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 spitting 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 so 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 drops 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 back door. 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 bloodstream. 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.
“I didn’t go with your friend.”
Gabriel nods solemnly. “I know. He’s over on the couch with Rachel Lutz.”
Roseline glances to the far wall, snorting as she watches Conner shove his tongue down the cheerleader’s throat. “Well, he bounced back nicely,” she replies sourly.
“Yeah. He always does,” Gabriel says through gritted teeth. His gaze falls back on her. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
His concern touches her more than she wants it to. “Yeah, just a little shaken up.”
“Want to get out of here?”
Roseline nods, following Gabriel’s lead faithfully. His fingers entwine with hers as he leads her through the crowd. It is not until they start up the stairs that she begins to question his motives. “Where are we going?”
Gabriel turns at the sound of her concern. His smile is warm, trusting. “Don’t worry. I just want to show you something.”
Roseline follows him to the end of the hall. The third door on the left is closed, shrill giggling escapes from under the door. Gabriel groans. “I’m gonna have to sanitize everything.”
Roseline smirks, pausing as he reaches overhead. He grasps a thin cord and a pull-down ladder appears. “After you,” Gabriel offers, waiting for her to go up first.
Her blush comes fast and furious as she glances down at the dress that up until this point has seemed only mildly inappropriate, but with its painfully short hem, there is no way she is going to go first. “I can’t,” she says, burning with embarrassment.
Gabriel’s eyes lower to her dress, widening as he comes to the same realization she has. He clears his throat, fighting to tear his eyes away. “Uh yeah, right. I’ll just go up then.”
Roseline glances around to make sure the shadows are pervert free before she races up the ladder after him. Once inside, Gabriel swiftly closes the hatch.
Thirteen