The Dark Prince

Chapter 16

I woke up to someone's hands around my waist and their breath tickling my ear. I quietly turned myself around so I was facing the still sleeping Michael. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how he had gotten in the same bed as me but I could care less as I put my head against his warm chest and heard the beating of his heart and the air rush into his lungs with each breath he took. My eyes started to get heavy again as my mind slowed down and I drifted off again. A beautiful lake stretched before me and even though I knew it was a dream I marveled in the beauty of the place. Long green grass brushed my legs as I made my way to the edge of the water and I could see fish darting around through the plants and clouds reflected off the surface making it look as if I was standing on the sky. I reached down and touched the surface off the water making my reflection rippled and become disoriented. Blackness spread from my finger tip and killed the fish that had been swimming before and then moved farther into the lake killing and killing over and over again. The Darklords maniacal laugh hammered throughout my head and I fell to my knees covering my ears. I woke up screaming with sweat plastering my hair to my forehead and I jumped when someone touched my shoulder which turned out not to be such a good idea when I hit the ground with a thud. I glanced up into Michaels green eyes and a blush covered my cheeks.

"Umm are you alright?" he asked with a worried look on his face. I mumbled incoherently under my breath as I pushed myself off the floor and sat down on the bed next to him.

"What did you see?" he asked.

"I'm a monster" I said and then proceeded to tell him my dream and how the darkness followed me wherever I went. It was exhausting and it made me mad when Michael just frowned at me.

"What" I asked.

"First there is no way you are a monster and second there is no way the mark on your wrist would let the Darklord into your mind unless.....oh no."

"Umm oh no what?"

"Do you remember the ink that I used" he asked.

"Yeah it was black and came out of the cupboard."

"How is that possible? Its main use is to control people but you are not being controlled....... unless the dark mark on your shoulder is negating its effect." He reached over and pulled the back of my shirt down revealing the mark on my shoulder. Just like the rose on my wrist it was darker than it had been when I first had gotten it. An awkward silence enveloped us as he looked at the mark and it was a while before I noticed the trail of heat Michaels fingers left as he let go of my shirt. A frustrated groan left his lips as he grabbed me around the waist and pulled my body flush against his and rested his chin in the top of my head. This time the heat was more intense and of course Matthew and Tiffany had to come in at that exact moment smiling and holding hands.

"Who is the love sick puppy now" I thought in frustration but I didn't blame her because she had just gotten Matthew back. Lantra and Brissanna also joined us and an exasperated sigh escaped me as I thought "Heck, why don't we just make this a party." I expected Michael to let go off me so I scooted forward but his arms tightened around me and pulled me close again. I tried to suppress my grin but I failed and Tiffany sent me a wink.

"Brissanna has agreed to join us against the Darklord" Lantra said and a look of hatred marred her face but was quickly replaced with a smile. I glanced around the room to judge the reactions of everyone and was relieved to see everyone beaming with smiles even though the world was threatened with a darkness that had never been seen before. A little army against the entire world. Michael London's face flashed through my thoughts and acute longing filled my heart as I wished that he was here to help us. Tears stung my eyes but I forced them away as I made a promise to myself that I was no longer going to cry.... I was done. I got up and left the room with the rest of my friends and headed into the dining room that was filled with the smell of waffles and fresh picked fruit. I felt Michael grab my hand and I turned to find him smiling at me. I squeezed his hand and we sat down at the table and started to eat the first breakfast that we had eaten at an actual table in while. At first I tried to pay attention to the conversations but soon I totally zoned out and stared out the window instead.

"Hmm I wonder what that black dot out there is" I thought as I swirled my spoon in the cup of herbal tea that was in front of me. "Wait,black dot?"

'Get down" I yelled as I grabbed Michaels hand and pulled him under the table as the glass window shattered into millions of pieces that dug into the skin of my back. Warm thick blood started to trickle down my sides from the numerous cuts but I glanced up into the black eyes of Christian. A sneer cut across his face and he drew his sword leveling it at my throat. I grasped my dagger that was hidden in the folds of my dress and blocked the swing he had taken at my waist. A look of shock registered on his face before he noticed my small dagger and laughed.

"That is all you have?'

"Yeah, so" I growled as I flung my dagger at his leg and jumped up grasping the blade flat between my palms so that it would not slice into my hands. I wrenched my arms back and the sword clattered to the ground behind me. Another sword appeared beneath his chin that was held in Tiffanies hands. Of course I knew there was no way she could kill him but at the same time we couldn't let him kill any of us. He shot me a smile that sent shivers down my spine and then he vanished.

"Ashley, your back" Michael said and I grimaced as I noticed I had forgotten about that. "Hold on" He said as he climbed out from under the table and came up behind me. He grasped what was left of my shirt and ripped it all the way down making me gasp as I fumbled for the front of it.

"Whoops, sorry guess I should have warned you" he said but I could hear the smirk that was positively covering his lips. I winced as he started to pull out the shards of glass and then practically growled as he extracted the largest piece. After the most boring and agonizing hour he finally finished and I only had deep gashes in my back left that would heal eventually.

"I'll see you guys' tomorrow" I mumbled and a large yawn escaped me.

"Wait, we need to practice" Michael said as he grabbed my arm and stopped me.

"Umm what?"

"Tomorrow we need to learn how to control our powers."

"So you're saying I don't know how to control my powers" I asked.

"I didn't say that."

"You implied it." He sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

"Anyways, you and I are going to practice tomorrow okay?" I didn't want to argue partly because I agreed with him and partly because I was tired and my back was throbbing so I nodded my head and left him as I went to my bed. Before I could fall asleep Brissanna came in and tended to the cuts on my back and I drifted off to the humming of the night.