Blood and Snow 6: Masquerade's Moon Read Online Free Page B

book, and I opened the front door.
    In a whisper she asked, “Do you want some of my blood?”
    I laughed. “Are you offering?”
    “Nooooooo,” she said, but laughed as well. “So you aren’t some bloodthirsty fiend?”
    Dorian stood near the passenger door of a large, black limousine. He bounced up and down.
    I quickly regarded Cindy, checking to see if she was all right. No point telling her I was a bloodthirsty fiend. That was beside the point. My thirst remained under control. “I’m just me. Snow White, the girl you’ve known since kindergarten.”
    She blinked. “Yes, you are,” she gently responded, and I knew our friendship was good.
    “Hurry up, you two, I’m freezing my butt off out here,” Dorian shouted.
    “Keep your teeth in,” I uttered.
    Cindy used magic to retrieve her mask. It sailed down the staircase and landed gently in her outstretched hand.
    How does she do that, I wondered.
    To her, I said, “You’re awesome.”
    “Duh.”
    I lifted my dress, as I took the two steps off my porch, and carefully walked toward the limo. The November night was chilly. I breathed in, enjoying the crisp scent of the pine needles, and the way the frozen air clung to everything in the shape of tiny snowflakes. It dawned on me I felt happy, momentarily satisfied. The feeling radiated with a glow I could almost taste. In that instant everything hung right with the world. Gabe loved me. Cindy knew what I was and hadn’t run away. The brothers and Professor Pops cared for me without judgment.
    What about your dad and your stepmother? What about Christopher, my inner voice sneered. I deflated. My dad and stepmother I couldn’t do anything about. They chose, with great effort, to stay away. Christopher was different. At least I hoped so. I needed to find the Seal of Gabriel.
    Dorian opened the door, and waved us inside.
    Cindy moved at a slower rate. The walkway was in serious need of repair, and Cindy in her six-inch heels nearly toppled over a few times before Dorian jogged over, and came to her rescue.
    “What the hell are you wearing? Stilts?” he asked in mock distain.
    “Very funny,” she replied, but clung to his arm.
    Dorian’s close proximity caused my heart to lurch. He looked handsome in his black tuxedo with a burgundy and black striped tie, a white shirt, and burgundy vest, but his blood smelled even better. My canines pricked against the inside of my mouth. I swallowed, and held my breath, forcing myself to calm down.
    Cindy and I climbed in, and Dorian closed the door for us. A man sat in the driver’s seat. Dorian climbed in next to him. “To the ball, Georgio,” Dorian said, pointing toward the mansion.
    Georgio said, “You got it.” He checked the rearview mirror and held my gaze. Something about his eyes seemed familiar. I couldn’t think why though. In the next second he looked away, shifting the limousine into drive.
    Cindy leaned close and whispered in my ear, “Tomorrow, you and I are going to have a big, long chat, and you’re going to tell me everything. Deal?”
    “Deal,” I agreed.
    Dorian turned to face us. “What are we agreeing to?”
    Cindy and I glanced at each other and laughed.
    Cindy raised her chin as she slid back in the lush, leather seat. “None of your business, Dorian.”
     

Chapter 9
     
    On the seat next to Cindy rested a rectangle box.
    “What’s this?” Cindy asked, poking at it.
    I shrugged.
    Dorian, who’d been watching, said, “That’s your mask, Snow. Check it out.”
    “It seems small,” Cindy remarked.
    I picked up the box and placed it in my lap. It did seem minute compared to Cindy’s mask, which had three large feather plumes in baby blue and gray protruding from the right side of her mask. Her mask was baby blue, except around the eyes, which had small sequins the same color as the sequins on her dress, lining the openings.
    Timidly I removed the lid on the box, and shifted the white paper inside. The mask nestled within the tissue