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
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