Reign or Shine (26 page)

He wasn't looking at me. His green amulet glinted under the street lamp. "I like you, Princess. I like you so much, but there are too many problems. I don't

want you to have to

268

deal with this." His expression tensed. "Not that I'm saying you
want
to deal with this, at al . I mean, it's not like we're together, or anything." He covered his face with his hands. "I think I need to stop talking now."

I bit my bottom lip, torn between feeling confused and total y elated by his little speech. "Do you have any idea how annoying you are?"

He nodded. "I know. I'm sorry." "If you don't stop apologizing, I think I'm going to kick your butt." I crossed my arms. "And I'm pretty sure I can do it, too."

Despite himself, he grinned at that. "I'm sure you can."

There was a pause between us before I said, "Do you know that when Chris asked me to Winter Formal, I'd never been so thril ed about anything in my

life?"

He glowered. "I don't think I'm going to like this story."

"I thought that this cute guy liked me and I was so happy. He was everything I wanted. Good-looking, popular, and he seemed real y nice. I felt so lucky." I breathed out and watched my breath freeze in the air. "But I knew deep down there was something missing."

"What was missing?"

I shrugged. "You were."

He shook his head. "I don't understand."

"I like you, too, Michael. A lot. Too much, probably."

He raised his dark eyebrows. "Real y?"

"Real y." My cheeks flushed. It wasn't every day I came right out and admitted my real feelings. But Michael seemed 269

to be the sort of guy who needed this kind of thing spel ed out for him.

"But what about what your father said? It's al true. You've never known this sort of thing because you've lived around humans al your life, but there are rules that can't be broken. Shadows and demons--"

"I know what he said. And I don't real y care." I let out a long sigh. "Everybody always tel s me what I have to do. Wel , I've decided that from now on sometimes I'm going to listen and sometimes I won't. Now, if you don't want to see me anymore, I total y understand. When I visit my father you can just make sure you're not around. But if you want to--"

He kissed me then. I wasn't prepared and I hadn't adequately puckered but it was okay. In fact, it was fantastic. I smiled against his lips as I kissed him back and hugged him against me so I could warm up a bit. He kept his hand firmly pressed against his amulet so it wouldn't shock me.

"You're freezing," he said.

"It's December."

"You should go inside."

I nodded. "I'l see you soon. Just . . . just don't tel my father."

He smiled. "You don't think he'l figure it out?" "What's the penalty for breaking the law?" His smile faded. "I don't know."

"Hopeful y not the same as the one for touching a

270

unicorn." Before he could reply to that I kissed him again. "Are al Shadows good kissers?"

"I wouldn't know." He grinned. Then he took my hand in his and kissed the back of it. "Good-bye, Princess."

"Nikki,"
I reminded him for the mil ionth time. "And good night, not good-bye."

"Right." He kissed me one last time, tangling his fingers into my hair to pul me closer to him.
"Qood night,
not good-bye.
Nikki."

I gave him back his sweatshirt and immediately started to shiver without its meager warmth. I watched Michael walk away, my lips tingling from our forbidden kiss. I wished he could stay here and go to school with me so I could see him every day, but I knew he couldn't stay in the human realm.

He had to live in the Shadowlands and I had to live here.

And we weren't supposed to like each other in the first place. If my father found out ... he was going to be very upset.

It would have to be our little secret.

"What are you doing lurking around out here at this hour of the night?" a very unfriendly voice snapped.

I turned to my right. Robert stood in the driveway next to his Chrysler LeBaron. His right arm looked awkward in the cast and in his left hand he held a . . .

suitcase?

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Away from you."

I felt a sudden stab of concern. "Where's my mother?" "Inside."

271

"What's wrong with your eye?"

Even in the darkness I could tel that a bruise was developing around his right eye. It looked puffy and sore.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he growled. "Your mother has a mean left hook on her."

My eyes narrowed and I felt my Darkling swirl inside of me. "As mean as
your
left hook?"

He glowered at me. "Some women require discipline."

I clenched my fists. "You touch my mother again and I swear to God--"

"Don't worry. I'm out of your lives forever. And I never want to see either one of you again."

"The feeling's mutual."

He didn't say anything else. He took his suitcase, his broken arm, and his bruised eye socket, got in his car, and pul ed out onto the street. I watched until

the car's tail ights disappeared in the distance.

Then I rushed inside, feeling frozen to the bone, but overflowing with concern and curiosity. I found my mother in the kitchen pouring herself a large glass of

red wine. A quick check of the wal clock confirmed that it was half past midnight. "Oh, hi, honey," she said before taking a big gulp of the drink.

"Did you have fun at the dance?" Her gaze moved down the front of me. "Is that a grass stain on my Versace dress?"

"I just saw Robert. What's going on? Did he hit you again?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He tried

272

to, but I hit him first. He's gone. He's not coming back. It's over. Four strikes for me now. I don't think I'm going to get married again."

I went to her and gave her a big hug.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." Her voice was shaky. "Why can't I find somebody who'l love me and treat me right?"

"I love you."

"Thanks." She pul ed back and smiled at me. "Just the two amigos, then, huh? You and me. Like it's always been."

I had a horrible thought then. "Does this mean we're moving again?"

I hated the idea that we would have to leave and go somewhere else to start al over again. I'd lived so many different places and final y, despite my problems with Chris, I was somewhere I wanted to stay. I valued Melinda as a friend. I liked my classes. I even liked some of my teachers.

And would I be able to get to the Shadowlands from anywhere? How did that work? I didn't know and I couldn't leave until I knew for sure.

She shook her head. "I'm sick of moving around so much. Besides, you know I grew up near this area. I think I've final y found my home again. We'l stay

in Erin Heights for a while, anyway. At least until you finish high school. Is that okay with you?"

I felt a surge of relief. "That's definitely okay."

"How did things work out with Chris?"

I grimaced. "Not so wel . I won't be seeing him again."

"I'm sorry, honey." She stroked the hair back off my

273

face and tucked it behind my ear. "Maybe one day we'l both get to have our happy endings."

"I thought you said that was only in your books."

She shrugged. "Maybe I was wrong. Life is ful of surprises, after al ."

I wanted to tel her al about Michael. I wanted to tel her about my father so much, too, but I held my tongue. I'd respect his wishes.

For now.

Maybe someday I'd be able to share the truth with her, both about me and about him. There was a reason he had a painting of my mother on his wal --a

reason he wanted to protect her from the truth about him. It was because he'd never forgotten about her. Because he stil loved her. Maybe that's the reason she'd searched so hard to find love but it had never worked out. Because my father was the perfect man for her.

Even though he was a demon.

But then again, so was I. Half demon, anyway.

I'd always believed that demons were evil, but my father wasn't evil.

I wasn't evil.

However, there was one person who might disagree with that statement. Chris had seen me in ful Darkling form. I was wil ing to bet that he'd stay very far away from me from this moment forward.

That was just fine with me.

But would he tel anyone what he saw? Was my secret safe? I didn't know for sure.

274

Everything was going to be okay, though. I could feel it. And if it wasn't, then I'd have to do something to make it okay because no one better mess with me

or anyone I loved.

After al , mess with the demon and you get the horns.

Cute horns. But stil ,
horns.

275

For
Nikki Donovan, demon princess, navigating the Underworld is a piece of cake-- it's navigating the hallways of her high school that's hellish.

Don't miss the second instal ment in the wickedly fun Demon Princess series

Coming spring 2010

Demon Princess

REIGN CHECK
Turn the page for a sneak peek! I dare you . . .

Act
normal,
I told myself as I pushed through the front doors of Erin Heights High School.
Everything's going to be just fine.

That thought lasted exactly thirty seconds. Then I saw Melinda, my best friend, waiting for me by our lockers. The look on her face immediately made me

nervous. She looked way too excited about something.

It was eight thirty on a Monday morning and freezing cold outside. The roads were sheets of ice that only looked like roads. Everything else was blanketed in thick snow. Christmas vacation was stil a whole week away. Obviously, in my opinion, there was nothing to get al that excited about.

It was probably nothing. But I couldn't help being on edge. After al , I now had a secret that nobody, including Melinda, could find out.

A week ago, I was a normal, boring teenager.

Then I met my father for the first time and found out he was a demon. And not just any demon: he was also the king of another dimension cal ed the Shadowlands.

Which made me a princess--a
demon
princess.

So very not normal.

That was the secret I now had to keep from everybody.

277

After al , I didn't live in the Shadowlands; I lived here, in the real world. With homework, crabby teachers, and a curfew.

Not that anyone would believe me if I actual y told them the truth. It sounded al kinds of crazy, didn't it?

I approached Melinda warily. I hadn't spoken to her since Saturday morning--during a quick ten-minute phone cal in which I pretended I was sick to get

out of going to the mal with her. I'd been recovering from my near-death experience in the Shadowlands, when my demonic aunt Elizabeth had tried unsuccessful y to kil me and my father so she could take over the throne. The fact that I wasn't up for a few hours of shopping the next day didn't make me

a bad friend--just one who needed to sleep in as long as possible.

This morning the blonde, model-pretty Melinda looked as perfect as she always did. She was the queen of the "Royal Party," which is what some of the

most popular kids at Erin Heights were cal ed.

"Nikki!" Melinda greeted me enthusiastical y.

"Hey, what's going on? You look like you're ready to explode."

"There's a new guy starting today in our grade," she said. "Wait til you see him. He's
gorgeous."

"New guy?" I repeated. "That's why you look like you just won the lottery? There's a new student. Big deal."

She had a serious perma-grin thing going on. "I think I'm in love."

I relaxed a bit. Happily, this seemed to be an issue that had nothing to do with me. I could definitely deal with any new student Melinda thought was hot.

Not a problem. I shifted my heavy backpack to my other shoulder. "I thought you only liked older guys."

She shrugged. "I'm making an exception to my over-sixteen rule. Rumor has it he's a foreign exchange student, but he doesn't have an accent."

"You've talked to him?"

"Not yet. But Larissa bumped into him and he said 'Excuse me' and asked for directions to the principal's office. She's so lucky."

I tried to refrain from rol ing my eyes. Larissa and I didn't get along that wel . "That's definitely one of the words
I'd
use to describe her."

Melinda worked on the combination to her locker and swung it open.

"Nice crown." I nodded at the top shelf inside.

"Thanks. I want to keep it close. It makes me happy." She ran her fingers over the shiny silver plastic headpiece tipped with snowflakes. She'd been crowned Winter Queen last Friday night at the school's formal dance. "I'm stil dying to know how everything went with you and Chris, you know. You guys left so early and I haven't seen you since."

With that, she gave me a huge grin, as if she thought Chris Sanders and I were soulmates and she was taking the credit for setting us up in the first place. Which, admittedly, she kind of did.

"There's real y not much to say," I began, trying to think of a way to change the subject as quickly as possible.

Melinda looked over my shoulder. "Oh, here he comes now. Hey, Chris!"

I froze and slowly turned around.

279

Chris Sanders stopped walking, right in the middle of the hal way, and his eyes widened a little when he saw me. He was just as good looking now as the first time I'd seen him when my mom and I moved here two months ago--al tal , broad-shouldered, and blue-eyed. I'd developed an immediate crush on

him. I had been so thril ed when he'd asked me to Winter Formal, you have no idea.

Funny how things changed.

"H-hey, uh, Melinda." Chris stuttered the greeting in an awkward manner that majorly conflicted with his usual confidence. "And . . . Nikki. . . um, good to see you."

I pasted a frozen smile on my face. "Yeah . . . you too."

Melinda looked at us each in turn, confused.