“You aren’t quietly pining for Gabe, hoping I’ll drop my guard one day, and then you’ll pounce, taking back your man—the man I stole from you—are you?” She sniffled.
“Cindy, I swear.” I paused. “I love Gabe, b—”
“I knew it,” she whispered fiercely.
“Let me finish. Sheesh.” I took her hand, but she pulled away, crossing her arms. “Cin? Are you going to listen to what I have to say?”
“Go ahead.” She was pouting.
“I’ve loved him a long time and I’ll always love him.”
She tried to interrupt, but I put a finger on her lips.
“For a minute there I thought I loved him like a man loves a woman, but then I felt all these feelings for Christopher, and I realized the love I felt for Gabe wasn’t really that kind of love at all. I love Gabe like a brother. That’s it.” I removed my finger and leaned back. “I swear.” I didn’t bother to mention Dorian, hoping what I felt for him was strictly lust. It had to be.
Cindy huffed., wiping at her eyes and biting her bottom lip. “How does love feel? To you, I mean?” she asked quietly, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin on her fists.
I thought about it. “It’s like fireworks and sleeping kittens. Cliff jumping and reading a good book on a rainy afternoon. When I’m with him my pulse quickens, the world shifts, and my life tips into balance. It’s amazing,” I finished, not exactly sure I did my feelings for Christopher justice. “Isn’t that how you feel about Gabe?”
She closed her eyes a moment and tears leaked from them.
“Are you crying?” I asked softly. “Did I say something wrong? I swear I’m happy you and Gabe are together.”
She shook her head. “No. I guess knowing how you feel for Christopher makes me happy. You deserve goodness. Happiness. And if Christopher gives you fireworks and sleeping kittens, then I’m all for it.”
“And you and Gabe?” I prodded. If she didn’t feel that way for him, then I felt terrible.
“I’m in love with him, Snow. And I know he loves me, too. The problem is, he takes his role as chayot leader very seriously. And it gets in the way of us. Sometimes when we’re together, I feel like he’s thinking about work, chayot problems, and I wonder if he’d rather be with them—other chayot—than be with me. A stupid witch.” She sniffled, opening her eyes.
“I don’t think so. Maybe you should talk to him, explain how you feel.” I definitely wasn’t one to be giving relationship advice, but I didn’t like seeing Cindy sad.
She nodded. “I should. I will.” She took a deep breath. “Now, regarding your problems,” she sniffled and dried her eyes and I knew we were done talking about her, “the truth is, you have none. A completely gorgeous vampire wants in your pants. He loves you and you love him. I see no downside.”
I reddened at her blunt words. It excited me to think Christopher wanted me in that way, made me feel desirable. But it was such a big step for me. I mean, sex. Ugh. That was huge.
“What?” she asked, and I could tell she worked hard not to laugh.
“It’s… I’m so nervous. What if we do it and everything changes?”
She nodded. “Everything will change for sure, but it’ll hopefully be a good change. That’s what moving forward in a relationship means.”
“You and Gabe…” I trailed off. I couldn’t bring myself to ask.
For the first time ever, Cindy blushed. “The first time was awkward.” A large, genuine smile spread over her face. “But he’s my one and only,” she said, and bit down on her lip again. She seemed lost in another time. I watched as a contented peace settle over her. “My mother always said to wait until I found the right guy. Of course, I thought she was old-fashioned, a complete dinosaur when it came to sexuality. So, I did what I wanted.” She wound one of her fingers in her hair. “Turns out my mom is a lot smarter than I gave her credit.”
“Really?” A pang of sorrow filled my heart. I envied her being able to talk to her mom about this stuff.
“Yeah, but don’t tell her that.” Cindy snickered. “My best advice? Make sure you want to, that you’re all in—heart, mind and soul. Because once you give Miss Virginia away, she ain’t never coming back.” She tapped my knee with a finger.
“Miss Virginia?” I asked, totally confused.
“Virgin-eee-aaaaaa,” she said slowly, sarcastically.
I colored and we both laughed, falling onto our sides.
“Got it.”
When we sat back up, Cindy took my hand, turning serious. “And even if you love him, it’s not like there’s a law that says you have to have sex with him… well, unless you’re married, then there might be a law.” She paused. “Holy hot guy on a vampire girl. Please say you aren’t getting married.”
“What? No.” I slapped her leg. “Hell no. That didn’t even cross my mind.” Had the idea of marriage crossed Christopher’s mind?
She gazed at me perceptively. “I better be the first to know when it happens. There are ways I can make sure.” She winked and moved her hand, making blue light and sparkles appear in her palm.
“You would do a spell on me?” I giggled. She was crazy. I was eighteen. No wedding bells for years. I still needed to finish high school. Plus, there was another little item. The whole me-being-the-Seal–and-destined-to-restore-magic issue.
Cindy climbed off the bed and went to her backpack. Opening it, she took out her spell book, The Eye of Abernathy. “See this?” she asked.
“Yeah?” I responded sarcastically. I wasn’t blind.
She got back on the bed and crossed her legs. “There’s a spell we can cast to make him ask you to marry him.”
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ears. “I don’t want to make him do anything, Cin.”
She sighed, casually flipping through the pages. “Yeah, probably not.” Then she leaned forward so her lips were next to my ear. “I found a spell to take us to the dragon, Abernathy, if you want.”
“You did?” That shocked me. Talk about a total channel change of subject. Plus, I didn’t know she was looking. I told her I was waiting until after the school year so Professor Pops could go with me. Plus, he wanted me to learn more about the seven magics and the different supernatural creatures.
“Yep,” she said, leaning back. “I can take us there right now if you want.”
“No way. Are you serious?” Stunned enthusiasm coursed through my veins. I didn’t realize she could do such strong magic.
She placed her book on her legs and her hands on her hips. “Do you want me to prove it, Snow Merryweather White?” A firm line tightened her lips, and her brow was furrowed.
I didn’t mean to offend her. She was a witch and I watched her do spells before. I was just startled she bothered to track him down for me. “I believe you. Sorry,” I said, getting off the bed. If she could take me to him now, then I could get it over with. Be done with it. There were all sorts of reasons why that was a good idea. “What would you have to do to make it happen?”
She snorted and got off the bed. “I just need to set up a few items, say the right words, and poof, we’ll be at Abernathy’s.” She held the book in her hands like she was in a church choir getting ready to sing a hymn.
“You know he lives in a cave, right? With bats. He also breathes fire. And he’s huge. You understand all of that?” If she took me there now, I would go. The prospect excited me. Maybe if she and I went with magic, we could get there and back tonight and then I could still go with Christopher tomorrow.
But using magic to find a dragon didn’t seem like something Cindy would want to do—at least not the Cindy I knew two years ago. Besides, she didn’t look dressed for such an adventure.
I crossed my arms, watching understanding change her features to horror at the prospect. She glanced down at her off the shoulder pink sweatshirt with the word merde written across the front. With one hand she brushed her hands down her black jeans and black boots. “A smelly cave? How cliché.” Her nose scr
unched in disgust.
I hid a smile. She wasn’t worried about bats or the fire breathing dragon, but whether or not her clothes got ruined.
A moment later her eyes, so familiar to me, twinkled. “You wanna go?”
“Definitely.”
Chapter 6
Cindy pulled fourteen thick white candles from her backpack. They were small and smelled of vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg—a combination that reminded me of my mother’s oatmeal. We placed them on the carpet next to my bed in the shape of a seven-pointed star.
I shut off the lights. The sun was setting, and brilliant orange, pink, and golden rays glinted across my shadowed room. “Is there a reason for the scented candles?” I asked, as she and I sat cross-legged in the center of them. Our knees almost touched we were so close, but the position was like second nature to her and me.
She shrugged. “No, I just like the smell.”
“Me, too.” I smiled. Nervous butterflies fluttered in my stomach. “Now what?”
“Shhhhh,” she said. “I’m concentrating.”
“Oops.” I stifled a giggle.
She placed her middle finger and thumb together, resting her hands on her knees, like she was getting ready to meditate. Then she closed her eyes. Her face became serene. And suddenly the candles flickered to life.
I gulped.
She opened her eyes. “Cool, right?”
“So cool,” I responded, feeling like we were back in junior high and having a sleepover.
“You’re going to repeat what I say, but the spell is easy. It may take a few times, so don’t stop until I say so.”
“Okay.” I hoped I didn’t say something wrong.
“Now, put your hands like mine.”
I copied her.
“Close your eyes and remember as many different things about the cave and Abernathy as you can. What the cave smelled like, what it looked like, the color of his scales, the way the air felt. Anything you saw or felt or even tasted. Can you do that?”
“Yep,” I said, swallowing down my nerves and closing my eyes. I was with Silindra when Abernathy had given her a piece of his soul. That piece rested within me now. Would the dragon be able to sense it? I saw his large eye and heard the sound of his deep voice. The smell of salt and the feel bones crunching underfoot filled my mind. The sound of the bats…
Heat rose in my throat and I knew it was Abernathy’s soul.
Cindy began to speak. “Abernathy.” She paused and I guessed I was to repeat her.
“Abernathy,” I said.
“Tua Tua Dragonia,” she uttered.
I repeated.
On the fringes of my mind I sensed a shift in the room, like someone else had come in, but I couldn’t open my eyes.
“Sithiperia. Groanada. Desperia,” Cindy continued.
The words were strange, but I got them out.
“Abernathy,” she said, and I repeated the word. There was a whooshing sound and I knew we were no longer in my room, but Abernathy’s cave. The smell of bat guano and the deep rumbling of the sleeping dragon were all it took to convince me, but I still didn’t want to open my eyes. I’d wait for Cindy to tell me to.
“Are we here?”
“Did we make it?”
The voices surprised me. They weren’t Cindy’s. My eyes flew open. The room was pitch dark, and even with my vampire vision I barely perceived their forms.
“Gabe? Dorian?” I was too stunned to form complete sentences.
Cindy was surprised but grabbed Gabe’s hand when he held it out to her. He helped her stand. Dorian remained perfectly still.
How had they come with us? They hadn’t been inside the star.
“Listeria,” Cindy said, and a beam of white light appeared above our heads.
I quickly stood on my own.
“Did you do this?” Gabe asked Cindy, his voice filled with a loving wonder.
“Yeah,” she answered. “But I can’t believe it only took one time through the spell. And for the four of us. It must be Snow and the power of the Seal.”
They looked at me. “What?” I asked, embarrassed. “I just did what you said. I thought it was just going to be the two of us.” I felt a little bamboozled and slightly betrayed. She hadn’t told me they were coming along.
“I didn’t tell you my plan, just in case you said no, but I didn’t want to come without them. I thought we could use some backup.” Cindy looked guilty and she should.
“You could’ve told me. I’m glad they’re here too.” I glanced at Dorian.
He walked over to stand beside me. “We should’ve told you,” he said, his eyebrows arched in worry.
“Yeah, you should have,” I answered. “But how did you guys get here? Cindy made us sit inside of a candlelit star.”
“That was mostly for show,” Cindy said, looking apologetic.
Gabe squeezed Cindy’s hand. “When Cindy arrived, we waited outside your bedroom door until we heard the chanting. I opened it and there was a whoosh, and here we are.” He smirked. “Is this Abernathy’s cave?”
I spun in a slow circle. “It’s been a few thousand years since I’ve been in here, but it looks like it.”
Dorian smirked and I guessed they overheard our entire conversation. Heat rose into my face. “Lions, tigers, and dragons, oh my,” he said softly.
I tried to smile, but it wouldn’t make its way to my lips. I glanced toward Cindy and Gabe. They were in each other’s arms, kissing. Sheesh. “Are you serious?” I put a hand on my hip. Now wasn’t the time.
Thankfully they had the decency to knock it off.
“What’s making the noise?” Dorian asked.
“If I’m not mistaken, that’s Abernathy and he’s snoring.” I took a few tentative steps toward the entrance of the tunnel. “Dragons are lazy creatures. You want to meet him?”
“He won’t eat us, right?” Cindy asked nervously.
“No. At least I don’t think so.” I ducked and started walking. From the echoes and Cindy’s white light, I knew they followed.
“It’s hot in here,” Dorian muttered.
I didn’t respond. He would understand why soon enough.
As we got closer to the dragon’s chamber, I noticed Abernathy’s golden body, his golden scales gleaming like heaps of gold coins. He hadn’t changed at all. I stood, straightening my spine as a sense of déjà vu tingled through my chest and spread up and down my arms. Dorian, Cindy, and Gabe flanked me on either side.
Abernathy stopped snoring and opened his saffron eyes.
Chapter 7
“Greetings, little vampire. I’m surprised to see you here. If I’m right, and I usually am, you weren’t supposed to come for another six months.” His deep voice reverberated off the rock walls and a few bats flew up and out of the cave.
Though I sensed this was the same chamber, it had changed over the thousands of years since I was here with Silindra. The most noticeable difference was the giant opening above our heads into the darkened sky. Wispy clouds lazily coasted by. Moonbeams filtered in and, while they didn’t reach all the way down, they still bathed the cavern in a little light.
The dragon shook his yellow mane, like a lion after a long slumber, and the chamber lit up as if it were noon on a bright, sunny day.
“Hello, Abernathy.” I was surprised he knew so much about me. Would he be angry I became the Seal? Did he already know? He said he was waiting. I took a step forward. “You know who I am?”
He smacked his chops, his teeth clinking together. I heard a collective gasp from Cindy, Dorian, and Gabe.
“Of course, Snow White. I know exactly who you are, and though you’re early, I know why you’ve come.” His liquid eyes blinked slowly. “Professor Pops isn’t going to be happy with your decision. I believe he wanted you to continue to learn from his little Seven Magics Academy.”
“You’ve spoken to Professor Pops?” That surprised me. I thought the dragon hadn’t left his chamber in thousands of years.
“Professor Pops and I tend to annoy each other, but we also have a great respect for one another.” The eye I could see blinked and he shook his mane again. “That is no matter. You’ve come because you want to know if the Seal will destroy Sharra.”
“That’s right.”
He regarded me thoughtfully.
“Destruction. Love. Hate. All words burdened with thick emotion. There’s also rehabilitation, change, compassion, kindness. Words to consider, I think.” He blew out a breath and a gust of smoke filled the air.
I blanched. Was he suggesting I not destroy the vampire queen? He went on before I could ask.
“Who do you have with you?”
I moved to the side, preoccupied with my thoughts but desirous to show the dragon respect. “This is Gabe. He is the leader of the chayot.”
“Ah, yes. Oberon’s half human son. Aren’t you a sight?” He sounded sarcastic.
Gabe stepped forward; his face stony. “You knew my—Oberon?”
“I did. A distasteful fellow. Only cared for himself and what he could gain. What he wanted. What everyone else could do for him.” Abernathy yawned. “Are you like the narcissistic Oberon?”
Gabe took a step back. He seemed unsure about what to say and I heard him grind his teeth.
“No,” I answered for him. “Gabe is nothing like Oberon. He’s a good man.”
Abernathy yawned, and I saw fire in the back of his throat. Then he smacked his lips. “I believe you’re right, though he seems deeply troubled. Like the weight of the world rests on his shoulders. What troubles you, chayot leader?”
Gabe didn’t answer. Cindy slipped her arm through his.
“No matter.” Abernathy blew out another puff of smoke.
I went on. “This is Cindy. She’s a…”
“The young witch who’s been messing around with my book.” A hint of what looked like a smile touched his lips and he almost seemed pleased with her.
Cindy took a step toward him. “My grandmother gave the book to me,” she whispered.
“Well it’s lovely to meet you, my dear. I see great things in your future.”
Queen of the Vampires: Snow White Reimagined with Vampires and Dragons (Seven Magics Academy Book 3) Page 3
