Professor Pops held out his hands. I took them and he gently twirled me. “You look exquisite, Snow. Like a fiery dream.”
I blushed, enjoying the compliment.
Seven heads peeked into my bedroom. They’d come back up the stairs, but I hadn’t heard them.
“Holy wow,” Heathcliff said.
The others nodded their approval.
I found Gabe. “Gorgeous.”
“Get,” Professor Pops scolded, shooing them from the room. They reluctantly left and I heard them tramp down the stairs like a herd of sweet elephants.
I walked over to the full-length mirror and my heart raced faster. The girl in the mirror looked older, more mature… Like a woman.
“The mask will arrive later this afternoon. I’ll have one of the boys bring it over,” Professor Pops said, choking up.
I turned to him. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
He shook his head, clearing his throat. “I am honored to know you, Snow White.” He bowed and my heart lurched.
Why did he do that? The words from the vampire queen filtered through my mind. She said he wanted her power. I wasn’t buying it. Professor Pops didn’t act like someone who craved power. Just the opposite. I touched his shoulder. “Thank you for everything. I’m so glad to know you, too.” Heat rose in my cheeks.
He straightened and walked to the door. “Always a pleasure.” He seemed sad, but before I could ask him why, he smiled. “I’ll see you tonight. Happy birthday.” Then he left.
I turned back to the mirror. Dark half-circles, like crescent bruises, made my blue eyes appear haunted. My short hair was a mess. The dress was beautiful, but I needed work.
I needed the best girl-friend on the planet. I needed Cindy.
Chapter 15
I called Cindy on the regular house phone because my dad and stepmother decided I wasn’t mature enough to have a cell after all. Sure, I’d lost the dang thing after only a month. But it hadn’t been my fault. I was in a blood-induced haze caused by my belief that I killed Gabe. I shouldn’t be held accountable for my actions during that time. The problem was, I couldn’t explain any of that to them. My dad, and especially my stepmother, wouldn’t understand that I’d been so far gone, they only existed in a deep recess of my mind—that I only remembered them on the rare occasion when I wasn’t completely drunk on human blood.
“Happy birthday, Snow,” Cindy shouted as soon as she picked up the phone.
“Thanks,” I answered, plopping on the couch and flipping on the TV. Gatsby climbed next to me and yowled, rubbing his head against my thigh. I needed to feed him. Rising, I went to get his kibble.
“Are you stoked about your party tonight?” she asked.
“Um, yes. I am. It’s just…” I hesitated.
“You want me to do your hair and makeup,” she finished for me.
I laughed. “Yes, please.” I sighed. “It’s an emergency.”
“Does Abercrombie go with Fitch?”
“I—”
“Never mind. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
“Thanks, Cin.” I clicked off the phone and filled Gatsby’s water dish. “Well, kitty, I need a shower.” I ran to the stairs and was halfway up when the phone rang.
“Bring over your dress,” I said, thinking it was Cindy. I’d forgotten to make plans and didn’t want her to have to go back home to get herself ready.
“What? Snow, is that you?” It was my dad.
“Oh, hi, Dad. Sorry, I thought you were Cindy. She’s coming over to help me get ready for my party.” As I spoke, I climbed the stairs, went into my bathroom and pulled out a clean towel, then turned on the water so it could warm up.
“That’s nice.” He paused and inhaled. “Happy birthday, Snow Angel. Wish I was there,” he said in a pretend perky voice. I knew he really did wish he was with me.
A lump formed in my throat. I sure needed him. “Thanks, Dad. I wish you were here too.”
He exhaled. “We should be there for Christmas.” He clucked his tongue. “You know what? I will be there for Christmas. Promise.”
I had a feeling his words defied my stepmother’s wishes. If she had anything to say about it, they’d be in Paris or Italy. Anywhere but with me.
“That’s awesome. Can’t wait.” The lump thickened. I wanted to believe he would come, no matter what, that I was important enough for him—but past experience told me it wasn’t true.
I heard my stepmother speaking in the background, telling him to hurry up. “Alright, well, have fun at your party. Take care of yourself. Be safe.”
“I will. Thanks.” The lump in my throat sank like a rock to my stomach.
“Love you, Snow Angel. Talk to you soon.”
“Love you—” The phone clicked off. “Too.”
Chapter 16
I stood in front of my full-length mirror unable to believe the reflection was mine. Snow White. Klutzy tomboy turned vampire with a fondness for boyish hand-me-downs and Converse. I ran my fingers over the fluffy skirt. Hundreds of different sized ruffles in a soft, see-through material were capped with red satin ribbon. The tight bodice felt like a seamless hug—not too tight, not too loose. The dress hung at just the right length and looked awesome with my red Converse—yeah, not even Cindy could talk me out of my shoe choice. They were brand new; one of the pairs Professor Pops gave me, not the pair from the vampire queen. I had a feeling he picked out the color to go with my dress. He knew me better than most.
“You look très gorgeous, Snow,” Cindy said.
I laughed internally, guessing she must’ve decided French wasn’t as boring as she thought. I turned back and forth, checking my reflection at different angles. “Thanks, Cindy. You did an amazing job with my makeup and on my hair.”
She grinned. “No duh. You’re going to be the most beautiful girl at the ball tonight.”
I snorted. “Whatever.” But as I studied my reflection, I thought she might be right.
Cindy shook her head and continued to pet Gatsby, who sat on her lap, purring nosily. She still wore her jeans but had a strapless nude bra on top. The party was in a half hour, but twenty minutes ago we agreed to meet at Professor Pops’.
Cindy’s hair was in three loose French braids that came together in the back near the nape of her neck. She curled the ends and pinned them into a bun and put little baby blue flowers in between the curls. Her makeup was a little darker than normal. “Dramatic,” was what she called it.
My eye makeup was similar. On her lips she wore a light pink gloss. On my lips was a dark red that matched my dress. Cindy spent an hour using different sizes of irons to put curls all over my head, then she teased and backcombed until my dark hair was like a curly cloud. She left my bangs straight and used some kind of goop to make them stay to one side. I looked like me, only different. Older. More sophisticated.
“You getting dressed soon or did you decide to wear that?” I asked, turning to face her.
She nudged Gatsby off her lap and stood. “Nah, I’m wearing my dress. It cost me a small fortune. Will you help zip me?”
“Sure.” Cindy was the only uber rich girl I knew who wouldn’t accept her parents’ money. She liked to buy things for herself. It was one of the many little things I admired about her.
She slid off her jeans and walked over to my open bedroom door where her dress hung. Beneath was a box, and she removed the most gorgeous but dangerous-looking pair of shoes I’d ever seen. The heels were thin, like glass, but probably six inches tall. Gunmetal beads adorned the band across the foot and the cuff that went around the ankle.
“You’re really going to wear those?” I asked, wondering how she’d dance let alone walk.
“Of course, silly.” She slid them on and buckled the cuff. She was nearly as tall as me. “Wow,” I said as she unzipped the black garment bag.
“Wow good, right?” Cindy asked, sliding a strapless sequined dress out. “My legs appear slender, and my ass looks toned?”
“Definite
ly,” I said. Who was I to question the girl who lived, breathed, and ate fashion?
She stepped into the dress and I zipped it up. It was sleek and clung to her every curve. Each sequin was the size of a penny and the exact shade of her shoes. Underneath the sequins was a baby blue material in the same color as the ruffled bottom of her dress. She looked like a mermaid, the most dazzling mermaid I’d ever seen. “You look amazing, Cin.”
She went over to the mirror, pulling and tugging on the dress until it was just so. She turned to check out the back. “You think?” she asked, though she knew I knew it was fact. She would be the best-looking girl at the ball. But at least she wouldn’t have to be embarrassed by me.
“Since you’re the birthday girl, we ought to get you there before everyone else, right?” she asked, heading to the door.
“I suppose,” I said, suddenly nervous. I sat on my bed as though a heavy weight pushed me down. My shoulders turned in. I hadn’t had blood since yesterday. Professor Pops gave me more of the bloodlust tea and I’d had some that morning before Cindy came over. But since I was no longer a revenant, it probably wasn’t going to do any good. Even Cindy’s blood, which wasn’t all that fragrant, caused my fangs to quiver with need. If she offered, I’d take it, but I really wanted Gabe’s, or Christopher’s… Or Dorian’s. That I thought of him surprised me, but it was true. He kept offering and I was ready to give it a try. I had a feeling it would be amazing.
“What’s wrong? You shouldn’t sit. You’ll ruin the lay of your dress.” Cindy held out her hand and I took it.
“Fine.” I stood and reorganized my ruffles. Swallowing, I searched Cindy’s face, listened to the gentle rhythm of her heartbeat, and smelled the lilac scent of her skin. Nothing about her spoke of fear or worry. I knew she was a witch. She’d used a spell to freshen my nails so they were blood red, as well as her own, making them blue. Could I tell her my secret? Would she understand? “Cindy,” I cleared my throat.
Chapter 17
“What is it?” she asked, smiling brightly.
“I—why didn’t you use a locator spell to find me?” I asked, surprised that’s what came out of my mouth. I hadn’t meant to go there with her tonight.
She grabbed my hand and squeezed. “At first I wanted to, but then when Professor Pops told me you were okay, I figured I wouldn’t bother. After a week though, I was really starting to worry, so I tried.”
“Oh?”
“For some reason, the spell didn’t work.” Her impeccably plucked eyebrows crunched together in concentration. “I have no idea why.”
I nodded. “That’s okay, Cin.” I wasn’t ready to tell her and moved to the door.
Cindy followed. “Not really. I was really worried. Several times I sensed your presence, but for some reason your location was concealed. I even asked my grandmother about it, whether or not I did something wrong.” She frowned.
“And?” I encouraged.
She shook her head, her face filled with a strange expression. Her heart rate increased. Nerves, I thought.
“My grandmother said she didn’t understand it either. That there was only one reason it wouldn’t work.”
I giggled unexpectedly. What would she say? What was the reason? I didn’t think I wanted to hear the answer. At the top of the stairs, I rested my hand on the banister and lifted my dress, more grateful than ever that I was no longer so klutzy.
“It’s really weird.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. Could I tell her? Just blurt out the truth? Say, “Cindy, I’m a vampire. But don’t worry; I won’t kill you or suck your blood or anything. I’ve got it under control.” I started down the stairs and Cindy followed.
“My grandmother said the locator spell works based on whatever you’re looking for. A human is one way. If it’s an animal, I have to change up the spell a little. For a plant, I do the spell even more differently.”
“Cool,” I laughed, a wave of panic washing through my stomach.
“Well, I tried the human spell three different times. Just to be safe I did the spell for an animal and for a plant as well. None of them worked.”
I reached the bottom of the stairs and faced her. “Maybe you still did something wrong. You know you struggle with that science-y stuff in biology.”
“That wasn’t it. I did everything right. My grandmother said—” she stopped.
I opened the front door, but a fragrant wind blew it from my grip and the door slammed shut. “What?” I asked, knowing Cindy had used magic. I was going to have to tell her.
“My grandmother said the only reason the spell didn’t work was because you aren’t human, but something born of magic.”
That surprised me. I was human at some point and still partially human.
Cindy went on. “She gave me a quick lesson on all the different magical creatures in the world, even explained that my favorite stuffed animal—Mr. Unicorn—remember him?” She stopped, waiting for me to answer.
“Uh-huh,” I prodded. Nerves danced along my veins. I didn’t know why I was so worried about telling her. She possessed magic. She was a witch. Surely, she would accept my being a vampire.
“Well, yeah, so Mr. Unicorn is based on a real creature my grandmother knew a long time ago. At first, I was freaked out but figured hey, if I could have a spell book with a dragon’s eye on the cover, surely I could handle the knowledge that fairies and unicorns are real.” Her breathing came more rapidly now. I sensed she was about to figure out what I was for herself.
“Go on,” I whispered, clutching my hands together, waiting. “What am I then?”
“Well, you’re too big to be a fairy, and you’re certainly not a gremlin or an elf, so I don’t know.” Cindy placed her hands on her hips and waited. “Tell me, Snow. Please. I can handle it.”
“No, I’m not a fairy. Closer to a gremlin, I guess.” For some reason I got choked up. With the brothers, they knew. Professor Pops had prepared them. Christopher was the one who bit me, so I hadn’t had to tell him. I hadn’t had to come out and tell anyone yet, to say the words “I am a vampire”. I tried it in my mind, and they got stuck. Refusing to go from my brain and out of my mouth. I guess the biggest part of me worried she wouldn’t like me anymore once she found out the truth. Gabe said vampires were evil. What had Cindy’s grandmother said about my kind?
She moved so we were practically nose to nose. It was weird having her so tall. One of her fingers touched my cheek, and she said some words in a language I didn’t understand.
I gulped. My skin tingled, and I knew she’d cast a spell. I decided that if she freaked, I would just compel her not to be afraid.
“Tell me, Snow.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath. “Cindy, it’s um… you see… well, the truth is, I’m a—”
She sucked in her breath and stepped back. “You’re a vampire. The spell worked. I can see you for what you truly are.” Her eyes grew round like two giant blue saucers.
“Yep, that’s me.” I looked away, scanning anywhere and everywhere that wasn’t her.
Chapter 18
She sat on the couch and I knew she must be stunned because sitting would wrinkle her dress and that was not something Cindy would do.
“What about your dress? You’ll wrinkle it,” I said quietly, copying what she said to me upstairs.
She waved away my worry. “My grandmother mentioned vampires.” Cindy paused and seemed to be mulling over the word, working out what she now knew to be the truth.
I grabbed her hand. “Still warm, see? I’m still me.” I resisted the urge to cry, to pity myself or feel bad. I couldn’t change what had happened, couldn’t go back and get unbitten or undrink Christopher’s blood, or Gabe’s, or any of the other humans’.
Her eyes squinted in bewilderment and she placed a hand on my chest. “Your heart still beats.” Cindy shook her head, surprise shining in her features. “My grandmother said vampires were creatures without a heart—that their internal make-up was completely diff
erent from other living creatures. How is this possible?”
“I’m not sure.” And that was the truth. Maybe it was because I was one of the marked. Maybe the vampire queen’s magic did something to me, the way it did for Christopher. Maybe it was because I was odd to begin with. Kenmei had said the magic within the Seal of Gabriel was created for me. I shook those thoughts from my mind. I didn’t fully believe the magic in the necklace or how magic and vampires worked. I still needed to find the damn necklace. Christopher’s life depended on it. At the thought of him, I decided to be forward and ask. “You haven’t seen a necklace with a silver chain and a red gem in the shape of a teardrop attached to it, have you?”
She shook her head. “Not in person, but I saw something about a necklace, in my spell book; it was called the Seal of Gabriel. Is that the one you’re talking about?” As she spoke her voice raised an octave. She obviously knew that it contained magical properties. Witches could probably use the necklace to increase their power.
“Yes, that’s the one.” I nodded and a combined feeling of hope and dread throbbed against my temple.
She went over to the door, grabbed the bag she’d chucked next to it, and pulled out her spell book. The eye on the cover blinked, watching. I held back a shudder. Scooting closer, I waited while she flipped through the pages until she arrived at a picture of the necklace.
“It says—”
A horn blared from the driveway.
“Are you expecting someone?” Cindy asked.
I shook my head but remembered Professor Pops mentioned someone would bring over my mask when it was ready. “It could be my mask.”
She closed her book and I went to the door, Cindy following beside me. “Do you want some of my blood?”
I laughed, opening the door. “Are you offering?”
“Nooooooo,” she said, but laughed as well. “You aren’t some bloodthirsty fiend.” She said it as a statement and I figured it was mostly to convince herself.
Fate and Magic: Snow White Reimagined with Vampires and Werewolves (Seven Magics Academy Book 2) Page 6