No no, you have to lead Zarkash, not me." Alice sighed in frustration.
"Well I don't know how to do it. How am I supposed to lead?" Zarkash growled.
"Just… let's do a simpler one." Alice walked over to her CD player, pushing the button to stop and eject the CD. "We'll do Josh Groban. I like him." She popped in the CD, and the deep resonant voice filled the dorm room.
"Better than that crazy rock stuff you like." Zarkash said. His ears were still ringing from the loud music. Alice walked back over to him and stood closer this time.
"Alright, now put your hands on my waist." Alice said, blushing when he had a firm grip on her. "Gently. It's a romantic song."
Zarkash grumbled slightly, still not really knowing how to act romantic. It meant you needed to be subtle and gentle, and he wasn't the best at either. He loosened his grip, his palm resting on her hip bone gently. He was still amazed at how tiny she was. He could wrap his hands around her waist easily- she was so fragile in his grip he was afraid if he made the wrong move he would break her spine. He concentrated on being careful not to tighten his grip as she started spinning them in a circle to the music.
"That's it?" He said, actually liking this dance. It was simple.
"Yeah." Alice whispered, letting out a soft sigh. She felt comfortable in his arms- knowing that if she ever fell he would always catch her.
"You do like this, don't you?" Zarkash chuckled as Alice relaxed in his grip, leaning her head against his chest.
"Yeah. It feels nice." She said softly. She gasped as Zarkash's hands moved to the small of her back, but relaxed when he didn't go any farther. She felt him rest his cheek on the top of her head, their horns resting against each other's. She blinked in confusion as a deep rumble came from Zarkash's chest and she looked up to see his face relaxed, erased of its usual frown. He looked peaceful- and handsome. But what was that rumbling sound? She lifted her head and felt a soft sound coming from him.
"Are you purring?" Alice giggled in amusement.
"I don't' know, am I?" He said, his voice deep. He looked down at her with warm red eyes. "Ricky still wanted to see me tonight, but he can wait. Did you want to dance more?" He said, sounding eager.
"Save some of it for prom, Zarkash." Alice smiled, and stood on her toes to kiss him softly. He let out a low growl and took her back in his grip, kissing her fiercely. He let her go, laughing when she wobbled slightly on her own feet. "I don't think you can dance anymore. You can hardly stand." Zarkash chuckled, and led her over to the bed, sitting her down. "I'll go see Ricky so we can get our outfits. Mio wanted to come over to pick out dresses with you too. Something about alchemy weaving or whatnot. She talks in a foreign language sometimes."
"Alchemy weaving? She can do that?" Alice said happily. The practice of taking any outfit and changing it into any other outfit you wanted. Thank God she had her old dresses to make something from.
"I guess. Either way, you stay here and wait for her, and I'll go with Ricky. I'll see you tonight." Zarkash put his palm to her cheek, staying still for a minute while he looked down at her with a slight smile. He cleared his throat and walked out the door, shutting it softly behind himself.
"Oh shit oh shit oh shit!" Ricky ran through the hall, his tuxedo jacket in hand and his wings slightly unfurled behind him in his panic. How had he forgotten something so important?! "ZARKASH!" Ricky looked around for the demon, his eyes wide. "I need help!"
"Calm down. Jeez." Zarkash walked around the corner, seeing Ricky's panicked expression. "You forgot your wings, didn't you?"
"Shut up." Ricky growled in embarrassment. "I just can't wear the jacket like that. The shirt's fine."
"Hold still." Zarkash walked around Ricky, to see the width of his wings. He took the jacket, elongating one of his nails so that it was a sharp claw. He ripped two holes in the back of the fabric and Ricky flinched.
"That stuff's expensive! Careful!"
"I am. Just shut up, feather butt." Zarkash growled, and threw the coat back at Ricky when he was done.
Ricky put on the coat, folding his wings tightly to get them through the holes, but managed to put them through. He looked down at himself, and sighed in relief.
"Thanks." He said, looking up as Zarkash rolled his eyes.
"No problem. I still can't believe you forgot that."
"You'd be surprised." Rick muttered.
"Having a hard time with your jacket, wings?" A soft voice said in amusement behind him. Ricky flushed and looked over his shoulder to see Mio smiling behind him. He turned around, his blue eyes wide at her green and black reflective dress. It was cut low, accenting her curves as she stood, smiling at him.
"I looked that good, huh?" Mio looked down at herself in satisfaction at Ricky's shock.
"You look nice." Zarkash nodded, amused by Ricky's reaction as well.
"Thanks Zarkie. Have you gotten Alice yet?"
"No, she said she was working on getting on her dress." Zarkash glanced over at the door. "You think she's done yet?"
"Let me check." Mio knocked on the door softly. "You okay in there sweetie?"
"Oh- Mio! Uh- are the guys out there?" Alice said nervously through the door.
"Yeah, but I can keep them away. You need help?" Mio looked over to Ricky and Zarkash, who were already moving back from the view of the doorway.
"Uh- yeah. The zipper's caught and my arms are only so long."
"Okay, I'm coming in." Mio said, opening the door and walking though before closing it again.
"See what I mean?" Alice sighed in frustration through the door. Zarkash walked forward, his ears perked to listen.
"Boy you've really got it stuck, don't you? OH! That's why. Here-" a short silence, along with a sound of zipping. "There you go, dearie. It was stuck on your bra."
"Damn things." Alice sighed. "Well, at least now I don't have to ask Zarkash. I'd wind up looking like a cherry by the time he was done."
Zarkash held back a laugh, and walked back over to Ricky. "They're ready."
"Okay, let's get going!" Mio opened the door, walking over to Ricky.
Zarkash waited as Alice came out of the doorway, careful not to shut her purple dress in the door behind her as she closed it. She looked around and stopped when she saw Zarkash. He had hidden his horns, and his auburn hair was short- only ear length instead of to the middle of his back. He looked genuinely human except for his eyes, ears and the summoning mark on his cheek. His red eyes were wide as he looked at her, a small flush brightening his cheeks. He looked like one of those foreign super models- the ones that everyone flocked around. Was that what he looked like without all that hair in his face? He blinked a few times and walked over to her, offering a hand to her.
"Ready?" He asked, his voice an octave lower than usual. She smiled softly, making him blush even more.
"Yep." She walked toward him, then joined Ricky and Mio.
"You look great, Alice." Ricky smiled, and glanced over to Zarkash, whose eyes were still wide as he stared at Alice.
"Thanks." Alice blushed slightly, but smiled. "Mio did a great job with the dresses."
"She did." Ricky agreed, glancing to Mio beside him, who smiled happily.
"You look nice too, Zarkash." Alice smiled up at him, and he grinned back.
"Well worth wearing this outfit." He looked her over again, his eyes pausing at certain intervals, making Alice blush again.
"The dance is in the gym, so we should get there soon." Mio looked around at the other couples making their way toward the dance. They opened the door to the Gym and Zarkash groaned in pain, covering his ears as a loud music blasted around them. Alice put a hand on his back in concern, and Zarkash glanced down at her, uncovering his ears, but his expression still pained.
"I'm okay." He said gruffly, walking into the gym and flinching as the music got even louder around him.
"Maybe we shouldn't do this." Alice said, biting her lip nervously. Zarkash seemed like he was really in pain. She hadn't thought of how the loud music would affect him.
"No no, I'm fine." Zarkash straightened, closing his eyes and shrinking his ears until they were normal human size. "There, much better." He sighed in relief. "I just had to adjust."
Alice nodded, still skeptical but walked with him over to one of the vacant tables Ricky and Mio had set their things down at.
"Everyone's just doing that one dance that you didn't want to do." Zarkash looked over at the dance floor in disappointment.
Alice glanced over and flushed as most of the people on the floor were grinding together- making a massive writhing crowd. "Uh… yeah. I don't know if you want to do that one though, Zarkash."
"Why not? Looks fun." He looked back over to Alice, his red eyes flashing. He stood and grabbed her hand, dragging her to the dance floor. "Don't worry, we'll get out of the view of the others." He whispered in her ear as he led her through the crowd.
"That's not what I'm worried about!" Alice tried to protest, but gasped as Zarkash brought her against his front, setting his hands on her hips.
"Now how do you do this?" he whispered in her ear, his breath causing her to flush.
"Y-you just move, I guess. I don't know how to do it either." Alice whispered, embarrassed at dancing like this.
"What's wrong? You don't want to dance?" Zarkash looked down at her, his tone disappointed.
"Not like this. I'm afraid that… that…"
"What?" He turned her around, looking down at her in concern. She gasped up at him, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Zarkash- your eyes are glowing." She whispered. He blinked in surprise, bringing his hand up to his face to see the red glow reflected off his palm. He swore loudly, turning a few heads as he pushed Alice away from his front gently. "You were right, bad idea."
"What does the glowing mean?" Alice said softly, looking up at him in wonder. He looked like something out of legend- carved features and eyes that reflected into her, making her blood boil in her veins.
"It means I'm using the luxuria powers." Zarkash looked down at her with meaningful eyes. "And you don't need that here."
"Oh." Alice blushed. "You can do that?"
Zarkash grinned and leaned down again. "You'd be surprised what I can do." He whispered before taking in a quick breath and standing straight again. "Sorry- I… didn't mean that." He looked down uneasily. "Shit, how am I supposed to do this?" He growled. Being much taller than her didn't help- her low neckline was teasing him far too much.
They both looked up as a softer sound played, some of the people around them sitting at the tables while others turned around to slow dance.
"Thank God." Alice sighed in relief. She looked up at Zarkash, whose eyes were still glowing as he set his hands on her hips gently. "You sure you're okay to do this?"
"Yeah. This is fine. Just no grinding unless you want me to go feral on you." He chuckled, setting his cheek on the top of her head. He liked this dance, it relaxed him- and Alice liked it too.
"Maybe sometime later." Alice whispered, making Zarkash look down at her in shock.
"Serious? But… I thought…"
"Later, as in after I graduate." Alice smiled. "I'm naïve, but I'm not that bad." She smiled wryly.
Zarkash nodded, but was still surprised. Did that mean that she's done it before? He let out a low growl at the idea that some other person might have mated with her.
"No, I haven't." Alice chuckled. He looked back down at her in surprise and she pointed to her head. "Mind link."
He chuckled, having forgotten about the mental link they had together. He opened it again in his mind, letting her emotions flood him. She felt slightly uneasy, but was still calm. She felt safe with him- completely comfortable with him, and wanted to stay like this.
He smiled and tugged her closer, kissing her softly. "What was that part after boyfriend again?"
"Getting married?" Alice blushed. "That's a big step. Are you sure you want to do that and be stuck with me forever? What if you get tired of me?"
"I won't get tired of you, Alice. We're mates- and I mate for life, no matter how long that is." He smiled warmly as she set her head on his chest with a soft sigh.
"We should see how Ricky and Mio are doing."
"Look up." Zarkash whispered, and Alice looked up to see Ricky flapping his wings to keep both him and Mio afloat as they danced above the others. She chuckled in amusement and laid her head back on Zarkash's chest, listening to his heartbeat as they spun with the others.
"They're getting along really well. Are they… uh… boyfriending too?" Zarkash tried to find the right human term for it.
Alice laughed softly. "It's called 'going out'. And yeah, I guess so. I wouldn't have expected Ricky and Mio to go out though, they seem to be opposites." She glanced up at them again.
"I don't see how that's so hard to believe. We're opposites too."
"How so?" Alice looked up at him in confusion.
Zarkash grinned, revealing his fangs as he smiled down at her. "You're far too nice, and I'm… well, not. You know how to deal with people- I don't."
"you're strong and I'm not." Alice added.
He nodded, looking down at her and wondering once again whether this was some dream or not. Was she real? Was any of what's happened real, or was it all just a dream? Morg was dead- he was finally free to live his life how he wanted to. That was a miracle to him by itself, but he had also found his mate. He knew he was meant to be with her- it was obvious not only by the constant tugging of pressure in his chest, but by his eyes changing to red. He wanted to stay with her, no matter what he had to do.
"Don't be so serious. Have fun." Alice looked up at his thoughtful frown. He glanced down at her and nodded, leaning down to kiss her gently.
"I'm just trying to think of how to live with you in this world. I don't really know much about the way you live."
"That's true. We should teach you more of human life. That way you'll be a little more prepared when you go out into the real world."
He hadn't thought about that. This was just a school- things here were probably different than they would be elsewhere. Suddenly he was nervous all over again.
"And we should try to find Bagra, wherever he is." Alice bit her lip anxiously. "I don't want to just leave him stranded on earth. What if he wants to go back?"
"There you go being all nice again." Zarkash teased, looking up as the music changed. "Come on," He pressed her against him, a mischevious grin on his face. "Let's have some fun."