by Chelsea Fine
“It’s good to see you, too.” Laura pulled back with a smile, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Why are you so chipper?”
Because I died, and now I’m alive.
Scarlet shrugged. “I’m just happy you’re home.”
Laura looked at Scarlet for a moment, examining her face. Or was she examining her eyes?
“What?” Scarlet asked, afraid her eyes were glowing.
When the immortal blood inside Scarlet’s heart began to weaken her, Scarlet’s eyes would flash and glow neon blue. A sure sign that death was close.
Laura smiled and shook her head. “Nothing. I just missed you. What happened while I was gone?”
“What do you mean?” Did Laura somehow know about Scarlet’s bloody death? Did Laura know about the Scarlet’s eyes? Did Laura know—
“How was winter formal?” Laura smiled warmly.
Wow, Scarlet. Paranoid much?
Scarlet took a deep breath. “Ah, you know. Uneventful. Heather dressed me in a poofy skirt with a black top that felt more like a torture device than a corset.”
Laura smirked. “Sounds beautiful.” She stepped out of her tall red heels, and kicked them to the side.
“If beauty is misery then, yes, it was beautiful.”
Laura sighed happily. “Beauty is always misery.”
Scarlet smirked. “Then I’ll pass on beauty.”
“Too late,” Laura kissed her cheek, “you’re already beautiful.” Laura shuffled all her bags inside and shut the door behind her. “So, how are things going with Gabriel?” Her eyes sharpened for the briefest of moments and Scarlet hesitated.
Why was she hesitating?
Act normal, act normal.
Don’t act like a cursed, sometimes-dead girl.
Scarlet cleared her throat. “Good. Things are good.” Talking about Gabriel with Laura seemed dangerous.
She didn’t want to accidently say something like, my boyfriend is immortal! Or I missed winter formal because I had an arrow sticking out of my back and protruding arrows make dancing difficult.
Smiling, Scarlet changed the subject. “So now that you’re home, what should we do? Movies? Dinner? Shopping?”
Laura grinned. “All of the above.”
“Perfect!” Scarlet reached for one of Laura’s suitcases. “I’ll help you unpack and then we’ll get going.”
With a plastered smile, Laura yanked the suitcase back out of Scarlet’s hand. “I’ll take that.”
Scarlet blinked. “Oh…okay. Sorry.”
“Why don’t you look up movie times while I get ready?” Laura’s smile warmed a little, but still looked strained.
Scarlet nodded. “Yeah. Okay.” She watched Laura climb the stairs, clutching the suitcase in her hand.
Weird.
18
Gabriel twirled a long strand of Raven’s black hair in his hand as they sat on the roof of the Fletcher home, watching the sun fall below the horizon.
“What shall we do tomorrow, Gabriel?”
He smiled at her and let her hair slip through his fingers. “You tell me.”
“Well,” she turned to him with big, bright eyes, “we could start by flying up to the clouds and having a picnic near the sun. And then we could swim across the ocean to an unknown island where we could reign as king and queen together.” She smiled. “And we could end our day by racing horseback across the northern hills until we reach the end of the earth, where we’ll jump off together, holding hands into death.” She leaned in closely with a huge grin. “What do you think?”
Gabriel leaned forward and touched his nose to hers. “I think you are mad and beautiful.”
She laughed and said, “We will do it, someday. We will find the end of the world and jump off together.”
“But first, we will picnic in the clouds.”
“Of course.” She smiled.
Movement below had their conversation frozen. Raven’s father, Eli, exited the home and looked around the property. Not finding what he was looking for, which was most likely Raven, he reentered his house.
The Fletcher family lived outside of the main village in a nice home with plenty of food and fire. Their land was well-kept and their animals well-fed, but Eli Fletcher was not happy with his living arrangement.
Long ago, he had a fine house in the village, where more traffic visited his business and brought him greater wealth. But Gabriel’s father, Cornelius, had pegged the family as evil and, in return, the villagers had shooed the Fletchers out of town, drastically hurting the family business.
Which was magic.
Dark magic, old magic, powerful magic.
Eli never forgave Cornelius and vowed to hate the man forever, just as Cornelius vowed to hate Eli.
The two households were mortal enemies.
Save for the two young people on the Fletcher’s rooftop who had a plan.
“So, we will marry,” Raven began.
“We will,” Gabriel agreed.
“And then we will combine my family’s incredible magic with your family’s wealth. And we will be the most powerful union ever.” Raven looked at him with a sly grin.
Gabriel smiled back at her, enjoying their banter. Raven was a big thinker, with an even larger imagination. She and Gabriel had grown up playing together in the streets as young children, then competing in the regional games, then attending dinners and dances together. They had practically grown up at each other’s side. It seemed only fitting that they would marry.
It had been Raven’s idea for them to seriously pursue their union. And Gabriel had happily agreed. What better than to marry the only beautiful girl he knew he could tolerate?
His worst fear was being married to some boring, lifeless woman of the court.
Raven was neither boring, nor lifeless. She was determined. Ambitious.
And her kisses were truly sinful.
“You shall make a great countess.” Gabriel picked up another strand of her hair and twirled again.
“You mean queen.” She raised her eyebrows playfully. “For I shall one day rule all the land.” She spread her arms out before them at the village.
Gabriel softly laughed. “You are not serious about all you speak, are you?”
She shrugged. “Maybe not being queen.” She looked at him merrily. “But I am serious about being countess. Imagine the wealth and power you and I will have together!” She sat up and tucked her feet beneath her. “People will fear my magic and honor your laws. We will be unstoppable.”
Realizing she was not joking, Gabriel stopped twirling. “You want to marry me for power?”
“Yes.” Raven slowly crawled into his lap and seductively wrapped her legs around him. “But also for your handsome face,” she kissed his lips, “and your strong hands,” she brought one of his hands up to her mouth and kissed it, “and your strong…” she kissed his neck, “strong…” she kissed his collar bone, “body…” she kissed his chest.
Gabriel put his hands into her black hair and ran them through to the tips before pulling her face up from his chest. “But not just power?”
Raven’s gray eyes grew heavy with desire. “Of course not.” And she started kissing him all over again.
19
Christmas came and went, and soon enough January was underway and school was back in session. Scarlet walked into Avalon High on Monday morning and tried to forget that she had recently come back from the dead.
As she entered her senior chemistry class, Scarlet found Kristy Stevens waiting for her at their lab table.
Kristy was a popular girl who took great pride in being a cheerleader and wore her uniform to school any and every opportunity she could. Like today.
With her long, blond hair, deep brown eyes, and sugar-sweet voice, she was the epitome of pretty and the definition of nice.
But Scarlet didn’t like her.
“Hi, Scarlet.” Kristy’s cheery voice was fake. “What did you do over winter break?”
Oh, you know. I got shot with an arro
w, died on my boyfriend’s kitchen table, and came back to life again five minutes later. The usual.
Scarlet sat down beside Kristy, opened her chemistry book, and shrugged. “Not much. What about you?”
“I went snowboarding in Whistler with my fam.”
Of course.
A moment passed before Kristy cleared her throat. “So are you and Gabriel still, like, together?”
Ever since Gabriel had enrolled at Avalon High, girls had been all over him. Scarlet couldn’t really blame them. He was gorgeous. But sometimes his stunning good looks were inconvenient.
“Uh, yeah,” Scarlet said.
Kristy smiled, but looked disappointed.
She and Gabriel were still together…right? Scarlet frowned.
Aside from their kiss at the cabin—the kiss that had been interrupted by Tristan’s jealousy—Scarlet and Gabriel hadn’t really touched over winter break. And they hadn’t gone on any dates lately either, but that was probably because Scarlet had better things to do. Like not die.
“Hey, Scarlet,” came a male voice from behind her. Scarlet turned to see Aaron Jablonski leaning against the table beside hers. Aaron was a mediocre soccer player and a below-average student. But he also happened to be attractive. Which won him serious points with the female population at Avalon High.
With Scarlet? Not so much.
“How was your winter break?” Aaron asked, his blond hair falling into his eyes.
“Fine.” Scarlet flipped a page in her chemistry book and tried to look interested in valence electrons.
With a loud screeching noise, Aaron dragged his lab stool over to Scarlet’s table and sat down beside her. He leaned into her, his shoulder brushing hers.
“I had a great Christmas. Want to know why?” he asked.
Not really.
He answered himself. “Because I got a new car.”
Scarlet managed not to roll her eyes as she turned from her chemistry book and gave Aaron a forced smile. “From Santa?”
“What kind of car?” Kristy scooted her stool closer to Scarlet and leaned in as well. “A sexy one?”
Kristy was on the left side of Scarlet, clogging her nose with the scent of flowery perfume. And Aaron was on Scarlet’s right, brushing her shoulder with his over-sized bicep.
She was in a Kristy and Aaron sandwich.
Kill me now.
Aaron flashed Kristy a smile that was probably supposed to look charming. It came across as smug. “A Challenger.” His breath drifted across Scarlet’s cheek, smelling like chocolate.
In an attempt to be closer to Aaron, Kristy scooted even closer to Scarlet. “Ooh, that is sexy.” Kristy gave Aaron a flirty smile and leaned even further, her chest pressing up against Scarlet’s arm.
The sandwich was becoming a Panini.
A flower-and-chocolate Panini.
Scarlet started scanning the room for their teacher, Mr. Brady.
“I know,” Aaron responded with a chin nod. He was such a schmuck. “So, Scarlet.” Scarlet could feel his eyes crawling up her neck.
Reluctantly looking up at him, Scarlet noticed how tan his skin looked. Like maybe he’d been surfing all winter. Or applying bronzer.
Probably the latter.
Aaron lifted a cocky eyebrow. “I was hoping I could give you a ride.”
Scarlet blinked. There were just too many ways to respond to this.
You wish.
Not on your life.
Excuse me while I go puke.
Scarlet raised a cocky eyebrow of her own, making sure her body language screamed dream on. “You want to give me a ride?”
“To the town fair next month,” he clarified. “I thought we could go together.” Aaron had the decency to look hopeful.
Kristy shifted uncomfortably on the other side of Scarlet.
“It’s a fair, Aaron. Not a school dance.” Scarlet said as she looked around the classroom. Mr. Brady still was not there.
Kristy explained, “The Avalon Fair is date central, Scarlet. Everyone goes with a date.”
“Whatever,” Scarlet said.
When is this blasted chemistry class going to start?
“So, what do you say? Wanna ride?” Aaron’s smile was cheesy and fake.
Scarlet tried to look bored. “I’m with Gabriel, remember?”
Kristy and Aaron both scoffed at the same time.
“You’re still with that guy?” Aaron made a face. “Lame.”
Way to be articulate, Bronzer Boy.
The bell rang and Mr. Brady rushed into the room. Sure, teachers could be tardy. Just not students. That was fair.
As the class settled down, the bookends of Scarlet’s sandwich retreated back to their assigned seats.
After a long lecture on kinetic energy, the bell rang, releasing Scarlet from both the boring class and the suffocating scent of Kristy’s perfume.
Scarlet hurried into the hall and spent a few minutes at her locker before Gabriel came up and kissed her on the cheek. He always smelled good. Like mint.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Hey.” Scarlet smiled. “How’s your first day back going?”
He shrugged. “Fine, I guess. High school sucks.”
Scarlet nodded, thinking back to her Kristy and Aaron sandwich. “Tell me about it.”
“Nate wants to see you,” Gabriel said.
“About what?” Scarlet opened her locker and started shuffling her things around.
“I’m not sure. He just said he wanted to see you after school.”
“That’s weird, but okay. Wanna drive to your place together after our last class? I could drop my car off at my house.”
Gabriel sighed. “I can’t. I have to stay late today for this history thing.”
“Bummer.”
Gabriel nodded. “See? School sucks.”
Heather came up to them and, upon seeing Gabriel, stopped in her tracks. She smiled broadly.
Oh dear.
“Hello, Gabriel.” Heather examined him unashamedly, her eyes grazing up and down his body like he was a piece of meat and she was a shark.
Gabriel furrowed his brow. “Hello…?”
Heather gingerly poked at his arm, her lips parting in awe.
Gabriel stared down at his arm where Heather’s glossy fingernail had pressed against him. “Heather. Why are you being weird?”
Heather’s eyes brightened as she lowered her voice. “Because I know what you are.” She bounced on her toes for a moment.
Scarlet rolled her eyes.
Gabriel looked even more confused. “You know what—”
“I told her,” Scarlet explained, setting a hand on Gabriel’s arm. “Sorry. I should have told you sooner. But I just couldn’t lie to Heather anymore. So I told her everything.”
Gabriel paused. “You told her…everything?”
Scarlet nodded.
He looked at Scarlet, then Heather, then back to Scarlet. He nodded. “Okay. I guess that’s…fair.” He turned warning eyes to Heather. “But you need to be cool, Heather. You can’t tell other people.”
Heather reached a finger out toward Gabriel again. He caught her hand before it made contact with his arm. “And no more poking me like I’m a hands-on exhibit at the mall. Got it?”
Heather smiled. “Got it.” She winked and whispered, “Immortal boy.”
Gabriel dropped Heather’s hand and pinched his lips.
Heather laughed. “I’m just kidding. I’ll behave.” She stood up straight. “Promise.” Looking at Scarlet’s clothes, Heather sighed. “What happened to the blue shirt?”
“What blue shirt?” Scarlet looked down at her outfit of ripped up jeans and a cream-colored sweater.
Heather cocked her head. “The one I laid out on your bed yesterday and specifically called your ‘first-day-of-school’ shirt.”
“Oh, that one?” Scarlet said innocently. “I think it’s in a crumpled ball at the foot of my bed.”
Heather groaned in frustration.
“Do I need to start inspecting your outfits in the morning before you leave for school?”
Scarlet scowled. “The blue shirt was way too tight. And low cut. Pieces of my body were falling out of it.” Scarlet thought about being in a Kristy and Aaron sandwich while wearing the blue shirt and shuddered.
“That’s the point.” Heather tossed her blond hair over her shoulder.
“You’re ridiculous,” Scarlet said.
“Yes,” Heather agreed. “But I’m also from this century. So you should trust me with your outfits. Besides, it would be a shame to let all those great clothes Laura bought you go to waste.”
When Laura first took Scarlet in, she’d bought Scarlet a stylish wardrobe. Much to the chagrin of both Laura and Heather, however, Scarlet preferred to spend her days wearing comfy jeans and T-shirts. She wasn’t a doll.
The thought of Laura reminded Scarlet of the weird suitcase incident.
Scarlet turned to Gabriel. “What do you know about Laura?”
He took a deep breath. “I know she’s a young executive at a European-based company called Corvus Technologies. I think she’s in charge of obtaining the chemicals and equipment needed for their tech products. She’s highly educated and has no criminal record.” He shrugged. “Tristan and I did a pretty thorough background check on her after she took you in. Why?”
Aw…the boys checked out her guardian? That was sweet.
And sort of intrusive.
“I don’t know.” Scarlet bit her lip. “I think something’s up with her. She was acting a little weird when she got home from her trip last week, like looking at my eyes and stuff.”
“Your eyes?” Gabriel asked.
“Yeah, like she was expecting them to flash or something.”
He furrowed his brow. “Are you sure?”
Scarlet nodded. “And this morning I heard her muttering about wrinkles and living forever.”
Heather pulled out a compact and checked her reflection in the small mirror. “Most people complain about aging, Scarlet. That’s normal.”
“Yeah.” Scarlet slowly shook her head as she closed her locker and turned around. “But she was also strange about her suitcase the other day.”
“Strange how?” Gabriel leaned against Scarlet’s closed locker.