Eternal

It was only on the fourth try that I managed to pause long enough to flex my psychic muscle. Megved, I thought, pushing the word from my mind in much the same way as I reached out telepathically to Aidan.

And then I felt what seemed like a click inside my head. Suddenly, he was there. Matthew. Inside my consciousness.

Vampire. Destroy. The words were a command this time, spoken directly to Matthew, but with no discernible effort on my part. I couldn’t explain it, not even if I tried. There were no words to describe the connection. We were simply . . . one.

I reached for my stake; he unsheathed his baselard, all in the blink of an eye. If he feinted left, I went right, and vice versa. We moved in perfect unison, not like separate bodies, but like two parts of a single one, anticipating each other’s every move, bolstering it.

And then he recapped the vial. I felt him disengage from me psychically, just like that. I felt off, like I had vertigo or something. I collapsed into the chair behind me with a gasp, trying to regain my equilibrium.

Across from me, Matthew looked equally dazed. “Wow,” he said, raking a hand through his hair. “That was . . . intense.”

It took me a second to catch my breath. “Yeah. I think we got it that time.”

“I guess so.” He set down the vial, his hands trembling slightly. “You think we can do that at any time? Or just when there’s a threat?”

“You’re asking me?” I shook my head. “I’m totally in the dark here. I know nothing. I don’t even know what the hell that was.”

The corners of his mouth lifted into a smile. “I’d call it pretty damn awesome, wouldn’t you?”

I had to admit it was.

26 ~ Dancing Queen

Prom night at Winterhaven was much the same as prom night anywhere else. After a day of primping and preening, the seniors donned their tuxes and cocktail dresses and piled onto a coach bus headed for the big event—in our case, a beautiful hotel fashioned after a castle that sat high atop a hill overlooking the Hudson River.

The evening began with a formal, sit-down dinner followed by dancing. The only difference between others proms and ours was that everyone attending Winterhaven’s had to sign a special COPA rider that outlined additional rules and punishments specific to this special, off-campus event.

Apparently, there had been problems in the past. With only two weeks left before graduation and college plans already set, the threat of expulsion didn’t hold much weight for some, it would seem. So in order to secure a ticket to the Winterhaven prom, you had to make a special trip to the headmistress’s office to read and sign the rider. Of course, the special circumstances also meant that everyone attending had to be a student at Winterhaven—in other words, no outside dates.

Not that this affected too many people, but I knew of at least one girl—a senior on the fencing team with me—who had to go dateless because her boyfriend went to one of the hill schools in Riverdale.

Regardless, I was certain that I had the hottest date possible. I glanced over at Aidan, sitting beside me in his tux, and thought for sure that he was the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen. He’d opted for a white dinner jacket instead of black, and it suited him perfectly, made his eyes look like clear aquamarines in the flickering candlelight.

He’d used some sort of product on his hair to tame the golden waves, but one single curl had escaped, falling across his forehead. I resisted the urge to reach over and brush it back, deciding that it gave him a careless, boyish air that fit the circumstances.

More than anything, I was glad that Mrs. Girard had let him come. Luc was here, of course—Aidan’s own personal bodyguard. At least a dozen additional vampire guards were stationed around the perimeter of the grounds, keeping watch. At the first hint of a threat—real or imagined—Aidan would be whisked back to Winterhaven. He’d had to agree to that before Mrs. Girard would allow him to come. Well worth it, I decided. Even if it meant Luc was lurking in the shadows, following us everywhere we went.

Aidan leaned toward me, his breath warm against my neck. “You want to go outside and get some air?”

“Are we allowed?” I asked.

“No one said I had to stay inside,” he answered with a shrug.

I nodded, pushing aside my half-eaten slice of cheesecake, and rose to follow him out. I couldn’t help but admire the decor as we wove our way toward the exit, the room a labyrinth of tables, chairs, and bodies. The prom committee had chosen black, white, and red as the night’s color scheme, and the result was truly elegant. The round tables were draped in black, the chairs covered with crisp white linen. A tall, rustic candelabrum stood in the center of each table, holding white pillar candles in various sizes. Long-stemmed red roses were twined around the base and arms, filling the room with their scent. The overall effect was magical, like something out of a fairy tale.

And I felt like a princess in my chocolate-brown chiffon dress. I’d accessorized it with French blue—strappy sandals and a simple wrap. Aidan’s mother’s aquamarine and diamond necklace—the one he’d given me last year for Christmas—completed the outfit.

The jewels were heavy against my throat, fit for a viscountess. I didn’t feel worthy of them. They were far too valuable, too precious for a school prom. But seeing the happiness—the love, the pride—shining in Aidan’s eyes when he saw me wearing them told me I had made the right choice.

As soon as we stepped out onto the stone patio, I paused, glancing back inside. “Wait. I’d better tell Matthew where I’m going. You know, just so he doesn’t get all twitchy if he can’t find me.”

I saw Aidan roll his eyes, though he tried to hide it by turning away from me. “Fine,” he said. “Do you see him anywhere? He was sitting over there with the other chaperones.”

I peered through the glass in the door, my gaze scanning the staff table in the room’s corner. Matthew’s seat was empty now. “That’s weird. I don’t see him. Oh well. We can’t stay out long, anyway. I think they’re doing king and queen soon, and I’ve got to be there to cheer for Cece when she wins.”

Winterhaven was progressive in many ways—we didn’t have cheerleaders or a homecoming court, much less a homecoming queen. But some of the old-school traditions remained, including the presentation of prom king and queen, voted on by the senior class. There were actual crowns and scepters, or so I’d been told, and the king and queen led off the night’s dancing with the opening slow song, also chosen by the seniors. I was pretty sure that Cece had it in the bag, though who would be voted king was anyone’s guess.

“Feeling confident in your roommate, I see.” He reached for my hand, bringing it to his lips.

“No one else has a chance,” I said with a laugh. “Anyway, she looks like a queen tonight.”

“The both of you do. My queen,” he said with a mock bow.

I leaned in to him, resting my head on his shoulder. The sun had only just set, leaving the sky a colorful canvas. Indigo, gray, orange, pink painted the sky in wide, rolling bands. Down below, the town’s lights were twinkling, matching the first stars up in the sky. In the distance, the river stretched and twisted. Across it spanned the Tappan Zee Bridge, brightly lit against the river’s still, dark waters.

The breeze stirred, lifting the tendrils of hair from the sides of my face, cooling my skin, and I let out a contented sigh. “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?”

“Beautiful,” Aidan agreed, but when I glanced up at him, I saw that he was looking at me, not the view. My heart did a little giddyap, my skin tingling all over.

“Have you ever been to a prom before?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “No. Never. You?”

“This is my first.”

“Good,” he said, his fingers trailing down the column of my neck, eliciting a shiver. “A first for us both. I feel as if I’m at a ball, stealing away my paramour for a forbidden kiss.”

I held my breath as his lips slanted down toward mine. His kiss was soft and gentle and sweet, leaving me