by Amy Miles
She heard the creak of the floor as Gabriel moved away. A strange cold lingered where his fingers had been only a moment before. Roseline rubbed her arm, refusing to acknowledge the yearning in her soul.
Crouching by the hatch, finger hooked though the door, Gabriel paused. “I’m sorry. I never should have…I didn’t mean to…” he sighed, shaking his head. “I’m sorry.”
Roseline bit her lip as his face drooped. She didn’t want him to feel guilty. The rebellious part of her that’d risked life and limb to escape from Vladimir wanted Gabriel to fight for her. But she knew if he did she’d lose herself to him. It took every ounce of strength she possessed not to pull Gabriel back to her as he opened the hatch, but she couldn’t trust herself.
Roseline knew he wasn’t in any real danger from her. No matter how good he smelled she would never bite him. Blood was the source of life, for humans and Immortals, but taking the lifeblood of another being came with a terrible curse.
Although Roseline and her family didn’t actually feed off of the blood of others, it did happen from time to time to help speed healing. Like any prescription drug that can become addictive, so could too much human blood. Personalities would begin to change, behaviors become more violent and the result was the creation of the vampire myth. A myth that Roseline had fought hard to never live up to.
No. The need she felt for Gabriel went beyond fleshly desires. Even her lust for him faded against the bond she felt with him. As if their souls had somehow entwined. And that fact scared the heck out of her. She couldn’t fall for a mortal. It was forbidden. And yet…
“What do you think you’re doing?” a shrill voice wrenched Roseline from her inner turmoil.
“Claire,” Gabriel gasped, teetering towards the opening. Roseline’s hand shot out, gripping his shirt as she pulled him back from danger. He gave Roseline a weak smile of thanks before rushing down the ladder. “What are you doing here?”
Roseline dashed across the room and snatched her heels. In a flash they were wound around her ankles and she was back at the attic hatch. Neither Gabriel nor Claire had noticed her movements.
“Looking for you, duh,” Claire snapped, swaying slightly on her feet. Her blood red lipstick was smeared; her breath reeked of alcohol and something else. Roseline leaned through the opening and sniffed the air, her nose scrunching with disgust when she recognized the scent.
“How dare you cheat on me Gabriel Marston,” Claire shrieked, slapping him across the face. Roseline bared her teeth and hissed but her reaction went unnoticed as Gabriel rubbed his reddening jaw. “You’re father is going to hear about this!”
Claire turned and stomped towards the stairs, wavering precariously on her silver stiletto heels. Her hands waved wildly just before she tumbled end over end, landing in a heap on the landing. Groaning, Claire righted herself and scooted down the remaining steps.
Roseline hurried down the ladder, peeking to make sure no one would see her descent. Gabriel shook his head, deeply embarrassed by his girlfriend’s state. “Sorry about that. She probably won’t even remember this tomorrow morning.”
“I sure hope she doesn’t remember what else she’s been up to,” Roseline muttered under her breath as she smoothed out her dress.
Gabriel’s eye brow rose. “Oh yeah?”
Roseline chuckled, shocked that he’d overhead her. “Well by the looks of it, your girlfriend hooked up with Oliver.”
Gabriel grimaced. “Yeah, that sounds like them.” Roseline glanced away. No matter what she might or might not feel for Gabriel, she didn’t like the idea of him being in such a terrible relationship. “I’m gonna have to do something about her.”
Roseline stepped towards the stairs. That was her cue to leave. No way could she handle a talk about his crumbling relationship with Claire. “I should probably get going,” she muttered. “Thanks for the tour.” She turned to head down the hall but Gabriel caught her arm.
“I meant what I said earlier. I really want to get to know you Rose.”
Roseline struggled to pull her gaze away from him. She could already feel the gravitational pull building between them. Roseline cleared her throat, annoyed by how flustered he made her feel. No guy had managed to do that in over three hundred years. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.
“Me either,” he admitted. “But I don’t care.”
She hated how easily those four words changed her life. Roseline knew it was wrong, for so many reasons, but at that moment she refused to care. She nodded and slipped down the stairs.
“Where have you been?” Sadie moaned as soon as Roseline arrived on the ground floor. Sadie was relying heavily on the wall to remain upright. “I’ve been looking all over for you. I think I’ve had too much to drink.” She belched loudly and swiped her arm across her mouth. Her hair was matted with crushed chips and gooey chocolate from the fountain that’d been set up in the kitchen. She must have gone in head first.
“You think?” Roseline laughed as she pulled Sadie towards her. “I think you’ve had a bit too much fun for one night. Let’s get you home.”
The only answer she got was a gentle snore as Sadie passed out in her arms. Roseline lifted her legs and carried her out of the house. Judging by the moon overhead it was well past two in the morning. The house was dark as she approached but Roseline could hear Sadie’s parent complaining about the noise from their bedroom on the back side of the house.
Glancing around to make sure she wouldn’t be seen, Roseline clutched Sadie tightly in her arms and scaled the tree. She slipped in through the cracked window, gently tucking her snoring friend under the covers. Roseline hesitated, smiling down at Sadie. It was amazing how sleep could tame the wild beast.
“Goodnight,” she whispered from the window before leaping to the ground.
Deciding it’d be best not to go back through the door she’d exited only a couple minutes before, Roseline slipped down between the two houses. An eight foot fence stood between her and Gabriel’s back yard. Roseline stepped back then jumped straight over the top, landing silently on the other side.
“How could you embarrass me like that with Oliver?” an angry voice called out through the night. Roseline ducked behind a tree, wincing at her bad luck. She’d just landed in the last place she wanted to be…right in the middle of Gabriel and Claire’s confrontation. Fate was obviously having a laugh at her expense. Roseline peeked out, unable to stop her curiosity.
“Oh that was nothing,” Claire replied, slumped on a lounger. “Why do you even care? You were fooling around with that slutty new girl.”
“Take it back,” Gabriel growled, yanking Claire to her feet. His face contorted with anger.
Claire’s high pitch laugh grated on Roseline’s nerves. “Are you serious? You’re actually defending her honor? Oh that is too good!”
“I said, take it back.”
Claire’s laugh cut off. “What’s gotten into you Gabe? You fall for some new girl and now you’re ready to give up everything for her? Have you even seen who she hangs with? Sadie Freakshow Hughes!”
“You know what,” Gabriel said, releasing Claire’s arm. “I’m glad Sadie got out. At least she didn’t have to stick around and let you dig your claws into her.”
Claire spat at him, unwilling to take that comment lying down. “We both know you haven’t changed. It’s all just an act to get in that girl’s pants.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Sure. That’s my motive. Just like I’ve worked so hard to get into yours!” His voice was rising right along with his blood pressure.
Roseline was sure Claire’s howl could be heard by all of the neighbors. “You jerk! How dare you talk to me like that!”
“Why? It’s the truth.” Gabriel’s response was surprisingly emotionless. Roseline couldn’t help but pump her fist in triumph. So Gabriel hadn’t fooled around with Claire. That was nice to know.
“You’re just trying to ruin my reputation! Everyone knows you can barely keep your hands o
ff me,” she screamed, making sure all of the questioning ears plastered to the windows heard. “You can’t get enough of me.”
“We both know how much you’d like to believe that.” His bitter laugh mashed Claire’s cry of indignation. “And it’s not like you work hard to make everyone believe that you’re an upright girl. You spend more time on your back than you do shopping!”
The sound of Claire’s slap didn’t surprise Roseline. In fact she was surprised it hadn’t happened earlier. “We’re through. Do you hear me Gabriel Marston? I never want to see you again!”
“Fine by me,” Gabriel replied, slamming the glass door in Claire’s face. The eavesdroppers scattered, diving behind couches or slipping down the basement stairs as Gabriel stalked past.
Roseline remained crouched, wondering how long Claire would linger on the back porch. She really needed to get inside and find William.
“Hello? Yeah, it’s me Daddy. Gabriel just broke up with me,” Claire cried into her cell phone. Roseline rolled her eyes at Claire’s exaggerated sobbing. “I don’t know what happened. He just blew up and started accusing me of messing around with some other guy.”
There was a brief pause before Claire cried indignantly. “How can you even ask me that? Of course it’s his fault!”
“Whatever daddy. Just come get me.” Claire snapped her phone shut and stumbled towards the fence at the side of the house.
Roseline snuck out of the bushes as Claire unlatched the gate with great difficulty. Claire lost her balance and plopped to the ground as the gate swung closed behind her. Roseline silently raced across the moonlit yard and eased the glass door open. Most of the drunken students had begun filtering out of the house now that the show had ended. That would make it much easier for her to find William and get to heck out.
“William?” she called, cupping her hands around her mouth. She wandered through the house, stepping lightly over snoring teens.
“He’s over there,” Gabriel whispered as he slipped up behind her. He pointed to a crumpled heap on the couch in the basement.
Roseline rolled a snoring William over. His face was covered with bright red lipstick and an impressive bruise was forming on his neck.
“Well at least someone had a good time,” Gabriel chuckled, sounding impressed.
Roseline nodded and bent down, bracing to lift William. Gabriel’s electric touch stopped her. “Let me. He’s probably heavier then he looks.”
Frustrated with Gabriel’s intervention, Roseline was forced to watch him struggle to lift William’s dead weight. “It’s no problem. I’m sure I can manage him.”
Gabriel laughed, struggling to stand upright. “You’d just crumble under his weight. Especially in those shoes.” His gaze trailed down the curve of Roseline’s calf but quickly shifted away.
Relenting, Roseline settled with following his slow pace up the stairs and across the side yard. He knocked on the door before Roseline could stop him. Her ears perked up as light foot steps approached. “Oh no,” William’s mother moaned as soon as the door opened. “I knew he’d overdo it,” she said, reaching for her son.
“I’ve got it, Mrs. Hughes. Where do you want him” Gabriel grunted, crossing the threshold into his neighbor’s house.
“On the couch I guess. I don’t want him ruining my new carpet!”
Roseline lingered in the doorway, unsure if she should enter or leave. All of her clothes were still in Sadie’s room but she thought it best to sneak away. Gabriel slipped out of the door as she turned, massaging his sore shoulder. “That guy weighs a ton. He should’ve been on our football team.”
“Thanks Gabriel. Did you see Sadie?” Mrs. Hughes asked; worry lining her face as she squinted at the grandfather clock just down the hall. It was ticking its way closer to 2:30am.
Roseline spoke up. “She’s already home. I think she left about an hour ago.”
Mrs. Hughes frowned, running her hands through her matted hair. “Really? I didn’t hear anything. Well, thanks Rose. I should probably go check on her,” she started to head off but turned back. “Do you need a ride home dear?”
Roseline stifled a groan as Gabriel spoke up before she could decline the offer. “That’s ok Mrs. Hughes. I’ll take her home.”
Chapter 5
“My car’s this way,” Gabriel called, heading towards the far right side of his parent’s three car garage. Flipping open a hidden panel, made to look like the rest of the bricks on the house, the door slowly clattered open.
“Gabriel, I’m really not sure this is a good idea…” she trailed off, her lips pulling up into a smile. “A brand new Range Rover? I have one just like this back home!”
Fane had talked her into buying it on a whim a couple years back and it’d quickly become her favorite. Although her cherry red Ferrari was a close second!
Gabriel shrugged. “It’s just a car.”
Roseline glanced at him over the hood. Her slender fingers glided over the smooth paint as she fought back a stab of longing for her own car.
“It looks expensive, it’s foreign and it makes my dad look richer than he really is. That’s the only reason why I have it, trust me.”
“Sounds like you two don’t get along so well.”
Gabriel smirked, shaking his head. “Not at all. Jump in. You must be freezing out here.” He hit the automatic unlock button and climbed up into the driver’s seat. Roseline followed, somehow managing not to expose herself as she made the leap into the car. “So…where to?”
Her mind was still screaming at her to jump right back out and run away, but she thought that plan would probably make Gabriel suspicious. Instead, she resolved to get out of his car as fast as she could, while holding her breath of course!
“Um…you could just drop me off at Jimmy’s on Brendon Street. I can walk from there.”
Piercing blue eyes gleamed out from the dark as he appraised her. “What are you afraid of? Think I’m gonna stalk you if I know where you live?”
Stalking? No. But if he ever looked in her windows he would certainly start to ask questions that she wasn’t ready to answer yet.
“Of course not,” Roseline laughed, hating that it sounded forced. Her palms felt clammy, her forehead beaded with sweat. “It’s just that I’m kinda embarrassed about my house. It’s a temporary thing until my mom can find something better, but she’s always gone for work so she’s barely even seen the place.”
Gabriel’s gaze softened. “The first thing you should know about me is that I’m not hung up on status. Sure I might look like I am, but it’s just a mask I wear to get through the day. Under the designer clothes, expensive house and flashy car, I’m just a guy that wants to be normal. I don’t care about the money. Actually, to be honest…I hate it.”
“You hate money,” Roseline scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Well I have learned one thing tonight. You’re a terrible liar.”
“Ok. Well not money in general,” Gabriel chuckled. “Just Steve’s money.”
Roseline nodded slowly. “I see. You don’t like feeling like something you’re not.”
“Exactly,” Gabriel agreed, turning over the engine. He backed smoothly out of the drive and paused in the street. “So? Where to?” he asked again.
“Jimmy’s.”
Gabriel laughed. “All right. If that’s what you really want.” He maneuvered the empty streets with confident ease. “So you’re from Romania right?”
“Yes.”
“Ever see Dracula?”
Roseline spluttered. “Are you serious?”
“Sure,” Gabriel shrugged. “Isn’t that what all American’s ask you? Vampires are all the rage here you know.”
How could she not know! Everywhere she looked, handsome movie stars barred their teeth on movie posters and book covers. Teenage girls fought over which guy should win the human girl. T-shirts, calendars and even key chains promoted the romanticized idea of the vampire world but it was all so far from the truth.
“Yeah I think I’
ve heard about it but its all just fantasy. Vampires aren’t real,” she whispered, feeling a lump form in her throat.
“Really? That’s a bummer.”
Roseline laughed at his pained face. “Oh don’t tell me you actually believe those stories.”
“No way. But the idea behind it is pretty cool.” Her wince didn’t go unnoticed. “You don’t agree?”
“In my experience, there are many different forms of evil. Some are much older than others, more sinister and devious than humans could ever imagine.” Roseline’s voice dropped to a whisper as she spoke of her past life. Gabriel felt himself drawn in by the husky passion radiating from her. He put the car in park; the neon bar sign provided enough light from above for Gabriel to see Roseline clearly.
“So you’ve seen something?”
Roseline blinked, as if waking from a trance. She smiled, grasping the door handle. “Nothing worth mentioning. I’ll see you around Gabriel.” Roseline leapt out of the car and slammed the door. Instantly the icy wind curled around her with delightful vengeance.
“Wait a second!” Gabriel cried, scrambling to exit the vehicle. “You have seen something, haven’t you? Tell me.” Roseline laughed, shaking her head.
“Oh man!” Gabriel groaned. “Come on. That’s like telling a guy that you’ve actually been to Area 51 and then refusing to spill. That’s so not cool!”
Roseline paused, wondering how much she could say. Obviously the truth was out of the question. But a part of her wanted to let Gabriel in, just as he had done when he shared his art work. “The things I’ve seen in Romania are a smoke screen. A hidden world veiled behind human reality.”
“Why?” Gabriel asked, leaning closer. His eyes widened with anticipation.
“Some things are not meant to be understood. Humans don’t need to know the horrifying truths that are hidden from them. It’s for their own good.”
A chill raced down Gabriel’s spine. And despite the fact that the solemn tone in Roseline’s voice totally creeped him out, he was hooked. “You’ve seen this hidden world, haven’t you Rose?” he whispered.