Darkness and Beauty (The Fated Series, #1)

Chapter 17 - Darius - Lily

Heathens burn me.

You know the stories you hear of ugly or deformed people who meet witches or their fairy godmothers, and then they end up getting a whole transformation from fugly to drop-dead gorgeous? And then when their family or friends or just people in general see how beautiful they've become and are speechless, and they don't know what in the world they're supposed to do now?

Well, that's exactly how I feel looking at Clarice right now - not that she was fugly, heathens I couldn't even see her most of the time with her cloak and dark suit. But seeing her in the mint green gown that fits perfectly around her chest and waist, and then opening up over her hips...It's not like the big ballgowns I have no doubt others are wearing. It only has a few layers surrounding her legs, shimmering in the moonlight when she walks.

It's...she's...and her lips...gods save me from idiocy. I look to her eyes before she can catch me looking at her lips even though I'm pretty sure she already caught me. I've seen her eyes before but lined in the lace mask, they looked different. A glance at Garrison and the others and I know I'm not the only one amazed at her transformation. Malen's mouth is practically hitting the ground, and Alister and Bernard's eyes are popping out of their heads. Garrison's the only one who looks mildly surprised at Clarice.

"When did you get boobs?" All our heads snap to Gabriel. Clarice may be dressed in a gown and looks less threatening without blades on every inch of her, but she's still the Ebony. She'll still kick his ass.

Before I can tell Gabriel to shut up, Henry smacks him in the back of the head.

"Told you," Katarina whispers from behind Clarice. I'm not sure what that means, but from the tightening in Clarice's jaw I can tell I shouldn't get involved.

"Anyways, if you're all done gawking and staring at the boobs which I've had since I was thirteen-" Gabe's mouth snaps shut "-then we should head to this so-called party." An awkward silence breaks out. I'm not sure whether to laugh at my friends because they're shifting on their feet uncomfortably, or laugh at how uncomfortable Clarice is.

Gabriel mumbles something, but I'm not close enough to hear it. Whatever it was, it must've been bad because both Henry and Ethan slap him this time, and Osiris looks like he's debating knocking Gabriel out. Before Clarice decapitates Gabriel, I gently - because I don't want to lose my head - hook my arm into hers and begin walking away.

"Come darling, we have people to con," I say with as much courage as I can muster which down right next to nothing.

Thankfully, she gives little resistance and lets me pull her away from the reach of Gabriel's three brain cells. "Try anything, and I'll cut off your favorite part," she warns.

My nerves are racking up with each step closer to the western end of the King's Garden, and when my nerves are getting to me, I become a smart ass who can't keep his mouth shut. "My favorite part of me or my favorite part of you, because in that case, it's all too tempting."

"Your favorite part of me is based on my change in clothing," she retorts evenly.

I refrain from telling her that my favorite part of her is actually her mouth, and it's not because she painted her lips. I liked her unwavering ability to use it even when I couldn't see it, and that just seems so weird and creepy, so I don't say that and let her have her perverse thoughts about me, instead.

"But to be clear," she continues. "If you do something stupid, then I'll ensure that you'll lose your ability to have an heir. Capiche?"

Malen leans toward me as they all make quick work of joining us. "I believe she's referring to your favorite part of you." I shove his head away.