by M Guida
The hair on the back of my neck prickled. “You’re not talking about Bo, are you? We decided just to be friends. Besides, he asked you to the dance.”
“Come on. Bo and I are just going as friends. Just because you had the talk with him doesn’t mean his feelings have changed for you.”
I thought back to the first year I was here when I saw Bo and Lucien squaring off in the arena. Bo had fought bravely, but he was no match against Lucien. And they had only been engaging in trials. A shudder went from my neck to my toes.
A death match between the two of them wasn’t on my agenda. Maybe mating wasn’t a good idea after all, but could I really say no to Lucien? Because I wanted him. God knows I wanted him.
But I didn’t want Bo to get hurt or possibly killed. There had to be a way for me to have my cake and eat it too.
Mina and I walked out of Wyvern Tower and down the steps. Anton had outdone himself. Pumpkin lights were strung from tree to tree. Purple, orange, and black tablecloths covered four top tables. Each table had a candle molded either into the shape of a dragon, vampire, wolf, Fae, or Golden Demon. A huge purple tent was set up and I could smell delicious food. I hadn’t eaten anything all day. My mouth watered and my stomach grumbled, but food was the last thing on my mind.
A live band was playing up on stage. I swear they had every possible instrument, from a piano to electric guitars to flutes to drums, even a harp. Only Anton would provide such a lavish band, but these were not dressed as if they played in an orchestra. They looked more like a cross between a boy and a hair band, except for one blond-haired woman who looked like a fairy with her twinkling blue gown and wings.
Maybe she was.
My heart quickened, and I didn’t hear what Mina said. Lucien stood on the dance floor dressed as the Phantom in a tux and black cape. The white half mask partly covered his face, and the added mystery only made him more handsome. His long dark hair cascaded over his shoulders and as he walked toward me, I couldn’t breathe.
I felt like I had transformed into Christine Daaé and was about to sing on the stage of the Paris Opera. However, my voice sounded more like a crow rather than a nightingale.
Lucien stretched out his gloved hand. “Would you care to dance?”
“Yes, I would.”
He escorted me to the dance floor and as if by magic the band played Think of Me, and the fairy woman had a voice like an angel. This was a dream come true.
Up close, I admired his chiseled face and the shadow of a beard on his chin that made him look even more ruggedly handsome. Glancing around the dance floor and the couples seated at various tables, I knew instinctively that I was the envy of every girl.
And for some, I was their enemy.
Something in my chest fluttered, and I sensed an evil at the dance, but it was very faint.
I was about to tell Lucien, but he drew me deeper into his fluid movements.
Just like everything else, he was a gifted dancer, twirling me and waltzing me across the dance floor. His arm was secure around my waist, and my breasts tingled, crushing against his broad chest. With every turn and every step, warm, prickling sensations washed across my nape and rippled down my spine.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He’d cast a spell on me that I couldn’t break.
Suddenly he dipped me, and I gasped.
He grinned. “You weren’t expecting that?”
“No, I wasn’t.”
He chuckled. “I have even more surprises for you this evening, my little warrior princess.”
His husky voice sent a streak of hot pleasure shooting through me, making my nipples bud and the blood throb at my inner core. Images of his mouth kissing and suckling me and his hands caressing every inch of my body, left me breathless.
He lifted me and his lips captured mine. At first his kiss was soft and delectable, but then it turned bold, arrogant, determined…just like the man himself. There was no mistake he was branding me as his.
I threaded my fingers through his hair and molded my body to his, wanting to feel his need for me. He planted kisses down my throat and along my collarbone. I trembled in his arms, my heart pounding in my throat and my skin hot to the touch. If it weren’t for the crowded dance floor and the throng of onlookers, I would have offered myself to him then and there.
The song ended, and just like that, my stomach growled. Lucien laced his fingers through mine. “Hungry?”
I laughed nervously. “Apparently, so. I haven’t eaten anything all day.”
“Let’s get you something to eat, because you have a long night.”
Excitement whisked through me, and I could hardly wait to find out what he had in store for me. We went through the purple tent and I smiled.
“This is so cool,” I said as I grabbed a black plate and silverware.
There were meat and cheese sandwiches in the shapes of pumpkins and bats, and mummy Brats. Potato chips were in Frankenstein green bowls that lit up. Peeled bananas had chocolate chips for eyes, and Clementine oranges had short sticks of celery poked into the top to make them look like pumpkins. Strawberries had been dipped in white chocolate and had dots of chocolate frosting for eyes. There were caramel apples for dessert, but not just any kind. Some had been rolled in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chips, walnuts, pecans…but the one that caught my eye had been rolled in a combination of all of them, like the supreme Rocky Road mix. There was hot cider to drink, my favorite on a warm day.
By the time we left, I had eaten a bat sandwich, strawberry ghosts, bananas, chips, and the delectable sinful Rocky Road caramel apple.
Lucien had twice the food that I had. Two of the tables had been pushed together, and we sat with the Defenders.
Rhys pulled out a purple sparkling bottle. “We’ve got to have some fun. This is what I told you guys about just for Halloween—Midnight Shadow.”
I cocked my eyebrow quizzically. “Is this anything like High Tempest?”
Even though High Tempest always knocked me on my butt, it was delicious and hard to resist.
Rhys grinned. “Better. Because it’s specially brewed for Halloween.”
Eden was Rhys’s date, as always. She was another Fae and a good friend of Vivian who had mysteriously disappeared tonight. Just like Vivian, Eden had her design on being the next Queen of the Fae and had her claws hooked firmly into Rhys. Tonight, she and Rhys had dressed like King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, so she got to practice wearing her crown.
In her most haughty voice, she said, “Midnight Shadow is really only supposed to be served to Royalty.”
Poppy didn’t miss a beat. “So, I guess you’ll be taking a pass on it, since you’re just a peasant just like the rest of us?”
Xavier kissed Poppy on the cheek. “Down, ogre. You’ve got your haunches up.” They were dressed like Shrek and Fiona. Both of their faces were painted green. Poppy had on a red wig and a long green velvet gown. She really looked like Fiona. Xavier had stuffed something under his white shirt that made it look like he had a beer belly. They looked great.
Dante and Katona came back with their plates full, and something red to drink. I definitely didn’t want to know what it was. They were dressed as Dracula and Mina Harker, Dante in a suit with a long black cape and Katona in a frilly red dress.
Rhys poured some Midnight Shadow into shot glasses. The purple liquor sparkled and when I sniffed it I got a faint hint of lavender.
He lifted his shot glass. “We need to do a shot to honor Samhain.”
I glanced at Lucien. He shrugged.
“Why not? I’m game.” He leaned close. “Are you?”
When I was at my first Legacy dance with Bo, he’d been trying to talk me out of doing shots of High Tempest. Not Lucien. He was just as bold as I was.
I slowly smiled. “You know I am.”
We both lifted our glasses and clinked them together.
Rhys grinned and held up a finger for each word. “One. Two. Three. Drink.”
I tossed back the drink and bam––a hot flush of steamy lavender rolled over me and my eyes watered. “Wow, that’s powerful!”
“Do you like it?” Rhys asked as he refilled all of our glasses.
“I do. It’s warm and smooth.”
“That’s the idea,” he said.
Bo and Mina joined us. Instead of wearing a Jack Skellington pumpkin mask, he had painted his face white and had black circles around his eyes and the Raggedy Andy mouth. Even with the outfit, he still was handsome. If it weren’t for Lucien, I’d totally be all over him. But he didn’t make me feel the way Lucien did.
I smiled to myself. It looked like Bo had wiped out the purple tent with his piles of pumpkin and bat sandwiches and a half dozen mummy Brats. He also had some of the ghost strawberries and bananas.
“Hungry, Bo?” Lucien teased.
“Actually, I am.” He frowned. “Rhys, is that some more booze from your kingdom?”
“Booze?” Rhys laughed. “You make it sound like moonshine. It’s better than anything in the human world.”
Bo rolled his eyes and bit the head off his mummy Brat.
“Midnight Shadow’s really good, Bo,” I said. “You should try it.”
“You’d better eat something before you have another one,” he grumbled.
I was going to argue with him, but I remembered our last conversation about our first ball together and how after too many High Tempests I ended up kissing both Bo and Lucien.
“You’re probably right.” I looked at Lucien. “And besides, I want to remember tonight.”
Lucien grinned and leaned over. He kissed me and the warm taste of Midnight Shadow swirled in my mouth, but huskier––all Lucien. Blood pumped through me faster, lighting up desire only for him.
He pulled away, leaving me breathless. God, I was so hot for him I didn’t know if I could wait until the end of the night. I gulped down a big glass of water and avoided looking at Bo. I didn’t want to see the hurt in his eyes.
Instead, I picked up my bat sandwich and bit into a roast beef and cheese with some special sauce that reminded me of a spiked Thousand Island dressing. It was delicious.
Lucien finished off two of his sandwiches, and I was starting on my second one, when the band switched to rock.
“Gunter, Glieben, Glausen, Globen,” the singer growled. It was Def Leppard’s Rock of Ages.
I clapped my hands. “Oh, I love this song.”
“Want to dance?”
“Absolutely.”
Rhys picked up a glass. “Drink your Midnight Shadows.”
In a flash, we both downed our drinks and headed back out to the crowded dance floor. Between the shot and dancing with Lucien, I swear I thought I could fly. Everything was perfect. The band played more 80’s music, everything from AC/DC to Van Halen. I was on cloud nine. I loved to dance, especially with the right partner.
And for one shining moment, all was perfect at Legacy.
Chapter 22
AAAAAAHHHHHHH
A loud scream stopped us cold. Lucien immediately pushed me behind him, blocking my view.
“Lucien.” I pounded on his broad shoulders. “Let me see.”
He glanced over his shoulder. “Stay here.”
“Like that’s happening.” I ran after him.
Someone was down by one table. There was a crowd around, but Lucien parted them with his big shoulders.
“What happened?” Someone asked.
I came up alongside Poppy, who was shaking her head. She was dressed like an elf and I didn’t see Xavier. They must have joined our table while we were out dancing. She looked at me and frowned. “It was so strange.”
I gasped. Mina. “Oh, no, Mina. Poppy, did you see what happened?”
“We were all laughing, and then her eyes went funny. We all had another shot of Midnight Shadows and a few minutes later she was down.” She clasped my arm. “But, Raven, I swear I felt something. Something that made my skin crawl.”
Bo grabbed Rhys by his shirt and shook him. “Damn you, Rhys.” He tilted his head. “What the hell was in that stuff?”
Rhys pushed on Bo’s hand. “Nothing that would do this. Let go of me.”
Lucien broke them apart. “Knock it off, Bo. We all had shots and we’re all fine.”
Bo ran his hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have let her drink anymore.” He knelt down next to Mina and clasped her hand. “Mina, can you hear me?”
She stared up at the sky, her eyes unblinking.
I raced to the other side of her.
Lucien reached out to me. “Raven.”
I ignored him and knelt. “Oh, my god, Mina.” I pushed her hair back. “Please answer me. It’s Raven. Come back to us.”
Bo met my worried gaze. “For a second, I thought I saw a shadow fall across her face, but I’m not sure from what. Then she made a small noise, screamed, and fell flat on her back.”
Anton rushed over to us and crowded me out. He put his hand on Mina’s forehead. “Someone has cast a spell on her.”
Rage flooded through me and I wildly looked around at the people crowded around us and up in the sky for the slightest sign of a dark demon. “Who?”
He gave me a sharp stare.
I bristled. “Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t do anything.”
He lifted Mina into his arms and rushed toward the infirmary. I balled my fists into my gown, hoisted it up, and tore after him. He ran so fast I could barely keep up with him. Bo and Lucien were right beside me. Heavy footsteps pounded behind us. I glanced over my shoulder. The rest of the Defenders were right on our heels.
Anton brought her into the infirmary. “Dr. Greenwood.” His loud voice brought the doctor out of his office.
He frowned. “What has happened? I sense evil.”
Anton laid Mina down on a bed. “She’s breathing, but she looks as if she’s been fossilized. And her skin has a slight frost.”
I studied Mina, and indeed she had what looked like light blue crystals all over her face and arms. It was hard to tell with the makeup she was wearing. “Fossilized?”
I cursed myself. Guilt crammed my throat, and I couldn’t exhale. I should have told Lucien what I was feeling rather than allowing myself to be caught up in the fairytale dance.
I folded my arms across my chest. “This is partly my fault,” I mumbled.
Lucien put his arm around me. “Why do you say that?”
“Because I felt something when I was dancing with you. Something evil. And I ignored it.” My voice croaked.
I blinked my eyes, refusing to fall to pieces. There would be another time for that.
He clasped my shoulders and squeezed as if trying to send me reassurance. “Raven, this isn’t your fault.”
“I should have listed to my instincts.” I slipped my arms in between his and broke his grip. Comfort was the last thing I wanted right now. It was something I didn’t deserve. “I felt a presence, like when Professor Soto’s doppelgänger cornered me in the locker room. How could I be so stupid?”
“You’re not stupid.” Lucien grabbed my arm. “You’re just not omniscient.”
Dr. Greenwood came over to us. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
Lucien started to tell him what happened, but Bo interrupted him. “You weren’t there, Lucien. You were out on the dance floor, so shut up.”
I glared. “Stop it. Just stop it. This is about Mina.”
Something triggered in my mind. “Anton, Vivian might have something to do with this.”
Bo stilled and sent me a probing look. “What do you mean?”
“She was furious that you asked Mina to the dance and claimed I wasn’t the only one who could do magic.”
“Are you sure?” Anton demanded.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“I’ll question her. None of you will. Your emotions are running too high.”
Rhys stared at Mina with a lost look on his face. “I had brought some Midnight Shadow from the Starlight K
ingdom. We brew it specially for Samhain.” His voice turned small, “You don’t think it could have caused her to react like this, do you?”
I clasped his shaking hand. “Rhys, this isn’t your fault.”
Dr. Greenwood shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.”
Rhys released a shaky breath.
“But I must examine both the bottle and her glass to make sure,” Dr. Greenwood said.
“I’ll get them.” I hitched up my gown again. Faster than I’d ever moved before, I bolted out of the infirmary.
I wouldn’t let Mina die.
Every bone in my body told me Ryker was behind this, but how, I didn’t know.
Someone chased after me. I didn’t have to look back as I weaved through the crowd. People asked questions, but I ignored them. I knew Lucien right behind me.
I skidded to stop at the table.
Lucien came beside me. “You’re just determined to do things by yourself, aren’t you?”
I glanced up at him. “I knew you’d be right behind me anyway.” I lifted my chin. “So, no. I wasn’t doing this by myself.”
“Shit,” he said.
“What?”
“The bottle of Midnight Shadows––it’s gone, along with one shot glass.”
“I bet it was Mina’s.” I leaned my head against his chest, needing to hear his thumping heart. “Lucien, this is bad. Really bad. Dark demon bad.”
He put his arm around my waist. “I agree. We’d better go tell Dr. Greenwood. Together.”
“Wait. Do you think Vivian took it? Do you think she poisoned Mina?”
“I don’t know. I hope not. That’s pretty dark, even for Vivian,” he said.
We rushed back to the infirmary. What if Mina died? I would never forgive myself.
The dance was over on a sour note and we were all sent back to our rooms. I sat in my alone in my room, staring at Mina’s bed. Tears had smeared my make-up. I had managed to remove the dress on my own, which had been a feat in itself. It was tossed over my chair and the shoes scattered underneath it. I was still wearing the corset, because I couldn’t undo it myself.
