I laughed. “What? You don’t like the scent of singed hair and firewood?”
“It isn’t bad.” He cupped my chin. “But I’m sure you’d like to get cleaned up.”
“Yes, that would be great,” I agreed.
Leo took another look around the beautiful landscape and wrapped an arm around my waist. “Hang on,” he said. He used the magic word to travel. Nothing happened though. “Weird.” He said the word again. Then took a step forward. The spell hadn’t worked. “Shit.”
“What’s wrong?” I gave him a curious look. It was obvious something was wrong with his magic, but I didn’t want to make him feel bad. The question was: why?
Leo shook his head. “I’m guessing my dear old father or, more likely, Mizrabel must’ve done something to me. Either blocked my magic or taken it.” He ran a hand through his hair. “If that’s the case, I might not be of any use to you or Polonias.”
“But that doesn’t make sense. If they could take your magic, why not just do that instead of locking you in limbo for so long?”
He growled. “My brother has no desire to see me. I remind him that he isn’t all powerful, that I look just like him. It’s as simple as this: he doesn’t like me.”
“What a jerk,” I said, walking over to a log and sitting. “It makes total and complete sense to me why Snow hated you…” I faced Leo and smiled sadly. “I mean, him.”
“And now that you’ve escaped the witch fire, it’s likely they’ll come for me next.” He came and sat next to me. “They cannot allow us to be together. My guess is that’s why you were sent to Earth and I was imprisoned.”
I put a hand on his knee. “Without your magic, will a kiss do us any good?”
His gorgeous hazel eyes softened. “I don’t know, but I’m game to try if you are.”
I turned my body so that I faced Leo. He copied me. “Should we?” My heart beat faster. Suddenly the world around him and me disappeared. All I could see was Leo: his kind face and his thick bottom lip. I wanted to suck on that lip. The way his eyes were twinkling with happiness despite everything he’d been through. Even the way he sat—straight, confident. It was beautiful. He was beautiful and brave. So brave. On top of that, he wanted me. The look on his face said it all.
I felt his intentions in every part of my being. Leo wanted to kiss me. In spite of all he’d gone through and all there was still to do. He wanted this moment. He wanted our kiss.
There wasn’t a million things running through his mind. He wasn’t worried about what still had to be done. He was completely focused. On me. He was choosing me over all the other crap going on in his life—our lives. It may have been completely selfish but it made me feel like a princess, like the most beautiful, attractive woman in the world that he chose me first.
For the tiniest moment I wondered if this was the way Snow felt. Did she have these same kinds of feelings?
She must, I thought.
Leo took my face in his hands. “Cinderella.” The way he spoke was like an embrace. Then he closed his eyes and leaned back. “Not yet,” he whispered, releasing my face.
“What’s wrong? Is it my breath?” I covered my mouth with my hands. I hadn’t been thinking about anything but our kiss.
“No,” he said. “I just want our first kiss to be…” He lifted his face into the slight breeze and said, “spectacular.”
I took a deep breath, relieved. “I agree.” And I wholeheartedly did. I didn’t want to rush with him. I knew he was it. There wasn’t any doubt. So I wanted every moment—every kiss, every sensual thing we did together—to be special. Or like Leo said, spectacular.
He leaned his forehead against mine. “Any thoughts on where we should go?”
I closed my eyes, just enjoying his touch. A thought came to mind. I had the perfect place. I opened my eyes and smiled. “I know where we should go.”
Secret
“You do?”
I nodded. “Uh-huh. I just need a mirror.” I stood and pulled him to his feet. “Come on. I’m going to show you my room.”
“Wait. Cinderella, I know your magic is impressive, but travelling between worlds is difficult. We could become lost.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and looked up into his concerned face. “I know. It probably is if I use the magic of Polonias. But I’ll have no problem if I use the magic I know.” A spell, one from the Eye of Abernathy, came into my mind. “Freethia. Unitherolla. Dividia.” But instead of thinking of my room as I spoke, I thought of Sharra, the land of the Vampire Queen. The land of Snow White. I’d travelled with Snow from Sharra to Earth and back, but she always made it possible. This time I knew I could do it myself.
I grasped Leo tighter and thought of the castle and the room in the castle where I had stayed for a few weeks after Snow was made Queen. I thought of the giant wooden bed with the periwinkle blue comforter and pillows. I imagined the thick white curtains and the window seat where I’d spent my mornings drinking hot chocolate and eating blueberry muffins.
Sharra was one of my favorite places, and I knew for a fact Mizrabel, the king, and Lawson wouldn’t be able to find us there because they didn’t believe in the magic from the Eye of Abernathy. They thought it an abomination.
That gave me an advantage. I may not be skilled at the magic of Polonias, but I was discovering I had quite an affinity with the magic within the Eye of Abernathy. Now was the time to use what I knew to keep Leo and myself safe. And that was what I intended to do.
As we went through the Witch Mists I could swear I heard the deep chuckle of Abernathy and his words, “You’re doing great, dear Cinderella.”
Leo gasped and I wondered if he’d heard Abernathy speak. I didn’t ask him because I needed to concentrate.
“Close your eyes,” I commanded softly. “It’ll help with the dizziness.” I remembered that was how I felt when I’d travelled from Earth to Sharra with Snow.
Leo smiled and did as I asked.
Within seconds the air changed and we were in Sharra, in my old bedroom. I took a giant breath, released Leo, and let my shoulders sag. It was the first time in a while I felt truly and completely safe. “Open your eyes.”
Leo did. He searched the room. “Where are we? It feels a lot like Polonias, but there’s something different.”
I smiled cheekily. “We aren’t in Polonias. This is Sharra.”
“Sharra?” He went to the window and looked out. I followed him over and my grin got bigger. This land was so strange and wonderful. “Have you ever met a Vampire?” I asked, touching his arm.
He gulped. “No, I haven’t.”
“This is gonna be fun.”
He smiled and leaned down, kissing me lightly on the lips.
I gasped. “You did it. We kissed. It’s official. The ceremony is complete.” I thought of Polly, Quilla, Anna, and Violet. Had they felt a change? Had Polonias started to heal?
Leo chuckled, seemingly surprised too. “That wasn’t planned. I didn’t mean to kiss you.” He turned so our bodies faced each other. “We aren’t in Polonias. My magic has been stolen from me. And that wasn’t a real kiss.” He brushed the back of his fingers against my cheek. “But if that worked, then it’s a good thing, right?”
I swallowed. My mouth was dry. “Yes.”
“Screw it. I’m going to kiss you for real. Right.” He leaned closer. “This.” He moved closer. “Second.” His lips were inches from mine.
“Cinderella. Why the hell did you bring him here? You know how I feel about him.”
I turned to see my dearest friend standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. “Hi Snow.”
Dear Diary,
I didn’t think much of the big questions that went along with life. What happens after we die? Is there a God? Is there such thing as true love? Do vampire exist? Hahahaha! Yes, I thought about it once, but tucked it away. Then my best friend Snow went ahead and proved the question true.
I’m not into religion either, but my parents and I a
ttended church on Easter and Christmas. It was more of a social occasion than anything else.
There’s a scripture in first Corinthians of the Bible; the priest quoted a passage one Sunday when I was ten or eleven. It’s been engraved on my mind and has stayed there until today. It talks about love, being patient and kind, and a bunch of other stuff. The final verse says: Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
That’s the part that I memorized. I’ve esteemed those words, the intense commitment behind them.
When I first dedicated the scripture to memory, I would imagine a knight riding up on a great steed, jumping off his horse, lowering himself to one knee, taking my hand, and saying, “I’ll love you and only you forever and always. I’ll protect you, trust you, build my hopes and dreams with you. I’ll never let you go. I’ll keep you in my heart until the end of time.
Okay the last few words I stole from a Moulin Rouge song, but I still loved them… until the end of time. Also, several times in my daydreams my knight looked like Ewan McGregor, but that’s beside the point.
Love—it’s a magical word. A cherished, unattainable goal. Something I watched happen on TV in the privacy of my own bedroom, something I dreamt about, but never believed was possible.
Until now…
Until him.
He’s taken my heart, tied it up in beautiful bows, and fluffed it with kind words and treasured private moments.
I had believed I loved Gabe, but I realized I never knew what love was.
Until Leo.
That’s right. Between you and me I’ll admit my innocent heart has completely and thoroughly fallen in love with him.
Merde! Even writing the words has me freaking out. Ack. I can’t say more. There’s too many feelings.
I’ll write more later.
Love,
Cinder
(Ugh, I’m still not as comfortable with it as I’d like to be. Plus I’m in hiding.)
Snow White was my best friend. She had been since I could remember. Growing up she was the biggest klutz—like, the she’d-trip-over-air kind of clumsy. Despite that and her lack of fashion sense, I adored her.
At the moment she was looking at me like I’d murdered a pixilette. I knew she didn’t like Leo, but she needed to understand that the Leo standing next to me wasn’t the Leo she knew.
“Snow, I know. But he isn’t—”
“I can’t believe you, Cin. Why would you do this? You know how I feel about…” She sputtered. “…him.”
I sat on the overstuffed upholstered blue chair next to the window and picked up a pillow. A lot had happened the past few days, including my near-death by magical fire. Sitting in this room, the one in which I’d stayed for several weeks after Snow was made the Vampire Queen, I can’t help but feel more relaxed. Snow’s home was my home. I needed to rest and recoup, and I needed Snow to grasp the truth. Leo was a good man.
“I’m sorry, but we needed a safe place. Sharra is the first place I thought of.”
Snow walked further into the room and knelt in front of me. “What happened? What did he do to you?” She turned back and gave Leo an evil glare.
“If I may, Your Majesty,” Leo began.
Snow cut him off. “Do not speak to me. I’ll have you drained and lying in a shallow grave before you can bat those girly eyelashes.” She growled, revealing her fangs.
Leo’s face emptied of color and I heard him gulp.
I was exhausted, but I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped my throat. “Don’t drink him dry, Snow. He isn’t who you think he is.”
She grabbed my hand. “Really? Did he grow a conscience and a personality?”
“No, he’s a twin. There are two Leos.” I shrug. “Or, more precisely, a Leo and a Lawson.”
“Twin brothers.” Her fangs retracted and she stood. “Please explain what is going on.”
“My mother and father gave birth to twin sons. My brother Lawson had a sorceress cast me into Limbo, a horrible place I wouldn’t recommend anyone ever visit. I was there four years.” He winked at me. “Until Cinderella rescued me and very nearly got herself killed.”
“Killed? What? How?” She really took in my appearance. I was still feeling slightly singed inside and out, and her tenderness brought tears to my eyes.
I told her about Lawson, the King, Mizrabel, and Stryker, but left out who Stryker really was. I had a feeling Abernathy was a lot of different beings to many different people and worlds.
While I spoke, Snow listened intently. She seemed appalled by the story. When I got to Polly, the marriage, and true love’s kiss, Snow squeezed my hand.
“What are you saying?” she asked, her eyes going back and forth between Leo and me.
Leo came over and stood beside me. He took my other hand. “Cinderella and I are married.” The kindness in his voice warmed my heart.
“I’m not sure whether to be happy or sad.” Snow pulled me out of the chair and into her arms. “Is this what you want?”
I hugged her tightly, enjoying her sweet smell of mango and hot sauce. It was a relatively new smell and I guessed it had to do with her magic and the new role of becoming Vampire Queen. She’d changed so much, even in the last few months. The transformation was almost overwhelming.
I thought about her question. Was it what I wanted? The answer was simple. Yes. I couldn’t explain the answer. There wasn’t a reasonable explanation. None of that mattered, though. Each time I thought about being married to Leo, bubbling happiness filled my heart and soul. The feeling was undeniable. “It is,” I finally told her.
“Okay, well.” She released me and turned to Leo. “We’ve never met. My name is Snow White. I’m pleased to meet you.” She stuck out her hand. Leo took it and she pulled him to her and breathed in deeply.
I froze. Was it a Vampire thing? What could she tell by smelling my husband? It was kind of funny, but I was curious about what she thought.
“Nice to meet you too, Snow.” He patted her arm and I smiled. Snow was intimidating, but Leo could handle himself.
I watched Snow’s shoulders relax. She smiled and pulled me into her so it was a three-way hug. “So it sounds like true love conquers all—again.”
Leo and I laughed. It was true. Snow had gone through a similar situation not so long ago.
“Would it be alright if we stayed here a while? Just until we figure out what to do.” I leaned in closer. “Please,” I pleaded low enough so only she could hear.
Snow patted my shoulder. “Of course.” She separated herself from Leo and me. “Tonight we’re going to celebrate your wedding. Tomorrow I’ll help you find a way to defeat King Loyalor and Lawson.” She walked to the door. Again I was blown away by how much she’d changed. She was regal. Confident. I wondered if someday I would become like her. If I could rule a land with such poise.
“You don’t have to throw us a party,” I said, and felt myself lean into Leo. He wrapped an arm around my waist.
Snow smiled. “I want to.” She pulled open the door. “I’ll have someone help the two of you get cleaned up and get you some clothes for tonight.”
I waved at her back as she left. “Thank you.”
Dressed
Leo and I spent the next several hours getting ready. A strange little man who went by the name Zenny directed the Vampire assistants from various mirrors about the room and bathroom. He wore the craziest lemon and lime plaid suit and had flaming red hair. He kept shouting, and would pull at his hair, and stomped around until I couldn’t hold in my laughter any longer.
“Zenny, remind me to introduce you to my fairy Godmother, Quilla. I think the two of you would make a great pair.”
He froze. “You know of the lovely Quilla?”
“If we’re thinking of the same person. Mine wears crazy hats and is allergic to magic.”
Zenny slapped a hand against his thigh. “I had the pleasure of meeting her once. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.” He got a dreamy faraway look on h
is face. Then crossed his arms. “I’d meet her again.”
I looked over at Leo. He looked so incredibly handsome. Several pixilettes trimmed his hair with magic scissors. They were fluttering around his head like excited butterflies. He wore black pants that hugged his muscled thighs, shiny black boots, a white shirt, and a navy jacket with black and silver buttons. My heart sped up. It felt like I had pixilettes fluttering around eagerly in my abdomen. Leo caught me looking at him. He laughed, rolling his eyes as if to say, what can I do?
“You look handsome,” I said, trying not to be embarrassed.
“Thank you, Cinderella. You clean up quite nicely too.” He smirked. I knew by the way his eyes trailed and lingered on my cleavage and waist that the dress was having the desired effect. I wanted to look pretty—for myself, of course, but for him too.
The dress was elegant and simple. It was cut low in the front and back. The color of the material was a deep navy, the same color as Leo’s jacket. Black lace accentuated the sweetheart neckline and the low V in the bodice. The skirt was poofed out all over. Several layers of tulle under the dress made it stand out. The color made my skin look creamy, and I wondered when I’d decided to stop fake tanning. It’d been one of my favorite pastimes. Now I couldn’t even think of the last time I’d done it. It’d been around high school graduation.
I still wore the heart-shaped belly button ring. A secret smiled stole across my lips as I thought about what Leo might think of that.
“What are you thinking?” Leo asked, taking my fingers and entwining them with his. Whenever we touched our wedding rings would glow, and I felt a tugging. It was a strong reminder that he and I had done the right thing, even if I barely knew him. I wanted to get to know him. Why not right now?
Leo shook my fingers and I smiled. “So what’s your favorite movie?”
“Movie?” he asked.
“Have you never seen a movie? You know?”
He shook his head.
“A big screen. People pretending to be characters and doing all manner of craziness—especially in horror movies. Comfy chairs that lean back. Calorie coated popcorn. Frozen Junior Mints.”
The Cindy Chronicles: The Complete Set Page 14
