Trapped Blood (2)

Chapter 16

"What colour dress would you like ?" Skye and Pandora stood at the , with amused eyes, as some Barbie look-a-like showed we a selection of dresses.

"Well, maybe navy, or a deep blue," Vicky looked through the dresses, trying to pick a dress for me.

"Excuse me, who do you think you are ?" Barbie sneered.

"My friend," I stood In front of Vicky smiling, but it wasn't a nice smile. "Touch her and I'll kill you," she stepped away, leaving us to raid the dresses.

"Thanks," Vicky winked.

"You're welcome."

"What about a cream dress like this ?" Nadia pulled out a cream, strapless long dress with a mermaid tail bottom.

"Maybe, let's see what else there is," we put the dress aside and carried on looking. By the end of the hour we had chosen five dresses. One being the cream one, one a dark blue halter dress that flowed down to the floor, one a black floor-length dress with a slit up the left side and two cuts either side of the waist, one a black one shoulder that reached mid-thigh and had a lace skirt over it that reached ankle length and the last one was a white high low dress that had a black flower pattern around the bust and the bottom of the dress by the hem.

"Okay go try them on," Nadia pushed me towards where there was a screen to change behind. I changed into the blue halter neck dress.

How about this ?" I stepped out and Barbie shook her head while the others smiled.

"It looks great, I'm jealous," Skye winked.

"It looks good, but you could do better, the dress looks gorgeous but it isn't the right dress, try another," I rolled my eyes as Barbie looked me over again but did as told. I stepped behind the screen and tried on the cream dress, it was a little snug and looked good.

"What about this ?" I twirled around.

"It's nice, very mature," Barbie smiled.

"It does look really good Av," Vicky smiled at me. I looked in the mirror and almost froze, it looked a lot like the dress from the nightmare, the only difference was that this dress was cream. Archer's blood flashed before my eyes and I had to blink away tears. The gasps of everyone else brought me back to reality.

"I'm going to try on a different dress," I went behind the screen again and changed into the black one shoulder dress.

"Avalon, what happened to your back ?" Vicky's voice sounded heartbroken.

"Nothing I can't handle," I replied leaving no room for argument, I didn't need for them to know how I got the scars.

"What was wrong with that one ?" Nadia asked as I threw the dress over my head.

"It just... Brought back bad memories, bad dreams."

"The Mistress been giving you these dreams ?" Barbie pushed my hair to the sides to do up the button on my dress.

"Some of them, some I don't need her to give me," I looked in the mirror, I was a nice dress, but it wasn't for a Ball. "So what do you know of the Mistress ?"

"Only that she is one of the few people almost as ruthless as Stefan, if not more," I stripped and put on the other black dress.

"The few ? I don't know how many more people are more ruthless then him," I turned to get the girls approval, they all shook their heads.

"You are," I paused and turned to her slowly.

"Excuse me ?" The girls were also glaring.

"We have all heard stories about you, you lit a building on fire to fight vampires away from the people you cared about, you almost died many times when trying to save your friends, can you honestly tell me you would not burn the world down to search for your friends in the ashes ?" I walked over to her, even without heels I was taller then her, I stared her down until she whimpered.

"I would never kill innocents just to save my friends, you can think what you want, but I am not a monster," I spun around and changed into the black and white dress. "So, does this one look good ?"

"Twirl," Barbie made me turn around. "Your scars are on show."

"Let them be seen," I shrugged and checked myself in the dress.

"I think it looks beautiful, very you," Pandora smiled.

"I agree," Nadia crossed her arms. Vicky smiled next to her with her arms crossed, silently give me her agreement.

"You are going to one of the most well respected and most elegant Ball's in supernatural society, why on earth would show those scars ?" Barbie looked disgusted.

"Because I am Avalon Greene, I am a Pure Blooded human and I'll be damned if I can not show what that has gotten me, every second I have been here I have been scared for my friends lives and have done nothing but endure their safety, no matter what some stuck up snob of the supernatural community thinks of my scars I wear them with pride, now if you'll excuse me," I pulled on my lace up boots, grabbed my clothes and smiled at Barbie. "Goodbye," I stepped out of the room and began walking to my room. I almost didn't notice Stefan as I came around the corner.

"That is a very beautiful dress," he smirked.

"Thank you, I was told by Barbie I should not wear it."

"How so ?" He stepped closer so he was leaning over me.

"She told me how it was a terrible idea to show my scars," he pushed my hair back to show my scars.

"well," he smiled down at me. "If it's any consolation, they are as beautiful as you," he leaned down and kissed the top of the highest scar before zooming off. I let out a breath I did not know I was holding.

I needed to get out of here, I did not need to get Stockholm Syndrome to the place that resembled hell in every aspect.

~*~*~*~**~~*~**~~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~

"Hold still before I poke your eye out," I groaned as Vicky added ANOTHER coat of mascara to my eyelashes.

"How long until I can move ? The Ball starts in two hours and it takes an hour an a half to get there," Nadia and Vicky had been doing my hair and make up for two hours now.

"Almost done, just add the finishing touches," Nadia put Archer's necklace right.

"Thank you," she nodded in understanding.

"Okay, you can look now," I got up to see myself in the mirror.

"Oh my god," I looked great, Nadia had curled my hair and pulled one side over my shoulder and the other stayed on my back, my eye shadow was dark yet had white to level it out and added light pink gloss, I had on black strap heels and a single silver bracelet. "Wow guys, thank you, thank you so much."

"What are friends for ?" Vicky winked and passed me my black coat. "Don't die."

"You too," I gave them both hugs before being escorted to the limo by Pandora and Skye. Skye had on a short, short sleeved lacy red dress that stopped mid thigh while Pandora wore a short black one shoulder sleeved dress, they both looked so beautiful.

"Well don't you look stunning," Stefan stood at the limo door in a tuxedo smiling.

"Thank you, look dashing too," I climbed in the car with Pandora and Skye sitting opposite Stefan and I. "Let's get going."