by Tara Brown
“No. Maybe it’s a sickness. Or something like a moss or a mold we’ve come in contact with.” I laughed bitterly. “Maybe a radioactive spider bit us.”
“What?”
“Nothing. But we need to find lore about things like this. It seems too weird to be science. Let's go find Blake. He'll help.” I dragged her down the road. When it forked I turned, heading carefully for his driveway. We rounded the corner of the house and opened the door to the garage with the lock code. We slipped through the garage into the hallway, not making any noise until we reached the stairs to the basement. Even then, we crept down them very slowly.
I could see the faint glow of the computer screen flashing from the far corner, where I knew he sat playing World of Warcraft. We snuck along, not wanting to scare him or wake his parents, if they were even home. Blake’s parents were lucky he was a calm kid. With the amount of free time he had, he could have been doing the unsavory without any hindrances.
I expected to find him hunched over his computer but it was at the main screen and he wasn’t there.
Just as I was about to head for the kitchen a giggle made us turn around.
“Alise?” Giselle whispered.
“Gross.”
“I know, right? Why would she be with him?” She wrinkled her nose.
“I was thinking the exact opposite.” A small flash of ownership over him trickled through me. He was my best friend and my rock. I hated that she was touching him with her grubby hands. “Now I'll have to Lysol him just to have Halo night.” Then it dawned on me. Halo night might not happen. Not if I ate people with my sucky thingy.
I grabbed the computer chair and sat down. My fingers flew over the keyboard.
After about half an hour I sat back, sighing. “We both have succubus-like traits. This is weird. It says here, bear in mind it’s all mythology, they feed on souls and essence. Of course, it also says they collect semen and impregnate girls.”
“Uhm, what? Dude. I don’t collect it. I avoid it.”
“Whoa.” I put a hand up. “Wow, okay, no. Let’s just focus on the mythical facts. This all just sounds like a great way to blame someone else for being pregnant. You know, like back in the day when being pregnant and unmarried was something bad. It doesn’t sound legit.”
“Unless you live in the South. I think they still don’t approve.”
“Duly noted.” I continued, “Anyway, this has to be some kind of chemical reaction. Let me see if I can find reactions that cause you to suck the life out of someone.”
“Oh, like how my mom did that to my dad?” She snickered.
“Yes.” I rolled my eyes and let my fingers loose on the keyboard. “Exactly.”
“Aimes?”
I turned to find Blake standing in the hallway with a shirt over his naked parts. “What are you doing here?”
“Lovely.” I grimaced.
“Dude”—he stepped backward into the room—“why are you in my house?”
“Why are you having sex with my sister?” I focused on the computer again, hating them both.
“Aimee, you are such a nerd loser. Why are you even here? I know you're jealous.” Alise’s voice rang out in the hall.
“Okay.” I continued to scroll and read.
Blake came out, pulling a space camp tee shirt on. “Why are you here?”
“We have a problem. I need your help.”
“So you brought Giselle with you?” He sounded lost. It was about to get so much worse.
“She’s part of the problem.” I slumped back in the chair. “Let's say I had an issue with sucking the life out of other people. What would you say?”
He grinned. “That would be sweet. Just like Rogue on X-Men. Is it live role-play day?” He seemed panicked for a moment and glanced at his calendar.
“No. Giselle and I are having some issues. Her with the mouth and me with the hands. She killed Mr. Mac after he tried to attack her. She sucked the soul out of him. I almost killed Shane. I think. I still don’t know how he is.” The words didn’t feel as crazy as they sounded. Like I knew they were true. Somehow.
Blake stopped rifling through the calendar and frowned. “What?”
“Oh my God, Aimes.” Alise stormed out of the bedroom at the end of the hall. “You would stop at nothing to ruin our happiness. I get that he is more your type, but he said he’s liked me for years.” She crossed her arms and glared at Giselle. “Why are you here?”
Giselle leapt at her and grabbed her face. Alise screamed but her screamed faded as Giselle's sucking thing started.
The air changed as Giselle sucked from her.
“No!” I tackled her. I dragged her off and held her to me. Alise coughed and choked.
Blake grabbed her, scowling at us. “What the hell?”
“Shhhhh.” I glowered at them. Giselle turned back and growled. I soothed her, “Shhhhhh. Don't do this. You'll regret it.”
“I might not.” She shivered. “She tastes nasty. Alise, you taste sick.”
I laughed.
“She tried to kill me.” Alise coughed again. “What the hell was that for, bitch?”
I narrowed my eyes. “I would stop now. Neither of us has a handle on this.” I turned to Blake. “You know me. You know I wouldn’t make this up.”
“I know.” He crossed his arms over himself, hugging. “Aimes, you need to tell me everything.”
Alise got up and staggered. “She tried to kill me and that’s all you have to say? You're pathetic. You two are freaking crazy.” She stormed down the hall.
Blake tried to go after her but I snatched his arm and quickly let go. “She gets past things quickly. This is more important.”
He was conflicted but he sat back down. “Okay. Start at the beginning.”
“Okay.” I sighed and started where I thought it started, with chocolate soy milk.
By the time I finished the story his face was stoic. He was scared. “I need proof.”
I blinked my eye and suddenly I was at the other side of the room.
“Do it one more time.” He paled.
I blinked my eyes a few times and then shut the right eye. I winked my left, thought about the other side of the room, and then I was there.
“Okay.” He took a deep breath. “I believe you, but I'm having a hard time with it all. The science doesn’t make sense. Like why you two? More so, why her? I could see you becoming like this, but her? What does she do for society that she deserves a super power?”
“I don’t know.” I laughed. Giselle had fallen asleep on the couch. “She will look killer in the leather suit.” My laugh was bitter. My heart was breaking. I didn’t know what to do, and I knew Shane was out there with those people we didn’t know.
He continued, “Duly noted. Skintight shiny leather is definitely going to be killer on her. So no oddly glowing space rocks or weird visits in the night by strange men? You haven’t been to any test facilities?”
“No. And no spider bites.”
He grinned. “Just checking.”
The air warmed. The sensation was familiar.
“There you are.” The blond man smiled at me. Behind him was the dark-haired girl from before. She was with a redhead I'd never seen before. They all smiled and seemed like they should be here with us.
“Blake, stay back. They're weird like us,” I warned him. “How’s Shane?”
“He’s fine. And we all know Blake. Quite well.” The redhead cocked her head at me. “Aimee, we need you and Giselle to come with us.”
“How do you know him?” I pointed at Blake.
“Long story.” She glanced past me and waved. “Hey, Blake.”
“Oh my God.” He pushed up his glasses and smiled wide. “This is awesome. It's like Doctor Who.”
“What are you?” I demanded.
The dark-haired girl with the dark eyes, who seemed on the verge of crying, spoke softly, “We're the Devil's Roses. We need you to come with us.”
I knew that name, althoug
h I'd never heard it before. I took a step toward them and then back to Blake.
“You have to go with them, Aimee.” Blake pushed me. “You’re eating people with your hands. This is a thing.”
“Fine. Make something up for my parents. Tell them Giselle took me prom dress shopping so our parents don’t worry.”
The others laughed.
“What?” I cocked an eyebrow.
“Aimee, your parents will never believe that.” The redhead shook her head. “Prom dress shopping?”
Blake pointed. “They know you for sure.”
I scowled.
“Just saying.” He lifted his hands innocently.
“Dorian’s gone to speak to your parents and tell them stories. Giselle, you're going to be filming a movie and getting paid a lot of money. Aimee, you are part of a research grant.”
Blake crossed his arms. “That actually sounds good.”
“Why would my parents believe that?” I scoffed.
“Dorian is very,” she paused, “convincing.” The redhead smiled at me. “We've gotten good at this.” She shot a look at the dark-haired girl. “This isn’t our first kick at this can.”
Suddenly, a dark-haired man, more beautiful than anything I have ever seen, was in the room. He inhaled sharply. “Aimee, love, you look well.” He spoke with an English accent, but I’d expected that. He gulped and clapped his hands together. “Well, parents are all done.”
I exhaled slowly, lost in his gaze.
“Aimee?” The redhead spoke but I couldn’t break my eyes from the dark-haired guy.
Blake crossed the room. “Are you having second thoughts about going with them?” he whispered into the side of my face.
“I don’t know. But I know them, from somewhere.”
“I know. Me too. I totally believe all this and I never believe anything.” He blinked and stared.
The sad face of the dark-haired girl was torturing me.
I knew her. I loved her. Like a sister. Like Giselle.
It was Wonderland.
The dark-haired man sauntered toward me. He bent his face and planted a soft warm kiss on my cheek. “I've missed you.”
The smell of him was amazing, like incense and lust.
My breath got lost in my lungs.
He walked past me to Giselle and scooped her up. He winked at me and he was gone. Panic filled me. “Where did he take her?”
The redhead seemed annoyed. “Home.”
The blond guy grabbed my hand. The air was warm as the redhead walked toward Blake.
“NOOOO!” I shouted but it was too late.
Cool damp air and squishy grass were the first things I noticed. Then an old house on a tree-lined street. An old lady was on the porch waving at us.
“Aimes!” A cute guy with green eyes and dark hair ran at me from the house. He scooped me up and kissed my cheek.
“Get off of me!” I struggled. “What are you doing? Who are you?”
His face dropped. He raised an eyebrow and looked past me to the blond guy. “Damn. Both?”
“I guess so.” The blond guy shrugged and walked up to the house. “I'm out. My father’s nearby,” he spoke to the elderly woman standing on the front porch of the old mansion.
The guy with the green eyes put a hand out. “Ben.”
“How do you know me?”
He put his hand that lingered, waiting for me to shake it, up to my face. “You are one of my best friends.”
“How?”
“Aimee, come inside. We need to debrief you. Giselle’s already inside,” the old lady on the porch spoke impatiently.
My feet moved, even though my brain argued with them. I trusted her. Her old face and white-gray hair reminded me of someone I loved. Someone from a story maybe.
My cell rang. I ignored it and walked up the creaky steps. The old woman took my hand in hers and pulled me inside.
The house smelled familiar. “I've been here before,” I whispered.
“You have. You lived here in a different life.” She led me to a huge room with many couches and a fireplace. She sat and took a deep breath before she began speaking, “Two years ago, in 2010, I met you. Dorian, the man who changed you into what you are, was given a task. He was asked by the leader of the Devil's Roses to create one like him. A soul sucker, death deity, angel of death, death dealer, whatever you want to call it. He needed one like himself to end the battle between good and evil on Earth.”
“Wait, what?” I frowned. “It's 2010 now. You know that, right?”
She put a hand up. “Let me finish my story.”
“Okay.”
She continued, “Dorian was also asked, at the same time, to save you. Aleksander had fallen in love with you and needed you to be spared.”
“The big blond guy?” I pointed behind me with my thumb.
“Shhhhh. The only way to save you was to change you. Dorian was in need of one like himself so he agreed. He agreed on the condition that Aleksander gave up his lifetime of useless wandering and became a Rose. Aleksander agreed and you were changed. Fearing you would begin to understand your own power and use it for evil, Dorian used threats and cruelty to handle you. You ran from him. That was when I met you. I was walking past an alley and I sensed you. You were living on the streets, cold and wet. You had swum into the Portland Harbor and hidden amongst the homeless. I brought you home here and cared for you. It took months to get you to stop being so crazed and ravenous. Things like you have to eat, often.”
My head spun. I didn’t know how to argue with the words. They felt like truths. I could almost picture every moment she described. I put my head down and closed my eyes to listen to her voice.
Chapter 10
Once upon a time
Aimee
“Do you believe it?” Giselle asked from the bed on the other side of the room.
“Yeah.” I stared up at the ceiling. “I don’t know why, but I do. It feels true.”
“I know, me too.”
“It makes more sense than rocks from space or science labs or spiders,” I offered weakly.
A knock at the door interrupted us. The handle turned and a guy close to my age walked in.
“Damn,” Giselle whispered. I nodded in agreement.
He beamed, “Aimee and Giselle. Back from Neverland, I see. Did you miss me terribly?”
I wanted to say yes. I had the strangest feelings for him.
“I'm Sam.” He sat at the end of the bed.
“Sam,” I frowned and mouthed the name. “I know you.”
“Yup. You know us all, obviously, but you and I were special to each other. Me and you and Ari.”
“The emo-looking dark-haired girl?” I grimaced.
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “Who are you?” I asked. I'd been saying that all day.
“Nephilim and siren. My dad was one of the fallen, like Lorri and Dorian.”
“Oh God.” I grimaced. “They have babies?”
“I guess they do.” He ran his hands through his hair.
“You know me too?” Giselle batted her eyelashes. “So did you and I, like, know each other?”
“Of course. We did Roses Academy training together. You both are my friends.”
Giselle scowled. “Just friends?” She leaned forward. “You guys are all so hot. How is that possible?”
I turned to her. “Dude.”
“Angels make everyone feel like that. Automatic attraction. Plus, I'm part siren. So yeah, it’s not going to help you out at all.” He pursed his lips. “Aleks has it too. And Marcus.”
Giselle frowned. “Who?”
“The tall blond guy and the one with the fangs. Marcus. The OG.” Sam sighed.
“Right.” I glanced at Giselle. “When you were a vampire for a short stint he was the one who made you.”
“It feels like fog is in my head.” She rubbed her temples.
“I know. Like I can’t get past a wall in my mind,” I agreed. “Maybe Marcus can get rid of it.”
“No.” Sam shook his head. “We don’t want him to. We still have some monsters to collect. Ophelia and her brother Tristan, Phillip, and Oliver. We don’t have time for the whole Shane versus Aleks fight.” He rolled his eyes.
I felt a stab in my guts. “What?”
His face reddened. “Oh nothing. You just dragged out the ‘whoever should I pick’ for about two years. Ate up a lot of our time. People died. It was brutal.”
“Pick?” I swallowed hard. “I dated them both? Shane and the big blond guy who does the flashy thing and smells like cookies?”
“Yeah, and believe me, it was hard on everyone. I've died once, Aleks died once, Ben died once, and Marcus, I think once or twice. All of it could’ve been avoided if you weren’t such a sucky baby.” His words cut into me.
“Dude, what the hell?” Giselle growled.
“Don’t take offense.” He put his hands out. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just better with you focusing on work and not boys.”
“I've never even dated a boy. My first kiss was a near-death experience for the boy I have liked my entire life. They won’t even let me see him.” I was sick thinking about it. My face paled. “How is Shane? Have you heard? They won’t tell me anything.”
His eyes darted from mine to Giselle’s. “What? Why? What happened to him?”
“Clearly you don’t know either. Has anyone said anything to you about him?” I asked Giselle.
“No.” She stretched. “Nada.”
He acted like we were old friends, too comfortable for me. I needed to catch up.
“Well, someone needs to give me some answers.” I climbed off the bed and hurried out of the room and down the flights of stairs.
When I got to the kitchen a girl stood there cooking, but I could see through her. Her body was transparent.
I screamed and blinked my eyes, panicking. I closed my right eye and winked my left.
Instantly I was on the beach. The secret beach. I shook and gasped for air. “It wasn’t real. It wasn’t real,” I chanted and paced, enjoying the cold air for a moment.
“You okay?” Sam walked to me.
I had hit a wall.
It was the death of curiosity and what if and how is this possible. It was the end of tolerance and entertaining weird ideas.