The Roses Academy- the Entire Collection

by Tara Brown

  “I want things to be normal again. If Hanna loves me, then it will be close to what it was before.”

  Lydia squeezed my fingers. “I think we can make it work. I can't believe I never thought of that. When we get back, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Lorri flashed in with Giselle and Brandon.

  I raised an eyebrow at Giselle. “You feeling okay?” I wasn't in the mood for another blood raping.

  “Yeah, duhhh.” She laughed.

  Dorian appeared with Ari and Luke.

  “Giselle, you need to compel everyone so that if Ari accidentally pushes a human, we’ll remember everything the way it is now.” Lorri pointed at us.

  Giselle gave Lorri a dirty look. “You just barged in on me and my fang bang and now you are going to boss me around?”

  Lorri growled at her.

  “Fine, whatevs. God. Take a chill pill.” Giselle walked up to me first and winked. “I want you to remember this in case Ari pushes a human. Ari's magic doesn’t work on your brain. Remember everything up to the point Ari pushes. Also, I want you to unbutton your shirt and—”

  “Giselle!” Lorri snapped.

  My fingers slipped up to the buttons on my shirt.

  “Sam, stop it.”

  I heard it but I couldn’t stop my fingers. They unbuttoned the first one.

  “Stop dicking around, Giselle!” Lorri barked.

  “Fine.” Giselle rolled her eyes. “Sam, stop trying to take your clothes off.”

  “Okay.” I was foggy for a moment.

  Giselle went around to each person and said the same thing, minus the clothes part.

  Lorri surveyed the group and finally settled her eyes on Oliver. “We have no choice but to place our fates with you. This is all happening far faster than we thought it would.”

  “I am here to help.” His eyes darted to O. Jealousy raged through me, but I didn't move.

  Oliver pulled his cell phone out and showed a picture to us all. It was a small garden with roses and lilies.

  “Flash here. It's the weak point. Follow me through and we'll split up.” He took Ophelia’s hand in his and was gone instantly. I grabbed Hanna and flashed, drawing us through fast. My feet were suddenly standing in soft earth in a warm garden. The smell of flowers filled the air. I didn't know how this could be Alaska.

  Hanna gripped my hand before I could take another step. She hauled me into her and our lips met with force. She kissed desperately.

  “I missed you, Sam,” she mouthed into my cheek.

  The scent of her strawberry shampoo reminded me of the love I used to have. That I couldn't feel.

  “I will love you, Hanna.” It was all I could promise right now.

  “Sam.” Lorri gave me the evil eye from across the bushes and flowers and pointed to the right. “Oliver says your mom is to the right. She stays in a room that’s guarded.” Her eyes flashed to Hanna. “Nothing hurts you. You can get through the door. Stay together. Kill anything you see.”

  Hanna nodded. “Okay.”

  A twinge hit my stomach as we started toward the huge white metal door at the end of the garden. I hadn’t seen her in years.

  Aimee grabbed my arm as we got close to the door. “Flash if you get into trouble.”

  “You too.” I said as she ran off with the others.

  I pulled Hanna to the door, checking with her before I opened it. She gulped and nodded as we slipped into the hallway. It was freezing and the door sealed like a freezer door would.

  This was Alaska.

  The garden was sweltering compared to the cold air surrounding us as we crept along the stark hallway.

  Hanna was watching our backs. I pulled her close. “No cameras?” I muttered. “Weird.”

  “This whole place is creepy,” Hanna mumbled.

  “Yup. It feels like a trap.” I followed the hall and turned right at the end of it where it opened into a huge great room with a fireplace and couches. No one milled about the beautiful room. It reminded me of a modern version of a ski lodge.

  We stopped and waited and when nothing moved, I flashed us across the room to the hallway.

  I cracked open every door on the right and peeked inside. Hanna peeked in the rooms on the left. Behind every closed door there was a small bedroom or office. No one was in any of them.

  “This is a trap, Sam. We need to tell the others.” Hanna’s skin rippled. She stopped and sniffed the air.

  “I smell it too.” I said it just as a man rounded the corner. He was a weretiger. We’d met a few before.

  The weretiger smirked at us. “Look at what I found. Both sirens? It’s like winning the lottery.”

  Hanna shivered as the beast took over. She sauntered toward him.

  The weretiger peered around. “Did I actually win the lottery? Are you real?”

  “Touch me and find out?” Her voice changed.

  He reached but Hanna ripped his fingers off before it registered. No one expected sirens to be able to defend themselves.

  I flashed to him and had him out of the hallway and in the desert of Libya, before the first scream ripped through his throat. I flashed back to the hallway.

  Hanna was still holding his fingers, trembling from the beast.

  I grimaced at them. “Put them in that plant.”

  She pulled at the fake dirt and shoved the fingers into it and wiped the blood and dirt on her pants.

  “That was disgusting.”

  She didn't speak. I knew it was harder for her to speak and contain the beast.

  We moved along the hall, stopping when we came to a room with the black obsidian door. “Devil's rock.”

  “It stings,” she growled.

  “This is it. She’ll be behind this. I can't flash in there.”

  Hanna turned the handle, crushing it in her hand. She pushed on the door hard, ripping it off the hinges on one side. She kicked it once, making a huge bang.

  I put a hand on her shoulder. “Shhhh.”

  She snarled back at me. Her eyes were wild. The beast was fully there. She’d let it take over.

  Hanna demolished the stone door, making more noise than we should. Her knuckles bled but she didn't stop. She made a throaty scream as she passed through the entryway into the room, smoking from the spell on it.

  She snarled when she got into the large sitting room decorated nicely with couches and flowers. It resembled a regular house but there were no windows. Just a small kitchen sat at the back of the room.

  The stench of Hanna's burning skin from passing through the door, flooded the air.

  “Jon?” My mother came around the corner. She hadn’t aged at all. She saw Hanna and dropped vampire fangs instantly. She hissed at Hanna who grabbed her by the throat and held her in the air.

  “Mom?” my voice cracked.

  Her panicked eyes met mine over Hanna's red head.

  “Hanna, drop her. Hanna, that’s my mom.”

  Hanna turned back toward me and growled. She dragged my mother through the black doorway. Both of them screamed the entire way.

  My mom's skin burst into flames for a second, as she passed through the doorway. Hanna covered my mom's mouth with her hand. In the hallway, the beast lessened and Hanna struggled with the pain.

  “Sam?” my mother spoke perfectly with the fangs still hanging from her lips, not like Giselle who still sounded like a four-year-old.

  “Mom!” I grabbed my mom from Hanna.

  “My darling boy!”

  We hugged tightly, each of us trembling in the embrace.

  When I pulled back. I couldn't help but notice the differences, even though nearly everything about her was exactly the same. Her dark hair was long and shiny with subtle curls. Her skin glowed, except where it was blackened from the magic. Her eyes sparkled but she was a vampire. She didn’t have the magic of the siren anymore.

  “Why?” I asked, staring at her fangs.

  “Jonathan was afraid I would start aging eventually. He did it a couple of y
ears ago. His last siren aged badly after time. Hundreds of years do make a difference for us. Especially when we don't glean.” Her eyes darted to Hanna. “What are you?”

  Hanna shuddered from the beast leaving her and the burning of her skin.

  “You're a siren?” my mother whispered.

  “She’s part.” I said, wondering how my mother didn't recognize her. She looked the same as before.

  My mother’s mouth trembled. “You're Hanna.” She brought her fingers up to Hanna’s face. “You look just like him.” She grabbed her and hugged tightly. “How is he? Your father?” Her voice changed, cracking.

  Hanna's eyes lowered. “He's in a better place.”

  My mother's lower lip trembled. “I'm sorry, my love. I loved your mother and father dearly. I see you didn't manage to escape the family curses then?”

  “No.”

  “I’m sorry, both of you. I wish this were a different world and you were able to be different people in it.” Her eyes lowered to the floor. “But I’m grateful you came to see me and you’re together. You have each other.” My mom smiled again. “I'm so sorry I left you, Sam.”

  “It doesn't matter. I know it wasn't your fault. Jonathan kidnapped you. It’s not your fault. But we have to go now before he comes.”

  “It was my fault.” Her eyes widened. “They never told you? I went with him because I love him.” She tilted her head. “I have always loved him.”

  “What?” My insides froze and burned at the same time. I staggered back. “You left me on purpose?” How could this be true?

  “I’m sorry.” My mother froze. “Sam, you have to flash out of here before he comes. He wants you here. He always has. But as much as I love him, he can’t have that. You must go. Love each other and take care of one another.”

  “No. You have to come with me. You have some syndrome like Stockholm or something. This isn’t you talking.”

  “I can't leave. Ever.”

  I almost laughed at how ridiculous this moment was. “Why?”

  “I love him.” She said it so flatly. “I love him, Sam.”

  My jaw dropped and I was pretty sure my heart fell out onto the floor for her to stomp on.

  Chapter 26

  The double cross

  Ophelia

  I walked behind Oliver who wouldn’t let go of my hand.

  We all followed him, and I wondered if anyone else had the same horrid misgivings I did. The ones suggesting he had led us into a trap. We hadn’t seen anyone else on our journey. Where was the army?

  Oliver snuck to a back door and pointed. “Half of us need to go this way. Ophelia and I will go with Lorri, Dorian, and Aimee. Lucas, Ari, Giselle, Lydia, and Brandon—you go that way. It's where Abbey and Alise are.”

  “No.” Ari shook her head. “We need someone who can flash us out.”

  He cringed. “Right. Uhm, Aimee, you'll have to go with them and text Sam to head that way too. He should have his mom by now.”

  Lorri scowled at Aimee. “Don't let any old feelings cloud your judgment.”

  “I won’t,” she muttered and stalked off.

  Oliver pulled the door open, blasting us with cold air. I started to shiver immediately.

  Oliver looked back at me. “Warm yourself.”

  “How?”

  He glared at Lorri. “So she knows nothing?”

  Lorri growled. “We found her a month ago.”

  He grouched under his breath, “We’re screwed,” and pulled me with a jerk but I yanked free.

  “Stop jerking me,” I growled.

  “All right, children, let's focus before Jonathan sends us to Hell.” Dorian scanned the area.

  Lorri snickered bitterly. I was clearly missing the joke.

  The cold snowy courtyard was long and surrounded by a stone wall. At the end of it sat the tower. I recognized it all immediately.

  I pointed up to the second window from the top. “That’s hers.”

  “You are correct,” Oliver grumbled.

  We ran across the courtyard and Oliver kicked open the door. I ran up the stairs behind him. Lorri was at my heels. I was wheezing by the second flight. Oliver sighed impatiently and grabbed my hand again, flashing us to the top. Dorian and Lorri flashed behind us.

  I reached out and touched the door. It sparked against my fingers, but I ignored the pain. I was finally going meet her.

  It felt surreal, regardless of the fact I stood in a stone tower with angels and demons. It was easier to believe in them than the existence of a mother I never knew about. Memories flooded me of my mother back home. I couldn’t imagine the pain they were in. But Abbey and I would be home soon enough, and I would use magic to make their pain go away.

  “What do we do?” I asked Dorian. His eyes were set on the door.

  Oliver rolled his eyes. “You have to open it.”

  I frowned. “How?”

  “Use your magic and open the door.”

  I pointed a finger and spoke slowly, “Open sesame.”

  Lorri sighed. “Stop screwing around and tell the door to open.”

  My face flushed. “Open.”

  The door didn’t even creak in a slight effort to open. Lorri pinched the bridge of her nose. “Focus,” she seethed.

  “What do I do?”

  “Magic is imagery—want and need the door to open. Like when you were mad and the magic filled you. Think about the fact that she’s trapped in there and Jonathan’s murdered all the others. All your siblings. Think about the fact that she's spent a lifetime alone. Want it.”

  Fury filled me as I turned back to the door and contemplated Lillith being alone. I imagined the cruelty of him forcing himself upon her. I remembered the helpless feeling of Sam pressed against me. My back in the damp moss as he held me down and screamed at me. I lifted a trembling hand and pushed on it. A loud burst shot through the silence as the door blew apart. Tiny shards of wood and slivers filled the air. I blew hard, making them fly away.

  When the air cleared I expected to see the woman from the snow globe, but she wasn’t there. No one was. The cell was empty. I turned back to speak but something hit me in the head.

  Everything went dark.

  When I opened my eyes next, my brother stood over me.

  “You cannot be my sister. My sister would have known better than to trust a stranger,” he mocked.

  I swallowed, tasting blood in my mouth. Oliver watched me with his bright-blue eyes. My breath grew ragged as the desperate situation became reality.

  My brother was evil.

  I scanned the area, not recognizing anything. My hands were wrapped in a fabric and tied over my head. My feet just touched the floor on tippytoes.

  My back was against a cold stone wall.

  Tristan was taller than I assumed he would be. He towered over me, seeming angry and frightening as he leaned in. “You smell like a siren’s whore. It's hard to be around them. I know that.”

  I turned my face away from his warm breath.

  I refused to look at him or Oliver.

  Where were Lorri and Dorian? Had they been part of the plan from the beginning too?

  My toes started cramping up and I struggled to stay standing.

  Tristan hovered over me, but I continued to angle my head away from them. My breath grew noisy as I started to heave.

  “Wa-wa-wa-wa! What's the baby going to do? Will she cry? Are you going to cry for Daddy, love?”

  “Daddy?” I looked at him.

  He laughed. “You didn’t think I was your brother, did you? You really are your mother’s daughter.”

  I started to cry. He leaned in and licked my cheek. “Your tears taste like your mother's.”

  All along I thought I looked like my mother but seeing him there, I realized I was identical to Jonathan. I could see my own face in his face.

  I glowered at Oliver. “How could you? He killed your son.”

  My father chuckled. “I never killed him. Oliver has him detained, so to speak. It
had to be believable.”

  “Why are you doing this? Where’s Tristan?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Your brother’s an idiot. You are my heir. My true heir.” He glanced back at Oliver and smirked. “We just need to make sure she likes our side better.”

  Oliver smirked, his eyes gleaming.

  “Where are my sisters and Lillith?” I demanded.

  Jonathan ignored me. He laughed and then spun and walked from the circular stone room.

  Oliver watched me for a moment and then followed him, leaving me in the cold.

  Chapter 27

  Meet my daughter

  Sam

  “Just pull her along,” I snapped at Hanna. “Force her to come with us.”

  Hanna replied nervously, “Sam, I don’t feel comfortable—”

  “I don't care.” I clenched my jaw. “I'm not leaving without her.”

  Hanna's skin rippled. “Don't be a shit. I just don't want her to think we forced something on her. She said she loves him.”

  My eyes flashed at my mother's unconscious body. I felt bad for knocking her out, but I had no choice. “She’s been compelled by Jonathan.”

  My phone vibrated, interrupting. I pulled it out and scowled at the picture Aimee had sent of a room. I grabbed Hanna and my mom's hands and flashed us into the room.

  Aimee had her back to a wall and was peering around a corner. “They're in there,” she whispered and gaped back at me. “Is she hurt?”

  Hanna rolled her eyes. “She wasn’t until Sam knocked her out.”

  I groaned, “She wanted to stay. She’s been brainwashed into thinking she loves Jonathan.”

  Aimee grimaced.

  Giselle made a sickened face. “Eww, I heard he’s Olivia’s lookalike, and she’s not exactly what I would call attractive, if you know what I mean.”

  “That’s it.” Aimee's head snapped around. “I've had enough of shitty Giselle. Stop.”

  Giselle put her hands up. “Whatevs, Aimes. Can we just kill Blake and get Alise?”

  Aimee turned to Lydia. I followed her gaze, noticing the vacant stare in the old woman’s eyes. “Lydia?”