I nodded, trying to act convinced.
The guys finished their lunch and took off, leaving Christopher and me alone once again.
“You don’t need to worry about your neck.” He’d sounded nonchalant and a little smug.
“Really?” I touched my scarf.
He pulled on it, tugging it away. “Yep, the bruises are gone,” he said, giving me a half-smile.
I yanked the scarf from his fingers. “Do I even want to know how you knew they’d be gone?”
“Doubtful.” He tossed a couple of fries in his mouth.
I’d noticed he’d eaten several bites of cheeseburger along with more fries. “How can you stand to eat that?” I asked, scrunching my nose in disgust.
He laughed. “You get used to it. I need to pretend to be a normal human boy.” He smirked and bit into another fry.
I looked around. “It’s so gross though. I think it tastes like ash. I haven’t been able to enjoy food since right after you bit me.” I tried to look frustrated and angry, but thoughts about how it’d felt the first time, his lips on my neck, and each time since, only filled me with longing.
His eyebrows pinched together, but just as quickly relaxed. “You really are exquisite, Snow. I knew you were extraordinary from the moment I first saw you, but I never realized how much until these past few days.”
“You could tell just from biting me the other day?” I was confused.
“No, I’m talking about the very first time. When you were young.”
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Had he been the one? “You’re the hunter who marked me?” I didn’t know how I felt about that. It was his fault I was on this path.
He dipped his head and took a large bite of burger. I watched him chew, biting the inside of my cheek, nervous. But there wasn’t any reason to be. I knew the answer. It was him. That meant several things. He was older than seventeen or eighteen. He’d watched me for a long time. “Do you know how my mother died?” I blurted. If he’d been around that long, surely he must’ve seen her.
At that moment, the bell rang. He stood. “I’ll see you at practice,” he said, not answering my question. Before I could ask again, he took his tray, merging into the thick student traffic and was gone.
Chapter 25
The final three classes of the day were torture. Not because I wanted to drink the blood of my fellow classmates. No. I was agitated—about Cindy, about revenant training, and about Christopher coming over. Did I really want to get to know him?
I had a feeling if Professor Pops knew what I’d been doing he’d be upset, or at least concerned. But he’d said he’d fallen in love with his marked. Now that I’d been spending time with Christopher I wondered what that meant. Had Professor Pops bitten her, and she him? Had she died because of their love? I knew Professor Pops would tell me but raising the subject would be difficult. I felt like I’d already failed him.
Christopher would have the answers, but would he be honest? I sighed. I had to at least try.
In the girls’ locker room I changed out of my jeans and tee-shirt and into black shorts and a burgundy shirt. After tying my shoes, I headed out to the field. So far it’d been an unseasonably hot fall with little rain. It looked like that was about to change. Thick storm clouds filled the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance. The rest of the team appeared oblivious and stretched on the field. They never waited for me, probably because I never participated.
Christopher sat in the front, a pretty girl on either side, his legs extended in front of him, his hands touching his toes as the team captain counted slowly.
I stopped, admiring him, trying to see any of the telltale signs proving he was a vampire. He had angular features, his body muscled, especially his arms. I suddenly remembered Kenmei showing me the blade tattooed on his arm—the mark of a hunter. Where was Christopher’s? I stepped closer, trying to see it. Christopher wore a black tank, so it should be easily visible. He glanced up, giving me a smirk.
I smirked right back.
“Hey, Snow, move out of the way.” It was Jackie, the team captain. Apparently, I was blocking her view of Salem Academy’s newest hottie. Blerg.
I stepped to the side and around to his back. I couldn’t see it on either arm near the shoulder.
“Looking for something?” Christopher asked, laughter in his voice.
“Where is it?” I crouched down and touched his arm in the vicinity of the place I’d seen the tattooed blade on Kenmei. At my touch the blade appeared on his shoulder as though it’d been hidden by magic, and I jumped back, falling on my butt.
Everyone laughed.
“What a surprise. She just tripped over nothing and fell,” someone said.
Jackie gave me a wicked smile. “Shocker.”
Christopher leapt up and pulled me into his arms. I buried my face in his chest, ashamed of my less than graceful fall. “Knock it off,” he shouted. Rage radiated from his body so that he was practically pulsating. So close to him, my heart started beating rapidly. He smelled divine, and I knew he tasted even better. “How dare you?” he roared at my teammates; his breathing heavy. My heart sank for those he yelled at, and I vowed never to get on his bad side.
“Chill,” one of the guys said.
“Yeah, Chace. She’s used to it,” Jackie added.
With a sigh I looked up and placed my hands on either side of his face. “Christopher,” I whispered. “It’s okay. I’m fine.” My voice trembled at the depth of his emotions.
After several seconds, his features softened, and he looked at me. “I’m sorry you were startled. I should’ve known something like that would happen.”
“It’s no problem. A brisk enough wind can trip me up.” I smiled softly, hoping to ease his temper with a reminder of my klutziness.
It worked. He beamed, a glorious, heavenly smile. I sucked in my breath.
“Maybe you should wait a few more days to run; give your abilities more time to kick in.” He sported an amused expression.
“Are you questioning your earlier assessment that I’m exceptional?”
He snorted and I decided to show him, show them all.
“I’m going to run, and I’ll be fantastic.” I jogged backward a few steps, heading over to the coach.
He stood near his chair, looking antsy. Probably preparing to be referee if Chace or one of the other guys tried to start a fight.
“Hi, coach,” I said lightly.
“Ms. White. What’s going on in that head of yours?” He crossed his arms, waiting.
“I’m running today. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Figured you might have a coronary otherwise.”
He gasped in mock distain. “I appreciate your concern, though I’m more worried about you.”
“Eh, I’ll be fine. You’ll see. I might even surprise you.” I wriggled my eyebrows and he laughed, shaking his head.
“Guess it’s a good thing I’ve got 911 on speed dial.” He pulled his cell from the front of his burgundy polyester shorts and showed it to me to prove he was serious. “Be careful,” he added.
“I will,” I replied and headed back over to Christopher, jogging in place. Our eyes met and he looked like he wanted to say something.
“All right, everyone, four times around the track. Go!” Coach’s voice rang loud.
“Ready?” Christopher asked, his voice low, pleased.
“Oh yeah.”
At that moment the sky opened up and proceeded to soak me, Christopher, and the rest of the team.
I yelped. My shoulders rose to my ears and water dripped from my bangs onto my nose and cheeks. The air smelled wet and of peppermint. An eerie gloom gathered around the field in the form of fog.
“Coach, are we going in?” someone asked.
“Yeah, coach, we can’t run in this.”
“Are you men and women, or mice?” Coach roared over the rain, tipping his burgundy cap lower on his head.
There was collective grumbling as we all made our way to the track.
Christoph
er touched my arm lightly. “Catch me if you can, Frosty.” He grinned and took off.
I watched him, his fluid body moving in perfect strides. It looked like his feet barely skimmed the ground. Wiping the hair off my face, I started to run.
One foot in front of the other. I could do this. And it was true. I sensed the changes. When I’d run in the past, my body would tense, my knees would freeze and, according to Cindy, it looked like I had a board shoved up my derriere. It felt wrong, and I had no doubt it looked wrong.
But as I ran now, the crisp rain slapping against my skin, my body seemed to relax as though it were settling in for the first time—ever. It felt good! I felt good. Taking a deep breath, I picked up speed, trying to catch Christopher. Each person I ran past gasped or made a snide comment. I ignored them. I was on a mission. Catch Christopher. He was the prey and I was the hunter now.
That was the refrain I chanted with each step. Catch Christopher. Catch Christopher. Catch Christopher. When I was within ten feet of him a sharp prickling sensation struck me in the back of my left knee, and then the right. I ignored it, but seconds later a prickling heat spread from my knees, up my thighs and down my calves. Seconds after that my legs stopped working altogether. My right cheek and forehead smacked the track. An explosion of stars writhed before my eyes and there was a loud pop. Nothing from the waist down worked, but man, did my face sting. “Ouch.” I pushed up on my hands, lifting my upper body off the ground and shaking my head. Red liquid spilled into my right eye and splashed onto the asphalt before diluting with the rain.
For most of my life I’d been trained to worry at the sight of my blood. Now wasn’t any different.
“Snow! Snow!” Christopher came up on me and stopped, kneeling in front of me. Through the pouring rain I heard his fear. “What happened? Can you stand?”
A sob escaped my throat. “I can’t feel my legs.” It didn’t make sense. What had happened?
“I’m going to check your spine. Hold still.” I tried to do as he said, but I started shaking uncontrollably. Whether from the chill of the rain or the fall, I didn’t know.
I heard him curse. “Your spine is fine. I’m going to turn you over and lift you. Ready?” He ripped off his soaking tank. “Hold this against your forehead. You’re bleeding.”
“Duh,” I said, but nodded, taking his drenched shirt and pressing it against my head.
With incredible gentleness he turned me onto my back. “All good?” he asked.
“I think so.”
He lifted me and I wrapped one arm around his neck. “I’ve never been so grateful for rain in all my life, Frosty. Hang on. I’m going to get you someplace dry and safe.”
I closed my eyes, tucking my head into his chest.
And he ran. Super-fast. And that’s when I figured out what he meant about the rain. It distorted things, which meant he could play dumb when and if someone questioned how he could run so quickly.
The rain beat against my body like icy pebbles. It hurt, and I pressed my eyes tighter. I couldn’t help but wonder where he would take me. Maybe to my house. He obviously knew where I lived. Or his. I had no idea where he lived. Did he go to the other realm every day after school? It was so weird to think about another dimension. I had so many questions.
After several seconds—or minutes—the rain stopped, and I felt the sun warming my skin. Birds sang, their song bouncing back and forth above us. I opened my eyes. Christopher’s gaze bore into me, filled with concern.
“I’m going to lay you down.”
“Okay,” I answered, feeling unexpectedly shy.
He squatted, and I felt my back brush against something soft. Gently, he moved his damp shirt from my forehead. “Healed already.” He grunted approvingly. “I’m going to roll you onto your stomach.” One of his hands touched my shoulder. “Ready?”
“Yes,” I whispered, trying to gauge from his expression how bad off I was.
Tenderly, he turned me. I moved my arms upward so that I could rest my chin on my hands. He’d laid me in some mossy grass. Running my fingers over it, I was amazed at how soft it felt. In front of me sat a small brown cottage built of wooden logs. The front door was closed. A medium-sized glass window sat on either side of it. The roof looked to be made of tree branches and steepled along the top so it looked like an upside-down V. On either side of the cottage was lush forest filled with trees, ferns, and colorful flowers. I could hear the rush of a stream nearby and guessed he must’ve brought me to the other realm.
“I’m going to check the backs of your thighs. You felt a sting behind your knees?”
“Yes, I did.” Had I told him about the stinging sensation right before I fell? I didn’t think so.
After several moments I heard him suck in a breath.
“What? What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to turn my head so that I could see him.
One of his large tanned hands appeared. Something was pinched between his thumb and first finger. I squinted, and suddenly my eyes adjusted like the lens on a microscope. A tiny arrow, no bigger than a sliver. “What. Is. That?”
“It’s a pixie’s arrow. The tip has been dipped in toxin. I need to make a poultice to draw out the poison. The ingredients are nearby, but I’ll be out of sight.”
“Don’t go,” I cried.
He ran his hands through my wet hair. “You’ll be safe here. Only a creature whose heart is pure can pass through the enchantments I’ve put around this place.” He came near so that I could see him. “You’ll be fine,” he added.
“Where are we?” I asked, changing the subject, trying to keep him with me a little longer.
Christopher’s eyebrows furrowed in a way I was beginning to understand meant he was anxious.
“We are in Sharra, the realm of the vampire queen.” He quickly kissed the tip of my nose and rushed away.
“Hurry,” I called after him softly. I turned my head, resting my uninjured cheek on my hands. He’d answered one of my questions. The name of this place was Sharra. “Sharra,” I mouthed. Then said it again, a little louder. “Sharra.” I liked the sound of it.
One question down, one hundred twenty-three more to go, I thought with a sigh as I stared into the forest. A beautiful bush, filled with all different pastel colored flowers, grew directly in my line of vision. The leaves seemed to be moving. I took a deep cleansing breath, knowing Christopher would do all in his power to fix me up. But how did I know that? I thought about it. He was my hunter, which meant he had to keep my body safe at all costs. It wouldn’t do if I died. “He will come back,” I whispered, focusing on the colorful bush.
Something strange happened.
The flowers separated and began to flutter upward, like butterflies taking flight. It was beautiful. Once all of the flowers left the bush, the branches looked stark, empty, like a barren tree in the deep of winter. Alarmed, I wondered why the flowers had abandoned it. The petals continued rising and headed toward me. Astonished, I tilted my head to continue watching. A bubble-gum pink flower fell onto my arm. I shook it, trying to get it to drop, but it wouldn’t budge. Then a periwinkle blue flower landed farther down my arm, near my elbow, followed by a mint green one. I peered closer, and the flowers moved. Under the petals were little bodies attached to little heads.
Surprised, I gasped and shook my arm wildly. The creatures stayed in place, their little arms and legs tickling my skin. Finally, I gave up.
Chapter 26
“What do you want?” I whispered, trying not to be afraid.
There was a slight tinkling sound, and I peered closer. There were two females and one male, their bodies the color of the petals or, I guessed, their wings, and they were dressed in matching clothes. Both girls wore shimmering dresses, and the guy wore pants and a shirt.
“You look like Peter Pan,” I said. He placed his hands on his hips, also reminding me of Peter Pan, and I laughed. “What are you? Fairies?” I asked.
“We’re pixilettes,” she said in an elevated, barely aud
ible voice and proceeded to shake her tiny finger at me.
“Pixil-ettes,” I repeated, admiring how cute they were, but also slightly worried about why they were standing on my arm.
“That’s right. We’re in charge of the changing seasons in Sharra, as well as reseeding in the spring and the fall.” She bowed, placing one hand over her chest and the other out behind her before flying and landing on my nose. “I’m Arianna.” The periwinkle and mint colored pixilettes fluttered onto my nose next to her. My eyes started to cross. And the tinkling sounded again. The male slapped his knee.
“What? Are-are you laughing at me?” I asked, trying to be upset, but they were too cute.
The male bowed. “Apologies. My name is Eon.”
“And I am Pava.”
“Nice to meet you. My name is Snow.” I stacked one hand on top of the other, and rested my chin on top of them both, working desperately not to shake my head and uncross my eyes.
Seemingly all at once, hundreds of pixilettes hovered behind the three I’d met.
Pava turned her toes in. “We’d like to help you. Would that be alright?” she asked, timidly.
“You know what’s wrong with me?” I asked, stunned.
“We do. And between all of us, we have enough to reverse the effects of the poison,” Eon said.
“I’d be most grateful. Thank you!” The three pixilettes on my nose flew off and backward. With relief I closed my eyes, giving them a chance to realign before opening them. “Christopher—the guy that was here with me—he left,” I sucked in a sad breath and cleared my throat. “He went to get ingredients for a poultice. Should someone tell him?”
“We know Christopher,” Eon said, turning and flicking his arm. The way he moved made me think that he might be someone of great importance.
Three pixilettes flew off in the direction Christopher had gone.
“Right,” I agreed, feeling tears prick the backs of my eyes. I was so new to all of this. My life had shifted radically in the last few days, and I felt overwhelmed. Inches from my nose fluttered little creatures with bodies the size of moths. Until a few minutes ago, I hadn’t known they existed.
Blood and Snow: Snow White Reimagined with Vampires and Magic (Seven Magics Academy Book 1) Page 11
