I'd deal with them later. First, I needed to get to Dorian. He was still on the ground, his breathing labored, but his lips were no longer sewn shut. I placed my hands on his chest, near his heart, and began to heal him."Hi," he said gently.Even after all I went through, all I'd done, I felt suddenly shy. "Hi yourself," I responded.He turned toward me, but I held him steady. "Don't move. Let me finish healing you."Dorian cleared his throat. "Alright. But go easy on me." He tried to smirk, but it looked more like a grimace. If he weren't so broken, I would've slapped him playfully. Instead, I sent the Seal's power into him, repairing the damage I hadn't managed to fix earlier.After several long moments, he looked better. His eyes were bright and unblemished, his nose was no longer broken, and the scratches on his chest were gone. I also wondered about the wound on his back, where he was stabbed repeatedly while protecting me on the altar. "What about your back?" I asked, trying to

Two months passed from when the vampire queen vanished in the black smoke. After speaking with Professor Pops, Kenmei, my mom, Cindy, and the brothers, it became clear I would have to become the next vampire queen. I was the Seal, after all. It was created to bring balance to all magics. There wasn't another way. Since defeating Sharra, I felt Silindra within my consciousness more than once. She seemed happy. I didn't encourage her, though. I wasn't ready.The only person who knew about Silindra was Dorian. He also knew about the gem, though we had no idea what to do with it. Until we figured something out, I always kept it on me, like Abernathy said. I agreed to become the next queen under two conditions. The Seven Magics Academy had to be at the castle. With help, I would make it a real school. And I would finish the last few months of high school at Salem Academy. Dorian already agreed to be my date to Spring Fling. Everyone loved the idea of us going and promised to help, which

Happily ever after was never something I believed would be possible - not for me. Yet I was given exactly that. As I lay in my bed, listening to Dorian's deep breathing, I admired our bedroom in the castle. It was large and decorated in the most beautiful linens in shades of gold, white, and cream. Thick, soft drapes hung from the windows, keeping out the morning light surely blazing against them, and a sparkling chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling. There was a fireplace to the left where a loveseat, chairs, and a coffee table were situated. To the right was the entrance to our walk-in closet and beside that, our bathroom. It was beyond comfortable. Royal, in fact. But also homey. Jasmine's bedroom was next to ours. How I loved her. She was the most amazing child. A year ago, she grew out of her crib, and we moved her into a toddler bed. But as I gazed on the man lying next to me - the man of my dreams - I was awed by my good luck. Dorian. My gorgeous husband and my best fr

We made our way out of the castle. Once we were outside the gates, we walked through the apple orchard. I plucked an apple off a tree and brought it to my nose. It still surprised me that its fragrance was blood. I knew it would taste like blood as well. I bit into it, enjoying the flavor.Dorian also picked an apple. He took a few bites."What does yours taste like?" I asked, curious.He lifted an eyebrow. "Like an apple, of course." He winked."It does?""Yes, my love, it tastes like a sweet and juicy apple.""If you say so." But I knew that was the magic of Sharra. All foods tasted like what you desired most.He leaned in and kissed me. As we strolled through the grove, I admired the blossoms floating along with the breeze. Dorian caught one, clutched it between his thumb and first finger, spun it, and then turned and stuck it behind my ear."Beautiful." He stroked my cheek.I loved that he could make me forget I was the vampire queen. With him, I was a woman in love with a totally

"Cindy Croswell, will you - " Gabe, the angelic chayot leader and my boyfriend studied me, his glorious features a painting of perfection."What?" I asked, glancing at Pops nervously before focusing on Gabe. My heart picked up speed. Was he going to ask me to marry him right here? Right now? In an alley full of smelly trash and debris.His hands circled my arms, and he pulled me to the side. "Will you move out of the way? You're blocking my view of the street." He gave me a grim smile. "Oh." My heart sank. How had my thoughts gone to marriage? I clucked my tongue and clenched my fists together. "Sure." The town of Salem, Massachusetts, was quiet, which was unusual for a Saturday morning. Typically people were shopping in the market or children played in the park. It could be that it was before seven in the morning, and none of the shops were open. Plus, Pops, Gabe, and I were in the alleyway behind several stores. The backs of the tall, brick buildings lined one side. Green trash