Forgotten Souls (The Saving Angels 2)

Cringing, I turned around to face the three catty girls that had made it their mission to torment my last few months of school. Mark grasped my hand, sending me his thoughts. Just ignore the three of them, it isn't worth it.

"Well, if it isn't the Lush Trio, Sam replied in a mocking voice."Where did you get those dresses, Tramps R Us?" Sam asked with just a touch of bite to her tone. Surprised by Sam's uncharacteristic cattiness, I fought the urge to laugh at their expressions. How they could deny it, though, based on their get-up. All three wore strapless dresses that barely covered their skinny butts. Topped with what my mom would say "Hooker Heels." They would have fit in on a street corner somewhere. I knew they were going for the trendy looks that graced the covers of most glamour magazines. But what they lacked was the poise to pull it off.

Lacey, the ringleader of the group, stepped forward. "Well at least I didn't buy my dress in the children's section," she said sarcastically, turning on a heel, trying to save face in front of the now interested onlookers.

"That's the best you've got?" Sam asked, snorting with laughter.

Impulsively, I reached over and hugged Sam, feeling proud of her. The three of them had given us enough grief over the last few weeks and I loved Sam for her quick wit.

Mark and Shawn led us to the dance floor where more than one set of eyes followed us. I guess I should have expected it. Being new to the school this year, my relationship with Mark, and the way he was let go from his intern position, made us the most infamous couple at prom.

"Don't worry about them, you look beautiful," Mark said, addressing the comments the dreaded trio had made as he slid his arms around me to pull me close. I looped my arms around his neck and rested my head against his muscular chest where his heart beat steadily. I had discovered when he was in the hospital that this was my favorite spot on earth. I loved to feel his heart beat against my ear knowing that it was connected to me.

"See, this isn't so bad, right?" he asked.

"No, this is nice, but I'm still not doing any fast songs," I said, reminding him of our compromise from a couple days ago.

Chuckling softly, he pulled me closer. I let my eyes drift closed as we swayed around the dance floor. At moments like these, I could imagine that this is how it would be if we were a normal couple and the most stressful thing I had to worry about was passing finals. But having the weight of using my power to change someone's life seemed just a little more important.

Mark stepped back reluctantly as the song ended and a chest thumping rhythmic beat began belting out of the speakers surrounding the dance floor.

"Guess this one's out?" he asked with a grin.

"Um yep, this one's out," I said returning his grin, as I made my way through the exuberant dancing around me to walk to the edge of the dance floor. We stood on the sidelines watching the other couples on the floor. My jaw dropped when I saw Shawn and Sam dancing like pros to the fast-paced song. They looked like they belonged on "Dancing with the Stars." Their natural grace made the complicated song look like a simple ballad. >Mark grasped my own hand in his and I felt his healing touch working its magic over me.

"I'm sorry the training is so tough," he murmured into my ear as we topped the last step. There was just something about his lip touching my ear, breathing his warm air into me that made my pulse race with pleasure.

He chuckled lightly as he picked up my thoughts. His relief that I was feeling good enough to get hot and bothered was palpable. Leaning in even closer, he blew gently in my ear, rustling the hair around it. Goosebumps popped up along my arms as a delicious shiver raced up my spine, making my scalp tingle in anticipation. I turned fully into his embrace, wrapping my arms snugly around his neck. He pressed his lips gently to my neck trailing light kisses up to my ear. My legs turned to jelly.

"Go pamper yourself." Smiling now, he loped down the steps as I sagged weakly against the railing. Holy crow bear, he killed me sometimes.

Sam and I spent the remainder of the day preparing ourselves for our big night out. By the time the guys were clamoring to get the show on the road, we had both given each other pedicures, dolled up our hair, and added just a tad bit of makeup.

I felt like a bundle of nerves as I pulled the elegant dress out of the bag and slipped it off the padded hanger the sales clerk had sent home with me. I hoped against hope that it still looked as good on my stick figure body as I remembered from the day before. The satin of the dress caressed my skin as I slid it on. Stepping in front of the mirror, I gasped in pleasure when I saw the sparkling girl staring back at me. With my hair pulled up in the intricate knot that Sam had concocted, the touch of make-up, and the beautiful dress, I felt like a princess. My eyes sparkled and my mouth spread into a smile as Sam stepped up behind me adjusting her own dress.

"Oh my God Krista, you look so flipping beautiful. Mark is going to have a coronary when he sees you," Sam said delighted.

The excitement of the night began to grab me as I reached over and gave Sam a quick hug. "I'm glad you talked me into this. You were right, who cares what those cows think. It was crazy thinking we should skip it. Why give them the satisfaction?" I asked, echoing the same argument Sam had been making for last few weeks.

"Ha, they're going to die when they see how hot you look," she quipped, tucking a stray hair back up into one of the countless bobby pins on my head.

"Well, it's not like you don't look pretty spectacular yourself," I said, giving Sam a once-over. The midnight blue dress could have been tailor made for her with the way it accentuated her every curve. The strappy heels she wore made the full skirt swish around her in a very flattering way. I had piled her hair on top of her head, leaving several tendrils to hang down to curl attractively around her heart-shaped face. As a last touch, Sam had added glitter eye shadow to the top of her eyelids, which could have looked cheap, but instead made her eyes sparkle and dance. Had Sam been a foot taller, she could have easily walked the catwalk as a topped billed model.

"You guys read? Wow, you two look fabulous!" Lynn said, opening the bathroom door. "Um, you two are going to leave those three gossip hounds you're always talking about with tongues wagging tonight," she added.

"Aww, thanks Lynn," Sam said, giving her a smacking kiss on the cheek as the three of us strolled toward the racket in the living room. It was quite obvious the guys were getting impatient. Sam and I exchanged a knowing look as we stepped around the corner, stopping in the doorway.

All sound evaporated from the room as Mark and Shawn finally got their first look at us.

Lynn broke the silence with a knowing snort behind us.

"Told you guys you looked hot," she said, joining Robert on the plush couch.

They weren't the only ones struck silent.

Mark in a tux was enough to send my heart racing and my skin tingling. The cut of the tux emphasized his lean but muscular body. He was McDreamy and McSteamy all wrapped up in one delicious ball.

"Dudes, you might want to close your mouths," Robert mocked from the couch. He roared with laughter as Mark and Shawn became aware of his teasing.