“Let the fun begin,” Paul said, stepping in beside me. It seemed his level of enthusiasm for the assembly was on par with Selene’s. He moved in close to me, our bodies nearly touching.

Most of the talking stopped as everybody filed in and sat down. The three of us ended up in the top row of the bleachers, which was nice. If this thing really was as boring as Selene claimed, at least I could lean my back against the wall and nod off. Well, I could if I’d wanted to, but with Paul present, I didn’t think I would be so inclined.

It took more than twenty minutes to get everybody seated. Fortunately, Katarina and her friends were in the next section, adding enough distance that I wouldn’t have to listen to any more taunts. I wondered where Eli was, and I looked around, hoping to find him sitting elsewhere, a sure indicator that the relationship was in trouble.

No such luck.

Eli jogged up the stairs in between the two sections a few minutes later. His eyes met mine, his expression dark and intense like always. My heart seemed to seize in my chest. He looked away first, shifting his gaze to Paul. A disapproving frown curved his lips. Was Selene right? No, don’t be silly, I told myself as Eli turned and sat down beside Katarina.

Dr. Hendershaw appeared on the makeshift stage set in the center of the gym floor. She gave us the usual welcome stuff, then handed the microphone over to the show choir director, Mrs. Hovick. Hovick, along with all the show choir performers, male and female, was a siren. Selene couldn’t stand her, but I found her entertaining in a ditzy, over-the-top kind of way.

She introduced the choir, who then performed. Chickery High School had a show choir, too, but it was nothing like this. When the sirens began to dance and sing everybody in the gymnasium went quiet, completely mesmerized. A pleasant, tingly warmth swept over my body as my thoughts turned fuzzy. I was vaguely aware of Selene muttering beside me something about how wrong it was for sirens to be made into sexual objects in front of the whole school and how there was so much more to sirens than being beautiful. I didn’t pay her any mind, my eardrums too enchanted to listen.

When they finished, I stood and cheered same as everybody. As the sirens exited the stage, the force of their magic slowly faded. I once again became aware of myself, where I was, and what I was doing—sitting in a darkened gym next to Paul Kirkwood. We sat so close, his leg and shoulder touched mine. I couldn’t resist tilting my head toward him. My heartbeat quickened as he did the same.

Before us, a movie started, displayed in the area over the stage. Well, it was more of a hologram than an actual movie, the 3-D images created by magic rather than any type of electronic equipment. The voice-over began to narrate the history and significance of Samhain while images flashed, documentary style. The narrator explained that Samhain was a time when the wild magic that dwelled between the realm of the living and the dead was allowed to run free and renew all the magic reservoirs in the world, like the one that supposedly resided beneath the grounds of Arkwell itself.

I did my best to focus on the presentation, but I didn’t catch more than a sentence or two. I was too preoccupied with the sound of Paul’s breathing, the way he shifted in his seat, and especially how good he smelled, the scent somehow intensified in the darkness.

“So, speaking of Samhain,” Paul said, leaning close. His breath tickled my ear, sending shivers over my skin. “Any chance you’d go to the dance with me tomorrow?”

I held my breath, unsure of what to say. I wanted to so badly. But I was afraid of getting hurt again.

“That is, if you don’t already have a date.”

I almost laughed. Me? The Nightmare? I shook my head. “How do I know you’ll come through this time?” I turned toward him so that our eyes met.

A stricken expression crossed his face, and I almost regretted doubting him. His story about the fall down the stairs might not be true, but there was no denying he’d gotten hurt somehow. Paul reached over and took my hand in his. A pleasant thrill slid up my arm into my chest.

“I will,” he said. And then he held my hand through the entire assembly. His touch was all the promise I needed.

* * *

That night, I decided to go to my dream-session with Eli on time for once, confident and unafraid of facing him for the first time in days. Only that confidence vanished completely when I stepped into the dorm room and saw a shirtless Eli emerge from the bedroom. His bare chest was even more stunning than I remembered, that black scorpion tattoo and rock-hard abs.

Realizing too late I was gaping at him, I forced my mouth shut. Eli smirked as he slid a T-shirt over his head.

“Long time no see,” he said, pulling the shirt down around his hips.

I shrugged, trying to play it cool even though my face felt like it was on fire. Just remember Paul, I thought. Just remember Paul. To my relief, it helped.

Eli turned and sat down on the sofa in the place I normally occupied while I waited for him to fall asleep. “Why have you been avoiding me?”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. I haven’t been avoiding you.”

Eli arched an eyebrow at me. “Uh-huh. Right. That’s why I haven’t talked to you since the night you ditched gym.”

Since the night I terrified you with my evil, Nightmare powers, I silently added for him. “It’s not like we hang with the same crowd.”

He didn’t answer, but stared at me for a couple of moments, his face expressionless. I contemplated sitting in the chair he normally occupied, but I didn’t feel like walking past him just now. I hadn’t managed to get the sight of him half-naked out of my head, and it was making me jumpy. With my luck, I’d probably trip and break something.