by Chelsea Fine
This must be Gabriel’s house.
A house that was not being fumigated.
She’d officially caught him in a lie.
Was Scarlet satisfied? No.
Why would Gabriel hide this from her?
Scarlet found a shadowy place to park her car; close enough to walk to the cabin’s front door, but far enough away where Gabriel wouldn’t be alerted to her presence.
She had two choices.
She could bravely march up to his door with an excuse as to why she’d followed him.
Hi Gabriel. You left your history book at my house and I thought I’d stop by and return it to you since, you know, I was in the neighborhood. I often roam the deep woods of Georgia by myself after school….
Okay, clearly she’d have to work on the excuse.
Or she could turn around and go home. Like a chicken.
Scarlet tapped her fingers on the steering wheel for a minute.
She hated mysteries. Her own. Those of others.
She was done.
She’d spent the past two years being afraid of everything. Afraid of her past, afraid she’d never recover her memories, afraid she’d never be able to live a normal life… afraid of living.
Being fearful was exhausting. And Scarlet was done with the mysteries. Today, she was going to do something brave. Today, she was going to get some answers.
Scarlet got out of her car and quietly walked up to the cabin’s front door, her heart picking up with every step she took. Although there were many windows at the front of the house, all of them were closed off by drapes and blinds, making it impossible to see inside.
But also ensuring no one could see outside.
Gabriel had no clue Scarlet was standing on his front porch.
It was then that Scarlet started to reconsider her plan.
What was she going to do, knock on his door and say Surprise! Just thought I’d drop in and catch you in a lie?
That was certainly no way to make a good impression on his family members.
No, Scarlet needed to leave.
Gabriel hadn’t wanted to share this with her, and she should be respectful of that.
This wasn’t brave. This was stupid.
Scarlet lifted one tattooed shoe and was about to turn away when she heard the doorknob turn.
Someone was opening the door!
Oh, no. No, no, no.
Scarlet hadn’t perfected her excuse yet. The only thing she had in her arsenal was the roaming-the-woods-after-school thing. And that certainly wasn’t going to work.
Gabriel would see her standing out there and she’d have to explain that she’d followed him to the middle of nowhere because she was a crazy girlfriend.
And then he would get all freaked out and dump her. She could see the heartbreak unfolding, right there, on the front porch of Gabriel’s cabin mansion.
Scarlet had to flee.
Too late.
The front door swung open and Scarlet couldn’t help but stare up at the person who’d caught her prowling.
It was Gabriel.
He was looking at her in confusion and disbelief. A thousand emotions crossing his beautiful face as his mouth parted and his eyes searched her over.
Scarlet’s heart began to drum wildly inside her, pounding against her chest like a caged feral animal.
As if it were desperate to break free. Desperate for…something.
Desperate for…Gabriel?
Uncontrollable and fervent, it arose in her chest as if waking from a deep and heavy slumber.
What was happening to her?
She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him.
She’d never been more drawn to him or more captivated by him.
Brief, incoherent flashes of memory assailed her mind and stung her consciousness like tiny darts.
There one millisecond, gone the next.
She was frozen in place, drawing in one long breath like she was breathing for the first time.
When her eyes locked on his, her violent heart nearly stopped.
The eyes staring back at her weren’t brown like Gabriel’s.
They were bright green.
Scarlet blinked as a sudden realization struck her.
This wasn’t Gabriel.
This was his twin brother.
19
Tristan should have known.
He should have assumed something was off when his screaming soul had suddenly gone quiet. When the war raging inside him had fallen still.
He should have known Scarlet was nearby.
He’d run home to grab a few papers before heading back to the library to continue his research on weapons and, when he’d opened the door to leave, there stood Scarlet.
Like she’d been delivered to his doorstep.
Standing still. Staring at him.
Tristan thought he would die. He actually thought the part of his soul that endlessly clawed at his insides would die of happiness at her nearness.
It took every ounce of will power he had not to touch her and assure himself she was real.
But there she stood. Looking at him in wonder.
More beautiful than ever.
In an instant he took in her kind eyes and fragile cheek bones...her full lips and soft jaw…everything about her was familiar—precious….Tristan stared for a moment longer before reality snapped in his mind—and...completely off-limits.
She wasn’t supposed to meet him. To see him.
This was exactly why Gabriel shouldn’t have met her. He’d led her straight to Tristan’s door.
Scarlet seeing Tristan could mess everything up. It would mess everything up.
Why had Gabriel let her come here? Why hadn’t he kept her away?
Where was Gabriel?
Tristan tried to think of what to say, and momentarily entertained the idea of trying to pass himself off as Gabriel, when Scarlet spoke.
“I know you.” Her mouth parted, her eyes widened, and her head tilted to the side as she took a step closer to him.
Her eyes ran up and down his face, lingering in certain places, as her eyebrows drew together. “I…know…you,” she said again, taking another step closer.
Wind blew across the porch, lifting a strand of her dark hair and blowing it across her perfect face. The scent of her strawberry shampoo met his nose and he involuntarily inhaled.
A rush of memories—shoved to the depths of his soul in punishment—broke free and flooded his mind.
Memories of love…memories of life…memories of torment…memories of death….
Scarlet took another step toward him and he swallowed his emotion. He couldn’t afford to show any weakness. He couldn’t afford to give himself away.
He forced a look of indifference upon his face and took a slow breath.
She spoke again, her face only inches from his, and he thought his heart would bruise the inside of his chest if it beat any harder.
But his heart wasn’t thrumming out of control in a paranormal way; it was hammering in a way that was undeniably natural, beating out the tune of his tragedy.
“Who are you?” she asked. It wasn’t an accusation, it wasn’t a demand.
It was curiosity.
As if she were in a trance. Fascinated by what stood before her.
He knew the feeling.
Her blue eyes flashed, changing from their normal blue to an electric blue—lighting up her face—and Tristan’s heart stopped.
It was happening. Her eye color was shifting from healthy blue to deadly blue.
The supernatural color of her eyes lasted only a second before returning to a normal hue, but Tristan was in full panic mode.
She’d seen him and now her heart was pulling for him, thrumming fiercely and tearing itself in half. Bringing her closer to death.
He needed to run away—somewhere far from the beautiful girl before him.
He needed to keep her safe from her own heart.
But instead, he stood there, dri
nking her in like he was a thirsty man and she was water in the desert.
Because his soul…his foolish and hopeful soul…wanted her just as much as she wanted him.
He needed to get himself under control—immediately.
20
Gabriel had a twin.
An identical twin, it seemed. Their eye colors were different, and Gabriel’s dark hair was shorter than his brother’s, but every other detail about their appearance, was identical.
Scarlet’s drumming heart refused to calm down.
She blinked as she realized the guy standing before her was, without a doubt, the same mysterious boy in the black shirt from the festival.
The boy who had stolen her breath.
The boy whose presence teased her with the promise of a memory.
Scarlet hadn’t seen his face at the festival, but somehow she just knew she was looking at the same guy.
And She was unbelievably drawn to him.
Scarlet could barely control her body. Her hands wanted to roam across his chest, her legs wanted to wrap themselves around his, and her mouth wanted to run itself up and down his jaw.
It was by sheer miracle Scarlet was able to keep her hands and feet to herself.
Her mouth, on the other hand, wasn’t being as obedient.
Her lips nearly pressed against his cheek as she brought her face close to his in examination.
She knew him.
Instinctively. Completely.
Every fiber of her being was in tune with his and pulled for him.
Longed for him, even.
If Gabriel made Scarlet feel normal, this boy—Gabriel’s twin—made her feel…extraordinary.
He was undeniably familiar, which terrified and excited her at the same time.
Who was he?
She couldn’t help but continue to run her eyes over him.
Shamelessly.
She asked again, “Who are you?”
He paused before answering, “Tri—“
“Tristan Archer,” Scarlet said, barely above a whisper. She knew his name.
She knew his name.
How did she know his name?
“Tristan Archer,” she said again, feeling his name on her lips.
It sounded right. It sounded safe.
It sounded perfect.
Her heart tossed itself up against her chest repeatedly. Like it was trying to escape…trying to pry itself from her body.
Why was she responding in such a powerful way to this stranger?
“Tristan Archer,” she repeated. “How do I know you?” She cocked her head to the side and forced herself to back a few inches away.
He searched her eyes for a moment before asking, “Do you know where Gabriel is?”
Click.
Scarlet’s eyes involuntarily closed at the timbre of his voice.
His voice was like Gabriel’s, pouring into her ears with familiarity and comfort.
But where Gabriel’s voice was almost perfect, Tristan’s voice was faultless.
A sound with a direct line to her heart.
She was connected to it somehow, and desperate to hear more of it.
The snippets of memory she’d experienced when he first opened the door had been fleeting. Too slippery to hold onto, but thick enough to be more than just her imagination.
Tristan had some connection to her past. He was there, in her memories, floating along. She just had to find him….
“Scarlet,” Tristan said.
He knew her name.
“Scarlet,” he said again, clearing his throat like it pained him to speak.
Her eyes flew open, bringing her back to reality.
Agh.
Was she really just closing her eyes?
Way to be creepy, Scarlet.
She looked up at him and tried to compose herself.
“Did Gabriel come with you?” he continued.
Scarlet scrunched her nose. “Uh…no…?”
How was she supposed to explain she’d followed Tristan—a complete stranger—to his cabin in the woods all by herself?
How was she going to spin that so she didn’t sound like a stalker?
He blinked. “Then where…? Never mind. Come in.” Tristan stood back and opened the door completely, gesturing for Scarlet to enter.
She hesitated a moment.
Not because entering a stranger’s cabin in the middle of nowhere was generally a bad idea and often the beginning of a slasher movie.
But because she felt—no, she knew—stepping inside that cabin would change her life forever.
And her instincts were humming in anticipation.
She could have stood on the porch and deliberated all day, but she chose to trust her gut instead. Even if that meant she was insane.
She slowly walked inside and stood in the vaulted entryway. Before her stretched a large living room with thick, polished wooden posts and leather furniture. To her right were two sets of stairs; one heading upward, and another leading down.
A basement maybe?
Tristan shut the door behind them and, for an awkward moment, nobody said anything. He backed away from her and moved to the farthest end of the entryway.
Like he didn’t want to be near her.
He pulled out his phone, sent a text, and dropped it back into his pocket. Clearing his throat again without making eye contact he said, “Gabriel should be here soon. You probably have a lot of questions.”
That was an understatement.
Scarlet shuffled her feet and tried to find her voice. “So, you’re Gabriel’s brother, I’m guessing?”
He nodded.
“Huh.” Scarlet nodded as well. “Gabriel didn’t, uh…mention you.”
He nodded again. “Right.” His eyes finally met hers and Scarlet had a moment to really look at them.
They were a brilliant green, almost inhuman. But pretty.
Enchanting, even.
Aside from the eyes, he and Gabriel truly were identical. They had the same dark hair, the same muscular-yet-lean bodies. The same hands. The same lips….
It was a bit disconcerting, staring at a face so familiar but not knowing anything about the boy behind it.
Was he nice? Was he cruel?
Her instincts told her little, other than: You like him. You want to touch him.
Which wasn’t helpful at all.
“Follow me,” Tristan said, moving away from the door.
He led her into an expensive-but-rugged looking living room. Two large couches and one overstuffed chair were her seating choices. On one wall stretched a large, flat screen TV and on another an ornate stone fireplace.
Scarlet felt weird being in Gabriel’s house without him.
It felt like betrayal.
Well, that and the whole I-want-to-touch-Tristan thing.
She took a seat on one of the couches and perched herself at the edge, trying not to get too comfortable. Mainly because Tristan hadn’t exactly made her feel welcome.
And why would he? She’d stalked him to his hidden home in the forest and loitered on his doorstep.
She was definitely an unwanted guest, so she kept to the edge of her seat to be polite. And in position to run if, say, Tristan turned out to be an extremely good-looking serial killer.
She didn’t get the killer vibe from him, but she wasn’t exactly getting warm fuzzies either.
Where was Gabriel?
He was going to be so mad. Waiting for him to come home and freak out on her was probably a bad idea.
“You know what?” Scarlet said, standing. “I think maybe I’ll just go. I can…talk to Gabriel later.”
“No,” Tristan said. It was a command, not a plea.
Chills didn’t run up Scarlet’s spine, but she did start to look around for exits.
Just in case.
“I mean,” Tristan said, obviously trying to control his insistent tone. “I think it’s important for you to stay. At least until Gabriel gets back.”
Scarlet nodded, slowly sitting back down, wary of Tristan and unable to determine if he was dangerous or not.
She waited a beat. “You know my name.”
Tristan looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“My name,” she clarified. “You knew who I was…. How?” Although she wanted to sound demanding, her voice came out quiet and curious.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
His eyes were pained but his voice held no emotion when he finally spoke. “Because I know you. I’ve known you almost my entire life.”
Scarlet’s mouth dropped open, a million thoughts racing through her mind.
Gabriel’s brother knew her? Had known her for years?
Scarlet’s voice came out hushed and breathy when she asked, “You’ve known me all your life?”
“Yes.”
Did that mean…?
No…it wasn’t possible….
“Has….” Scarlet swallowed. “Has Gabriel known me too?”
Tristan’s mouth tightened as he hesitated. He slowly nodded.
Why had Gabriel lied to her?
Scarlet sucked in a ragged breath.
Gabriel knew? All this time, Gabriel knew about her past—knew who she was—and didn’t tell her? How could he do that to her? How could he?
Fragmented thoughts and questions piled up inside Scarlet.
She couldn’t breathe.
She didn’t want to breathe.
But suddenly, everything made sense.
Gabriel’s familiar voice, her instinct to trust him, his lack of a total freak-out when she told him about her amnesia…. Gabriel had lied to her. For months.
Her eyes began to burn.
Just when she thought she was going to cry, or scream, or throw something, Gabriel burst through the front door, looking like a guilty puppy as he made his way into the living room. He eyed Scarlet first, then Tristan.
To Tristan he said, “I didn’t tell her. I swear.”
Scarlet stared at Gabriel in disbelief.
“Scarlet,” Gabriel said, making his way over to her. “I know this is weird. But you have to trust me.”
Her eyes grew wide in disbelief as she stood to face him. “Trust you? Are you crazy? Why would I trust you? You know me? You’ve known me for years? You’ve been lying to me and keeping secrets from me, Gabriel! Big secrets!”
“Yes, yes I have, but you don’t understand—“