Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the Avalon series.

Author's Notes: Wow, y'all. It has been a while since I updated! I do have an excuse though. I just got out of the hospital a week ago. The surgery on my leg went well. I'm just in a lot of pain and have just now even looked at my computer. I'm sorry it's taken me so long. Please read and review. I hope the chapter it to your liking!

Chapter 9

Adriane stared into Zach's eyes all the while kissing him. When she did pull away, she did it slowly, Zach seemed reluctant at this action. She just stared up at him, their eyes never leaving one another. Adriane wasn't sure what to do next so she turned around and started heading for Gran's. She glanced over her shoulder to a flabbergasted Zach, and smiled inwardly. Adriane opened the front door to her house and walked in. "Gran?"

"Oh, never mind, here she is right now," Gran said handing the phone out as Adriane walked into the living room.

Adriane took it with a look of question. "Hello?"

"Adriane?" A familiar voice asked.

"Garrett?"

"Who else?" Garrett remarked.

"Why are you calling?" Adriane asked watching the door to make sure Zach hadn't walked in yet.

"I said I'd talk to you again."

"No, you said you would see me again," Adriane replied.

"So you actually listen to what I say?"

"No, I don't."

"Hmm, interesting..." Garrett said.

"What?"

"The fact that you haven't asked me to come over yet."

Adriane opened her mouth at his statement.

"Kidding. Are you always so serious?"

"Are you always a prick?" Adriane shot back.

"Ooo, name calling? You sure you want to go into that?"

Adriane narrowed her eyes. "Trust me, you should ask yourself that question."

"I can get you riled up pretty easily. That's nice to know," Garrett mocked.

"Give me a reason to not hang up the phone."

"Okay, for one you still haven't found out why I called."

"That's your only reason?"

"Yes," he stated simply.

Adriane couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. "Alright, why did you call me, and how did you get this number?"

"Try the phone book. The reason I called you is..."

"Yes?"

"Is curiosity killing you yet?" Garrett asked.

"Oh, yes. I'm just dying to know," Adriane said sarcastically.

"I'm not going to tell you."

Adriane took the phone from her ear. The nerve of this guy! "Fine."

"Fine?" Garrett asked confused.

"Fine."

"That's it? No begging me to tell you?"

"Nope. I'm hanging up now," Adriane smiled.

"Wait! Okay, I'll tell you. Since you asked so nicely," at Adriane's silence he went on. "You're going to meet me."

"Zachariah, how nice to see you again," Gran said making Adriane turn around. Zach stood by the doorway making idle talk with Gran.

"Uh, when?" Adriane asked smiling at Zach.

"Tonight."

"No can do. I'm having a sleepover," Adriane said holding up a finger to Zach.

"Really? I didn't get an invite. You don't seem like the kind of girl to hold a sleepover. Meet me anyway. After everyone goes to sleep."

Adriane contemplated this in her mind. "Why?"

"Because you still haven't gave me my winnings from the bet."

"I'll pay you Monday at school," Adriane said barely above a whisper as Zach came to sit down beside her in a chair.

"Why are you whispering? Someone listening?" Garrett asked sounding amused.

"Kinda."

"Who?"

"None of your business," Adriane stated.

Zach raised his eyes to Adriane's at her comment. "Who're you talking to?"

"A guy? Ooo, I see now," Garrett said.

"You don't see anything," Adriane said into the phone. "No one," she said to Zach.

"Meet me, by the gothic mansion. At 3:00 AM. You think everyone will be asleep by then?"

"I don't know," Adriane said truthfully.

"If not, come later. I'll be there. See you then."

Adriane heard him hang up, and so did she.

"How about we get that soda?" Adriane said still not knowing what to say to the boy she had just kissed.

"Adriane," Zach began following her into the kitchen.

Adriane grabbed the two large soda bottles off of the counter.

"Little-wolf?"

Adriane turned to her grandmother's voice. "Yes?"

"Carolyn and I had an agreement that you girls will stay in a separate room from the boys. That won't be a problem?"

Adriane gave a quick glance at Zach who must've not thought twice about Gran's words. "Nope. Night, Gran."

"Goodnight. If you need anything just come and get it. I would appreciate if you didn't wake me up in the process though," Gran smiled.

"Okay," Adriane said moving towards the front door. "You wanna get that for me?"

Zach moved in front of her to open the door then shut it behind them. The air outside was humid, but the wind through the trees making it not so bad. The sky was glittering with stars across the darkening expansion. Dreamer bounded from the edge of the woods to Adriane's side. He gave her a curious look, and Adriane knew that he knew she was nervous.

"What's wrong, pack-mate?"

Adriane turned to see if Zach had heard Dreamer's words in his head, but he seemed oblivious. She shook her head at Dreamer as if to say 'not right now.'

Zach grabbed the door of the manor for Adriane, and they walked in. The cool air hit them in a burst. Adriane glanced around the big room to see... no one. She and Zach turned to each other. "Where's everybody?"

Zach looked to Dreamer. "Where are they?"

Dreamer pricked up his ears and took the lead expecting the warrior and boy to follow him. They made their way down a hall and into a door on their right. Once they entered the room they heard giggles, which made Adriane's eyebrows arch. Adriane went to the doorway on the other side of the room and looked in. Marlin and Lorren each sat in front of a mage. Emily and Kara had a large make-up case in between them, and they each held a tube of concealer. The two of them looked up as they heard Adriane and Zach enter.

"What are you doing?" Adriane asked setting the drinks down.

"Practicing for when we go to the mall tomorrow." Kara said smiling.

Adriane still only saw two green princes. "I don't see a difference."

Kara took Lorren's chin with her hand and turned it so Adriane could see the other side. Zach burst out laughing. "It's not that bad is it?" Lorren asked grabbing a compact to see for himself. The goblin prince was half green half light tan. "What are you doing to me?"

Kara placed her hands on Lorren's legs to keep him from getting up. "I'm not finished yet!"

Zach had begun coughing from laughing, and Adriane reached over and patted his back. "Are you okay?" Zach nodded while trying to stop coughing.

"Turn me back!" Lorren said as if it was some kind of spell. Marlin and Emily started laughing too. "Oh, stop it Marlin. You don't look any better."

Marlin grabbed the compact from Lorren's hand and saw his own two-toned face. "Emily, you said this was going to make me look normal!"

"It will, just give us time!" Emily tried to say with a straight face.

"Why doesn't Zach have to do this too?" Lorren pointed to Zach's now sitting form.

"Because I look normal," Zach said puffing out his chest. Adriane poked him making him blow out the air he was holding. "Hey!"

Adriane smiled as Zach's eyes danced. "Who said you look normal?"

"I must look normal for you to k--" Zach's words were cut short when Adriane clasped a hand over his mouth.

Marlin started sneezing as Emily dusted him with powder. "Bless you," Emily chortled. Kara looked mischievously at Adriane.

"What?" Adriane asked noticing this.

"What were you going to say, Zach?" Kara asked grinning.

Zach moved Adriane's hand from his mouth to hold it in between them. "Just that I look normal."

Kara narrowed her eyes. "Uh-huh."

"I'm serious," Zach said smiling as Adriane relaxed beside him.

"Whatever you say. Adriane, come here." Kara took lipstick and an eyeliner stick into her hands.

"Kara, don't even think about it," Adriane said shaking her head.

"Don't make me make you, Xena."

"Like you could."

"Adriane, just a little..." Kara said getting up.

Adriane stood too, letting go of Zach's hand. "I said no, Barbie."

Kara smiled devilishly. "Guess it's the hard way," she moved quickly to grab her.

Adriane saw that coming and darted out of the room. She ran down the dark hall, hearing Kara and the others on her trail. She zoomed into the kitchen, and ducked under a table.

"Come on, Adriane," Kara said walking into the kitchen. The blond switched the light on illuminating Adriane's form. "I see you."

Adriane jumped up. "You know you will never catch me."

Kara raised an eyebrow. "What makes you so sure?"

Adriane circled the table as Kara was walking around it. "I am faster than you."

Kara laughed as she started running around the table after Adriane. Adriane jumped over a chair and went to turn down the hall, but the others were there so she went into the great room. Kara followed swiftly, but slid on her pants leg. Adriane went down as a pair of legs entangled her own. Together they came to a stop in the middle of the hard-wood floor. "Smooth move."

Kara laughed as she smeared a cherry red lip color on Adriane's face. "Now that was a smooth move!" Adriane took the eyeliner from Kara's hand and drew a black mustache above the blazing star's lips. It was Adriane's turn to laugh.

"Are you two okay?" Emily asked peering down at them.

Adriane's now red face and Kara's black one turned to Emily. "Why wouldn't we be?" Emily laughed as she helped her two friends up. "Well, Adriane I told you I would make you. I have to say that I think red is definitely not your color."

Adriane laughed. "Yeah, I think I'll stick with black." The three of them walked past the grinning boys to the bathroom. She looked into the mirror and stared at her red streaked face.

She heard Kara scream beside her. "I will never let you do my make-up!" Adriane laughed then turned on the sink and cupped her hands with water. She scrubbed her face with the cool water.

"Neither of you are ever doing my make-up," Emily grinned.

"I'm good at putting make-up on other people... as long as they're not running from me," Kara smiled sheepishly.

"I bet," Adriane said drying her face with a towel.

"I can. Please let me do you for real!" Kara pleaded.

"Come on, Adriane. I'd like to see what you look like with it," Emily added.

"Oh, alright, but I get to choose the colors," Adriane sighed.

Kara jumped up and down. "Yes! Follow me girls," the three of them walked out of the bathroom. "Come along boys," Kara smiled.

All of them went into the room with the make-up box and pillows on the floor. "You are going to make us look normal again?" Marlin asked with a not so excited face.

"No," Kara answered. "Not right now at least. Sit, Adriane."

Adriane sat in front of the blond. "I don't know..."

"Shush. Let me do my job," Kara said grabbing a foundation bottle. Then frowning. "You're darker than me. We'll just have to use my powder then."

Adriane rolled her dark eyes, and looked over her shoulder where the boys were. Zach sat with his back against the hunter green wall, Marlin sat cross legged listening to whatever Lorren was saying, and Lorren himself was in between the other two petting Dreamer. Adriane turned back to Kara where Emily sat.

"Sit still," Kara insisted powdering Adriane's face.

"That still looks kinda white," Emily commented.

"It won't once I put blush and everything on, trust me. You two act like I've never done this before!" Kara rolled her eyes taking out a gold colored blush. "I think you would look better with earth tones."

"Whatever you say," Adriane replied. Kara dusted on the blush then took out a pink eyeshadow. "No way. You said I could choose the color!"

"Oh, fine. What color?" Kara held out her pallet.

"You don't have black," Adriane observed.

"Of course I don't. I do have brown though," Kara pointed to a little square.

"Fine. Do your worst," Adriane closed her eyes.

Kara gently applied the eyeshadow on Adriane's lids. "Okay, you can open them."

"That looks good," Emily said impressed.

"I am so not finished yet girl!" Kara said getting out the eyeliner. "Okay now open your eyes wide. Try not to blink, or close your eyes at all."

Adriane regarded Kara. "You're gonna take my eye out, and I know it."

"No I won't!" Kara got onto her knees, and put a hand on Adriane's forehead. "Don't move and everything will be fine." Kara slowly drew along the warrior's eyes. "See? That's it. No harm done." Adriane blinked back the water that threatened to leak over Kara's handy work. "You better not cry," Kara said waving Adriane's eyes to make them dry.

"Okay, I'm fine," Adriane said swatting Kara's hands out of her face.

"Now for the mascara. Don't blink on this one either. Wow, Adriane. I never noticed how long your eyelashes actually were. You could stand to go without mascara, but there's no harm in making them longer," Kara smiled. With a flick of her wrist Adriane had even longer lashes. "Okay, now this is an eyelash curler. It makes it so everyone can see your eyelashes, and your eyes for that matter," Kara put the curler on Adriane's lashes and squeezed, then she did the other one. "Ooo, I love it! Now for the finishing touch," Kara dug through her box. "Lookie, I have brown lip-gloss," the blazing-star swooped the brush over Adriane's lips then leaned back. "Look at yourself! I did a wonderful job! You look amazing!"

Adriane picked up a compact, and looked at her reflection. She was... pretty. She had never seen herself like this. "Wow, Kara."

"You like? Look guys!" Kara said motioning for everyone to look. "Turn around Adriane!"

Adriane turned toward the three guys and wolf. All of them just stared at her. "If it looks that bad I'll just wash it off," Adriane said fixing to stand.

"No!" the three of them said in unison making Adriane's eyes immediately go to the floor.

"You look..." Zach started, but couldn't even think of a word to describe how beautiful she was.

"You gotta look good if Zach's is at a loss for words!" Lorren commented laughing. Adriane turned back around to the girls and looked at the floor knowing her face was a shade of bright pink.

"You've got to start wearing make-up all the time, girl!" Emily said in awe.

"I dunno. Is anyone hungry?" Adriane asked getting up. A surrounding 'yup' was issued from the room. "I'll go get the chips and stuff," Adriane began walking out of the door.

Zach got from his seat also. "I'll help."

Lorren was fixing to get up to help too, but a shake of Kara's head at him made him stay seated.