By the time I arrived in the ballroom, all the students had been sent to bed. Snow sat at the head of a long table where the teachers were discussing the situation. "Is she locked up?" Snow asked me, her face concerned. "She is," I said, falling into an empty chair. For the next two hours we discussed what transpired and what needed to happen next. I explained what I knew, which wasn't a lot. I didn't know what happened to Gabe and Mizrabel, but I would find out. Professor Pops agreed to help. Coco would call a special gathering in the ballroom the following morning and have the therapist on hand for those who needed to talk. For many of the students, the academy was all they had and if they couldn't feel safe here, then where could they go? Classes would resume like normal on Monday and Tori agreed to teach my charms and spells classes until I returned. We were short staffed already, but I was of no use to anyone until I knew what happened to Gabe.The meeting over, I agree
My mouth fell open in shock. "Are you serious?" "I'm dead serious." His smile vanished and he glared. Somehow, I found that less intimidating. "You've already befouled our realm with your presence. I will not allow you to corrupt the greatest chayot we've seen in centuries." Jesse uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. "And if I don't agree?" I asked, unfazed. I didn't care what he said, I wasn't leaving here without Gabe. "You don't want me to cross that proverbial bridge, princess." Malice glinted in his eyes.His threats were only making me angry. "I want to see Gabe," I said. "Right now.""Sure." He waved his hand and an image of Gabe and a beautiful angel with downy brown wings appeared. They were in a kitchen. She was baking and Gabe was seated at an island watching her, a soft smile on his lips. "You see?" Jesse asked. "He belongs with his own kind. He's happy. Content."I knew at once that this had to be Delphina. She wasn't old and wrinkly like I imagined, but beauti
I tossed and turned and struggled to fight free of the haze. In my dream there had been an archangel and he and Gabe battled. I sat up, looking around the room frantically. It hadn't been a dream, but real. Jesse had beaten Gabe to shreds, but the Unknowns appeared before Jesse could kill him, and they'd put me to sleep and - My room in Sharra was just as I left it. My costume still hung over my closet door, but my spelled calendar revealed it was Tuesday. I'd been asleep nearly three days! I went to my bedroom door, desperate to find Gabe, and noticed I was in pajamas. "How the hell?" I ripped them off and threw on jeans and the first shirt I found before pulling on boots and rushing to the door. Before I could open it, someone pounded from the outside. "Cindy! Open up, it's me." I yanked the door open and threw myself into his arms. "Gabe," I said, burying my face in his neck. He growled, wrapping his arms around me as I clung to his hips with my legs. "How are you here?
"Are you ready?" I glanced at my mom in the mirror's reflection. "More than ready," I said, getting off the chair and adjusting my wedding dress. White with a straight collar that went off my shoulders, it was glorious in its simplicity. The bodice hugged my curves and an enormous train trailed gracefully behind me. My veil hung long from a small tiara Polly had placed around my head. My mom cleared her throat, pushing me away. "You don't want to wrinkle your dress and I don't want to have you redo my makeup," she said, her eyes misty. "Right." I glanced over her shoulder at Snow. It wasn't that long ago that we'd been preparing her for her wedding. Snow winked. "Alright, well, I'll meet you out there. If we're not careful, your grandma will make a fuss over something and use her magic to get in a fight with one of the vampires. We don't need a blood-sucking war on your wedding day." Mom made a face before closing the door, leaving Snow and me alone. "Can you believe it?" Sno
"You're mine," I whispered, tracking the hottest guy in all the realms with my eyes. He didn't attend the Seven Magics Academy. I knew that for sure because I knew everyone. Maybe he was new? "Say what, Jasmine?" Jennifer Flora had been giving me a play-by-play on how she turned rock into stardust during spells class when I saw him. "Nothing. Sorry." I cleared my throat, tucking some hair behind my ear as I clutched my hands together. "Why don't you go back to the dance? I'll meet you inside later," I said, taking off after the guy."Sure," she responded but I was already heading down the hall, hoping to catch sight of him again.As an original vampire, stalking was as easy as breathing, especially since the Seven Magics Academy was my home and had been from the beginning. Even when it was still just an expansive castle and not a school for the supernatural. I peered around the corner and he came into view. Thick blond hair, dazzling eyes, lean muscle for days and tall. Over si
Monday morning, I woke, climbed out of bed and stretched my wings, showered, dressed, and then flew out my window to explore Sharra with my best friend, Abrea. It was our usual ritual and my favorite time of day, like life stretched itself awake. All was peaceful and filled with possibilities. Abrea and I helped a fairy lift a particularly heavy caterpillar onto the branch it intended to use as a home for its chrysalis. We also assisted an elderly troll in his desperate quest to reach some juicy berries at the top of a rather large tree. Now we were seated on the stone ledge at the top of the turret closest to my room watching the sun finish its rise. "Jasmine. Come inside. We have a lot to do today." My mom stuck her head and shoulders out my window near the top of the castle, searching for me. I stifled a laugh as I watched her head turn from side to side. She wouldn't find me though, because I sat directly above her. I sighed heavily. "Fine." My mom gasped and cracked her he
My mom's stern expression softened as I watched her reflection. "Most importantly, I'm your mother." She leaned down, our heads side by side and she squeezed my shoulders. Her eyes sparkled with love. I studied the two of us together, once again astonished by our similarities. We both had black hair, though mine had a streak of teal in itThe shape of our faces were the same as well as our high cheekbones. Our lips had the same sort of thickness and we were the same height. There were differences too. Her eyes were an unusual color, reflecting the various hues within the spectrum of the seven magics while mine were always violet. My skin was naturally tanner than hers. And then, of course, there was the huge difference between us. I had wings, obnoxiously large wings that protruded from my back like those of a giant black bird. The worst part was they never went away. Like fairies' wings did. I had them on my back at all times - no matter what. Sometimes I longed to sleep on my
As I watched them, I thought about how things changed since my mom became the vampire queen. Originally, male vampires were all hunters or drones who travelled into the human realm to mark possible future bodies for the vampire queen. Sharra gave them a portion of her magic so they could walk in the sunlight. They could only be killed by removing the heart. With female vampires or workers, they could be killed more easily by either the sun or a stake through the heart. But since my mom came into power, she gave every vampire some of her blood. Now a portion of her magic flowed through each of them. Male and female. There were no more hunters, except Christopher. There haven't been for a long while. With that magic came some additional changes. Like the fact that killing a vampire now required their heart be ripped from their chest. It was gruesome, but fact. As an original, no one knows how to kill me or even if I can be killed. Like the old originals, I came right from the seven mag
That night, after all of the festivities were over and we said our goodbyes, Troy and I went back to the small house that used to be my mother's. Now that Sharra was no longer a threat, the chayot set up a meeting between several of the heads of different countries in the human realm and me. There, with the help of the chayot, we discussed relaxing the laws for supernaturals. Together we came to an agreement and I created a magical system with the help of Heathcliff and several other human scientists. After much discussion, I became aware of the KPID, a supernatural government agency known as the King's Paranormal Inquiries Division. The organization had been tracking supernaturals for hundreds of years, at first in the United Kingdom, but in the mid seventeen hundreds, they'd moved over to America as well. Given access to the KPID's super top secret information, I was able to update and strengthen the magic already in place as well as add some newer, more technical attributes with He
"Are you ready?" I asked. We were standing outside on my balcony. I took Troy's hand as my wings fluttered behind me. My engagement ring sparkled in the midday light and I couldn't help but admire it. Troy had asked Jesse and the gargoyles to create the ring for me. A thick platinum band with vines filigreed on either side leading to the center where sat a delicate jasmine flower made of diamonds and blue topaz."Are you sure you can do this?" Troy was teasing me, pretending to be nervous about me flying him around Sharra. "There's only one way to find out," I said, and leaped into the air. Troy whooped out a holler as he clung to my hands, his body dangling below."Don't drop him, Jasmine. It isn't every day you find someone crazy enough to fall for you," Abrea said beside me, her pixilette wings fluttering gracefully. "True." I laughed and the action felt really good."Jasmine? We need to leave for the wedding," my mom called from back in my room. I rolled my eyes and glanced at
Before I knew it, I was laughing as tears of joy leaked onto my cheeks. He set me on the ground and pushed my hair out of my face, then cupped it in his hands. "I love you vampire girl." "You do?" I believed him, but needed reassurance as my hands curled around his wrists. "More than I believed it was possible to love." He bent his head and gently touched his lips to mine, his eyes still open and on me. I kissed him back, as a gurgle of happiness shot through me. The sweet kiss turned hot and needy. I loved him and wanted him and didn't care who knew it. He pressed my mouth open, deepening our kiss as his arms went around my waist and he lifted me off the ground. "Hey you two?" It was my Mom. I froze and opened my eyes. Troy was watching me again. "Should we tell them?" he asked. I knew he was talking about our engagement. "Now's as good a time as any," I said as he set me on my feet. Troy took my hand and I turned to face the group. "We have an announcement," he said. The
"Do not do this," Christopher said, a look of complete disbelief on his injured face. "You have the power within you to destroy her. You know you do. So why?" I couldn't explain. But I hoped one day he and the rest would understand. If I failed, Laeddin could tell them the truth about the Unknowns, what they had planned. In the end my family would see I made the best choice. The only choice."Silence, Hunter. I'll deal with your insubordination later," Sharra said, sending a bolt of magic at Christopher. He was thrown back, landing against the other side of the cell before falling to the ground with a groan. Chris bared his fangs in anger and jumped to his feet, though slower than expected. "Hurt them and the deal is off," I seethed, facing her, my hands in fists at my sides. She gave me an innocent look. "I didn't do any permanent damage." She crossed her arms, sauntering toward me. "Now then, let's do this."I swallowed, forcing myself to remain calm. My plan would work. It had t
Determination weighed my shoulders down as I traversed the inkiness. As I went, I called out in my mind, using the magic within me to speak with Silindra and Laeddin. At once, my mind was there, in Laeddin's realm, in his library full of books. He and Silindra were there, standing close, reading something aloud. "Laeddin," I said. Laeddin glanced at me, or rather, my mental presence. Silindra looked up as well. "Is it just me or am I seeing Jasmine?" Surprise flickered across her too lovely face. "I see her too - somehow." Laeddin reached out, but his fingers couldn't touch me. I was there, but not really there. "I'm going to Sharra," I said, and looked from Laeddin to Silindra. "The darkness will swallow the earth soon. There is no more time. I need your help now. Please find me." "We're coming, Jasmine," Laeddin said, and took Silindra's hand. Were they a couple now? There was no time to figure it out. Silindra said, "Watch out for my sister. She's tricky.""I will," I said, a
Now that we had nothing to fear, Lirle and I moved quickly and undeterred toward the stronghold. As we went, Lirle talked more about the dragon she liked as well as growing up in the dragon realm. Hearing her talk, I couldn't help but admire the Hollow. It was stark and vast and though it wasn't blooming with all manner of flowers like Sharra, it still held beauty. That night as we rested and ate under a canopy of trees, I was able to witness one of the wonders of her realm. Here, the forest stirred to life at night. Everything seemed to possess a bioluminescence. Trees whose leaves were pink during the day glowed a soft white, like millions of fireflies covered them. Animals I hadn't known were there, insects and little creatures that reminded me of spider monkeys, lit up as well. It was beautiful and a little terrifying. "Why does it do this?" I asked, mesmerized. Lirle took another bite of whatever she was eating. Her lips were luminescent blue like the spider monkeys and I force
He looked up and for the briefest moment, I thought he was staring right at me. No longer angry, but still unsure. Troy spoke: I love you, too, Jazz. He stopped speaking and adjusted his weight, sitting up straighter. They added: Someone is coming. He closed his eyes and pretended to be sleeping. His cell door cranked open and a female voice spoke. "I brought you a friend. Try not to kill each other." Christopher stumbled into the room before turning and flashing his fangs. "You touch me like that again and you won't live to tell anyone about it." His hands were behind his back and black magic held his wrists together. The person he spoke to laughed. It was Sharra.I focused on Troy. His eyes burned into Chris like he would kill him. To Troy, I begged: Please remember, Chris is on our side. He believes in our love too. When Sharra forced me to kiss him, Chris stopped me and freed me from her magic. He's changed and he can help.I hoped that was true. As much as I trusted Chris
"How nice to see you, Lirle." The voice came from a gray dragon with blood red eyes. His sharp and pointy teeth glistened like they held their own light. Huge talons clamped around Lirle from behind, holding her like a sharpened straight jacket. She gasped and struggled but couldn't move. Her captor's clutches were bigger than Lirle's body. The first dragon looked at me. "And you are Jasmine, heir to Sharra and an original vampire. But where are your wings?" He opened his mouth and I thought he intended to burn me to a crisp. Instead his tongue came out and he licked me. Tasting. "Strange," he said. "Gross." I wiped my cheek with the sleeve of my shirt. It occurred to me he was speaking like Abernathy did, with his mouth and not in my mind like Lirle. Perhaps speaking aloud was a skill that came with age. The first dragon pushed through the trees, causing them to snap and break. Then he pounded his tail on the ground several times in a rhythmic fashion while lifting his head. He ro
Lirle took to the air, her attention on the direction where the sound came from. Her whole body trembled. "You're frightened. What is it?" I asked, fighting my own nerves. Lirle's eyes bore into mine and her terror shone brightly as she said: We're too late. The Ondror's magic is upon us. Listen carefully. A dragon's magic comes from the soul. Our greatest weapon is using the weaknesses of our enemy against them by showing them what they fear most. She flew over to the stream before coming back to me and pointing with one claw. Lirle asked: Do you see the soul magic coming?I followed her gaze and squinted until I saw the blackness, traveling like a deadly mist through the trees, and heading right for us. "Can we outrun it?" She shook her head and said: No. It's everywhere. She spun in a circle and I followed her. Lirle was right. It was coming from every direction, like we had a homing beacon on us. She met my gaze and said: You see? Whatever happens, whatever you experience o