Not Your Average Fairy Tale (Not Your Average Fairy Tale #1) (17 page)

"No more trouble than I’m already in." We reached the top of the staircase, and Ash pulled me onto a small landing. The space was just big enough for both of us. "Ready?" Ash asked as he spun me in a little circle and into his arms.

All I could do was swallow and tell myself to keep breathing. Ash honestly looked amazing, and I couldn't find my voice to tell him so.

A slow song echoed through the night. I pictured all the couples dancing inside, oblivious to the beautiful stars. A few couples strolled up and down the stairs, but for the most part, we were alone.

Ash pulled me close, slipping his arms around my waist.

I reached my hands around his neck and lay my head on his shoulder. We swayed to the music, lost in our own little world. I felt his heartbeat through his chest, fluttering about as fast as mine.

He pulled me closer. "You look beautiful," he whispered.

Chills coursed through my body, and I shivered. He chuckled into my hair.

I smiled. Ash being with me was more than I’d ever hoped for. "Thank you," I said.

"For what?"

"You know. For being here." I pulled away and looked into his eyes, seeing the silver swirl around the blue.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be." He leaned in, touching his forehead to mine.

I wanted him to kiss me, but he made no move to do so.

The song ended too soon, and Ash lifted a hand, touching my cheek. "I have to go," he whispered.

"Why?" I asked, surprised and disappointed that he was leaving already.

He grimaced. "I'm on probation. I have to meet with the council in, like, three minutes."

"Oh." I frowned. "Is it bad?"

He shrugged. "I'll be fine.” He leaned in again, his lips touching my cheek. "I promise I'll see you later tonight. If that's okay."

I nodded, not wanting him to leave.

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Do you need me to take you home first? Since that idiot won't be driving you anymore?"

I shook my head. "No. You go. I don't want you to get into any more trouble."

He hesitated, meeting my eyes, a pained expression on his face. "Okay. I'd better go."

"Thank you," I said.

He smiled, kissed my hand, and vanished.

Alone again, I sighed. I made my way back into the dance.

I stepped inside, pushing through the crowded room, avoiding Cameron and anyone else associated with him. I spotted Tessa and made my way toward her, knowing she'd give me a ride home. Hopefully.

"Hey," I said when I reached her.

She turned to look at me, and I backed up at the blank look on her face. Her eyes were glazed over, and she yawned.

A chill filled the air as the whole room grew quiet. The music stopped, everyone quit talking, and no one moved. The lights flickered and dimmed, casting sickly shadows over everyone and everything.

Then people around me started dropping to the floor. Tessa mumbled something unintelligible and fell. I caught her around the waist, letting her slide softly to the ground.

"Tessa?" I leaned down, making sure she was still breathing. She was. "Tess, can you hear me?" I glanced around, seeing every other person in the room sprawled on the floor, chests rising and falling as they slept.

A few were even snoring.

"Don't worry. They'll wake soon." A voice echoed through the room, and I shook my head.

I knew that voice. I'd heard it before.

I looked up. A figure stepped out of darkness. He sauntered toward me, a wicked smile on his face. I recognized him as the young man from my nightmares. Black hair, pale features, dressed in a black robe. Golden eyes.

I got to my feet, wrapping my arms around myself at the sudden drop in temperature.

"Who are you?" My voice sounded hoarse, and my breath clouded white in front of my face.

"Don't you recognize me?"

"No," I lied. I wasn't sure why I didn't want to admit that I did.

"Oh, come on. You mean you haven't seen me in your dreams lately?" He smiled. Goosebumps covered my arms.

Kendall.

I shivered at his voice in my head and wondered how he knew my name. "What do you want?"

He laughed. "I'm giving Ash a taste of his own medicine. And just so we're clear, this is nothing against you." He lifted a hand.

"What are you doing?" I took a step back, nearly tripping over a sleeping body.

"You ever heard of Sleeping Beauty?"

My eyes widened as he threw a handful of black dust at me, covering me from head to toe. I blinked, seeing actual stars as I sank to the ground. My attacker smiled, and his golden eyes glowed in the darkness.

"Don't worry. Ash will be here soon."

The marble floor was cold as my face lay against it. I fought to stay awake, but my eyes refused to stay open.

A blue flash lit the room, and a person stood in its wake.

The last thing I heard was someone calling my name.

Ash.

Ash

"Kendall!" I yelled. I was breathing hard, my hand gripping my wand so tight it hurt.

Dax stood next to her sleeping form. His eyes were actually glowing, making him look even more menacing.

I lifted my wand, ready to blast him with all the magic I could muster.

"Don't do anything stupid," he said, glancing meaningfully at Kendall.

I stiffened. If he touched her ... "Let her go," I said.

He folded his arms, looking relaxed. "Why don't you and I have a little chat."

"Wake her up. Then we'll chat. She doesn't have anything to do with this."

He smiled. "She has everything to do with it."

"What are you talking about?"

He leaned down, touching her cheek.

"Don't touch her!" I yelled, taking a step forward.

"I wouldn't, if I were you."

I froze.

"What's so special about her, Ash?" He stood straight again. "Why do you care about her so much? She's a human. A weak, vulnerable human." He spread his arms, gesturing around the room at all the sleeping forms. "They all are."

I watched him warily.

"I thought I'd try a little experiment." He paused, waiting for me to say something. When I didn't, he scowled and kept talking. "I put everyone in this room under a minor sleeping spell. Which means they'll all wake up soon. All except for Kendall."

"I'm listening," I said, suddenly sick with dread.

"You remember all the different sands?"

“Dax, we’ve taken the same classes for six years."

"Then you can figure out what I did to her." He smiled. "I have a feeling your attachment to her is a little deeper than you let on."

"Quit stalling and tell me what you want!"

"I want you to kiss her."

I was not expecting that. "What?"

He grinned. "Just do it."

"What are you playing at?" Something wasn't right.

"Ash, you're wasting time. If you want Kendall to wake up, kiss her."

When he said those words, everything clicked into place.

"Sleeping Death," I whispered.

Dax's eyes lit up, and he nodded.

Sleeping Death was the same spell put on Sleeping Beauty. It could only be broken by a kiss from their true love. Dax knew she would wake up when I kissed her. If, of course, she felt the same way about me. Then he could use this information against me when I met with the council. He'd make it so I'd never see Kendall again. And get me expelled.

I glanced at her sleeping form. She was beautiful, even as she slept.

"I'm waiting," Dax said.

Taking a shaky breath, I made my way through the room full of sleeping high school students. I didn't look at Dax, but concentrated on the beautiful girl lying next to him.

I knelt down beside her. I fingered the necklace I'd given her, and knew I was in way over my head. I realized right then that I'd do anything to be with her.

My hand slipped under her head and I leaned in, softly brushing my lips over hers. I watched her eyelids flutter open.

Dax laughed. "I knew it."

I helped Kendall to her feet, vaguely aware of people starting to stir around me.

"Ash, what's going on?" Kendall said. Her eyes darted toward Dax, and she grabbed my hand, nearly squeezing it off.

"Nothing," I assured her. "Everything's going to be fine."

"No it's not. I've seen him before," she whispered. "He's been in my head. And my dreams."

As soon as the words left her mouth, something inside me snapped. I shook with rage as Dax gave Kendall a wicked smile.

"You've been messing with her dreams?" My voice was calm even as every muscle in my body twitched.

"Just having a little fun."

I pulled Kendall behind me. "You've gone too far this time. I'm done letting you hurt people I care about." I pulled out my wand.

"Using a sissy wand? Lame," Dax said. He grinned. "Your wings are pretty."

I'd had enough.

A blast of blue light erupted from my wand, just as Dax threw a handful of dark sand at me. The crack of them connecting echoed through the room. Kendall screamed my name. I hoped she'd stay where she was.

A whirlwind of sand appeared in front of me, almost knocking me over. I muttered a spell and my wand released a flood of water, covering the sand and turning it to mud at my feet.

"Clever," Dax said. He raised his arms to the ceiling and muttered something under his breath. The room started shaking. The floor buckled, nearly breaking apart at my feet.

"Dax! Don't do this!" I drew my wand back and shot a stream of light at him, hitting him in the chest.

He flew backwards into a pillar. A crack echoed through the room and he slid to the floor.

"Ash," Kendall said. "Is he ...?"

I shook my head.

Dax was still, but only for a moment before he stood, a murderous look on his face. He raised his arms. Sand poured out of the sleeves of his robe, building higher and higher until a mountain of sand sat in front of him. He thrust his hands forward, sending the pile flying toward us.

Kendall cried out, and I flinched as the grains embedded themselves in my skin. It was like a desert sandstorm, only we were in a massive building.

"Dax! What do you want from me?" I yelled.

His face contorted, his golden eyes boring into mine. "I want you gone. You've always been everyone's favorite! Especially Shenelle's!" His eyes flashed dangerously. "I'm sick of it! I’m done watching you get everything you want!"

My body tensed. My fingers tingled. The wand slipped from my fingers and clattered to the floor. Power surged through my body, sending currents toward my fingertips.

I opened my eyes, seeing Kendall huddled on the ground, covering her face. "Hold on," I said. I yanked her up, pulling her against my chest. The hair on my arms stood on end as I focused all of my energy on the grains of sand pelting my body. I was very aware of the wind that now entered the room, pushing every miniscule particle of sand up and into a funnel cloud.

"Dax,
stop
!" I yelled.

His eyes widened.

I forced the wind to move the cloud of sand in his direction, and he took a step backward, shielding his face.

He raised his arms, his whole body shaking, and I thrust my hand in front of me, sending a white light into the twister. To my surprise, and Dax's, it exploded.

The sleeping students, and the floor, were covered in a fine layer of black dust. A few of the students moved. Dax's spell was wearing off.

Dax and I stared at each other, and I noticed more particles of sand rising from the ground.

"This isn't over," he said. "You have no idea what's about to happen. If I were you–"

Before I could think of another spell, Dax stopped moving. His arms froze in mid-air, his mouth gaping.

I glanced around, still hugging Kendall, who trembled in my embrace.

"Ash?" Sam's voice echoed through the building, and he was suddenly standing next to me.

I'd never been more happy to see him.

"You did this?" I asked, glancing at Dax's frozen form. I reached out and pinched a grain of sand that hung in the air between my fingers. "Amazing."

He nodded and turned his attention to Kendall. "Hello." He looked her up and down and my chest tightened. "I'm Sam. Ash told me all about
you
."

She pulled away from me, taking his hand. He kissed it and I cleared my throat.

"Don't worry,” Sam said with a grin. “I'm not thinking about taking your girl."Kendall blushed.

I rolled my eyes, embarrassed. "How did you know where I was?"

"Well, I was bored, and thought I'd see if you wanted to go hang out. I traced your teleport and found you here. I realized what was happening and told Misty before I stepped in to help. She went to get Lady Shenelle. They should be here any minute."

"You did that for me?"

He gave me a look that said "duh".

"He's going to be pissed when he figures out what happened," Sam said.

I glanced at Dax, frozen in mid-air, an eerie smile on his face. I wondered what he'd do when he realized we were gone.

Sam must have noticed my expression. "Don't worry. Logan's on his way, too.”

I exhaled. "Thanks, man. We've got to get out of here though."

"I agree. Time will start again in less than a minute. I can't hold it very long. And you may not want to be here when Shenelle and some of the council show up to undo all the damage you've caused."

"You know it wasn't me."

He grinned. "If you say so."

"I'll meet you back home in a few," I told him. "And thanks."

"Any time, brother."

I pulled Kendall to me and we disappeared.

***

We reappeared in Kendall's front yard. I still held her, neither of us moving. "Are you okay?" I whispered into her hair. She smelled like vanilla and strawberries again. Absolutely perfect.

"I think so," she said.

"I'm so sorry. You were never supposed to get involved. I'm still not sure why
I'm
involved. I've never done anything to Dax." That wasn't true, of course, since I
had
turned him into a rat.

"Who
was
that?"

"That was Dax. He's apprenticing the Sandman. And someone else, too."

She glanced up at me. "What do you mean?"

"Someone dark's helping him. No one knows magic like that at our school."

"Why is he after you?"

I shrugged. "He’s always hated me."

"Why?"

"I don't know." I knew my time was growing short with her. I’d already missed my meeting with the council, and they’d be coming to find me soon. "I'm sorry, Kendall. I have to go."

"What's wrong?"

"I still have to meet with the council. I turned Dax into a rat. And that whole thing that happened tonight, well, that's going to be a problem. I’m pretty much screwed."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You sure you're alright?" I pulled her close.

"Yes."

"I'll be back as soon as I can." I leaned in, gently brushing my lips against hers. I pulled away, not wanting to leave. I leaned in again, and she surprised me with an enthusiastic kiss.

Her lips moved against mine. She was just as eager as I was. I slid a hand around her waist, pulling her against me. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and I sighed, not wanting to leave.

Too soon, I pulled away. "I've got to go." I held her hand, letting her fingers slip through mine as I went back to my world, ready for whatever the council had in store for me.