I didn't want to lie. "Yes. I went into the other realm. He, the hunter, was there." I washed my hands and patted a wet paper towel over my face. "I don't know if it's a good idea for me to be here."At my words, his eyes grew wide in mock terror, and he circled his neck with his hands. Lifted one brow comically. "Thirsty? Do you vant to suck my blood?" He spoke with the lively silliness of an old-fashioned vampire from a black and white movie, but the worry in his body was evident. Palpable.I sighed, turning and leaning my butt against the sink. "I am worried I might bite someone. Your blood pulls at my bloodlust, but not too bad," I said so he wouldn't be afraid. His face fell. Dorian actually seemed sad that I didn't want his blood. Which wasn't true, anyway. Of course, I wanted his blood. It smelled intoxicating. "Oh," he stepped closer, his features changing from teasing to seriousness. "If you ever do need some - blood, I mean - you're welcome to mine."I gasped. "Do yo
Professor Pops waited until I got it. Then went on, "Not every teenage girl is in a situation like yours - seven young men vying for her attention.""We're just friends, though. And they're not 'vying.'" That was ridiculous. I took another drink, thankful I had something to do."You may not have noticed it yet, but I believe every one of them would gladly be your boyfriend if you allowed him. I've seen the way you and Gabe act around each other. Something is going on with you two."I stared into the drink. "I wanted something between us but, ever since I was bitten, and with the note this morning, he's been different." I took another gulp, worried about whether I should mention what Christopher said, but I couldn't bring myself to blurt it out.Professor Pops sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. It seemed he'd aged a hundred years in the past few days. "I think it's time I tell you about the Seven Magics Academy." I fiddled with the glass, unable to meet his gaze. I'd never hear
"That's right," Professor Pops agreed, placing the leather book back in the drawer under the downy fairy. "Follow me," he said, moving to another door and unlocking it. He went inside. It was small compared to the room we'd come from and filled with weapons. Professor Pops walked over to a pointy wooden stake. "You mentioned staking a vampire." He picked the stick up and handed it to me. It was heavier than I imagined it should be."Yes. Just jab it in the heart, right?" I held it, so the pointy end faced him and raised it above my head. Professor Pops chortled. "These work if you have the element of surprise, or if you're skilled at hand to hand combat. But, tell me, could you stake Christopher?" His face was serious.The idea repulsed me. I'd sooner stake myself, and that shocked me. "No," I said, as comprehension filled my mind. "Are you saying he's got me under a spell or something?" Irritation started to build, but I pushed it down. Professor Pops had said Christopher was
"Of course," Professor Pops said. "But they have marked the best of the best in this generation. If she has to choose a lesser human, her power will diminish. It isn't only about what's appealing on the outside. Just as important is what's on the inside. The purer the person's soul, the better."It made some sense.I couldn't help but wonder if Cindy had been marked as well. Her beauty certainly far outweighed mine. "So, those who want the queen's power will come after me?" My lesson with the professor was turning out to be more difficult than chemistry."It would seem logical now that you're marked, which is why you must train." He paused. "Though I do worry about your hemophilia.""I don't think that'll be an issue anymore." I shrugged and returned the ax to its holder."Oh? How can you be sure?" He came toward me. "Have you noticed more changes?""Well, let's see. I threw a pillow at Gabe, sending him flying across the room. I broke a table for goodness' sake." I glanced down at
"We'll give you a double dose of the tea twice a day, then send you to school with a dose for emergencies." He walked out of the room, and I followed. Then he locked the door. While I waited, I stared at the female vampire behind the glass case. Her eyes were red and still seemed to glow."What happens if I do drink a human's blood?" The words came out without thinking about them first.Professor Pops stood next to me. "I understand your needs, perhaps better than anyone. Human blood will increase your powers, making you stronger in every way except one." He pointed at my heart. "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 nodded. "I understand." I wanted to tell him I craved blood and that I'd almost drunk from Dorian today. I opened
He played with the ends of my dark hair, twirling a strand in his finger. "It changes color in the light. Sometimes it's black, other times there seem to be blond highlights. It's magical." He released my hair and lifted my chin. "Like you, Snowflake.""I'm not." My cheeks burned at the compliment. The bloodlust grew by a couple of degrees. Would Gabe offer his blood to me the way Dorian had? At the thought, my heart began to match Gabe's beat for beat."Snow," he said with hesitation.Curious, I searched his face. "I've liked you for a long time," he said."I know. I like you, too." I returned eagerly. The final embers of sunlight gleamed through the thick trees, causing rays of light to streak onto a portion of Gabe's face. Half of his face was shadowed, and the other half seemed to glow."No, I mean, like-like you," he said. Comprehension dawned, and I nearly smacked myself in the forehead with the palm of my hand. "I wasn't sure. I thought you thought of me as just a sister
I heard the confidence in Christopher's voice."Yes," I said, my voice shaking. "Go ahead, then." He tilted his neck in my direction. My fangs grew. Running my tongue over the sharp ends, I moved closer, grabbing hold of him and pressing my lips against his warm throat. I sank my fangs into his skin, enjoying the sensation of his skin parting. Tentative, I sucked. When the first drops touched my tongue, I panted, sucking harder. I had nothing to compare the pleasure I experienced as his blood filled my mouth, ran down my throat, and filled me in ways I never believed existed. To my mind, there wasn't anything better than that moment, which was saying something, since I was a fruit and veggie girl.After a time, Christopher spoke my name. "Snow." I felt drunk with his bewitching blood as I lifted my lips from his neck. He smiled, his hazel eyes shimmering with hunger. "Do you recognize me now?" he asked.I did. "You're not Christopher but Chace Charming? You saved me from an a
I dressed in faded jeans, a red Ed Hardy tee shirt with a dragon slithering across the front, and my Converse. In the full-length mirror near my closet, I noticed several bruises on my neck and stepped closer for a better look. In the center of the bruises were twin marks closed over by scar tissue. It seemed I hadn't changed as much as I'd hoped. No one had been able to see marks after Christopher bit me the first time, but I wasn't so sure about these bruises. Going to my dresser, I pulled open the top drawer and took out a silk and cashmere scarf in baby blue. My dad and stepmother had given it to me for Christmas last year because they said it matched my eyes. After pulling off the tag, I wrapped it around my neck several times, so the bruises were hidden."Today is going to be a regular day," I grunted, catching my reflection in the full-length mirror beside my dresser. It couldn't get any weirder. I'd become a blood-drinking supernatural creature, for crying out loud. "U