Veins of Fire (Outcasts, #1)

CHAPTER THREE // DREAMLAND

CHAPTER THREE // DREAMLAND

GREY SPINES CONSTRUCTS ITSELF AROUND ME as I enter Dreamland. The bookshelves rise from the ground like monuments being erected, and the books materialize in a display similar to the way sunlight reflects off water. The basic grey carpeting is hidden from sight by a thick layer of puffy clouds, and the ceiling and walls fall away to reveal the most vibrant blue sky surrounding me on all sides. I'm standing before the Fantasy shelf, looking through it as a scene of a dragon vaporizing a village with its scorching breath plays out in front of me, when angels begin to sing. 

Like a damsel in distress who has heard the voice of her Prince Charming after months of being forced to live without it, I quickly spin around, hair drifting away from my body like a banner in the wind. I'm suddenly wearing a flowing, brilliant red dress that hugs the curves of my waist and reveals far too much of my upper body--there are no straps, and the neckline plunges down to the middle of my chest. I may have the personality of a damsel in distress, but I'm dressed as a siren out for seduction.   

Behind me, Prince Charming stands. He's dressed in a full suit of armor and a red cape falls elegantly from his shoulders. He quickly removes his helmet, sandy hair falling out in glossy waves as he tosses the unneeded piece of armor to the side, where it disappears into the cloud floor. The dimple in his left cheeks pops as his eyes meet mine. 

"My darling, Isabelle. You are the love of my life and the fuel for my soul," The combination of Mason's voice and words meets my ears with a sensation like the soft touch of silk. A shiver crawls down my spine. He moves towards me quickly, the clang of metal filling the air between us until there is no air between us, because his hands are on my cheeks and his nose is touching mine. "I need you like the fields need seed, water, and sun to produce crops--I would be nothing without you." His hot breath fans my cheeks as he inches closer and his voice lowers to a whisper.  "I would die without your kiss." 

With a feeling like my stomach has just dropped to my toes, his lips meet mine. But what comes after is nothing like I would have imagined--no soft, sweet kiss graces my dreams; instead, his lips are rough and chapped, his kiss far too desperate and slobbery. I push him away. 

The feel of metal armor doesn't meet my offensive hands, nor does the face I see before me as I back up belong to Mason. The bookstore fantasy has completely fallen away, the atmosphere replaced by the dark and dusty back corner of a library and an acne-faced boy that I do not recognize.  

"What the hell was that?!" I involuntarily whisper, and the voice that meets my ears is high in pitch and angry. My stomach twists with a combination of embarrassment and disgust. 

"Um  . . . a kiss?" The acne-faced boy mumbles in reply. His cheeks burn the same bright red color of the dress I was previously wearing--which is now replaced by a basic tee and blue jeans--and the hunch of his shoulders looks like he wants to cave in on himself. He clearly knows he's just made a huge mistake. 

"I know what it was, Ryan." I ball my hands into fists at my sides. "I want an explanation as to why you did it!" My high pitched voice is about as intimidating as a fluffy bunny, but it seems to do the trick on this Ryan kid. He hastily backs up a step, only to have his back collide with the bookshelf behind him.

I take a step forward and corner him. "Do you realize that was my first kiss? Something I've been dreaming of for as long as I can remember?" I grab the collar of his shirt and push him farther against the shelf. "Did you know that? Did you care as you just sauntered over here and TOOK IT?!"