Hyde, Book Three of the Devil's Roses

by Tara Brown

  "It's Christmas in like four days. What does everyone here do for Christmas?"

  He laughed, "Oh we usually blow it up. It's over the top and ridiculous. This year Annabelle would have done things to this house none of us would have recovered from. In the wake of the last few days, I don’t know what we'll do."

  She walked to Lydia's bed and sat beside her, "She's the most amazing lady. Annabelle told me she's like over two hundred years old. How is that possible?"

  "She uses a type of magic, good magic that replenishes her. It wont make her live forever but it will give her a lot of extra time."

  Giselle looked at the older woman with care and compassion, "She has been so kind to me. My own mom has never been that loving to me."

  Aleks felt his jaw tighten thinking about how cruel Giselle's parents were. Aimee had told him all about it when Giselle had been in the hospital. He smiled thinking about what Dorian had done to her mom's boyfriend.

  "How is your mom?"

  Giselle shrugged, "She's okay. Since Mom's boyfriend left she's been kind of bummed. I think she thought she was in love even though they barely knew each other."

  He nodded, "Where did he go?"

  She smirked, "I don’t know but I wish I did."

  Aleks laughed, he laughed because he knew where her mom's boyfriend had gone. Dorian enjoyed pedophiles more than the average criminal he usually ate or fed to Lorri. He cringed imagining what those last few hours had been like for the horrid man and felt a warm fuzzy feeling.

  "Do you think I'm pretty?"

  He looked up startled by the question, "What, of course. Even blind men can tell you're pretty. Pretty isn’t the word. Ravishing, stunning, startlingly beautiful."

  She blushed laughing, "So do you think about me?"

  He felt his face blushing as hers had, "Yes of course. I think people who have met you accidentally on a bus, for only a moment think about you for the rest of their lives."

  She looked sad, "So you don’t think about me in the way that you thought about Aimee?"

  He felt a tightening in his chest, how did he think of Giselle? He liked her, he more than liked her. He wanted her safe and would kill anyone who touched her. He wanted her happy but did he want to make her happy? Since taking the cure from Hanna he noticed her more. It was if his heart had made room for Giselle.

  He frowned, "The week has been so chaotic, I don’t know what I think about anything."

  She nodded sweetly, "Of course. I totally understand. Well I better be going. The sun makes me tired now." She got up from the bed and walked from the room. She stopped and looked back at him, "See ya."

  He nodded feeling off about it all. He hadn’t meant to say any of it. He hadn’t been prepared for her to say anything to him.

  She looked at Lydia who smirked in her pretend sleep.

  "Lydia, you sneaky old woman."

  She smiled outright, "You are a fool Aleksander. A great huge fool. That sweet girl is head over heels for you. Not because of your odd pheromone disorder either. You know you have zero impact on her with that? When has that happened? She likes you for you."

  He frowned, "I noticed it before. I thought it was because she wasn’t clever enough to recognize what was happening."

  Lydia frowned at him, "That’s a cruel thing to say."

  He blushed, "Its not what I meant, I meant I just thought…"

  She cut him off, "You thought she wasn’t smart enough to sense you. You don’t deserve her."

  He nodded, "Lydia I'm sorry. I never meant that. I do think she is smart, in a different way than I am."

  Lydia raised an eyebrow at him, "She's smart enough to recognize love at least. Tell Annabelle I would like some tea or soup. Something warm."

  He stood up from the chair, "Of course."

  He felt like an ass. He had always considered Giselle as a trophy a man would hold, not an equal partner in life. It was why he'd made Marcus not only heal her but also turn her. She could defend her own beauty for a change. He walked to the kitchen feeling lost.

  "Lydia would like something warm, tea or soup."

  Annabelle nodded, she hadn’t returned to her old self. She was quiet as if embarrassed or angry and not wanting to talk about it. It was odd seeing her so silent.

  He looked over to see Dorian sitting in the kitchen, "What are you doing here?" He asked smiling.

  Dorian looked at him and frowned, "You look like hell. I'm here seeing Ari. I'm trying to make a friendship."

  Aleks grimaced, "How's that going? I know she isn’t fond of you."

  Dorian laughed bitterly, "Yes well I deserve that I'm afraid. I haven’t been a good father, or any kind of father."

  "Is she even here?"

  He smiled wickedly, "No but I did notice Giselle is here. I have longed to enjoy an afternoon with her. The moment I met her I knew she would be a delicious little snack I would savor. I see she isn’t as breakable as before."

  Aleks was across the table before he could even reason with himself, "You touch her. I will fucking end you."

  He grabbed Dorian by the chest pushing him off the chair and landing on him. His hands wrapped around his throat.

  The last thing he could recall before the blackout was Ari standing over them both shaking her head.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight: What Cure

  Hanna

  She looked at her red dress and smiled, she had never felt so alive. She walked from the room and down the long hallway to the staircase. She looked down at Roland and smiled.

  "You look lovely my dear."

  She laughed, "Thanks Roland. You look pretty good your self."

  She was careful on the stairs. She took his arm and let him lead her to the huge dining room table where a huge feast was set for them.

  "This looks incredible. You made it all?"

  He laughed, "Yes of course. Now have a seat." He pulled the chair out for her.

  She heard a knock at the door and looked puzzled at Roland who grinned like the Cheshire cat.

  He left the room quickly.

  She could hear voices but not well enough to pinpoint the owner.

  She stood as Andy walked around the corner.

  He looked handsome in dark brown cords and a navy polo. He was considerably under dressed, compared to her and Roland but his muscles made his clothing inconsequential.

  "Andy, what a nice surprise." It was.

  "Hanna you look stunning. I feel under dressed."

  "No you look great."

  He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She savored the scent of him. It was a natural smell.

  He pulled her back and kissed her cheek softly. She felt dizzy. She forced herself to think of dinner but the smell of the detective was too overwhelming.

  She stepped back and walked from the table, "I forgot something up stairs, I'll be right back."

  She climbed the stairs quickly to get the vial. She hated the idea that he too would see her as a normal girl, but she owed him that. She hadn’t been able to get the charm bracelet made.

  She picked it up out of the purple sack and held it in her hand tightly. She wanted to cry realizing he would feel nothing. It would leave her still be attracted to him, just as she was with Aleks. She wondered if there was a cure for the way she was attracted to the opposite sex?

  She picked up the Christmas gift she had bought him and walked down the stairs.

  She went into the kitchen first and looked at Roland, "I need his glass of wine."

  Roland looked at her confused, "Why?"

  She held up the vial, "I need to free him."

  He looked at it and nodded. He passed her the glass and watched as she drained the vial into the glass. He took it back and poured red wine into it.

  He passed her a glass as well. She smiled and carried both in with the gift under her arm.

  "So what are you plans over the holiday?"

  She passed Andy the wine still smiling even though a small part of her heart was breakin
g.

  "Well I was thinking that maybe I might see if you wanted to go to the outdoor rink and skate. Then I have dinner at my moms." He took the wine from her, "Thanks."

  She nodded watching it hit his lip press against the glass. He swallowed nodding, "Bit tart for me."

  She grinned, "Drink up and I will get you a glass of white."

  He laughed, "You trying to get me drunk?"

  "What, me? No way." She knew her eyes were dazzling him, her charms were at their peak. Any second he would realize there was nothing special about her. She couldn’t feel her heart beating. The absence of a beat scared her.

  His glass emptied, he made a face making her laugh. He took a step toward her looking at the gift, "Is that for me?"

  She nodded passing it to him, he looked at her as if nothing had changed.

  "Can I open it now or will you come with me to my moms?"

  She nearly spit her wine across the room, "Oh uhm, what?"

  He laughed, "I'll just open it now. I left yours at my place, so you'll have to come and get it."

  Her face flushed, "You want me to come to your house? No don't open it. I will come to your house."

  "Its an apartment not a house, it is definitely not this place. My dad owns a pharmacy so, yeah we don’t have a Roland at my moms."

  She laughed, "No one has a Roland."

  Roland walked into the dining room with a fresh glass of white wine, "I am taking that as a compliment Hanna dear."

  She giggled nervously giving him a look, "It was meant as one. Andy wants me to go to his house over Christmas." She gave him her best-panicked look, "What day am I free?"

  Roland looked as if he were thinking but Hanna knew he was processing, "Boxing Day. Unless you want to hit the shops?"

  She frowned, "No I'm cool. No shops for me."

  Andy looked at her glass of wine, "You drink? You're how old?"

  She laughed, "Well I am nineteen, but my mom was European so I've always drank wine with dinner. My aunt and uncle were good with it."

  Roland nearly choked with laughter.

  Andy raised an eyebrow, "Well it's twenty-one for legal age."

  Roland smiled, "I believe there is something about your parent or guardian allowing it in the home though is there not."

  Andy grinned back, "Maybe something like that."

  Chapter Thirty-Nine: Maturing is optional

  Aleksander

  "That was rude, it was bloody rude. How was I to know you'd spit on her like she was the last donut as Aimee always says? For bloody Christ sake I am your oldest friend." Dorian dabbed the bit of blood from his forehead.

  Aleks snarled, "You are a terrible friend."

  "Well that doesn’t make me less of a friend."

  Aleks looked homicidally at Ari, "You ever do that to me again."

  Dorian growled at him, "My turn to warn you of the boundaries of our friendship."

  Aleks felt himself about to leap from the chair but Ari laughed at him.

  "You both are retarded. This is nuts. I get she's hot, but honestly."

  Aleks looked at Ari and nodded, "You're right, our behavior was atrocious."

  Dorian grinned wickedly, "Speak for yourself. I haven’t murdered anyone today. My behavior has been impeccable."

  Aleks rubbed his jaw where Dorian had punched, "You hit like a girl."

  Dorian laughed, "You better be nice to me or I'm going to hit your girl."

  "She isn’t mine."

  Dorian laughed, "Yeah because she doesn’t know how strongly you feel about her."

  Ari rolled her eyes, "I'm outtie, peace out daddy." Her tone was sarcastic.

  Aleks felt for Dorian in a small way, even if his efforts had been sad and he was reaping his own rewards. Ari still had not accepted he was her family. Her only family. Her uncle was kept safe by believing he'd won a free winery in Italy that he couldn’t sell. In reality it had been Dorian's winery.

  Dorian waved, "Thanks for hanging out."

  Ari laughed going upstairs.

  Dorian wiped the last of his black blood from his eyebrow. He groaned rolling his eyes exactly the way his daughter just had, "Look mate you need to tell her how you feel. She's fucking sexy. I've thought about the things I would do to her since the minute I saw her. Had she not been on deaths door I might have. Now she looks ungodly hot."

  Aleks growled again.

  Dorian put his hands in the air, "I'm just being real with you. She's a smoking hot vampire. Her sex drive is going to explode. One of us is going to be there for that."

  Aleks laughed, "You're awfully confident for someone she barely knows.

  He shrugged, "I only need a minute."

  "Wow, not something I ever imagined I would hear you admit to. I mean there have been rumors."

  Dorian stood up quickly, "Oh that’s it."

  He was gone in a wink.

  Aleks realized what was happening and quickly flashed from the room to Giselle's room. It was ajar.

  Dorian was hovering over her bed, he whispered in her ear. She moaned in her sleep.

  Aleks crossed the room in a step grabbing his arm, "You are sick." He whispered harshly.

  Dorian grinned, "Look at that face. Can you imagine your…"

  Aleks dragged him from the room quickly before he could finish his sentence.

  Aimee was standing in the hallway with an eyebrow raised, as they wrestled their way from the sleeping girls room.

  "What's going on?"

  Dorian grinned at Aimee, "Aimee James. My favorite death dealer."

  Aimee looked at Aleks who shrugged, "Nothing. Just making sure Giselle was comfortable. You know."

  Aimee nodded giving Dorian a disgusted look, "I see."

  She walked around them to the door and peered in, "Don’t mess with her." She spoke more to Dorian but Aleks felt his share of the anger.

  Aimee walked away shaking her head, "Perverts. You're acting like frat boys. Act your age."

  Dorian licked his lips watching her walk away.

  Aleks shoved him, "Get a grip. Find a girl I haven’t been in love with, please."

  Dorian raised his eyebrow, "Like that new Hanna. I hear she's a siren. You know what they're like in the sack. I barely survived the one I was with a while back. She was nuts, it was amazing."

  Aleks rubbed his temples, "Being around you is like being around a sixteen year old boy. You walk around letting your cock do all the talking."

  "Least I use mine for something beyond getting rid of the odd glass of wine."

  He was gone from the hall before Aleks could attempt choking him again.

  Chapter Forty: All worked up with no where to go

  Hanna

  Andy had kissed her goodnight, he'd let his hand run up her back, he'd done everything a guy really into a girl would do.

  She sighed filling her wine glass up again.

  "He called you a minor." Roland chuckled.

  "I am a minor, eternally."

  Roland frowned, "No you're not. You were eight when your dad gave you up but you weren't eight in human years, more like eleven in real age."

  She gasped, "I'm twenty-one? How is that possible?"

  Roland sighed, "No in real years you're more like twenty-eight. You age differently as a child when one of your parents is a Siren."

  She grimaced, "Twenty-eight? Gross!"

  He laughed, "I think the bigger problem is what you're going to do about the police officers feelings? I can tell you like him, a lot."

  She nodded, "I do. He's sweet and kind and gentle and respectful. He would never lie to me, I just know that. I could trust him with my heart and he would treat it like it was the most delicate flower." She flopped onto the couch nearly spilling her win. "He does birthdays and holidays and lives a normal amount of time. He probably has normal families with weird aunts and his mom smothers him in love. He's the all American boy next door."

  Roland sat across from her frowning, "Sit nicely in your dress Hanna."

&n
bsp; She sat upright and scowled at him.

  "You need to think about this seriously. You can't like one guy and really like the other and lead them both on. That’s a terrible thing to do to someone." He sighed, "You need that charm bracelet as well."

  She nodded, "I just don’t know who to pick. Andy is sweet but Marcus is hot. He makes me think things and want things. He opens my mind and my bod.."

  "STOP!" Roland put his hands over his ears, "By the gods is there no female friend you could discuss this with. My word."

  She laughed, "I think of you as a father Roland."

  He nodded, "Trust me my dear, no father wants to hear this conversation, not even by accident. This is best discussed with a friend."

  She tried not to look hurt.

  He softened his face, "Hanna try Aleksander, his life is always some kind of disaster. If anyone can offer some kind of advice on this its him."

  She laughed, "I will. I'll see him tomorrow." She got up off the couch, "Thank you for dinner Roland. It was spectacular."

  He smiled, sipping his brandy, "It is as always my pleasure."

  She went up the stairs to her room. She looked at herself in the mirror. She wondered what it would be like to be with Andy. His handsome rugged good looks and strong muscular body. She imagined his arms around her waist, kissing her neck.

  She smiled feeling the imaginations coming true. She looked into the mirror, she tried to see what they saw. Her eyes were boring, her hair was shiny and pretty but not enough to drive men to madness. Her thin upper lip always bothered her more than anything. Her ruddy skin seemed so imperfect compared to women like her mother. Even in a picture you could fall in love with her.

  "You look beautiful."

  She turned seeing Marcus sitting in her windowsill.

  His grin looked cruel.

  She felt her stomach twist, he knew about Andy coming for diner. Guilt filled her.

  "How was dinner?"

  She smiled, "It was delicious."

  "Of course it was, Roland is a master chef. Did he make lamb?"