I'm No Cinderella

Chapter 6

Manipulating My Emotions

    The song ended as I was angrily walking away, so lost in my furious thoughts that, for a moment, I forgot where I was. I nearly ran right into a tall figure as they stepped out in front of me. I stumbled back to avoid a collision, tripping over my own foot and nearly falling before a hand shot out to catch me. My startled eyes landed on another face I recognized from the stairs. Prince Kristof– or was it Prince Axel? An angel.

    I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. He was staring strangely at my wrist where our skin made contact for no reason that I could discern. 

    He shook his head as if to rid it of his thoughts. His strange, silvery eyes met mine and he gave me a smile that I might have perceived as friendly from someone else. From a human. "May I have this dance?"

    Tiny tremors of fear were once again running down my spine, but I knew better than to deny something from someone like him. Not trusting my voice, I could only nod my reluctant consent. Then, suddenly, it was as if a switch had been flipped in my brain. All of my raging fear vanished, replaced by a soothing calm.

    What the–

    My suspicion vanished as well.

    He pulled me closer, easing us both into position for the beginning of the song. As the music started he turned his silver eyes back to me, giving me a small smile, "What's your name?"

    I hesitated only for a moment, "Rose."

    He gave me another encouraging smile, "That's a very pretty name. I'm Kristof."

    Blood rushed to my cheeks at the compliment and I stared down at his chest to avoid further eye-contact. He chuckled, his golden hair bouncing with the movement, "Tell me, would it be terribly impolite to ask what you and Prince Charming were fighting about?" My eyes widened, and he added, "If you don't mind me asking, that is."

    I pursed my lips as a bit of my earlier anger returned to me, but this time duller, as if it had been diluted somehow. "You noticed that?"

    He chuckled again, "Don't worry, I don't think anyone else was paying any attention."

    "Then why were you?" I asked, trying not to trip over my feet again as the tempo changed and we began moving faster. "We weren't speaking very loudly."

    He studied me for a moment. "I'm the first angel you've met, aren't I?"

    "What does that have to do with anything?" The question flew out of my mouth carelessly, though some little itching feeling in the back of my mind told me that I should be wary of him. Somehow, I had a hard time forcing the emotion. He lowered me down into a quick dip, and I tried to fight off another round of blushing.

    He pulled his hand from my waist to tap a finger to his temple, "I could sense your emotions."

    I raised a brow, giving him a skeptical look. He mocked hurt, "What, you don't believe me? A large percentage of the people in this room can turn themselves into giant dogs, and that's the part you're having a hard time with?"

    A startled laugh flew past my lips. I had heard plenty of humans speak of monsters in such a way, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine hearing a monster himself make fun of another. It might have been easy to forget he was other. "Alright, fine. I believe you. But that still doesn't explain how you noticed when no one else did. This room is crawling with angels," I pointed out.

    "None of the others are likely to bother taking interest in a human girl on such an exciting night as this. Humans that aren't their mate, that is."