Roseline twirls in front of the floor-length mirror, self-consciously holding the curve of her hips. “If you’re trying to make Gabriel jealous I applaud you,” Sadie grins. “Then again, I hope Mom has some life insurance on Will cause you’re gonna give the dork a heart attack!”
It’s amazing how different their two outfits are. Sadie has gone for a black strapless dress with an added paper clip décor. Her knee-high biker boots, black fishnet hose, and heavily applied eyeliner finish off the outfit. It looks like Sadie’s love for grunge is not completely gone.
Roseline’s deep green corset is low cut, pushing all of her organs together to give her killer curves. Waves of material cascades over her legs, spilling to the floor over her black heels. She is long and lean, yet curvy in all the right areas. Glancing at herself in the hall mirror, she is thankful for immortality’s one good gift. Her bronze hair piles in loose curls atop her head and spirals around her face.
“I guess I’m ready. Can we please get this over with?” Roseline begs, wishing the night were already over. Her stomach twists in knots at the thought of seeing Gabriel. The betrayal of his snooping around her computer stings, but not as much as his jumping to conclusions without giving her a chance to explain.
“Not so fast,” Sadie’s mother calls as she enters from the hall, pushing a rather reluctant Nicolae in front of her. His eyes nearly pop out of their sockets when he notices Roseline standing in the foyer. Apparently, Sadie failed to mention she is joining them. Although it should have been obvious given the dopey grin that has been plastered on William’s face since the day before.
“Mom,” Sadie groans. “Did you really have to slick down his hair?”
Roseline tries not to laugh but it is hard not to. Nicolae looks like he has just dipped his head in a bucket of oil.
“I think he’s dashing,” Mrs. Hughes replies. She looks deeply amused by the mortified look on her daughter’s face. Judging by the heat rising along Nicolae’s collar, this look isn’t exactly his idea of dashing.
“I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” Sadie grumbles. She fingers her paperclip necklace with fierce annoyance. “Couldn’t you find some other way to destroy the best dance of my life?”
Sadie’s mom cocks her head to the side, contemplating. “Nope. This is the best I’ve got.”
Roseline hides her grin behind her hand. She absolutely loves the dynamic in this family. Their pranks might seem cruel to an outsider but in reality, it is all downright good fun. Besides, she has to admit Sadie’s mom has found the perfect solution to the after-dance hotel room issue. There is no way Sadie would even consider that one!
“Surely there’s a law against this kind of thing,” Sadie whines, sounding like a tortured animal.
“Well, just because you’re miserable that doesn’t mean you have to ruin it for everyone,” William calls as he rounds the landing at the top of the first set of stairs. His eyes widen as Roseline comes into view and he trips over the final steps and tumbles into a heap at the bottom.
“Walk much?” Sadie snickers, looking gloriously vindicated.
William rises to his full height. He brushes off his shirt. “Wow, Rose, you look freaking amazing.”
“You clean up pretty well yourself,” she laughs, giving William an appreciative glance. His shaggy hair has been tamed, waxed, and styled. His tanned skin looks amazing against the white dress shirt, left unbuttoned at the top to hint at the muscles beneath. Khaki pants and brown leather loafers round out the outfit, leaving Roseline slightly taken aback.
“Like what you see?” He grins, twirling so she can get the full view. He pauses to shove out his butt, pulling the material taut. “I didn’t have time to order a tux but I think these pants do justice to my most appealing feature.” His eyebrows bob.
Roseline laughs and taps her temple, lost in thought. “I gotta say, I am really impressed. Who knew you could pull off something other than a ratty t-shirt and jeans,” she praises him.
“Amen to that,” Mrs. Hughes mutters under her breath.
“I have my moments,” William beams, his sapphire eyes twinkling.
“Picture time!” Mrs. Hughes shouts and heads toward the living room.
Sadie groans and yanks Nicolae into the living room. Her tiny hands struggle to fit around Nicolae’s arm. “Seriously? You’re like a nerd. What’s with the muscles, He-Man?”
Nicolae’s laugh is strained as he darts a glance at Roseline. “I uh…I used to work out.”
“Whatever.” She turns to find her mom and dad setting up the video camera, digital camera, and even a webcam so her grandmother can take part. “Is this torture Sadie day?”
Once they are all in place, Sadie leans over toward William. “If you drool all over Rose the entire time, I swear I will kill you.”
Snap. The camera light blinds Roseline momentarily. Thirty minutes and what feels like a hundred pictures later, she finally steps back into the foyer.
William shuffles his feet, looking unusually nervous. Even his ears have taken on a red tint. “Sorry I don’t have any flowers for you. It was kinda last minute notice and all. I called all of the local florists but they were booked.”
Roseline smiles warmly as she tucks her arm through his. “They probably didn’t have my favorite anyways.” Orange roses would have clashed with her dress, not to mention remind her of someone she really didn’t want to think about tonight.
“Can we go now? My feet are killing and we haven’t even left the house yet,” Sadie whines. Roseline sighs. Yep, this is going to be a long night for everyone.
“Alright, get out of here,” Mr. Hughes says as he snatches the camera out of his wife’s hand. “You kids have fun.”
Sadie grabs Nicolae’s hand and yanks him out the door. “Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.” Roseline follows her out the door, grateful to be released from Nicolae’s stare. Is she the only one that noticed?
The cold night air feels amazing on her bare skin. She closes her eyes and allows William to guide her toward his Escalade. A door slams nearby and Roseline freezes. William nearly runs her over. “What’s wrong?” he asks, but quickly senses the problem.
Gabriel is rooted in place on the stone path leading to his car. He looks unbelievably handsome in his black tuxedo. His blond hair is spiked in the front and his face is cleanly shaven. Gabriel’s eyes shine brightly under the rising moon. Roseline watches as his jaw clenches tightly, his raw pain igniting flames in her belly.
Roseline’s head bows. They both feel betrayed. William reaches for Roseline, gently pulling her away. She doesn’t look back, doesn’t call out to him to explain the letter to Fane. She simply walks away.
As the Escalade backs out of the driveway, she can feel Gabriel’s gaze on her. She keeps her eyes fixed on her clenched fists in her lap until they round the corner. She sniffles and shifts so her hair covers her tears.
“You cold?” William asks as he reaches to adjust the heater. Cold air pumps from the vents but she can’t bring herself to care. She gives him a half-hearted shrug and turns to look out the window. What does she care about the temperature? Hot or cold? Does it really matter right now when all she feels is numb?
“Thanks for this,” William says a few minutes later. The taillights ahead of them cast a red glow on his face.
“For what?” Roseline questions, confused by his words. What on earth has she done to earn his gratitude?
“For going with me to the dance. I know you didn’t really want to go…”
“Oh. Yeah. No problem,” she replies pathetically.
William frowns at the tremor in her voice. His fingers tap the steering wheel as he darts cautious glances in her direction. His fingers slide over the radio dial and quickly settle on a head-banging Metallica song.
Roseline smiles as she is easily enticed by the rhythmic beats. Her foot taps out the bass.
Slowly her funk fades and she shifts to speak to William. “I’m really sorry about all that back there. I just didn’t think I’d see him so soon.”
“He’s gonna be at the dance, you know.”
“I do.” Her sigh feels weighty. She mentally scolds herself for being such a terrible date. “But I’ll have you to cheer me up.”
“You bet.” William chuckles, ducking in and out of spaces in traffic. Traffic is heavy for a Saturday night as they head into Chicago.
Roseline glances out the window and struggles to get her bearings. “Where is the dance?”
“At one of the fancy hotels in the city. Sadie programmed the directions into the GPS before we left. I’m useless downtown.”
Roseline’s fingers grip the door tightly as they dart across two lanes of traffic to hit the on ramp. “You always drive like a maniac on the interstate?”
His chuckle fills the car, warming some of the ice coating Roseline’s heart. “Yeah, sorry about that. Am I scaring you?”
“Not at all. Just wondering.”
William zips to the outer lane and stamps down on the pedal. Roseline grins, thrilled by the deep throaty roar from the engine. She loves the gentle purr of a car when the key turns over, but her heart races at the growl of a throttle fully open.
Her laughter fuels William’s need to show off. Although his human reflexes are nowhere near as accurate as her own, Roseline finds herself truly enjoying the time with William. The minutes speed by as quickly as the white lines on the road that William chooses to ignore from time to time.
“I think that’s it,” William says. She follows his finger toward a glamorous hotel right in the heart of the city. A uniformed door attendant stands waiting for their approach. William jumps out, tosses his keys to the man before taking Roseline’s arm, and ushers her inside.
The plush red carpet whispers under her shoes. “It’s gorgeous,” she whispers, staring at the high-vaulted ceilings, plush inviting couches, and fashionably dressed guests. Now this is more like it. She is used to the comforts of such radiant splendor and has been sorely missing it. “This place must cost the school a fortune.”
“They have it here every year. And I’m sure every year the hotel manager wishes we’d go somewhere else.”
Roseline’s eyebrows rise. William laughs and tugs her toward the ballroom. Loud bass seeps from under the door, a sharp contrast to the elegance they have left behind. “You sound like you know this from experience.”
William shrugs, unable to hide his grin. “It was only one little fire. Honest.”
Her laughter is muffled as the doors open. The room beyond is dark. Bright strobe lights twirl around the room, leaving just enough light for the dancers to see. “This is insane,” she shouts into William’s ear.
Not pausing to respond, William grabs her hand and pulls her onto the crowded dance floor. They have arrived late, thanks to the impromptu photo shoot back at Sadie’s house, so they have to fight for position.
“What are you waiting for?” William shouts, twisting and turning in time with the music. Roseline is shocked to find that William is actually a talented dancer. She wants to let go and enjoy herself but she has no clue how to make her body move like his.
“You act like this is your first dance,” William says, placing his lips next to her ear.
“It is,” she shouts back. At the clubs back home she was required to sit in the private room and watch. No touching and certainly no dancing. Her role was to look ravishing and that was it, but tonight she has every intention of letting go.
William pulls her up against his body. “Just move with me. Don’t think about what you are doing. Just let your body move with the beat.”
Roseline nods, blushing furiously at his nearness. His firm body presses against her, warm and inviting. He frowns, glancing down at her dress. “Why did you wear something so long? You’ll never be able to move in that?”
He is right. As much as she loves the look of the dress, it has got to go. She grabs a fistful of the dress and yanks a new hem. William eyes up the new length. “Yeah, that will work.”
She laughs as she tosses the fabric off the dance floor. William pulls her close again and she quickly finds herself wrapped around him, grinding in ways that feel completely inappropriate but she is starting to get the hang of it. The music rises to ear-splitting levels as a new song replaces the old. Hands rise into the air and the tempo increases.
She opens her eyes to see Sadie on the outer ring of the dance floor. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes alight with excitement. “Is that Nicolae?”
William whips his head around. His mouth drops open as he stares at his sister grinding against Nicolae. “He drugged her. That little bastard.”
Roseline places a restraining hand on his arm. “No. Look at her. She’s actually having fun.”
Never in a million years would she have guessed it, but the evidence was before her. She narrowed her eyes on Nicolae and noticed the slight changes. His hair had that tousled towel rubbed dry look instead of his usual mess. His shirt is slightly unbuttoned and Sadie’s hands are roaming his chest with amazed delight.
“Where are his glasses? I thought the guy can’t see without them,” William grumbles.
“Apparently he can,” Roseline mutters as she stares at his vivid green eyes. His gaze rises from Sadie to meet hers. His pupils dilate as the smile vanishes from his face.
Watch yourself, she mouths silently. He grits his teeth but nods. Message received.
The crowd closes in around them as more and more people arrive. The dance floor is jam-packed and it is getting harder to move. Roseline closes her eyes again and allows herself to be carried away by the bass thumping in her chest. She begins to sway her hips, dipping and grinding. Roseline tosses back her head and laughs, feeling more liberated in this moment than she has ever been before.
She is free of Vladimir. Free of his rules and restrictions. She can finally be herself.
The more she dances the more attention she attracts. Hormones leak from her skin, drawing in the males around her. Their fuming dates gather at the sidelines to watch their guys paw over an oblivious Roseline.
“You’re getting it,” William shouts as he knocks another guy off her. He glances around, confused by the wall of bodies. “What the heck is going on?” he asks, ramming his shoulder into his chemistry lab partner.
Roseline opens her eyes and gasps, immediately realizing the problem. Even Nicolae has approached but is keeping his distance at the back of the crowd. Sadie glares at him from the deserted edge of the dance floor. Hurt pinches her eyes as she turns to stare at Roseline.
“Oh, crap,” she mutters. She had been so lost to the music, to the ecstasy of her careless abandon, that she failed to pay attention to her surroundings. “Let’s grab a drink and cool off. All this dancing has worn me out.”
She grabs William’s hand and pushes her way through the chorus of heartbeats pounding around her. But the harder she pushes, the harder they push back. William clenches his fist and punches Oliver West in the gut as his hand comes to rest on Roseline’s backside.
And then it all stops. Her body jolts with electricity and she is nearly knocked off her feet by the intensity of the sudden weakness that washes over her. Her thoughts are a blur as William scoops her into his arm and carries her out of the crowd. This time, they are not followed.
“Rose? Are you okay?” he questions, brushing back the sweaty strands of hair from her face after setting her on a chair.
She nods, craning her neck to see around William. She knows Gabriel is there. Somewhere. She can feel him. It’s not hard to do when there is a blast of fury aimed right at her. “Oh no.”
“What’s wrong—” William’s question cuts off as Gabriel yanks him backward. He sprawls to the floor, his forehead connecting with the tile.
“Get y
our hands off her,” Gabriel growls, placing himself between Roseline and William.
William rebounds and leaps back to his feet, a bit unsteady but very determined. “Hey! She’s with me tonight. Leave her alone.”
Roseline clenches her eyes tightly shut. Too many hormones. Too many frantic heartbeats. Too much pumping blood. The smells are nearly impossible to cope with. Roseline feels her control beginning to slip and panics.
“Stop it,” she screams, halting both guys in their tracks.
“Rose?” Gabriel questions, shocked by the crazed look in her eyes.
The memory of Gabriel’s betrayal winds tightly with the revelation of his ancestry. Gabriel is Lucien’s son. No wonder he is special…and extremely dangerous. Fane was right all along. She was too foolish to listen to him. Her heart made her weak and foolish but not anymore.
Roseline turns an icy glare on Gabriel. “You have no right to attack him.” She advances, poking him in the chest hard enough to make him wince and to remind him of her brute strength. “I’m with William because you chose Claire, not me, remember?”
Gabriel’s jaw clenches. “Your date is waiting for you,” she snaps, crossing her arms over her chest. A part of her silently cries out at the raw pain in his eyes, but another part feels vindicated because of his betrayal. No doubt she will hate herself for speaking to him like this later, but right now, it feels good.
Without waiting for him to turn his back on her, she grabs William’s arm and leads him away.
“What just happened?” he stammers, fighting to remain upright.
“Nothing,” she snaps, carving a path back onto the dance floor. “Let’s just dance and forget about him.”
“Sounds good to me.” He grins and places his hands on her waist to pull her close.
Thirty-One