Chapter 29: Take you out to dinner

Darkell had just lived a really awful week. What had happened a few days with Flora happened a handful of times throughout the week. He would be alone in his office at a certain time, he'd lose consciousness and wake up at least an hour later in an empty corridor. It was seriously worrying him. Where was he? What was he doing during those missing hours? He tried living on and teaching as if nothing was out of the ordinary but these questions and doubts kept nagging him in the back of his mind. So much so he hesitated a few times on going to tell Faragonda. But he always ended his inner debate by refusing to ask help from a fairy. Never. No way. Not if he had a choice in the matter.

However what he didn't know is that Flora had noticed the small changes. She could see the small dark bags under his eyes. Or the way he paid more attention to the rumors about him that were always spreading between the students. He also invited her more often in his office. All these little facts made her worry. But she just waited patiently for him to finally tell her what was the matter.

Right now, she and her friend's were heading to the school's gymnasium to check on their Pixies. They had been playing for far too long and it was already dark outside. Something was very wrong.

" We need to go home. To the Pixie Village." The girls instantly recognized the pixies' voice. They were repeating the same sentence over and over again in a weird trans like tone. Their suspicions were justified. Someone had cast a spell on their little friends.

" We need to stop them before they reach their village. Let's go. " Layla, took the lead. They all transformed and soared over the trees trying to catch up with their run away friends. Flora had no trouble spotting Chatta's golden locks in the middle of all the green.

" I'm so sorry sweetie but I don't have a choice. " Following her orders, thick and strong weeds wrapped around Chatta stopping the small blond girl in her tracks.

" Let me go. Let me go! Let me go NOW ! " The pixie struggled and complained.

" Oh sweetie, who would do this to you?" Flora said while hugging her little friend in her arms. The pixie complained the whole way back to Alfea. There Flora saw that all her friends were going through the same thing.

As that was happening, Darkell woke up with a painful headache on the floor of the school's second level's bathroom. He sat up slowly making sure not to worsen his dizziness. The first thing he did when his blurry vision finally faded away was to look at his watch. He had been out for three hours! That was more than usual. Was this weird condition worsening ? Normally he would have tried to brew a potion that would help him see what was the problem or a potion that would help him revive his memory might help him. But he still didn't have access to the potion lab. He had tried meditation but that only helped him to remember a few words of that strange cold voice. It would say most of the times :

" It is time. '' or "Do what I say... " He could only suppose that someone was intruding in his mind from the outside. But that still wasn't a good enough reason to ask for aid from Faragonda, he will not let her take his powers away. It was not worth it. And it seems that nothing had gone wrong during those blank hours. So he still had time to find a solution to his problem.

However he quickly discovered that he had spoken a bit too soon. While walking down one of the main hallways. He spotted a very tired and anxious looking flower fairy walking the opposite way. When her eyes landed on him she accelerated her pace.

" I was looking everywhere for you. Faragonda sent me to get you. We have a big problem. It's the Pixies. Someone casted a spell on them. They were playing a ball game and then suddenly they started spouting things about going home. How they would be safer there, l don't understand why they would say that. They know that the girls and l would protect them with all we've got... "

" Flora." He tried to stop her in her emotional ranting.

" I can't believe my Chatta would want to leave. I don't know what I'd do if she left me. It's true sometimes she can be annoying but she's my sweetie. I care for her too much..." He suddenly placed his hand on her mouth.

" Flora! Stop talking! You're giving me a headache. " This little technique seems to have worked because he received in answer a silent glare. Maybe a distraction would help her calm down.

" I finally see why you bonded with Chatta. You both make me want to go insane. Well of course you lead me to a different type of insanity than Chatta." He followed those words by pulling her close to him. He didn't need to keep his hand on her mouth anymore because she was silent in shock at his words. Instead he used that hand to slide and caress softly from her neck down to her shoulder and arm. His other arm was around her waist pulling her even closer against him.

" You know, I really want to take you out to dinner next Saturday night. We'll have fun, l promise. During and after dinner " He whispered seductively the last part in her ear. A shiver went through her at his words but that didn't stop her from pushing him away.

"Dimitri now is not the time to talk about an impossible date. My pixie is in danger and she needs my help. " She placed her hands on her hips. She was not going to let him mess with her.

" Impossible ?" He was confused. As he said that, he also noted that she was quite sexy when she was angry.

" Well of course, Mrs. Faragonda would never allow it!"

" She doesn't need to know. " He told her not to care about unnecessary things.

Flora should have seen this coming, this guy wasn't convicted because he was a rule follower. But before she could admonish him for being an idiot he pulled her back to him.

" How about this, if I free the blondie and her friends from that spell, will you go on a date with me Saturday evening." Maybe it was the way he drew circles on her lower back or the way his warm breath would lightly skim her cheek but she felt like her brain partially shut down, losing all her coherent thinking.

" Only if you help them turn back to normal." He grinned at her answer. He grabbed her hand and he sped walk to the principal's office.

"Come on, let's go save those pesky pixies."