“I promise, you will get to practice and have time to get a dress,” Eden said.
Smiling, I sat back and closed my eyes. I was full and happy and hoped that the weekend would bring me some much-needed time to get caught up on everything.
Chapter 17
“What do you think you are doing?” I shot out.
Eden was helping herself to going through my dresser drawers. I had been locked away in the bathroom, enjoying a nice, steaming hot shower. Upon leaving the bathroom, I caught Eden going through my items.
She didn’t seem to be bothered by my outburst as she continued to move my items around.
“You don’t have anything cute here,” she said, shaking her head in disappointment.
“Hey,” I stated, feeling a little hurt by her comment. Sure, I didn’t think to bring anything flashy or too dressy. I thought I was going to school, a place where uniforms were required. My focus was supposed to be on my classes and acting. While there were some new additions to my list of important things to focus on, Zane included, I still didn’t know why my wardrobe was any of her concern.
Straightening herself, Eden placed her hands on her hips and gave me the stink eye. “I get you are super focused on school and blah, blah, blah, but you still need to look cute every once in a while,” she added.
I walked over and closed one of the drawers that was still hanging open. “I wear uniforms every day. So, sue me if I want to be comfortable when I am not in class,” I mused, rolling my eyes at her dramatic stance. “What’s this about anyway?”
“Tomorrow the designers are coming and I don’t want them to think you are a little helpless human. We need to present you as someone who has class and style,” Eden stated. “I guess you will have to wear something of mine,” she concluded.
I brushed my long tendrils of hair off my shoulders as I contemplated lashing out at her for insulting me. I know she had good intentions, but sometimes, Eden didn’t have a filter. She just said whatever came to mind. You would think over the several decades she had been alive, she would have learned to control her mouth a little better.
“If they are bringing me clothes, what does it matter what I look like when I get there?” I asked.
A look of worry flashed across Eden’s face and suddenly, an idea registered in my mind. “They are Vampires, too, aren’t they?” I questioned.
Eden just simply nodded her head. She sighed before talking again. “The designers are great and have been dressing us for years, but they don’t live in the human world like we do. They fly in from remote islands where they live in a secluded Vampire community. Not all Vampires are like us, to all of them feel as though humans and Vampires can co-exist.”
“So, what you are really saying is they might try to kill me,” I suggested, my voice quivering with fear.
“Yes. I need you to appear to look like a Vampire, too. I will add perfume to you to try and mask your smell, but you have to just follow my lead and make sure your guards are up. Will you at all times,” she finished.
I gulped, feeling my stomach doing somersaults. Why did everything have to be so complicated?
“Maybe once this semester is over, we should talk to your dad about letting me leave,” I said, a sadness I hadn’t expected, resonating off my words.
Eden looked conflicted. I could tell she knew for my safety that my leaving would be the best option, but we had become friends. I also had Zane. There were relationships I had created here. Would I really be able to walk away?
“Don’t think about that right now,” she said, waving her hands in the air. “You need to focus on your lines for the play and finding a super-hot dress that will make Zane drop dead. Literally,” she finished with a snicker.
I couldn’t help the smile that appeared over me. “Maybe you are right. In the morning, we will check out those dresses and I will spend the rest of the day working on my monologue.”
Satisfied with my answer, Eden grabbed my hand and drug me over to her dresser. “Now that we have that settled, I need to find you an amazing outfit to wear tomorrow,” she gushed.
Realizing I was her prisoner now, I settled into the idea of allowing Eden to plan my outfit for tomorrow. It was already late into the night and I knew we would be up until the early morning hours. I just hoped tomorrow would bring some much-needed rest and peace. But, something told me I was only dreaming.
***
The next morning, I woke to hushed voices talking around me.
“Donovan, I don’t know why you care so much,” Eden’s whisper grew louder as she talked through the door.
I slowly opened one eye so I could peak and spy on the conversation that I was clearly not meant to hear.
All I could make out through my blurry vision was Eden’s back as the bedroom door was cracked open and she was talking to someone outside.
“They were sneaking around again. She deserves to know,” a males voice argued back. It sounded like Donovan, but his voice was so low and deep, I couldn’t be sure.
“You can’t be sure. You are just assuming. If you say anything, she will only get upset,” Eden stated flatly.
I heard what sounded like a fist punching into a wall and then the door slammed closed. At that point, I knew I couldn’t fake sleep any longer. Sitting up, I acted like the loud bang had startled me.
“What’s going on?” I asked, rubbing my eyes and faking shock. It was a good thing I had spent years being trained on acting.
“I’m so sorry to startle you. Someone must have slammed a door,” Eden lied.
Knowing she wasn’t being truthful with me brought a wave of sadness over me. We were friends, but she was clearly hiding her conversation from me. I guess it wasn’t too different than my own secrets that I was keeping.
Realizing I couldn’t be a hypocrite, I accepted her story and decided to move on.
“Ok, well I guess it’s a good thing that you are awake now. We need to get ready to go meet the designers. Some girls waited outside the ballroom so they could have first pick of the dresses,” Eden said.
I saw a spark of glitter in her eyes. She was excited about this dance and it made me curious as to why.
“Who are you going to the dance with?” I ask coyly.
I noticed a smirk attempt to reach her eyes, but she quickly dismissed it. “No one, yet,” she stated.
Nodding, I giggled. She had someone in mind. I guess I would just have to wait and see who.
I raced to the bathroom and showered, then after applying a light amount of foundation and mascara, I rolled some clear lip gloss over my lips and began to inspect the outfit Eden had selected for me.
As I wiggled into the tight, leather pants I couldn’t help but feel a bit silly. This totally wasn’t my style, but I needed to look the part. Sliding the silky silver top over my arms, I slipped my feet into the black, knee high boots she had loaned me.
The conversation I had overheard earlier was still swimming in my head as I retreated from the bathroom. Eden was waiting for me in a short, white dress with clear open toed sandals. Diamonds draped from her neck and ears and she looked like a classic movie star about to walk down the streets of Hollywood.
“You look amazing,” I admired.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she said, smiling at her handywork.
We left our room and Eden led me to the massive ballroom on the main floor of the school. I had seen grand ballrooms before located in hotels, but nothing had compared me for what I was about to see.
Red velvet carpet met us at the large, ornately designed oak doors. Inside, large crystal chandeliers hung down from the ceiling, which had murals of Greek Gods looking down on us. The walls were painted a classic gray with hints of glitter and sparkle in the paint that made it look like the room was twinkling when the lights cast against it.
At the back of the room was a large stage fit for a band to perform. Speakers hung from the corners and a makeshift dance floor was in the center of the room
.
I had been so entranced by the glorious design of the room that I didn’t even notice the crowd of girls gathered to my right. Rows of dresses lined the far walls and girls were talking and laughing as they sorted through the colorful array of fabric.
Looping her arm through mine, Eden led me over to the chaotic madness. The Dean was standing by, talking to a woman as we passed by. He nodded at us, but kept his attention focused on his conversation.
“What color do you think you want?” Eden asked.
“I’m not sure, I hadn’t really thought about it,” I said.
Jordan, who had been following us, walked over and sat down in a large chair by a table with treats and drinks.
We began to mill through the dresses as Eden talked to me in a rush. I wasn’t even focused on what she was talking about. With the ballroom doors open, I saw Zane quickly walk by with Professor Martin. They seemed to be in a heated discussion, and as I lifted my hand to wave at him, my heart sank as he walked by, not even noticing me.
He must have been busy, I thought.
“What about this one?” Eden asked, holding up a hot pink gown.
I stuck my finger in my mouth and pretended to gag. “No!”
Laughing, Eden put the dress back on the rack. “I needed to get your attention,” she mused. “You seem distant,” she added.
“I’m just stressing. I’m sorry, I know this means a lot to you, so I will focus,” I said, smiling.
Seeming pleased with my response, Eden continued to moving dresses, but suddenly, I stopped her.
Seeing a gold fabric, I reached into the rack and pulled out a beautiful gown. The gown was long and had a beautiful design. As my hands swept over it, I knew that this was the dress.
“That is beautiful,” Eden admired, as she stopped searching to view my gown.
“I really like it,” I added.
A lady walked over to us and began to give me a strange once over. At first, I thought she might suspect that I was human. Eden had given me a gallon of perfume to put on and I was dressed just as she had told me to.
“You will need to wear your hair up to make that gown look elegant,” the lady spoke, her body poised and proper.
Nodding, I just smiled as I held the dress close to my body. Other designers ran around helping girls try on dresses or fetch sizes they needed.
I continued helping Eden search for a dress until she found one that she loved, too. Happy, we both left the madness of the ballroom to store our dresses in our room.
Leaving the ballroom, Eden and I were laughing at the other girls who were frantically searching for their gowns, when I crashed right into Zane. He was out of breath as though he had been running.
“Hey,” he said, stopping when he realized it was me.
Holding the dress close, I smiled and gave him a curious look. The last I had seen him; he was lost in his own world. Now, he seemed exhausted. I wondered what he had been up to.
“Hi, I got a dress,” I rushed out, holding out the dress for him to see.
“Great. I know it will look amazing on you,” he gushed.
“Are you ok?” I asked, placing my hand gently on his. I wanted nothing more than for him to tell me what was going on. What secrets he was hiding.
“Sure. I just had to run some errands. I’m sorry I have been so busy lately. How about tonight I will help you run lines for your audition Monday? We can spend some time together,” he stated, taking my hand and bringing it up to his lips. He placed a soft kiss to my hand and I felt sparks ignite inside of me.
“That sounds great,” I said. I knew my face was flushed and hot, but I didn’t care.
That evening, Zane and I sat out on the balcony outside of my room, practicing my lines, and enjoying one another’s company. For the moment, I forgot about secrets, and Vampires, and boys who hunted humans in the night. Instead, I was just a teenage girl hanging out with her boyfriend. I enjoyed it while it lasted.
Chapter 18
By Monday morning, I was confident that I had my part for the audition memorized. My morning classes seemed to last forever, before it was time for theatre class.
Anxiously, I waited for my turn to head to the stage to give my monologue. Once my name was called, I ran up the three steps to the stage and took a deep breath before I was given the signal to begin.
As the words spilled out of my mouth, I spotted Zane sitting in the audience, watching me with a wide smile on his face. Knowing he was there supporting me meant the entire world to me. I became lost in the rhymes and the magical words that had been recited for centuries.
The spotlights burned over me and gave me the glow I needed to feel the words filling me.
As I was about to take on the last lines of my monologue, I heard a snap from above me. A gasp from the audience caused me to look up just in time to see one of the bright lights falling. Before I could react, I was shoved aside and knocked onto the hard-wooden surface of the stage. Screams erupted around me and our teacher was trying to get everyone to calm down.
My body ached from the fall and as I rolled over, I saw Zane kneeling beside me.
He had raced to the stage to save me before the heavy spotlight crushed me to death.
Feeling the fear of the moment, tears began to fill my eyes.
“Are you alright? Are you hurt?” Zane asked, allowing his hands to roam over my body, inspecting me for cuts or injuries.
“I think I’m fine,” I said, brushing off pieces of glass and plastic from around me.
Our teacher ran up to me, and looked up. “This could have been a travesty,” he stated.
“Is the equipment broken?” I asked. I wasn’t sure how a light could fall unless…
Someone did it on purpose.
Brie smugly sat in the audience, the only student who didn’t jump up when the light fell. From the way her eyes locked with mine, I realized she was more than likely behind this.
Had she meant to kill me? Or, was this a warning? Either way, I realized my life was in danger and I had to find a way to stop Brie.
***
Leaving the theatre building, I was still shaken up. The nurse had been called to check over me and gave me the green light to continue on with my day. Even the Dean had arrived to inspect the lighting over the stage. It was apparent from their review that screws had been loosened so that the lights would fall. The Dean assured me he would launch an investigation, but I told him it wasn’t necessary. While I had an option to tell him that I thought Brie was behind the so-called accident, I didn’t have any evidence to prove my theory. I would just have to hope that in their investigation they would uncover her as the culprit themselves. Until then, I would keep a closer eye on my surroundings.
News of what had happened to me was spreading and the gossip was only elevated when it was heard that it appeared to be a loose light. Everyone had their own theories as to why someone would want to cause me harm. From just the short walk from the auditorium to the cafeteria I had heard that the Vampires were trying to kill me for their own meal, I was faking the accident to get attention, and it was part of the play.
Only the later I wished was true.
As I walked into the cafeteria with Zane close by my side, Eden rushed up to me and threw her arms around my neck. She was squeezing me so hard, I thought she might strangle me.
Nervously laughing, I pried her hands from around my neck.
“I’m fine,” I assured her, seeing the concern on her face.
“Everyone is talking about what happened. My dad is even thinking of postponing the dance,” she stated.
“No, that is crazy,” I argued. “Look, I need to talk to you in private,” I said, glancing around the room.
“Is there something you need to share with me?” Zane asked.
He seemed a bit nervous, but I guess that was to be expected.
“No, I just need to talk to Eden about the dance,” I said, hoping he bought my story.
Eden raised her eyes at
me, but just nodded.
“Ok, well I will be right here watching. You two go on and eat,” he said.
Eden and I walked over to a small table in the back. Most students sat together at the larger tables where they could socialize, so this area was private and quiet.
“What’s going on?” Eden asked, once we were seated.
“If I tell you something, you have to promise not to be mad at me,” I began, searching her eyes. I needed her to believe me and to not tell on me, too.
“You are making me nervous,” Eden said.
Sighing, I took in a deep breath before beginning. “So, the other night when Donovan caught me outside, I wasn’t just taking a walk. I had seen two boys, Alex and Marcus, acting suspicious. I decided to follow them and then when I did…”
My voice trailed off as Eden gave me a disapproving look.
“Please don’t tell me they saw you,” she said, placing her hands over her eyes. “Being out without permission is against the rules, but to follow the Vampires could be deadly,” she chastised.
“I know it was stupid, but I just had to know. They didn’t see me though. But, I saw them,” I said.
“Doing what?” Eden asked.
I looked away briefly, knowing that what I was about to tell her could put myself at even more risk and danger than I was already in.
“I followed them to a small bar and grille. They met up with two girls and they drank their blood. I was so freaked out that I rushed back to the school. Donovan caught me when I had just arrived back on the school grounds. But, that’s not all,” I sighed.
“There’s more!” Eden almost yelled.
Shushing her, I cringed at her anger. “Yes. Brie has been threatening me, which you already know. I think she is the one who tried to smash me with the lights today and I think Zane is mixed up in something with Marcus and Alex,” I finally admitted out loud.
I had thought the idea several times, but it didn’t feel real until that exact moment. I expected Eden to lash out at me but instead, she sat there still as a mouse. It was kind of freaking me out.
Veiled: Book 1 in the House of Shadows Series Page 10