Soulsearch (Teen Paranormal Romance Series) (The Soulmate Series: Teen Paranormal Romance Book 2) by Kellie McAllen Page B

against the wall beyond the bathroom doors where the shadowy hallway left him practically invisible to the students exiting the restrooms, grateful to escape the noise and crowd for a few moments.   He let his mind wander back to the softness of Paige’s skin beneath his fingers and the intoxicating smell of her perfume when she leaned her neck into his.   Her dress was modest but the sharp “v” of the bodice curved enticingly around her feminine curves and his fingers ached to touch her.   He imagined crushing his chest against hers as his lips took hers in a passionate kiss.   His fantasy was interrupted when a couple guys he recognized as sophomores emerged from the men’s room, joking and laughing about each other’s dates.
    “Dude, your girlfriend looks fierce in that red dress with her tits falling out,” the boy in the blue cummerbund declared, punching his friend on the shoulder suggestively.   “You’re gonna tap that tonight, right?   If not, let the rest of us have a turn.”
    “Speaking of fierce, did you see crazy Rachel and Paige here tonight?   Who knew psycho could look so smokin’ hot?”   The second guy adjusted his crotch as he sneered lecherously.   “I’d tap that if I wasn’t worried the crazy would rub off.”
    A white, hot anger ignited in Zach as his prom date’s name rolled lasciviously off the tongue of the low-life, degenerate, scumbag sophomore in the slick black suit.   His eyes glazed over with rage and the beast inside him took control as he rushed towards the teenagers, face contorted in rage.   Cups of punch tossed to the side, Zach’s fists flew through the air and connected with the second boy’s head and he heard the crunch of bone against bone as he pounded furiously at his face and neck.   Defending his friend, the first boy tackled Zach from behind and Zach’s wrath immediately transferred as he turned to batter the disgusting animal who spoke so lewdly about his best friend’s girl.   The three crumpled to the ground, their dress shoes sliding on the punch-slick floor as they tussled, the sticky red liquid pooling beneath them like fresh blood.
    Just then, Paige emerged from the ladies’ restroom followed by two other girls, presumably the dates of the lowlifes Zach was currently pummeling into the ground.   Their shrieks attracted more attention than the grunts and groans of his victims had and soon the hallway was flooded with onlookers, cheering and jeering as he continued his abuse of the two reprobates.   It was Paige’s voice breaking through the cacophony that cleared a tiny path through the cloud of Zach’s fury and distracted him just enough to allow the horde of alarmed chaperones to pull him off his victim’s crumpled form.   They grabbed his flailing limbs and dragged his struggling body away while others rushed in to assist his defeated opponents.   His eyes scanned the awestruck faces of the surrounding throng and landed on the terrified face of his date, cowering in the back of the crowd.   His eyes met hers and he read her terror and confusion like a flashing neon sign in a store window.   The light in her eyes dimmed as she stared at him, the trust he had so recently earned vanquished by his impetuous actions.   His gaze never left hers as he was pulled away from the crowd and down the hall, his stare begging her to understand, to give him another chance.

    *   *   *   *   *   *   *

    “This is so romantic,” Rachel murmured as she nuzzled Rider’s neck, her arms draped over his shoulders and his hands wrapped around her waist as they swayed in time to the music.   “With the move and then the accident and Jason’s death, I never imagined I would get to go to prom this year.   It’s like a fairy tale!   Thanks for being cool with it.”
    “I’m cool with anything that makes you so happy you purr like a kitten in my arms,” Rider whispered back huskily.   “You’re not getting cat fur all over my suit,