian.
“Yes, he did.”
Her lower lip trembled. “He would prefer the daughter of a traitor to me?” Her voice echoed with bitterness and a broken heart.
“Yes, he would.” My gut instinct was to say something smart, except I didn’t have the heart to kick someone who was down.
“I can’t believe it. I thought… I thought I had a chance to win him back after you threw him away.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I didn’t through him a way.”
“So, you say. You and your slut roommate are going to pay for what you did.”
A flush of anger rose within me, from clenched toes all the way to my fists. I had to press my arms against my side to keep from slugging her right in the face. “Mina isn’t a slut.”
She flicked her hateful gaze over me. “You wait and see.” A thin snake-like smile spread across her face and her eyes glittered as if somebody different was staring back at me through her eyes. “You’ll never see it coming and I’m going to be there when you fall.” Her low voice made the skin on the back of my neck prickle.
She ran down the hall, crying, and then into her room, slamming the door.
Something was amiss, but I wasn’t going to let her twisted jealousy mess up my joy. Maybe I was just imagining what I saw.
I slipped into my own room, trying not to think about what she had said. I didn’t want to admit it, but she reminded me of Professor Tuamma last year. But Anton had resealed the walls to keep doppelgängers out.
I rolled my shoulders back and cracked my neck.
This couldn’t be happening. Not again. Just stop and embrace the joy.
Exhaling a long deep breath, I changed out of my uniform into the white gown. I couldn’t lace up the corset properly by myself, but it didn’t matter. Modeling the dress in front of the mirror, I felt like a princess as I hummed Think of Me. No guy had ever done anything like this for me before and I was on top of the world.
Everything was perfect. Or should I say felt perfect, but suddenly goosebumps broke out all over my arms.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what Mom had said––he was coming, and we needed to be prepared.
But we weren’t. Not even close.
Chapter 21
The dance couldn’t come soon enough tonight, and I was anxiously counting the minutes down. Fortunately, Vivian hadn’t spoiled it for me or for Mina, but that still didn’t mean nothing would happen.
Stop Just Stop
I shoved that negative thought behind me, but the needle in the back of my neck wouldn’t quit. It was like a tiny pogo stick jamming my flesh over and over.
Prom hadn’t been the best night for me, and this felt like a second chance. The previous dances at Legacy had been fun, but this was different. Lucien had done something special for me, something that he knew was dear to my heart.
For the rest of the day, Mina and I spent the entire day pampering ourselves, doing our nails, and playing with the different styles for our hair. Mina and Bo were going to go as Jack Skellington and Sally.
Mina spray painted dye to change her purple and white hair to bright orange. She twirled around. “What do you think?”
I smiled. “I think it looks perfect.” My costume came with sparkling stars that I wasn’t sure how to put in my hair. I kept trying to angle them like they’d been in Emmy Rossum’s. She played Christine Daaé in the 2004 movie, but mine didn’t look elegant like hers had. The stars were too close together and kept sliding out.
Mina laughed and put down the spray can. “Do you want me to help you with your hair?”
“Yes.” I plopped down in defeat on the white-cushioned stool in front of the vanity table. I stared miserably at my tousled hair in the oval mirror. “I’m not even sure I should wear these stupid things.”
“Don’t give up. I can fix it. I’m a master with hair.” She winked. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to spray paint your hair.”
She kept her word. By the time she got done curling my dark hair and strategically placing the sparkling stars, I really felt like I was Christine Daaé.
Mina stepped back. “Well, what do you think?”
I got up and hugged her. “I love it. Thank you.” I grabbed the corset. “Would you mind helping me with this, too?”
“Not at all.”
Mina laced up my corset and pulled it tight.
I winced.
“Too tight?”
I struggled to breathe. How the hell did women wear these stupid things? “I feel like…” I panted. “Like a boa constrictor…” I panted. “…is squeezing and squeezing me into a pretzel.”
She stopped. “Are you all right?”
I nodded and put my hand on my extremely flat stomach. “I’ll be all right. If Christine Daaé can do it, so can I.”
“Good.” She picked up an eyebrow pencil. “Care to draw on my stitch work?”
“I would love to, Sally.” I gently drew thin lines and cross stitches on her face until Mina looked like a rag doll.
I put down the pencil. “So, what do you think?”
She looked into the mirror and tilted her head back and forth. “Looks good.” She put on dark red lipstick and then drew a line around her neck and made stitches again. “Do I look like Sally?”
“Absolutely.”
She pulled out a green, light red and yellow patched dress with large black stitches and held it up to her shoulders. “What do you think?”
“I love it. You’ll be hard to beat at the costume contest.”
“I don’t know about that. I have a feeling the guys aren’t going to be able to take their eyes off you, especially Lucien.”
I thought of what Lucien had hinted about to tonight. My cheeks burned so hot I thought they’d burn through my head.
She frowned. “Why are you blushing?”
I shrugged. “Nothing.”
She grinned. “You’re not fooling me. What are you hiding?”
I bit my lip. “I’m not sure I should tell you.”
“Why? What’s the big secret?”
“Lucien…” I couldn’t even get the words out of my mouth.
She put her dress on her bed. “Lucien what?”
“He was talking about… I don’t know… Just bringing memories back about prom. I mean he said it would be unbreakable…” Stumbling over my words had never been a big problem for me but blurting out that Lucien and I could possibly mate tonight was just too much to reveal. The real issue was what if it didn’t happen?
Her eyes widened. “Holy crap. You’re talking about mating, aren’t you?”
Her voice was a little too loud for me.
I put my finger to my lips. “Shhh!” I lowered my voice. “You don’t have to announce it. I don’t want the whole tower to know about it.”
She sat on her bed and
shook her head. “Only Lucien would have the balls to claim someone at Legacy.”
My gut tightened. “Is it against the rules?”
“Not really, I guess.” She laughed quietly and ran her hand through her hair. “But most people wait until they get out of Legacy to claim their mates.” She dropped her arm. “Man, he’s really into you.” She studied me until I squirmed in my seat. “Are you in love with him?”
God, I hadn’t even admitted those feelings to myself. “Mina, if I wasn’t, there’s no way I’d even consider mating with him.”
“I bet by tomorrow all of Legacy will know.”
I cringed. “Really? Why, does something happen? Fireworks, or something?”
She smirked. “You really are naïve when it comes to mating, aren’t you?”
“Okay, so maybe I am. What gives?” A flush rushed over me and I couldn’t stop turning red, which was so stupid since I wasn’t a virgin.
“I’ve never seen you blush so much. You look like a cherry popsicle.”
“Thanks a lot. So, seriously, tell me what the deal is.”
“Well, it’s not like fireworks are going to light up in the sky, but usually people have a bright glow about them after they mate. It’s not like humans when they have sex, either.” She winked. “Just get ready to have your socks knocked off. And this isn’t just any guy you’re going to mate with…it’s Lucien.”
Her words triggered a fire of synapses that turned my blood red hot, pooling between my thighs.
I patted my face with a tissue. “I know. The last time I had sex was with Dennis Miller during prom in the back of his pickup, and all I can say is, it was blundering, bumbling, and bungling.”
She chuckled. “That’s doesn’t sound very good.”
“It wasn’t. Not by a long shot.” I stood up. “The dance starts in an hour. We need to finish getting ready. Promise you won’t tell anyone what I told you?”
She crossed her heart. “I promise, hope to die.”
I exhaled loudly. “Thanks. I don’t know what Lucien would do if he knew I told anyone.”
“Are you kidding? He probably really would set off fireworks.” Her eyes flashed from merry too serious. “You just need to know that once you mate, your guy will become extremely possessive and if he suspects someone has the hots for you, it could turn deadly.”
