“You sure?”
“Yep. I just haven’t figured things out with him yet.”
“He has.”
“Which is why I’m avoiding him.”
The phone in my pocket rang, Eight’s phone. I picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Did you get the dresses?” Eight asked without greeting me back.
“Yes, they’re all pretty.”
“Are you going to the Gala with me?” An unsteady nervousness coated his words.
“Yes.”
What other choice do I have?
“But just as friends of course because with everything going on I’m not sure if I can start thinking about dating.”
“Of course.” He didn’t hesitate with those two words, but he didn’t sound as happy as he did a few seconds earlier.
“And I’m wondering if I can bring a friend with us?”
He paused for a few seconds. “Friend? One of those guys?”
I giggled. “No way. Not Wiz or Rich. A girl. Her name is Fin.”
He chuckled with me. “Oh well then that’s great. I’ll bring one of my buddies. We could double date. I’m sorry, I mean we could all hang out, maybe even check out Fangdom after the Gala is done and play Dance Battle.”
“Sure. Fin would love that.” I hoped my sarcasm didn’t travel over the phone line. Last time I’d brought Fin to Fangdom she was kicked out for harassing this kid that beat her fair and square. I’d have to bribe her with candy if I wanted her to return to Fangdom.
“I also have to tell you that this could be dangerous,” I added. “If we see Wiz, then just go the other way like we’re not there together.”
“I’m not scared.” His voice sounded shaky.
“Doesn’t matter. I want you away from him if he’s in the area. I’d never live with myself if something happened to you.”
Chapter 17
We sat in the front row right next to the stage.
Although Sasha was only a vampire, she had truly cast a spell when she dressed us. Fin’s eyelashes appeared thicker. Sasha had somehow threaded her lashes with copper strands that flared out and commanded everyone’s attention to Fin’s eyes. True to her word, Sasha sewed together a black pantsuit with a copper embellishment around a strapless top. Fin’s skin shined and glittered in the hall’s light. Copper buttons adorned the bottom of the jacket. The material formed tightly around Fin’s firm body. Sasha had even glued black gems on Fin’s bald head and applied a small amount of makeup to her eyes and lips. Every poor guy that spotted Fin as she entered the Great Hall was drooling at her feet. Eight’s friend, Chuck had been mumbling incoherent sentences to her in a sad effort to get her attention. She’d barely paid him any mind.
Like Sasha recommended, she dressed me in a silver beaded dress that ended at the middle of my thighs. I’d thought the gleam of the silver would have clashed with my pale skin, but it had actually accentuated it instead. The little cleavage I possessed poked out of the strapless top. I’d been too scared to even open the door. Sasha had to drag me there once Eight and Chuck had arrived. The expression on Eight’s face told me that I didn’t appear too bad. He’d stood in my doorway with a handful of roses and a blush spreading across his face.
“And finally, our last competing designer is none other than Prosperian Leaf.” The hostess raised her hands in the air and dramatically gestured to the next line of models.
In the Great Hall a rainbow of lights shimmered on the witches as they strolled down the runway in the most amazing outfits. Tiny pieces of fabric less than a half inch swirled around their bodies over and over at a fast speed that blurred into illusions of clothes. It was the new big trend in fashion, according to the hostess. She called it No Sew Fashion. I called it walking naked with things flying around you. Not one inch of the outfits were threaded together. The pieces had been united and formed all by spells that witch designers created and patented.
An air witch sashayed toward us, walking on air and flaunting her ability to manipulate the space’s breeze. Strips of teal silk twisted and twirled around the model’s bare body like well-trained snakes. They teased her curves and taunted the viewers. Just when the audience thought they would catch a nipple or space of skin in forbidden regions, the silk would conceal it.
“What do you think? I bet this designer will win.” I turned to Eight. His face was already faced in my direction. His eyes glued to me. I bit my lip. “Is something wrong?”
“You’re so beautiful.” That was the twentieth time he’d said that since him and his friend picked us up. I kept my scales out, more to turn him off and make it clear that we were just friends. I was beginning to think that the scales weren’t working.
“Can I touch your scales?” he whispered as his gaze strayed to my chest. “On your hands of course. . . I mean can I hold your hand. I don’t have to if you don’t want—”
“Sure.” Reluctantly I placed my hand on his leg and heard an intake of breath come his way. He touched the scales around my knuckles and near the beginning of my arm. I shivered. The scales wavered a little and the skin under them warmed.
“They’re as soft as flowers,” he murmured.
I stiffened a little, not liking the description. It was the exact same thing Wiz had said once. The memory rushed to my brain.
“Your scales are as silky as rose petals, Cameo.” Wiz slipped his fingertips along my collarbone once when we were lounging on the beach. “You should stop calling them scales. Why do you even call them that?”
“Someone I know did,” I’d simply replied. Mom.
“Maybe that person was jealous of how amazing they are
.”
“I doubt it.”
The music lowered in the Great Hall. The crowd cheered. Eight traced the scales around my thumbnail with his fingers. Again, I shivered. It was so weird to be touched so gently or even to have my scales caressed in such a way. The few times Wiz did it, I’d shuddered and he’d quickly pulled away. The times my mom touched them it was with a knife. She’d tried many instances to scrape them off, from the time I was a baby to the weeks before I ran away. They always grew back, yet she tried and tried again.
“And that is the end! I’d like to thank you for coming out tonight!” The host clapped as the last model sashayed away. “Refreshments are in the East Wing. Please cast your votes with the lovely ladies holding
gold boxes. Thank you so much for coming out!”
Everyone rose from their seats. More clapping and loud cheers sounded next. Fin hooted. I tossed her a weird
side-glance.
“What? That was kind of fun.” Fin winked at me. “Although I kept wishing that someone would have trip. It was still fun, regardless.”
I gazed up to the ceiling. Hundreds of stones were embedded in the surface. They gleamed in various colors. Some shined like diamonds and rubies. Others glowed like dragon stones.
I hope the Fairy Council didn’t hide the shadow stones amongst the décor so they would be impossible to find.
Not that it mattered much. I didn’t even know if I was searching for the shadow stones anymore.
I’m more or less just searching for the truth. Wherever that may be.
“In an hour our festivities will be moved into the ballroom. Enjoy!” The hostess grinned and twirled over and over until she blurred into an illusion of violet flames. Smoke rose around her. When the clouds of mist drifted away the hostess was gone. More claps and cheers lifted to the jeweled ceiling.
Eight placed his hand in mine. “Can we dance a little before you begin your mission?”
“Mission?”
“I still think you should look for the stones. They could be here.”
“True.” I’d caught him up and he’d been just as confused as me. We planned on heading to the library after the Gala and looking for
more newspaper clipping of the boy that had discovered Fortimer’s trunk and anything else we could find.
“Just one dance?” He tilted his head to the side. “Please.”
I didn’t want to dance. Too many dangerous secrets lingered around me and put me on edge. I hadn’t heard from Wiz so I assumed that everything was safe for now.
Eight lowered his lips into a frown. “I’m sorry, Cameo. I’m trying to force you into this. You don’t have to dance. I definitely understand.”
But how could I say no?
He’d given me his phone so I could call him if I was in danger. He’d supplied me with the majority of my research. I would’ve never knew that Wiz never aged or about the Fairy King experimenting with shadows and using them to shift into other images. Plus, Fin and I would have never been permitted in the Hall without him. Not only were we mixbreeds, we were poor-living-on-the-street mixbreeds. Our kind was never allowed around the clean folk. Eight delivered help and guidance without desiring anything else in return.
“Let’s dance.” I forced a big smile.
“Can you salsa?”
“Of course. I do live in Santeria, you know. I’m not always hopping from roof to roof.” I had no idea how to dance salsa, but I was good at following a person’s lead. I hoped that was enough.
We stepped into the ballroom hand in hand. Fin and her date trailed behind us. He ogled her every second she looked away and each time she caught him drooling she scowled. I prayed she wouldn’t cut him with the knife she’d so cleverly strapped to her right calf. Thank Shango, Sasha had hidden her gun under my couch.
Trumpets blared. Horns followed. Men banged their hands in a rhythmic motion on top of hourglass shaped drums. A stunning shapeshifter coated in muscle and bronze skin entered the stage. He wore no shirt.
Females shrieked. “MeShack! We love you!”
“Thank you ladies.” He winked and rocked his huge hips as if he as making love to a women in front of him. I was sure my face brightened to red as my mouth dropped open in shock. Two females tried to climb on stage. Troll security caught them before they got to the top.
“We’re Mahogany Groove.” The singer gestured to the band behind him. “Are you ready to party?”
The crowd roared. The volume of the music increased and the loveliest notes flowed out of his full lips. I had never heard anything prettier. His voice slipped across my skin like a satin scarf.
“Partying until the moon explodes,” he sang. “Sometimes it’s good to lose control.”
Eight cleared his throat. It was that moment that I realized that I’d been standing in the middle of the dance floor ogling the hot as hell singer. A tiny bit of saliva had actually spilled out the right corner of my mouth. Full of embarrassment, I rushed to wipe it with the back of my hand.
“And baby I yearn to taste you. Oh I yearn to touch you,” he sang. “I crave to love you till the sun comes up and the sky is blue.”
My skin flushed with heat.
Eight grinned. “Are you a fan?”
“This is the first time I’ve seen him.” I struggled to shrug, but instead I giggled like a silly girl. “He’s okay.”
“Sure he is.” Eight pulled me into him. I rested my arms on his small shoulders. We did an awkward fast bop as we held each other.
Fin bumped me on my hip with hers. “What type of dancing
are you both doing?”
“Shut up.”
“That singer is so hot so much hotter than Stan.”
“Hey! Stan is hot.” I pouted and then caught myself. “I mean, yeah. You should forget about Stan.”
She tossed me an odd glance and continued to rock to the beat in front of her date, Chuck. And then suddenly, my skin prickled with awareness. Cool power brushed against my body, freezing me.
Eight released me and backed up. “Are you okay? You just got really cold.”
I shivered with understanding and fear. I had no idea how or why I knew it, but somewhere in this beautiful ballroom Wiz was watching me. I searched the space with my eyes, but only saw crowds of supernaturals drinking champagne, chatting in groups, and dancing on the center platform.
I leaned Fin’s way. “Wiz is here.”
“Crap buckets,” Fin muttered.
“Crap buckets?”
“Chuck taught me that. He’s kind of cool.”
I checked the area on the right of the stage and didn’t see Wiz. “Do me a favor and get Eight and Chuck out of here. Wiz will probably come for me first.”
“I don’t like leaving you alone.”
“If he intended on hurting me then he would’ve already done it.”
Maybe.
She leaned over, raised her pant leg, grabbed something, and then slipped her pocketknife to me. “If he tries something and I’m not back in time, cut him and run.”
I handed her the knife back. “I’ve watched him shatter a knife into tiny bits with one word. I’ll probably just knee him in the balls and run. So far that’s the only thing that really works with Wiz.”
“A good knee in the balls. I’ll remember that.” Terror glazed over Fin’s eyes. “Maybe I shouldn’t leave you alone with him.”
“The odds of him hurting Eight are higher than him injuring me.” I motioned for her to go.
I pressed into Eight and whispered in his ear, “Wiz is here. I need you to leave with Fin like we planned.”
“No.” He grabbed my arm. “Come with me.”
“He’ll just follow us if I do.”
“Fine with me,” Eight said through clenched teeth. “I know some spells.”
Not as many or as powerful as Wiz’s spells.
“Please leave. You promised.” I landed a soft peck on his cheek. Eight blushed. Fin loudly cleared her throat. A deep growl thundered behind me.
“Is there something on Zero’s cheeks that require your lips’ attention, Cameo?” Wiz stepped behind Eight and into my view. He’d been dressed for the Gala and I wondered why and how long he’d been here.
“I’m starting to get sick of you touching him.” Wiz’s bottom lip trembled. Both eyes brightened with rage. His tan skin possessed an unusual golden hue near his eyes. But instead of him attacking, he swayed and stumbled back. Rich appeared out of the shadows to catch him.
“Where did you come from?” I asked Rich, whose face carried a grim expression. Wiz climbed out of Rich’s arms and adjusted his tuxedo jacket. It looked expensive. The material clung to his well-built body. His sandy blond hair slicked back into waves. His eyes shined with light as he watched me drinking him in.
“What do you want me to do, Cameo?” Fin whispered.
“Stick to our plan.” I moved away from Eight, Chuck, and Fin. Wiz remained where he was as he kept me in his view.
“Would you like to dance with me or are you too sick to dance?” I asked.
He sneered, displaying his silver fangs. “I’m not sick.”
“He’s probably going to pass out soon. I think he used too much of his magic today, but he won’t tell me.” Rich shook his head and then switched his attention to Fin. “Good god. You look amazing, Fin!”
“Thanks.” Fin turned her attention to the ground. “Okay guys, let’s go.”
“Guys?” Rich glared at Fin’s date. “And where are you going with these guys?”
“It’s no big deal, Rich.” Fin grabbed the side of her pants’ material and twisted it a little. “You can come if you want. I’m just walking them outside.”