Alaric frowned, pulling me closer as we stepped through the gates of Windsor Academy. “Usually it’s a year. After that, you need to be able to conceal your own presence or be able to fight back.”
A year. I had a year to get this Bloodwright thing under control. Or the Stonebound would hunt me down.
I stood in my bathroom, staring at my reflection as I tried to perfect the cat eyeliner I was watching a tutorial of on my phone. Apparently, Marea’s was a fancy restaurant, so it seemed makeup and more formal attire were warranted. Sara-Kate was in my closet, currently going through my wardrobe, trying to find the perfect outfit. It was ironic how Sara-Kate was too busy to actually join us for the dinner she had set up, but had plenty of time to come help me get ready after school. Music blared from her phone, which sat on the counter, echoing throughout the bathroom.
I had to practically beg Tiffany to let meeven go on this “date” with Alaric. It wasn’t the dinner I wanted to go to, but the training I needed afterwards. She finally relented when I told her Alaric would be present for brunch on Sunday.
“This is perfect!” Sara-Kate squealed, rushing into the bathroom with a short black dress in her hands. “It’s classic and sexy.”
I yanked the dress out of her hands. “I don’t need sexy. Just something presentable.”
Sara-Kate eyed me suspiciously. “If I didn’t know any better, it would seem like you didn’t want to go on this date.”
“I just don’t see what the big deal is.” I tried to backtrack. “Going to McDonald's would be enough for me.”
“Girl, I think you dropped something,” Sara-Kate dead-panned. “Those standards you have rolled over there by the trash can.”
“Ha. Ha.” I rolled my eyes, taking the dress out of her hands as I headed to the closet to change.
I slipped on the black silk dress Sara-Kate had picked out. It was one of the few formal dresses that Tiffany had bought me on my first day in New York. It had spaghetti straps and was tight in the bust but flared out into a fuller skirt at my waist, the length stopping mid-thigh. It was a ridiculous choice considering how cold it was for New York in November, but I guess that’s what jackets were for.
I glanced in my closet’s full-length mirror, noting how my blonde curls were braided into an updo Sara-Kate had done for me earlier. I kept the makeupsimple with a black cat-eye and a bold red lip at Sara-Kate’s insistence. The golden sigil tattoo was bright against my skin, seeming to glow. Luckily, only other Bloodwrights could see it, but I still felt awkward as I took in my appearance. I finally walked out into my bedroom, holding the black heels that would go with the outfit.
“Damn, bitch.” Sara-Kate gawked.
“It’s too much, right?” I guessed, already thinking of my comfy sweats and hoodie that I was dying to put on instead.
“Oh, it’s just enough.” She gushed, twirling her finger, ordering me to spin.
I rolled my eyes as I spun for her, and she whistled in appreciation.
“That boy don’t know what’s about to hit him.” Sara-Kate giggled, pulling me forward and out of my bedroom door and into the living room where Tiffany was looking over more of her renovation plans for St. Patrick’s. She glanced up when we walked into the room, her mouth dropping at the sight of me. I crossed my arms, scratching at my golden death mark that neither of them could see.
“Oh, Mari.” She stood, coming to take a closer look at my hair and makeup. “You’regorgeous.” This time, when Tiff called me gorgeous, I knew she really meant it. I could feel it in the way her eyes glistened to her bright smile.
“Thanks, Tiff,” I mumbled. “And thank you for letting me go out on this date after the other night.”
“The other night?” Sara-Kate piped up, her brown eyes curious. “What happened the other night?”
“Mari snuck out to hang out with this Alaric boy and didn’t come home till well past curfew.” Tiffany supplied.
Sara-Kate’s mouth fell open, gaping at me in surprise. “What?Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Okay, everyone, it’s not that big of a deal. We went to a diner and just talked. Lost track of time.” I tried to reason as I moved to the kitchen counter where a small black clutch sat that Tiffany had agreed to let me borrow for tonight.
“Bad girl.” Sara-Kate cheered quietly next to me, low enough that Tiffany couldn’t hear. “I willneedall the details about that and how tonight goes later.”
I internally groaned while smiling at Sara-Kate. There was nothing I wished more than being able to tell her the truth, but there was just no way she’d believe me, nor would it be safe for her to know. So she was going to have to be just another person who had to believe the Alaric and me dating ruse.
“Well, I'd better get going.” Sara-Kate grabbed her coat off a chair at the kitchen counter, pulling her scarf closer to her neck. “Mom and I have our own dinner plans, though not nearly as fancy. Thanks for letting me come over and help you get ready.”
“I should be thanking you.” I walked her to the door. “Without you, I probably would have worn my old sweater and jeans.”
Sara-Kate looked truly offended. “Oh, thank God I came over.”
Just as we made it to the front door, a loud, deep, confident knock sounded. I glanced at my phone in my hand, noting the time.
“He’s early!” I screeched, suddenly panicked, almost as if I believed this was a real date and not just make-believe.
