Reign or Shine (27 page)

Then again, she didn't know what happened between Chris and me when we left the dance early. My perfect crush had too much to drink, he'd cornered me in the back of an empty limousine, and tried to . . . wel , let's just say he tried to do something I didn't want to do.

When I got mad or scared or stressed out, I unconsciously tapped into my demon side. We're talking black leathery wings, horns, talons, extra strength,

the works. A teenaged she-demon who could kick butt.

I'd . . . sort of kicked Chris's butt. Wel , he total y deserved it.

Unfortunately, he now knew my secret. I was real y, real y hoping that he'd convinced himself he'd imagined it al . I mean, he
was pretty drunk.

"You're coming to my Christmas party on Saturday night, right?" Melinda asked after a long, uncomfortable moment of silence passed among us in the

busy hal way.

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Chris nodded stiffly. "Wouldn't miss it."

"You have to choose a Secret Santa name for the gift exchange. So do you, Nikki."

The frozen smile on my face was starting to cramp. "Sounds like fun."

"Yeah," Chris agreed halfheartedly. For a moment I thought he was going to leave without another word, but instead he looked directly at me. "Nikki, I ... I

want to talk to you."

"Now?" I squeaked.

I real y hated it when I squeaked.

"No, but soon. Real y soon. It's important." He nodded firmly, his jaw tense, and then he walked away. He wanted to talk to me. About what? Like I had to

ask.

I could deal with him. Sure. I'd just convince him that he'd seen things. Spiral-horned, black-winged, red-eyed things that threw bal s of energy in selfdefense. While wearing a fancy dress and high heels.

Sure. No problem.

Melinda looked perplexed by this exchange. She glanced at me. "He's acting strange. What was that al about?" "I have no idea," I lied. "Aren't you two

together anymore?" "Anymore? Were we together in the first place?" "You went to the dance together."

"So?" I tried to look innocent. It was difficult. "Does that mean I have to marry him or something?"

She final y smiled again. "Yeah, you have to marry him. Didn't you know that? Going to Winter Formal means you're automatical y engaged."

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I couldn't help but snort a little at that. "Then we're in serious trouble."

She sighed. "It's too bad. I thought you and Chris would be perfect together. Are you interested in somebody else?"

I looked at her cautiously. "Why? Are you going to play Cupid again?"

"Depends on who you pick."

"Nobody comes to mind."

Yet another secret I couldn't share with Melinda--or anyone else--was that I did have a boyfriend. Michael didn't go to school here. He also wasn't exactly what you'd cal a normal boyfriend. In fact, he was about as non-normal as you could get. He wasn't a human. Or a demon. He was a "Shadow" and he lived in my father's castle. Shadows were enslaved to demons and had been practical y forever.

It was ridiculous and outdated. From what I'd seen, the Shadowlands were seriously like something out of Medieval Times dinner theater. Only no jousting. Or turkey drumsticks.

Demons and Shadows were forbidden to be together as anything other than master and servant. Also ridiculous.

And get this: my father had assigned Michael to be
my
personal servant. But I didn't think of him that way at al . Plus, since Michael put his life on the line

to help defeat my aunt late last Friday night, I'd made my father promise Michael wouldn't have to be a servant anymore. That was the last time I'd seen either of them.

It was al complicated enough to give me a big fat headache when I thought about it for too long. I rubbed my temples and final y opened my locker so I could unload my backpack and grab my books for the first class of the day-282

biology. I had it on fairly good authority that today was dissect-a-frog day. I was looking forward to that disgusting prospect only a little more than my now

inevitable conversation with Chris.

"So your party's definitely on, huh?" I asked, trying to concentrate on something else.

Melinda nodded as she stuck her head back into her locker, "Saturday night starting at eight. Everyone's coming. Wear something Christmassy."

"Red and green color scheme. Got it."

"Chris is coming. Is that going to be a problem?"

"A problem? No, of course not."

Sure it
was.

I was finding it difficult not to obsess about Chris. He was going to be a big problem. Would he tel anyone what he'd seen? And if so, what would happen

then? Would I be able to deal with it?

Yes, of course I would. I'd battled my evil aunt who wanted to kil me. I could deal with Chris knowing my secret. Stil , my head began to throb.

I knew I had to keep on top of my emotions. Since I was a Darkling--half human, half demon--al this power built up inside of me since I turned sixteen, just waiting for a chance to burst free. And when your inner demon wants to burst free, it's not a pretty sight. Trust me on that.

I looked at the little mirror on my locker door and gasped. My eyes had turned red--ful red with black slits for pupils, like a cat's eye. And they were glowing.

No. Not here.

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I couldn't change into my Darkling form right here in the middle of the school hal way. I suddenly pictured screaming, panicked students running in every

direction trying to escape from me. Yel ing and pointing at the monster with the big leather wings wearing jeans and a hot pink V-neck sweater.

Relax,
I told myself. Everything's
okay.

"Can you come over earlier on Saturday and help me set things up?" Melinda's voice echoed inside her locker.

"Yeah . . . sure. No problem." I squeezed my eyes shut and attempted to breathe normal y. I tried to think happy thoughts.

I thought about Michael.

Dark hair, green eyes, a rare smile.

Michael's lips. Michael
kissing me.

Okay, I started to feel calmer. Happier.

I opened my eyes and looked in the mirror again, relieved to see they had returned to their usual hazel color. I pul ed my long blonde hair back and tucked it behind my ears. A little lip gloss quickly applied from the zippered pocket of my backpack, and I was al ready to go to my first class.

I could do this. Everything was fine.

I repeated it over and over in my head.

Everything is
going
to
be fine. Chris is my only problem this week, and I can totally deal with him.

"I guess I'l see you at lunch," I said.

"Oh my God." Melinda grabbed my arm. "Nikki, there he is."

"There who is?"

"The exchange student guy." She bit her bottom lip, her attention focused behind me. "So hot. I could die."

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I turned to look and my mouth dropped open.

Melinda was right--the new guy
was
real y good looking.

He was tal and cute with short chestnut brown hair. He had dark brown eyes. I wasn't close enough to see the color at the moment, but I knew they were dark brown.

How did I know? Because I'd already met the new student everyone was excited about.

His name was Rhys. He was sixteen years old. But like me, he wasn't al that normal, either.

Believe it or not, he was the king of the faery realm. The forest that bordered the Shadowlands led directly into his kingdom.

And he knew I was a demon princess.

Had I thought Chris was my only problem at the moment?

Um . . . wrong. So very wrong.

The last time I'd seen Rhys, only a couple of days ago, he'd mentioned a fascination with visiting the human world someday. He'd never been here before. He brought it up during the same conversation when he'd threatened to kil me with a very sharp sword.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Melinda's smile fade. "That's weird. Do you already know him, Nikki?"

"I . . . uh . . ." I clamped my mouth shut before I said anything that might get me into more trouble than I was already in.

Despite his death threat the last time we'd been face-to-face, the sixteen-year-old faery king was currently waving at me. "Weird" didn't even begin to cover it.