In answer, he placed his hands on either side of my face. “Please. I want you to,” he said, his words heavy with emotion.
I inhaled through my nose, enjoying the appealing scent of his skin. He smelled different than Christopher. Simple. Earthy. It was more than that, but I couldn’t place the scent. I just knew it had my mouth watering. Before I realized what I was doing, I slowly licked his neck. Tasting his skin.
Dorian pressed his neck against my tongue, his pulse beating faster. His movements sent a lightning bolt of lust low in my belly. My teeth lightly grazed his neck and Dorian’s fingers moved to my hair, tangling in the strands. “Yes. Oh, please. Yes.” He tugged me onto his lap and my lust grew. His scent was heady, intoxicating. Professor Pops said I’d drink from a human and Dorian was begging me to. How could I resist? Why?
In that moment, I made the decision. I would taste Dorian’s blood. I ran my fangs along his neck, ready to sink them in—
A red light shot between us like a flash of lightning. We both jumped and I screamed.
Dorian’s eyes remained glazed a moment longer before he snapped out of it. He cleared his throat, shaking his head. “What was that?”
“I’m not sure,” I responded, pressing my back into the seat, clutching my hands into fists. “We’d better get to school. We don’t want to be late.” I worked to calm my desires.
He glanced at the clock. “You’re right but remember, I’m here if you need me.” He slid back over to his side of the car, turning on the engine before pulling back onto the road.
“Thank you, Dorian.” I leaned my head against the window and caught sight of someone in the side view mirror. Dressed like a hunter in fairytales—brown trousers, brown leather boots, a forest green shirt opened at the collar. Around his hips was cinched a leather belt, another strapped over his shoulder. The face was hidden in the shadows, but the way he held himself seemed vaguely familiar. My first thought was of Christopher, but I brushed it aside. It couldn’t be him. Had the man seen what I’d almost done? Would he have tried to stop me? Panic glided up my spine.
Dorian gave me a sidelong glance. “I’ll be training you after school today.”
“Cool,” I said, forcing my lips into a smile. No sense telling him I’d actually be training with Kenmei. He’d find out soon enough.
Chapter 34
Dorian had been right about Cindy. She was already in chemistry, sitting in her seat. She glanced up as I ambled past our table.
“Konnichiwa,” she said.
My eyebrows lifted in question, though for some reason I understood she’d said hello—good afternoon specifically—in Japanese. Ohayo gozaimasu meant good morning. My heart lurched with anxiety. Maybe the pendant?
“That means hello in Japanese,” she said, her face filled with pride. “I’m soooooo over French. The language is,” she paused and shrugged before continuing, “boring.”
I hid a smile. Once the newness of a language wore off and started to get difficult, she moved on. “Hey, yourself,” I responded. “What happened to you yesterday? I was worried.” I sat on my stool.
She looked irritated a moment but waved it off. “I had some stuff to do.”
I snorted, only slightly irritated. “Flirting with a boy kind of stuff?” I asked, pulling out my binder and book and flopping them on the table.
She twirled some of her blond hair in her fingers and winked. “So, what’s going on with you and Charming?” She nodded toward his empty chair and my heart dropped into my stomach. He’d left. I didn’t know where, but he’d said he wasn’t coming back for a while.
“Nothing.” That was true enough now that he was gone.
Cindy let out an exasperated grunt and rolled her eyes. The girl was way too perceptive.
“Fine, I like him, but it’s nothing big.” I felt for the gem hanging under my shirt and wrapped my fingers over it. I crave his blood, but that’s it. Really.
“Wait, I thought you liked Gabe.” She was giving me whiplash worse than I was giving it too myself.
Irritation squished her features for the briefest moment. “I’m over him, too.” She opened her notebook.
I laughed nervously. “Oh, well have you seen Chri—Chace?” I might as well pretend I didn’t know he’d left.
“No.” She shook her head for emphasis. “Haven’t seen him.” Her voice caught as she spoke the words. She was lying. Before I could control my expression, my eyes scrunched together, accusing. “What?’ she said. “I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” Cindy turned away, fiddling with the ragged edges of her notebook paper.
The bell rang and Mr. Wallace, ever the timely teacher, walked in and started class. He passed out an assignment and began talking, but I wasn’t listening. When the bell rang, Cindy was out of her seat and at the door before I’d picked up my backpack. Taking a deep breath, I walked out of class alone.
At lunch I sat in my usual spot. The guys made their way over. Gabe and Cindy entered the cafeteria together and got in the lunch line. They were talking, their words and gestures animated. Cindy reddened. I gripped my plastic fork so tight it snapped in two. It sure as hell didn’t look like she was over him. The guys, who’d been talking randomly, glanced at me.
Dorian eyed my broken fork. “What’s up, Snow?” When I didn’t answer he turned to see what made me so upset. “Don’t worry about them,” he said, clearing his throat. “It’s nothing.”
I nodded and tried to focus on the mandarin orange cup I’d chosen for lunch. It wasn’t right to be jealous. I knew that. Christopher—even thinking his name punched a hole in my gut—and I were secretly doing things that didn’t make it right for me to be green-eyed, but I was.
Gabe brushed Cindy’s hair from her face, and that was the last straw. My mind zeroed in on Gabe like a stalker with binoculars. Adjusting my senses, I listened to his rapidly beating heart. Smelled the scent of his body wash, the decadent aroma of his blood, his skin. I heard him talking.
“Want to come with me to Warehouse Video after school? We could grab a coffee and talk,” he said to Cindy.
Cindy laughed. The one she used when she flirted. “Okay. My shift at Bertilini’s ends at seven. Can we meet after that?”
He smiled. My heart broke.
“Sure. I’ll pick you up.”
Cindy nodded. “Great.” She selected some food and scanned the room, her eyes finding mine. I heard the intake of her breath and could only imagine the emotion plastered on my face. Anger. Fury. Possibly avocado—the shade of sick jealousy.
Gabe must’ve heard her because he glanced up before following her gaze.
“Snow, chill. Really. You don’t understand,” Dorian said, squeezing my hand.
I yanked my hand away. “No. I understand completely. And it hurts.” I picked up my tray. “See you later.”
I heard Cindy call my name but couldn’t answer. Fury like I’d never experienced boiled in my veins. The lunchroom turned hazy. Every heartbeat pounded through me, hundreds of harmonized drums. The intoxicating scent of the blood of every person in that room packed my veins, but most especially Cindy’s. I somehow knew which was hers, and I wanted to drain her—not in the way I’d thought about drinking from Dorian. Not even close. I wanted her blood to be mine. I wanted her dead. That knowledge rocked me with guilt, with fear, but mostly with exhilaration. Professor Pops’ words entered my thoughts. “The more blood you drink, the more like a vampire you’ll become. It’s like anything in life; if you work to keep yourself as human as possible, that part of you will remain, will be the strongest. If you consume human blood, the way a vampire does, that part of you will become the strongest.” I knew if I drank from Cindy, I’d kill her. The way I was fuming, I wouldn’t stop until she was dead. It didn’t matter that she was my best friend.
I had to get out of there. Someplace quiet.
The library.
I hurried inside, searching for a place to hide in the back. There was a lone free table and I dropped my backpack on
it before falling into the chair. The haze still blurred my vision. I took several deep breaths, filling my nose with the scent of dusty books. Another breath. I rested my arms on the table and dropped my forehead onto them. Hot tears spilled from my eyes. I couldn’t do this. I didn’t want to. Maybe it would be better if the vampire queen took my body now. All I had to do was drink my true love’s blood… And kill him.
“No!” I whispered fiercely. Taking a deep breath, I pushed away the desires for Cindy’s blood, my desire to hurt her. She’d told me she liked Gabe. Plus, she’d been my best friend a long time and she was a good person. If my anger should be directed at anyone, it was Gabe. He’d caved, broken his promise because I’d been bitten. That wasn’t my fault. How could he be so cruel? I needed him—at least his friendship. Not the cold shoulder he gave me. And Christopher. Seeing Cindy with Gabe would’ve been a lot easier if he’d been there. If he hadn’t left.
Everyone leaves, my inner voice scolded. I swallowed a sob. And high-pitched cough erupted nearby. Lifting my head, I saw Pava, the periwinkle blue pixilette I’d met in Sharra.
“Pava?” I whispered.
She fluttered to my arm and bowed. “Snow. You are in danger. Watch the shadows and tell no one you have the pendant Christopher gave you. Never take it off. Promise.” She fell to her knees. She looked paler than usual. Actually, it looked like she was turning the color of dried cement.
“What’s wrong?” I cried, concerned, but I didn’t touch her. I didn’t want to hurt her.
“Promise,” she wheezed, falling forward.
“I promise.” Carefully I lifted her into my hand. No longer blue, she’d become dingy grey, like a dirty wet sock. A wing fell off. Paper thin, I watched the veins turn from blue to grey to white. She patted my hand. “Pava,” I cried softly, desperation filling my voice. I didn’t know what to do. “What can I do? How can I help?”
A smile touched her lips as she began to shimmer. A reddish glow emanated from her, and then she was gone.
“Pava?” I shouted, standing.
The librarian came around the corner. “Everything alright?”
I searched, frantic, a second longer, but she’d literally vanished. “Y-yes. Sorry.” I swiped my backpack, brushed away a tear, then left the library. I needed to talk to someone, but who? Professor Pops? No, I couldn’t talk to him. If I did, I’d have to tell him about Christopher and the pendant, and I wasn’t ready to do that.
The Museum of the Supernatural. Since Pava mentioned it specifically, there might be something about the necklace in the book on pixilettes. I’d check it out tonight, right after school. Skip track and head over to his house. I could do some reading before training. My insides froze at the thought of practicing with Kenmei, the wise old hunter.
Chapter 35
After school I went over to Dorian’s locker to wait. Out of everyone, he was the one person I felt most comfortable with, even with thoughts of sinking my teeth in his neck. He allowed me to be myself. He accepted me, liked me. And he wanted me to drink from him. My knees trembled.
“Snow. Can we talk?”
My body tightened. The hall blurred. The angry craving for Cindy’s blood once again boiled through my veins. I had to get out of there. “Go away. I-I can’t be around you right now.” I took off down the hall, through the front commons area and out into the crisp fall air. I knew she followed. I’d zoned in on her heartbeat, the aroma of her blood. My canines pressed against my lips. I searched the parking lot for Dorian’s car. The Mustang still sat in the same spot he’d parked in that morning. Relieved, I rushed over, hoping Dorian would come soon. When I arrived at the passenger door, I stopped. Trapped. Cindy stood a few feet away, her face screwed up with sadness. My heart sank. “What do you want?”
“I miss you,” she whispered, her bottom lip trembling. “Ever since I went to the Cape, you’ve been weird. Different. Did I do something to make you mad?” She stepped closer.
The pounding of her heart forcing blood through her body made the back of my throat ache. “No. You didn’t do anything. I—” This wasn’t her fault. Gabe chose Cindy. He returned her affections. Plus I didn’t deserve Gabe. I’d been making out with Christopher.
I breathed through my mouth, closing my eyes, thinking about anything but her blood. An image of the necklace came to mind. A reminder of Christopher, of the pixilette that’d died in my hand in the library. Being jealous of Cindy was the least of my worries. Taking another breath, I opened my eyes. Her face was inches from mine. A frightened scream escaped my lips. How had she done that? “Cindy?” I gulped, pressing my back against the doorframe.
“I’ve changed too, you know. We should talk.” A glint of humorous annoyance flickered in her eyes.
“O-Okay,” I sputtered. Now that she mentioned it, her face seemed slightly different, more angular. Her cheeks hollow, her eyes a more dazzling blue.
“Cindy,” Dorian barked. “Get away from her.”
Cindy seemed to move back faster than humanly possible. She turned on her heel and started to walk off. A moment later she paused and looked back. “Tomorrow night? Let’s get together, ’kay?”
“Sure,” I agreed, swallowing the strange panic that’d crept in.
After she’d gone, Dorian pushed a button to unlock the door. I climbed in and waited for him.
“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. What’s up with her?” I indicated Cindy’s retreating form.
He seemed about ready to tell me but then he changed his mind. “I don’t know.”
“You’re lying, Dorian.” He was a terrible liar. “I can tell and I don’t like it. Tell me what the hell is going on.”
He faced me, his eyes serious. “You’re right. I am lying, but I can’t tell you. Professor Pops asked me not to. Not yet.” He turned over the engine.
My mouth hung open. “Why? Does he really think anything can shock me at this point?”
Dorian pulled out of the parking lot. When we were headed toward home, he rolled his shoulders. “There’s still a lot that can surprise you. Trust me.” He gave me a look that said he was serious. “And be careful.”
Chapter 36
Dorian dropped me off at my front door. I figured I should probably let my dad know I’d be at Professor Pops’ so he didn’t worry. It seemed like the responsible thing to do. Tossing my backpack on the table, I went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottled water.
“I’m home,” I called out after taking a sip. The cool liquid soothed my parched throat. No one answered, so I went into the living room, then upstairs where I knocked on their bedroom door. They weren’t home. I made my way back downstairs. On the kitchen counter leaned a folded piece of paper. It just said they’d gone out and would be back later.
“Fine. Two can play this game.”
If I’d had a phone, they could’ve left me a message or texted me. I’d at least know when they were coming home. Grabbing a pen, I flipped the paper over. Next door at Mr. Henry’s. I’ll be back around nine, I wrote. Back in my bedroom I changed into a pair of black sweats, brushed through my hair, and walked over to Professor Pops’ house. Salvatore answered the door.
“You’re early.” By the look on his face he’d expected me. Dorian probably filled him in.
“Yep, I wanted to do some research first down in the Museum of the Supernatural. Okay?”
“Sure.” He followed me through the house, down the stairs, and into the room I still wasn’t used to. “How are you doing with all this?” He motioned with his hands around the room.
“Fine. A lot to learn.” I swallowed.
“I’ve had years to learn about all the creatures and it still blows my mind.” He eyed the dragon near the back.
I was stunned by what he’d said even though I shouldn’t have been. Until that moment, I’d believed they learned about the Museum at the same time I did. But that wasn’t right. Professor Pops said the guys had been trained. “How old were you when you found out abo
ut these creatures?” I walked over to a lemon yellow pixilette. This creature was in a case near the dragon. At the sight of her—dead—I thought about Pava. My eyes stung. Poor thing.
Salvatore followed closely behind.
“I learned about all of the creatures and trained with the swords, arrows and such from the time I was twelve.”
“Really? Wow. What did you think?”
Salvatore laughed. “The truth is most of us came from...” he paused and ran a hand through his shiny black hair. “We came from less than perfect households. We lived in horrible foster homes, or facilities that kept us like prisoners.” He touched the werewolf, shifting his gaze from me to it. “Training with Pops, the things he taught us about life, about respect for others and ourselves, the world,” he shrugged. “I don’t know about the others, but I’d do just about anything for Pops. So when he brought me down here, it didn’t bother me like it did some of the others. It’s hard to explain, but it was like I already knew these creatures existed and Pops just confirmed what I believed.” He laughed. “Silly, right?” He looked embarrassed.
“Not at all.” I could certainly understand why this room freaked some of the brothers out. If I hadn’t been bitten, I probably would’ve been a basket case. As it was, I kept meeting new supernatural beings and dealt with them as it happened, which reminded me of the beast I’d seen in my room last night.
“Have you ever seen a creature about this tall?” I indicated my leg at the knee. “Its entire body is brown, like mud. It sort of looks like a frog, but the eyes are more like those of a cat. Plus, it can talk.”
Salvatore’s face paled. “You saw one?”
Blood and Snow: Snow White Reimagined with Vampires and Magic (Seven Magics Academy Book 1) Page 15
