Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set (8 page)

“So what?” Oliver scowls as he crosses his arms tightly over his chest pads. “She’s gorgeous, no doubt about that, but she’s off limits.” Gabriel turns toward his friend, biting his tongue against his protests. “Sorry, dude, but you gotta face it. You’re with Claire.”

Conner winces. “Yeah, but Claire’s got nothing on that girl. Look at her!” He drools. “Dude, if you don’t go for her I will!”

Oliver’s eyes narrow with anger. “Trust me, she’s a real witch.”

Gabriel nearly loses his balance. “You’ve talked to her? At school?”

With a shrug, Oliver turns his back on the girl. “Yeah. I mighta said hi or something.”

Conner stares at his friend, lips curling into an amused grin. “She turned you down, didn’t she?”

Oliver growls, chucking his helmet onto the ground as he shoves into Conner’s face. “I turned her down,” he roars, spittle flying from his lips. “I could have that girl any day I want.”

Conner shrugs, but the humorous glint doesn’t disappear from his eyes.

“Oliver’s right. I’m with Claire.” Gabriel breathes out a weighted sigh, pulling his friends toward the field. “But that doesn’t mean she’s fair game for you two.”

“Oh man, no way,” Conner complains. “Why not?”

“Because I know you. You’ll just use her and walk away,” Gabriel retorts. The thought of their hands on that girl makes his fingers curl into fists. He can’t explain the strange need to protect her from his friends. Only that he can’t imagine letting them hurt her. “Just leave her alone, okay?”

“That’s so not cool,” Conner mutters. He winces under Gabriel’s stern glare. Conner throws up his hands in defeat. “Fine, but I think it’s wrong, man.”

Gabriel turns to glare at Oliver. His scowl is followed swiftly by a shrug. “Whatever.”

It’s the exact response Gabriel anticipated. His “friends” are only by association. He can’t trust them further than he can throw them. Gabriel vows to keep an eye on them…and on the girl.

“We’ve got a game to win, guys,” Gabriel calls as the countdown buzzer sounds. “Focus.”

He jogs alongside his friends, determined not to think about the mystery girl until after the game is over. That is easier said than done.

Five

Despite Roseline’s reservations about Sadie and William, she finds herself naturally longing for their company. The football game, although mildly exciting, pales in comparison to the enjoyment she got just from watching Sadie root obnoxiously for the team. Even William’s antics delighted her.

The weekend following the game was painfully boring. Even clothes shopping alone for a new wardrobe failed to lift her spirits, but she was determined not to let the time go to waste. She ventured out into the mall and sat for hours, studying the movements of other teenagers. She filled a small notebook with slang terms that she picked up on and would hopefully remember to use. Having a thick accent is bad enough, but speaking like a grandparent is unforgiveable.

When her alarm blares on Monday morning, Roseline is more than a little excited to shed the confines of her lonely home for the obnoxious halls of school.

Freedom. Dangerous as that freedom might be for her, she is desperate for it.

She rushes through her morning routine, shoving an apple butter bagel into her mouth as she hops into the living room with only one shoe on. She has just finished zipping up her knee-high boots when a horn blares outside Roseline’s front window. She smiles. William has not only kept his word to drive her to school this morning, but he is also early, by nearly twenty minutes.

Roseline laughs to herself. “Seems someone is rather anxious.”

Tossing the remains of her bagel into the trash, Roseline snatches her bag and hits the door. William waves his hand behind the glass window, obviously refusing to allow in a tiny sliver of artic air. Roseline shakes her head, amused by his enthusiasm.

“Morning,” William drawls as she sinks into the soft leather. He scrunches down in his seat and blasts the heater to steal away the chill in the air.

Without missing a beat, Roseline leaps into their playful banter, taking Sadie’s side about how great Rosewood’s team did at the game on Friday night. Although Roseline really can’t care less about the outcome, it feels nice to be normal for a change, almost human.

They part ways as the first bell rings and Roseline settles into her second day of school. She quickly discovers that the teachers think they know it all, and the students don’t give a hoot. Most spend their time chatting about the football game. She sinks back into her chair and observes. Apparently, American football is a pretty big thing around here.

When the bell for lunch echoes down the hall, Roseline is the first to emerge. She hits the double doors of the cafeteria and brakes just in time to slide into the food line and snatch an apple, a soda, and something that barely resembles a taco salad. She hands over her money and hurries to find a seat at the back of the room.

Students filter in over the next few minutes. It’s obvious how the hierarchy of the cafeteria is set up. The jocks and cheerleaders command the use of the center tables, and the rest are designated for the outer circle—the uncool kids.

Roseline rolls her eyes. Obviously some things never change.

Sadie’s squeal pulls Roseline from her thoughts. Her new friend slams into the chair next to her, grasping her chest as she forces huge gulps of air into her lungs. “Are you alright?” Roseline asks, leaning in toward her friend.

“I…just…wait,” she gasps. Roseline sits back as Sadie gets herself under control.

Sadie’s lips peel back into a wide grin. “I’ve got news.”

“I assumed,” Roseline says with a laugh. What on earth can be so important? The poor girl is practically hyperventilating.

Sadie runs her hands over her spiked hair and nods in approval. “You’re not alone.”

“Excuse me?”

William rolls his eyes as he sinks down onto his chair. His styrofoam plate is absolutely heaping with the surprise meat taco goo. “What she’s trying to say is that you are no longer the new kid on the block.”

Roseline’s eyebrow rises. Sadie’s cheeks flush with excitement as she leans forward. “He arrives this morning. Mom and Dad went to pick him up at the airport before we left for school. Can you believe it? I’m going to have a hot foreign exchange student living in my home!”

“It’s not that big of a deal,” William mutters around a massive bite of greasy meat. “She’s probably going to scare the poor kid anyway.”

Sadie slaps him on the arm. William winces but manages to turn it into a private wink for Roseline.

“Don’t ruin it for me,” Sadie squeals, bouncing on the edge of her seat.

Roseline chuckles. “You are rather excited.”

“Darn right I am.” Sadie pounds on the table. A few people cast curious glances her way but she remains oblivious. “I’ve got dibs on the hottie.”

“And which hottie might you be referring to?” a voice squeaks from just behind Sadie. She whirls around and her expectant smile instantly droops. The boy’s thick Romanian accent rolls over Roseline’s back, chilling her.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Sadie groans. “This is what they sent me to work with?”

As Roseline glances up at the tall boy standing behind Sadie, every muscle in her body locks down.
Oh no
, she moans silently.

One of the attributes that Roseline has honed over the years is facial recognition, with a side of voice recognition. Although she has never heard this boy speak before, she instantly recognizes his face.

It’s the boy she noticed in Brasov waiting for the bus on the morning of her escape. She glances down at the table, not needing to look into his startling green eyes to draw up the mental image.

A human from her hometown? It can’t be a coincidence. It just can’t be. He must be here for a reason…but why?

His appearance is drastically different here. Gone is the designer sweater and fur-lined coat. His eyes now lie behind cheap plastic-rimmed glasses, which constantly slide down the bridge of his nose. His hair is greased, slicked down into a horrendous cowlick at the back. An oversized, second-hand, green knit sweater dwarfs his lean frame, giving him a frumpy look. The holes in his faded jeans were obviously not added by the designer.

The boy stumbles over his feet as he hurries into a chair between Sadie and William. His gaze flickers toward Roseline, eyes pinching at the corners when he meets her steely gaze, but he turns his full attention onto Sadie. “Nicolae Dalma, at your service.”

“Oh man,” Sadie grumbles, pulling away from the offered hand. She leans toward William. “Can we send him back?”

William glances at the four-eyed nerd he will be sharing his bedroom with and sighs. “I think Mom might frown on that idea.”

“Figures.” Sadie scoots her seat as far away from Nicolae as she can.

Roseline watches as he darts a glance in her direction. She knows exactly what he sees— unveiled beauty. The hitch in his breath betrays him. He obviously knows what she is, at least to the extent of the rumors that are passed from father to son. “And you are?” Nicolae asks with forced politeness.

“Leaving,” Roseline says; her voice trembles slightly as she slings her bag over her shoulder.

“Aren’t you going to eat that?” William calls as she leaves her tray of untouched food behind. She does not wait to see if Sadie is following her as she rushes from the cafeteria.

The moment she exits the room, Sadie falls back against the wall and throws a hand tragically across her forehead. “I’m doomed. This was supposed to be my year. My dreams of a hot live-in boyfriend are ruined.”

Roseline clamps her hands tightly on her bag strap, stilling the tremor that threatens to spread to her extremities. Does he know who she is? Surely, he has heard stories of her kind, but does he know her exact identity?

Even if he does, who would he tell? Chances are the kid is wetting himself right now. His parents probably thought it would be safer in America with drive-bys and gang wars as opposed to living in “Dracula’s” hometown. Boy were they wrong!

Her stomach coils on a new thought. What if he has been sent here to spy on her? No, that is ridiculous. He’s too young to be a hunter.

“Where are you going?” Sadie calls as Roseline stumbles down the hall, away from him, away from humans. She needs to be alone.

“Bathroom,” she manages to say just before she ducks inside the bleach-soaked room. The smells that inundate her nose do little to still her stomach. She throws open the handicapped stall door, locks it behind her, and embraces the porcelain throne. When the contents of her stomach have been forcefully expelled, Roseline sits with her head back against the cool tile wall.

At some point, the bell rings ending lunch. Voices come and go as the next period begins. Roseline makes no move to leave. What does she care about skipping class? It is not as if these teachers can teach her anything she does not already know. She has lived through the wars, gone to the parties, and studied her way through the entire library at Bran castle. Roseline is well educated, impeccably so.

A couple hours pass in a blur of fears and doubts as Roseline silently rocks, cradling her knees to her chest. Could one boy ruin an entire year’s worth of planning? If Vladimir finds her here…

Roseline wipes the tears from her eyes. No, she won’t let some stupid boy steal away the life she’s trying to make for herself. She will wait and watch. She’s not above threats of dismemberment to keep his mouth shut.

When she can no longer stand the eye-burning chemical smell, she emerges from her stall.

She vaguely remembers the bell ringing two more times. Judging by the empty halls, it must be the middle of last period. She breathes a sigh of relief. The risk of running into Nicolae has diminished.

Roseline dreads trying to explain her actions to Sadie. No doubt, she looked like a complete nutcase as she dashed into the bathroom. Knowing Sadie, she will ask too many questions that Roseline will not want to answer.

“Watch out!” The shout rings out through the deserted hall.

A football whizzes through the air, heading directly for her face. Roseline’s hand snaps up just in time to save her nose from being rearranged. Heavy footfalls announce the arrival of the football’s owner.

“I am so sorry about that—” the boy’s words choke off as he finds Roseline staring back at him. “Hey, it’s you.”

Her eyes narrow. “Pardon me?”

“No, I mean…I saw you at the game a couple days ago.”

“And?” Roseline questions, curious as to why his pulse has sped up. The boy has not even been around her long enough to be affected by the hormones leaking from her pores.

Rubbing the back of his head, the boy smiles sheepishly. “And I was hoping to run into you sometime.”

Roseline tosses the football into the air. She catches it easily and hands it back over. “Well, it looks like you have succeeded.” She turns and heads away.

A tall dark-haired guy at the end of the hall calls out, waving his arms for a return pass, but the boy waves him off. His partner disappears around the corner with a shrug.

“Wait a second,” he calls after her, jogging to catch up. “Aren’t you going to let me apologize?”

“I believe you have already done that,” Roseline points out, not slowing her pace.

“My name is Gabriel, by the way. What’s yours?” He reaches out, gently placing his hand on her arm to stop her.

Roseline gasps, jerking away as she feels an intense heat radiating out from his hand, like a blowtorch on her bare skin. No mark, no searing flesh, but the same intense feeling. Gabriel’s eyes widen as he reacts to the burn.

She stumbles back, shocked to find her senses impaired. Her nose crinkles as she fights to pick up even the tiniest hint of body odor coming from the boy’s locker room. The lights overhead dull before her eyes. Her skin feels clammy, heart thumping wildly in her ears. Her throat constricts as she fights to regain control.

“What was that?” he gasps, staring hard at Roseline.