Read Sleeping Beauty for Free Online Page B

you’re becoming a young lady.” Her father’s strong dark eyebrows pushed together and his forehead wrinkled. “Most girls your age would be happy to have their father’s permission to date boys.”
    â€œWell, I’m not most girls, am I?” No, most girls her age didn’t have huge curses hanging over their heads. Most girls her age actually looked like girls. Most girls her age weren’t enrolled at the Slayer Academy.
    â€œWhat’s the problem, Lucette?” Her father’s concern had turned to irritation. “Why are you so upset that I introduced you to a few nice boys?”
    â€œYou can’t force me to date against my will.” Especially since these so-called dates would involve chaperones and guards, and the boys would probably be frisked for sharp objects and scrutinized for splinters before they’d be allowed near her. Her father would probably insist the boys wear gloves, too, in case one broke a nail or had a callus. It was beyond humiliating.
    Her father’s expression turned serious. “Lucette, it’s vital you find true love.”
    â€œWhy? So I can give you an heir to your throne?” Really, she was only thirteen!
    He rose from his chair as if he planned to discipline her, but then his face softened. “Didn’t your mother tell you that true love is the only way the vampire queen’s curse can be lifted?”
    That was why her father wanted her to date boys? To fall in love? Like that would happen. She let out a disdainful laugh.
    â€œTake this seriously, Lucette.” Her father cleared his throat.“The fairies made three alterations to the original curse. One to keep you safe until you turn sixteen, one to prevent the vampire queen from entering Xandra, and another to lift the curse when you prove you’ve found true love.”

    â€œBut I’m thirteen!” Lucette’s mind felt muddy. She wasn’t exactly a little girl anymore, and wanted her father to treat her like a grown-up most of the time, but not about this. She wasn’t ready for love.
    Her father tapped his fingers on his huge marble-topped desk. “Maybe you’re not old enough to attend charm school then, either.”
    â€œWhat?” Lucette’s heart rate tripled.“That’s not fair.” Even if training to be a female slayer wasn’t what she hoped for, at least there she had a chance to get close to the weapons.
    He frowned. “The fairies paid a high price for altering your curse. You can’t take them for granted.”
    She nodded, and a little bit of the muddiness cleared. “What price?”
    He sat down and gripped the carved arms of his chair, as if he might crush them. “The vampire queen was very angry that the fairies helped you.” He paused, looked at her, then continued. “So she punished them—brutally.”
    Lucette felt a lump form in her throat, and a sense of guilt overcame her as she thought of the price others had paid to help her. “Punished them how?”
    He shook his head.“Don’t worry about that. It’s better if you focus on preventing the curse. Finger safety and finding true love are the keys.”
    Lucette sat silent for a moment. She didn’t think her father was wrong; it was smart to prevent the curse. But she also thought her mother was right, that she should be prepared in case the curse did fall. Her father was in denial if he thought he could protect her from every danger, or if he thought she’d ever find love. She wished she were interested in boys, but she wasn’t. Not like that.
    â€œDid you say the fairies’ magic says I have to prove I’ve found love?” she asked, and he nodded.

    â€œHow do you prove that?”
    He ran his fingers over his chin, and Lucette wondered if he knew the answer, but then he cleared his throat. “If your love is true, proving it will be easy.”
    â€œDid you