The Dark King

by C. J. Abedi

  Definitely short. Maybe too short. Shockingly, I kind of liked it but—

  “Oh my god, Caroline! You have some great legs.”

  I was sure my face turned bright red as I turned to face Tatiana. She had on a bright red dress that was so short and skimpy that it made mine look like a nun’s habit. But she looked so good. She always looked good.

  “Wow. You look beautiful, Tatiana.”

  “You think?” She turned around to give me a view of her backside.

  “Yeah. The dress looks really great on you. I love the red.”

  She shook her blond hair playfully and smiled at me. “Thanks! But seriously, you have to get that dress! It’s so darling on you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress, or even a skirt. You seriously have some awesome legs!”

  I crossed my legs awkwardly, wishing I could pull the skirt down.

  “You look amazing, Caroline. Trust me. I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true.”

  If it was possible to grow an even darker shade of red, I was pretty sure I was there.

  “My brother is going to die when he sees you,” she said as she turned around to walk back to her dressing room. “I’ve gotta run! I’m going to pay for this and take off. But great seeing you, and you better buy that dress.”

  I couldn’t imagine that Devilyn would even look at me in that way. But I secretly wanted to see if what she said could ever be true.

  My brother is going to die when he sees you? Was it even possible? I started to go down the Devilyn road, then shook myself out of my fantasy. He had a girlfriend, I reminded myself. Someone I hadn’t seen yet, but that meant that I wasn’t even allowed to have hope. I turned to face the mirror and take in a good look at myself. The dress was kind of nice on me, and I guess because I ran so much, my legs were not all bad.

  I threw caution to the wind and decided I had found the one.

  Now all I had to do was survive the dance.

  D

  Odin determined that we needed a driver for the evening, along with the most embarrassingly long stretch SUV the town of Roanoke had ever seen. When I saw the vehicle in the driveway I had a good laugh. It was white and had a license plate that read: LIGHT. He was relentless, but I had to say, I appreciated his sense of humor.

  “Could he be more obvious?” Tatiana said as she walked past me to climb inside the SUV.

  “He’s definitely far from subtle.”

  I couldn’t believe the dress she was wearing. If you could even call it that.

  “Shouldn’t you be wearing something a little bit more … appropriate?” I remarked, annoyed.

  “You’ve never played the protective older brother before,” she said with a smile. “Why start now?”

  I was in no mood for an argument, and there was definitely no winning with her, so I shrugged my shoulders and tried to feign indifference until I sat down next to her and saw her dress from the front.

  “I really think you should change. I don’t want to have to get into a fight with some overeager teenager who tries to get too close. I’d like to actually have fun tonight.”

  “Fun?” She stared at me in shock. “Good God, Devilyn, did you actually say that word? Fun? As if that was even a remote possibility with you.”

  “Tatiana—”

  “I’m fine. I can handle myself. But I do appreciate the sentiment,” she said as she patted my arm. “You just gave me my first taste of brotherly love in a long time. But I have to admit that I can see how girls with older brothers could get annoyed with that after a while.”

  “Just promise me that you will behave yourself tonight,” I warned.

  “Pinky promise!”

  I sat back in the oversized car and actually found myself looking forward to the evening. Tatiana and I had promised to pick up Caroline and Teddy, while Rowan had offered to meet us. I was grateful that I wasn’t being forced to spend any more time with him than was necessary, especially after the incident on the field. I’m sure he didn’t really want to be in an enclosed space with me, either.

  We were minutes away from Caroline’s house, and I realized I hadn’t told Tatiana one important thing.

  “By the way, Katya will be joining us tonight.”

  Tatiana immediately stopped texting on her iPhone and looked up at me. Her shock was evident.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You heard me. She’s meeting us at the dance. I wasn’t in the mood for a lecture from Odin, so I asked her to just meet us there.”

  “What about Caroline?”

  The car pulled up to Caroline’s house, and I immediately reached for the door handle.

  “What about her?” I said indifferently as I stepped out of the car. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

  “That’s a little harsh, Devilyn. She clearly has feelings for you, and I know you have—”

  “You of all people know that feelings are an impossibility with us.”

  “If they’re so impossible and you’re so apathetic, then why are you rushing out to go see her?” she yelled after me.

  I slammed the door behind me.

  Perhaps it was my way of avoiding the conversation or my way of avoiding the truth. But regardless of what I said, I did want to see Caroline. If I was being honest with myself, every day away from her felt like a lifetime. More importantly, I just wanted a moment alone with her before Katya arrived and I’d be forced to spend all of my time in the clutches of someone who now represented my new life—dark and empty.

  I rushed up the steps to her door, wearing shiny black tailored pants and a black fitted velvet two-button blazer with a black bow tie. I nervously brushed my hair from my face and rang the doorbell.

  Caroline’s mother answered almost immediately and smiled at me. She had such a peaceful and caring way about her, traits that I saw clearly in Caroline. From the moment I met her, I knew she desperately approved of me and wished her daughter and I were together. Had she known who I really was and what being with me really meant for Caroline, she would have done everything in her power to keep her daughter far away. That was the problem with innocence. It often led you right into the hands of the darkness.

  “Good evening, Mrs. Ellis,” I said with a polite smile. “I’m here to pick up Caroline.”

  “So wonderful to see you, Devilyn.” She beamed. “She’s actually all ready to go. Let me get her for you.”

  She disappeared down the hall and called out to her daughter as I waited in anticipation.

  “Caroline! Devilyn is here.”

  I could feel my heart speed up with every second that passed. I couldn’t wait to see her all dressed up. I shifted nervously at the door when I heard the click of heels against the wood floors.

  And then she rounded the corner and I was stunned into silence.

  She took my breath away.

  And no words were left.

  I had never known her to be more beautiful. Simply stunning. She had gone from a T-shirt and jeans-wearing high school student to the most desirable creature I had ever set my eyes on. Her long, thick hair flowed around her frame, outlining her perfect features. She had on an elegant black dress that kissed the edges of her figure, hugging parts of her that I had only dreamed about, tightening around her waist and stopping a few inches above her knees, showing off the longest, most perfect legs I had ever seen. I shook my head, not believing my eyes.

  “God, Caroline. You look—” I was speechless.

  I shook my head, lost in my own thoughts, and realized if I had reacted to her in this way within seconds of seeing her all dressed up, what would happen to the boys at the dance? I had been accustomed to great beauty—as a Fae it was all around—but what would they do? I looked at her again and suddenly wished that her dress was a little longer. Perhaps it was too much.

  Too short.

  Too sexy.

  Too revealing for tonight when she was free to dance or flirt with any one of the boys from school.

  Including Rowan.

&
nbsp; But what could I do to stop it? I would be forced to sit back and watch from afar.

  All because she wasn’t mine.

  She smiled shyly at me and I was lost.

  “Hi, Devilyn. You paused so abruptly, and now I’m afraid to ask how I look. Is everything okay?”

  I could barely speak so I extended my hand to hers and nodded stiffly.

  “Yeah. Fine. It’s fine. You look amazing. Far cry from your gym shorts.”

  Was my behavior strange? Absolutely. I couldn’t believe myself. But sweet Caroline didn’t skip a beat or hesitate to take my outstretched hand. I knew her mom was watching our every move.

  “I promise we’ll get her home safely, Mrs. Ellis.”

  “I know you will, Devilyn. Have fun, kids!” Her mom smiled and waved as she shut the door behind us.

  Caroline was carrying a small clutch and a black cape to cover her bare shoulders, keeping her head down as we walked to the gaudy SUV.

  We were finally alone.

  I turned to look at her.

  “You really do look beautiful,” I said quietly. “You took my breath away back there, actually.”

  I could see the surprise on her face. I don’t think she ever expected me to give her a compliment. But how could I not when she was so perfect?

  “Thanks, Devilyn,” she said shyly. “I honestly wasn’t sure about the dress—”

  “You made the right choice. The dress is perfect. I mean, maybe a little on the short side, but it’s perfect. You’re perfect.”

  I silently swore. Why did I say that part out loud?

  “Thanks, Devilyn. You look great too.”

  We walked the rest of the way to the car in silence. It wasn’t until we reached the SUV that I realized I was holding her hand.

  C

  He reached for it as if it were his to take, and I simply let him. I wasn’t sure why, but everything about it felt right. Even if it was so wrong. His large, strong hand grasped mine, and all of my cares and insecurities suddenly flew away. It felt like a dream. And I didn’t want to ever wake up, because I never wanted it to end.

  I couldn’t believe I was really standing outside a stretch SUV holding Devilyn Reilly’s hand. When I saw him standing at my parents’ door, I thought I would faint. He was so tall he practically filled the doorframe, and he looked perfect in his suit.

  He had had a serious look on his face, but it didn’t matter. The sight of him made my heart feel like it was going to burst. I was suddenly excited about the dance. This was one of the rare occasions when I’d be in a social setting with Devilyn, and given the way the evening had gone so far, I thought it just might end up being a night to remember.

  “My grandfather got this car for us,” he said with an embarrassed laugh. “It’s … slightly ridiculous. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking or why he thought we needed all this space.”

  “It actually fits the homecoming dance cliché perfectly,” I said, letting go of his hand as I stepped inside.

  Tatiana was sitting in the corner, looking perfect as ever. She smiled when she saw me and slid down the leather seat, unnecessarily making room for me in the otherwise empty limo.

  “Oh my God, Caroline! You look amazing!”

  “Thanks. You look really great, too.” I felt like a plain Jane compared to her.

  Devilyn slipped in the car and sat alarmingly close to me. His larger-than-life presence seemed to take up all the space, making it almost difficult to breathe. He gave me a look that made me feel nauseated and incredible at the same time. I wasn’t sure how I would ever survive this night.

  “Off to Teddy’s.”

  I could only nod. Tatiana reached into her bag and pulled out a tube of cherry-red lip gloss. She put it on and, smacked her lips together, then began playing with the stereo, landing on the song “Royals” by Lorde. The song purred through the car as I fidgeted nervously.

  “Are you warm enough?” Devilyn asked softly.

  My eyes darted to his. I knew I would spend the greater part of the evening blushing. Thankfully, I was actually wearing some blush this time, so the effects of my embarrassment would be minimized.

  “Yes. Yes, I’m fine.”

  Silence.

  I looked away as Devilyn continued to stare at me. Was he going to look at me like that all night? How much farther to Teddy’s? The silence and his intensity were going to kill me.

  “Would you like some water?”

  “Yeah, sure. Thanks.”

  As I grabbed a water bottle from his hand and our fingers brushed against each other, I felt a surge of energy move through my body and watched him suck in his breath when my eyes met his. My breath became erratic, tempered.

  I was grateful that Tatiana had driven with us because I wasn’t sure what it would have been like had we been alone. I may have thrown caution to the wind and followed my urge to jump into his arms and let him kiss me.

  Why would he want to kiss me?

  Crazy girl. Get a grip.

  “Caroline—” he whispered.

  “Looks like we’re here,” Tatiana said, interrupting whatever it was Devilyn was about to say. “Teddy’s waiting outside.”

  “Hey guys! Nice digs,” Teddy practically yelled as Devilyn opened the car door and he jumped inside. “This is some party bus!”

  The moment was over.

  And I was left wondering what he had wanted to say.

  “Hey, Teddy,” I said rather uncomfortably.

  “Wow.” He stared at me for a long moment. “You look hot.”

  I blushed again.

  “Umm, thanks?”

  “No, seriously. You look great.”

  Maybe I could go hide in the trunk, I thought.

  “Okay. Thanks,” I said forcefully. “You’re looking mighty dapper yourself.”

  Teddy gave me a knowing smile. He knew I hated any type of compliment. I just didn’t know how to react to them. He also knew how uncomfortable they made me.

  “Thanks, Caroline. Like my bow tie?”

  The multicolored piece of fabric was so Teddy. He was the only one I knew that could pull it off.

  Teddy glanced around the car, said hello to Devilyn, and then set eyes on Tatiana. I almost laughed out loud. His mouth literally dropped open. She was a knockout. He swallowed audibly.

  “Hi, Tatiana.”

  She gave him a perfect smile, confident and fully aware of just how good she looked.

  I wished I could react the same way.

  “Hi, Teddy.”

  “You look gre-gorgeous,” he stammered.

  “Thanks,” she purred.

  Wow, she actually purred like a car. I clearly needed some lessons from Tatiana. I wondered if that came naturally or if she had to practice it. Devilyn smirked in her direction and practically rolled his eyes. I quickly took note—maybe purring wasn’t such a good idea, after all.

  I sat back and tried to relax now that Teddy was here. The rest of the car ride was dead silent, save for the music. Ten minutes later we reached the school, and I couldn’t wait to jump out and get a breath of fresh air. I wasn’t sure if the dress was cutting off my circulation or if it was just the intensity in the car, but whatever it was, I was relieved that I could breathe properly again.

  From the outside, the school looked like it had Monday through Friday. Same wooden trees surrounding the campus, same redbrick walls and long walkway to the entrance of the school. But once inside, a party was in full swing. We made our way to the gym. The decorating committee had gone crazy with balloons, streamers, and posters. The hallways were dimly lit and Martin Solveig’s “The Night Out” echoed through the hallways.

  Once we entered the actual gym it was clear that everyone was having the time of their lives. The DJ was dancing on a riser above the crowd of students. Tatiana grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me toward the girls’ bathroom.

  “Let’s freshen our makeup!”

  I turned to look at the guys. Teddy contained his laughter and Devi
lyn just stared.

  “But we just got here,” I shouted over the sound of the music.

  “This is what we do as women. We always freshen our makeup just to get a good look and make sure everything is in place.”

  I nodded at Tatiana. She was obviously the expert. She grabbed my hand and guided me toward the bathroom, which was overflowing with girls. I guess they had also received the memo that primping was the thing to do. Ever so confident, Tatiana pushed her way to the front, gently moving everyone out of her way and dragging me along until she was satisfied with a prime position at the mirror, while I looked back and mouthed the word “sorry” to everyone she had left in her wake.

  “Put some lip gloss on,” she demanded, handing me an expensive-looking gloss.

  I obeyed her immediately.

  “His eyes were glued to you in the car, you know,” she said. I felt a surge of warmth rush through my body at the thought.

  “No, I don’t think—” I started.

  “Yes, I think and I know.” She put her hands on her hips. “My brother is not the easiest and can be kind of a downer sometimes, well, most of the time, but don’t give up hope, Caroline. No matter what happens tonight.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Tatiana. I wasn’t hoping for anything,” I replied, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

  “Okay, whatever. Just put on the lip gloss and remember what I said.”

  But I couldn’t believe what she had said.

  “You done?”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “All right, then. Let’s go. Just follow my lead tonight.”

  She didn’t even give me time to digest her words. I was pulled along after her back into the auditorium, and for a second I dared myself to harbor a little hope. Why would Tatiana lie to me? She was Devilyn’s sister. Maybe, just maybe, she was right. Hope was beginning to sound like a good plan.

  “Caroline.”

  I felt someone brush my arm and turned to find Rowan smiling brightly at me.

  “You made it.” I smiled back.

  “Thank God I did. You look gorgeous,” he said, blatantly checking me out. I could feel myself lighting up under his gaze.