Chapter 25

Zach entered the tent dumbstruck by all that lay before him.

Red perpetually free floating paper lanterns cut into fantastical designs cast a muted red/orange glow over a dais and the dance floor, while opposite that stood a stage that was set up with a band that he could only guess was made up of a number of various demon races judging by their appearance.

His eyes did not know where to go first; until he noticed that in between the two sat the most alluring refreshment table he'd ever seen. The food was like nothing he had ever witnessed in his entire fifteen years alive. The colors of the tasty morsels were out of this world. He didn't even think some of them where on the spectrum on this plane.

It reminded him very much of the scene in the movie Hook. The scene when the lost boys encouraged Peter to use his imagination so that he can see the miraculous feast before him.

And the aromas that drifted over to him were mouth watering. He decided to do some drifting of his own, right over to the glorious table, when he looked to his side, he was not shocked to see Quinn had had the same idea. He was not shocked, because he knew if anyone truly knows a teenage boy, they know they run on their stomach.

He was about to high five him for apparently being part of the ruled by your digestive track club, all animosity from earlier forgotten, when Lauren grabbed them both by the ears.

Zach yowled in shocked outrage and gave her the most injured look he could muster while still keeping one eye on the table.

"No food until I taste it," she hissed as she wagged her finger at them. "Haven't you guys ever read a single fairy tale?"

"You never accept the hospitality of a fairy, you never consume food given to you by a fairy, and you never say please, thank you, or sorry to a fairy," she counted out each point with a finger as she made them.

"Got it!?"

"Besides," she continued, "it would be considered a serious breach in Fae etiquette to not acknowledge the Royalty in the room first.

When she turned to march over to the dais and they didn't immediately follow, she turned back around again, and grabbing them both by their upper arm, she dragged them towards the dais, while barking out, "Now Boys!"

"Yes Professor Bossy Pants." Quinn quipped while fist bumping Zach in front of their diminutive friend.

"Quit it," she hissed from the corner of her mouth. "I can't believe I forgot to brief you guys on proper etiquette before we came."

"Your bad." Zach said which earned him a reproachful look and another fist bump from Quinn.

"So listen up. When we get to the dais you say nothing to the Fae; you only nod and bow DEEPLY. You do know how to bow right?"

"Yes," they both chimed in obediently.

But once they got to the dais, he realized she needn't have worried that he'd say something stupid, because he was struck mute by what he saw.

On the platform sat two of the most extraordinary creatures lounging in elaborate comfort. They were as dark and dangerous and as beautiful as a black hole.

Zach felt their dark and lovely features fix languorously on him and he shuddered. He was told that he would be witnessing Fae royalty and he was, but they were nothing like he had imagined.

He'd pictured pointed ears, and bleach blonde long haired beauties. Their tresses braided in strange ways, and gossamer wings. He had pictured ethereal beauty which was in stark contrast to what he saw before him.

The males eyes were so dark they seemed to be black pits in his face and the female's looked like they were made of precious gems, not in a 'your eyes are like sapphires, kind of way, but in a 'her eyes were like blue diamonds' that didn't reflect the light, kind of way. The hair on their heads was black as coal and their skin shimmered like black pyrite. There was a dark and terrible beauty about the two that hurt the soul.

They were dressed all in black, as if anything inherently light would hurt them, and it was obvious that they sucked the light and warmth out of the room around them, because Zach could see his breath as he approached.

The inhuman creatures lounged on either end of a two sided fainting couch that seemed to be made of a nearly black wood, which was covered in a deep springy moss for comfort. Strange, he thought, the school couldn't have sprung for a more opulent setup, but his thoughts were interrupted by the strange voice of the dark Elf. It was as sharp as a knife and as cold as steel.

Zach shivered from the eerie tone the male Elf used, "Merry Meet Younglings."

Guessing this was an official greeting, he repeated the same, "Merry Meet," he mumbled while Quinn muttered incoherently.

As Zach bowed stiffly, he looked over too see Quinn had done the same, while Lauren curtsied, honest to God curtsied. And he was so going to tease her about it later.

Once upright again Lauren told them from the side of her mouth, "Backup before you turn around it is considered rude to turn your back on royalty. "

They did as instructed going back at least ten paces before Lauren would let them turn around. It was then that Zach noticed the procession of people waiting to pay their respects to the eerie pair feeling glad they'd come early.

When Zach eyes landed on Lauren he saw her I'm about to murder someone look and it threw him for a loop. What in the world could have pissed her off so fast; then he saw it? Half way down the procession stood the gang clustered together impatiently awaiting their turn to meet the equivalent of the magical world's Will and Kate.

From what he could see none of the girls had worn wings; in fact, they were all just dressed in various styles and colors of silk dresses. And if Zach had a death wish, he would have let out the laugh that threaten to bubble out of his mouth, as he watched Lauren stalk angrily over to her friends and announce for all the room to hear.

"You Guys Suck Balls!" as she did she accentuated every word through a clenched jaw.

Zach watched as poor shy Brenna hid behind Connor, who was apparently her escort. Connor hadn't missed the gesture and Zach watched as his face split into a big shit eating grin and he stood a little taller and puffed out his chest to provide the shielding, his companion, so desperately sought.

The girls all had the good sense to look sheepish as they all started muttering halfhearted apologies and excuses, but Lauren wasn't buying any of it, and she stormed off in the opposite direction towards the dance floor.

Zach finally caught up with her near the stage. He was even a little winded when he got there. What his fae friend could really move, alright?

Just as he got to her she was ripping off her wings and muttering angry nonsensical phrases about having shitty friends that don't have a girl's back . . . that would leave  a girl looking like a complete dork . . . and other such things he couldn't in good conscience repeat.

In between angry growls and some very colorful explanative Zach wrestled with his fear of stepped into her line of sight.

Lauren's a nonstop laugh fest most of the time, but when she's mad -- look out. The girl's got a temper. She's a pint size atom bomb that no one wants to defuse -- including him. And she was really on a roll right now.

So against his better judgment he hunkered down to her height and said the only thing he could think to say, "I like your outfit."

When she just glared at him he flinched out of self preservation, but her face softened when he smiled back at her.

"Well that's great . . . and all . . . but I look like a world class dweeb and I've never been more humiliated in my whole life!"

She said this as she crossed her arms over her chest which made her look like a belligerent child. And he was so not going to laugh, because he liked his head on his shoulders, but he did smirk, he couldn't help it.

"Urgh! I hate them all right now." She growled.

Zach reached out a tentative hand and rested it on her shoulder to spin her in his direction. "that's understandable. They let you down, but don't let it ruin your night." Suddenly thinking of a course of action, Zach blurted out, "I'll help you get them back with the best prank ever, I promise, Okay?"

Hearing his promise she seemed to brighten and her eyes took on a devious glint. That's when he knew he had her. His Lauren was all Fae, and the idea of playing a devilish trick was too tempting to resist.

"Okay she said excitedly, but I get to pick the trick."

Zach could practically see the smoke coming out of Lauren's ears as her mind worked furiously on the perfect way to get her friends back, and he for sure did not envy the girl at this moment, not one bit.

Lauren looked up at him with a pair of sorrowful eyes and said, "but I hate my dress now." And despite Zack's better judgment he laughed when she pouted theatrically.

"Well I guess it's a good thing you're magical. Can't you just change it?" he asked her.

Lauren eyes lit up once again and she began to chant. When she was done the flowers on the bodice of her dress turned to tiny white roses. One at a time they seemed to bloom into existence  and her sdress became an off white thigh high silk skirt. That showed of her shapely legs.

When she reached a finger out to his button hole on his suede jacket to touch the tiny petal of the flower there it turned in to a white rose, she just blushed then and said, "There we match again."

A tendril of her dark brown hair fell across her face as she shyly looked away and he reached out to tuck it back behind her ear, and just when there eyes met Quinn came out of nowhere.

"Hey guys, I'm starving; what do you say we hit up the refreshment table?" Quinn blurted out as Zach thought perfect timing dog boy.

But apparently Lauren had other plans, because she demanded, "Later," as she dragged them both out to the middle of the dance floor.

********************THANKS FOR READING***************

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And by the by, The Rebel Awards are still going strong and yours truly was nominated for the People's Choice Award and there's only two days left to vote. Haven High and the vampire book are still neck and neck, and the gangs hanging on by the skin of their teeth. OK enough with the vampire analogies. LOL

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