Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set Read online

  Ankle? Of course not. It’s her pride that is bruised.

  Her fingers curl around the edge of the wall as she eases out of his hands. “I will be fine. Thank you.” She smiles as heat stains her cheeks. Even though his fingers no longer brush against her skin, she can still feel the remnants of the electrical current that vibrates along her skin.

  “This should be safer for you.” He grins as she steps onto the plush carpet.

  “I swear that I am normally more graceful,” Roseline laughs, shifting her head to the side to allow her hair to fall in a protective wave over her face. “Maybe not the best choice in shoes, huh?”

  “Oh no,” Gabriel shakes his head, risking a glance down at her calves. “They look great.” He clears his throat. “So, um, do you like to dance?”

  Roseline pulls the silky veil back from her eyes to look at him. “You cannot be serious. I think I might injure someone with these shoes.”

  Gabriel chuckles. The sound warms the pit of Roseline’s stomach. “Well, if you change your mind, the dance floor is downstairs. The snacks and drinks are in the kitchen and the back deck has some loungers if you need to cool off. You’re free to roam the rest of the house, but I’d stay clear of the third door on the left upstairs.”

  Roseline’s brow crinkles with confusion. Gabriel laughs. “It’s my room.”

  “Ah,” she nods. “Are you afraid I might see your bed unmade?”

  “Nope,” Gabriel shakes his head. “The last time I looked, it had been turned into the hook-up room. Just trying to save you from walking in on something you really don’t want to see.”

  “Right.” Roseline shifts beside him, unsure of what else she should say or where she should place her hands. Awkward does not even begin to explain how she feels. That, in and of itself, is enough to throw her off. Normally she is completely in control of herself, especially around humans.

  “Well, I guess I should probably go.” The wistful tone in his voice is undeniable as he glances toward the crowd of teens spilling from every corner of his home.

  “I don’t want to steal away the host,” Roseline nods in agreement. A part of her wants to protest, to keep him close by, but logic tells her to flee before she does something she might regret, like yanking him into the coat closet by the front door.

  “Well…” he pauses, waiting for Roseline to give him a reason to stay. When she doesn’t, he steps back. “I’ll see you around.”

  Roseline tosses him an awkward wave as he disappears into the crowded family room. Wincing at how poorly she handled herself, she slips around the corner and straight down the basement stairs to find a dark corner to hide in until Sadie is ready to leave, but when she arrives, she discovers a manic scene. Strobe lights dance over the heads of a throng of underage drinkers. They grind against each other, moving in ways that she has only ever seen at nightclubs back in Romania. She was always forced to sit and watch. Anytime someone asked her to dance, Vladimir would scare them off with a threat of dismemberment. It worked like a charm.

  The heat and nearly visible cloud of teen hormones drive Roseline back up the stairs. She maneuvers her way through the packed kitchen, skirting the group crowding around the island chanting like cavemen as two boys compete to see how many cheese curls they can shove in their mouth. Deciding she doesn’t want to fight through the crowd for a soda, she peeks out the window at the deck. It appears to be empty. She sneaks through the backdoor and closes it behind her, sucking in a cleansing breath of fresh air. Solitude.

  “I should have known you would be drawn to the dark.”

  The hair on the back of Roseline’s neck rises as she whips around, coming face to face with Nicolae. His shirt is unbuttoned, his glasses vacant from his face; his hair ruffled into messy spikes. If she didn’t loath him so much, she might actually be able to appreciate the handsome boy before her.

  “Looks like I’m not the only one who likes dark places,” Roseline retorts, moving away from him.

  “That’s because you and I have much to hide.”

  Roseline turns, narrowing her eyes. “And what is it that you are hiding, Nicolae?”

  His gaze grows cold. “You don’t know?”

  “Should I?” she counters. Who is this boy? Why does he seem to know so much about me?

  He steps into the light flooding from the kitchen window. The harsh set of his face takes Roseline back. “I know what you have done, Roseline Enescue. You will pay for your sins, and those of your family.”

  The color drains from her face. “You don’t know me,” she whispers. Her throat chokes off the last of her words. Her stomach roils as she steps back to lean against the railing.

  “I don’t have to. Your kind are all the same,” he spits out. Blackened fury captures his eyes as he closes the gap between them. The scent of alcohol is heavy on his breath, but he hasn’t been drinking long enough to be drunk. This crazed anger is rooted elsewhere.

  His hand wraps around her arm, squeezing to the paint of near pain. Her eyes narrow at his strength. “Who are you?”

  “What the heck is going on?” William calls. The red plastic cup in his free hand falls to the deck as he yanks Nicolae back.

  Nicolae’s face shifts instantly as he grabs his glasses from his shirt pocket. He settles them into place and smoothes down his hair before William turns him around. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “Nothing,” Nicolae adopts a meek voice. “We were just talking.”

  William glances back at Roseline. Her hands shake as she presses them tightly to her stomach. William’s back teeth grind as he sees how frazzled she is. “Get out of here. If I see you around her again tonight I swear you will regret it.”

  For a split second, Roseline thinks Nicolae will challenge William. She watches the shift in his stance as he rocks onto the balls of his feet, the quivering of his jaw as he grinds his teeth, and the way his fingers flinch by his side. William squares off with him, inserting himself between Roseline and Nicolae.

  “Whatever,” Nicolae mutters as he turns and stalks off.

  William waits until Nicolae slams the door behind him before turning toward Roseline. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” she replies, wincing at the tremor in her voice. “It was nothing really.”

  “You’re as white as a ghost. That’s not nothing.”

  Roseline shrugs, blowing out a deep breath. The need to be alone nearly overwhelms her. “I’m a little thirsty. Think you could grab me another drink?”

  “Sure,” William smiles, releasing his grip on her arm. He steps over the spilled soda near the door. “I’ll be right back.”

  Roseline sinks into the lounger and covers her face with her hands. Deep steadying breaths help to calm her. Nicolae knows too much. Do I run again?

  Even as the thought crosses her mind, Roseline’s anger fuels. No. She isn’t going to run again. She can’t give up the life she has begun to build just for one teenage punk.

  But if he says anything…she will have to deal with him.

  “Feeling any better?” William’s voice cuts into her thoughts.

  She smiles up at him, accepting the punch cup. It reeks of cheap alcohol but she downs it anyway. What does she care? She has a high tolerance for the stuff. The cool liquid soothes the burning in her throat. “Yes, thank you. That guy just really irks me.”

  She looks beyond him to the living room where Nicolae stands, glaring openly at her. Instead of backing down, Roseline meets his icy gaze.

  “You know, if it weren’t for his creepy obsession with Sadie, I would say the guy has a thing for you.”

  Roseline nods. “Poor Sadie.”

  “Tell me about it. The guy even mumbles about her in his sleep. If he touches one hair on her head I swear I will lose it.”

  Roseline stiffens as she watches Nicolae’s facial features harden. At the rear of the room, Sadie ducks toward the basement stairs with a guy in tow. Nicolae’s jaw sets as he storms after her. “You might want to follow him
then.” She points to Nicolae’s fleeing back.

  William groans. “Are you sure you are alright?”

  “Yes,” Roseline manages a grin. “Now go kick his butt.” And if you can’t do it I will gladly help out, she silently adds.

  William throws open the door and darts for the stairs. Roseline moves to close the door but stops cold in the doorway. There, less then fifteen feet away, is the sight she had most wanted to avoid tonight—Claire and Gabriel together, as a couple.

  One glimpse of Claire grinding against Gabriel’s lap sends all thoughts of Nicolae running. Her jealousy skyrockets to the moon.

  “He’s just a human. He’s just a human,” she growls as she slams the door and turns away.

  Twelve

  Roseline’s gaze sweeps Gabriel’s backyard. The scent of fragrant herbs filters through her senses from the manicured beds below. A frost hangs thick in the air, giving the spluttering fountain near the center of the yard a halo effect. Beige paving stones create a pathway to a small wooden swing that hangs under a tall oak tree near the back fence.

  A cottage-style playhouse in the far right corner of the yard has been transformed into what appears to be a garden shed. Little blue shutters framing the windows are adorned with small window boxes filled with colorful fall mums.

  Her heart clenches at the thought of how much this backyard resembles the grounds of Bran Castle. Beautiful. Tranquil. Deceiving.

  “I couldn’t help but notice you look lonely out here by yourself. Would you like some company?” a masculine voice calls to her from behind. Roseline turns slowly, reluctant to give up her solitude. The guy standing before her looks vaguely familiar, but she can’t place him. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?”

  “The name’s Conner.” He moves to lean against the railing next to her. His casual demeanor is appealing. “I’m Gabriel’s friend.”

  “Oh,” she says, dropping her gaze she he would not see the flicker of pleasure pulling at the corners of her lips.

  Conner leans in. The scent of his cologne draws her in as she breathes deep, savoring the aroma. “Gabriel would be ticked if he knew I was out here.”

  Surprised, Roseline glances up to meet Conner’s gold-flecked hazel eyes. “Why?

  He shifts closer. “Haven’t you wondered why none of the other guys have hit on you tonight?”

  “Um…no?” Roseline isn’t quite sure how to take that question. Is he playing a joke on her? If so, what would be the point? Did Gabriel set him up to this?

  Conner’s chuckle is deep and throaty. “You must know that we’re being watched right now.”

  Roseline’s spine straightens as she follows his gaze to the windows. “All of the guys want you and all the girls would kill to be you,” he whispers near her ear.

  He is right. Numerous people are watching their interaction. Some stare enviously at Conner but nearly every hostile glare is blasting at her from the girls in the room as they fight to draw the attention of their guys back to them.

  She crosses her arms over her chest and focuses on Conner. “So what about you? Are you here just to chat me up?”

  “Well, that depends.” He grins, leaning in so close she can smell the mint on his breath. His gaze droops to take in the appealing curve of her low-cut dress.

  “On what?”

  He reaches out and runs a single finger down the length of her bare arm. His smile is enticing, filled with experienced promise. “If you want me to.”

  The thought of leaning in and pressing her lips against his is tempting, but only because she would give anything to push the image of Gabriel with Claire from her mind. Passing the time cuddled up with this human might not be a bad way to pass a few hours. It is certainly a better idea than standing around here feeling completely out of place.

  Conner shifts to face her. His hands slowly wind around her waist. She lets him press up against her, intimately molding his body to hers. His breathing becomes heavy as he looks down into her eyes. “You are so beautiful.”

  His murmur should draw her in, but it feels wrong. Not the words. They are fine. It’s who is saying them.

  “Gabriel,” Roseline murmurs softly. She places her hands on Connor’s chest and presses back gently as he leans in to kiss her. “This isn’t—”

  Movement over his shoulder makes Roseline gasp. Conner stumbles back a step as she shoves him away. Gabriel stands in the doorway, eyes glued to her flaming cheeks. Anguish fills his face as his fingers clamp tightly around the door. Roseline feels his pain slam into her. “You should go,” she says to Conner, without breaking her gaze from Gabriel.

  Conner turns and scowls. Gabriel’s wounded stare shifts to encompass his friend before he turns on his heel. The glass-paned door slams shut behind him.

  “Are you kidding me? He’s been all over Claire tonight and you still want to hold out hope the guy wants you?”

  “What I want doesn’t matter. But this,” she motions between them, “is wrong.”

  “Why?” he challenges, pulling her hand into his. “I’m not seeing anyone. It’s not like I’m cheating.”

  “No.” Roseline shakes her head. “But you just betrayed your friendship with Gabriel.”

  Connor shrugs indifferently. “Well, it wasn’t fair for him to claim you and Claire. No guy deserves that kind of luck.”

  Roseline sighs as she notices the line of teens pressing against the windows. Great. Now her reputation is tarnished here too.

  “If you change your mind—”

  “I won’t,” she cuts him off, yanking her arm out of his grasp.

  Conner spins and reenters the house to a rousing cheer and congratulatory pat on the back. Roseline turns away, sickened. She sinks down onto a lounger. How can this night get any worse?

  People come and go as the hours pass. The moon slowly moves across the sky, bathing her in its luminescent glow. Finally, when the ache of sitting sinks deep into her bones, she rises wearily to her feet. It is time to go. Now if only she can find her friends.

  “William,” she calls as she slips through the backdoor. He casts an apologetic glance over his shoulder as he follows a cute blue-eyed, mini-skirted girl up the stairs. The sheen on his flushed skin tells Roseline all she needs to know. “Typical.”

  She moves down the hall, wrinkling her nose at the smell of vomit wafting from the bathroom. It is much worse than when she first arrived. At the entrance to the family room, Roseline pauses, straining up on tiptoes to scan the crowd for Sadie. It should have been easy to spot her neon-pink hair, but among the mass of spinning colored strobe lights it is an impossible task.

  She closes her eyes, stretching out her senses as she searches for Sadie’s voice. The room is bursting at the seams with sweating, hormone crazed, drunk teenagers. Ear shattering music rises from the basement below.

  “Hey, new girl.”

  Roseline groans. She is really beginning to hate that title. She turns and watches as a guy barrels his way toward her. His broad shoulders shove people out of the way as he carves a wide path straight through the room. One thick finger hovers in the air before him, pointing directly at her. His steps are heavy, no doubt trying to compensate for the booze coursing through his blood stream. This guy she recognizes.

  Crossing her arms over her chest, Roseline stands her ground as he lumbers up. “You’re that girl that threatened me a couple weeks ago, aren’t you?”

  Roseline rolls her eyes. This is obviously going to end badly. “Yeah? So?”

  “So I think you should apologize,” he burps, beer sloshing from the plastic cup as he wipes his mouth. His forehead is clammy, eyes slightly glazed. Only his resentment appears to be keeping him lucid.

  “I will do no such thing. You were acting like a brute so I put you in your place.”

  As Oliver slams his fist against the wall near the side of Roseline’s head, a spray of beer rains down onto her dress. “No one puts me in my place,” he growls.

  His head cocks to the side, enjoying the
view down the front of Roseline’s dress. “You know, there is something about you that I like though.”

  Roseline chortles. “I wonder what that could be.”

  Oliver grins. “You’ve done a real number on Gabriel,” he tsks. “Poor guy can’t stop thinking about you. I wonder why that is,” he murmurs as he slides closer, pressing the length of his body against hers. His sweaty clothes stick to her bare skin. “Maybe he’s already had a taste.”

  Roseline spits in his face, disgusted. She shoves him away. “I warned you before…don’t touch me.”

  Oliver grins maliciously. Roseline is unable to stop the shiver that races down her back. That look is one she has seen thousands of times on Vladimir’s face. Empty, unmerciful rage, and each time it is followed by pain.

  Instead of Oliver leaning over her, she sees her husband’s livid face. That is all it takes to immobilize her.

  Vice-like hands cup her face. Rank breath washes over her nose, turning her stomach sour as Oliver closes in. “I think it’s only fair that I get a piece of the action too,” he leers down at her, his tongue flickering over his lips. Carnal lust gleams in his eyes.

  He withdraws one hand, sliding it around her waist to pull her tightly against him. It’s not the feel of him shoved against her that snaps her out of her paralysis, or the way his breathing grows haggard as his thumb brushes over her lips. It’s not until Oliver’s head slams into the wall next to her that she blinks away the fear.

  “Are you okay?”

  A single tear slips from Roseline’s eye as she turns toward her savior. “Gabriel?”

  He reaches out the steady her as she struggles to remain upright. “Did he hurt you?” All Roseline can do is shake her head.

  “Oh, thank God,” he breathes a sigh of relief. “I was afraid I’d be too late.

  Roseline blinks, trying to focus on him. “Where did you come from?”

  Gabriel glances away, the muscles along his jaw clamped down tightly. “I was worried about you. When I saw you weren’t on the deck…” The words pinch off as he grimaces.