The Roses Academy- the Entire Collection

by Tara Brown

  His face filled with rage. “Then take it.” He moved forward and put her hand on his chest. “You take it because I don’t want it.”

  Hanna clenched her jaw.

  I was lost.

  Giselle was clutching her side again. Her face was pinched in pain. “Please.”

  Marcus moved like a snake striking Hanna’s arm. “See you soon.” He pulled her in and kissed her. His hand moved like a viper again and struck the bracelet on her wrist. He flashed a grin. “I like you better naked, you know that.”

  The bracelet fell to the ground and smashed against the hard floor. The shells were white. I had never seen them white.

  A strange sensation came over me instantly. I hated Hanna. It was stronger than hate. I despised and detested her. She was gross and sleazy. I pushed it away. “What is that?”

  Hanna scowled. “That is the call of a siren.” Her eyes pleaded. “Please, don’t hate me.”

  “I won’t. I know it isn’t real.”

  The doctor came in and flashed a charming smile at Hanna. “My love.”

  Hanna pulled him into her embrace, forcing his face to focus on her. “Go and sleep, Doctor. Find a female replacement doctor to take care of my friend.”

  The doctor left, gripping his clipboard.

  Hanna sighed. “Friggin’ Marcus.” She looked back at Giselle. “I gotta go before this shit gets real. Lydia has a spare bracelet, I think.”

  Giselle breathed into her cramp. “Yeah. Tell His Highness to kiss my ass.”

  Hanna gripped her hand. “I’ll make him fix you.”

  I knew Hanna and Marcus had dated, and he had been a piece of shit to her, but I also knew Hanna loved him. I had seen the relief fill her face when he walked in alive and mean.

  Hanna left as Aimee and Blake walked in. Blake reached for her. “Hi.” He pulled his glasses off.

  Aimee grabbed his arm and scowled. “Dude. You don’t want any of that. Keep it in your pants.”

  He turned and shoved Aimee. “Leave me alone.”

  Aimee laughed. “So Marcus destroyed the bracelet, huh?”

  “Yeah.” Hanna sighed. “Please, take me to Lydia's.”

  Aimee shoved Blake at me and flashed Hanna away, before Blake could react.

  He stood dazed. “What-what was that?”

  “Hanna.” I had nothing else to offer.

  He put his glasses on again and smiled. “She is amazing.”

  I covered my eyes with my hand for a moment, trying to focus. “Okay, I'm going to go and find you some help.”

  I had an idea, it wasn't great but it might work.

  Chapter 30

  Pies soothe the broken heart

  Ophelia

  I paced in the backyard near the woods, wresting with the choice I was about to make while also checking my phone to make sure I wasn't too late in doing so.

  A stick broke behind me. I expected Ben, but it was Oliver leaning against a tree. “How’d you find me?” I wanted him to admit he could track me. I wanted to know how. The truth of it, not some stupid lie about loving me.

  His eyes darted to the house. “You planning on threatening him?”

  “I was. I know where the heart is, I can kill Marcus if he doesn't do what I need him to.” I glanced up at the mansion.

  “This is where we met last time.” He cocked an eyebrow. “That can’t be a coincidence.”

  “It’s not. I was hoping you would come here before I went the Marcus route.”

  He beamed. “My heart swells.”

  “I want two things from you. Firstly, to know how you’re tracking me.” I narrowed my gaze. “And secondly, I need your help. That girl, Giselle. I need her saved. She's dying because of me. My dad did all of this. Marcus refuses, so if you refuse, I have to go in there and threaten him.”

  “You misunderstand us immortals.” He crossed his arms. “Why would we care about some girl?”

  “Because I care.”

  “What do I get out of it?”

  I gulped. “My gratitude.”

  “I want undying love and physical appreciation.”

  I laughed, completely uncomfortable with him. “And I want world peace.”

  He shrugged. “What do I care about the world?”

  “It’s an expression. It means we can't always get what we want.”

  He pushed himself away from the tree and walked across the rocks and dirt slowly. “I get what I want. And if you want world peace so badly, all you have to do is wish for it. Witches’ wishes and such.”

  He stopped directly in front of me. I tried my hardest not to scowl. “Will you do it?”

  He stared deeply into my eyes. “I want one thing.”

  “I'm not the kind of girl you think I am.”

  “I know what kind of girl you are,” he whispered and then he was gone.

  “Shit.” I turned around. “Oliver, you never said what you wanted.” Nothing moved. The garden was silent. “Oliver? There’s no deal if you don't say what you want.”

  I started back toward the house and muttered, “Shit.” I pulled out the cell phone Lorri had given me during my Roses Academy training.

  In an instant, Aimee stood across the grass from me. “Hi.” She looked different. “Hey. You rang?”

  “Did Marcus fix Giselle yet?” Since my main plan had failed, I had to hope.

  “I don’t think so. Blake never sent me a message about her changing. He's there with Alise. I'm heading there now.”

  “I asked Oliver to save Giselle.”

  Aimee's face dropped. “What?”

  “Yeah. I did. He didn't say yes or no, he just left.”

  “Why would you involve him?” She wrinkled her nose in displeasure.

  “I don't know what else to do. My other plan was to threaten Marcus with Henry. I think Henry would be nice to me, since we’re related, sort of.”

  “Stay away from Henry.” Aimee frowned. “What did Jonathan say Oliver made again? His monsters?”

  “Succubus.”

  “What is that?” Fear glistened in her eyes.

  “I don't know.” I tried to remember. “I think I saw it on Charmed once. I think they suck your life force. Like a vampire sucks blood. But again, that was TV. So I don't know.”

  “Do people die from this?”

  “They did on the show.” I nodded.

  “Can she suck only a little at a time?”

  “I don’t know. On Charmed they sucked you dry.”

  “Sweet Jesus. Let’s hurry.” Aimee grabbed my hand.

  She flashed us into the room to find Oliver bent over and in an embrace with Giselle. His hands slid up into her dark hair. Her hands rubbed the back of him.

  It was a full make-out session, and I was remarkably uncomfortable for all the wrong reasons, considering I hated him.

  My heartbeat quickened. My gaze lowered to the floor, trying to avoid the scene.

  Aimee cleared her throat as I walked out quickly. I ran down the hall, confused by how repulsed I was to see that.

  Oliver. My Oliver.

  Why was he mine?

  He was a traitor and an evil old man.

  Why did I care what he did?

  Why did I care about him at all?

  Oh God!

  I cared.

  “Wait,” Oliver called from behind me.

  Disgusted with myself, I pushed my legs harder and shot out the glass in front of me with a fireball. I dove out the window.

  The air rushed over me. I screamed, seeing the ground flying at me, but I knew. My instincts had kicked in. I blew hard at the ground and slowed my descent. I floated to the ground and my legs hit the pavement running.

  “Ophelia!” he shouted and flashed to the sidewalk in front of me.

  “What?” I stopped.

  “Running from someone like me is a bit pointless. I flash, remember?” He was still breathing heavily.

  “I don't want to like you!” I pointed at him. “Stop making me care about you. I don'
t want to be annoyed that you’re in there seducing my poor, sick friend instead of fixing her like I asked you. I offered you my gratitude. That should have meant something to you!” I screamed and a fireball ripped from my fingers. He flashed and it hit a black SUV, exploding on contact.

  He peeked his head around a pole he stood behind. “You don't understand. I wasn't making out with her. That’s how we change them—people. It’s—”

  “I don't care!” A second fireball went soaring from me at him before he could finish his sentence. It hit a corner of a small building and blew it into shards of wood and glass.

  “O. Stop.”

  I flung both my arms at once and fireballs shot from my hands going in a circle as I spun. I fired like a Tommy gun until a wall of fire surrounded me on the hospital lawn.

  Something bit into my arms and suddenly I stood in the garden at Marcus'. I turned to see Aleks. He held me out to assess the damage. “You okay?”

  “No! Something’s wrong with me. He’s doing something to my head.” I heaved my breath. “And he was—he—” My face fell into my hands.

  Aleks pulled me in. “You can’t light a whole neighborhood on fire.”

  The smell of him made memories flood in. He had sat in my window, but I was much younger, much. He and Sam melded. I knew him. I knew him well. I hated that I was attracted to him because I saw him as a big brother. The one who came and saved me. The one who had explained what I was. I had to give it to him, he was better than Sam at that.

  His huge arms wrapped around me.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  Embarrassed, I groaned, “I asked Oliver to save Giselle. And then I caught them making out in the hospital room and it made me so angry.” My fingers started to spark again. “I don't like him. I don't understand why I care if he kisses someone. Maybe because she’s dying and weak and he’s so gross and old—”

  “O, that's how we make a demon,” Aleks cut me off.

  “What?”

  “You ever hear of the kiss of death?” His brilliant blue eyes sparkled with humor.

  “Yeah.” I nodded.

  “That’s where that came from. Angels give humans the kiss of death. Mix their blood with human blood and swallow.”

  “Well, that’s gross. You guys are disgusting.”

  “I don't do it.” He laughed. “And Oliver doesn’t even look five years older than you. He’s probably more immature than you are. Old is a relative term, you’ll see that one day.”

  “Oliver is a traitor who got Sam killed.” That was all there was to say about that.

  “We need to get you back.”

  “Okay,” I agreed as he flashed us to Lydia's. I landed and he left.

  Ari peered up from the book she was reading. “Hey. You okay?”

  “No. I think I just destroyed a parking lot.”

  Ari laughed. “Oh well, at least it wasn’t everyone's lives.”

  I sat beside her. “You know it wasn’t your fault. Aimee was dying. I would have done the same thing.”

  Ari smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Hanna told me that this has happened to you lots, the change thing.”

  Ari sighed. “Yeah.”

  “How did you deal with the old memories and feelings?”

  Ari drank from the mug in front of her. “Still haven’t. I keep to myself a lot because it all drives me crazy.” Her dark eyes filled with sadness. “I killed every one of those little kids. Sarah, Dawn, Danny. Their faces float in my mind. Sam was like a brother to me. He and Lucas and Ben were brothers. Lucas still cries every day. He can't even be grateful that his real brother is alive because his heart is so broken.”

  “I'm sorry, Ari. My family is the cause of it all.”

  “Ophelia, my dad is a nightmare too. And Lorri’s no treat. I've known her for a while now. She doesn’t let any of us in. She's all about the plan, you know? Lydia is so busy worrying about everything that she misses a lot of things.” Ari put her arms out. “And unfortunately, one day this will be ours to run, and you know what? We'll be no different than them. We'll think it's for the greater good, or see the bigger picture and forget about the small details. There’s too much at stake.”

  “We need the next Nephilim to be able to freeze time so we can take a year and live in Barbados.”

  Ari pointed. “Now that’s the spirit. Make it a witch wish and make it happen.”

  I laughed.

  Lydia walked into the kitchen and smiled. “Good to see you girls coming around.”

  “It just gets easier to live in constant disappointment when you don't ever get a break from it. No sunshine.”

  Lydia sat down at the table with a coconut cream pie and passed out three spoons. “Yes, I suppose. I think Sam would have wanted us to be happy. He would want us to make sure Hanna finds happiness.”

  “I don't know.” I scooped a massive spoonful of pie. “I think he’d want us to kill my father and Daniel and free his mom,” I spoke to the pie.

  Ari agreed, “Cheers to that.” We clinked our spoons against each other’s and shoved them into the pie. I put a massive bite in my mouth.

  Ari’s eyes softened. “Oh my God,” she spoke with a mouthful, “this is amazing.”

  Lydia laughed. “It is an old family recipe of Annabelle's mom’s.”

  I couldn't look at Lydia without wondering if she had regrets. From what I’d learned, she had married a regular man, tried to have a baby and a normal life. It all ended when the hunters came and her best friend sacrificed her life for Lydia and made the guards. Her baby died because of the darkness that was in her from casting dark magic. And yet, here she was, still trying to find the brighter side. Bringing us pie and smiles.

  I hoped one day I would be as strong as she was.

  I shoved my spoon into the pie and took another bite.

  “Look at you greedy women eating that pie I made for everyone. Shame on you all.” Annabelle floated into the kitchen. “Ophelia, that Mr. Oliver be in the street, calling for you. He’s been there a dog’s age and he’s getting on my last nerve.”

  Lydia shook her head. “No, you stay in the house. He's trouble.”

  Annabelle crossed her arms. “You all can't hear him, but I can. Now somebody best be getting rid of him.”

  “I’m not gonna go outside the guards. I’ll stay in the yard. I just need to tell him to piss off and thank him for saving Giselle, at the same time.” I stood licking my spoon. “Don’t eat it all. I'll be back in a minute.”

  “I don't like him being here.” Lydia sighed. “And when you get back we need to discuss a certain ring of fire in the hospital grass.”

  I grimaced and made my way out of the kitchen and out the front door.

  “I need to talk to you.” He sounded genuinely upset. I hated his act. I wished he would just be real with me, even if real was evil.

  “Why?”

  “Because I want to explain.” He threw his hands up in the air. “You can’t be mad at me. You asked me to do it, you insufferable girl.”

  “Fine.” I nodded.

  “Jesus, save me. Look, that’s how it's done. It’s called the kiss of—”

  “Okay,” I said indifferently.

  “You’re not mad anymore?” He was clearly skeptical and a little worried.

  “No. Aleks explained it. Thank you for saving her.”

  “I want my prize.” He grinned.

  “Tell me what you want.” I didn't budge. I wasn’t going near him.

  “I’ll tell you out here. Some trust would be appreciated.” He crossed his arms and paced in front of the guard. “Don't make me come in there.”

  “You killed Sam and you have those.” I pointed at the dark shadows swirling about on the ground beyond the guards. “Is that your darkness?”

  He pivoted around. “What? Where?”

  “There. The swirling shadows. You're evil and you bring darkness with you.”

  He gazed around but he never looked on the ground. “
I don't see it. Is it behind me?”

  Why couldn’t he see it?

  “O, I don’t give a shit about the swirls of evil. I need you to hear me. I would never hurt you or let anyone else hurt you. Just come with me.”

  I walked across the yard. “You are honestly going to tell me you would never hurt me when you killed Sam and you’re doing something to my head, making me like you?” I snapped.

  “Yes. No. Wait—what? I didn't do anything to your head.”

  “Yes, you did. You were making out with Giselle like it was an Olympic sport, and I got angry because you have done something to me.” Fury started to build in me again.

  He pointed at the old house and spit his words in rage. “You're dating that fucking dog behind my back. And I've said nothing because I know it's part of this world. But you could have broken it off by now. Knowing I’m back and in love with you.”

  “Wait—you're spying on me? Oh my God. That's rich. You want me to trust you and you’re spying on me?”

  He raked his hands through his hair. “You're going to kill me. I'm going to actually have a heart attack. The first of my kind to die from aggravation.”

  “You have to have a heart first,” I mocked him.

  He peered up at the tops of the trees and screamed. His bright-red face rippled as he stepped across the boundary, still screaming in pain, and dragged me over it.

  He flashed as we crossed the guards fully.

  I pushed him away when my feet touched the dirt.

  I was horrified. “You crossed the guard?”

  He appeared psychotic as he leaned into me. “I love you. I told you, I love you.” His breathing was labored.

  “You crossed the guards.”

  He grinned. “I can do that.”

  I took a step back. “You can cross the guards?”

  “It doesn't matter. I need you to know that the kiss meant nothing. The only person I care about is you.”

  “You set a trap and almost got Aimee killed and you got Sam killed.”

  He pointed. “Not in this lifetime, you're bringing up old shit.”

  He had a point.

  “Stop making me like you. I don't want to be attracted to you. Turn it off. You’re evil and we both know it.”