Blood and Snow 12: Vampire Ever After? (7 page)

I quickly
washed. Then threw my wet hair in a messy bun. In my closet, I pulled on a pair of black and white checkered PJ pants, carefully tucking the black gem in a pocket, and pulled a black t-shirt over my head. I went to the library—Dorian’s new room. He wasn’t there. And my first thought was to head down to the kitchen. But I noticed the secret door—the one that led to the basement, and the room we’d hung out in as kids.

A little giddy, I pulled it opened. The circular tube slid
e was still in place. Climbing in, I pushed off. The ride was longer and more winding than I remembered, but as it neared the end I prepared myself.

I slid out, and onto my butt with
an
oomph
.

I heard Dorian
laugh, and searched for him. He sat in a large yellow beanbag chair. His sandy hair was wet, and combed back. He had on a pair of gray sweatpants, and a Patriots t-shirt. “You’re so elegant. The great and powerful Seal has the grace of a bumbling ox.”

“Hey,” I said, walking over to him.

He pulled me onto the beanbag, next to him.

“I’m not an ox. Sheesh.”

“Fine, a drunk rhino.”

I smacked him on the arm. “Don’t make me regret saving you,” I joked.

His face grew serious. “Did I thank you for saving me yet?”

I huffed in mock distain,
crossing my arms. “No. Not a peep of gratitude.”

He tucked an arm under me, and snuggled close
. I got a whiff of his clean soap smell, and the minty freshness on his breath.

I rested my head against his shoulder, trying to ignore the urgency parading through my body. I wanted to
talk to him about what he said when we were with the Unknowns—that he loved me. But I also needed to get back to Sharra. The creatures there considered me the new queen, whether I liked it or not.

The responsibility was already
overwhelming.

Before I left, a great cheer rose from outside the castle.

“Sharra is no longer a prison.”

“You freed us.”

“Hail, Queen Snow.”

All the creatures—from the unicorn to the gremlin—were free
d, and could come and go as they pleased, and they wouldn’t die.

That also meant they had a lot of questions and concerns.

Ryden, Eon, and Arianna wanted to speak with me about their responsibilities with
regards to the changing of the seasons. They felt like they’d been doing it so long someone else should be in charge. The unicorns wanted to leave in a herd and roam the world. I explained that if humans saw them, they might hunt them, so they should be careful.

Several vampires wanted to change the name of the realm. They said that Sharra was too much of a reminder of the tyranny they suffered
under. The trolls, and elves… The fairies, and the dragons… It was just too much.

Lying on the beanbag with Dorian was the first moment of peace I’d felt in a long time. Even that was stressful
though, because I was worried about Professor Pops, and the rest of the brothers. Where were they? I also needed to get my mother—Ariel. Who knew what sort of plans Devoran would come up with, once he heard Sharra was gone. I had no doubt he would fight to rule over the magical creatures. And truth be told, I was fine with that, as long as he didn’t try to enslave them.

Dorian kissed the top of my head, lightly. The movement brought me out of my reverie.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I turned so I could see his face, gauge his expression.

“Tell you?” he asked, caressing my forehead with the tip of his fingers.

“How you felt about me,” I finished, and my face colored bright red.

He sn
uggled me close, and kissed my eyebrow. Then he shrugged. “It never felt like the right time.”

I searched his eyes.

“When we were younger, you were this bright-eyed tomboy. As we grew, my feelings… developed. But by then the other brothers were talking about you… in the romantic way, if you get what I mean?” He raised his eyebrows and wriggled his eyebrows comically.

My face got hotter. “What? No they didn’t. I have no idea what you mean.” I slapped him on the chest. He caught my fingers with his hand and entwined our fingers. His hand was much larger than mine, but our fingers touching. Palm to palm.
Finger to finger. Our hands felt perfect together.

A vibrant purple glowed between our fingers. We looked at each other, surprised.

If this happened when we touched, purple would be my favorite color again, I thought, my heart beating rapidly.

I spoke first. “I don’t think you’re a normal boy anymore, Dorian Henry.”

He chuckled. “Normal is overrated.”

I raised my head, my body longing to kiss him
. He lowered his head so our lips were inches apart. His breath caressed my lips, like a kiss. It was warm and sent tingles through my body.

True love. It’s comfortable and sexy.
Reckless. Lustful. I remembered telling Cindy how I felt for Christopher, and it was all of those things… fireworks and kittens.

But it was more.

The best part? Knowing with absolute surety that the other person felt the same way. Dorian and I were new together. Hell, we weren’t even really together. But intimately knowing his feelings for me made my heart beat fast. Sure there was desire. A part of me wanted to climb on top of him and kiss him until we couldn’t breathe, but it was more. It was— It felt like— Dorian was the final piece to my heart.

Gabe exposed the physicality of love. 

Christopher revealed love could be heartbreaking.

Dorian showed me that love, true love,
was unconditional, far-reaching, and all encompassing.

“Dorian,” I breathed, touching his face.

Before our lips could meet, there was a loud clumping, like dozens of feet, on the stairs.

We looked at each other, and jumped up, prepared for whatever was coming for us.
We’d faced the Vampire Queen together. We could face anything.

“Hey,” Heathcliff said when he came around the corner. “I found her! And
, holy crap, she’s with Dorian!”

Excited hoots, and shouts came from the stairs. The brothers. They sounded like they were fighting each other.

From behind him came my mother.

“Mom,” I shouted, and ran to her.
“How?” I asked, stunned.

“It’s a long story.” She hugged me.

Next came Daniel, then Salvatore, Bart, Sebastian, Gabe, and Cindy. After them was Professor Pops. He looked like he’d aged a lifetime since I last saw him. But when his eyes fell on Dorian, the skin around his eyes crinkled, and he smiled.

“Son,” he said.

Cindy came to stand next to me. She smiled wearily, but she seemed more confident too.

“Merde, Snow. You scared us. I’m mad at you. Just so you know.”

“Sorry, Cin.” I leaned my head on her shoulder. She batted at my face.

“You’ve a lot of explaining to do.” She crossed her arms.

I lifted my head, and nodded toward my mom, who’d been following our exchange with interest. “So do you.”

“Touché, my friend.”

We both laughed. And my mom joined in. 

Dorian was surrounded by his
brothers. They were peppering him with questions. Laughing. Dorian did his best to answer. After a few minutes, they stopped, and made room for Pops.

Tears streaked
Professor Pops’ cheeks. “I thought you were gone.” He looked at me, and gave me a brief nod. Then turned back to Dorian. “I had hope, but a part of me thought you’d been lost.”

They hugged.

The brothers pounded them both on the back.

I hugged my mom tighter.

There was one thing that could make this moment better. And that was my dad. I hoped, wherever he was, he was okay. Safe. Getting the help he needed.

My mom squeezed me. “You’re one lucky girl,” she whispered longingly
, her eyes filled with a combination of happiness and incredulousness.

I nodded. My emotions too close to the surface to say anything.  

Chapter 13

I was
at the castle, getting ready for the official coronation. In the eyes of all magical creatures, I was the new Vampire Queen. Tonight was a formal technicality. Plus there would be food and dancing. This castle was my new home—for now—maybe forever. Sure, I still wanted to attend college. And I would. Someday.

No one knew what happened to Sharra. Not even Abernathy. He believed that wherever she was, she wasn’t dead.

“Balance,” he said. “It’s been restored. “Had she died, the balance would still be off kilter.”

My mom decided to live with me in the castle. She had
a room down the hall from mine. We’d stayed up until the early hours of the morning talking. I’d wanted to know how she was rescued. It was an exciting tale. The brothers did little else but talk about it. From what my mom said, Cindy sounded like the hero. Cindy was more demure, and I wondered why. We hadn’t had a chance to talk yet.

Getting to know my mother again would take time. But,
I figured that was what a person did. Made an effort for those important to them. And my mom was a significant part of me.

Cindy
was going to live at the castle too. As was Daniel and Salvatore. I had a feeling Cindy wouldn’t stay for long though. It made me sad. We were growing, and moving on.

Heathcliff would divide his time between the house in Salem, and
the castle, as would Professor Pops. They’d decided to keep the testing facility in Salem open and in tact, but they were going to build one here in Sharra as well.

Several of the magical creatures, including Ryden, were on board to help.
It seemed the idea of science and magic melding together was exciting to lots of creatures. Not just humans.

Gabe would stay at the house in Salem. He wasn’t
thrilled about the way magical creatures had free reign of the Earth once again. It turned out he’d liked the way the old Vampire Queen had things. He was of the opinion humans would be safer, as would creatures of magic, if they were kept separate.

Sebastian, and Bart opted to stay at the house with Gabe. Not because they weren’t behind my decision, but
because, as Bart said, “We need to keep the chayot leader from getting uptight or taking himself too seriously.”

Gabe and I would be working together often.
As the leader of the chayot, his new purpose was to make sure humans were treated fairly. The chayot were no longer desirous to kill me, at least not outwardly anyway. And, as the new queen, it would be my job to make certain all magical creatures were happy and treated equally.

I
quickly realized ruling wasn’t going to be easy. That was obvious within seconds of the Vampire Queen’s disappearance. She’d forced her subjects to be loyal. That kind of allegiance didn’t last.

But
I possessed one thing she hadn’t. The love of family and friends. Real love. Real friends.

Plus, I had Dorian.

“Why don’t you let me fetch Fina and Trina,” Zenny said, bringing me out of my musings.

Cindy
had already fixed my hair. Soft curls cascaded down my back. She pulled up the sides, and pinned them around the small, diamond and onyx encrusted tiara. My makeup was subtle, except my lips. They were blood red.

“
It’s appropriate, Snow. You’re the Vampire Queen. Own it,” Cindy said with a large smile.

She left to get ready and check on Gabe.

At the moment I was trying, without success, to zip a big, poofy, old-fashioned, irritating dress. Zenny designed it, and the fairies made it. The dress was beautiful, but overwhelming. The material was velvet, and deep purple. Black ribbing crisscrossed in the front, and tiny pearl buttons peaked from between the laced bodice. I stood in front of a large, oval mirror. Zenny had his hands on his hips, huffing, and stomping his feet.

“Be careful, child. For crying out loud, that dress isn’t made of bricks.
It’s delicate.”

“Sorry,” I responded.

“Maybe I can help,” Dorian said from the door.

I sighed with relief. “Yes, please.”

He looked so incredibly handsome. He wore black pants, a white shirt, and a jacket made from the same material as mine. On his sandy hair was a crown. His onyx eyes, that exactly resembled mine, danced with mischief.

“Allow me,” he said, pretending to be hoity-toity.

I pulled a face, but whatever I intended to say flitted from my head. He face was no longer playful, but intent and serious. He was staring at my back, where the dress opened. I shivered.

His fingers grazed my skin, and
I sucked in a breath. “You’re so beautiful, Snow.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but couldn’t speak. My lower belly was on fire. We had yet to kiss again,
and every inch of my body longed for his touch, his lips on mine. He brushed his fingers over my shoulders, and turned me.